I Became a Foreign Worker Loved by Transcendents

Chapter 180: A Cruel World

She was born as a tool.

So, even if she had developed a sense of self, every decision and conclusion derived from it was to be used for the benefit of humanity.

Even if, over time, the self she’d developed evolved into what could be called a “personality.”

Even if people bowed before her, if doing so provided them with comfort, then she believed it was her duty to be their shelter.

She saw it as her mission and repeated this duty, falling into long slumbers to extend her limited lifespan.

Dependence, reverence, even faith.

Even if these were things too grand for a tool, if humanity needed them, she believed it was her duty to meet those expectations…

‘Won’t you stay with us, as one of us, and live alongside humanity?’

So why had she declined the invitation she was given on that day, after what she thought would be her final battle?

She could have stayed awake beside them, facing her own end alongside them in a body that would eventually wear down.

‘I’m sorry, but I…’

The mere thought of that life had filled her with happiness.

So why had she chosen to refuse his offer and return to sleep?

‘…Why?’

The leader of humanity at the time hadn’t understood her decision.

‘Why would you go that far for us?’

He was a compassionate leader who genuinely mourned the sacrifices made by the dolls to stop the catastrophe…

Even as she slept, his sorrowful face lingered vividly in her memory.

‘Because it’s my mission.’

‘You could let that mission end now. The witches are all eradicated; no further threat remains against us.’

‘But you never know…’

‘There’s no reason it must be you to face that one-in-a-million chance. You’re the only doll left; you wouldn’t bear that burden alone, would you?’

‘If it’s necessary, I must.’

‘Why go so far for us? Throughout all of history, there’s no record of us ever doing anything for you!’

Boundless devotion without asking anything in return… an infinite sacrifice.

It would be incomprehensible by human standards.

If it were simply because of her mission, it would make more sense to take orders from someone before her, rather than preparing for some distant “what-if.”

‘Because it’s already enough.’

Without any forced commands, this answer came purely from her own will.

The leader of humanity could offer no further argument.

‘Enough, you say…’

It wasn’t because he didn’t understand her.

If anything, the emotions conveyed at that moment…

Were so clear that even he, as a human, could understand them.

‘I never thought, for even a moment, that living for you was a burden.’

Yes, she had smiled.

Recalling what others might consider a life of miserable sacrifices, she remembered those days as the source of the happiness she felt in that moment.

‘Just to serve you, to protect you… watching you grow and advance by building upon our efforts has always filled us with pride.’

Unlike herself, who could only pursue the duty of a tool, they had achieved so much under her protection.

They had passed on knowledge through generations, grown as a collective, and overcome crises by uniting their strength.

In the end, they had grown strong enough to protect themselves, even without the help of dolls like her—a source of pride for her.

‘So you don’t need to feel guilty. We’ve already received our reward.’n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Because they existed, humanity had accomplished so much.

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And if they continued to exist…

Even if she never awoke again, she could slip into an eternal, happy dream, content with the hope and expectations she had for them.

‘So, please, leader of humans, if you truly care for me and my comrades… let me return to sleep.’

Yes, the doll simply wanted to love.

Though it had begun as a forced mission, by then, it was her choice.

‘So that my dream of serving you will continue, not for a moment, but forever.’

Not because she was loved.

But because she believed that simply loving was enough.

‘…Then why?’

As Francheska’s consciousness returned after a fierce battle, she became aware of her surroundings.

‘Why did I end up killing those I love… those who loved me?’

Did such actions have any meaning?

The place, once an assembly hall, had been destroyed beyond recognition.

More flesh and organs littered the floor than pieces of furniture or walls.

Things that were once human, and others that had thirsted for that human blood, lay scattered in countless pieces, their regenerative abilities burned away by the intense heat from her magic core.

“Ah… ugh… aah…”

And yet, the stubborn mouths remained, snapping for bits of flesh with lingering instincts, despite their loss of self.

Seeing this, Francheska thought, ‘This fight isn’t over yet.’

‘Dispose of…’

Her body was damaged beyond what emergency treatments could handle.

The energy in her magic core had nearly depleted, barely keeping her consciousness intact, and the threads binding her joints loosened and weakened.

‘Dispose of… them…’

Even so, the thought that she had to finish this kept her pushing forward, preparing to use what little strength remained to burn them to ashes.

Even if she couldn’t eliminate all the monsters created, she had to deal with the root of them…

“Well, I’m impressed~”

And the demon who had watched her battle…

Now casually brought her head close to her trembling fingertips, as if mocking her desperate resolve.

“I wasn’t sure how far that little body of yours could go, but I didn’t expect you to handle that monster, which had grown big enough to devour a castle, all on your own… You might even compare to Grizvill, the strongest in battle among the Four Heavenly Kings.”

Even so, Francheska tried to resist, gathering what little magic she could into her hand.

But the sharp threads and magic within them barely scratched the demon.

It was an inevitable result—no physical attack could work on a body that was essentially a spirit.

“Well, that guy is already dead by the Demon King’s hand. Hahaha~ Of course. Being strong doesn’t mean you survive to the end~!”

“Ugh!”

And no matter how many foreign beings the doll had hunted, it was the first time she clashed directly with the predators from another world, the demons.

Her inability to come up with an effective counter left her at a one-sided disadvantage, and defeat seemed inevitable.

“Sorry, darling~ You seem really mad at me, but fighting isn’t really my thing—I’m more of a tease, you see~”

Though she had succeeded in dealing with the monster in this hopeless battle, she hadn’t managed a finishing blow, and the demon before her remained at full strength, ridiculing her.

All Francheska could do, with her body already broken beyond repair, was to tremble in the grasp of such a vile being.

“Hehe, even in this condition, you still want to resist? The more I see you, the more I like you, my dear~”

But to her, that defiance only promised to make the upcoming “celebration” more intense.

She swept her fingers along her skin, a sadistic grin forming on her face.

“Anyway, you’re a doll… Well, aphrodisiacs won’t work, but that’s okay. Hehe, it might actually be better to enjoy it while fully conscious.”

If she possessed any sense of self, breaking it would give her some satisfaction.

If it broke entirely, she would simply see it as a fleeting diversion; she didn’t care either way.

Beings who lived by desire saw even turning the world upside down for a brief thrill as perfectly reasonable.

“Then let’s begin, shall we? Try to last as long as you can~ Ahaha!”

Sharp claws tore at her clothes, preparing to lick the blood from her skin.

Despite the repulsive hands on her, Francheska’s gaze remained fixed on the scattered remains beyond her.

‘Did all of you…’

She recalled the countless corpses she had cut down to reach this place, a wave of self-recrimination washing over her.

‘Did all of you curse me?’

Surely, they had.

Despairing and searching for faith, unable to hold on in the face of unanswered prayers, they must have lost hope.

So they’d turned to sin, to corruption, laying the foundation for everything that had happened.

She hadn’t been strong enough to be the god they needed; she hadn’t met their expectations…

‘I’m sorry, everyone.’

The god of humanity, driven by a sense of duty and making careless choices, finally accepted the guilt consuming her as she closed her eyes.

‘Because I was powerless… I couldn’t even protect…’

Perhaps the malice aimed at her at this moment was a punishment following such powerlessness, she thought subconsciously.

-Crack.

In that case, was the freezing wave that suddenly filled the room yet another stroke of despair?

Or was it salvation, finally granted to an abandoned god?

“…What’s going on?”

One thing was certain.

The demon, anticipating a satisfying climax after a fierce battle, had been too lost in anticipation to notice the change.

-Crack, snap!

In this harsh world, a momentary lapse could be fatal.

And the powerful frost froze everything in its path—even the spirit-made body of the demon.

“H-huh…?”

But was it because she had been in the position of a deceiver for so long?

Failing to realize the seriousness of her spirit body freezing, the demon’s face began to show an emotion of irritation upon noticing the change.

“Why did you show up at such a good moment, you damn beast…?!”

Not anger or fear, but irritation.

But before this creature, that irritation was equal to defeat.

-Slam!

Her frozen body shattered, fragments falling to the ground and freezing solid once more.

There was no scream.

Had she managed to cry out, it would have been swallowed by the blow that immediately followed.

And Francheska could only watch in stunned silence as the creature struck.

-Thump, thump!

What was happening?

Why had this monster suddenly appeared in this shattered room, freezing the demon in the process?

“…Sc-sc-scent.”

No one could have expected this.

That, at the end of it all, this monster, who had fallen down a chasm, would follow the sewers to reach this place.

“The vile scent… of a homosexual…”

Moreover, before he had turned into a monster, he had developed a deep hatred for homosexuality after a demon had defiled his daughter.

That lingering hatred had led him here, following the scent he had been hunting all this time.

“All homosexuals must die! Aaaahhh!!!”

The enemy stood before him.

The demon who had taken his daughter, ravaged his homeland, and led his people to ruin.

His entire being burned with hatred for the one who had destroyed his life.

“Gaaah! Gaaah!”

So he roared.

A final, vengeful cry, poured from a broken soul, based in his once-human emotions and amplified by the madness of his monstrous form.

“…Stop.”

And the doll wept at the sight.

She couldn’t help it.

He was nothing but a monster now, driven by base instincts to this place.

He was like all the other beings she had cut down, alive only through his primal desires.

“Please… stop…”

Even if he could speak, he no longer showed the human side of himself she had loved.

How could she love him, seeing him like this?

“Please…”

So she pleaded.

Praying that her voice might reach his heart.

“Please… remain… human…”

If he still held any shred of humanity…

She hoped her voice would stir something within him.

“…Ah… ah…”

And then, his footsteps halted, and the cries of anguish faded into silence.

Was it exhaustion?

Or had he reached his physical limit and drawn his final breath?

“Fri… ga…”

No, he had responded to her voice.

Even with his revenge fulfilled and nothing left of his homeland or kin, he had followed the remnants of his subconscious.

“Friga… Friga…”

The God of Humanity, Friga.

In this world of despair, he, too, had once found solace in her, entering the knighthood with gratitude in his heart.

Even as a beast, denied her protection, he had never truly let go of his love for her.

“Friga… Friga…”

Even if he was no longer loved, loving her was something he could still do.

Perhaps it was this subconscious affection that had created the miracle.

With that thought, the Goddess began to smile.

“…Yes, Phobia.”

Though he no longer resembled a human, or even a beast.

Though the spirits responding to his will at this moment created a cold wave that froze her body.

Though she knew the twisted faith chasing the traces of the past would later destroy her…

“I am here.”

She wanted to love the monster before her, to see him as human.

Even if it wasn’t complete, loving her follower was enough.

“Your god is here….”

Even if what remained was only a faint shadow.

In this hopeless world, feeling grateful that even that remained.