Chapter 117: The History of the Abyss
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 117: The History of the Abyss
"I suppose I expected too much from an elementary school graduate."
If you don't know, you should at least study up. Why is your first instinct always to charge in headfirst?
The Regressor bristled at my provocation.
"I know about it! The Abyss is a hole that formed when some ancient tyrant angered Mother Earth by slaughtering prisoners!"
"That's precisely what they teach in elementary citizen school. Now, allow the top student of the secondary military school to elaborate."
It was such an undeniable fact that the Regressor couldn't even get angry. Speechless, she resorted to a childish retort.
"You're a Level 0, aren't you? How could someone like you be the top student of a secondary school?"
"My, you really don't know. If you vanish like a ghost without giving the school any notice, you immediately become a Level 0. We call that 'dropping out.'"
She couldn't even argue. It wasn't something the Regressor would have ever experienced.
While the Regressor stammered, I began explaining the advanced history course taught at the secondary military school.
"After the Overlord crushed the rebel army with unstoppable momentum and captured countless prisoners, he decided to kill all three hundred thousand of them. It was a simple solution to his food problem and a way to make an example of them. However, in those days, when faith in Mother Earth was widespread, killing an enemy without burying them was considered taboo. This was particularly irksome for the Overlord, who was already known for leaving a trail of corpses in his wake. So, he decided to eliminate the faith in Mother Earth along with the prisoners."
What's the easiest way to destroy a faith?
Simple. You ruin its reputation.
Ruin it so thoroughly that it can never recover.
"In that era, there were wanderers who called themselves 'gravemen.' They would bury the dead in exchange for food. At first, the common folk welcomed these men who took on such grim work, but as the war dragged on, their numbers swelled with beggars simply looking for a handout, and they came to be disliked. Sometimes, bandits would even pose as gravemen.
The Overlord exploited this. Announcing that a great number of deaths were imminent, he summoned all the gravemen from across the land, luring them with the promise of the dead soldiers' belongings."
The influence of Mother Earth, once the mother to all who walked the land, began to wane from that point on. It was an age of bloody conflict, with a fractured empire, a vanished emperor, and kings vying to reunify the land and claim the throne for themselves.
Countless wars were fought, mountains of corpses were piled high, and rivers ran red with blood. Amidst the endless death and tragedy, the candidates for emperor were narrowed down to two.
The Overlord (霸王) and the Monk King (僧王).
Two kings who were polar opposites in every way, including their ultimate fates.
"The gravemen, whose numbers had swelled by then, gathered like a cloud, never suspecting they were witnessing the prelude to a horrific massacre. Or perhaps they knew but chose to ignore it. After all, they had come for the belongings of the condemned prisoners."
And so, to the workers of Mother Earth who had gathered like a swarm of insects, the Overlord's herald proclaimed.
"The Overlord commanded the assembled gravemen: 'I will kill all these men and place them in a pit of your digging. Therefore, dig the largest pit you possibly can. The more bodies it holds, the more belongings you can claim.'
At this declaration, the gravemen, blinded by greed, scrambled to break ground."
These wandering gravemen needed others to die to fill their own bellies. Feigning ignorance of how their actions might be perceived, they prepared a grave for three hundred thousand men under the pretext of serving Mother Earth's will.
For three days and three nights, the gravemen dug. With each passing day, the ground sank lower, and a mound of earth the size of a small hill grew beside it.
The vessel of their greed was larger than anything else. Even a pit that could hold three hundred thousand corpses would not be enough to satisfy their avarice.
After just three days, the gravemen had excavated a massive pit, large enough to easily accommodate three hundred thousand people.
"And so, when the grave was complete... the first to be pushed into it were none other than the gravemen themselves, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. The Overlord, who had long considered them a thorn in his side, never had any intention of letting them live."
"Good heavens!"
The Undying gasped. The Regressor, all traces of her annoyance gone, was completely engrossed in my story. Only Tyr wore a puzzled expression.
What's this? She should be the most interested one here. Normally, she'd be more focused on an old tale than anyone.
'This is a little different from the story I know...'
Huh? She knows this story? A living piece of history? Dammit, Military State! What the hell did you teach me? Don't you cross-reference your sources?
Continuing a wrong story would only be embarrassing. I hastily concluded my tale.
"At that moment, the gravemen, dying alongside the three hundred thousand, laid a curse upon the Overlord. Mother Earth answered their plea and cursed him in turn. The site of his massacre, this very place, became the Abyss, and the surrounding land became a desolate wasteland where not a single drop of water flows nor a single blade of grass grows."
There was more I wanted to say, but I cut myself off. It would be too awkward if the living witness to history refuted it.
"And that historical site is this very place, the Abyss."
As soon as I finished, the Undying asked as if he'd been waiting.
"Wait, Teacher. Did the merciful Mother Earth truly do such a thing? Render an entire land unusable?"
Until a moment ago, that's what I thought, too. It's what I was taught. This is when you need the art of evading responsibility.
"—is what I was taught. At the Military State's secondary military school. If my story is incorrect, please direct your inquiries to the State's Education Department. It's not my fault."
"No, it's just that it's a bit different from the story I heard. I was under the impression the Abyss was created by the wrath of the Sky God."
The Undying shared the version he'd heard, but to me, it was preposterous. I could understand Tyr, a living history book who lived through a similar era, correcting me. She was there, after all. But I couldn't accept you pointing it out. This is the pride of a civilized man. ...Not that there's anything I can do about it.
"As you say, Mr. Rasch, there are other perspectives. One theory suggests that the Abyss is the mark of the Sky God's divine punishment, meant to eternally torment the gravemen who distorted Mother Earth's will and actively cooperated in the massacre."
Whether you fall into a pit or the Abyss, you die all the same. The only difference is that those who fall into the Abyss are not embraced by Mother Earth in the afterlife. If so, perhaps the curse of the Abyss was aimed at the gravemen... That was another opinion.
"In any case, that's the full extent of the story I know."
The Regressor was once again dissatisfied with the abrupt ending.
"What? That's it? The ending feels a little clumsy."
"Well, everyone knows what happened after that, right? Cursed by Mother Earth, the Overlord walked the path to ruin. The massacre of three hundred thousand, the desertification of his territory with the creation of the Abyss... No matter how strong the Overlord was, there was no way he could remain unscathed after completely losing his foundation of support. He suffered setbacks from then on, eventually conceding victory to the Monk King in their final battle."
An Overlord so mighty his ambition could cover the world, yet who ultimately met his ruin. A Monk King who was ridiculed for his reluctance to kill, no different from a common priest, yet who ultimately seized victory.
The Overlord (霸王) who became the Defeated King (敗王).
The Monk King (僧王) who became the Victorious King (勝王).
This event is said to have been the turning point in the balance of power between them...
"How strange. It's quite different from the story I knew."
"Well! But a single line written in a history book is worth less than a single word from one who lived through it! Everyone, listen closely. A living history book is about to tell us a story, fresh and flapping with life!"
Tyr, not realizing I was teasing her, began her story.
"Do not be so certain. This is also a story I heard from others. When I lived, the empire built by the Monk King was being plagued by enemies invading from beyond the wasteland. Even in that era, when the devotees of the Sky God held power, gravemen still roamed the world."
Of course. The establishment of the Sanctum didn't mean the faith in Mother Earth just vanished. Though its reputation suffered greatly, the Gaian faith is spread far and wide like weeds. You can't root it out even if you try.
"From what I heard from them, that entire series of events was a cowardly scheme by the Sanctum. The Apostles of the Sky God, who had decided to side with the Monk King from the start, supposedly lured the Overlord with sweet words, inducing him to slaughter the three hundred thousand and trample the faith of Mother Earth at the same time. They were furious about it."
"Oh. That's a very interesting story. Information that completely refutes all previous interpretations. Is there any proof?"
Tyr nodded, expressing her opinion more assertively than ever before.
"The Monk King, who became emperor after his victory, made the faith of the Sky God the state religion. He also supported them in establishing the Sanctum. They, who were nothing more than the priests of a wandering tribe, became a powerful force that dominated the world in less than half a century... Does that not seem suspicious?"
Clearly, the story Tyr heard is the closest in time to the actual events. If I were a historian, it would be a crucial piece of information, something I'd want to spend a lifetime living with her to uncover. But it's too biased. Tyr has fought the Sanctum her entire life, and the storytellers she met were mostly followers of Mother Earth, so it can't be helped.
"This, too, is an interesting perspective."
Tyr was visibly disappointed by my lukewarm reaction.
"You do not believe me... But there is not a shred of falsehood in my words."
"I'm not doubting you, Tyr. Your story itself has the value of an ancient text."
However, whether that text can be trusted is another matter entirely.
"You know better than anyone how history can be twisted depending on one's perspective. You yourself were the victim of a massive smear campaign by the Sanctum."
"...Therefore, is my story not more plausible? The hypocrites of the Sky God, their greatest weapon has always been their voice. They are masters at twisting and misinterpreting the sounds that echo through the world. The gravemen of Mother Earth could have been caught up in it as well."
'I heard so many stories in those days! Though I lived my whole life as an enemy of the Sanctum, I spent it digging up their shames and weaknesses to hunt them. This should be... reliable information, and yet, even you...'
She's getting genuinely upset. When her heart had stopped, she'd brushed off misunderstandings without a care. Why the change in attitude now?
"Come on. If you had seen the event yourself, Tyr, I'd believe you. If you'd lived in the same era, it would be certain, but you're younger than the Abyss, aren't you? Just because you're right about some things doesn't mean a story you heard from someone else is automatically true."
There seemed to be a major problem with comparing her to a geographical feature, but at the word "younger," Tyr's demeanor softened as she took in my words.
"...That is... true. I was born about a hundred years after the Monk King ascended the throne."
"See? Compared to the Abyss, you're a baby. There's no telling how the story might have been distorted or what rumors might have spread by then. As you know, the world changes rather quickly."
"Indeed..."
'Since I did not see it myself, I cannot say for certain. As he says, I am younger than the Abyss...'
Tyr nodding along was like watching a theater of the absurd.
Before Tyr could come to her senses, I clapped my hands and shouted.
"Alright! Misunderstandings cleared up, knowledge increased. Shall we call it a day? Let's use the ingredients Shei-ssi brought out and have a grand feast!"
Just as I was trying to gloss over it, Tyr, who had been lost in thought, moved.
She trotted over, looked up at me, and said.
"...Hu. I have been thinking it over. You keep comparing my age to that of the Abyss. Are you, by any chance, making fun of me?"
Ah. Busted. What do I do now?
I said in a dopey voice.
"Ah, aha?"
"..."
Thwack. A small fist buried itself in my solar plexus. My waist instantly bent ninety degrees, and a moment later, excruciating pain followed.
Bloodcraft, it's way too strong. The fist doesn't slow down even after it makes contact. My body lifted off the ground a little.
"Keuk! Wait, Tyr...! That punch has some kick to it...!"
"...Hmph."
Tyr spun around and left the room. I lay on the floor, groaning.
As I writhed on the ground for a moment, the Undying stood over me and clicked his tongue.
"Tsk, tsk. I knew this would happen. I kept quiet out of consideration for your position, Teacher, but you brought this upon yourself."
"Worry about yourself...!"
Even if I get punched in the gut, at least I won't get eaten! I'm in a much better situation than you.
"Ah, speaking of which. Could you perhaps make the room warmer? Callis keeps saying she's cold, perhaps from losing so much blood."
I rubbed my stomach and replied curtly.
"Since when do prison cells have individual heating? Just give her another blanket."
"I am already doing that!"
"If she's still cold, what do you want me to do? Cuddle up and sleep together or something."
"That too... we're already..."
What. You've already gone that far?
"Do not misunderstand! Though I may not turn away a willing woman, I would not force such a thing on an injured person! It would be a disaster if her wounds reopened!"
So once Callis is healed, he'll start harvesting. Got it. I replied indifferently.
"Then you're already doing everything you can. Just go and make sure she gets some food."
The Undying showed a rare lack of confidence.
"Must... I be the one to feed her?"
"What, you want me to do it?"
"That... is strangely repulsive. Forget I said anything. I shall do it."
You were going to do it anyway. Once you're on the plate, just let yourself be eaten quietly. Don't be a pain.
I lay spread-eagled on the floor, lost in thought.
The past the Regressor had seen, when the Undying had awakened.
Considering his words and actions, the lieutenant general must have come then, too. Back then, no one in Tantalus could have stopped the lieutenant general, who had the Cat King with her.
My past self must have died then.
In contrast, I am alive now.
I succeeded.
I did my best, and I escaped death. With this, I have fulfilled my duty to myself.
As I was calculating how to act after escaping death, after changing my fate, my thoughts drifted to what lay beneath the Abyss.
Wait. Come to think of it, does that mean the vengeful spirits of the gravemen and three hundred thousand corpses are under this very ground? Corpses that haven't rotted or been eaten by worms for over 1,300 years at the bottom of the Abyss?
...Well, I'm sure it'll be fine.
“Woof?”
Since I wasn't getting up, Azzy prodded my body with her front paw. At her call, I shot to my feet.
“Well then, shall we commence the act of processing and heat-treating these ingredients to decorate them with a bit of flavor and aroma, rendering them utterly devoid of nutritional value?”
“Woof!”
Azzy barked happily, not knowing what any of that meant.