Roaring Heroes Battle the Overlord (Ainz) - Part 1 (Chapters 1 to 200)

Chapter 158: The Two Sides of Religion

As dusk settled, EeDechi trudged back to the rented house. Her stomach growled fiercely, but Barrett had dinner ready.

Lifting the lid off the soup pot, wisps of white steam swirled up, carrying a rich, savory aroma that danced in the air. The broth inside was a tempting pinkish-red, topped with a thin, glossy layer of fat.

Tender braised beef brisket melted in the mouth, while peeled, cubed carrots and potatoes, soft and nearly dissolving, mingled in the broth. Sautéed celery bits and cabbage stood out like tiny green trees in a crimson lava flow. A quick sniff revealed the sharp bite of pepper and the earthy hint of basil leaves.

On the pot's inner rim hung a half-circle iron rack, holding fluffy white bread, puffed up from soaking in the steam, alongside a clear glass jar brimming with vibrant cherry jam.

EeDechi plopped down at the table, slathering jam on the bread, gulping down a spoonful of soup, and tearing into the bread with big bites. Halfway through, she paused, noticing someone was missing.

"Where's Franco?" She asked.

Barrett hesitated, then said, "He's off at a place where women make a living with their bodies, unwinding the tension from all our adventuring, easing his exhaustion, blowing off steam. Don't worry, he'll be back soon."

"Oh, got it," EeDechi nodded.

She wolfed down the entire loaf of bread, then picked at a few chunks of beef brisket and carrots, chewing them slowly, savoring every bite.

Suddenly, she jolted upright, as if struck by lightning, her face lit with realization. "Wait, you mean Franco's gone whoring!"

"Yeah," Barrett admitted, shrugging.

"Disorganized! Undisciplined!" EeDechi slammed her hand on the table, leaving a deep palm print in the wood.

"It's not all bad," Barrett rushed to explain. "Think about it—guys like Franco, with their raging hormones, if they don't pay for it, they'll just go after innocent women. Better he gets it out of his system this way."

EeDechi propped her chin in her hand, mulling it over. "Hmm... you've got a point there."

A while later, Daniel showed up for a visit, wide-brimmed hat pulled low, scarf masking his face—clearly trying to keep a low profile. After hearing EeDechi's take on religion and the Six Gods, he'd been blown away, his mind opened to new ideas. Now, he was back, eager for more of her "holy wisdom."

They sat by the fireplace, deep in conversation. EeDechi dropped a bombshell: the Six Gods were just regular people with extraordinary powers, who cooked up religion to make ruling the masses easier. She launched into a brutal takedown of religion, holding nothing back.

She said religion's core purpose was to discipline men, control women, and prop up the ruling class. It was riddled with outdated, rigid customs, exclusivity, and curbs on personal freedom. Churches raked in wealth, scared people with fairy tales like the end of the world, and preached morality while their leaders chased gold and power. Worst of all, they stirred up bloodshed over petty doctrinal disputes.

Daniel felt like his brain was taking a beating. As a devout follower of the Six Gods, these heretical ideas were unlike anything he'd ever heard—especially coming from the mouth of a Divine Envoy, revered even by his teachers. Her words stung, but they were maddeningly hard to argue against. Uneasy, he asked, "So, Divine Envoy, is religion completely worthless?"

"Of course not. Religion has its uses," EeDechi replied, catching him off guard again.

She leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. "Not everyone's like me, with an endless lifespan, never aging, forever young, or the power to defy death. Most people? They grow old, they get hurt, they die. For someone staring down the end of their life, what's waiting? Total nothingness? That's terrifying.