Ch.196Chapter 196: The Truth Revealed (1)

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Hmm, what would be the right thing to say in this situation?

After the trial ended, this hazy figure suddenly appeared before me.

I was contemplating what greeting to offer this being with the indistinct form who had expressed joy while establishing its presence.

“You don’t need to try so hard. There’s nothing more impolite than forcing formalities on someone who’s completely exhausted.”

Fortunately, the warm voice of someone who understood my current state resolved this dilemma.

*Thud*

I plopped down on the floor with a heavy sound, regardless of my injuries, with the aim of recovering my body that was exhausted from the intense battle as quickly as possible.

The dust from the floor was seeping into my clothes including my backside, soiling the garments that had remained intact throughout two fierce battles.

But what did a little dirt matter?

Once my body recovered, I could slowly get up.

It was just dirt that would fall off if I brushed it with my hands.

I’m not such a clean freak that I’d worry about something like this.

“Hehe.”

As I sat down on the floor, a gentle laugh softly settled near my ears.

Though it was just a brief laugh.

The moment that laughter reached my ears, I could feel my tired body and mind gradually recovering.

It was difficult to guess the true appearance of this being who had given me two trials, as they concealed themselves with something fog-like.

But judging from the warmth I could perceive in their voice.

I was convinced that the appearance forming in my mind matched the kindness emanating from that warm voice.

They must be quite beautiful.

Though certainly not as beautiful as the person I consider the most beautiful in this world.

“Just stay like that and listen slowly. I’ll tell you one by one what you’re curious about.”

Whether aware of my thoughts or not, the warm voice coming from the hazy figure began to reveal several facts about themselves, just as they had promised.

As I listened carefully, I realized that this Sword Tomb where I now sat was a place imbued with more secrets than I had ever imagined.

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The many facts I learned through the voice were surprising.

But above all, the identity of the owner of this voice gave me the greatest shock.

“So my ancestor, Lumen Ranos, created you all when he made the Sword Tomb?”

To my summarized question based on what they had told me.

“Yes. Master created us, including myself, to permanently manage the arrangements for his descendants who would set foot here, using a precious fragment of divinity he had just acquired.”

The owner of the voice, still hazy in appearance, reminded me that I understood correctly with words filled with warmth.

It seemed this being before me was something similar to a guardian spirit managing this Sword Tomb.

Moreover, they mentioned creating something, including themselves, to manage this place.

Even while resting my body, I extended my spiritual sense throughout the Sword Tomb to check every corner.

I could confirm that something with the same pleasant warmth as the being before me was moving throughout the entire Sword Tomb.

There were quite a few of them, but I could tell they were beings slightly inferior to the hazy figure before me in terms of presence.

Which meant that the one before me was the strongest among the Sword Tomb’s guardian spirits…

Well, seeing how they had enough power to arbitrarily impose an additional trial on me, they must indeed be the strongest.

Thinking about this, I felt a sense of accomplishment filling my tired body and mind from the fierce battles fought during the two trials, gradually recovering.

Before my regression, I couldn’t even enter this Sword Tomb because I lacked the qualifications.

But now I had splendidly passed not just one, but two trials.

Perhaps today, I could freely indulge in the word “accomplishment” that I had refrained from uttering since my regression?

As I was slowly organizing the situation in my head, I heard:

“Come to think of it, I haven’t properly introduced myself yet.”

The warm voice said they would properly introduce themselves, something they hadn’t done yet.

An introduction…

Well, just from hearing about their origin, I could somewhat guess what kind of being was before me, so I didn’t think a formal introduction was necessary.

At the very least, they must be a high-ranking entity among the guardian spirits managing this massive tomb called the Sword Tomb.

According to tradition, to manage this Sword Tomb created by ancestor Lumen Ranos right after the Great Holy War.

Led by a quasi-deity named Lux, created using a fragment of divinity that naturally came into his possession toward the end of the Great Holy War.

Numerous sword guardian spirits are said to busily manage this massive tomb.

Their role is to guide the descendants who carry the creator’s blood when they visit to undergo the prepared trials.

They also quickly maintain and repair the interior of the Sword Tomb that might be damaged during the trials.

Surely the hazy figure before me, who had announced my trials with a calm and warm voice.

Must be one of those sword spirits faithfully fulfilling their role.

Rather than receiving a formal introduction, it was I who should pay respects to her for helping me successfully complete these trials.

I tried to stop the owner of the warm voice who was approaching to give a formal introduction.

But her self-introduction, already approaching me and slowly opening her mouth, was faster than my thoughts.

“I am Lux. A being born from a fragment of divinity obtained by Lumen Ranos, who governs swords and light…”

And she revealed an identity I never expected.

“Hmm…”

After adjusting her breath that had become uneven as her speech lengthened, Lux, as she introduced herself, opened her mouth again.

“I am also one who bestows the power to protect the world upon those like you who have inherited the master’s blood, in place of the master who has become too powerful to exert influence on this land.”

As soon as she clearly stated her identity and role.

I hastily rose from the ground and even more quickly assumed a posture appropriate to etiquette.

“The descendant of Ranos’s bloodline greets the guardian deity who has protected our family for generations.”

I greeted the goddess Lux before me with the most respectful voice I could express since my regression.

Once I knew the identity of who I was facing, I acted without hesitation, believing that my previous relaxed posture was inappropriate.

And for good reason, this quasi-deity who introduced herself as Lux.

Was the very being who, in the epics of minstrels featuring Ranos’s people as protagonists, imposed trials that bestowed miraculous power.

She was essentially our guardian deity who had protected us in place of ancestor Lumen Ranos, who had ascended too high to exert significant influence on this land anymore.

How could I not show at least this much respect to such a being? It would be the height of rudeness.

Thinking about it, I had been foolish.

Despite my spiritual sense that had grown sharper from my experiences in Night Haven, I shouldn’t have dismissed that hazy indistinctness as mere fog.

I should have at least considered it as divinity or something comparable, but I had been too careless.

Fortunately, Lux didn’t seem to blame me for my behavior before I paid my respects.

“Hehe, please rise, Cal.”

She immediately raised me up with a gentle voice, and then:

“I didn’t appear in person just to see you flustered like this.”

She calmed me down as I was at a loss from the surprise.

But it would take a bit more time for the shock of suddenly facing a divine being who was so favorable toward me to subside.

It’s not a boast, but I had encountered transcendent beings with divinity both before and after my regression.

But this was the first time I had met a divine being who showed such a favorable reaction toward me, so I couldn’t help but be surprised.

All the others had treated me as a useful tool at best.

Or if not that, they treated me as a competitor to be eliminated from their favor, often trying to kill me.

Along with ancestor Lumen Ranos whom I had met earlier.

It’s understandable that I would be surprised to meet a being who showed me such favor with a warm voice.

As I continued these idle thoughts, I felt my surprise gradually subsiding.

“Still, it’s surprising… Even though you’re human, no matter how strong, you’re not startled when facing my divinity… Is it because of your rich experience?”

Lux’s words, which I couldn’t just ignore, brushed past my ears.

Rich experience, huh…

Between extracting a version of me from the second trial that clearly was me but didn’t exist in my memories.

What exactly does this goddess know so much about to say such things?

“You look like you have many questions.”

Lux’s words hit the mark, seeing through my inner thoughts despite my efforts to suppress changes in my expression.

While she concealed herself with energy derived from divinity.

I was a bit displeased that she could read my expressions and inner thoughts so thoroughly.

“Hehe. I apologize for having to maintain this form due to circumstances. But please, ask me anything, and I’ll answer everything I can.”

Thanks to Lux’s attitude, apologizing to me with such formal speech despite being a divine being far different in status from an ordinary human.

My displeasure subsided considerably.

Now, she says I can ask anything.

“Anything at all?”

Won’t she regret saying that?

She might have to spend more time answering my questions than the trials I underwent here.

Thinking that, I proceeded with my first question to resolve the biggest doubt in my mind.

And that was…

“You seem to know quite a lot about me, but exactly how much do you know?”

It was an exploratory question to find out how well this goddess, who subtly revealed she knew a lot about me, actually knew me.