Chapter 269 : When Disaster Strikes, Everyone Flies Their Own Way~

This ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍massive bombing lasted for less than two hours from beginning to end, but the fires continued burning for more than five days at their longest.

More ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍than 800,000 houses and buildings were destroyed, leaving over a million people homeless. They could only barely survive in the outer areas of the middle ring surrounding the Royal Capital, or in the outer ring.

As ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍for the inner ring, aside from the Royal Capital and the Royal Capital Grand Cathedral, which were protected by powerful defensive measures, virtually every other area had been burned into a field of white ash.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Royal Capital had only been protected because the remaining trump card forces of the capital were stationed there. Otherwise, even the Church of the Royal Capital would not have wanted to waste the effort protecting it.

Was ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it because the Goddess of Light did not want to protect these loyal believers?

She ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did.

But she could not.

The bomber fleet dropped its napalm bombs, patted itself on the back, and flew away, leaving every problem for the Holy See to deal with.

To protect a single ordinary person from surviving for several days in temperatures exceeding a thousand degrees required an amount of faith power accumulated through years of prayers from an unknown number of believers. Let alone protecting not one person, but several million.

This was Midia's birthday gift—an impossible trolley problem.

Should they preserve their short-term strength, or protect their believers?

Those who could still maintain unwavering faith in the Church of Light while the Holy See faced such a catastrophe were unquestionably Devout Believers and Fanatical Believers. The quality of their faith far surpassed that of Ordinary Believers.

At the peak of the Demitria Holy See's rule, including the subcontinent that had once served as its rear-market, it governed a population of several hundred million. Yet even then, the combined number of Devout Believers and Fanatical Believers amounted to only two or three million. More than ninety-nine percent of the rest were merely Ordinary Believers.

It could be said that these one million people formed the greater part of the Church of Light's foundation and represented its very essence.

Preliminary estimates placed the casualties from the Itzamein Strategic Bombing at approximately 650,000 dead in the Royal Capital of Itzamein, more than 700,000 seriously injured, and 160 square kilometers reduced to flat ground, nearly equivalent to destroying more than half of Itzamein.

Clearly, the Goddess of Light had made her choice.

But could anyone truly say her choice was wrong?

Not necessarily.

With everything already at its final moment, it was understandable that everyone fled for themselves when disaster struck.

Of course, that was assuming He was regarded as a "she." In other words, from the moment she made that choice, her career as a god had effectively reached its end.

Even though enormous numbers of Ordinary Believers throughout the other nations of the continent still helped stabilize her divine authority,

In the future, before the Alliance was completely destroyed and unified control over discourse was restored, she would either continue falling in divine rank or barely maintain her existing foundation. Advancement would become impossible.

A deity who abandoned believers in their darkest hour would forever find Devout Believers to be the greatest barrier among all believers. No new True Believers would ever be born for her again, though perhaps the Goddess of Light did not even want such believers—perhaps she only wanted Fanatical Believers~

The classification of believers was actually very simple.

The first category was Ordinary Believers. These believers only held a shallow faith in a particular deity, but they did not strictly live according to that deity's teachings. Faced with different situations, they could even switch to worshipping whichever deity they preferred with remarkable flexibility.

This was the choice made by the vast majority of intelligent beings across the continent. They did not mind believing in several gods simultaneously. Even hundreds of gods posed no problem. Whenever they happened to think about one, they would offer a little faith.

The second category was Devout Believers. These were generally found within churches. They strictly followed the doctrines established by their deity as the foundation of both their lives and conduct. They would never harbor even the slightest thought of betraying their deity, and if they failed to live up to those standards in the smallest way, they would experience intense guilt.

The third category was Fanatical Believers. For the sake of their faith, they could do absolutely anything. They needed no reason. They accepted no constraints from morality, law, or any other worldly framework. They would not hesitate to use the most despicable and brutal means imaginable to accomplish their goals.

The greatest difference between Devout Believers and Fanatical Believers was that while Devout Believers followed their deity's principles, they also took worldly social norms into consideration. Fanatical Believers, on the other hand, disregarded everything except their faith—including themselves.

The fourth category was True Believers, and they were fundamentally different from the previous three.

Many churches did not even acknowledge the existence of True Believers.

Ultimately, the first three categories all believed because they sought something in return, while True Believers believed without asking for anything. This made them extremely frightening to many gods who wanted to engage in shady dealings.

Rather than saying they believed in a deity, a more appropriate description would be that they believed because the ideals that deity preached resonated with their own thinking, or because those ideals changed how they viewed the world.

The first three categories accepted whatever the deity said without question.

True Believers asked why.

To them, a deity was a spiritual guide—perhaps a parent, a teacher, or a friend—but never an untouchable supreme being. Such faith was the purest, because in a certain sense, what they truly believed in was the path they themselves had come to understand. The deity merely served as the guide leading them along that path.

A believer might abandon their god.

But they could never abandon their own understanding of the world.

To use the simplest analogy, the first three categories of believers merely walked along the road you had already opened. They dared not stray even a single step beyond it. Whatever you said was truth. Even if it was wrong, it was still right.

True Believers, however, were fellow travelers. They would consider whether your ideas were truly correct and reasonable. They would improve upon them or question them. Wrong was wrong, and right was right. They would never follow blindly.

They explored more possibilities alongside you, broadening that path together so that those who came later could walk it more easily.

Mivy was the quintessential example of a True Believer. She had broken free from the constraints of the Holy See's dogma and questioned, from the very foundation, the purpose behind the existence of the Church of Light.

Why had a power that ought to bring greater blessings, greater light, hope, and warmth to the world instead unleashed wave after wave of slaughter without the slightest moral bottom line once it fell into the hands of the orthodox Church of Light?

Thus, when she proved her Dao, she disproved the Goddess of Light. After all, the only possible explanation was that the problem lay at the source. If the source itself was impure, everything else was meaningless. So she simply left the Holy See and, with Midia's assistance, established an entirely new foundation.

The Goddess of Light had never possessed any particularly effective means of dealing with Midia. Aside from the witch's own turtle-shell-like defensive talent, the composition of Midia's believers also played a direct role.

The greatest difference between Midia and the native gods was that although both followed the same incense-divinity path, their priorities were entirely different.

The number of her True Believers actually exceeded even her Fanatical Believers. Although Midia lacked the vast reserves accumulated by the Goddess of Light, the quality of her believers completely surpassed that of the Goddess of Light.

What the native gods desired was the final authority over interpretation—only they could define all truths. They neither needed nor accepted a second voice or a different philosophy. Ideally, all their followers would be Fanatical Believers who trusted them unconditionally, resolved every problem for them, obeyed every command, and remained unwavering until death.

Although Midia also possessed the final authority of interpretation, what she relied upon were universally recognized fundamental principles that countless predecessors had already explored and summarized. She understood very well that these were not things she could simply fabricate on her own.

This was already half of a road leading to the heavens, carved out through the relentless exploration, sacrifice, and accumulated wisdom of countless 'people.' She had merely recreated that half-finished road so that those who came after could continue walking it. She also needed more people to continue exploring, putting it into practice, supplementing it, and making up for its shortcomings.

Different starting points inevitably produced different outcomes.