Deities walked the land, and not in the astral world... In the early Fourth Epoch, during the era of the Solomon Empire, there was no distinguishing between the worlds of myth and reality. Deities directly walked the land without the need for a descent?
This is somewhat similar to the Second Epoch as written in the City of Silver's books. The Giant King's Court and other locations are separated by a door in the real world. They just needed to pass through it and return the same way. Mortals and deities mixed together in the chaos and darkness... Also, the astral world really does correspond to deities... After hearing Viscount Mobet Zoroast's description, Klein instantly began connecting the dots.
He subconsciously swept a glance at Groselle, as this giant was very likely someone who had experienced the history of the Second Epoch!
Groselle picked up a cup larger than a wooden bucket and gulped down some melted snow as he laughed.
"Mobet, what's there to be surprised about? Why are you so solemn?"
"I've no idea why I became so solemn either." Bit by bit, Mobet Zoroast revealed a smile. "Haha, it might be something very normal for us, but in their eyes, it's terrifying and unbelievable. I have to use a suitable expression to describe it in order to achieve a satisfactory result. Do you still remember Frunziar's expression when we told him those stories in the very beginning? He almost knelt down to seek forgiveness from the Lord of Storms."
"..." Klein, Danitz, and company were momentarily unsure of the expression of words they should use to respond.
Anderson leaned over to Gehrman Sparrow and said with a suppressed voice, "I think he has the talent to be a Provoker."
He appeared to be suppressing his voice, but his words could be heard by everyone present.
Mobet didn't mind as he chuckled before continuing, "I know that you aren't very convinced and find it unbelievable that deities walked the lands, just like Edwina's previous reactions. Heh heh, I can give you two examples. The Chasm of Storm on Pasu Island and the Tenebrous Heaven in the Amantha mountain range were the divine kingdoms of the Lord of Storms and Evernight. They were divine kingdoms located on land. They were divine kingdoms separated from the real world by a mere illusory door!
Pasu Island? Isn't that where the holy altar of the Church of Storms is? The Amantha mountain range... Amantha means serenity in Hermes; this refers to a holy cathedral, the Cathedral of Serenity? When the deities no longer walked the land, "Their" kingdoms became the headquarters of their respective churches? Klein instinctively believed that Mobet Zoroast wasn't lying as he used it to come to certain conclusions.
Danitz was puzzled and horrified by what he heard. He subconsciously wanted to leave, but when he saw his captain listening attentively, Gehrman Sparrow who was in thought, and Anderson Hood who wore a look of interest on his face, he could only hold back his urge as he sought a better, more comfortable seating position.
At that moment, the Elvish Songster Siatas, who was in charge of the perimeter, walked in and said with contempt, "Do not mention that fake god. The authority of the storm only belongs to the king of us elves!"
Her voice was clear and beautiful, but her tone was filled with anger and irascibility. It felt as though she would raise her hands at any moment to shoot an arrow at Mobet Zoroast.
"Alright, I will use the words ‘fake god,'" Mobet raised his hand to adjust his sharp and hard black hat.
Siatas retracted her gaze. She then said to the former Loen soldier, Frunziar Edward, who wasn't a staunch believer of the Lord of Storms, "It's your turn!"
Frunziar raised his head a little; his expression in a trance-like state.
Apparently, he hadn't noticed the conversation and argument from before. He drew the iron-black sword beside him and walked towards the cave entrance.
Klein observed for a moment and took the opportunity to speak to the elf, Siatas.
"Do you know of Queen of Calamity, Cohinem?"
He wasn't actually sure if Cohinem was Elf King Soniathrym's subsidiary god, Queen of Calamity. His inquiry was for Elvish Songster Siatas to give him the answer.
Siatas's gentle and exquisite face immediately produced a trance-like expression like Frunziar's.
"I haven't heard ‘Her' name in a long time. ‘She' is the queen of us elves.
"Mobet and Frunziar didn't even know of ‘Her' existence...
"Where did you encounter ‘Her,' no—learn of ‘Her' situation?"
As she spoke, Siatas's tone became urgent.
At that moment, Danitz looked at Gehrman Sparrow in surprise, reflecting over the revelation that the madman was so knowledgeable. He was even able to share a common topic of interest with an elf from ancient times.
"I never expected you to be a scholar... I really couldn't tell. Couldn't tell at all..." Anderson sighed as he shook his head.
Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina likewise cast her gaze at Klein. Her limpid blue eyes had a strong desire to learn from him.
Klein answered frankly, "I've once entered a ruin belonging to Queen of Calamity Cohinem and obtained some items."
"Ruin?" Siatas ruminated over that word in a soft voice, her tone having seemingly lost something unimportant, but something that she couldn't bear to part with.
"From the situation inside, ‘She' might not be truly dead." After seeing Siatas's eyes light up, Klein went straight to the point. "Do you have the Ocean Songster's potion formula? Can I use something to exchange for it?"
He felt that being honest and direct with a Beyonder from the Storm pathway was the best choice.
Siatas thought and said, "Use one of Her Majesty's items for the exchange."
"I only obtained a wine cup made of gold. It's already been crushed flat. Complicated patterns are engraved on it, with the Elvish phrases Calamity and Cohinem." Klein didn't hide the truth.
"I know about that cup. It was the cup Her Majesty loved the most," Siatas said, unable to hide her excitement. "Deal!"
"The cup is outside." Klein had no intention of heading above the gray fog in front of everyone.
Siatas nodded.
"I understand.
"We will complete the transaction after we leave this book."
Having said that, she pressed her palms together.
"The Storm will definitely belong to the elves!"
Before anyone spoke, she asked curiously, "What else did you discover there?"
"Some murals depicting the Elf King battling an ancient sun god." Klein shot a glance at the ascetic, Snowman, who believed in the Lord that created everything, the omnipotent and omniscient God.
With his back still facing the fire, the middle-aged man who was facing the stone wall finally opened his mouth.
"No, ‘He' isn't the Sun God.
"‘He' is our Lord, the father of all things, the great source of everything.
"‘He' wasn't battling the Elf King, but taking back the authority which belonged to him.
Just as Snowman said that, Siatas stood up and aimed her arrow at him.
Suddenly, this Elvish Songster's plaited black hair flared up in violation of the laws of nature. The strands of hair were distinct and they were all swirling with silver lightning, emitting a strange deep blue luster.
Just as Siatas was about to release the arrow, a huge grayish-blue palm appeared before her, blocking the arrow tip, without any fear of being struck.
It was the palm of the giant, Groselle. One of the traits of this race was its exaggerated limbs. They were so long that they appeared a little distorted. Therefore, simply by sitting there, he could stop Siatas by extending his arm.
"Alright, Snowman, cut it out. As you know, Siatas is an elf who likes to put actions before words," Groselle said to the ascetic before turning his head to the Elvish Songster. "Siatas, we are companions who can leave our backs to each other. We have experienced plenty of dangers together. You can retort Snowman and even beat him up, but do not attempt to harm him."
As expected of the lead of the book. He's filled with positivity... But what's the difference in beating him and harming him? Klein couldn't help but mumble.
Siatas grunted and sat back down, turning the mood heavy and silent with a level of awkwardness.
Giant Groselle used his single vertical eye to survey the area before chuckling.
"Then, I'll talk about my past.
"Before entering this book, I lived in the Giant King's Court. I was one of the guardians of the Waning Forest. It's somewhere only our king can enter. Rumor has it that buried inside it are ‘His' parents, who also form the origins of us giants."
The Giant King's Court is formed of many parts, and the Waning Forest is one of them? Buried in there is the most ancient ancestor of the giants? Klein listened attentively, only wishing to ask more.
To him, this was more valuable than the Fourth Epoch's history. This was because the City of Silver's hope likely laid in the Giant King's Court.
However, before he opened his mouth, Edwina spoke before him.
"Groselle, what did the book look like when you received it?"
Groselle raised his hand to rub his cheeks.
"It had nothing, like an empty book waiting to be written."
I even thought that Groselle might be a completely fictional character in the book... Klein deliberated for a few seconds and didn't directly ask about the details of the Giant King's Court. He turned to say to Mobet Zoroast, "Do you know of Blasphemer Amon?"
"Blasphemer refers to the entire family of Amon. They are the archenemies of us Zoroasts. It's said that they have a very powerful and terrifying ancestor that even Ouroboros and Medici viewed with great importance. They even feel fear towards ‘Him,' but no one knows of ‘His' actual name," Mobet introduced in detail.
Ouroboros, Medici? Yes, back then the True Creator and Rose Redemption supported the Solomon Empire... Klein's heart stirred as he immediately asked, "Then, have you heard of the name Sasrir?"
Mobet was taken aback as he slowly shook his head.
"Never."
Dark Angel Sasrir's name and title vanished after the Cataclysm? It was buried? Klein confirmed a fact through this.
At that moment, Snowman, who was facing the stone wall, said with a deep voice, "Sasrir is the Dark Angel, the leader of the Kings of Angels, the one closest to the Lord."
I was waiting for your answer... Klein cast his gaze on the ascetic and asked in a deep voice, "Apart from ‘Him,' Ouroboros, Medici, and Amon, what other Kings of Angels are there? You don't have to say out all ‘Their' names."
Klein was afraid that it would result in unnecessary reactions, just like the "repenter" in Afternoon Town.
Edwina, Anderson, and Danitz were at a loss from the very beginning. This was because the contents of the conversation between Gehrman Sparrow and the few ancient figures were things that they had never heard of. They found it unbelievable that this crazy adventurer knew so many secrets!
After a few seconds of silence, Snowman said, "There's also the Angel of Imagination, Adam..."
Just as he said the name, the entire cave shook. The familiar and crazy tyrannical aura rapidly descended!
King of the North Ulyssan had arrived!
