That night, the three of us gathered in the lounge. We talked about what happened at the High Heaven fortress yesterday. I explained how our troops entered the hell realm, discovered the fortress, and rescued Mendicore and Sherubiel.
"Johann, are you truly from here? Forgive me if it sounds suspicious, but it seems your face looks quite different from most of the others."
I fell silent for a moment hearing Mendicore's question. While being near me, it often observed me very carefully. I carried many secrets beyond the reasoning of ordinary humans and felt worried if Mendicore kept questioning that.
I could refuse its questions at any time if they touched secrets I must protect so they would not create serious problems. Actually I did not want my relationship with Mendicore to become distant because of something like this.
I had to answer its question as superficially as possible and make it appear that I did not know anything beyond the limits of my authority.
"No, Mendicore. I am not from here..."
I then explained again the same thing I told Gruzhnil and Glynpatra about my journey from my home planet, hell, until arriving here now. Sherubiel looked very serious listening to my story. I thought Mendicore and Sherubiel would also be surprised after hearing this story.
"Hmmmm... your story is indeed quite beyond reason but also connected, Johann. Actually I am quite amazed how you were able to survive alone and face the three rulers of that hell region. The person you called Hellraider, he is also a very strong individual. I conclude that yesterday's mission was a great success because Hellraider joined your troops. What becomes a big question for me is how Hellraider who initially hated you very much in that hell realm allowed you to be present beside him. You said he always suddenly had headaches when he tried to attack you and now he simply accepts you. It's rather strange to me." commented Mendicore.
I remained silent without giving further explanation. What I had said was more than enough. I would never say that Hellraider and I had both realized that all of this originated from the game The Mayhem.
"Indeed it is true, I also cannot investigate further. Perhaps I will find the answer at the end of this journey." I said concluding my explanation.
"I have already shared my background. Now it is Sherubiel's turn to tell her story." I said while glancing toward Sherubiel.
"Alright... now it is my turn to tell. Honestly I am somewhat relieved that Sir Grelmure returned earlier. Because this story will actually touch upon my own race as well..." said Sherubiel.
"I agree. Actually I already knew Sherubiel's background beforehand, and indeed this is considered sensitive among High Heaven." said Mendicore.
I was shocked hearing both of their statements. What were they about to say regarding High Heaven? Why did it seem that Sherubiel's story was not only about her own disgrace but also about all of High Heaven?
Sherubiel then explained that she was originally part of a group of angels tasked with conducting research to find new alternative energy sources. She admitted that High Heaven could also potentially experience an energy crisis just like other civilizations.
"Then what has High Heaven been using as its main source of energy for its existence?" I asked very curiously.
Sherubiel and Mendicore glanced at each other briefly and then looked at me again.
"I hope you are ready to hear this fact, Johann. It is alright if you will be very shocked when you hear this..." said Sherubiel worryingly.
I suddenly felt something unpleasant tightening in my chest.
Sherubiel said that all this time High Heaven used its main energy source from the souls of humans who had died. Those souls were humans who carried good deeds during their lives. After those souls reached High Heaven, they extracted the energy of those good deeds inside special chambers and devices.
However over time the number of souls possessing good deeds continued to decrease. The number of souls with evil deeds became greater so those entering the hell realm also increased. The angels had observed this phenomenon where the increasing human population accompanied by rapid technological development caused many humans to become more greedy, selfish, and willing to do anything to fulfill their desires even through immoral means. That was what pushed High Heaven to search for alternative energy sources.
I was startled hearing that fact. To me it felt even more horrifying than the souls who committed evil deeds being tortured in hell. Good deeds are not something easy to obtain during life in the world where obstacles and temptations to commit wrongdoing exist everywhere.
When those humans have died, they... High Heaven... easily take the good deeds that were so difficult to earn while alive. It felt like a farmer who had struggled to cultivate his fields only for the harvest to be taken by irresponsible people.
"What happens to those human souls if all their good deeds are taken by them???" I asked immediately interrupting Sherubiel's explanation.
Sherubiel seemed slightly surprised when I interrupted her. She took another breath.
"They will immediately disappear, Johann. The soul and deeds are one unity whether good or evil. If the deeds vanish then the soul will collapse as well." answered Sherubiel with heavy tone.
My eyes widened and my mouth opened hearing that explanation, as if I could not believe all of this.
Mendicore saw the shocked expression on my face as if it could predict my reaction.
"Are you still able to continue listening, Johann? If you want to stop first that is alright. We already warned you that matters like this can be very sensitive to you." said Mendicore.
Sherubiel showed a sympathetic expression toward me who looked distressed hearing the story.
"J-Just continue your story, Sherubiel. I have already heard it this far. I would feel worse if it stopped now and I want to hear it until the end..." I said while trying to control my expression.
Sherubiel sighed briefly and continued her story again.
Sherubiel said that actually she had long disagreed with what High Heaven did in treating souls like that. She said those souls should receive fair rewards for their perseverance during life in gathering good deeds. But she felt alone because she had never heard other angels sharing the same thought. That was what made Sherubiel participate in the research to find alternative energy sources.
Sherubiel then discovered a new idea to overcome the crisis of decreasing souls with good deeds. First she analyzed humans who had passed puberty and were predicted to perform good deeds over a long period of time.
Then Sherubiel would secretly descend into that realm to take a part of the human body which was usually a strand of hair. After that using High Heaven technology Sherubiel used the strand of hair to create a replica human identical to the original. The replica human was placed in a different region from the original and lived normally.
At first Sherubiel's plan worked smoothly where the replica humans appeared to perform good deeds. However after several years those humans suddenly experienced severe health decline, frequently became ill, and eventually died much earlier. The average lifespan of those replica humans was only five years.
After investigating the cause it turned out the organ systems within the replicas did not function optimally. The replica humans produced far less energy from good deeds than the original humans.
"Is that the reason why you punished by them?" I asked frontally to Sherubiel.
"Y-yes... I only want them not to exploit those poor souls anymore..." said Sherubiel in rather sad tone.
The High Heaven authorities then declared Sherubiel's experiment a failure and a violation of the fundamental principles of human life. They said replica humans possessed imperfect souls so they could not be considered living normally.
Sherubiel received punishment by being expelled from the High Heaven organization and exiled where she was eventually imprisoned in the cell of the High Heaven frontline fortress.
"That is the background of my story, Johann. Perhaps you never expected High Heaven to be like this. They take the rights of human souls who struggled throughout life to accumulate good deeds yet what I did they claim violates the principle of human life itself." said Sherubiel with heavy sigh.
"I agree with her." added Mendicore.
"But what I want to say is that you must not lose hope in living. Even though I was expelled from my race, I will still strive to correct High Heaven's principles as a whole." said Sherubiel to me concluding her story.
I could only lower my head somewhat weakly. It was not without reason, all the realms of The Mayhem had merged with my reality. I had already witnessed my father and uncle suffer torture in the hell realm that truly originated from a game.
If heaven turned out to be what Sherubiel described, it meant that humans who performed great good deeds were in total vain and nothing more as livestocks.
I knew from the game lore that High Heaven was not the most righteous side. They had exploited The Graendall to search for more new energy sources in the hell realm, the Dreadstones, for them to create their own energy source.
The troops had to suffer many casualties during expeditions in hell to obtain those Dreadstones while High Heaven simply received it.
All of that was eventually uncovered by Gruzhnil and Glynpatra who had long suspected High Heaven. But the fatal consequence was the outbreak of civil war among soldiers and civilians who remained loyal to High Heaven.
The climax was the death of Emperor Gregustus at the hands of High Heaven loyalists. As if that was not enough, a massive second invasion from hell struck planet Grivendal and devastated the empire.
From the stories of Mendicore and Sherubiel I felt the situation had become more complicated. At this moment only the three of us knew the "dark" side of High Heaven. What would happen if one by one others began to learn about it? Would the civil war in Grivendal according to the lore of game remain inevitable? I desperately wanted to prevent it so I could help Hellraider reach an ending that could be accepted.
I glanced again toward Sherubiel and Mendicore. My eyes felt tired but I gave them a smile.
I placed my hopes on them so that this catastrophe might be avoided in the future.