Chapter 331: Book 25(1)
Chapter 331: Book 25(1)
Even when I write stories that seem like they could actually happen, they are mostly based on history, so my research is quite thorough.
The fact that "Why Is This Real?" moments kept happening was somewhat understandable, given that I was writing "plausible" stories.
The problem was that everything turned out to be the exact answer, and I kept getting hit with ridiculous forced angst, like Cecile’s demonization. So, having reached a state of zen-like resignation, I just wrote whatever I felt like.
However, "mythology" is a bit different. Mythology is, quite literally, myth—stories from a time so long ago that mortals cannot even begin to imagine them.
Greek and Roman mythology, Norse mythology, the Book of Revelation, and so on.
Mythology serves as the first and oldest form of philosophy, passed down to future generations. Since ancient times, it has been interpreted in various ways and utilized in countless creative works.
Of course, that explanation is limited to the myths of my previous life. There, myths were merely legends, never actual "history" that truly existed.
On the other hand, mythology here is much closer to actual "history."
The pasts of Luminous, the God of Light, and Mora, the Goddess of Darkness, are recorded, as is their mother, Hirt, the Goddess of Nature.
While there may be room for various interpretations as there were in my past life, their history is undeniably real.
Therefore, denying mythology is the same as denying existence itself. However, because it is such ancient history, opinions tend to vary among scholars.
Actual history is similar. History is objective, but it is always recorded subjectively. Mythology is no different.
In that sense, let’s look at the origins of each race—specifically, the Elves. As a race blessed by the gods, Elves possess immense potential from birth.
Not only can they use magic freely, but their mana affinity is several times higher than that of other races.
True to the claim that they were blessed by the gods, they were the ones who established the first civilization in this world overrun by monsters.
So, how did the Elves originate? Just as the origin of the Demon tribe is demons, the origin of Elves is Angels.
Angels, famous for their white wings and beautiful features. According to mythology, Angels attend to the gods and sometimes become powerful warriors on the front lines.
But perhaps because it is mythology, no record of an Angel’s appearance can be found anywhere in the past.
Even during the Demon War 3,000 years ago, Angels did not appear; instead, the gods helped directly or indirectly.
If the origin of Elves is Angels, then why do they no longer exist?
The reason is also contained in mythology. It is said they were all exiled to the earth for rebelling against the gods.
It seems that no matter how pure an Angel might be, they still craved divine power. It’s a very human trait, if you think about it.
Thus, they lost their wings—their pride and symbol—and fell to the earth, giving rise to a new race: the Elves.
In many ways, it’s a myth that suits the Elves, given their association with the Sin of Pride. Because of this, the vast majority of people firmly believe in that myth.
'Did they really tear off their own wings and descend to the earth?'
However, after hearing Luminous’s non-answer that was essentially an affirmation, my head began to spin.
If that was the case, I had no idea which version of the myth was actually correct.
Surely a god wouldn't lie, so what could he possibly mean by that?
[I cannot give you a definitive answer on that.]
'Why not?'
[Because both are true.]
'……Pardon?'
What kind of nonsensical talk was this? Both the rebellion and the self-inflicted wing-tearing were true?
As if sensing my bewilderment, Luminous continued in his characteristically elegant voice.
[It is true that the Angels rebelled against us. However, every Angel who led that rebellion was annihilated.]
'Then the remaining Angels…'
[They tore off their own wings and descended to the earth. We tried to stop them, but they refused, calling it a punishment for themselves. They fell to the land that had almost been defiled by their brothers' greed, intending to better the world we watch over.]
'Oh…'
Hearing it directly from a god certainly made for a much cooler story… No, wait, why is this real? My admiration quickly turned into absurdity.
As I always say, Luminous and Mora never lie. If they were to lie, their divinity would be carved away in massive chunks.
Even if it leads to the worst possible outcome, they must not lie.
'You’re not lying, are you?'
[I am not.]
Still, I couldn't help but be suspicious. Then why do the myths only record that the Angels were exiled?
As if reading my doubt, Luminous explained in a gentle voice.
[That is also simple. To the eyes of mortals, it could only look that way. Every Angel who tore off their wings and descended to the earth lost their memories. They only remembered falling from the sky.]
'Ah. I think I’ve seen this before.'
The Angels who fell to the earth were also the first "mortals." At that time, there were no other races—only Elves and monsters.
They were probably similar to the humanity of my previous life. The difference was their incredibly long lifespans and abilities far superior to the first humans.
As time passed, various races appeared, and the Elves, having increased their numbers, established the first civilization.
Because of their thousand-year lifespans, they were slow to even increase their population while other races were undergoing evolution.
[Instead, even as time passed, their mission remained deeply engraved in their hearts. "Better the world we observe." That was the punishment for the sins they committed and the price of their pride.]
'That certainly sounds like something an Elf would— Wait a minute.'
I wrote those exact words in Volume 25. I flinched violently in surprise.
Meanwhile, Luminous let out a light chuckle, his voice sounding somewhat proud.
[It is a truly wonderful passage. I do not know if they actually held that mission in their hearts, but seeing as they had no interest in "dominion," it makes sense in many ways.]
'No. I’m just a mortal writer; is it okay to handle mythology so recklessly?'
[It makes it seem more honorable. And mythology is written by you mortals, not by me. I have no authority over it.]
'You said divine punishment would strike if someone denied mythology.'
[Because that would be denying our very existence. As you know, history is subjective, isn't it? Mythology is no different.]
Hmm. As expected of a god, no argument works on him. Every single thing he says is a logical absolute, leaving no room for a breakthrough.
Of course, if it were a nonsensical myth, the gods, including Luminous, would deny it immediately. But I was different.
In a way, "Why Is This Real?" was correct. It was half-right, but the problem was that it was "hidden history."
It would even clearly explain why the Elves received the gods' blessing, which would cause a massive stir.
'……You don't think they'll actually grow wings like Lucifer, do you?'
I worried for a while before asking the question that concerned me most.
If Volume 25 explains the origins of the Elves alongside the prelude to war, Volume 26 features Lucifer appearing with those very wings.
Though they weren't the white wings of myth, but wings that looked as if they’d been painted with black ink, they were wings nonetheless.
The reason I was so worried was because of Cecile’s demonization. Now that I had reached the level of directly creating "Why Is This Real?" scenarios, I was terrified.
In the book, Lucifer, having spread his wings, declares that he will personally promote the Elves back to Angels and drag the gods down from the heavens.
[You need not worry about that. While the Demon tribe has the power of demons mixed into their blood and mana, the Elves do not. Furthermore, wings are a "Divine Body" permitted only to transcendent beings like us.]
A Divine Body—meaning the physical form of a god. It meant that as long as we were mortals, we could never have wings.
Fortunately, the Lucifer in the book obtained his wings through a sort of trickery, and even those were only half-finished.
'Then, is there no possibility for a mortal to become a transcendent being?'
[It is virtually non-existent. One might become a transcendent being with an extremely rare probability, but there have been none in our world. Though there were many on the Earth where you lived.]
'There were many on Earth?'
[Yes. The greatest examples would be Buddha and Jesus.]
That was an answer I understood immediately. So Buddha and Jesus actually existed on Earth. That was news to me.
Anyway, unless one achieves deeds or reaches enlightenment on their level, becoming a transcendent being is impossible. That was enough for me.
'And I got some material out of it, too.'
A mortal who accumulates massive achievements and gains the corresponding enlightenment to become a transcendent being. In martial arts novels, people sometimes become "Immortals," and this seemed like a similar example.
I felt somewhat relieved after getting various confirmations from Luminous. But even so, I couldn't let my guard down.
Just like Cecile’s demonization, there was a case where it was forced into existence even though Mora said it didn't exist.
Of course, Mora was speaking based on that point in time, so she was a bit unfairly blamed. Still, it didn't hurt to be careful.
[What could you possibly do by being careful? Just accept everything, even if incidents occur.]
'That’s harsh. But you’ll still give me divine power, right?'
[Of course. By the way, while we're at it, how about officially becoming my believer—]
Just as Luminous was subtly trying to bring up what he wanted.
[Hey! How dare you—!]
Mora’s voice suddenly echoed in my mind, and the connection was severed instantly.
As soon as the connection broke, I opened my eyes and looked ahead. The stone statue, which should have been shimmering with golden light, was now devoid of any glow.
It seemed Luminous had hastily cut the connection the moment he sensed Mora was about to intervene.
As Luminous had said before, even for someone like me, connecting with both Luminous and Mora at the same time would put too much strain on the mind.
'But I actually feel fine—'
Drip.
The moment that thought crossed my mind, I felt something running from my nose. Fearing the worst, I wiped it with the back of my hand, and sure enough.
Bright red blood was painted across my hand like ink. It meant that even though it was less than a second, my brain had been overloaded.
'……I guess I really am just a normal person after all.'
I should go outside and find some tissues first.
About an hour had passed since then.
"Ugh…… cough, cough."
"Are you okay? Why do you suddenly have a fever? What happened?"
"I’m not sure either. He didn't do anything except visit the temple……"
"Is it perhaps due to stress?"
My temperature had spiked rapidly in a short amount of time, and I eventually began to groan in pain. I suppose this is what a Divine Descent feels like for a shaman.
'I’ve never been sick until now……'
I had achieved a greater feat than the demon worshippers.