Chapter 145
Translator: penny
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: Arachne - 4
With no sign of Helen returning after I'd confessed to her, I headed back to the Tower of Wisdom.
"Allie, help me out a bit."
"Why should I? You've got Helen and Camilla."
"They're all tied up with their own stuff right now."
"Sorry, go find someone else. I just passed out a minute ago because of you, and now I'm writing a report on it."
"You're too harsh. And you owe me one anyway."
"Ugh..."
When I brought up the naked toss into the palace, Allie let out a huge sigh and muttered softly.
"Haa... Fine. Make it quick."
"Thanks. Mind if I borrow a few books?"
And so I dragged Allie along to Asgard's pride and joy: the library.
"Now that's impressive scale."
The tallest building in the capital city and the most heavily guarded place, the Akashic Record was said—without exaggeration—to contain all the knowledge in the world.
"I'm pretty sure I'm looking for a library, so why's there a rocket?"
"That is a rocket."
"Huh? You mean we can actually launch it?"
"Of course. If Asgard's on its last legs, we have to protect the Akashic Record. It's been retrofitted for emergency escape anytime."
"What about the temples?"
"Temples can be rebuilt. But once books burn, they're gone forever."
"Huh, fair point. Books are precious."
We entered the library (rocket).
A Valkyrie who looked like the receptionist was there.
Welcome to the Akashic Record. How may I assist you?
"Every time I see stuff like this, it hits me how advanced the Holy Kingdom's tech is," I said, impressed.
"Hehe, flattery won't get you anything from me."
I hadn't even flattered her that much, but Allie perked up anyway and started signing at the counter.
She verified her identity with the nymph's signature disc, then turned to me.
"Sian, registration's done. What books are you looking for?"
"Stuff on Goddess Hestia, on Titans, and on transmigrators."
"Huh? Helen or I could tell you all that ourselves."
"Cross-verifying for accuracy."
"Alright? Hold on."
Like with <Inventory>, a blue screen popped up in front of her. She searched for something and summoned a few books.
"Here, all copied for you. Take 'em."
"Thanks."
"Oh, and these are all in Divine Language, so I added [Basic Divine Language] and [Advanced Divine Language] too."
"Divine Language like this?"
"Yeah, exactly."
I showed her the characters engraved on me by Oranak, the god of the north, when he granted his blessing. Allie nodded and explained.
"We can't fully translate Divine Language either, so there might be words you don't know."
"Nah, this'll do. Huh?"
Among the books Allie handed over, one looked particularly worn.
"This one's obviously not a copy. Looks like an original."
"Eh? You're right."
Allie picked up the ragged book, flipped through it briefly, and her face lit up with shock.
"Weird. I've never seen this one before."
"Bound to be some books even you haven't read out of all these."
"Hmph! In 600 years, there's almost none I haven't. It's suspicious this one's even here."
"What, like a grad student?"
"I'm no slave. I read because I love it."
Yeah, yeah, a high-class slave then.
"So what is this book anyway?"
"Hmm, all in Divine Language."
Allie started reading but looked stumped, like it was tough.
"Um, can't read it."
"You sure you're a nymph? Helen read it easy."
"Ugh, Divine Language isn't easy! Even Helen couldn't read this."
"How hard is it?"
"Well, each god has wildly different pronunciations and meanings for the script, so translation's tricky. And this book's Divine Language is all brand new to me."
Her explanation short-circuited my brain for a second.
"No standard tongue, and dialects mixed in haphazardly?"
"Spot on."
"That's a language?"
"What can ya do? Back in primordial times, 'language' was just cave paintings. Interpretations vary by viewer, total mess."
I immediately opened the dictionaries she'd given me.
Sure enough, single words encompassed multiples with different pronunciations.
"These dictionaries you gave me—they useful?"
"Obviously. They're for roughly inferring meanings from the imagery. Wrong sometimes, but way better than nothing."
"Insane."
The two dictionaries, each over 900 pages, might be worthless. Shocking.
What's the point of studying then?
No. Better than nothing.
I stashed all the books from Allie into my <Inventory>.
As I grabbed the ragged one too, Allie tilted her head.
"Taking this too?"
"Yeah, it came with the set."
"Let me know if you ever translate it."
"At this difficulty? Who knows when."
"At least 200 years?"
"Not planning to live that long."
This nymph's sense of time is wrecked.
"Got everything I needed, thanks to you. Appreciate it, Allie."
"Hehe, means overtime for me, but helping our hero makes it worthwhile."
"Oh, right—you owe me. Let's settle that now."
"Huh? Wasn't the library trip payment enough?"
"C'mon, you can't square a naked exposure show with just tagging along."
"S-so what do you want?"
"I'd love to make you pose nude or something..."
"P-perv!"
"Hear me out. I want you to make something for me."
"What?"
Her ears perked at the request, face full of curiosity.
"Can you up the weight limit on <Inventory> first?"
"Impossible."
"Then share <Inventory> sub-spaces?"
"That's... never crossed my mind."
The idea was new to her. She pondered awhile, then shared her thoughts.
"Not possible in its current state."
"Meaning it could be?"
"Yeah. <Inventory>'s sub-space is miracle-based. Relics of the same god could link up."
"Nice."
<Inventory>'s downside was the max weight limit.
About 5 tons?
Unthinkable for one person to carry, but for someone gearing up a territory now, 5 tons was peanuts.
Ten blackwoods would fill it.
If <Inventory> could share, weight limits vanish.
Plus, easy transport from the Holy Kingdom.
Eat the bird and the egg too.
But Allie dashed my hopes.
"Don't get too excited. Even theoretically, no more of Enos's relics exist."
"Enos? First time hearing that god."
"Yeah, one of the dead gods. Goddess of space and security."
"Sigh, so can't make one."
"Not necessarily impossible."
"How?"
"We originally made two <Inventory>s."
"For real?"
"Yeah, but one went as tribute to the Emperor."
"Ah... then we're done."
Better I struggle than get tangled with that psycho and become a stud horse.
"I'll ask the Emperor anyway. Doesn't seem like he uses it much."
"You tight with the royals, huh."
She shrugged like it was obvious.
"First Empress was a transmigrator too. We stick together. Wanna join, Sian?"
"Thanks, but no. Hate tangling with that lady, and I'm not hung up on my past life."
"Fair. But you've benefited from past-life memories before."
"Lying when I say no—they're just info to me, no sense of 'me'."
"Ah, the type that separates past and present lives. Plenty of transmigrators like that. World's gap is huge."
"You know your stuff. Met a lot?"
"600 years, stuff happens. Right now, just four including you."
"All dead?"
"Mostly human. Time claims 'em."
Thinking of old comrades? Her face softened nostalgically, out of character.
"So what'd you do in your past life, Sian?"
"Upvote if you're prying now."
I thumbs-upped her question. Her shoulders slumped, voice deflated.
"Ugh, caught?"
"Don't try fooling people. It's all over your face."
"That obvious?"
"Not readable—it's screaming it."
Nymph thing or just her personality, she couldn't deceive anyone.
"Bummer."
"More than a bummer, but why curious? Past life's done."
"First Empress asked, but I'm personally too."
"Why?"
"Your soul power's insane. Wonder what you did."
"Soul power?"
"Ah, you don't know."
She looked awkward but explained.
"If holy power's the vessel for divinity, soul power's the vessel's toughness."
"Perfect analogy. Soul power that vital? Fill the vessel and done."
"Pour oil in a paper cup, it soaks through."
"Ah."
"That's why it's key for clergy. Holy power can't train, but soul power toughens with effort."
"It trains like that?"
Souls have muscles?
"Yep. Hierarchies divide by soul power."
"That's what hierarchy meant?"
Thought it was just strongest first, second, etc.
"My guess? Yours is 1st Hierarchy."
"Basis?"
"You spam miracles casually. Other clergy's heads would've exploded."
"Scarier that praying can blow your head off."
Absurd, but explained the clergy shortage.
Who'd be clergy if praying risks head-pop?
Seizing the moment, she bounced excitedly, persistent.
"Soul power grows through ordeals. Past life impacts big. You're 21 now? This strength means you did epic stuff before."
"Fair, past life's why I'm stacked. Did plenty."
"Like what?"
"No single job pins it. Society sucked, tried everything."
"Yeah?"
"But everyone knew my name."
"Ooh, influencer?"
"Nah, ordinary leader."
"Argh! Quit joking."
Thinking I joked, she laughed it off.
"A leader everyone's heard of? How's a kinslayer picked by the goddess of family? Evil god, maybe."
"......"
"Haha, joke, right?"