Chapter 143
Chapter 143
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: Awakening in the Primordial Plain
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Heukrin's top general Basen's younger brother and Heukrin's King Kyle's older brother,
Priest Shun Rak Orzan suddenly opened his eyes and realized one thing at the same time.
'This isn't Orzan.'
When he opened his eyes, what he saw was a vast blue meadow.
Orzan did have a wide delta along the river estuary, but it didn't stretch all the way to the horizon.
Besides, Lizardmen were dozing here and there across this expansive plain, basking in the warm sunlight.
'Endless fields of grass, warm sunshine, a cool breeze... and these folks lost in deep sleep, dreaming happily...'
Shun clapped his hands.
"My goodness, this is the Primordial Plain!"
The Primordial Plain was the afterlife spoken of in Yakcheon teachings.
Shun gazed in wonder at this space he'd only imagined from scriptures and tales from fellow priests, then grew gloomy.
"Oh no. Does that mean I'm dead?"
Then he plopped down on the ground.
"...Why? How did I die?"
His memories right before arriving here were hazy.
As far as Shun could recall, he'd heard in the temple that the oracle priests had received news of victory, and Heukrin's palace had been bustling with postwar cleanup efforts.
"W-Was it the booze? Everyone else is probably celebrating the festival by now, and I'm the only one who kicked the bucket?"
In truth, Shun had no reason to feel wronged.
He'd been drinking to celebrate the victory right up until moments ago.
Shun muttered to himself.
"Aigoo, even as royalty, I suffered through every hardship as an attendant priest, and now that I'd finally become a full priest, I was looking forward to wandering the land, schmoozing with local lords, scrounging meals, and living easy... only to die like this."
"Hah, a priest who can't even be an example himself."
Shun whipped around at the voice.
At first, the backlight from the sun behind the figure made it hard to see, and since he'd never met the man in person, Shun pondered who it could be.
But it was such a familiar face from portraits that he soon figured it out.
"...Apostle Rakrak?"
"That's right."
As Shun tried to prostrate himself in greeting, Rakrak quickly pushed his forehead back with a palm.
Unable to bow, Shun flailed for a moment before regaining his balance and standing straight.
"Forget the earthly customs."
"Pardon? But even in the Primordial Plain, you're of higher status than I am."
"I'm telling you to forget them because they're a hassle."
"...Understood."
Shun bowed his head, then spoke up.
"Anyway, it seems I really am dead."
"No, that's not the case."
"But this is the Primordial Plain, isn't it?"
"It was until recently. It still is, in a way... or maybe not."
It was a cryptic answer.
Shun stood there blankly, hoping for an explanation. Rakrak beckoned to Anakse.
Rakrak mounted Anakse and extended a hand to Shun.
"You've been summoned here for a special mission."
"A special mission...? There are plenty of priests higher-ranked than me—why me of all people...?"
Rakrak seemed to mull over the unexpected question before shaking his head.
"Beats me. Yakcheon decided it personally, so there must be a reason. Anyway, don't worry—you can go back once it's done."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Rakrak added,
"As long as you follow the rules of this land."
Shun started to ask what rules he meant, but Rakrak grabbed his wrist and yanked.
Shun was all but flung onto Anakse's back.
Shun thought,
'Well, what's done is done... It'll work out somehow.'
Shun was an optimistic sort.
Rakrak and Shun rode Anakse across the plain.
Shun peppered him with questions, and Rakrak answered casually, holding nothing back.
'Hmm, if I can go back, this'll be one hell of a story to brag about. I could score all the booze and meat I want.'
Shun brimmed with anticipation as a wall appeared ahead.
"Huh, that wall... don't tell me...?"
"Correct. It's the Primordial Wall."
The Primordial Plain wasn't populated solely by Lizardmen.
It was a place anyone who believed in Yakcheon could come.
Thus, not everyone felt at ease in such a vast open space like the meadow.
The Primordial Wall served as a haven for those races.
"Are we going inside the Primordial Wall too?"
"Yes. Our destination is far away—we have to cross through it."
"Cross it?"
Shun glanced around after his retort and realized there were no visible entrances.
Anakse spread its wings—barely half its body length—and flapped them as it leaped onto the wall.
-Kyaeeek!
Anakse stretched its neck proudly, showing off its flight.
"Good flying, Anakse."
Rakrak lightly stroked its neck.
Shun thought,
'Wasn't that just a running jump?'
Shun peered inside the wall.
"My word."
Countless people bustled about, living their lives.
A Lizardman with a pipe clenched in his teeth strode along with a swagger, while across from him, a Halfkin rode a donkey. Steam billowed from a noodle shop's pot into the street, and an orc proprietor ladled a heaping bowl for a dwarf and a troll. Behind them, a goblin and an elf chattered away as they walked, and next to a pottery shop, a Nix argued with the astasidian owner.
Such crowded districts stretched on endlessly.
"I've heard stories, but this is the first city livelier than Orzan I've seen."
"And it'll stay that way."
Rakrak raced along the top of the wall.
Naturally, no one guarded it.
It existed merely to divide living spaces.
"But why do they act like the living even after death? What's the point of eating or quarreling like that?"
Devout Lizardmen believers in Yakcheon didn't envision the afterlife this way.
Though personal beliefs varied, dreaming of running across the plain was more common.
Rakrak replied,
"Shun, what do you think people are made of?"
"Out of nowhere with a theological question like that."
"Ah, fair enough—it's a bit embarrassing. Wasn't my intent."
The two had momentarily forgotten they were apostle and priest of the same faith.
"Still, I'll answer. Simply put, body and soul."
Rakrak furrowed his brow as if searching for words.
"Right. People are made of blood, flesh, and bone... but also soul. What do you think the soul is?"
"...Hmm? Isn't this state the soul?"
"Simply put, just as you can divide the body into blood, flesh, and bone, you can divide the soul too. Memories of 'I' are part of the soul, relationships with others are part of it, and lifelong habits are too."
Shun understood Rakrak's words.
He'd seen people go mad after losing family in war, and others forced to abandon lifelong blacksmithing after losing a hand.
Rakrak said,
"Not just Lizardmen—everyone imagines what comes after death. But some don't. They live on exactly as they did in life."
"Because they don't want to lose themselves?"
"Could be. Or maybe they just don't know how."
"Do you have to... lose yourself?"
"Didn't say that. But if not, you'll live forever."
Shun started to ask more but held back.
The afterlife wasn't so different from what he knew.
If his memory served, even those living inside the Primordial Wall ventured out to the plain beyond the unguarded ramparts.
Conversely, those running the plains or sleeping endlessly in the meadow entered the wall sometimes.
Tales of mundane afterlives for unremarkable historical figures occasionally came up as chit-chat in Yakcheon temples.
After running along the wall for a while, Anakse leaped down and resumed galloping across the plain.
The horizon began to shift.
"...This doesn't look like the Primordial Plain I know."
"Which part?"
At Rakrak's question, Shun pointed to the horizon.
Beyond the right horizon lay a dense forest.
The Primordial Plain had scattered wooded areas, but nothing filling the horizon so thickly.
And beyond the left horizon rose jagged mountains.
The path climbing from the plain to gray cliffs was a dizzying slope just to imagine.
Rakrak explained,
"Ah, the right is the land followers of Mangyeol envision after death, and the left is for Mujin's followers. The forest aside, I don't get why they'd like such a barren place."
"Pardon?"
Shun was stunned.
"The lands after death are connected?"
"No, not originally. Yakcheon just decided it right before I met you."
"Yakcheon decided? Even Yakcheon can't have authority over all gods to..."
Rakrak said,
"But now Yakcheon does."
"Pardon?"
"Yakcheon has placed all the continent's gods beneath it."
Shun's eyes went wide.
"Yakcheon has... become king of the gods?"
'King of the gods?'
Seong-un was indeed seated in what could be called a throne.
It was a magnificent chair adorned with gold, with red velvet where his waist and hips rested.
The table before him wasn't round but rectangular, making his seat the head of the long lineup.
And in seats visible from the head sat five players.
To the left: Krampus, Wisdom, and Jangwan.
To the right: Runda and Eldar.
The ceiling of this conference space soared dizzyingly high, hung with intricate, bizarre chandeliers. The white marble walls and floor reflected their light dazzlingly with every tilt of the head. It was a space of opulent splendor.
Runda said,
"No, I didn't do it because I wanted to, okay? Nebula blackmailed me."
Jangwan said,
"Give me a break. You planned to betray Krampus from the start."
Eldar said,
"Um, everyone... sorry, but that's all in the past. Can't we move on...?"
Wisdom said,
"I'm finding this hypothesis intriguing, actually. Jangwan, keep going."
It was the scene in a hastily assembled pantheon, newly formed.
'More like... I've become the gods' mediator.'
The pantheon was one of Lost World's supported systems for multi-player religious collaboration.
But this pantheon always came with headaches.
Players' interests clashed, and differing faith systems required explanations to believers.
Players could cooperate for game victory alone, but couldn't sell that to followers treating them as gods.
They had to teach alliances, roles, relationships, and future beliefs.
And before that, narrow gaps in player interests—hence these meetings.
'But I forgot I'd have to handle this myself.'
As Seong-un checked on Rakrak and Shun arriving with mild disinterest, Krampus turned and snapped at him,
"This meeting's chaotic enough—why are you zoning out too?"
Seong-un started to make excuses but dropped his window instead.
"...Fine. Where were we?"