Chapter 145
Chapter 145
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: 슬기로운 문명생활-145화
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: Weaving the Gods' Legend
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"No. Skip the 'In the beginning...' stuff."
At Seong-un's words, Runda pushed back.
"Isn't that the basics of a myth? 'In the beginning, there was chaos. Then the supremely great god Yacheon existed, a hermaphroditic being who self-impregnated and gave birth to other gods. Those gods were a bit less great than Yacheon. And so on.'"
"You're making fun of me, aren't you?"
"Nope?"
Seong-un decided to let the joke slide.
"Sure, for a typical myth."
"We're not trying to do anything grand here... Can't we just keep it ordinary?"
Eldar was the one who objected to that.
Eldar cleared her throat and spoke.
"I think what Nebula means is this: If we start with 'In the beginning... such and such existed,' won't the people who've lived on this land since ancient times get confused? Their ancestors have always been here, so why suddenly start from the beginning? If things existed from the start, what happened in between? It complicates the story..."
Runda blinked before nodding in agreement.
"Yeah, that makes sense. But Eldar."
"Yes?"
"Are you a writer?"
"Pardon?"
Wisdom fielded the question.
"That's a sharp observation for the first time, Runda."
"...First time?"
"Eldar mentioned Deep Ones and Lovecraft before—stuff from fiction. People who read that are usually enthusiasts or professionals in the field."
Eldar eyed Wisdom suspiciously.
"Didn't you know too, Wisdom...?"
"Who knows. ...Anyway, we've gone a long time without sharing much personal info, but couldn't we reveal a little about ourselves now? Not everything, but some."
Until now, they were enemies or potential enemies, but not anymore.
Eldar looked conflicted for a moment before smoothing her expression and agreeing.
"Got it. Yeah, I am a writer. But not the kind you might think."
"Oh?"
"Details another time."
Seong-un spoke up.
"Fair enough. With Choi Seo... no, Jang-wan in this game, there's a chance someone close to us—or on another continent—is involved too. We might need to reveal some truths for that, but not right now. Still, we should use what we've already shared, right?"
Eldar asked back.
"Use how?"
"The gods can't all sit down with the priests and chat casually. It's possible, but it kills the mystique of being gods."
"Then have the creations explain, like usual..."
"Loses authority. This is about making priests understand and accept. A specific god's creation might seem biased."
"What about Yacheon's apostle?"
"Rakrak?"
"Yes."
Seong-un cut in.
"No. Rakrak's basically played the destroyer role. He even killed other gods. Except for the priest from Heukrin, it'll feel intimidating—or threatening."
Eldar lightly tapped the table with her fingers, lost in thought.
Seong-un said,
"In the end, one of us should step up and tell the story. Priests might ask questions, and we can answer flexibly."
"Does it have to be me?"
"Yeah. You have to."
"...Normally, you'd say 'I don't mean you have to' here, right?"
"Want to vote democratically?"
Eldar looked around.
Everyone avoided eye contact, reluctant to take the unwanted task.
Eldar sighed and said,
"Fine, I'll do it. ...So, what's the opening line?"
"I come from a place beyond your comprehension."
Eldar recalled their earlier conversation and began the tale.
"I come from a place beyond your comprehension, and in ways beyond description, I beheld your lands. Seeing you wander without gods, losing knowledge and culture, fading away—how could I not pity you? I wished to guide you, but it was not easy. Other gods shared the same thoughts."
No one, including Seong-un, had the skill to craft a myth that would captivate everyone on the land.
Nor did they want to just copy the brief templates from the game Lost World.
It wasn't a lack of ability; they just didn't want it to feel half-baked.
So Seong-un's idea was simple.
'Dramatize actual events.'
When playing Lost World, it was just a game, but now it was real.
With Lost World become reality, every past game had been practice for this moment.
"Many gods entered your lands with differing purposes. Hiding their thoughts, they became enemies, and tragedy never ended. Each massive failure reset everything on this land back to the start."
One game ends, another begins.
From the beginning again.
Obvious to players.
But to the priests before Eldar, it sounded different.
'The gods rewind time?'
Shunen, Rakrak, and Orasun were stunned.
They knew the gods wielded great power, but rewinding time was unimaginable.
The concept itself was alien before clocks existed.
Eldar continued.
"In that reset world, we planned anew. Chose followers, commanded creations, built civilizations, fought other gods—like stags locking horns. That was our only way to express intent. But that world failed too. So we tried again. Believing we'd find a path all could agree on. Dozens, hundreds... thousands of times. No, countless times beyond your grasp."
Shunen felt dizzy.
Humans struggle with mere decades of life—yet thousands of repeated histories?
'Can the gods rewind time forever?'
Eldar heard Shunen's murmur.
A storyteller must respond to the audience.
"'Forever' is not so. Our endless conflicts burdened your world. One god barely noticed, and we learned only one chance remained. Like all things withering in the end. Thus, with utmost caution, hoping our wills would align, we began the final salvation. ...You stand in that final world now."
"Final world"—a grave solemnity crossed the priests' faces.
Incomprehensible great beings had pitied these mortals, clashing near-infinitely.
Yet it ended.
Shunen felt grateful to exist in this last chance, not some prior loop.
"Thus, the gods' strife began anew. Foremost among them is Yacheon. Beyond his own will, he pierces all, manipulates beyond intent, reaching answers unwittingly..."
Eldar's performance was visible to other players now.
Eldar flashed a subtle smile.
Nebula would soon take the main god's seat—no harm in praising a bit more.
"None could match Yacheon. But other gods distrusted his hidden motives, forcing him to fight alone. I did too, but in hindsight, it was foolish. For I later learned my will aligned with his."
At this, the elven priest from Jarin's eyelids fluttered beneath closed eyes.
"Like me, Yacheon feared mortals exploited by evil gods as slaves, or sacrificed to darker intents. To avoid deception, he hid his will. With such noble intent, how could I oppose him?"
The priests hesitated to reply aloud, but Eldar sensed their inner agreement.
Grateful audience, unlike doubting players.
Eldar wove tales of continental events, gods' intents, misunderstandings, and reconciliations.
The overarching narrative: Gods clashed wordlessly; Yacheon triumphed, then talked—or killed amid fatal miscommunications before truths emerged.
A story of conflict and reconciliation, deepening loyalty for Yacheon's followers, prompting reflection for others.
Rakrak's name arose often; in a evil god confrontation, his great sacrifice birthed him as apostle—Shunen wept there.
The man himself stood behind, looking flustered.
Finally, amid gods' intrigues, nations uniting against pirates was revealed as countering a new evil god. Cannon tech, known only via alchemists and heretics, was but a fragment of these gods' knowledge.
Contradicting common sense, but Eldar's word made priests nod acceptance.
Another of Seong-un's points.
'Tech acceleration ahead—frame scientific knowledge as divine to smooth it.'
Heukrin lacked anti-intellectualism under Yacheon, but other nations curbed tech for faith.
Past builds demanded divergence; now, unify somewhat.
Beyond science, another reason.
The third continent had a jammed cog; Eldar provided lubrication.
"Now, hear how three mages fleeing the Alchemist's Tower sought Yacheon's aid, the graces he bestowed, and how they repaid them in turn."
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