Evil God Average

Side Story 2

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Side Story 2 – A Certain Scripture’s Pandemic

I decided to try writing a third-person story this time.

“So this is the problem book.”

In a room in a certain country, a number of people gazed down upon a book with black bindings that lay atop a desk.

“Yes, Your Majesty. You must take care never to touch it with your hands.”

“I know.”

The one referred to as Your Majesty was the king of that nation, and the people gathered in the room were also important leaders within the country.
Just the fact that so many people were gathered in this room was in and of itself a sign of the extraordinary circumstances behind it.

“The Black Scripture, huh. It seems that they’ve spread quite the troublesome thing.”

Their gazes were focused on the book called the Black Scripture.
Although, the term ‘Black Scripture’ did not refer to only the book in front of them.

“Just the ones we have been able to identify alone indicate that over a hundred of them have been brought into the country. If we include those unaccounted for, it is likely that they number a few hundred…”

The one who gave the report was the skilled man who was supervisor to the Court Mages of this nation, as well as the Chief of Magical Research.
As he spoke, he turned the cover of the Black Scripture.

“O-, Oi!? Are you fine with touching that!?”

The leaders in the room panicked at the Chief’s actions, but the Chief replied in a resigned voice,

“I have already touched it once, so…”

Now that he had mentioned it, they noticed that for a while now, the Chief had been limping as if to protect his right foot. And now that they had realised this, they all looked at him in pity.

“Please look at this.”

Behind the flipped cover were the warnings of the book.
According to the warnings, the book was a cursed item, and misfortune would befall those who had received this book. If they desired to avoid the misfortune, it was required that they transcribe the contents of the book, and hand it to another person, and unless they did so the misfortune would continue eternally. Furthermore, the curse would manifest in the transcribed copy as well.

The Black Scripture… A book written by the Evil God that was truly most wicked and foul. At that very moment it was making its terror known in countries where it had been propagated further.

*imouto*

“In order to avoid the misfortune, one must transcribe the book, huh. Then it is natural that it has spread this far.”

“Yes.”

Naturally, in order to avoid the misfortune, those who had accepted the book would transcribe a copy and try to push it onto others. To not do so was the same as being tormented by the misfortune for eternity, and was not something anybody would accept. Even if they prohibited this, it would merely lead to a revolt.

“Is it impossible to dispel the curse?”

“It was impossible even for the Archbishops of the Church of Sacred Light. The curse that it contains is far too powerful.”

Having said that though, in contrast to the fiendishness of its propagation mechanism, the misfortunes were light enough to be called an anti-climax, and this gap had caused the researchers much puzzlement. The misfortune that a receiver suffered was randomised, and although the misfortunes differed, none of them were beyond the level of simple harassment. Even the limp on the chief was due to the curse of continually stubbing the little toe of his foot against shelves, and was not a particularly grave injury.
However, it was also difficult to say that this was something that a person could ignore.
Even the Chief had originally not planned to spread the harm to anyone else, but after stubbing his toe three times, he yielded, and pushed a copy onto the Vice-Chief. Because of that, at present, the Vice-Chief’s loyalty towards the Chief had dropped considerably.

“Can it not be stopped?”

“That would likely be difficult. However, there is a way to guide the damage in a more preferable direction.”

“It cannot be helped. At this rate, there is no option but to reduce the harm within our own country.”

It was difficult to stop the book from being pushed onto somebody else. However, it was not impossible to determine who the book was pushed onto. If they guided the harm outside the nation, the country would be saved for now, even without solving the root problem.

“It is likely that this will worsen relations with the neighbouring countries, but…”

“Of course, we will not disclose such a thing publicly. Hand them over to merchants leaving the country and the like, and have them independently carry them outside our borders.”

“I see. Then it will also be necessary to prevent them being taken into our borders from other nations.”

“Indeed. Prepare the arrangements urgently.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Understood.”

With the King’s order, the leaders all began to act.
With this, the damage to the nation could probably be abated.
Of course, the countries that had the books forced upon them would in turn force them on another, and so each nation would suffer the harm one by one. The result was that the nation unfortunate enough to suffer it last would have nowhere to force it onto, and would be forced to push it around within its own borders.

“Considering the state of the other countries, it’s clear who the final nation will be, huh.”

“Your Majesty? Did you say something?”

“Haha, I was simply thinking that it may be time to reconsider our association with the Theocracy.”

Considering the flow from the country that produced this, the closer one was the earlier one would suffer, and the further away one was, the later it would come. In that case, it was not difficult to imagine that the nation with the greatest antagonism with the country of origin would be the eventual target of this curse.
As for which nation in particular, that much was already common knowledge.

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

While around the world, the Black Scripture was being treated as an object of fear, there was one country alone that instead saw it with affection.
The Holy Anri Thearchy; a newly established nation formed by a gathering of those who worshipped Evil God Anri. At present it was only a small nation that would be better called a town, but with each passing day, its influence grew.

To the Thearchy, the Black Scripture said to be written by Evil God Anri was truly a “scripture”. Every person in the country had a copy, and it was a virtue to proactively transcribe them and proselytise in other countries. Of course, because the normal citizens of the Thearchy had no export route, the copies would be gathered together in the Thearchy, and sent beyond the borders all at once.
Additionally, although the people of the Thearchy also suffered the curse at first, it was thought of as a trial from God.

And in this Thearchy, two buildings linked to the Temple had been newly established.

The first was the Orphanage; an institution for sheltering children who had lost their parents. Other nations had their own measures for orphans as well, but they were undeniably lacking, and so children with no place to go appeared no matter the nation. Gathering such children within the Orphanage, providing them enough food and a warm bed, and finally thoroughly educating them was the role of this institution.
Together with things like writing and arithmetic, the children gathered in the Orphanage were also taught from a young age the splendour of the deity worshipped by the Thearchy, Evil God Anri (although she was not recognised as “Evil” God within the Thearchy).
With strong piety towards Evil God Anri, as well as a vigorous education, they were also possible future elites for the Thearchy.

The other institution was a building created for the sake of transcribing the Black Scripture. The desks, chairs, paper, and pens required for transcription were lined up neatly inside the building, and at the back were people on standby who turned the pages into books.
This building was also the gathering place for transcribed scriptures, and gathered not only copies from within the institute, but copies from all across the country.
The books stored in the Transcription Hall were gathered and counted, and each month the number of copies was announced on a board.
The one who splendidly managed first place would be publicly commended by the Pope himself, but up until now that had never happened even once. The reason was simple – first place was being monopolised by a certain man.

“Hmm, I’m in good shape today, aren’t I.”

Unwilling to hand over the position of first place was none other than the Pope himself. As long as the position of first was being taken by him, nobody else would be commended. Even at this very moment he was sitting in first place, and transcribing copies in the Transcription Hall, but shockingly, this man was transcribing a different copy with each hand.
Normally the transcription process would be carried out while silently reading the original on the side, but when it came to this man, he had already memorised every word of the Black Scripture, and wrote from memory. In order to fulfil the act of ‘transcribing’, he did in fact have a copy there, but he was not looking inside.
Even ignoring the fact that he had learnt the contents by heart, he was writing with both hands at the same time. Such a feat could be called nothing but skilled, but as a result, he boasted a transcription speed of over twice the average person’s.
As long as there was nobody else who could replicate this feat, the seat of first place would stay with him alone.
Although there was the concern of who was governing the nation if he was doing nothing but transcribing, but it was because he was properly fulfilling those duties as well that made this so difficult to comment on.

“Pope-samaa, I finishedd one~”

“Me tooo~”

“Me tooo~”

“My, how splendid. Anri-sama is surely delighted.”

Boys and girls were sitting by the Pope and transcribing as well, proudly announcing their achievements to him.
With this heartwarming scene before him, the Pope gave a gentle smile and praised the children.

“Yayyy~”

“I’ll go write one moree~”

“I might get first place!”

“Huhu, try your best.”

In addition, separate to the adult rankings was a children’s ranking that was properly functioning. Centred around the children of the Orphanage, they transcribed as a part of their upbringing. It was a ground-breaking arrangement that had them learn the teachings of the scriptures, while practising their reading and writing as well.
The contents of the scriptures were morals regarding how to live properly as a person, so it was nothing unsuitable for a child’s upbringing.
The amount of sweets given out were dependent on the rankings, so all the children assertively competed in transcribing of their own accord.

“Huhuhu, building the Transcription Hall was truly the right answer. With this, the proselytising will surely advance even further.”

In addition, had all the nations worked together and used death row prisoners as sacrifices, they might have been able to solve the issue surprisingly simply.

<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>

84 thoughts on “Side Story 2”

    1. Maybe if they were to collect it onto a single prisoner would be enough? They have to give it to a another person, but not sure if the rules says it ‘can not’ be given onto someone afflicted and holding a copy already.

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    2. err no?
      it does not matter if someone on death row is cursed, or add it as a punishment to other criminals before banishing them.

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    3. No, see everyone who is afflicted writes a copy and passes it to 1 deathrow inmate (ie all of them to that one guy) all of the books are then carefully moved to a dump site where they are buried and marked with warning appropriately. The prisoner is killed and the curse is broken.

      Liked by 3 people

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        1. There would be several steps.

          Step 1: Gather all the books in your country
          Step 2: Force them onto a single prisoner
          Step 3: Create a secure landfill and carefully relocate the books to it
          Step 4: Repeat until prisoner dies and choose another.

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    1. Actually it will be good if Anri create something like “curse resistance” for those who devoutly worship her.
      It’ll make her gain more followers, as no one could endure the agony of stumbled toe.

      Liked by 7 people

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      1. No, one could handle a stubbed toe pretty easily seeing as it’s a momentary pain. What’s exponentially worse is stubbing that same toe over and over and over again, now that’s true agony.
        I really pity the recipients of that curse. X_x
        And again, better them than me.

        Liked by 6 people

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      2. ridiculous! for a true believer,, getting divine punishment is like geting a reward. are you trying to rob their only ‘connection’ with their god anri-sama? (note : getting pleasure from pain xD)

        Liked by 1 person

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  8. The Holy Anri Thearchy sounds like such a good place to live. Good people, a sense of unity, and the best childcare I’ve seen in any medieval setting.

    Also, the Black Scripture is such a masterpiece. Not really that bad, but fiendishly annoying and horrible in it’s own way.

    Thanks for the chapter!

    Liked by 9 people

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  10. The line:
    According to the warnings, the book was a cursed item, and misfortune would befall though who received had this book.

    Should be:
    According to the warnings, the book was a cursed item, and misfortune would befall those who had received this book.

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  11. A most fiendish curse indeed, to forever stub ones toe on shelves
    especially if one works within a library >:)

    would befall though who received had this book > though to those, and received had?
    better called s town, > s to a
    The Holy Anri Thearchy; > is this intentional?
    who had lost their parents > had to have
    practising their reading and writing as well. > reading and writing skills?

    Liked by 1 person

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  12. And the Merry Pope continues his merry days.

    I wonder if there’s possibility of a chapter where the Pope meets Imperial Death (after ch 20 timeline, since ID would be replacing Tena as the middle man for God Anri)

    Liked by 1 person

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  13. Thanks a lot!
    I’m seriously laughing at what the chief did to the vice-chief! Also, wow anri’s nation is doing good things, ahaha!
    Author-san provided the solution to the book problem lol!

    Liked by 3 people

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  16. the real issue is…. when there are so many of them floating around that every man woman and child has one…. everyone will be cursed…. or…. at least the newest generation… and so on and so forth

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    1. well if you are a really horrible person you simply push a copy on to an infant since infancy death is probably pretty high (being middle ages and all) that would stop the curse from propagating,

      un-“scriptured” slaves would have a huge price increase….

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  17. The black scripture is truly Anri-sama’s most (and perhaps only) evil deed.

    That pope is also needlessly talented. The church of light really lost an amazing talent by being so corrupt.

    I love the indoctrination of the kids. No real downside, surprisingly wholesome, while still being insiduously evil :)

    Liked by 8 people

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  19. Thanks 4 the chapter!

    The Theocracy will be the last to get the Black Scripture and can’t push it to another nation. That’s the human side, what about the demon side? How does the Black Scripture spread there?

    Liked by 2 people

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    2. LOL. Now I’m looking forward to the situation in the Theocracy 2 years from now from the eyes of the newly summoned hero wondering why the Theocracy that claims to be a Church of Sacred Light peddling Black Scriptures of the Evil God everywhere.

      Liked by 5 people

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  21. Thanks for the side stories!

    I can just imagine the summoned hero accidentally getting ahold of one of these and being unable to read it… (“Eh? Why does my status say ‘Cursed with Misfortune’? What did I do wrong?!”)

    Liked by 7 people

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  23. Getting all nations to work together is too far a stretch. Black scripture is deadly after all. Thanks for the chapter.

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    2. Wait until he learns how to write with his feet, but then again he might consider that as blasphemy towards the scripture…

      Hmm, how about magic to move multiple pens at the same time…or would that be against the scripture’s teaching on how to be moral.

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. Nah, hed probably do them all just to write more books, he just wouldnt count the ones he made with magic lol

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  33. Chain letters really are too OP, though that solution at the end is hilariously effective. I must say the Pope transcribing with both hands is also quite amusing.

    Edits/suggestions:

    “You must take care never to touch it with your hands..”
    You’ve got an extra period/full stop at the end, unless you were going for an ellipsis there.

    “misfortune would befall those who received had this book”
    You switched “received” and “had”.

    “It was difficult to stop the book from being pushed into somebody else”
    Shouldn’t “into” be “onto”? Unless they were literally pushing the books into people that is, although that sounds pretty painful.

    “At present it was only a small nation that would be better called s town”
    You have “s town” instead of “a town”.

    “although she was not recognised as “Evil” God within the Thearchy”
    Needs “an” before ” ‘Evil’ God” I think.

    Liked by 1 person

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      1. Just saying, stabbing people with books sounds painful. Clearly the letters being next to each other on the keyboard doesn’t mean anything =P

        Liked by 3 people

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  41. Oya, I wonder how mansion-dwelling Anri reacted to the sight of children studiously transcribing her black scripture…

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  42. Pingback: Side Story 3 | お兄ちゃん、やめてぇ！

  43. …I don’t know whether to laugh or cringe at this insane Thearchy. Also, I seem to be addicted to the like button here. Sorry for spamming you all. …I probably won’t stop for a while.

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  44. Pushing all copies of the black scripture upon death row inmates is all well and good, but you have to think about what happens after those prisoners die, they’re on death row after all. The only way around that would e to change all executions to burning at the stake and have each inmate use their copies as fuel for the fire.

    A better solution might be to set up a service to mail transcriptions to “Evil God” Anri.

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  46. Pingback: Side Story 1 | お兄ちゃん、やめてぇ！

  48. Funny thing is about the scriptures is it actually does have a concievable end… And thats when the people who get the “evilgod” curse don’t spread it. (or bald people get the bald patch one) These curses can be considered truly negligible. The irony of everyone ending their sentences in evilgod in order to stop the spread of her scripture however is wonderful :)

    Assuming of course I am not misunderstanding. If all the curses are applicable at once then yeah. Trouble.

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