GRP Chapter 12

"You call this tea?"

It was unusual. Samthyeon realized this was why he'd come to his room so early in the morning. Samthyeon pressed Garthe's forehead and wrist to check his temperature and pulse. His temperature was lower than usual, his pulse close to normal. Truth be told, one could tell just by looking at that smooth face.

"How is the pain?"

"Almost none."

"What do you mean, 'almost none'?"

"Like the initial manifestation stage."

Seeing a hint of relief spread across Samthyeon's face, Garthe smiled meaningfully.

"To think you worried that much... I'm touched."

Samthyeon's brow and bridge of nose wrinkled severely. He never let anyone purely rejoice. That damned...

Samthyeon pushed his joy and irritation to one side and turned his mind. As far as he knew, Garthe's curse had been significantly alleviated like this a few times before.

"Is this the fourth time?"

"Indeed."

The first time was when he faced the Mother Tree, the sacred tree. The second was when he met the god of the vast Chura plains. The third was when he met the sea god of Lanna Island. And now.

The giant tree, the giant land turtle, the giant jellyfish—their commonality was clear. They were ancient gods born in the era when the two primordial gods died and the world and life were created. They had been protecting the world in their respective domains for thousands of years since then.

Garthe's curse lost some force each time he met the three ancient gods. Though it always returned to normal within half a year, it created breathing room, however brief, for Garthe who had suffered for so long.

Of course, not all ancient gods had suppressed Garthe's curse. But Samthyeon thought there must be a way to break the curse in that primordial power. That was why he wanted to research Heimdrykze, where ancient breath remained preserved.

"Who did you meet last night?"

"You're quick."

"I'd have to close up shop if I couldn't catch this."

Garthe briefly explained what happened yesterday. With each added sentence, Samthyeon's brow narrowed further.

"Came in through the window? Insane..."

Must have a death wish...

"Held a dagger to you? Completely insane..."

Samthyeon carefully imprinted information about the "god" Garthe described in his mind. Ridiculously weak for a Heimdrykze god. Seemed to have infiltrated to rescue northern spirits in the basement. The curse subsided the moment he made contact with her. Around morning the pain rose again, but contact made his condition fine again.

Samthyeon kept his hand on his brow and spent several minutes thinking. His severely furrowed eyebrows revealed his complicated feelings. Despite decades researching gods and Heimdrykze, he had no sense of it at all.

"What in the world is that god?"

"Mariaeks."

"...Surely you didn't think I was asking about the name. I didn't know you had such talent. How long have you known her to already find out her name?"

"Indeed."

Garthe lowered his gaze and raised his lips. It was a reminiscing look.

"Has it been a dozen years since Lanna Island..."

Garthe looked deeply into his teacup as if a giant jellyfish were inside.

"This might be the last chance, Samthyeon."

Among ruins discovered around the world, some had scenery from the ancient divine era carved into them. Giant gods striding across mountains, gods with two heads seeing past and future respectively, walking trees and rocks that prophesied weather, shadows with will and giant birds sleeping in clouds. Those who possessed strong power—blowing wind to sweep away impure things, detaching their own scales to create gods below, splitting earth, splitting sea—had mostly vanished by the current age.

Except for Heimdrykze, ancient gods remaining in this vast world could be counted on just ten fingers. It was the point where several scholars proclaimed the end of the divine era.

Garthe's decision to reclaim Olgidphaenn was connected to that as well. Meeting the ancient god of the trench near Lanna Island—the Moonwave of the Deep Sea—led Garthe and Samthyeon to speculate that the curse's root originated in ancient times. But ancient gods were hard to find on the continent anymore. So they came to Olgidphaenn, neighboring Heimdrykze—the primordial sanctuary, where gods' souls supposedly slept. Hoping this place would be the final destination.

So by chance, or perhaps inevitably, the curse quieted again. Heimdrykze was unknown land where humans hadn't set foot. No one could know now what mysteries and ancient power lay buried beyond it, what other chances it might offer, but they had to keep in mind that this unexpected fortune flying in through the window might be the last chance.

"They seem close enough for her to come rescue them personally. Threaten her well with the spirits and coax her."

Samthyeon nodded.

"But where is this Mariaeks now?"

"In my room."

"Without surveillance?"

"I knocked her out before leaving. Don't think she'll wake for half a day."

"......"

"I controlled my strength. Isn't it her fault for being weaker than I expected?"

He really was a terrible person. Shaking his head, Samthyeon began rummaging through materials he'd recorded about the curse. While recalling what items he needed to learn from meeting Mariaeks, he turned his head toward Garthe again.

Garthe had finished the cold tea and was stretching fully. He didn't look particularly pleased, but wasn't particularly on edge either. Ordinary and peaceful. It felt like glimpsing daily life when the shackles of the curse disappeared.

Samthyeon's hand, about to pull out a book, stopped briefly in midair. This book was the result of painstaking efforts to kill Garthe. But if they could just break the curse, wouldn't there be no reason for him to die anymore? Whether he saw that moment of hesitation cross Samthyeon's face, Garthe said casually:

"If we can find a way to live from Mariaeks, we can find a way to die too."

Samthyeon exhaled deeply and pulled out the thick, heavy book to hold in his arms.

The back of her neck hurt. Physical pain like this had been rare for a long time. Unaccustomed to the pain, Mariaeks groaned and moaned continuously. She knew an effective method for this. Curl up and wait. Given time, pain would eventually subside. Mariaeks squirmed to roll into a ball.

"At this point, even I feel a bit guilty..."

Her foggy, hazy mind instantly cleared. Mariaeks's eyes flew open. A soft bed with no sunken spots, a warm blanket with luxurious embroidery. A bleak space without a single hanging picture. Mariaeks realized this wasn't her temple and bolted upright.

"Hello, Mariaeks."

Garthe leaned against the headboard, legs crossed, offering a leisurely greeting.

"Nice evening, isn't it?"

Evening...? Mariaeks's gaze turned to the window. Outside, deep darkness had settled. Her last memory was the lofty mountain scenery just as sunlight began to shine. She'd closed her eyes and opened them—morning had become night.

Mariaeks looked at Garthe again with effort. He had a book resting on his knee. Quiet eyes wrapped in sharp features and lips raised in an enigmatic smile. A face whose emotions were extremely difficult to read. The man had worn a similar expression yesterday. Even with a dagger stuck in his heart...

Then someone knocked on the door.

"It's Samthyeon. I'm coming in."

A lean human with pale greenish-brown hair soon entered the room. Surprisingly, this person also wasn't an "ordinary human." Though incomparable to Garthe, he possessed quite strong and clear divine power too. Mariaeks clenched her hands tightly under the blanket. The situation where she couldn't guarantee escape with just one hero—the head count she couldn't ignore had increased.

Mariaeks's and Samthyeon's eyes met squarely. He froze still while gripping the doorknob. The unblinking stare felt somewhat burdensome. Samthyeon soon cleared his throat awkwardly to break the stiff atmosphere.

"Ah, I apologize. It's my first time seeing a living Heimdrykze god this close..."

Mariaeks precisely caught the important point in those words. First time seeing a living Heimdrykze god this close? Then dead Heimdrykze gods...

"Shall we get to the point?"

Before Mariaeks could finish thinking, Samthyeon pulled a chair near the bed and sat down. A position facing her directly.

"Hello, Lady Mariaeks."

Samthyeon offered a courteous greeting. Mariaeks felt quite flustered having a name she knew so well called by a stranger. Since she'd received the greeting, she should return it.

"...Right."

Samthyeon smiled with slightly furrowed eyebrows. A strange expression.

"I am the three-thousandth (Samthyeon) forest spirit who inherited blood of the spirits and humans of Ultera's forest, High Priest of Thul'Mhoriae, Aeoroës Iera Aera Iliowe Molhon."

Mariaeks silently looked at Aeoroës.........

"Just call me Samthyeon."

Mariaeks nodded.

"I'm deeply sorry for bringing such a noble person to this humble place. How are you feeling?"

Mariaeks's hand gripping the blanket loosened slightly. In her eyes, the half-spirit human looked at least less savage than that hero flipping through a book beside him.