Chapter 536: Be With You(3)
Chapter 536: Be With You(3)
Humans are creatures of adaptation. While intelligence plays its part, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that humanity rose to the top of the food chain through sheer, overwhelming adaptability alone.
They paid no mind to the environment or the presence of fierce predators; if a place wasn't fit for living, they made it fit.
This world was no different. Despite the presence of powerful monsters and horrific natural environments, humanity had slowly adapted.
Compared to my previous life, the lack of advanced technology meant more land remained untamed, but the progress made was still impressive compared to the past.
However, even for humans possessing far greater power than those on Earth, the desert—specifically the Grey Desert—was a place that made them shake their heads in dismay.
What kind of place is a desert? Usually, when one thinks of a desert, they imagine a region of scorching sunlight and nothing but sand in every direction.
It is unfit for human habitation, a place where one must risk their life just to cross it.
While the Egyptian civilization was able to build a great empire thanks to the Nile, the Grey Desert had no oases, let alone a river.
Furthermore, because it was located at the western edge of the continent, no one had the reason or the desire to pass through it. To top it off, various monsters lay dormant beneath its sands.
It was a place of extreme peril, but recent expeditions had unearthed various artifacts, turning it into a paradise for archaeologists.
And since I had someone I needed to meet there, I prepared thoroughly and set out.
"It's not just hot; it's scorching."
With the help of the Holy Theocracy 'Savior', I arrived in the Grey Desert via teleportation. I could feel the desert's intense sunlight with my entire body.
Following my conversation with Grandfather Clark, I had moved to the Grey Desert—specifically the ruins of the former capital of the Kingdom of Gerios—as soon as I was ready.
To traverse the desert, I wore clothing that covered my entire body and didn't forget to apply sunscreen.
One might wonder why sunscreen exists in this era, but the Minerva Empire has distinct seasons.
In other words, the sun in summer is just as hot as it is in the desert. That’s why Mari had packed it for me.
Though the Minerva Empire's summer is a literal steamer.
The desert climate is dry and hot, but the Minerva Empire's summer is humid and muggy.
To use a metaphor, it’s the difference between being scorched by light focused through a magnifying glass and being trapped in a steamer. That’s why air conditioning is essential in the summer.
The desert was relatively better because you could escape the heat with clothes that blocked the sun or even just a parasol.
"Shall we head straight to the palace?"
As I looked around the desert, a place I was stepping into for the first time in my life, Kate made a suggestion from beside me.
She, too, was wearing attire designed to protect her from the desert climate.
However, unlike me, who was wrapped up so tightly that my identity was unrecognizable, she looked relatively comfortable.
Because of my striking appearance—red hair and golden eyes—it was a struggle even to hide myself. I had mentioned it before, but since this was an unofficial visit, I had no choice.
If sunglasses had been invented, I would have worn those too.
"No. I have people to meet first. Professor Elena and Cindy. I'll meet them and talk to them first."
"Understood. Please wait a moment."
Kate left to find them. In the meantime, I looked around the capital of the Kingdom of Gerios.
Several months had passed since the expedition reached the capital, but there were surprisingly few people actually working.
I heard they were slowly clearing things from the outskirts first. Since it was a kingdom that once ruled the entire west, there was no shortage of things to excavate.
By the way, it's been a while since I've seen the sea.
A defining feature of the Kingdom of Gerios's capital was the palace situated right in the center, but the sea was what stood out the most.
Unlike Earth, the sea here was said to have been created by demons. The myth that rain from the heavens turned into the sea is famous.
Even in my previous life, I could count on one hand how many times I'd seen the sea in person, and in this life, it was a complete first.
I know many civilizations achieved wealth and power by utilizing the sea.
The Roman Empire is a prime example. A country that used the Mediterranean to build a millennium empire and lay the foundations of European civilization.
Before coming here, Kate had used her connections to show me the territory of the Kingdom of Gerios.
The territory itself was surprisingly similar to the Roman Empire, right down to the fact that it bordered the sea.
Such a kingdom had collapsed in an instant during the Demon War. No matter how strong they were, there was no way ancient humans could have stood against demons.
Didn't they say the sea is a paradise for demons? I guess people thought differently in the past.
People living in the current era avoid the sea, treating it as a cursed domain.
However, that doesn't mean the advantages of the sea have vanished. If the sea had been ignored, global civilization wouldn't have developed to this extent.
It was a region where you had to risk your life just to set sail, but it was worth the risk. Literally, a place where only the strong could survive.
Though no one even dreams of a circumnavigation because of the fear.
As I mentioned before, the navigation technology of this world is stuck in the pre-medieval era. It's closer to the time before Columbus discovered the New Continent.
Brave souls set out to conquer the sea every time, but monsters and extreme environments constantly hindered them.
Moreover, now that the existence of super-sized monsters like the 'Kraken' had been revealed, people were likely too terrified to even try.
It's a complicated world in many ways.
Because the existence of gods was clear, fields like 'human rights' were well-developed, yet some parts of the world were treated as if they came straight out of a myth.
To the people of this world, it would seem perfectly natural, but to me, there were many things that felt quintessentially 'fantasy.'
Even though it's been nearly twenty years since I reincarnated, I still get confused sometimes because of the common sense deeply rooted from my previous life.
The person I need to meet must be over there, right?
I looked away from the sea and shifted my gaze to the palace standing tall in the center of the capital.
While most buildings had been destroyed during the Demon War, the palace was relatively well-preserved.
It was mere speculation, but perhaps the building had been left standing to transform the citizens of the Kingdom of Gerios into demons.
Symbolically and practically, nothing would have served as a better 'center' than the palace.
"Isaac-nim. I have found the two people you mentioned."
While I was staring at the palace, Kate returned. Since there weren't many people around, she had found them quickly.
"Ah, yes. Where are they now?"
"They are on their way here."
"Isaac?"
As soon as Kate finished speaking, a voice I hadn't heard in a very long time reached my ears.
Over Kate's shoulder, I met the eyes of the Elves who were looking this way with wide eyes.
They were wearing clothes suitable for the desert, but even so, their impressive looks couldn't be hidden.
The professors who had left me high and dry to go on the Grey Desert expedition: Elena and Cindy.
Finally, standing tall beside them was Iker, the Elf warrior whom Arwen had personally assigned to them.
"It's been a long time, Professor. Cindy and Iker-ssi, have you been well?"
"My goodness. It really is Isaac! How long has it been?"
"Hi... It's been a while..."
Elena greeted me brightly with a beaming face, while Cindy greeted me with a voice full of exhaustion. Finally, Iker gave a light bow.
I shook hands with Elena and made eye contact with each of them.
"I'm wrapped up so tightly; I'm surprised you recognized me."
"I couldn't help but recognize you. It's your eyes, and you haven't covered all of your hair, have you? I couldn't tell from a distance, but now that you're close, it's obvious, dear."
Just as Elena said, my hair was so long that it was impossible to hide it completely. Even now, it was fluttering occasionally in the wind.
The reason I hadn't been caught yet was partly because there were few people and partly because I had only been watching from a distance.
Even if I were caught, the scholars participating in the exploration were all such eccentrics that they likely wouldn't give me a second glance.
To them, finding a single artifact was more precious than interviewing me. That's just how scholars are.
"By the way, why are you here? Are you looking for something?"
As I lowered the mask covering my mouth, Elena asked with curiosity.
Kate might have reported to the higher-ups, but these people wouldn't know anything. They were explorers, not officials.
Iker probably knew I was coming through Arwen, but he likely didn't know the purpose.
"Luminous-nim sent me here. He said there's someone I need to meet."
"Someone you need to meet..."
Elena muttered softly and shifted her gaze toward the palace.
Having stayed here for a long time, she seemed to know something.
"You look like you know something. Is there someone inside the palace?"
"I haven't gone in myself. The Savior side blocked it off completely. Instead..."
Elena trailed off and glanced at Kate. It seemed she was wary because Kate was an official of the Holy Theocracy.
"It's okay to speak in front of Kate-ssi. She's tight-lipped and has no interest in these matters."
"I move according to Luminous-nim's words and Isaac-nim's requests."
"Uh... right."
Elena looked a bit taken aback by the latter part of Kate's statement. Still, she seemed comfortable enough to speak now.
She cleared her throat and continued.
"Instead, I received some very important information. You have a rough idea of who it is, don't you?"
"I heard from Arwen."
It was definitely Siris. A Dark Elf's infiltration skills are difficult to detect even for experts, so gathering information would have been easy.
Elena nodded at my answer and then looked at Kate.
"Excuse me, but could you give us a moment? I have something to discuss with Isaac privately."
"I apologize. I came here as Isaac-nim's guard knight, so..."
"I'm asking just this once. It's a story that Kate-ssi shouldn't know."
"..."
At Elena's earnest request, Kate looked at me silently. It was a sign that she would leave quietly if I permitted it.
I nodded and gave my permission. With Iker nearby, there was no chance of a surprise attack.
More than anything, seeing how Elena specifically pointed out Kate, there was a high probability it was closely related to the 'gods.'
"...Understood. I will be at the rest area, so please come find me when you are finished."
"Thank you."
"May the light of Luminous be with you."
Kate bowed politely and left.
Elena watched Kate's retreating figure for a moment before speaking to me.
"Then let's go over there. It's better to talk where there are no people, if possible."
"Okay."
"By the way, your new work is incredibly interesting. What on earth is inside that head of yours to come up with such ideas?"
As we moved, we didn't forget to talk about Blood and Iron.
Being scholars, Elena and Cindy fired off more questions than most people.
Each time, I answered while excluding as much information about my previous life as possible.
When I said I just wrote it from my imagination—asking if I hadn't done the same with Xenon's Life—they all accepted it and moved on.
"Are you sure you're not from another world?"
Of course, there were too many suspicious circumstances, so questions like that slipped in occasionally.
To that, I asked back with a playful tone.
"What if I really am?"
"I was going to call you a guy who's just coasting. If it were me, I'd definitely write it down too."
"..."
As expected of the professor I knew, her wit was remarkable.
I gave a bitter smile at Elena's answer, unable to tell if she was joking or serious. She gave me a bright smile in return.
"Is this... the harbor?"
"According to our investigation, yes. We also suspect it served as a shipyard, not just a regular harbor."
The place we arrived at was a sandy beach that appeared to be a harbor. More accurately, it was a place suspected to be a shipyard for building ships.
I thought the demons and the rising sea levels would have washed everything away, but traces remained here and there.
It's fascinating to see traces of history that have stubbornly endured the passage of time.
I saw something like a lighthouse earlier, too.
What kind of place was the Kingdom of Gerios, really?
I could infer that it had a history similar to the Roman Empire, but I knew nothing beyond that.
I looked around the beach where traces of the harbor remained and followed silently behind Elena.
She headed toward a house thought to be where the shipwrights lived and ate, and surprisingly, it had a basement.
The existence of a basement meant they at least understood the concept of ventilation. Even though it was a civilization founded in ancient times, surprising facts kept popping up one after another.
"This should do. Did you receive any information on your way here?"
Arriving in the basement, Elena crossed her arms and asked me.
I had only received a request from Luminous to meet someone in the Kingdom of Gerios; there was nothing else.
When I shook my head, Elena pushed up her glasses, looking troubled about where to start explaining.
"Hmm... first, do you want to read this? You can decipher the ancient language, right?"
"To some extent."
I received a book from Elena that was so old it looked like it might crumble into pieces at any moment.
Even if it was an ancient language, it wasn't that difficult. It felt like translating Korean into English, and there were even books similar to dictionaries.
Furthermore, since I had read such things for fun before writing Xenon's Life, the information was stuck in my head, making deciphering it easy.
"February 21st, Year 841... Hmm?"
I couldn't help but widen my eyes at the very first line. This world uses a 'solar calendar' similar to my previous life.
Also, since Luminous and Mora symbolize the sun and moon respectively, the calendar is divided into solar and lunar.
So the solar calendar itself wasn't an issue; the point was the year.
Year 841—meaning 841 years had passed since the founding of the Kingdom of Gerios.
The timing was comparable to the millennium-long Roman Empire, but the Kingdom of Gerios was a nation that perished during the Demon War.
And Albenheim, which is called the 'first civilization,' was founded about 3,500 years ago.
"...Was the Kingdom of Gerios founded earlier than Albenheim?"
"According to our research, yes. We even visited the Holy Land just in case, but we couldn't find any records related to it."
"Mmm..."
The Holy Land is the largest library and archive that records all the history of the world.
If even they couldn't accurately grasp the founding year of the Kingdom of Gerios, it was a bit much to believe this one small book.
Of course, even if the Kingdom of Gerios was founded earlier than Albenheim, it was just strange. It would only slightly change history.
Though it would cause an uproar in Albenheim. That wasn't something I could do anything about.
"We'll need to investigate more to be sure. There's so little evidence that announcing it blindly would only invite a backlash."
"You're right. That's why I wanted to go inside the palace... but those Savior fellows keep saying no."
"But someone did go in, right?"
When I asked with a subtle smile, Elena also smirked and pushed up her glasses.
"Of course. Siris-ssi?"
"Yes."
At Elena's call, a woman emerged from the shadows.
Bronze skin that radiated health and an outfit that was quite revealing. Even the short, clipped ears characteristic of Dark Elves.
It was Siris, the Dark Elf who served as Arwen's intelligence agent. Her eyes, which glowed golden like mine, held a hint of welcome.
"Hello, Siris-ssi. Have you been well?"
"Yes."
Siris answered shortly and concisely. Her characteristic husky yet sharp voice was very impressive.
"As you can see, she's personnel sent by the Queen. Thanks to her, we were barely able to salvage the truth those fellows were trying to hide."
"Here it is."
Following Elena's explanation, Siris handed me a scroll. From the sounds of it, it was something she had secretly taken from inside the palace.
Just as I was about to take it without a second thought, Elena grabbed my hand firmly.
Startled by her sudden action, I looked at her.
Elena wore a rare, serious expression.
"I'm warning you in advance. I don't know if this is really true... but just looking at this could be a great threat to the gods."
"..."
"We can just keep our mouths shut, but you won't be able to. You wield far more influence than we do."
She then pursed her lips and delivered a final warning.
"...I don't know what the gods might do to you. You might be struck by lightning the moment you see it."
"..."
As soon as I heard that, I looked up at the ceiling. Since we were in a basement, there was no way I'd be struck by lightning.
More importantly, they didn't know that the gods couldn't harm me.
The moment they tried, a full-scale invasion from Earth would occur, so they absolutely couldn't do it.
"It's okay."
"...Is it really okay? Even though you'd be opposing the gods?"
"Yes. If it weren't, Luminous-nim wouldn't have sent me here."
"..."
At my confident answer, Elena stared at me for a while before slowly letting go of my hand.
As soon as she released her grip, I unfurled the rolled-up scroll.
The moment I opened it, the surroundings became instantly quiet, and an inexplicable tension began to hang in the air.
"...Oh."
Sometimes I marveled.
"Hmm..."
Sometimes I nodded.
"...Huh?"
And in completely unexpected situations, I was bewildered.
However, the contents of the scroll Elena gave me were nothing short of shocking.
It clearly showed the human side of the gods while simultaneously making me understand why they wanted to hide the past.
The gods had committed something humans should never do: a disgrace to family morals. And they had done it through war.
"Well? What do you think?"
Having seen my reaction, Elena asked in a cautious tone.
I stopped reading the contents of the scroll and looked up.
When I looked up, everyone had tense expressions. Given my position, it was only natural.
But there was one thing they hadn't expected.
"It's just, well..."
To me, who had come from Earth, the gods committing a 'disgrace to family morals'...
"It's interesting."
...was nothing more than a common myth.
Ah. Of course, that's excluding the interference of the Earth gods.
Come to think of it, didn't the Earth gods just come here and make a mess?
Just like the Europeans who invaded the Americas.