"You foolish brat, you don't even have any manners. Did your parents teach you that way?"

The atmosphere suddenly became chilly at the words that slipped out of my mouth unintentionally.

"Wh-What?!"

The scoundrel who called himself the Second Prince began to get flustered at the sudden verbal abuse. It seems the pampered prince is not used to such language.

"H-How could you say something like that..."

"To bring up someone's parents, what an unimaginable slander."

"For the representative of the Goddess to have such a foul mouth, could it be that even the Goddess of Life..."

Ah, it seems he's just not used to verbal abuse.

After all, curses and insults also accumulate over time and history. In this era without a proper history, there wouldn't be much in the way of curses either.

"You said you're the Second Prince of Arcad, didn't you? You are a foolish and utterly idiotic fool. Think carefully about who is standing before you now. Think carefully about where you are standing."

I took a light step forward and seized control of the mana permeating the surroundings.

And I lightly clenched my fist, slightly pressing on the shoulders of the human beasts around me.

It would not be difficult to crush them into a bloody pulp, but I don't want to spill blood in the temple that serves me.

"kkeueg!"

Along with a pig-like squeal, the fool collapsed to the ground. Can he not even endure this much, yet he made such a sound?

Truly foolish.

"But we shouldn't spill blood here. All of you, leave. There is no need for anyone else to try and pull out the hero's sword."

I wanted to break their limbs as punishment, but there is a young hero behind me.

I don't want to show him a rough side. This is a joyous moment, the birth of a hero.

I don't want to sully it with bloodshed.

"So those whose lives are precious should withdraw."

As I finished speaking, I released the mana that was pressing down, and the people who could now move ran towards the exit of the temple, their eyes filled with fear.

Except for one foolish Second Prince.

"Urgh... I am a prince! The Second Prince of the Arcad Kingdom, Orcus! I can obtain anything I desire! You lowly beings cannot even dare to look up at me! Yet you made me kneel on the ground?!"

Exalted, huh?

That's just the standard of humans, isn't it?

"I cannot forgive this! I absolutely cannot forgive it!!!"

"If you won't forgive, then what will you do?"

"I'll stake everything of the Arcad Kingdom! I'll destroy you, the brat behind you, and this entire temple! I'll make sure nothing remains!!!"

Heh... Is that so?

I let out a small chuckle.

"Why are you laughing?! Aren't you afraid of the power of the Arcad Kingdom, the strongest nation in the world?!"

"Why should I be afraid?"

At my soft words, the foolish prince took a step back.

"Even if you claim to be the strongest, that's just the standard of humans. And you, of all people, are desecrating the words and actions in the temple that serves the Goddess. Aren't you belittling the Goddess of Life?"

"Even so, that's just the god of those wandering beggars! A pathetic god like that, my country's power can bury it all!"

Heh... Just a foolish brat who can't who can't tell the difference.

Hmm. Okay, fine. I won't kill him. But I'll punish him a little.

"I've decided. You're too pitiful to be killed here."

"What?"

"Be grateful. I shall bestow immortality upon you. Until the Goddess of Life returns your death, you will be unable to die. Even when all the people around you die and are buried, you will not perish. Even when the country of Arcad is covered in dust and disappears, you will not rot."

At my words, the prince's expression changed to one of incomprehension.

"Immortality...? Not being able to die? Haha, even if you grant such a 'blessing' now, my decision will not change!"

"Blessing?"

What is this fool talking about?

"It's not a blessing, but a curse, you foolish human."

"Nonsense! How can not dying be a curse?!"

Not dying. At first glance, it may indeed sound like a blessing.

But I... I only said you won't die, didn't I?

"Think as you please. I'm curious when your foolish thoughts will change."

I drew up the mana and left a mark on the foolish prince's soul.

A message to convey to the reapers. Do not retrieve this person's soul.

At the same time, I cast a spell on the soul.

A spell to maintain the minimum life force by absorbing the mana around it.

So that he will never die from his life force or lifespan running out.

It was a curse of immortality using a little trickery.

"I declare. You will wish to die as a human, but you will not be able to die as a human. Your descendants will resemble humans, but they will not be human."

I repeatedly layered the curse.

If he had desecrated the god in the temple, then he must pay the appropriate price, right?

"Since you have insulted me by invoking the power of your country, I shall take your country from you."

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Power for power.

I wonder how he will change after the power he so proudly boasted of disappears.

"Birth will gradually turn its back on your country's land, and death will gradually become cruel to the people of your land. No matter how much you regret it, you will not return to normal until you truly begin a pilgrimage for life and return to this temple."

Desecrating the Goddess of Life is just like that.

It is necessary to punish foolish humans.

Even if a country disappears, leaving only traces behind, due to these curses, divine retribution will be delivered.

Honestly, I'm a little pissed off. Since I've been so lenient, the humans have become shameless. I need to discipline them a bit, don't I?

So.

"Now, return to your land. And regret for the rest of your life."

I snapped my fingers lightly, and the image of the foolish prince disappeared from the temple.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Second Prince, who boldly stepped forward to pull out the hero's sword, returned to the Arcad Kingdom on the day the sword-wielding hero appeared.

As if he had jumped across space, the Second Prince appeared in the capital of the kingdom.

The only problem was that the height of the place where he suddenly appeared was a little high.

"Aaaaaaah!!"

The height that humans fear the most. The Second Prince, who fell from about 11 meters, was...

Crack!

Shattered his limbs as he collided with the hard stone floor.

The fact that his head didn't fall off first may be due to the blessing of the Goddess of Life.

"Oh my god...!"

"This is... the Second Prince?!"

The guards were startled by the sight of the shattered Second Prince suddenly appearing in the air, and quickly brought a wooden cart to carry the Second Prince to the palace.

Even though it was a palace, due to the undeveloped construction technology, it was a wooden building about 3 stories high, but in this era where most buildings were only 1 story... it was quite a noticeable building.

Moreover, it was quite spacious, and the wooden fence surrounding it was densely erected. It was quite luxurious for a building of this era.

"Oh my god! Second Prince?!"

"Summon someone from the Temple of Life! There is an emergency!"

"Understood!!"

A man inside the palace, startled by the sight of the Second Prince who had become a mess, gave instructions to another guard, and the guard wasted no time in heading to the building where the pilgrims of the Temple of Life were staying.

But.

"What do you mean?! The Arcad Kingdom has to leave?!"

"The oracle of the Goddess has come down. The Second Prince has insulted and acted against the Goddess of Life, and has incurred the wrath of the Goddess. So we must leave this place."

"How can that be... but the Second Prince is seriously injured right now..."

At the guard's words, the pilgrim shook his head slightly.

"There's no need to worry about that. His body will be unable to die, even if he wishes to. I rather pity the people of the Arcad Kingdom."

"What do you mean?"

"The wrath that the Second Prince's rudeness has brought will fall upon the Arcad Kingdom. So tell them, it would be better to leave the Arcad Kingdom."

"No, what are you talking about? Are you saying the kingdom will be destroyed overnight?"

"If it were destroyed overnight, that would be better. It seems the Goddess of Life is deeply angered..."

The guard could not believe the words he had heard.

What on earth has the Second Prince done to anger the Goddess of Life?

"Remember this well and convey it properly. Destruction is approaching the Arcad Kingdom. All 6 cities and 17 villages that make up the Arcad Kingdom will greatly decline, and if the Second Prince does not reflect on his wrongdoings, the destruction will be certain."

"If that's the case, what should we do?"

"The Second Prince must sincerely repent and undertake a pilgrimage of atonement, renouncing everything. And in the final moment, he must seek forgiveness from the Goddess of Life. Only then can her wrath be withdrawn..."

"A pilgrimage of atonement..."

The pilgrim shouldered his packed bag and continued.

"But it will be too much for the current Second Prince. His arrogance has brought this calamity, so only after losing everything will he truly reflect on his words and actions."

"How can this be..."

"However, the Goddess of Life has only shown her wrath towards the land of the Arcad Kingdom. If you wish to live, you must leave. That way, you may be spared."

With those words, the pilgrim began to slowly walk away, and the guard started to ponder whether he should convey the pilgrim's message.