CHAPTER 511: CHAPTER 440 SECRET THOUGHTS

On that day of rebirth, the souls that had once gathered around the ancient mountain tree all faced a trial.

Their subsequent destinations were determined by their actions in life, regardless of gender, age, belief...

Those souls led to the Netherworld by Nakbet, except for those who believed in the Lord, were still kept in the realm of the Death God—an undeniable act of God’s mercy.

However, it was for this reason that before the birth of the Netherworld, the souls not taken by Nakbet faced the same trial, either heading to Heaven or descending into Hell.

For the Great Angel Schiller, finding a certain soul in Heaven was not a difficult task.

After obtaining God’s consent, Schiller found the lover of Baird.

The woman had committed minor sins and, having endured the punishments of Hell, had then arrived in Heaven. This beautiful woman had always missed Baird, and despite her satisfaction with everything in Heaven, she still could not abandon her yearning for her lover.

"So... would you like to see him once more?"

Schiller asked.

The answer was affirmative; the woman agreed to Schiller’s request without hesitation and thereafter followed his arrangements.

After making these preparations, the Great Angel Schiller went to the Netherworld to visit Death God Nakbet and his queen.

Facing the Death God, Schiller openly made his request.

This time, Nakbet hesitated,

"If it’s within my power, then I am willing to assist you.

But to let a soul return to the Mortal World... even if it’s for Baird, it contravenes the rules of the Netherworld."

Death God Nakbet’s refusal was reasonable, but unlike him, his queen insisted that Nakbet agree.

"Even if it contravenes the rules of the Netherworld, it’s for a just reason, not because you are intentionally partial. Moreover, how can a walking corpse be called a ’hero’?"

Esroa persuaded Death God Nakbet,

"My King, you know I have few interests. I am not fond of singing and dancing, nor do I care for weaving; only sleep and souls bring me pleasure during dull days."

Faced with the queen’s persuasions, Death God Nakbet hesitated. In the Netherworld, he was the supreme king, but not the sole manager. There were nine judges here, and it was they who decided the fates of thousands of souls.

And these nine judges were just and had never been partial or corrupt. Even if Nakbet wanted to make an exception for Baird, the judges would not agree.

However, Schiller seemed to have already considered this aspect.

The Great Angel said:

"Honorable Nakbet, I know what you’re worried about.

Since the judges of the Netherworld would not be partial, why not let them make a different decision?"

Nakbet rose from his throne, asking in surprise:

"A different decision?

What do you mean by that?"

Schiller slowly spoke:

"Decree that he be... banished from the Netherworld."

Banished from the Netherworld...

Nakbet and the judges had never established such a penalty.

"Your idea is good, but they might not agree, and besides, the Netherworld has no such penalty."

Nakbet sat back on his throne.

At this moment, the queen beside him suddenly said:

"Can’t we establish it now?"

Nakbet replied with a bitter smile:

"What reason would we give to establish it?"

Esroa slowly revealed her thoughts,

"I recall that Baird’s death was due to a bet made by the divine,

This was an undeserved disaster,

Even the divine couldn’t help but sympathize with his fate."

"In that case, why not place another bet?

Let Baird bet with you and the judges, and your wager would be to exile him from the Netherworld."

Nakbet found himself pondering upon the Queen’s words. As Esroa had stated, Baird’s death was indeed an unfair disaster, originating from Slaier’s schemes, which undoubtedly evoked the Divine’s sympathy for his situation.

However, mere sentiment could not persuade the judges, so Esroa intended to involve herself with the judges in a gamble, binding them together in the same boat to achieve her goal.

"But how can we get those judges to agree to the gamble? To agree to a gamble over a... mortal soul."

Nakbet muttered to himself, feeling a bit troubled,

"Baird cannot afford the required wager."

Under the patient persuasion of the Queen, the Death God was already somewhat shaken.

"A wager compelling enough to touch their hearts and some slight external pressure are needed."

Angel Schiller slowly said,

"And I have a better idea.

Not Baird betting with you but rather I, Great Angel Schiller, will be the one to bet with you.

Trust me, I have sufficient stakes to sway their hearts."

Nakbet paused slightly, slowly realizing something,

"If the Great Angel has sufficient stakes...

But there’s still one problem... Exiling him from the Netherworld is undoubtedly akin to absolving him, how can we make the judges believe that this isn’t an absolution?"

Angel Schiller spoke slowly:

"My request is to subject Baird to the ultimate penalty of exile.

Since he will commit severe crimes in the future, and his sins will be grave, monstrous, beyond recounting, and unforgivable, there’s no place in the Netherworld that can contain him."

As the Great Angel, Schiller understood the human heart,

In those Netherworld judges’ trials, it was extremely difficult to mitigate a person’s crimes but quite easy to aggravate someone’s punishment.

"Esteemed Nakbet, I need your cooperation; I need you to tell a little lie, to make the judges believe that being exiled from the Netherworld is the most dreadful punishment."

.....................

After visiting Nakbet and initially setting how to lure the judges into agreeing to the bet, Schiller then proceeded to arrange the plans concerning Baird.

The goal of the Great Angel was always to observe the soul’s deepest part—the collective subconscious and to find the Illusion Temple mentioned by Esroa.

"The collective subconscious... It’s a collective mind, the instinct shared by all humanity.

It manifests through various means, like art, songs, beliefs, language... the adoration of heroes, the reverence for goodness."

Schiller summarized during these times of observation.

The collective subconscious, much like the collective Logos, is the collective reason, order, fate...

In this world, what could possibly reflect the collective reason, order, fate, among others?

"Mythology...

Mythology belonging to the collective!"

Mythology pertains to a region, a nation, a race, even a world; essentially, it is not the creation of an individual.

When people come together to form a collective, their stories narrated become mythology.

Mythology is the manifestation of the collective subconscious.

"So... like mythology, people walk the earth."

Schiller grasped the key point, gradually constructing a stage about mythology.

What is the most common mythology related to?

Taboos... and the desire to break them...

This is the manifestation of the collective subconscious, this is mythology, this is...

"Secret Thoughts."

Schiller murmured softly, this term he had retrieved from God’s memory.