Chapter 76 Huh? What Happened To Roselake Town?

<CONGRATULATIONS to Host for successfully DESTROYING ROSELAKE TOWN!>

<Rewards:

❶ +100, 000 EXP

❷ Blueprints (?) x1

❸ Blueprints x 5

❹ S-Grade Token x 1

❺ A-Grade Token x 2

❻ B-Grade Token x 10 >

<+10 000 Evil Points rewarded to Host for destroying a TOWN for the first time!>

<Now, go and claim your new territory before others could have a chance to steal that barren land!>

". . ."

Wait! What?!

When did I destroy that town? The last time I checked, I left that town intact! What in the world happened?!

<It must be that Hex and Cursed bomb that Dementia had given you. Who knew that it could destroy an entire town?>

". . ." I must be dreaming. There's no way that I killed the hundreds of inhabitants in that town. It just sounded so impossible.

But the rewards stared straight at me, hovering in front of my face and I froze on the spot.

This wasn't the type of news that I was expecting to hear.

<Aren't you going to check your rewards, Host? There are a bunch of Tokens and Blueprints there.>

NOoOoO!

Although I wanted tokens and blueprints, I refused to acknowledge that I had recently acquired them by massacring an entire town.

Maybe I accidentally earned it through other means? Like completing a quest without realizing it?

<The System never lies, and it doesn't make mistakes either. Besides, you can only get blueprints when you destroy villages, towns, or kingdoms.>

There must be a mistake!

<Where are you going, Host?>

Back to Roselake Town. I'm going to check it for myself. I wouldn't believe it unless I saw it with my own eyes.

<But what about the Blood Rain?>

I hadn't even taken five steps to my house when a harsh and thunderous lightning that almost split the sky suddenly flashed across the horizon. It was soon followed by a roar of thunder and a dense blood-red cloud coming from the ocean.

With it, cold and merciless winds blew in all directions, carrying the howl of an eerie song of the dead that couldn't wait to claim its victims.

The Apocalyptic event, Blood Rain, is here!

----

A few weeks ago, Septon Mason received alarming news — his sister was ill. She was the wife of Roselake's Duke. But on top of that news, he got words that the town was . . . cursed?

An unknown disease suddenly broke out, claiming dozens of lives, including Roselake's Duke. With every passing hour, more and more were infected by the incurable disease.

Some even said that it was a curse as not only were Septus and White Mages unable to cure the affected, but they also suffered the same fate as the fallen when they tried.

Roselake Town was in a state of emergency and strict lockdown. Every soldier from the surrounding towns was stationed at their border and received the order to kill anyone who escaped from the city to prevent the spread of the disease.

All citizens of Roselake who fled the town were to be surrendered or suffer execution. The more unfortunate ones who had been in contact with the infected must quarantine themselves or suffer the consequences.

No one was allowed to leave — never until the Kingdom knew what they were dealing with. The priority was to prevent the spread of the disease.

All teleportation gates going in and out of Roselake and the nearby villages were temporarily closed, and all forms of transportation to and fro the town were shut down.

The sickness spread fast inside Roselake Town, and the once beautiful city, well-known for its majestic view and crystalline lake scenery, was now a ghost town.

People were dying left and right, some even before they could make it out of their houses to receive aid from a chapel or clinic.

It seemed like the disease had been created by an evil being who wanted to wipe out mankind. The epidemic was so cruel and merciless, depriving people of their loved ones without any warning.

Nothing was known about the disease — where it came from, what it was, or how it spread. Everyone feared the unknown. None of them wanted to die, but they didn't even know if there was something they could do. Their only option was to wait for someone who could come up with a solution.

"I don't want to die!"

"Let us out of here!"

"Oh, great goddess Zephora, forgive our sins and heal us from this plague."

"Why is the kingdom not doing anything?!"

"Where are the high Septons?!"

Cries and wails filled the town, and the Septons inside the churches were no exception. Morning to dusk to night, the wailing never stopped — until one day . . . it was just . . .  noiseless.

The entire town was silent, like a graveyard.

In Rustin's Monastery, located in the Holy Mountains, creatures who aspired to serve the high Goddess Zephora were training to be a Septon. It was the center of learning for those who decided to dedicate their lives to the teachings of the Goddess.

"We have to send in a high Septon or even request the Pope himself to take a look at Roselake Town," said Septon Mason to one of the high Septon of the monastery.

"Blasphemous. You're going to expose the Pope in danger just for one town?"

"But my sister is in there, and Roselake is one of Rustin's major towns!"

"Even so, we can't expose our high-ranking members to an unknown disease, and if I might add, an incurable one at that."

Even after rigorous training and pouring their blood and sweat, a Septon could only advance into a High Septon if they overcame a life-threatening ordeal. The status was granted by the Goddess herself after bestowing a holy weapon to the successful Septon.

Every year, there were only about ten new High Septons, while the rest died facing their ordeal.

A high-ranking members of the church were precious resources of the Kingdom, they were not to be exposed to unknown dangers that could cause them to lose their lives. They had more roles other than playing in wars and defending the Kingdom from annihilation.

One town didn't need their concern, for another would rise in the end.

"With the constant wars in the neighboring kingdoms and the apocalyptic event fast approaching, we can't afford to send our high Septons to such a place."

"But . . . maybe the angels or the apostles–!"

"Forget it! What makes you think that those high beings would put a mere mortal's life in their eyes? To them, Roselake town is nothing but a tiny plot of land. The Kingdom of Rustin doesn't lack them."

The high Septon sighed and grabbed Septon Mason's shoulders, gripping them tightly as he looked into the young boy's eyes.

"Listen to me . . . at this rate, the Kingdom would rather burn Roselake to the ground to prevent the spread of the disease than send a High Septon to such a dangerous faraway place — especially not when we're still at war and that the apocalyptic event is upon us.

"It's best if you forget that you ever had a sister."