Chapter 400: With The Wind (5)

Chapter 400: With The Wind (5)

She looks at me for a moment before speaking.

"...Alright. If my benefactor wishes for information, I shall provide it."

I walk with her down the palace corridor.

After walking for a while, the Queen, Yuk Yo, and I arrive at the library.

The first thing she does upon arriving at the library is to dismiss all the subjects and guards before entering a corner of the library.

"Your Majesty, this place is...?"

"It is time for you to know as well. The various affairs of Penglai Kingdom..."

It's when the Queen places her palm on a corner of a wall.

Flash!

The wall seems to glow, and then it turns into a bright white door that opens.

Creak—

The Queen walks inside the door, and Yuk Yo and I follow her inside.

"...!"

And I can't help but be startled by the scene beyond the door.

[Darkness]!

The entire world is covered in pitch-black [Darkness]!

Yet, strangely, I feel that I can discern what lays ahead in this darkness.

It isn't due to using consciousness or awakening a special sense.

Despite being in [Darkness], I can see ahead.

It's a peculiar space that can only be explained that way.

And I have been in such a space once before.

'This is the same space as when I faced [that being]!'

At the bottom of the Serving Command Ark, it's the exact same feeling as when I met [Them] presumed to be a True Immortal.

Step, step...

I follow the Queen, and though Yuk Yo is flustered, fumbling as she moves forward, she manages to walk well.

How long do we walk through the darkness?

Twinkle!

"...!"

Unlike my previous encounter with [Them], I see a bright white [Light] twinkling ahead.

Yuk Yo, possibly delighted to see the light, quicken her pace as she moves toward it. Meanwhile, I recall the warnings given by many beings to 'be wary of the light,' and decide to slow down instead.

"Come this way. What are you doing?"

"...Understood."

As I hesitate, the Queen looks at me curiously and speaks.

We arrive at the place with the light, and I can finally see what the source of the light is.

"...Salt?"

It is, amusingly enough, salt.

Salt is placed on a small brazier, and a soft, white light emanates from it, illuminating the surroundings.

The surroundings are the library.

A library shrouded in darkness.

The Queen takes out three chairs from one side of the library and hands them to Yuk Yo and me before taking out another for herself to sit on.

"Sit down, as this could become a dull story. Please understand that I cannot offer you tea."

"...That's alright."

"By the way, is it not uncomfortable?"

"Except for the darkness and...the light, it is quite pleasant."

I watch the light emanating from the salt with a sense of caution.

"Isn't it true that important discussions should take place not in the light but in the darkness?"

The Queen of Penglai Kingdom gives a meaningful smile at my words.

"It seems you fear the light."

"It's not so much fear as it is caution."

"So you know who you fear. You fear the God of Light, don't you?"

"...!"

I flinch in surprise and stand up, clutching my head while looking back and forth between Yuk Yo and the Queen of Penglai Kingdom.

But neither the Queen nor even Yuk Yo show any reaction, only blinking their eyes.

Even more so...

'I'm also okay?'

"I don't really know about that. To us, this is the natural world...but I do know where there might be information about why 'specifically' humans are the dominant species."

The queen points to one side of the library.

It's a library field with bamboo scrolls.

"Read the information over there. You might find what you're looking for. Perhaps."

I get up from my seat and take out the bamboo scrolls.

'This is...?'

It's a kind of mythological text.

Among them, a book titled Penglai Chronicles has a shallow account of how the world of Penglai Kingdom was created.

—In the beginning, there existed a world full of illusionary dreams.

—The Axle Imperial Venerable felt sorry for this and, with the help of the Wheel Imperial Venerable, Hyeon Go (玄古/Black Ancient), and three Heavenly Kings, created a new heaven.

—The Wheel Imperial Venerable rolled the wheel to guide virtuous souls under the new heaven, and the Three Heavenly Kings performed all sorts of miracles to cultivate a land where we could live.

—The Primordial Giant Hyeon Go, at the request of the Axle Imperial Venerable, made a promise to prevent the snakes from entering this land.

'Hyeon Go?'

Seeing a familiar name, I look at the description of this being.

—The shadow of Hyeon Go when they made the promise became the flesh of our souls, giving birth to us. We have two eyes and two ears...

It's a description of humans.

Although the size of the entity known as Hyeon Go being described is a bit, well, very large.

The First Giant who covered the entire sky with one hand.

That is Hyeon Go (Black Ancient).

The contents of the bamboo scroll end there.

Looking around, there is another scroll that explains about Hyeon Go.

—They are the greatest Divine Beast.

— They are called the God who governs all oaths and contracts.

— As the [Owner of Names], they are said to preside over naming of all in Heaven and Earth.

'Black Ancient Paper, Black Ancient Plaque!'

Only then do I understand why the most revered contract in the Ancient Force Realm is called Black Ancient Paper.

The divine spirit governing all oaths and contracts is none other than Hyeon Go.

However, I suddenly feel my heart begin to pound.

'Wait, have I just learned the true name of a great being?'

Tingle, tingle...

It's fine here and now, but if I remember this name when I go outside...

'I'll be watched, I'll be watched, I'll be watched!'

Thump, thump, thump...

As I calm my heart trembling like an aspen tree, I continue reading the bamboo scrolls and find something reassuring.

It's about an existence recorded in another scroll besides this one.

— Xiezhi.

— They are another Divine Beast.

— They are the beast entrusted with symbolizing all peace and well-being...

'In these bamboo scrolls, they refer to Immortal Beasts as 'Divine Beasts'.'

The names used to express Immortal Beasts are not their true names, so knowing them isn't a problem.

Thus, the name 'Hyeon Go' is not the true name of the being but refers to the species of this being.

And I realize one more thing here.

'The meaning behind humans becoming the dominant species of Penglai Kingdom due to the entity known as Hyeon Go is...'

Just as names like Black Dragon or Lofty Dragon are given when a Dragon Race becomes an Immortal Beast.

If a human becomes an Immortal Beast, the name Go (古/Ancient) is attached to them.

Charak—

After resolving my necessary questions, I roll up the bamboo scrolls and put them back.

While I was reading the scrolls, it seemed that the two others became bored. Yuk Yo tried to move one of the chairs, and the Queen began lecturing her on her behavior.

I interrupt their conversation and ask a question.

"This has been a great help. May I ask the next question?"

"Go ahead."

"It is regarding the Axle Imperial Venerable. I assume you know well about this topic."

"I do, indeed."

"You might feel it's blasphemous...but please answer. Is the Imperial Venerable truly dead?"