Chapter 54: Chapter 31 Civilization
Translator: 549690339
He seemed not to notice the arrival, or perhaps he simply did not care. The sacred hymns continued to echo within the great hall, but this time, Cohen heard them clearly.
The language was not of the gods, nor was it a simplified version interpreted by humans after listening to the divine tongue. Cohen had never heard such a tone before, beautiful and mystical, yet it did not seem like a sound that could be produced with vocal cords. He felt as though he was undergoing a baptism, his soul becoming transparent and sanctified.
A yearning originating from the depths of his heart faintly emerged. It was unlike any longing for beauty; it was more like a thirst for ‘wholeness.’
But as a divine masterpiece, Cohen did not know what he was missing.
“May the gods forgive me.”
Kneeling on the ground, Cohen prayed devoutly.
Although it was his first time hearing it, Cohen effortlessly understood the meaning of the hymn sung by the being in front of him, it praised a supreme existence. He who causes the Moon to rise from the Western Hills, lights up the Underworld with the Light of Spirituality. He is the great one above time, the eternal sovereign.
After a while, or perhaps a long time, the vast hall fell silent again as the last note dissipated.
In the silence, Cohen heard footsteps approaching from a distance. He lifted his head, and it was the mysterious being who had been chanting hymns.
He had never seen such attire. The white robes were woven from materials unknown, not at all like the stems and leaves of plants. The hood hung low, covering the individual’s features, although Cohen did not believe himself to have any eye for appraisal, he still felt that it looked better than the garb worn by the gods on Mount of the Gods.
It was a thought he should not have had, but thinking that the other might also be related to the gods, Cohen convinced himself again.
The gods can naturally do better than another god.
“Are you human?”
From beneath the hood, a gentle yet distant voice came. It was still that strange language, although unheard before, Cohen could understand its meaning.
In his perception, this language did not seem to be ‘heard’ by his ears, but conveyed to the depths of his heart in another way.
“I am, your highness,” Cohen replied respectfully to the query of the being in front of him, despite not knowing if the other was a god, Cohen still used a respectful title for deities.
“Your highness, it was not my intention to intrude here, I was just planning to res—” Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com
“I know.”
The person in white before him interrupted Cohen’s explanation.
“You came here through a dream, human. Seven hundred years ago, the Lord brought Sleep to the creatures on earth. First it was the plants, then the animals, and then you Humans.”
“As you command, Your Highness.”
Collecting his thoughts, Cohen stood up and slowly approached the pedestal. At first, he felt as if he were engaging in a futile effort, for no matter how he ‘approached,’ he still couldn’t make out the content on the stone slab. Time passed by the second until, at a certain moment, he finally saw two symbols on the slab.
They were characters he had never seen before, ever-changing, flickering in and out of existence. But for some reason, Cohen understood their meaning.
‘Civilization...Era?’
The next instant, endless knowledge flooded into Cohen’s mind, and amidst the torrent of information, he nearly lost his sanity. Some he could understand, some he could not, and when these mingled together, he felt as if his soul was being torn apart.
It was as if in a flash, or as if a long time had passed, Cohen felt himself leaping through a colorful tunnel, and then suddenly awoke beside a tree.
“Heh”
Instinctively clutching his head, Cohen realized that the influx of knowledge had stopped. Disorganized thoughts swirled in his mind, yet he found many useful things within them.
“Civilization, what is it?”
Muttering to himself the first sentence that had been imprinted in his mind from the slab, Cohen knew of ‘Era,’ the mighty force said to be governed by the Divine King and Queen of Gods. But ‘Civilization’ was something he had never heard of before.
“King, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, just feeling a bit under the weather,” he replied.
Cohen’s abnormality was noticed by passersby, and in response to their inquiries, Cohen brushed them off casually.
The day’s experiences were truly unforgettable, but considering the knowledge in his mind, perhaps that was the treasure gifted by the gods, meant for him to share with all of humanity.
Thus, Cohen stood up and walked towards the Temple that was under construction.
Previously, he had been astounded by the magnificence and beauty of the Temple, deeming it the pinnacle of human skill.
But now, he felt that what he had done was still far from enough.
Gifted with knowledge by the gods, he naturally would not keep it to himself. He planned to organize it and teach it to every Golden Human. Only skills originating from the gods could better serve the gods.
Walking on the firmly packed earthen road, Cohen was somewhat excited. However, what he did not know was that at that very moment, the King of All Gods, who had once bestowed the decree for him to build the Temple, was watching him from the summit of Mount Othrys.
Before slumber, during slumber, and upon awakening, the Divine King had been quietly observing him. He watched Cohen excitedly share his recent experiences with other humans, teach them various pieces of knowledge, and speak of the mysterious slab.
“Humans...”
“So, what exactly do you want?”
Shaking his head, Cronus turned away and returned to his chambers.