Chapter 108 – The Value Of The Holy War (2)

“A public speech? Like those things politicians do, gathering people and blabbering?”
“If you want to put it that way, yes. The very meaning of public speaking is gathering people and blabbering.”
“Why that? Do we really have to?”

Even I’m still questioning whether this is the right path, so Cha Hyewon’s doubts are only natural. I’m not a politician, so what good would it do to gather people and give a long speech? It would be a blessing if I didn’t end up embarrassing myself.

But… it’s necessary.

“Yeah. We have to. It’s necessary for the future, not just now.”

For my legitimacy, my necessity, and my claims to be widely known, I need a stage that fits the purpose, and a perfect stage has been set up.

To block the attacks against me, and rather solidify my position, I needed a speech to the people… to the world.

“A speech. You’re confident, right? I’m counting on you?”

A public speech. It sounds nice, but in the end, what I’m doing is nothing more than incitement. But in this bleak situation, this is the only way for me to live, for everyone to live… I rationalize, nodding to Cha Hyewon.

“Yeah. To be precise, it’s an incitement speech… propaganda.”
“……That sounds very unsettling. It’s like something a communist party would do.”
“Come on. I have no intention of preaching communism. I’d rather… become Goebbels.”
“What…? Goebbels? That Goebbels from Nazi Germany? Did I hear that wrong?”

Cha Hyewon’s reluctant expression was clear, but I couldn’t stop. No matter how it ends… I’d rather be a selfish person who brings down this world than watch myself and my people fall.

“Go. Go gather people. Everyone, without exception.”
“……I really don’t know what you’re thinking. Still, Yurian, don’t try too hard on your own.”
“Okay. Thanks.”

While Cha Hyewon went to gather people, I sat down and ruffled my hair.

Let’s recall the presentations I gave in college. Propaganda, mass psychology, the Third Reich’s incitement speeches, total war speeches, the Nuremberg Rally speeches…

There are three key elements to an incitement speech.
Content, flow, and conciseness.

Alright, the ingredients are ready… let’s cook it up to fit this fantasy.

* * *

Emily opened the window at the loud noise. She saw the neighborhood ladies gathered and chattering, and when she crept closer to listen, she was shocked! The Saintess had come to their city.

“The Saintess!!”
“Oh my! Emily, when did you get here?”
“Auntie, is it true that the Saintess has come to our city? Why? When?”

As a devout believer, Emily felt purified just by the fact that the Saintess had come to this city. The parish priest always said that the Saintess was very beautiful, kind, and wise.

What does she look like? I can’t even imagine how beautiful, kind, and wise she must be.

Emily, who was very excited, was firing questions like a storm, and the bewildered-looking ladies began to scatter.

“Has it already gotten this late?”
“Oh my, it has. I have to go cook for my husband.”
“I have so much laundry piled up, and I was just standing here. Look at me. Emily, I’ll see you later.”

I haven’t even heard a proper word about the Saintess yet. Emily, who was disappointed, was looking forward when she saw an armed guard running past in a hurry.

“Huh? Mr. Yungberik! Where are you going!”
“Emily? My goodness, they say the Saintess has appeared! The city hall is gathering soldiers because the Saintess urgently requested it! See you later!”

Emily’s heart was pounding even harder at the sight of her neighbor, who was running away with his brigandine not properly worn.

The Saintess! I have to go see the Saintess!
On the way to the city hall, the streets were crowded with people. As a prosperous city, the streets were always full of people, but today it seemed especially crowded.

Listening to the murmuring of the people, it seemed that everyone was flocking to see the Saintess. Emily suddenly became worried.

Wouldn’t she not be able to see the Saintess if so many people gathered? No matter how noble and beautiful the Saintess is, she wouldn’t be 3 or 4 meters tall.

10-year-old Emily imagined a 3-meter-tall Saintess.

‘……Not pretty.’

So, the Saintess wouldn’t be that tall. Emily, who was pushed around by the crowd on the main street, eventually went to the city hall through the back alleys and the roofs of the closely packed buildings, which she used with her neighborhood friends.

Normally, she would have been caught and scolded by the guards, but luckily, everyone seemed too busy running around today to notice, otherwise she would have been in big trouble.

Emily, who was sighing in relief, came down from the roof and slipped into the plaza in front of the city hall.

“It’s the Saintess! Oh, it’s the Saintess!”
“That person… that person is the Saintess! My goodness, how can she be so beautiful.”
“As expected, the daughter of God is different. That shiny blonde hair, blue eyes, and porcelain-like white skin. She’s truly beautiful.”

Emily, who was lucky enough to see the Saintess passing by in front of her, agreed with those words.
Beautiful. Pretty.
She was so pretty that those were the only thoughts that came to mind.

Much more so than what young Emily had vaguely imagined.
She was only about waist-high, and her large chest, befitting a Saintess, seemed bigger than her mother’s.

‘But why is she in such a hurry? It’s a shame, I wanted to see her a little longer.’

But Emily’s admiration didn’t last long. The Saintess, for some reason, was in a hurry, leading the soldiers who followed her, and soon disappeared from sight.

But Emily was okay.
The Saintess she saw for the first time today was beautiful, kind… or so it seemed, and wise, just like the parish priest had said.

Hmm… next time, I want to find out how kind and wise she is myself. I’ll study hard with the parish priest and go to the Holy Nation of Hespote!

Emily, who had clenched her fist firmly, returned home with a small dream in her heart.

And in the evening, she went to bed with her father and mother, who were smiling at their daughter who was talking about what she had seen today during a cozy family dinner.

I think I’ll have a good dream tonight. I saw the Saintess, after all. No, I feel good because I think I’ll have good dreams today, tomorrow, and the day after…

And a few days later. Emily’s sweet dream was shattered by a scream.

* * *

I finished preparing the speech and wandered around the plaza to check the place. Due to the lack of time, even as I looked around, I was constantly writing, revising, and deleting the speech in my head, which made my head feel like it was about to explode.

Damn it, a speech. I should have known if I had ever done it before. I’m not a politician. I’m suffering because I’m doing incitement, which is not in my nature. Then, a wide open space suddenly caught my eye.

‘Oh. This is good.’

This open space. Originally, it was a space that was not enough to gather hundreds of people, but thanks to the eye monster’s disintegration beam, it was forcibly flattened and became a huge plaza.

That monster has its uses. As long as I have a place to accommodate all those people, it’s fine.

Originally, this place would have been full of buildings, as it was close to the center of the city. I offer a moment of silence to the owners of the buildings that were not only demolished but also evaporated from the world. …Wait. Are the building owners who should be receiving the moment of silence even alive? If they died somewhere, they wouldn’t feel wronged about their buildings disappearing. Or maybe not.

“The podium… yeah. This spire is good. A spire… a spire. And the symbol of the tilted cross. Perfect.”

The spire of the church was standing alone in the temporary plaza, with no base. Considering that the bottom was all broken, it was fortunate that the cross, the symbol of religion, was still intact, though a little tilted? I actually like that it’s slightly tilted.

“Hmm. Nice. A ruined city and a tilted cross on a ruined spire. It’s quite a picture.”

I went up to prepare and found that the height was perfect. If it’s too high, there’s a sense of distance, and if it’s too low, it won’t be visible to so many people. This height is so perfect that it feels like it was made for someone to give a speech.

I feel countless gazes on me as I come down from the spire. Our battle, which started in the city’s underground and reached this place, is over, but that doesn’t mean the city’s battle is over.

The monsters were still desperately blocking the attacks on the city walls, and the battle between the monsters and the survivors continued throughout the city. As if to prove it, the smell of blood in the air was terrible. The faint screams and sounds of destruction.

“Priest. Priest, can we… can we live? Can we leave the city alive?”
“God, oh God. Protect us. Look upon your little lambs.”

With every step I take, the heavy gazes of the people follow me. A glimmer of expectation towards the priest. Hope.
Such futile emotions. A priest is not God, so what can he do for them?

But as usual, I give a fake smile and sing a song of false hope.

“Of course. Cheer up.”
“God is watching over you. Let’s hold on a little longer, everyone.”

Even I, who am saying these words, am filled with a terrible sneer, so can the listeners really believe my words and have hope?

The city… is said to be surrounded.
Those who tried to escape the city, surrounded by the huge monster army, could not escape death.

‘Four days is a long time to hold out. It’s amazing that they’ve lasted this long.’

The city is still resisting. They are still fighting around the solid walls, even while suffering from the monsters that have infiltrated the city. I’m amazed at the city’s resilience.

‘I don’t know if this is the right thing to do.’

Doubts keep popping up… but it can’t be helped. I’m not a hero, nor am I a devout clergyman. I’m just living for myself and the people around me.

“Yurian. Everyone’s gathered.”
“Hmm? Ah, thanks. You and Diana… sit over there. In between those.”

I was so busy organizing my complicated thoughts about the speech, the future, the city, and survival that I didn’t even realize how much time had passed. When Cha Hyewon approached me, I told her the place I had in mind, and she hesitated with a worried look.

“Yurian. I think I know roughly what you’re trying to do… but is it okay?”
“What do you mean?”

I know. I know what Cha Hyewon is worried about. But I’m going to push forward because it’s my choice.

“I know. This is incitement, and I know there’s a question of how I’m different from Goebbels. But…”
“What? Goebbels? What are you talking about?”
“……Huh?”
“No. I’m saying, are you sure you’ll be okay with such poor preparation?”
“……Ah.”

Right. Cha Hyewon isn’t the type to worry about that. Something… something feels a bit deflated.
Come to think of it, it’s just a speech, but was I giving it too much meaning?

“You and Diana will have to make up for the lack of preparation. When I give the signal, do what I told you.”
“Okay. I’ll go take my place first.”

Cha Hyewon went ahead. I run one last simulation. I check my clothes. I smile and pray, looking at my face in the broken mirror for the last time.

“God, protect us.”