Deities walk upon the earth, not in the stellar realm... During the early Fourth Age, under the Solomonic Empire, there was no distinction between myth and reality—deities moved freely upon the earth, requiring no descent? This is precisely what the chronicles of the Silver City record for the Second Age: places such as the "Hall of the Giant Kings" were only separated from the real world by a single "gate." One could pass through at will, return whenever desired—humans and deities lived side by side, in chaos and darkness. Moreover, does the stellar realm truly correspond to deities? Upon hearing the description of Count Mobert Soloyasda, Klein immediately drew a connection. He instinctively glanced at Grolser, as this giant might very well have personally witnessed that period of history! Grolser lifted a cup far larger than a barrel, took a long sip of melted snowwater, and chuckled: "Mobert, isn't this entirely normal? Why should you be so serious?" "I honestly don't know why I should be so serious." "Mobert Soloyasde offered a slight smile," laughing, "It's perfectly normal for us—it might seem incredibly frightening and hard to believe to them. I have to adjust my expressions to match what they expect, in order to achieve a satisfactory effect. Do you remember the look on Dragonzelle's face when he first heard our stories? He seemed as though he wanted to kneel and offer penance to the 'Lord of the Storm.'" "...” Klein, Daniz, and the others found themselves at a loss for words and expressions. Anderson shifted slightly toward Germán Spalro, lowering his voice: "I think he has a natural flair for provoking others." Though he appeared to have controlled the volume, his words carried clearly to every being present. Moberet smiled without hesitation, continuing with the topic: "I know you don't fully believe in the divine presence on earth, find it hard to accept—just like Edwenna did before. Hehe. I can give you two examples: the 'Realm of Storms' on the island of Pasu, and the 'Deep Dark Heaven' in the Andamand Mountains—these are the realms of the 'Lord of Storms' and the 'Goddess of Night,' respectively. They are divine realms located on earth, only separated from the real world by a single ethereal 'gate'!" Pasu Island? Isn't that precisely where the current sanctuary of the Church of Storms stands? Andamand Mountains... Andamand means 'peace' in Hermes—so this refers to the sanctuary, the peaceful church? When the gods no longer walk among mortals, do their realms become the headquarters of their respective churches? Klein instinctively felt that Moberet Soloyasde had not been exaggerating, and drew a certain conclusion from this. Danzis listened with growing confusion and fear, instinctively wanting to withdraw, but upon glancing at the focused and serious captain, the thoughtful Germaine Sparrow, and Anderson Hood, whose face clearly bore the written phrases of "I'm very interested," he found himself compelled to hold back, settling instead into an uneasy, more comfortable posture. At that moment, the elven singer on watch, Chastis, entered, speaking with disdain. "Don't mention that false god—the authority of the storm belongs solely to our elven king!" Her voice was clear and gentle, yet her tone was filled with anger and impatience, as if she were ready to raise her hands and send an arrow straight into Mobet Soloyasde. "Very well, I'll refer to him as the false god," Mobet said, gently brushing his sharply pointed, stiff black hat. Chastis turned her gaze to Dragnzil Edward, a shallow believer in the "Lord of the Storm" and a former soldier of Roon. "Your turn!" Dragnzil slowly lifted his head, still carrying a trace of bewilderment. He seemed not to have noticed the conversation and argument just now, lifting the iron-black straight sword planted beside him and stepping steadily toward the entrance of the cavern. Kaine observed quietly, then seized the opportunity to ask the elven singer, Chatas: "Do you know of the 'Queen of the Plague,' Ghisnam?" In truth, he wasn't certain whether Ghisnam was indeed the divine queen—sister of King Sunyassolom—the 'Queen of the Plague.' By asking this, he was simply waiting for Chatas to provide an answer. Chatas's delicate, graceful features instantly mirrored the bewilderment of Dragonzeler: "I haven't heard His name in a long time. He is—He is our elven royal consort. Even Moberet and Dragonzeler seem unaware that He ever existed. Where did you first encounter Him? Or, more precisely, where did you learn of Him?" As she spoke, her tone grew increasingly urgent. At that moment, Daniz turned in astonishment toward Germain Spalro, marveling at how remarkably learned this madman was, able to engage in meaningful conversation with someone seemingly from ancient times—someone of elven origin. "I didn't expect you to be a scholar... I didn't see it, I didn't see it..." Anderson murmured, shaking his head in admiration. Edwena, the "Ice Mountain Marshal," also turned her gaze toward Caine. In her clear, fresh-blue eyes, a strong sense of curiosity shimmered like ripples in a spring stream. Caine responded calmly: "I entered a sanctuary belonging to the 'Queen of the Cataclysms,' Ghisnam, and there I acquired several items." "A sanctuary?" Chastel whispered the word, her tone soft and reflective, as though she had lost something not particularly significant yet deeply cherished. "Given what I've observed there, perhaps She hasn't truly passed away," Caine said, noting the spark in Chastel's eyes, and then asked directly, "Do you have the recipe for the 'Sea Singer's' elixir? What would I offer in exchange?" He felt that when dealing with the extraordinary beings of the "Storm" path, it would be best to be honest and direct. Thassil thought for a moment and said, "Let's exchange for one of the Queen's personal items." "I only received a golden wine cup, which has been flattened, its surface engraved with intricate patterns and the words 'The Catastrophe, Ghisnam' in Elvish." Kaine didn't hide this detail. "I know that cup—it was the Queen's favorite." Thassil spoke with evident excitement. "Deal!" "The cup will be outside." Kaine didn't reveal his thoughts about the gray mist to the gathered crowd. Thassil nodded. "I understand." "Once we leave this book, the transaction will be complete." As she said this, she brought her palms together. "The Storm shall belong to the Elves!" Before anyone else could speak, she added with curiosity, "What else did you find there?" "Some murals depicting the battle between the Elven King and the ancient Sun God." Klein glanced at Snowman, the ascetic said to believe in the God who creates all things—the all-knowing, all-powerful deity. The middle-aged man, facing the stone wall with his back to the flames, finally spoke in a hoarse voice: "No, He is not merely the Sun God. He is our Lord, the Father of all things, the Great Origin. He is not fighting the King of the Elves; He is simply reclaiming His own authority." As Snowman finished speaking, Chastas suddenly stood up, aiming her arrow at him. Suddenly, the black hair, bound into a braid, that had been flowing like a natural stream, began to spread out wildly—defying the laws of nature, rising upward and outward in all directions. Each strand stood distinct and shimmered with silver-white electric glimmers, glowing with a strange deep blue hue. Just as Chastas prepared to release her bowstring, a massive gray-blue hand appeared before her, blocking the path of the arrow, unyielding and undisturbed. This is precisely the hand of the great Groserel. One of the defining traits of this race is an exaggerated, almost grotesque, proportion between arms and legs. Thus, he merely sat there, extended his arms, and blocked Chastas. "Enough, Snowman," Groserel said to the monk, then turned to the elven singer, "Chastas is a sprite who prefers action to words. You are companions—companions who have faced many dangers together. You can trust each other to lean on one another's backs. You may challenge Snowman, even physically confront him, but you must not attempt to harm him." Indeed, the protagonist of the travels—full of positive energy... though, exactly what distinguishes 'hitting him' from 'harming him'? Kline couldn't help muttering a few thoughts. Chastas huffed, settled back into her seat, and the atmosphere grew momentarily still and somewhat awkward. Groserel, with his upright, single eye, surveyed the room, and chuckled, "Then I shall share a bit of my own past." Before entering this book, I lived in the "Kingdom of the Giants," one of the guardians of the "Waning Forest," where only our king could enter, and it is said that there his parents—our ancestors, the very origins of the giant race—are buried. The "Kingdom of the Giants" consists of many parts; is the "Waning Forest" one of them? Does it hold the most ancient ancestors of the giant lineage? Kline listened intently, eager to ask more. To him, this held greater value than the fourth age's history, since the hope of the Silver City likely lay within the "Kingdom of the Giants." Yet before he could speak, Edwenna asked: "Groserel, when did you first receive this book—what did it look like?" Groserel raised his hand and rubbed his cheeks. "It was entirely blank, as though a book waiting to be filled out." I had even previously speculated that Groser might have been entirely a fictional character. Klein paused for a few seconds, not immediately inquiring about the specific details of the "Hall of the Giant King," and then turned to Moberet Soloyasde, asking, "Do you know of the 'Disbelievers,' Amun?" "The 'Disbelievers' refers to the entire Amun family—they are our Soloyasde's bitter rivals. It's said that they have a particularly powerful and formidable ancestor, one so revered that even Ululius and Medici, the two great figures, hold him in high regard, even with a certain awe. Yet, no one knows his specific name." Moberet explained in detail. Ululius and Medici? Ah, at that time, both the 'True Creator' and the 'Roses of Redemption' were supporting the Kingdom of Solomon... Klein's mind stirred immediately, and he promptly asked, "Have you ever heard of the name Salsir?" Moberet paused, then slowly shook her head, "Never heard of him." Had the name of the 'Dark Angel,' Salsir, disappeared after the Great Cataclysm? Buried? That established a fact for Caine. At that moment, Brother Snowman, facing the stone wall, spoke in a quiet, subdued tone: "Sasliel is the 'Dark Angel,' the leader of the Angelic Kings, the one closest to the Lord." I've been waiting for you to answer," Caine said, turning his gaze to the Brother, his voice low and steady. "Besides Him, Uloth, Medici, and Amun—what other Angelic Kings are there? You need not name them." Caine was afraid of triggering an unwarranted reaction, just as the "Penitent" had done earlier in the afternoon. Ever since then, Edwenna, Andersen, and Daniz had been in a state of bewilderment, as the conversation between Germain Sparo and several ancient figures was entirely unfamiliar to them. They could hardly believe that this seemingly mad adventurer possessed such profound secrets and knowledge! Snowman remained silent for a few seconds, then said, "And also, the 'Ideal Angel,' Adam..." As he uttered the name, the entire cave suddenly shook, and that familiar wild, furious atmosphere surged in swiftly! "King of the North," Yuris-ahn, had arrived! PS: Updated early on Monday—please recommend your monthly tickets!