Chapter 386
Chapter 386
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 386
Chapter Title: Echoes of the Primordial Gods
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When most people think of ancient civilizations, the furthest back they go is a few hundred years—the era now called antiquity, when the Demon King was born and the first Hero made their mark.
"But that's a misconception."
An elf who had lived through that time spoke up.
"Even in my era, there was an age referred to as 'antiquity.' Long before I was born—before even the elders of the fairy folk, who had lived for thousands of years, were born."
Cardi van Armiel.
A living witness to history, having survived over a thousand years into what is now called the ancient era, she said this:
"In my time, 'antiquity' referred to tens of thousands of years prior. An age of chaos when no proper laws existed in this world."
The period now known as the primordial age.
Cardi described that era as antiquity.
I sipped my tea and asked,
"No one remembers that time?"
"Probably not. The elves who lived through it had long since returned to the forest, well before I was born. All we know comes in fragments from the chronicles written by the first Elven King."
Cardi flicked her finger through the air.
Freed from her contract, a small amount of mana had returned to her. Fine particles of mana bloomed from her fingertip like swirling snowflakes.
"An age when thousands—tens of thousands—of gods existed."
The swirling particles painted a landscape.
"The era of the transcendent beings. That's how the first king described it."
The completed image depicted a torn sky.
Beyond the shredded heavens, hundreds of eyes peered down at the earth below. Pointing at the image, Cardi said flatly,
"It was like watching a puppet show."
"...A puppet show?"
"All beings living under the sky, treading the earth, were mere playthings to the transcendent ones. Useful humans. Talented individuals. Powerful races. Threads dangled from above, turning it all into proxy wars."
I don't know the details either.
That's just what the chronicles said. Muttering that, Cardi let out a short breath.
"What ended that era was..."
Cardi let out a brief sigh. "Ah."
"There is one who remembers that time. Just one. Though I'm not sure if you could call it a 'person.'"
"I think I know who."
I said,
"The Elder Dragon's Mage, Yormun van Draconic."
Cardi continued,
"Right. The Elder Dragon's Mage. The chronicles say that senile old lizard ended the age of the transcendent beings."
She flicked her finger again.
The image rippled as Cardi recreated an illustration from the chronicles she'd once seen, using her own mana.
"Before the divinities unified, there were no beings as powerful as today's stars or shades... but it says he single-handedly toppled thousands—tens of thousands—of gods."
Countless things plummeting.
A depiction of the sky turning upside down.
Pointing at it, Cardi added,
"The chronicles described it like this."
The first Elven King, who had witnessed the scene firsthand, described that miracle thus:
"The heavens... opened."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Recalling the conversation I'd had with Cardi just before setting out years ago, I gazed ahead. The place we'd reached after steadily expanding the front lines over the past three years.
"All these are relics from that era..."
Before me stretched countless ruins.
Broken and toppled pillars of temples.
Altars for offerings to nameless gods, statues for prayers. Each had different shapes, different symbols representing their deities.
'Some symbolize fire...'
Others lush forests, others formless beasts. Narrowing my eyes as I recalled that these myriad ruins were remnants of that age,
'Then that one...'
A desolate demon realm.
With each step, the grass crumbled beneath my feet. Reaching one ruin, part of the demon realm we'd recently recaptured, I found something slightly different from the rest.
No statues in these ruins.
No common altars.
No traces of worship.
Only wall paintings.
Half-collapsed and faded murals. One depicted a woman stroking the head of a massive dragon. Her black hair, like the night sky, flowed like water, and the dragon bowed its head before her.
I'd seen that woman somewhere before.
"The Shadow Dragon Lord."
The origin of sorcery, the god contracted with Yormun and Belial. And recently, the god who'd contracted with the disciple I'd taught.
...The Elder Dragon's Mage.
Revered as the god of mages, he contracted with the Shadow Dragon Lord to topple all the gods above the heavens. And once, he said he'd placed the stars in the sky.
He must have 'done that' in the process.
"Opened the heavens, huh..."
I muttered, arms crossed.
Pondering the words brought a chuckle.
"Everyone thinks alike, it seems."
Anyway.
Examining the mural up close, I clicked my tongue in amazement.
"Must've been one impressive god."
The primordial god, the Shadow Dragon Lord.
How those who lived in this era viewed her was clear from the mural alone. Admiring it briefly,
"Full of majesty."
Solemn and mysterious. Overwhelmed by the aura, I moved on. Well, with that much dignity, no wonder the Elder Dragon's Mage and Belial revered her as a god.
There was good reason.
Thinking that, I walked on.
2.
[As I always say, I was far greater than you imagine. When I spread my wings wide! Even a divine dragon that could blanket a kingdom in shadow would 'grrr' so obediently at my gesture!]
"This is the eighty-seventh time I've heard that story exactly."
[Then listen!]
The god perched on Belnoa's shoulder wailed.
[To think this great one must offer tribute to that. That thing!]
Belnoa silently glared at the object the great god was pointing at and wailing over. It was a sweet dessert. One Chloe had bought for Belnoa to eat.
"......"
Belnoa knew full well how miserable her day would be without the offering. With a long sigh, she reached for the dessert.
Attunement, designation, offering.
In an instant, she completed the ritual. Snapping her fingers, the dessert, shrouded in shadow, whooshed into the air.
[Excellent!]
Draping one arm around Belnoa's neck, she deftly snatched the emerging dessert with her other hand. Belnoa's gaze chilled as she watched the Shadow Dragon Lord munch away.
'This is... a primordial god?'
She definitely hadn't been like this at first.
Belnoa remembered their first meeting as more mystical, more solemn. Where had it gone wrong? Probably then.
「What is that? 」
「That child's face as she eats it looks so blissful. In tens of thousands of years, I've never seen a child eat food with such joy.」
The god had taken a deep interest in the dessert upon seeing Chloe devour it with worldly happiness. Belnoa had absentmindedly muttered, 'Would you like to try some?' and offered a slice...
[Humanity truly is remarkable. Never content with the present, always advancing daily. Evolving, honing their crafts.]
And from then on.
[This humble slice of pie is the fruit of progress. It reminds me once more of humanity's greatness.]
The god began demanding offerings every time she saw a dessert. And whenever she munched on one, she'd praise humanity—no trace of divine dignity left.
'...At least all the offerings have improved my ritual skills.'
Not something to brag about.
How did you master sorcery so proficiently? She couldn't very well say, 'By offering desserts to a god.'
"Sigh..."
With another long sigh, Belnoa draped her robe over her shoulders and stepped out of the tent. The battlefield would demand her for a while starting today.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Shadow Knight Belnoa van Draconic.
As Hero Chloe's comrade on the battlefield, Belnoa had gained even greater renown than Chloe herself through recent operations.
Innate combat sense and environmental mastery.
Her practical experience rivaled veteran knights. Even in emergencies, Belnoa handled situations adeptly, minimizing losses. In recognition, she sometimes even took command on-site. Some knights called her this:
"They say you remind them of the old me."
Before he was called卑屈.
Back when Destel was known as the most pragmatic Hero, the knights said she evoked that era. Hearing the rumors, Destel smirked at Belnoa.
The卑屈 Destel.
Overall commander of the eastern front.
"You think so too?"
"I've never seen Destel from that time, so I wouldn't know."
"You should've seen me then. My reputation was split and smeared. When that guy and I ran ops together, we rivaled Kyle."
All ancient history now.
Muttering that, Destel spread out the map.
"Anyway, to business."
As special forces, Belnoa and Chloe moved around a lot. Destel coordinated their schedules.
"You've done well in the east so far. Next, head here. We're short on forces there."
The map marked daily battle reports briefly. Pointing to one spot, Destel said,
"It was Kelrhalhm's sector originally, but he stepped away briefly. Heading back to his homeland, Artia, for a bit."
The tale tying Artia and Kelrhalhm.
Those in the know understood.
Belnoa nodded solemnly.
"Via the supply route then?"
"Better through here. Faster via Hateron Fortress. Get mission details from the officer there."
They discussed ops for a while until things cleared up, then Destel shifted to chit-chat.
"How's it going with Chloe?"
"...Pardon?"
Belnoa blinked.
Destel tilted his teacup with a grin.
"Aren't you two dating?"
"N-No... nothing like that."
"Come on. Rumors are all over among the knights."
It had been famous at Aphria Academy even before the knights. They denied it, but to outsiders, they were clearly lovers.
"Anyway, take good care of her."
Destel sighed deeply.
"You know she's unstable. Galahal's influence hit her hard."
"...I know."
"Yeah. With your quick judgment beside her, she's manageable. But it's precarious."
The battlefield sickens people.
Especially those with high ideals.
"...I'll keep that advice in mind."
"Good. Off you go. Long road ahead."
Destel waved her away. Belnoa gave a curt salute and exited. Pondering their talk as she walked...
"...?"
Belnoa stopped.
Soldiers clustered at the gate, cheering around someone. Her brow furrowed at the knights.
-Uh, um, like this?
A familiar voice from the crowd. Approaching, she saw a knight tapping a magic tool repeatedly. Each tap flashed light and printed an image.
A magic camera recording the moment, on a tripod.
Who was the subject? Belnoa's eyes narrowed further. At the gate, a girl struck various poses—snow-white hair, green eyes, coincidentally named Chloe.
"Yes, Lady Chloe! Try this pose!"
Laughter erupted at the knights' exaggerated, comical gestures. Chloe giggled, mimicking them clumsily.
"Next...!"
"Hey, hey."
A fellow knight nudged the most enthusiastic one. Pointing back at Belnoa.
"Gasp."
The knight who met Belnoa's eyes swallowed and stepped aside. Sighing, Belnoa pushed through to Chloe.
"Uh, Belnoa?"
Chloe, mid-pose, blinked at her. Her robe had slipped halfway off her shoulder from all the twisting, unnoticed.
"How many times have I told you to wear your robe properly?"
Belnoa sighed, adjusting it while glaring at the knights. They flinched under her icy stare, averting eyes.
"Uh, B-Belnoa, Lady? A photo with you?"
One knight suggested to defuse, others agreed. Belnoa started to refuse, but Chloe tugged her wrist.
"Come on, just one together."
Chloe beamed. Knights immediately directed poses: behind her, hand on shoulder, etc.
"Okay, here we go!"
Flash—the tool lit up.
In the awkward pose, Belnoa recalled Destel's words. Take good care of her.
'If only it were that easy.'
Belnoa sighed inwardly.