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Chapter 78: Divine Punishment (2)

"The pilgrims... they\'re not coming."

"Mm-hmm. It\'s about time the medicine runs out, but what on earth is going on?"

"I don\'t know. I\'m not sure either."

The first to notice were the commoners who would visit the pilgrims to recover their weary bodies from hard labor.

For those engaged in arduous work, the healing performed by the pilgrims was one of the few joys they had.

The pleasure of their worn-out bodies being rejuvenated must have been a sweet respite for the people.

"What? The pilgrims aren\'t coming to the neighboring village either?"

"Ah, I don\'t know! I don\'t know why the pilgrims suddenly stopped coming!"

The absence of those who had been wandering the world since before the people were born created a growing void. The lack of the pilgrims who had healed their sick and weary bodies was a serious problem.

"What do we do? The fever won\'t go down..."

"Un. There\'s no choice. We have to go to the neighboring village."

"But the neighboring village is in a different country. Will that be alright?"

"Alright or not, the child is this sick, we have to do something! Damn it... if only the pilgrims were here..."

The first to be affected were the sick.

The absence of the pilgrims who had healed their illnesses and injuries was a grave issue for them.

They and their families were left with two choices, either venture to another country to save the sick, or leave the sick family member to die.

Of course, going to another country was not entirely safe either.

It was an era where fearsome monsters would appear even just a little off the path, and now there were no pilgrims to protect the travelers.

But there were those who took on that risk and fled to other countries.

Some carried their sick children on their backs and escaped to other lands, while others moved their bedridden parents on handcarts.

Little by little, the people began to leave for other countries.

As empty houses gradually increased in the once bustling village, the remaining villagers couldn\'t help but worry.

"Village chief. Half the village is already empty. At this rate, the entire village will be deserted. Please do something!"

"Hmm... I\'ve heard from the merchants that the same is happening in the cities."

"In the cities too?"

"Yes. Some cities are even showing signs of an epidemic. It\'s the end of the world. The end times."

But they did not know that the departure of the pilgrims was just the beginning.

"The crops... they\'re not growing."

"The sprouting season has already passed. What is happening?"

"It\'s not just the crops. The hunting isn\'t going well either. I set a few traps, but nothing was caught."

"The fishing is the same. We used to catch over ten, but now we can\'t catch any."

Birth had turned its back on their land.

Nothing new was being born, and nothing was bearing fruit.

The animals that could move had all fled to distant places, and the immobile plants had quietly fallen into a dormant state to endure the harsh times.

The people of the Arcad Kingdom could not reap anything.

"At this rate, we\'ll all die! Damn it!"

"The neighboring country is fine, but it\'s only our country that\'s like this. What\'s going on?"

As the remaining villagers struggled to continue their lives,

"Disaster! An epidemic has started spreading from the cities!"

"What?!"

"It\'s already spiraling out of control! If this continues, it\'s only a matter of time before it reaches our village!! I\'m leaving the village!"

"Damn it... there\'s no choice. If you want to live, you have to go to another country!"

"Hey, you all! Leave the village?! What are you saying?!"

"Village chief, do you really think this village can withstand the epidemic without the pilgrims?"

"But... I\'m the village chief recognized by the King..."

"But nothing! What has that great King done for us until now?! If you don\'t want to die, start preparing quickly! At least if we stick together, we can fend off the monsters!"

Death had become merciless towards their people.

The famine and disease had ruthlessly swept through the Arcad Kingdom, and the number of the dead and the sick continued to rise. Those who wanted to live had to head to other countries.

Of course, the journey was not entirely safe, but many people left the kingdom driven by the will to survive.

And the news of the people\'s exodus reached the capital of the kingdom not long after.

"What...?"

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"The exodus of the people is increasing. At this rate, the Arcad Kingdom will gradually disappear."

"H-How could such a thing happen...?"

"The most direct cause is that the pilgrims of the Temple of Life have stopped coming, and then there is the devastating famine. The crops cannot sprout properly, and not only is hunting difficult, but even the livestock are not giving birth properly."

Facing the divine punishment that was thoroughly destroying a nation, the king stroked the crown on his head with a trembling hand.

The crown that had been passed down through generations. The crown that symbolized the right to rule this world.

How joyful he had been when he first wore this crown. He had felt as if he had grasped the world in his hands.

But why had the gods inflicted such a cruel trial upon him?

The king lamented.

The king grieved.

The king wished to take off the crown.

But not yet.

"Surely, when the Second Prince fell from the sky and was greatly injured in the past... there was something the departing pilgrim had said, was there not?"

"Yes. According to the report of the guard, it was said that the Second Prince had offended the Goddess of Life, and the divine punishment had been brought down. That fact has been kept strictly confidential, known only to us."

"What do you all think?"

To the king\'s question, the vassals did not give any answer.

No, the truth was, they knew.

To save this country, the Second Prince had to undertake the pilgrimage of atonement.

Like the pilgrims of the Temple of Life. had to undergo the cruel pilgrimage.

But they could not bring themselves to say it.

The Second Prince, Orcus. The troublemaker, Orcus.

Born as the late child, he was the prince whom the king cherished dearly.

And that was why he thought everything in the world belonged to him, the problem child of the kingdom.

If they did not send that Second Prince on the pilgrimage, the Arcad Kingdom would eventually disappear.

"Is there truly no other way? Is there no way for the Goddess of Life to calm her wrath?"

It was an obvious question, but no answer came.

The Goddess of Life was originally a merciful deity, merciful enough to have the pilgrims who followed her will care for other humans.

What kind of deed had Orcus committed to enrage such a merciful Goddess of Life?

Already knowing the answer but unable to voice it, the king let out a deep sigh.

And then,

"I have heard the story."

A man entered the council room.

"At this rate, this country will perish!"

The man repeated the story that everyone already knew.

The First Prince, Shtur.

The legitimate heir to the Arcad Kingdom, the one who would succeed the throne.

"Your Majesty. You must choose. Whether to perish along with the kingdom, or to send my incompetent brother on the pilgrimage."

"Shtur..."

"Your Majesty, no, Father. Time is running out. We do not know how much longer the stored food will last. Even buying food with the national treasury will soon reach its limit. You must make the wise choice."

Listening to the calm voice of the First Prince, King Sharkal supported his throbbing head with his hand and said,

"Are you not saying this because you are jealous of your brother?"

"Jealous..."

Shtur said,

"There was a time when I was jealous of my brother who received my parents\' favor. But I have stopped being jealous ever since I heard that he had committed a wrong against the Goddess of Life. Why would I be jealous of a foolish brother who does not even know what he has done?"

Hearing Shtur\'s words, the king sighed.

"But still, he is your brother..."

"From the moment he committed a sin against the Goddess, he can no longer be called my brother. Look at how the kingdom is crumbling because of his mistake."

The king could not say anything.

It was a clear fact that the Second Prince had brought the downfall of the kingdom.

"And sending that fool on the pilgrimage of atonement is not the end of it. When there is still a little strength left, we must gather all the people and attempt to migrate to another place."

"Migration, First Prince? Are you saying we should abandon the homeland our ancestors have lived in for generations?!"

"We do not know when my brother\'s pilgrimage will end. It may take years, an uncertain journey. Even if that fool completes the pilgrimage, if all the people of this country have already died, it will be meaningless."

"But, that..."

"Perhaps we must even abandon the name of this country. We may have to leave this land, abandon the name of this country, and survive by giving up everything."

At the First Prince\'s words, the vassals\' expressions changed to one of helplessness.

If not, only ruin will remain.

The king, his face seemingly aged by decades in an instant, slowly removed the crown from his head.

Everything felt like his own mistake.

It felt like his own fault for not properly guarding his foolish child.