《The Golden Forest》 Volume 1 - Prologue I was so excited today. Master said that he¡¯d take me to Goddess Inanna¡¯s temple today, you see. ¡°You¡¯re seven now, and you¡¯re probably old enough to handle a donkey¡¯s reins since you¡¯re clever,¡± he said, but I¡¯ve been able to do something easy like handling a donkey¡¯s reins ever since I was five! I guess you just didn¡¯t know, Master¡­ It was a temple, but we live on a small island, so the temple looked even smaller than Master¡¯s house. But, isn¡¯t Goddess Inanna supposed to be the super beautiful goddess of love? Maybe that¡¯s why there were so many pretty flowers blooming all around the temple. It was so beautiful that I felt like I was sitting on top of floating cloud of rainbows. I almost didn¡¯t even realize that I was drooling. Yellow sunlight was pouring into the front yard, and the temple walls, which were painted white with white clay, were wonderfully warm and felt so good when I leaned against them. I tied Master¡¯s donkey to a tree and sat against the wall as I watched the people who had come to hold rites. I couldn¡¯t help but stare whenever I spotted any handsome misters wearing kaunakes with well-combed wool tufts that swayed as smoothly as water and crimson new hats or any rich madams wearing gorgeous shawls and had flowers and golden bands in their hair. Oh, and then my eyes suddenly met the old woman¡¯s, who was sitting against the wall with me! I couldn¡¯t help but smile because I felt like I¡¯d done something a bit bad. ¡°What an adorable child. Are you waiting for someone?¡± ¡°My master. Are you waiting for someone too, Grandma?¡± ¡°Yes. I have a pretty little niece, and I heard that the person she loves was coming to visit the temple. So I came here to sneak a look at him.¡± ¡°Why are you hiding here and trying to sneak a look at him? You can just see him at home with your niece! Oh¡­¡­are priests not allowed to leave the temple?¡± It was only then that I¡¯d finally realized that the old woman was a priestess. She was wearing the gorgeous white spaulders that the priests from this temple were said to wear, a long linen coat with golden embroidery on the sleeves and hem, and a kaunakes skirt with seven layers. The old woman nodded as she listlessly replied, ¡°That¡¯s right. Priests aren¡¯t allowed to leave the temple.¡± It wasn¡¯t my fault that I hadn¡¯t realized that the old woman was a priestess. Master told me that there were only young and beautiful priestesses serving at the temple of Inanna. Part of the rites involved doing something with the young and pretty priestesses, and he also bragged about being able to ¡®choose the youngest and prettiest priestesses¡¯ to do it with if you gave a lot of offerings. So that¡¯s why I¡¯d thought that there were only young and pretty priestesses at the temple, and I didn¡¯t know that there would be older priestesses like this old woman too. ¡°Have you lived here for a long time, Grandma?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve been living here since before you were born. I was a cute little thing like you once too, you know?¡± The old woman let out a long sigh as she patted my back. ¡°Why do you look so sad, Grandma?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m hurting.¡± ¡°Where are you hurting. Would you like me to blow on it for you?¡± Bitterly, the old woman replied, ¡°It¡¯s my heart that¡¯s hurting. I used to be so popular, but now I¡¯m so lonely that I feel like I¡¯m rotting away alive.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have any children?¡± The old woman crinkled her nose as she wriggled her wrinkled mouth. ¡°Who can say? I have no idea where they are or what they¡¯re doing.¡± Whoops ¡ªI clasped my hands over my mouth. I¡¯d heard before that priestesses had to send their babies away to live somewhere else because they weren¡¯t allowed to raised them in the temple. I quickly lowered my head and apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for asking you something I shouldn¡¯t have.¡± How much must she have missed her babies when she didn¡¯t have a husband and she had to send her babies away to live somewhere else because she wasn¡¯t allowed to raise them here? How hard and lonely must it have been? Even my heart was starting to hurt. The old woman stroked my hair as I sniffled with tears dangling from my eyes. I undid the pouch at my waist and gave the old woman my entire lunch ¡ªa flatbread made from wheat and two figs. ¡°What a kindhearted child you are. But what will you do? ¡ªit doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s anything else for you to eat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll sneak even yummier food here for you next time, so please smile instead of being sad. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re much prettier when you¡¯re smiling. Not that you aren¡¯t pretty already.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll still be here the next time you visit, but thank you for saying that I¡¯m pretty.¡± The old woman priestess grinned. Then, she continued, ¡°Well then, since you told me that I¡¯m pretty and you¡¯ve given me a delicious snack offering, shall I give you a prophecy?¡± ¡°A prophecy?¡± ¡°Is there anything you¡¯re curious about? Like who you¡¯ll end up marrying in the future? A lot of people want to know who they end up marrying, especially since Goddess Inanna governs over love ¡ªwould you like me to see that for you? Or, do you have another wish?¡± ¡°I have a wish, Grandma,¡± I answered without a moment¡¯s hesitation. I continued, ¡°I want to drink milk with lots of honey in it.¡± The old woman doubled over and began cackling, so I guess I¡¯d asked for something too simple. I felt my face grow hot in embarrassment. I quickly began counting on my fingers and increasing the number of things I wanted so my wish would get better. ¡°I also want to eat white and fluffy cheese, lamb that¡¯s been cooked in a brazier with a ton of salt, pepper, onions, garlic, and nutmeg, roasted partridge, crunchy honey cakes, and lots of dried apricots, raisins, and figs.¡± ¡°Hohoho ¡ªis there anything else?¡± ¡°I want to try wearing what my master wears ¡ªthat is, the long crimson kaunakes with soft tufts that come all the way down to my ankles¡ª, a yellow linen shawl, a headband with gold embroidery, a belt with a lot of pretty and colorful stones, and I also want to try wearing leather shoes with a lot of strings once too.¡± ¡°Hoho. You¡¯ll have to be loved my someone high and mighty if you want your wishes to come true, you know?¡± ¡°Huh? But I¡¯m a slave? Not only that, but I¡¯m a slave to a fisherman who lives in the boondocks of Elde Isle.¡± ¡°Love is the cruelest and most violent force in the world, my child. No one can resist it once they¡¯ve been swept away. The Great Goddess Inanna humbles arrogant men by granting them an emotion they cannot withstand. Humankind must never become arrogant, you see.¡± ¡°Why not? Because it¡¯s unseemly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because humans are born dirty, lowly, and base. Lord Enki, the great Creator, created mankind by taking blood from the leader of the defeated gods who rebelled against the greater gods and mixing that dirty blood into mud.¡± I tilted my head to the side. It was so weird. If he was going to make humankind anyway, then he could¡¯ve made us with nice and pretty things and loved us ¡ªwhy did he have to make us with weird stuff and hate us for being dirty and lowly? Was love a punishment from the great gods to keep us humble? I didn¡¯t get it. ¡°Well then, why don¡¯t we try it and see?¡± The old woman priestess sat me down on one of her knees, took out a bundle of dried aromatic herbs, and began scattering them around. Then, a moment later, the old woman¡¯s eyes rolled up and her arms and legs began shaking. I knew that priests had to smell weird herbs and send their minds to visit the realm of the gods because Master had told me. That was why I gathered my hands and waited patiently for the old woman to finish. Eventually, her wrinkled mouth began to wriggle, and a strange, hoarse voice began to flow out from her lips. Thou who art loved by Inanna. The Great Inanna speaks. Huh? I opened my eyes really wide. Loved by Inanna? Who? Me? Is the old woman really giving me a prophecy? Was this really an oracle from Goddess Inanna? Thy possess a fragrance that will allure many men, just like Inanna herself. Thou who art loved by Inanna. Thy shalt be loved by noble and beautiful beings. Thou who art loved by Inanna. Accept Inanna¡¯s blessing. Else, thy fragrance shalt become a stench, and thy fate shalt turn astray and thou shalt lose the love of the noble and beautiful beings. May the two paths before thee never cease. South and north, up and down, heaven and earth, land and sea, love and hatred, noble and humble, beauty and ugliness, good and evil, truth and lies, past and future, life and death. Choose thy fate at the crossroads between all these things. ¡­¡­What the heck? To be honest, I wasn¡¯t very happy. Gloomily, I asked the old woman, ¡°Can¡¯t I turn down this blessing, Grandma?¡± The old woman was still a little dazed as she narrowed her eyes and looked down at me. ¡°Why?¡± I only wanted to love just one person whom I really liked a lot. It was probably because of my master that I thought this way. Master was the richest man in the village, and he had four slave lovers on top of his wife, the madam, but to be honest, it didn¡¯t really seem like he actually liked any of them. Whenever the madam fought with her husband, she would bring the slave lovers to her, nitpick them for every little thing, and find any excuse to whip them, slap them across the face, and curse at them. ¡®Bitches who seduced married men by going into heat,¡¯ she called them. But it was actually Master who dragged the slaves to his bed against their will. That was why I wasn¡¯t too happy about the ¡®fragrance that will allure many men¡¯ part. ¡°You can always say no and give it back if you don¡¯t want to accept a gift, right?¡± ¡°Goodness, child. You can¡¯t just give back something a god has given you simply because you don¡¯t like it,¡± the old woman whispered with a strangely fuzzy voice. I leaned against the wall and blinked. The wall, which had felt warm just earlier, didn¡¯t feel as warm anymore. ¡°¡­¡­Why not?¡± ¡°That would be the same as disobeying Goddess Inanna and rebelling against her.¡± I opened my eyes wide. Disobey and rebelling were huge crimes if you were a slave. Some slaves were even whipped to death for doing that. But I¡¯d never done anything bad to the old woman or to Goddess Inanna. It felt so unfair. ¡°Why? It¡¯s not like I did anything bad, and it¡¯s not like she was giving me the gift because I did something good either ¡ªI¡¯m just saying that I don¡¯t want it?¡± The old woman priestess crinkled her nose again when I articulately quipped back, and then she slowly began explaining things to me. ¡°The great gods don¡¯t judge people for being good or evil. Us mudpeople are no better than insects in their eyes, and they don¡¯t care about us insects doing good or bad things to each other. The only standard by which the great gods judge us is, ¡®how obedient are the mudpeople to them?¡¯¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­.¡± A chill ran down my back. The old woman closed her eyes and shook out her body before she continued babbling, ¡°That¡¯s why turning down a gift from a god is seen as disobedience and rebellion, and why the gods will react by cursing you instead. A blessing from a god and a curse from a god have the same roots, and you cannot turn down a blessing much in the same way that you cannot simply refuse a curse. Do you understand?¡± The old woman¡¯s voice was tender and kind as she whispered, but it sounded scarier as I understood what she was saying less and less. Still, I understood that I couldn¡¯t turn down the blessing just because I didn¡¯t want it, and I really didn¡¯t like that. And so, because I¡¯m stubborn, I decided to be brave instead of just being meek and saying that I understood. ¡°But I can¡¯t help the fact that I don¡¯t like what I don¡¯t like.¡± The old woman shook her head and yawned. I yawned twice two because I caught it. The old woman began dozing off ¡ªmaybe because the herbs were still affecting her¡ª and her head began to bob as she mumbled, The Great Inanna speaks. I see two men who shalt love thee. And I see two men whom thou shalt love. I see two men who shalt kill thee. And I see two men whom thou shalt kill. ¡­¡­I really should¡¯ve just accepted the first one. I quickly decided to stop the old woman priestess¡¯ oracle with new words before it got any longer. I preferred loving one person instead of two, and I thought that saving people was better than killing them. That was why I began rocking my body back and forth just like how the old woman was and said, Brave and courageous Renier speaks. I see one man whom I love. And I see one man who loves me. I see one man whom I save. And I see one man who saves me. The old woman priestess¡¯ eyes shot open when she heard my childish prophecy, and she shook her head and clicked her tongue. I could almost hear her saying, ¡®how dare you alter the Great Lady Inanna¡¯s oracle, you little wench?¡¯ I was a little angry, and I was also a little scared. But I was a slave, so I didn¡¯t dare get angry. That was why I quickly smiled instead and said, ¡°I¡¯ll let you know which prophecy came true after I¡¯ve grown up. You have to live a really, really long time, okay, Grandma?¡± ¡°Goodness¡­¡­you cheeky little thing. I am curious, but I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll really be able to live that long,¡± the old woman mumbled again ¡ªshe still sounded like she was being affected by the herbs¡ª before she began dozing off under the sun. I grinned in embarrassment before I leaned against the wall again and closed my eyes too. The two of us sat together beneath the sunlight for a very long time. Volume 1 - CH 1 Part 1: Kuhn (D.Kun) TRIGGER WARNING: Attempted Rape ¡°That wench holds death in her hands.¡± Renier had heard these words ever since she was young. But she hadn¡¯t understood what they meant at first. Renier was pretty. She was shorter than other children her age, but she looked nimble and cool because she had long legs, and, though she had been tanned by the sun, her skin was unblemished and smooth. Her thick, shiny hair reached down to her waist like a waterfall. She had always been pretty enough to turn heads ever since she was a child. Renier¡¯s master was a philanderer, and he was known to assault even the slave girls whom he had raised since they were babes, but he had never been able to do anything to Renier. The cheeky little thing had always subconsciously countered anything that posed a threat to her, and her would-be assailants had always ended up grievously injured. Once, when Renier was seven, a raven had tried to peck her only to be roasted and eaten after the child had taken fright and thrown a rock at it, cracking its skull. When she was eight, she had killed a hunting dog that had attacked her by accidentally stabbing it through the ear with the meat skewer she had swung in the heat of the moment. Renier was only average when it came to using a sling (a weapon with a long string used to throw stones), but she had an innate ability to sense bloodlust, and the stones she hurled in fright or the skewers, knives, and branches she brandished in the confusion of the moment always hit a vital point when any beast attacked her. Renier had good eyesight and was adept at noticing even the smallest changes in her surroundings, and she had an uncanny ability for detecting danger. Furthermore, she could sense it vividly when bloodlust was pointed at her or when she was just about to be attacked, so it was impossible for her to be caught completely off guard. She was nimble and good at running away, and she struggled desperately and always managed to break free whenever she was faced with danger. And everything around her became a terrifying weapon when she was in danger. Renier¡¯s master was a fisherman with ten fishing boats to his name, and he was considered a wealthy man in their village. He owned a large house with ten rooms that was always bustling with slaves and employees, and the men were always looking at the young slave girl with vulgarity in their eyes. They didn¡¯t even care that Renier was still a child who had not come of age yet. The slaves who worked in the house, the steward who managed the assets, the master, and the master¡¯s son ¡ªthey all ogled the girl in similar fashion, and they all roamed around while smacking their chops in similar fashion too. But no one had ever successfully forced themselves on her. This was because the men were always seriously injured without fail whenever Renier ran away or fought back. Renier had been ten years old when she had first learned about this strange ability of hers. This was also when she had finally recalled Goddess Inanna¡¯s oracle, which she had forgotten about until then. It had started with an old slave man who worked inside the house with her. He had often tried to curry Renier¡¯s favor by sneaking her honeycombs dribbling with sweet honey, green apples from the orchard, or chunks of smelly cheese. Renier liked honey, apples, and cheese, but she had never so much as touched anything the old slave tried to give her and had always run away because she found the way he smirked at her with his wrinkly mouth nauseating. Renier had shaken her head no when the old slave offered her something that day too, but the old slave had drawn closer to her instead of walking away. Renier was frightened, and that was when she noticed that something blackish and reddish that looked like smoke was coming out from around the old slave¡¯s head and shoulders. Huh, what¡¯s that? The old slave grabbed Renier by the wrist when she momentarily forget to be afraid because she was shocked. The slave had weakened with age and was no longer strong enough to work on the boats, but he was still strong enough to drag a ten-year-old girl into the warehouse. It felt disgusting, like bugs or a snake was crawling over her body, when her clothes were ripped off and a large hand began groping her. His gleaming eyes and yellow teeth. The smoke that was circling around him was sticky like dark red mucus now. Renier couldn¡¯t help but grow nauseated. And a terror took over her that told her that something terrible would happen to her, that she might even die if things went badly, if she didn¡¯t do anything. Renier tried to struggle and break free, but then the old slave grabbed her by the head, slammed her repeatedly against the wall until she nearly lost consciousness, and tied her arms up with rope. What the old slave didn¡¯t know, however, was that Renier was a lot more flexible than he¡¯d realized. Renier snapped back to her senses, freed one arm by pushing her shoulders back as far as they would go, and fumbled over the ground like crazy until she finally grabbed hold of something and swung it at the back of the old slave¡¯s head. The thing that Renier had grabbed was a piece of a milk jug that was broken and no longer usable. She had swung it so hard in the heat of the moment that the small piece of porcelain, no larger than the palm of her hand, drove itself moistly into the flesh beneath the old slave¡¯s ear. The thought, ¡®He¡¯ll die if I push this all the way through,¡¯ struck her light a bolt of lightning, and she was able to stop herself just before she did. The old slave, who had been grinning as he assaulted her, wasn¡¯t even able to scream as he collapsed to the ground. Blood began pouring out from him like a waterfall when Renier pulled out the piece of porcelain, but she had no idea what to do. The blood simply kept coming and coming no matter how hard she tried to stop it. It was only a while later that the other servants opened the warehouse doors to find the naked ten-year-old girl, covered head to toe in blood, breathing heavily as she clung to the old slave¡¯s neck. More men from the house, from the fields, and from the dark warehouses where the fishing nets were stored, began lusting after her after that, and Renier ended up having to watch them bleed over and over again. Renier did her best to run away before anything could happen as soon as she saw the dark red haze billowing up from the men as their eyes glistened while they ogled her, but she wasn¡¯t talented enough to escape them from the narrow confines of the slaves¡¯ quarters. Eventually, Renier began hating men more and more, and she became so sensitive to their gazes that she broke out in goosebumps all over whenever she felt them staring at her. Time passed, and more and more of the men who smacked their chops whenever they saw Renier got injured. Their heads were cracked open by a stray pestle, or they were choked by a laundry line or stabbed in the eye by a needle, or they had their legs broken whenever they tried to push down the struggling slave girl by force. Their master¡¯s favorite steward had even lost his ability to be a man after the hot ashes from the furnace fell over his flesh. It had always been common for slaves to be grievously injured and even disabled after doing harsh work, and it wasn¡¯t uncommon for some to even die after being whipped. But the circumstances were different here because large, robust slaves were being taken down one after another because of the desperate struggling of one little slave girl. Renier kept her life whenever something happened, but she was always whipped at least thirty times afterward. She curled up in a corner of the room and cried all night long one night after she had been whipped. And she recalled what the old woman priestess had told her. A blessing from a god and a curse from a god had the same roots. It was only now that Renier finally understood what she had meant. Thy possess a fragrance that will allure many men, just like Inanna herself. Thou who art loved by Inanna. Accept Inanna¡¯s blessing. Else, thy fragrance shalt become a stench, and thy fate shalt turn astray and thou shalt lose the love of the noble and beautiful beings. Renier was starting to understand what it meant to be blessed by Inanna. No wonder she had never liked it, even back when she had first learned about it. It made the back of her head throb. ¡°A fragrance that will allure many men? Damnit! When did I ever ask for that? I said I didn¡¯t need it!¡± According to the bits and pieces that Renier had heard from here and there, Inanna was the goddess of beauty and fertility, but she was also a terrifying warrior goddess who presided over war. She was also an incorrigible and whimsical philanderer who had been cold-hearted enough to throw her own husband to the underworld. Renier sniffled in the corner of the room and muttered to herself, ¡°I knew it. There¡¯s no way that a goddess with such a nasty temper would¡¯ve given me a nice gift.¡± But Renier was at her wit¡¯s end because she couldn¡¯t return the gift that had been given to her by the gods. She wiped away her tears on the back of her hands as she stood up. She didn¡¯t have the time to simply lay down and cry while holding her gift, which she couldn¡¯t even throw away, in her arms. Renier hated touching men¡¯s bodies dreadfully, and she had to do everything she could to protect herself. ¡°I¡¯m not pretty anymore, right, Grandmother? I look ugly, right?¡± Renier had asked an old slave woman to shave her head like the slaves from the West. She had also smeared a ton of mud and ash all over her face and head. The old woman turned around and smacked her tongue in the lieu of a reply. Renier ignored her and went to her master to ask him to let her do fieldwork. Harvesting crops and herding the sheep and goats was hard work even for the burly men, but this was better than being constantly in danger and constantly getting the men hurt. Renier wanted to avoid misfortune as much as possible. Her master looked like he had eaten shit as he accepted her request. Renier¡¯s final victim was her master¡¯s youngest son, who had come home for the first time in many years. He had been wearing shabby, worn-our sailors clothes with a rope made from straw tied around his waist, and the bronze, moon-shaped ornament he had been wearing had accidentally been lodged into his wrist while he was trying to assault Renier as she herded the sheep. Renier had accidentally sliced the veins in his wrist when she had grabbed the pointy, bluish ornament and wielded it in the confusion of the moment. Afterward, Renier was sold as a slave to the Golden Forest Temple for a mere 10 silver shekels (about 114g), and she became a fugitive slave just three months later. Renier still bore a slave¡¯s brand as she escaped to the Whitesalt Mountains of the Northlands. Slaves of the Temple of the Golden Forest were marked with a brand that activated a spell as soon as the slave escaped the forest¡¯s boundaries, and the Northlands, which were also called the ¡®land of the beasts¡¯ where beastmen were said to live, was the only place where the spell would not work. Renier had no other option available to her. And yet, Inanna¡¯s blessing refused to release her even after she had come all the way to the Whitesalt Mountains. *** Piiii, pii, swoosh, pii. Tweeee! Pii! ¡°Hell, those god-damned whistles are so fucking annoying! And every fucking morning too. Ugh, it¡¯s so cold.¡± Renier rubbed her eyes as she woke up to the shrill noise that she could hear from outside. She was deep inside a divine stone cave. She could see a bunch of people who were still deep asleep and wrapped tightly in old sheepskin as they sat smug against the little hollows they had carved out for themselves. None of them had budged an inch ¡ªeither because they couldn¡¯t hear the infernal noise or because they had all frozen to death while they slept. Renier had been rudely awakened at dawn for these past few days because of the shrill whistling, which seemed to start up again just as soon as she was about to forget its existence. Having good hearing had been beneficial to her survival, but having too good hearing had come with its own share of misfortunes. Renier yawned as she pulled aside the leather that was covering the cave entrance and peeked outside. The sun hadn¡¯t risen yet, and it was snowing like crazy even though everything else was still dark. The blizzard had been raging for five days now. The problem, was that she had no way of knowing how many more weeks this damned blizzard would last. It had been almost three years since she had started living in this divine stone cave in the Whitesalt Mountains. She had more or less become accustomed to the harsh life she lead here, but she could never seem to get used to the Northlands¡¯ blizzards. Once started, the damned blizzards wouldn¡¯t stop until they were satisfied ¡ªwhether that be two or even three weeks later. The people called the blizzards the whips of Enlil, the ruler of the gods and the god who governed the atmosphere, and they sequestered themselves in their caves and didn¡¯t budge until the blizzard was over. Renier leaned her ear toward the whistling, took one look at the people who were still huddled and sleeping inside the cave, and took a deep breath before she quietly slipped outside. There were presently seventeen people from the Southlands living inside the cave with hopes of digging up some illegal divine stones and selling them for a fortune. The Whitesalt Mountains were comprised of twelve colossal mountain peaks and a multitude of smaller hills, and each mountain contained numerous naturally-formed caves. The people of the Northlands, who were also the masters of the Whitesalt Mountains, used these caves as graves, but the caves also attracted foreigners who were blinded by money because even a little digging inside them could sometimes yield considerably large divine stones. Divine stones were used by the priests of the Golden Forest Temple, who were said to be the descendants of the Celestials, and they were filled with a holy power called ¡°nin¡¯ngak¡± or ¡°ngak.¡± The Celestial priests could use the power inside the divine stones to manifests special abilities, such as creating fire, summoning the wind, drawing forth water, or making someone beautiful. The divine stones were in high demand because they were used not only by the Golden Forest Temple but also by royalty, wealthy merchants, and warriors for decoration, so even a divine stone the size of a fingernail sold for an astronomical price. A divine stone half the size of a fist could sell for so much money that you could buy your own slaves and live off the money for the rest of your life. And so, people from not only the Southlands¡¯ cities that bordered the Northlands but also people from the oasis towns in the West people from the distant East gathered in the mines. But such people were never properly upright citizens, naturally. Murderers, thieves, rebels, runaway slaves, people who were banished from their cities because they were cursed, male prostitutes, people who parasitized on their parents or their children ¡ªthe most heinous criminals in the world and people from the lowest caste of society gathered in the mines, making them a lawless place in every sense of the term. Their only desire was to either dig up divine stones or steal them from others to sell them and start new lives. The atmosphere inside the cave was filled to the brim with distrust and loathing ¡ªafter all, you never knew when someone might betray you and slit your throat. No sense of familiarity existed inside the cave, let alone the tight bonds of camaraderie, and fists and knives always went flying whenever someone new entered the cave so the people inside could establish their place on the hierarchy. There were never too many people inside the cave at once. Nine out of ten grave robbers perished or gave up and left within a few months of entering the cave, and many more were murdered by their peers for the meat they had hunted or for their divine stones when the food stores began drying up in winter. It was impossible to tell whether someone who had suddenly up and vanished one day was dead, alive, or escaped. The only time when the people inside the cave worked together was when wolves, sabretooth tigers, or bears invaded the cave or when they were trying to flee from the Northlanders, the rightful masters of the Whitesalt Mountains ¡ªin all honestly, the grave robbers feared the Northlanders, who were also called beastmen, much more than they feared any wild beast. No one really knew why the Northlanders were called beastmen. The beastmen looked like regular humans and could speak like regular humans too, but they were said to be barbaric, just like beasts, and they were said to be uncivilized, especially in comparison to people from other lands. The Northlanders regarded the foreigners who tried to dig up divine stones illegally ¡®grave robbers¡¯ for digging up their ancestors¡¯ graves and disturbing their ancestors¡¯ repose, and they loathed the grave robbers and hunted them relentlessly. But nations were always overflowing with people who had nothing left to lose and were willing to test their luck, so the grave robbers simply continued congregating in the Whitesalt Mountains like flies to dung. Piii, pii, swoosh, pii. Renier squinted once more. It bothered her that the distant sounds of the whistle were gradually growing fainter. She had heard that whistles were used by the people who dwelt in Salt Mountain, where her cave was located, to send signals to their brethren who were far away. Renier knew that the whistling was either an SOS or an emergency call because they had used a similar signal back in the Golden Forest, where she had once lived briefly. The problem here was that the fact that she could hear the whistling even through the blizzard meant that there was a Northlander within one league (~5km) from where she was, which in turn meant that the grave robbers hiding inside the cave would need to hide carefully without even being able to light any proper fires. It was no wonder she was so annoyed. ¡°Gods damnit, who the fuck crawled all the way here in the middle of a freaking blizzard just to stir up a ruckus with all that whistling? I can¡¯t even go hunting now.¡± Renier stood in front of the cave and dithered there for quite some time. There was no way of telling how many weeks a blizzard would last in the Whitesalt Mountains. Refusing to hunt just because it was snowing was basically the same thing as declaring that you¡¯d rather starve to death. Renier, however, had hunted all autumn long and had a sizeable stash of secret food. Still, there was a reason why she worked so hard to hunt. She had no choice but to avoid the grave robbers as much as possible during the day. They might figure out that she was a girl if they stared at her face all day long. It was all too obvious what kinds of misfortunes would fall upon her if the men who had gathered here, who were basically human trash, ever learned that she was actually a girl. ¡°What do I do? ¡ªthe mood¡¯s been a little off lately too,¡± Renier muttered to herself as she scowled. She felt like one of the bastards had figured out that she was a woman. Who was it? ¡ªit was probably the sleazy-looking one. The bastard who had raped a royal concubine in Minotos not too long ago. He¡¯d been scrutinizing Renier¡¯s face and figure up and down while sniggering to himself as of late. Renier looked down at herself and tilted her head to the side. Did something give me away? I doubt it. I mean, I look like a twelve-year-old boy no matter how hard I look at myself, right? ¡­¡­Was it my face? Renier occasionally studied her reflection in the spring in between washing her face and smearing dirt all over her features. Even she had to agree that the pale and petite features of her face were pretty. She couldn¡¯t help but sigh every time she saw. It would¡¯ve been so nice if only my face was a little bit uglier. Who can say? I¡¯m sixteen now, so is it obvious that I¡¯m a woman even if I¡¯m still young? Renier was sixteen, and she would turn seventeen at the next spring equinox. She was still young, but she had survived for nearly three years inside the divine stone cave, which made her one of its most senior inhabitants. The grave robbers knew that she was a runaway slave from the Southlands, but they didn¡¯t know that she was a girl. She had already been small for her age when she had first come to the cave when she was fourteen, and she had barely grown at all ever since, possibly because she hadn¡¯t been eating well. Renier looked no older than a twelve-year-old shepherd boy. She always kept her hair cropped short with a small shard of bronze, and she smeared ashes and dirt over her face and arms wherever she went. She bound her breasts tightly in linen and rawhide so that they wouldn¡¯t grow, and she wore several layers of wool around her body, tied firmly with string, so that no one could see her figure. No one had found her manner of dress strange because the Whitesalt Mountains were so cold that there was snow at every mountain peak all year long. The grave robbers were happy that the brat who had sensitive ears and good night vision voluntarily took up the night watch. Moreover, Renier was always so appallingly spiteful when it came to hunting that the grave robbers had tacitly agreed amongst themselves to ¡®not mess with the brat if at all possible.¡¯ Renier had no interest in the divine stones, unlike the other grave robbers. And so, she spent most of her days procuring food to eat and water to drink. She usually hunted with stone slings, a small knife, or bows and snares made from animal hamstrings, and she salted the creatures she caught and hid them all over the place. Salt Mountain, where she was currently living, had the tallest peak of the twelves mountains of the Whitesalt Mountains, and it was easy to find salt because there was a lot of rock salt lying around. She even found fruits and herbs to pack inside leather pouches of rock salt to ferment and turn into wine. Who would¡¯ve thought that the lump of yeast she had once traded with a wine merchant in exchange for a pig leg would end up being so invaluable? It was unfortunate that the merchant had never been able to taste the wonderful wine that resulted because he had passed away just three months after he had started living in the cave. Renier liked to sit down in a crevasse between the rocks where no one could see her and enjoy her wine when it ripened. She sometimes even grew a little tipsy as she moistened her lips and sipped away. Then, she¡¯d end up singing cheerfully, or crying, or giggling, or staring up blankly at the sky while cursing away fearlessly ¡ªand this was one of little Renier¡¯s sole pleasures that she enjoyed while living in the cave. ¡°Hey, brat! You¡¯re already up so early even though the sun¡¯s not up yet. You sure are diligent,¡± she heard someone say from behind her. Four or five young men, whose hair was still disheveled because they¡¯d only just woken up, stumbled outside the cave. Most of them were newcomers who had only started living in the cave last autumn, and one of them was a runaway slave from Minotos. Renier cautiously took a step back as she said, ¡°You¡¯re up? The whistling was bothering me.¡± ¡°Huh? Whistling? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It sounds like there¡¯s a Northlander in distress somewhere, but I guess his whistle isn¡¯t carrying far enough because of the snow.¡± ¡°Huh, that so? Then why not just stay put and let them freeze to death?¡± The man smirked when his eyes met Renier¡¯s. Shit. A shiver ran down Renier¡¯s spine. She was very familiar with this sensation. Renier broke out in a cold sweat as she took yet another step backward. ¡°Whoever it is will probably die soon enough, judging by the whistling. It keeps getting weaker and weak¡­¡­ack!¡± She dodged by jumping backward. The smirking man had reached out like a hook and had tried to grab her by the collar. The man, whose labor had amounted to nothing, smacked his tongue. ¡°Why¡¯re you running? Just stay put, brat. Didn¡¯t you hear me telling you to stay put?¡± A chill ran down Renier¡¯s back. Surely enough, the strange, dark red fog was lingering around the man¡¯s face and shoulders. Renier quickly scurried backward. But she turned around only to find that the other four men had already circled behind her and were blocking her path ¡ªit was like they had all formed a gang or something. Their toothy grins suddenly made her want to vomit. They¡¯ve figured out that I¡¯m a girl! The men were blocking her way to the path that would¡¯ve allowed her to escape toward the foot of the mountain, and the other side was an unstable cliff made from rock salt. Renier was at a loss for what to do because she was flustered when two burly men came up from behind and grabbed her wrists. ¡°Ack, l-let go of me! Hey! You pieces of¡­¡­! Ack!¡± Someone kicked her firmly in the stomach. She folded over and collapsed onto the snow, and someone grabbed her by the hair to lift her face up. She continued, ¡°Ugh! Let go! Let go of me, you asshole!¡± Renier struggled desperately, and then a hand slipped into her waist and slid past below her bellybutton. She thought she would faint as she broke out in goosebumps. She could see the men licking their chops and moistening their lips. She just wanted to die. ¡°Is the brat really a girl?¡± ¡°Sure is ¡ªthere¡¯s nothing down there. Damn, look how nice and soft her flesh is ¡ªit feels great to touch. You dickheads really had no idea? Are you all blind or something?¡± ¡°The little chick got us good because she¡¯s so damn small. No wonder she was cutting her hair short and smearing mud all over herself no matter how cold it was. Damn.¡± The five men grabbed all four of Renier¡¯s limbs as they began to take off her clothes. The men had been starved of women for quite some time now, and they were blinded by greed as they assaulted her. Renier felt like her soul would leave her body. This wasn¡¯t something she could ever grow accustomed to no matter how many times she had experienced it in the past, and this was also her first time being assaulted by multiple people at once. She couldn¡¯t even feel the cold as her bare flesh touched snow because it felt like hundreds of bugs were crawling all over her everywhere they groped her. Fists came flying for her face and head every time she tried to struggle. ¡°Stop! Die, damn you! I said stop!¡± ¡°S-shit, this¡­t-this is great ¡ªhow¡¯d you know that this little brat was actually a girl, Sir?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seduced my fair share of women. I knew it as soon as I took one good look at her. Heh, this is the best!¡± ¡°He, hehe, the fact that we get to taste a woman all the way out here almost feels like a dream. You didn¡¯t tell the others, right?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m crazy? I might not even get a turn if I tell them. I¡¯ll kill you if any one of you spills¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You fucking bastards! Go and die by yourselves if you wanna die so badly!¡± Renier took her chance when one of the men let go of her ever so briefly and moved her arm like lightning. A rock that had been rolling over the ground wedged itself directly inside the bastard¡¯s eye. ¡°Huh? Ahh! Arghh!¡± The man who had been stabbed in the eye out of nowhere clutched his face, shot up to his feet, and began jumping around like crazy. He couldn¡¯t see well because he was covering his eyes. He was hopping all over the place until he tripped over an icy path that dropped directly down below. ¡°Shit, what the fuck! W-whoa! What the¡­¡­what the hell?!¡± The man began spitting out curses as he tumbled down. Not only was the path in front of the cave heavily sloped but it was also considerably slippery after five consecutive days of snow. His body, having lost its balance, slid all the way down to the bottom of the path in the blink of an eye. He was still on the ground as he floundered frantically to find something to grab onto. But the icy path was slippery and had nothing to offer, and the grave robbers hadn¡¯t created any handrails or even placed rocks on the path to make it less slippery because they needed to keep the cave hidden. The man slid all the way to the edge of the cliff as he continued to flail. ¡°H-huh? Arghhh¡­¡­?¡± The man who had been stabbed in the eyes didn¡¯t even have the chance to scream as he fell off the cliff. His large frame slid right off the path and vanished from view in no time at all. All of this had truly happened in the blink of an eye. ¡°Huh? Huuh?¡± The other four men who were pinning Renier down were dazed because they had not registered what had just happened. Even Renier could only stare blankly and blink because she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. Huh? This can¡¯t be happening. This can¡¯t be¡­¡­. She was so bewildered that she couldn¡¯t even think straight. What just happened? Why did this happen? It had happened before her very eyes, and yet she still couldn¡¯t believe it. Men had often been hurt whenever she reacted to similar situations such as this one, but no one had ever died before. Renier stiffened up like stone as she took fright. It was only after a long stretch of silence had passed that the slave man from Minotos trembled as he spat out, ¡°Huh, f-fuck, w-what just happened?¡± ¡°Did he just die? How did that happen so quickly?¡± The other men eventually grew bewildered too, and they let go of Renier as they hesitantly climbed up to their feet. Renier staggered up as well as soon as she was freed. She didn¡¯t have the time to waste by picking up her clothes and putting them back on, so she pushed the large man from Minotos who was blocking her way. He gasped and lurched forward, but he managed to pull Renier back in by the shoulder when she tried to slip past him. Renier began struggling against him like crazy before she spotted a small dagger the size of her palm dangling at his waist. Renier grabbed hold of it and swung it, and it was only then that she was finally able to break free from his hold. ¡°H-huh¡­¡­?¡± The man from Minotos opened his eyes so wide they Renier was almost afraid that they might pop out from his head. He looked like he had no idea what had just happened as he stared down at the bright red blood that was pouring out from his lower abdomen before he suddenly collapsed to his knees. ¡°Kgh! Argh, ahh, h-help me, ahhh!¡± He clutched his abdomen and slammed his head into the ground as he started screaming. But the other three men who were watching began closing in on Renier instead of helping the man from Minotos. ¡°L-look at what that crazy bitch¡¯s done!¡± ¡°Shit, no wonder Sedek always kept going on about how spiteful the brat was!¡± ¡°Kill her! K-kill the bitch right now!¡± Renier tried to run away before she even had the chance to put her clothes back on, but one of the men ultimately grabbed her by the arm. The dagger fell to the ground when he twisted her arm back. Renier kicked the man hard between his legs instead of caring about the dagger. The man she kicked squealed like a slaughtered pig as he began rolling over the snow. The remaining two men grew enraged when they saw what had happened and rushed toward Renier. ¡°And we were gonna let you live if you were obedient ¡ªhow dare you, you fucking bitch?!¡± Renier retreated to the hill above the cave. She was running out of options. She could hardly even believe what was happening to her. She wanted to cry. What the hell, why is this happening today?! I¡¯ve already come so far, so why now?! She could see the dark bloodlust that had congealed above the men¡¯s heads gradually spreading out and fading away. Her mouth felt dry, she felt like her exposed skin was freezing as it touched the chilly winds, and her hairs stood at edge. Renier bit down at her lips and glared sharply. I mustn¡¯t cry, and I mustn¡¯t be scared. Get your act together if you want to live, Renier! Renier trembled like a leaf and slowly stepped back as she desperately shot glances at the snow-covered path. Veterans who knew the mountain well didn¡¯t even bother stepping foot on the path that led to the cliff behind her because it was composed of rock salt. Rock salt tended to give way at the slightest impact because it was weaker and softer than other types of rock, and cracks had already formed in various areas of the path. In particular, there was so many cracks and crevasses around the big rock in the middle of the road that the entire area around it was already caved in. But the grave robbers before her were still approaching fearlessly because they were new and didn¡¯t know about the path. Renier would have no place left to run but straight into the perilous path if she couldn¡¯t slip past them. Her vision steadily became dyed black. What do I do? How do I break free? The two men smirked at each other and began walking up to her with knives in hand when Renier stopped moving because she was too afraid to keep going. ¡°¡­¡­Please save me. Someone, anyone, please¡­¡­.¡± Renier looked around her surroundings and desperately began begging to anyone who might be nearby. She had never one been free from the leers ever since she had realized that she had been blessed with Inanna¡¯s gift. I don¡¯t need this stupid gift. Please save me ¡ªI don¡¯t care who, so please! She felt her throat closing up. She knew that she must not take another step backward. The large rock, where the cracks were. Was it around here? What if she took just one more step? What did she do if the ground gave way beneath her feet? If she slipped and fell off the cliff? Renier gritted her teeth and brought her hands together to beg. ¡°Please just leave me alone. Please spare me, please.¡± Tears finally spilled from her eyes. The men snickered when they saw the Renier was crying where she stood. She couldn¡¯t help but grind her molars and surge with spite when she saw them snickering. Renier glared fiercely and bit down hard on her lip. I can¡¯t let them take me. It¡¯s only obvious what¡¯ll happen next if I let them take me here. Rumors will spread in the cave, and it¡¯ll be hell for me starting tomorrow. It¡¯s better to die fighting. The two men suddenly lunged at her like angry bears. Renier made up her mind, and she stooped down low, tackled their legs, and let herself slide forward past them. The men tripped over their own momentum and tumbled onto the ice. Pow! Something broke away with a dull thud. ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± Renier opened her eyes wide as she looked behind her. The two men had fallen together and on top of each other, and the man on the bottom had hit his head hard against a jagged part of the rock. It was the very same rock that had made Renier pause because she had desperately wanted to avoid going near it. The white snow surrounding the rock was dyed red with blood and yellowy with brain matter. ¡°H-h-huh? Ughh?¡± The man began convulsing. Renier covered her mouth and stepped back. ¡°Eeeek, w-what the¡­¡­?¡± The man whose head had broken started making strange noises and continued to convulse for some time before he finally began frothing at the mouth and his eyes rolled back. The man who had fallen on top of him looked between his comrade, who had died in no time at all, and Renier in turns before the veins on his necks began to bulge as he shouted, ¡°Hell, w-what the fuck just happened? W-what the fuck did you just do, you she-devil?!¡± ¡°Wait, is he really dead? Just like that? I¡¯m gonna lose my mind. Take another look, would you?!¡± ¡°Shit, of course he died immediately after his head was bashed in like that!¡± The man whom Renier had kicked in the groin staggered up to his feet and began spitting out curses. ¡°Hey! Get the fuck up and grab the bitch already! I¡¯m gonna rip her to pieces!¡± Something that had been piling up inside Renier exploded just then. She quivered as she screamed back, ¡°Who do you think you are to rip me to pieces, Mister?!¡± Why is this my fault?! Don¡¯t you even know what you¡¯ve done? Why the hell is this my fault?! Renier kicked the man in the groin as hard as she could yet again before he could stand up properly and attack her. ¡°Gaah, aaah! S-stop! Shit! Stooop!¡± Renier grit her teeth and ran over to where her clothes were when she saw him crumble down while frothing at the mouth once more. The only thought in her mind was that she had to get away from here. The man she had kicked screamed like a butchered pig and crawled over to the rock where the other two men were like an earthworm while clutching his groin. ¡°S-shit, h-help me! It, it hurts like hell ¡ªI¡¯m gonna kill that bitch!¡± ¡°Just hold on a sec. Shit, three people just died ¡ªhow do we fuck up that bitch?¡± The two men who were still unharmed were slowly beginning to take fright. They were only now beginning to understand why the cave veterans had told them not to mess with the brat. They wondered if they had poked a beehive for no reason at all, but they couldn¡¯t just turn back with their tails between their legs now that things had already come to this. ¡°Fine, bitch. I¡¯m going to catch you and murder you now that things have come to this.¡± ¡°We should at least get a taste of her first before we kill her. We would¡¯ve spared your life if you¡¯d just been obedient from the start, you know?¡± That was what the men said, but they didn¡¯t dare actually approach Renier. They couldn¡¯t help but tremble when they saw the man with the bashed in head lying dead before them. ¡°Let¡¯s deal with this first. And wake up the others. It¡¯s a bit of a shame to share, but we can¡¯t just leave perfectly good food lying around.¡± ¡°Shit, it¡¯s only morning and my day¡¯s already ruined. Ugh, tch. Anyway, I¡¯m gonna kill that bitch with my bare hands as soon as I get ahold of her.¡± The two men dragged their fallen comrade to the edge of the cliff and pushed him over. The corpse landed on the ground softly because there was a lot of snowfall, but that only made it even more eerie. Then, the men began stomping on the cliff as hard as they could while shuddering, like they were trying to shake off their misfortunes. Then, they heard a loud crack from behind. ¡°What was that noise?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Did something fall?¡± The cracking continued beneath their feet only a moment later. ¡°¡­¡­What the hell¡­¡­?¡± The blood drained from their faces as they dropped their jaws. The little brat who had been about to run away while hugging her clothes to her chest turned back around when she heard the noise. Her tear-stained face was pallid. Her lips were moving like she was trying to say something. You¡¯re in danger, you assholes, you¡¯re, you¡¯re in danger¡­¡­. ¡°The fuck is that bitch say¡­¡­?¡± The ground beneath the two men¡¯s feet suddenly gave way while they stared blankly at the brat and hesitated. ¡°Ack, what the fuck?!¡± ¡°S-save me! Save¡­¡­!¡± The bodies plummeted down the cliff. They couldn¡¯t even scream for very long before their voices were abruptly cut off. ¡­¡­Bang. The bedrock fell after them with a dull thud a moment later, and the two men yelped again ¡ªbut only very briefly. Their final cry was surprisingly dampened and quiet because they were buried so deeply in the snow. Renier gasped for air as her legs gave out from beneath her. She couldn¡¯t even register the cold of the snow against her legs or the sharpness of the wind blowing past her body. Tears simply continued to pour down her face, and she couldn¡¯t breathe properly. Then, she heard a faint voice calling from somewhere next to her. ¡°H-help me, help¡­¡­. B-Brat¡­shit¡­¡­.¡± Renier snapped her head back up. The man from Minotos whose abdomen had been sliced open was still clutching his stomach as he begged for his life. His crimson blood was painting a chaotic picture over the pure-white snow. Renier hugged her clothes to her chest as she slowly crawled over to the man. His guts were spilling out ¡ªthe wound was deeper than she¡¯d originally thought¡ª, and he was already beginning to lose consciousness. She wiped away her tears on the back of her hands before she pressed down against his wound. But he wouldn¡¯t stop bleeding no matter how hard she pressed. ¡°Oh, shit, ahh, Mister ¡ªwhat do I do? Please pull yourself together, Mister. Don¡¯t die. Please.¡± Shit, fuck, why did you have to go and murder the whole lot of us when all you had to do was lie with us just once? You fucking bitch. The man¡¯s rattling voice grew quieter and quieter as he lied down and cursed his heart out. ¡°I never meant to kill you. I really didn¡¯t mean to!¡± Renier gritted her teeth as her tears spilled over again. Something¡¯s wrong today. Why did it come to this? I¡­I just didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen to me. And I didn¡¯t want to die. That was it. But¡­but! ¡ªThat wench holds death in her hands. Thy possess a fragrance that will allure many men. ¡°No. That¡¯s not true!¡± Renier shook her head no like she had lost her mind. Her tears scattered over the reddish snow. She had simply not wanted to repeat the experiences she had suffered when she had been ten, eleven, twelve, and fourteen years old. But she had truly never wanted anything like this to happen. The words that she desperately wanted to ask surged up all the way to her throat. Was I supposed to keep my mouth shut and just let you do those horrible things to me, then? But she could not bring herself to ask the dying man that question. And only the man¡¯s dirty curses fell onto the cold snow in between Renier¡¯s sobs. ¡°Shit, we were just trying to have a good time with you, but you decided to kill us just because you didn¡¯t want to¡­¡­? Get struck by lightning and just die, you¡­¡­.¡± He slowly grew weaker under Renier¡¯s hands. She couldn¡¯t even see the dying man properly through her tears. The man began to froth at his mouth. ¡°N-no, I, I was wrong¡­¡­. Please help¡­¡­.¡± And his voice cut away only moments later. Renier sat in front of him in a stunned daze. The thick layers of snow around her were caked with blood. Goosebumps had broken out like thorns out all over her frozen skin, and she couldn¡¯t form a single thought, as if the insides of her mind had frozen over and turned white too. But she couldn¡¯t just sit here like this forever. Renier forced herself to get up and put on her clothes even as she trembled like a leaf. She bound her chest with the linen and rawhide so tightly that she barely had any circulation, and she tied the wool over that just as tightly too. Then, she grabbed the man from Minotos by his clothes and dragged him over to the cliff where the other three men had fallen and perished. Thud. It still sounded so mild as the corpse buried deeply into the snow below. Unlike his comrades, the man from Minotos ¡ªRenier didn¡¯t even know his name¡ª fell with his limbs sprawled out around him. And the white snow from his surroundings poured on top of his corpse. Renier simply stood there like a fool and looked down. Her throat was beginning to throb horribly. All she could see was the sea of her own tears. What do I do now? Do I jump off and die with them? What am I supposed to do now? ¡°Ahh¡­¡­.¡± This was not the first time that men had tried to force themselves on her. She had experienced this so many times since she was young that it didn¡¯t even surprise her anymore ¡ªshe was only sick and tired of it now. And, now that she thought about it, wasn¡¯t it precisely because of this that she had started living in a cave in the land of beasts and with people who were no better than animals? But she had never actually killed anyone before. Renier looked down at the corpses, which were now half-buried in snow, and sobbed for a very long time. She had to cover her mouth as she sobbed her heart out because she was afraid that the people who were still inside the cave might hear her. All I did was pity the poor old woman priestess and share my food with her. All I wanted was to drink milk with honey and try on some pretty clothes, and all I did was to decline a gift that I never even wanted. And right now, all I wanted was to avoid having something terrible done to me. So, why did it come to this? Have I done something wrong? Was letting them have their way with me the right thing to do, like he said? No! They were the ones who did something wrong first! But they wouldn¡¯t have died if you¡¯d just stayed quiet and not fight back, would they? No. I hate this, and that¡¯s wrong! But Renier could no longer tell what was what anymore as she continued to stare at the corpses below whose limbs were twisted in all the wrong directions. She had been able to tell herself that her assailants had simply been punished for their sins when they¡¯d gotten hurt, but she couldn¡¯t even tell herself that anymore now that things had come to this. If all this bullshit is really Inanna¡¯s gift, then how many more times do I have to experience this? Please, I¡¯m only sixteen¡­¡­. Renier clamped her mouth shut as she pressed down against the wail that threatened to escape her. What do I do now? Should I really just jump off and kill myself? What do I do¡­¡­? Piiii, piriri, piriri. Twee, piii. The faint whistling reached her ears again just then. It was growing quieter. Renier slowly turned her head. And a raspy and languid voice echoed in her ears once more. Thy possess a fragrance that will allure many men, just like Inanna herself. Thou who art loved by Inanna. Accept Inanna¡¯s blessing. Else, thy fragrance shalt become a stench, and thy fate shalt turn astray and thou shalt lose the love of the noble and beautiful beings. So what even is Inanna¡¯s blessing? What¡¯s so great about being a goddess who can decree fate? You make the men around me lunge at me like rabid dogs, and you call that a blessing? And I¡¯m a rebel just because I didn¡¯t want to accept it? Is that why my fate¡¯s in such a mess right now? Normally, you¡¯re supposed to be able to decline gifts that you don¡¯t want to be given. You¡¯re supposed to be able to decide to not believe in the things you don¡¯t want to believe in. Renier whipped her head from side to side as she cried. ¡°No, that¡¯s wrong, I¡¯m just unlucky. ¡­¡­No, I¡¯m too lucky! I¡¯m incredibly lucky! They died, but I lived. Who knows what they would¡¯ve done to me if they weren¡¯t dead?!¡± But her tears wouldn¡¯t stop no matter how many times she tried to repeat this to herself. The sun was slowly beginning to rise. Renier began to cover the traces of the man from Minotos¡¯ blood with snow. It didn¡¯t take her very long to hide all the blood because so much snow had piled up already. The corpses at the bottom of the cliff would be fully buried in the snow before long too, and no one would bother trying to look for anyone who was missing. And no one would question it when the snow melted in the spring and the corpses were found either. Most of the grave robbers who knew what they looked like would have died of starvation or cold by then anyway. That was just the kind of place the divine stone cave was. Piii, pii, swoosh, pii. Tweee! Pii! She heard the faint whistling yet again, comically enough. It was still growing quieter, but it hadn¡¯t stopped yet. Some people died so readily, and yet others struggled so desperately just to keep living. Renier looked blankly down at the corpses that were buried under the snow. The whistling was beginning to sound like someone who was begging for their life, for someone, anyone to help them. It felt like the corpses whose limbs were sprawled out and bent in strange places were pointing their fingers at her and asking, Look at what you¡¯ve done with your own two hands. What are you planning to tell Ereshkigal, the cold-hearted queen of the underworld? How will you explain yourself as you stand before her scales? Renier couldn¡¯t help but feel like someone was cackling at her from afar. Piii, pii, swoosh pii! The whistling, as slender and pointed as fish bones, slipped in between the cackling once more. The will and desire for life carried within the noise was so strong and thorough that it drowned out all the other noisy voices. The desperate will to live of someone whose name nor face Renier knew felt like a lifeline to her. And then, the whistling began asking something new of her. Save them, save them. Save them, save them. Balance the scales. Renier grit her teeth and shook her head yet again. ¡­¡­Why should I? Did I really commit such a terrible sin? I saw all that black bloodlust behind their backs. What the hell was I supposed to do? Answer me! She couldn¡¯t find an answer inside herself. But the voice that was bellowing at her only continued to grow louder. Save them, save them. Save them, and balance the scales. Then, go to Ereshkigal, the cold-hearted queen of the underworld, and tell her this: I have killed people with these hands of mine, but I¡¯ve saved people too, and I¡¯ve hurt people with these hands of mine, but I¡¯ve healed people too. I was toyed with heartlessly by your sister Inanna¡¯s whims, but I still did my best to balance your scales. Choose thy fate at the crossroads between all these things. Renier suddenly realized that she had stopped crying. She roughly wiped away the cold tears that were beginning to freeze on her face with the back of her hand. Then, she shook out her frozen fingers and brushed off the snow from her feet. She tied her shoelaces tight and put on her fur hat once she¡¯d found it in the snow. She even found her bronze knife and sling and secured both around her waist. Save them, save them. Save them, and balance the scales. The strange roaring, mixed into the whistling and the wind, was so loud now that she thought it might burst her eardrums. And Renier turned toward the direction from which the sound was coming and slowly began to make her way down the mountain. Volume 1 - CH 2 ¡°H-hey! Are you okay? Pull yourself together! You¡¯ll die at this rate! I said, pull yourself together!¡± It hadn¡¯t been difficult for Renier to figure out where the whistling was coming from. There was a forest of cedars far beneath the cave where Renier hunted often, and a trail of bright red blood had been left over the white cover of snow. Neither the people of the Southlands nor the people of the Northlands visited this region often because it was the boundary between Rock Mountain and Salt Mountain. A large boy was hiding in the rocky mountains under a makeshift shelter he had made from branches in order to block out the wind. The boy had already lost consciousness by the time Renier found him. It only took Renier one look to realize that the boy was a Northlander, the people who were also called beastmen. For starters, his appearance was starkly different from that of the Southlanders that Renier was so accustomed to seeing. He was very large, he had hair all over his limbs and even on the back of his hand, and his mud-colored hair was as tangled as an overgrown field of weeds. But the boy still looked human, unlike what Renier had always imagined. He even looked fairly young, considering the roundness of his slightly freckled visage. Renier studied the unconscious boy for quite a long time. She was a little afraid because she had always been told that the Northlanders were half-beast half-human beastmen who were the descendants of a man-eating beast, but the boy didn¡¯t look much different from other humans, he was wearing proper clothes and shoes, and he was even carrying a weapon. There was no way that a beast would make shoes for himself, much less put them on. Still, Renier couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. Had he really survived for several days while also sending out distress signals despite having lost so much blood? The boy was alive, but he was in grave condition. A bronze spear was lodged deeply inside his thigh, and the flesh immediately surrounding the wound had turned blue ¡ªthough Renier didn¡¯t know if this was because the spear tip had been poisoned or because of frostbite. In any event, the boy would only die immediately if Renier tried to pull the spear out right now because she would neither be able to stop the bleeding nor give him proper treatment. Actually, it was probably more likely that the pain would kill him first. Renier couldn¡¯t help but wonder how the boy was even still alive right now. Renier covered the boy¡¯s eyes and bound his hands tightly in front of him first before she poured some of her precious wine into his mouth. Then, she began slapping him hard across the face. ¡°U¡­¡­. Ugh!¡± He only began groaning after Renier had slapped his face red. He tried to look around wildly at first, after having realized that he was blindfolded and his hands were bound, but he didn¡¯t try to struggle. It seemed like he didn¡¯t have any energy left in his body. Instead, he took a shaky breath and began to ask question after question. ¡°Who are you? D-did you¡­¡­save me? Which mountain tribe do you hail from? And¡­¡­why have you covered my eyes? And my hands?¡± The boy¡¯s manner of speech sounded weird and funny to Renier and made him sound like an old man, but Renier had no way of knowing if this was simply how the Northlanders spoke or if the boy had a special manner of speech. She had never heard a Northlander speak, after all. ¡°I tied up your hands because I didn¡¯t want you to take off the blindfold. I¡¯ll untie them if you promise me that you¡¯ll keep the blindfold on. Be warned that I¡¯m just going to up and leave if you take it off.¡± ¡°Pray tell me why you¡¯ve covered my eyes first.¡± The boy¡¯s quiet and raspy voice sounded incredibly melancholy, but it also sounded scarily composed. ¡°Hear me out first. You¡¯re going to die within the day if I don¡¯t save you right now. You probably know this too, but no one knows if it¡¯ll be another week or ten days until this storm blows over.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably from Salt Mountain, judging by how you were whistling, but no one else will come to help you even if you keep whistling for a hundred more days. Your whistle won¡¯t travel even a single league in this weather. You obviously won¡¯t be heard by anyone in Salt City, and no one from your tribe will come to rescue you either.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware of all that too. I kept sending signals anyway because I had to do anything that I could to keep living. And, here you are.¡± You would¡¯ve frozen to death here if those five bastards hadn¡¯t died this morning and they had their way with me. Renier smiled wryly. ¡°The cave that I¡¯ve been staying at isn¡¯t too far from here. I¡¯ve stashed some medicinal wine that I¡¯ve made there, there¡¯s a fire, and there won¡¯t be any wild animals nearby because there are too many people. You might be able to make it if you manage to hold out for a little longer.¡± ¡°A cave?¡± ¡°Yeah. A cave. But I can¡¯t let a Northlander know where the cave is, and I can¡¯t let you see the faces of the people living there either. And I¡¯ll be beaten to death too if they find out that I saved a Northlander¡¯s life. That¡¯s why I covered your eyes.¡± ¡°Are you one of the grave robbers in the divine stone mines?¡± The boy¡¯s voice suddenly turned frigid. Renier flinched before she pouted and said, ¡°It¡¯s true that I¡¯ve been hiding in the mines, but I couldn¡¯t care any less about the divine stones. I¡¯ve never dug up a single pebble. I¡¯m already busy enough trying to hunt and eat.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to believe me if you don¡¯t want to. But I swear on the names of the great Enlil, Enki, Utu, Nanna, and Ninhursag that I¡¯ve never touched a divine stone in my life ¡ªnot even a piece as small as an eyelash.¡± The boy¡¯s expression mellowed when Renier swore by the first gods that came to her mind. He steadied his breathing to endure the pain for a while before he managed to reply, ¡°I believe you. You didn¡¯t dig up any divine stones.¡± ¡°Hmph, am I supposed to be grateful and throw myself at your feet just because you believe me? Are you Northlanders not taught what you¡¯re supposed to say in times like this?¡± Renier retorted disgruntledly because her mood had only soured more when it had already been at rock-bottom. It was only then that the boy finally grew flustered and said, ¡°¡­¡­I apologize for being late in conveying my gratitude. I owe you a huge debt of grace. I am Kuhn of Salt City, son of Huwatu and Kahala. What is your name? Where are you from? Who is your father?¡± ¡°Are you insane? Why the hell would you ask me that when you know I¡¯m working my ass off trying not to get caught by you Northlanders?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re absolutely not allowed to see anything until I tell you that it¡¯s okay to take off your blindfold. I¡¯ll help you as long as you promise me you won¡¯t.¡± The boy furrowed his brow for a moment as he fell into thought. ¡°I wish to know why you¡¯re helping me despite saying that your own life may be in danger if you do.¡± Renier suddenly grew annoyed. How am I supposed to explain that? My throat closes up and I feel like I want to die whenever I think about ¡®why.¡¯ She had no choice but to forcefully quash his question. ¡°Why do you keep prattling on and on about everything when I¡¯m telling you that I¡¯m going to help you? You know what?! I¡¯m helping you just because I want to!¡± ¡°I want to trust you. That¡¯s why I wish to know the reasoning behind your incomprehensible actions,¡± the boy quipped back slowly but stubbornly. Renier had no idea why this big buffoon only kept asking one question after another when he could¡¯ve simply said thank you and quietly let her carry him away. Still, she was surprised by how rational and cautious the beastman was now that she had finally met one. Renier hesitated for a moment before she quietly said, ¡°I never would¡¯ve helped the likes of a Northlander like you under any normal circumstances.¡± ¡°Then, why are you helping me?¡± Renier stood silently in place for quite some time because she didn¡¯t know how to answer. She recalled the corpses whose limbs had bent in strange places after falling down the cliff. A cry rushed up from deep within before she knew it, and her eyes grew moist with fresh tears. She tried her best to blink them away, but the teardrops fell from her eyes before she could stop them and audibly dripped down to her feet. The boy waited with his head lowered for a while before he quietly said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I apologize if I asked you something I shouldn¡¯t have. I¡¯ll just make you a promise.¡± ¡°Hmph¡­¡­shit, well thanks, I guess.¡± ¡°You have my word that I will not undo my blindfold until you permit it. I won¡¯t see anything. I¡¯ll do whatever it is that you tell me to. You swore to me upon the names of the great gods, so I¡¯ll also make you this promise on the name of Lord Utu, the god of the sun whom I believe in,¡± said the boy named Kuhn in a quiet yet calm voice. Renier gave the boy the rest of the fruit wine that she had been saving. Fruit wine was often used as medicine or emergency rations because it was both nutritious and also helped warm up the body. The boy was still blindfolded as Renier just barely managed to help him to his feet. He flinched and groaned whenever his left leg, the one that had been stabbed by the spear, touched the ground. Renier nearly fell over when she tried to carry him on her back. The boy was much bigger than her, and he was also rather heavy. ¡°Ditch the axe. It¡¯s heavy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Urtur (puppy) is like a part of my own body.¡± Seriously? Puppy? Are you kidding me right now? You gave your axe a cutesy name like that? And that¡¯s why you can¡¯t bear to throw it away? ¡°Hey! You¡¯re fucking heavy enough as it is, okay?! Can¡¯t you see my legs shaking under your weight right now? Oh, wait, I guess you can¡¯t. But anyway, ditch it! You promised me that you¡¯d do whatever I tell you. Are you going back on your word already?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I merely forgot for a moment. I¡¯ll cast it aside.¡± The boy flung the bloodied axe that had been hanging at his waist to the ground. He had probably meant it when he said his axe was like a part of his own body, considering how much hesitation Renier could feel from him. Renier trembled as she began walking with the boy on her back. He was so heavy that she felt like her waist and knees might fold at any given moment. She could feel the boy gritting his teeth and clenching his arms so hard they were practically twitching in an attempt to swallow back his groans every time she readjusted her grip on him and the pain in his leg grew worse. Renier felt like he would crush her throat and burst open her lungs when he did that, but she couldn¡¯t exactly tell him to stop either, so she simply gritted her teeth and desperately marched on. Her breath seemed to be burning as she panted for air until she finally started smelling blood. Just then, she heard an extremely tense voice from behind ask her, ¡°Wait. You¡­¡­are you a woman?¡± Shit, Renier cursed to herself. How¡¯d he know? The boy had apparently figured it out immediately just by touching her arms a bit, even though she had bound her chest so tightly that it felt like a slab of stone. Gods damnit! ¡°I am.¡± The body on Renier¡¯s back suddenly grew stiff. The boy lost all the composure he¡¯d had earlier and struggled desperately to climb off. Renier sat him down on a nearby rock out of irritation, and the bewildered boy mumbled, ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know. I would¡¯ve never¡­¡­had you carry me on your back if I¡¯d known.¡± ¡°Why? Then, are you just going to go ahead and start walking on that leg of yours?¡± But the boy dawdled for quite some time instead of replying until he finally flinched and said, ¡°Wait, then are you telling me that you were living with those pieces of trash in the divine stone mines even though you¡¯re a woman? Were you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the first person I¡¯m going to murder if you dare and tell them that I¡¯m a woman.¡± ¡°¡­¡­The others don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°No one else knows, and everyone who did know is dead now.¡± ¡°Did you kill them?¡± He had posed his question so flatly that Renier almost nodded back without thinking. Renier flared up in anger as she shouted back, ¡°What do you care?! They went ahead and croaked all on their own, so what the hell was I supposed do about it?!¡± ¡°I never meant to criticize you. Why are you angry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry! I¡¯m not!¡± Renier suddenly stopped herself as she yelled. She knew that she shouldn¡¯t be taking her frustrations out on the boy. Renier felt sorry, and her voice withered as she pulled the boy up to his feet by the hand. She said, ¡°I¡¯ll help you walk if you don¡¯t want me to carry you. Grab my shoulder. And take this, too.¡± The boy put one hand over Renier¡¯s shoulder and clung to the makeshift cane that Renier had made for him using a tree branch with the other as he strenuously hobbled along. He clenched his jaw so hard that it began looking like a peach pit and he hissed out a sharp breath of air between gritted teeth every time his injured leg touched the ground, but he refused to let Renier carry him and walked on his own two feet until the bitter end. His face was so drenched in cold sweat that it looked like he¡¯d been doused in water by the time Renier could finally see the cave entrance. Renier had him sit for a moment and ran to her secret storage in between some rocks to fetch some wine and two pieces of dried meat. The boy struggled desperately not to pass out as he sat on a rock, and Renier gave him her precious wine and meat without a moment¡¯s hesitation. She even cut up the meat into tiny pieces with her own teeth so it¡¯d be easier for him to eat because it looked like he was having a hard time chewing. ¡°The meat¡¯s precious, you know? And so is the wine. And I¡¯m giving it to you even though I don¡¯t have much left.¡± ¡°So it seems.¡± ¡°So it seems? Is that what you Northlanders say to people who give you precious things even though they¡¯re complete strangers?¡± ¡°¡­¡­You have my thanks.¡± Renier didn¡¯t know if the beastmen were generally adverse to expressing their gratitude or if it was just this boy, who spoke like an old man, who had a questionable personality. She would¡¯ve cursed at and grown annoyed with him had he been one of the grave robbers, but she decided to swallow back the blunt words she had been about to say because she was so grateful that the rascal had made it this far without dying. Renier gently placed the pouch of wine on top of the boy¡¯s hand. ¡°Eat up. You have to eat to get better.¡± The boy¡¯s eyes were still covered as he held the wine pouch in his hand. He immediately pulled back when his fingers cautiously brushed against Renier¡¯s. He stared in the direction where Renier was sitting with his eyes covered for quite some time before, in a raspy voice, he said, ¡°I wish to know your name.¡± ¡°Gods¡­¡­. You¡¯re a stubborn one, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t tell me your name, then will you at least tell me your age? I¡¯m sixteen, and I¡¯ll turn seventeen and have my coming-of-age ceremony after the spring equinox passes.¡± ¡­¡­He¡¯s the same age as me? Renier was momentarily dumbfounded as she stared back at the boy. Renier had always fervently wanted to have a friend her age. Not the misters or the old men who sniggered and smacked their chops whenever their eyes met hers, not the slave women who always nagged at her and ratted her out so they could vent their frustrations on her, nor the young children whom she¡¯d had to look after, but a friend her age with whom she could share even the heaviest burdens in her heart. But Renier had never known such a friend in her life. Not even once. To be exact, she¡¯d never had the time to relax and make friends her age because she¡¯d always been so busy running away from people all the time. That was probably how it would always be, all things considered. Renier had been abandoned in a random forest, so she had no parents, siblings, or even any relatives. Renier began giggling in the lieu of a reply. Sixteen ¡ªshe had finally met someone her age, but he was a beastman bastard from the Northlands and the only reason she had even met him in the first place was because of the nightmare that had taken place that morning. She was so glad and happy that she thought it might drive her insane. The boy frowned when he heard Renier laughing and let out a sigh. ¡°I have no idea what it was that I did wrong this time. Should I not have asked for your age either?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just some brat who hasn¡¯t even come of age yet ¡ªha, hahaha¡ª and yet you¡¯re asking a lady how old she is? That¡¯s enough. Go home and suck on your mother¡¯s tits, and then sit on her lap and have her teach you some manners. Okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Don¡¯t ask me any questions about me. Don¡¯t ask me anything! Okay? Got that? Haha, ha¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I understand, so stop crying. I¡¯ll stop asking.¡± The boy¡¯s pallid and cold hand passed through the air. Renier knew that he was offering to wipe away her tears, but she ignored him and drew back instead. His hand stayed there for quite some time before he finally dropped it. Renier abruptly stopped laughing. Then, she belatedly realized that the blindfold over the boy¡¯s eyes was moist with tears. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t crying. Northlander men don¡¯t cry like little¡­¡­.¡± The suddenly stopped mid-sentence and quickly whipped his head to the side. But he must¡¯ve miscalculated, as the moisture on the blindfold suddenly began to spread. Sniiiff, sniff. He did his best to press down the noises he was making from within, but that wasn¡¯t something that could easily be suppressed by force of will alone. Renier furrowed her brows when she saw the boy¡¯s face crumble and his lips twitch. A dull ache spread through her chest. ¡°You¡¯re right. I was seeing things. Were you just feeling a little down?¡± The boy simply nodded back, unable to reply. Apathetically, Renier asked, ¡°Will you tell me why you were feeling so down?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I won¡¯t ask you any questions, so you shouldn¡¯t ask me either.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll answer you if you answer me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I was really sad because you told me that you were sixteen. Is that good enough?¡± The boy looked utterly dissatisfied as he turned back to Renier. And so, Renier decided to cite the names of the damned gods once more. ¡°I¡¯ll swear by all the great gods who decree fate that I seriously meant it when I said that I was really sad because you told me that you were sixteen.¡± The boy looked like he couldn¡¯t comprehend her at all, and he looked like he was dying to ask more questions as he shook his head. It was clear as day that he was stubbornly thinking, ¡®Why should I have to tell you the truth when you¡¯re obviously lying to me?¡¯ ¡°I¡­I simply fell into a moment of melancholy because you were crying.¡± ¡°Why¡¯re you saying that it¡¯s my fault? Damn it, you know what? ¡ªI¡¯ll swear on the name of the great Lady Inanna that I wasn¡¯t lying! You just don¡¯t understand my sadness because you¡¯re dull and incapable of understanding me, got it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me if you don¡¯t want to,¡± Renier spat out as she pouted. The boy fell silent and nodded to himself for a long time. He still looked like he couldn¡¯t understand at all, but he didn¡¯t find fault with what Renier had said either because she had sworn on the names of the great gods. The boy looked so honest to a fault that Renier thought that he probably hadn¡¯t even imagined that Renier, who neither believed in nor worshiped the gods, hadn¡¯t meant it when she had sworn on their names. In a hoarse voice, the boy quietly answered, ¡°I suddenly thought about my mother.¡± Huh? Renier tilted her head to the side. That wasn¡¯t because I told him to go such on his mother¡¯s tits, was it? The boy reluctantly elucidated, ¡°My mother and father passed away before my very eyes three days ago. ¡­¡­I wasn¡¯t able to save them.¡± Oh, shoot. ¡°She grew angry and screamed at me, asking why I¡¯d only come now and why I wasn¡¯t leaving. That ended up being the last things she ever said to me. I wasn¡¯t even able to say thank you¡­¡­. I was trying to forget, and I only remembered because you were crying. I never meant to blame you.¡± The boy lowered his head and clenched his hand into a fist on top of his knee. Moisture spread across the blindfold once more. Renier reached out and was about to touch his eyes before she hesitated. She wanted to offer him warm words of consolation or ask him about what had happened and why, but she felt like his tears would begin spilling out from the already drenched blindfold if she did. He was already having such a hard time holding himself back, and she didn¡¯t want to see him suffering even more. And so, instead of gently touching the boy¡¯s eyes, she grabbed his face tightly by the cheeks and purposefully made it sound like she was pouting as she said to him, ¡°Yeah, and so what? You¡¯ll end up having a touching reunion with your mom and dad before Lady Ereshkigal by the end of the day if you don¡¯t get your act together and stop whining. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll like that a whole lot!¡± Renier squeezed his cheeks tighter as she fumed at him. It was getting harder for her to look at the soaked blindfold. She continued, ¡°I don¡¯t have a mom and dad either. Well, I did at one point, but I don¡¯t even know what they looked like because they left their own daughter in the middle of the woods for the beasts to feast on! And then I got myself sold off all over the place from one nasty person to the next. I¡¯m much more pitiful than you, okay?! So stop whining. Got it?¡± Renier said whatever came to her mind, and she didn¡¯t know whether she was trying to console the boy or simply saying things out of self-pity. Then, she lowered her voice and muttered, ¡°¡­¡­Thing¡¯s aren¡¯t going to get any worse for you than they are now. So¡­¡­.¡± Something suddenly touched her cheeks just then. It was the boy¡¯s fingers, which were covered in dried blood. ¡°Enough. I¡¯m all right now.¡± His cold fingers slowly began caressing Renier¡¯s wet cheeks. Renier scowled heavily. The rascal wasn¡¯t reacting the way she had anticipated he would. The boy continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know your n-name, and I don¡¯t know w-what to say either, but¡­¡­in any event, I will never forget this.¡± Renier was absolutely convinced that the rascal had never learned how to read a room properly. She fumed about how he had never learned how to respond properly despite already being sixteen and cried for a very long time. Before they entered the cave, Renier instructed the boy, ¡°Keep your mouth, eyes, and ears shut and stay quietly in a corner when we get to the cave. Play along with my story that you got stranded while trying to mine some divine stones in the Whitesalt Mountains, and just lie down in a corner of the cave, eat the food I give you, and get better. Okay?¡± ¡°Will you release me as soon as I recover?¡± Renier paused. I¡¯m willing to save his life, but will I send him back too? I haven¡¯t thought that far yet. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡± ¡°Are you planning to trap me inside that cave forever? I need to return home. There is something I must do.¡± ¡°Yes, of course ¡ªjust like how the grave robbers here have to go home too. And how they have things that they must do too,¡± Renier grumbled. Then, she added, ¡°Who¡¯s going to guarantee that you won¡¯t try to get back at me? To put it more bluntly, how do I know you won¡¯t come back with people from Salt City to kill me later?¡± ¡°You¡­¡­.¡± The boy looked like he¡¯d just heard something preposterous and stuttered with his jaw agape for a moment before he continued, ¡°Is it common for people to murder their saviors in the Southlands or the West? I owe you my life, and I will repay this debt without fail.¡± ¡°What? And you expect me to believe it when a Northlander tells me that he¡¯s going to repay his debt? Aren¡¯t you people from Salt City the descendants of the man-eating eagle who ate the mother of his own children?¡± Renier huffed in the boy¡¯s face. When Southlanders insulted others by calling them ¡®Northlanders¡¯ or ¡®beastmen,¡¯ they were also implicitly calling them ¡®ingrates¡¯ and ¡®traitors.¡¯ This was because, according to the legends, the ancestor of the Salt Mountain Tribe was a man-eating eagle who had eaten Armanu, the goddess of the Golden Forest and the mother of his children. The boy shouted back, ¡°Where did you hear that nonsense?! The people of Salt City do no such thing!¡± Renier was about to retort, ¡°Anyone can say anything,¡± but she stopped herself. The boy looked truly offended. He looked enraged as he grumbled, ¡°I¡¯m not one to make many promises¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°But I have never gone back on my word once I¡¯ve given it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­.¡± The boy¡¯s manner of speech still sounded old-fashioned and he was so absurdly sincere that it made him sound ridiculous, but strangely enough, it also made Renier want to trust him. But she wasn¡¯t about to simply let his sincerity persuade her either. She had witnessed an endless stream of betrayal, fraud, and murder during her three years in the divine stone mines. And she had already experienced more than her fair share of betrayals and other horrible things. Renier knew best that humans were less trustworthy than even beasts or insects. ¡°That¡¯s big talk from someone who¡¯s on death¡¯s door. Sure, whatever. Let¡¯s say that you really will repay your debt. How are you planning on doing that? Are you going to give me your life if I ask for it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­It was you who gave me my life, so I shall return it to you whenever you ask it of me.¡± Renier was dumbstruck by the boy¡¯s unhesitant reply. Then, she raged, ¡°Wow, what the fuck?! I¡¯m going out of my way here to save your life, but now you¡¯re just going to throw it away? Are you trying to drive me insane?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand you. Why are you angry at me for saying that I¡¯m willing to return to you what you gave me should you ask for it? I am willing to give you back my life whenever you ask it of me.¡± ¡°You know what? ¡ªthat¡¯s enough. I¡¯ve no use for a Northlander¡¯s life. It sucks that it¡¯s hard enough just trying to make it through every day, so why do I have to be responsible for someone else¡¯s life too?¡± The boy stopped talking and frowned for a moment before, in a heavy voice, he asked, ¡°¡­¡­Do you not wish to live?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t. I wish a rock the size of a person would just fall on my head while I¡¯m fast asleep. That way, I can die instantly without feeling the pain.¡± A long stretch of silence fell between Renier and the boy. Then, Renier grouchily said, ¡°Sure, whatever ¡ªif you really insist on repaying your debt, then I want you to listen to just one wish of mine.¡± ¡°I would listen to ten of your wishes, so long as they are within my capacity to fulfill.¡± ¡°Hey, I said that¡¯s enough. I don¡¯t need ten or even a hundred wishes fulfilled ¡ªI just need one. My wish¡­¡± Renier felt her insides churning. The words that she had been stuffing back inside her had finally found the opportunity to break free and were surging up her throat. Her voice quivered ever so slightly as she said, ¡°¡­Is for you to live a very, very long life. I¡¯ll kill you myself if you drop dead immediately after I¡¯ve gone out of my way to save you. Live until you¡¯re a hundred years old. Actually, a hundred years isn¡¯t long enough. Live until you¡¯re a hundred fifty ¡ªor at least five times as long as most people. You got that? Five times.¡± The boy looked dumbfounded. ¡°Why five times, of all things?¡± ¡°Stop asking me to explain everything! Just tell me whether you¡¯ll make my wish come true or not!¡± ¡°¡­¡­I-I cannot. I am sorry.¡± ¡°Ugh, seriously?! Can¡¯t you just say yes or whatever and move on? ¡ªit¡¯s not like I¡¯m actually going to check to make sure you live until you¡¯re a hundred fifty years old or anything! That way, you can just forget about repaying your debt or whatever and go home with no strings attached!¡± But the boy seemed disinclined to do that, and he shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯ll endeavor to do my best. But I will not make you a promise that I cannot be sure I can keep. So, state another wish.¡± Renier looked up at the stubborn boy¡¯s stubbornly honest face. She couldn¡¯t help but start giggling when she saw how sincere he was. Five times as long as most people, huh? Renier, you lazy wench, is it really too much for you to save five lives? But things would still be ridiculous even if I did manage to save five lives. Do you seriously believe that it will erase everything I¡¯ve done? ¡°Fine. I can¡¯t help it if you say no. Let¡¯s go with something else, then.¡± Renier recalled the large and heavy axe the boy had been carrying. There had been dried blood on it. Renier had barely managed to pick it up with two hands, but the boy had easily tossed it aside with just one. Renier hesitated for a moment before she asked, ¡°Are you¡­¡­good at hunting?¡± ¡°I am. I hunted a sabretooth tiger alone when I was ten, and I¡¯ve never once been bested by any beast or predatory bird of the Whitesalt Mountains. I can hunt you any creature that you wish.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty decent at hunting too. And I don¡¯t need any creatures. Have you ever killed a person before?¡± ¡°I have. Is there someone you want dead, perchance?¡± the boy asked ever so calmly. Renier looked down at her toes in silence instead of answering. Flatly, the boy continued, ¡°I am the greatest warrior of the Salt Mountain Tribe. I have never been afraid or hesitant to cut down a person for the sake of defending the honor and lives of my family and tribe. Whom do you wish for me to kill, and for what reason?¡± ¡°Is the reason important?¡± ¡°You can never undo the act of taking another¡¯s life. And so, there must be an appropriate reason to do so.¡± ¡°And who gets to decide whether a reason¡¯s appropriate or not?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Renier looked quietly back at the boy who was the same age as her. They clearly lived in different worlds, but they felt even more different than Renier had initially believed. He had replied ever so calmly when he had said, ¡°I do.¡± Just how many people in the world were capable of answering with so much certainty and without any regard for the blessings or curses or the gods? Would this child believe that the men from earlier had died for ¡®an appropriate reason?¡¯ Slowly, Renier said, ¡°If I ever come to find you later, a long, long time from now¡­¡­.¡± So, by the time I¡¯ve saved all five lives, suffered the same as all the people I¡¯ve hurt until now, and I¡¯ve balanced the scales before the eyes of that whimsical goddess and all the other gods, and by the time I¡¯ll be able to look up at Lady Ereshkigal and speak to her with my head held high even after¡¯s I¡¯ve been dragged before her¡­ ¡°Will you kill me in one single blow? Don¡¯t ask me why, and make it quick enough that I won¡¯t feel any pain as I die.¡± The boy¡¯s face crumbled yet again. It was only a long time later that he quietly asked, ¡°¡­¡­Why?¡± He always had to ask for an explanation ¡ªit was like he refused to simply let go of anything he didn¡¯t understand. Renier was tired of telling his to stop asking why. She returned to being sullen as she retorted, ¡°Because it¡¯s too difficult to die after getting hit on the head by a large rock. And I want to die painlessly, without having to be afraid, and without having to know that I¡¯m actually dying.¡± The bewilderment on the boy¡¯s face only grew deeper. He clutched his wound and let out a long breath ¡ªwas it a groan or a sigh?¡ª before he shook his head yet again. ¡°I will not.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Hmph. I knew you¡¯d say that. You¡¯re saying no to everything. Why did you even ask me to tell you what my wish is to begin with?¡± ¡°I cannot slay my life¡¯s savior with my own two hands. Pray state another wish.¡± ¡°Did I ever ask you to repay your debt? I¡¯m telling you that you don¡¯t need to,¡± Renier grumbled before she abruptly shut her mouth. She had suddenly thought of something that she could ask him to do. It was such an appropriate request that it left a bitter taste in her mouth. She said, ¡°Fine. In that case, listen to just this one request of mine. ¡­¡­It shouldn¡¯t be too hard.¡± Those five men wouldn¡¯t have died¡­¡­. Renier bit her lips as she thought. Yeah. They wouldn¡¯t have died. They wouldn¡¯t have died if I¡¯d just submitted to the disgusting blessing that Goddess Inanna gave me. If I¡¯d just let them have their way with me and satisfied their lust instead of frantically fighting back. ¡­¡­Then, those vile men back in the Southlands never would¡¯ve gotten hurt, I never would¡¯ve been sold off to the Golden Forest, and I never would¡¯ve become a runaway slave. I would¡¯ve gotten married to a suitable slave in the Southlands, had lots of children, and lived the rest of my life quietly. I might¡¯ve even become the rich fisherman¡¯s mistress and gotten to drink milk with honey every morning. If only Renier had simply surrendered herself to Goddess Inanna¡¯s blessing, that is. ¡°Once you¡¯ve fully recovered¡­¡­.¡± The questions that she forced herself to bury came back to her like a cataract. No, like a tsunami. Was I supposed to just stay still and let them have their way with me? Five people died. They didn¡¯t need to die. I never meant to kill them. If I didn¡¯t fight back and try to run away, if I¡¯d simply let them rape me¡­ But I didn¡¯t want to. I really didn¡¯t want to. But, was it right for others to die just because I didn¡¯t want to? Do I have to pay the price for that now? Can I even pay it to begin with? Renier¡¯s mind was in such chaos that she thought she might lose her mind. Renier wrapped the wish circling inside her mouth around her tongue and moistened her lips. Her throat hurt so much that it felt like she was ripping it open with an arrowhead. Do I just want to be punished? Or am I just trying to make myself feel better? Isn¡¯t it better to ask a person or a beast to punish me than to be punished by the gods? People are more merciful than the gods are, and beasts are more merciful than people are, aren¡¯t they? Renier grew more melancholy the longer she continued thinking. ¡°I want you¡­¡­.¡± Tears fell from her eyes, and her throat slowly began to close up. The boy was constantly scowling and breathing hard ¡ªperhaps his wound was hurting¡ª, but he waited patiently for Renier to answer him with a solemn look on his face. Renier¡¯s voice seemed to stick to itself as she finished, ¡°¡­¡­To rape me.¡± Volume 1 - CH 3 The boy¡¯s visage froze stiff. Renier heard him take in a big breath. Once, twice, thrice. He didn¡¯t reply no matter how long Renier waited, so she slowly repeated herself, ¡°Once you¡¯ve fully recovered, I want you to rape me with your full strength.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to resist you as hard as I can. I might fight back and say no or scream about how you¡¯re hurting me, but I want you to cover my mouth with your hands, tie me up, and hit me as you rape me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± The boy did not ask for an explanation this time as he calmly shook his head no. Renier grit her teeth and replied, ¡°What is it this time? Why not? You said that you¡¯d do anything as long as it was in your capacity to do it. I thought that men were always willing to lie with a girl even if she¡¯s just a baby.¡± The boy¡¯s face immediately became like a block of ice. His thick eyebrows furrowed heavily and his lips twitched for quite some time before finally, he sullenly spat out a reply. ¡°That¡¯s not within my capacity. State another wish.¡± ¡°Gods damnit! Just forget it, then! Why do you keep asking me for more wishes when you keep telling me that you can¡¯t or don¡¯t want to fulfill them? I never asked you to repay the debt in the first place! I don¡¯t need you to repay it, so just forget it!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°This is ridiculous. Are you against sleeping with a woman or something? Is it because you think I¡¯m ugly? Or maybe you¡¯ve never slept with a woman before? All menfolk rush at cows, pigs, and me like they¡¯re starving or something, so how come you can¡¯t even take the bread that I¡¯m offering you for free?¡± The embarrassment on the boy¡¯s face boiled into fury. He didn¡¯t even bother to hide the contempt he felt for Renier as he spat out, ¡°Do the women of the Southlands or the West not have any honor or shame? Is this how women like you behave toward men whom you¡¯ve only just met?¡± Renier stared at the boy for some time before she abruptly burst out in laughter. Honor? Shame? What are those? How fortunate is he for being able to say something like that? Haha, hahaha. Heh, ehehehe. She couldn¡¯t stop laughing. Yeah, sure, I know I just said something crazy. I¡¯m desperate and feel like I¡¯m going to die, but others will probably just think that I¡¯m dishonorable and shameful. She wasn¡¯t ashamed. Everything was just funny to her, and everything was shit ¡ªit was all just hilarious, really. Renier laughed for a very long time. She laughed so hard that tears streamed down from her eyes. The boy¡¯s visage only grew stiffer and stiffer the longer Renier laughed. Then, in a heavy voice, he spat out, ¡°I¡¯ve met many people from the Southlands and the West¡­¡­but I never seem to be able to wrap my head around you lot.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to. Honor and shame don¡¯t exist in my world, and it¡¯s filled with things that you¡¯ll never be able to understand.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Just forget everything if you don¡¯t want to do it. The only reason I saved you was because I was feeling whimsical this morning, so you don¡¯t need to repay me or anything. I¡¯ll be grateful as long as you don¡¯t come to stab me in the back later. Besides, there are plenty of men other than you¡¯d who¡¯d be more than happy to have their way with a woman. The cave I¡¯ve been staying at is brimming with them.¡± The look on the boy¡¯s face was so uncontrollably intimidating, and the contempt in his expression was so obvious that it was impossible to conceal. It was only then that Renier realized that her wish was a grave insult to him and that, should he accept it, he would regard it as a stain on his honor for the rest of his life. But she didn¡¯t feel like taking back her request either. Renier had neither honor nor shame, just as the boy had pointed out, nor did she have the time to help him understand the life she had lived until now. And then, in that very moment, she heard a grief-stricken voice say to her, ¡°I¡¯ll do as you ask. If that is how I can repay you.¡± *** Kuhn clenched his teeth as he held back a groan. His throat was burning, and he couldn¡¯t sleep because his thigh hurt so much. He could hear the woman breathing raggedly nearby. The woman who had saved him was sleeping in front of him to guard him, but it didn¡¯t sound like she was well. She had been beaten severely by the grave robbers earlier. ¡­¡­What do I do now? The grave robbers realized that Kuhn was a Northlander much sooner than Renier had anticipated. Rather, they found out almost as soon as Kuhn stepped inside the cave. Not only did Northlanders look starkly different from Southlanders, but they spoke differently too. The Southlanders¡¯ speech was shrill and airy and fast, like the warbling of a partridge, in Kuhn¡¯s ears. Which probably meant that his way of speaking probably sounded incredibly rough and crude, like the roaring of a bear or boar, in theirs. He probably sounded especially ridiculous to them because the people of Salt Mountain spoke particularly slowly. And, unlike the people of the Northlands, who were concise and forthright with what they wanted to say, the people of the Southlands had a habit of going around and around in circles around what they actually wanted to say. Kuhn could never understand why the Southlanders spoke in such a tiresome manner, but he realized that they probably thought that Northlanders were simple and unlearned. It was unquestioningly Kuhn¡¯s fault that the grave robbers had figured it out so quickly. Kuhn was unaccustomed to lying, and he had unwittingly fallen silent when he had been instructed to swear by Utu, the sun god that the people of Salt Mountain worshiped, that he wasn¡¯t a Northlander. Kuhn¡¯s father had been the chief of Salt City and the high priest of the Temple of Utu, and Kuhn was his father¡¯s heir. Someone who was to be a priest could not swear upon the name of the god he was to serve and lie. The grave robbers had grown suspicious of him, and they had asked him all sorts of questions, such as where he was from, who his father was, who the reigning king of the city was, and which god was worshiped at the great temple of the city. Kuhn knew next to nothing about the Southlands and was found out almost instantaneously, and that was when the bloody beatings had started. And the dishonorable woman standing next to him had immediately jumped in. ¡°Please don¡¯t hit him! He¡¯ll die if you keep hitting him!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the point, you crazy brat! Were you planning on rescuing a Northlander? Are you planning to get the rest of us killed too? Why don¡¯t you just die with him?! You motherfucking brats!¡± The grave robbers inside the cave called the woman who had saved him a brat. Kuhn had thought that she was rather short when he had helped him walk, but it looked like she was fairly young too. He heard them punch and kick her. His insides churned as he listened to the woman being beaten. Then, she desperately yelled, ¡°I¡¯ve saved you misters plenty of times too, haven¡¯t I?! I was always the first to notice when the Northlander bastards were coming, and I always gave you a signal so you could escape! Can¡¯t you look the other way for me just this once?! I said that I¡¯d tie him up and keep an eye on him, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°That was then! Quit running your mouth, you little brat!¡± ¡°Argh! He¡¯ll die if you keep hitting him, so just hit me instead, ack! Shit! You¡¯re actually hitting me. Argh!¡± Renier had no choice but to stop the grave robbers from kicking Kuhn with her own body. She covered the idiot¡¯s mouth so the blind fool wouldn¡¯t argue back and make the grave robbers even angrier, and she planted her other hand on the floor as she took the kicks and punches with her back. She thought that her insides might spill out of her mouth when she was kicked in the head. She¡¯d thought that she was pretty resilient to physical pain because she¡¯d been whipped so many times when she was younger, but it hurt so much that she was barely able to think straight. Oh, shit, sure. I¡¯m trying to save someone from death, so it¡¯s only natural that it¡¯s so hard that I feel like I might die. But still, this hurts like hell. Both of us might die at this rate. ¡°Shit! Calm down! Listen to me! Just listen to me for a minute!¡± Renier finally began hitting back as she began to yell. The grave robbers had genuinely intended to kill as they kicked them, and Renier knew that she and the boy would die if she wasn¡¯t able to find some kind of compromise. ¡°What¡¯s even there to listen to? Don¡¯t you know that the bastard will call the rest of them Northlanders here as soon as he leaves? Are you planning to wait until he¡¯s shoved a pole up your asshole and hung you from it before you finally screw your head on straight?!¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t even know where we are. I made sure to blindfold him on our way here! And he doesn¡¯t know what any of us look like either. I just have to watch over him and make sure he doesn¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°What kind of sick game is that supposed to be?¡± ¡°Did you go insane, brat? What¡¯s with you all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Gods damnit! Didn¡¯t you hear me when I said that I¡¯d take responsibility for him and keep an eye on him? I¡¯ll chase him down and kill him myself if he tries to run. Have you ever seen me fail to hunt down my prey before? You¡¯re free to kill me if I let him escape.¡± Then, she clung to the legs of the bastard who was about to kick her again and started negotiating, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll give you guys all the fruit wine I made last autumn if you let this go just this one time!¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± The grave robber lowered his foot. Renier did not let this chance slip between her fingers and quickly added, ¡°And meat! I¡¯ll give you all the meat I¡¯ve saved up too. I¡¯ll even give you all the meat that I hunt moving forward, even the partridges and hummingbirds ¡ªeverything. You don¡¯t know how much salted meat I¡¯ve hidden away, do you? I have enough to feed everyone here for a full week ¡ªno, ten days!¡± The kicking stopped abruptly. ¡°A-a week? Ten days? Are you serious?¡± ¡°Meat? You have that much meat?¡± The thing that the people inside the cave needed most urgently was food. But not everyone knew how to hunt, and Renier was the best among those that did. They knew that they wouldn¡¯t survive the winter if they didn¡¯t have enough food. It was because of gold fever that they hadn¡¯t diligently stored up their food stocks during summer and autumn despite this. Their fortunes would immediately change for the better if they found a fist-sized divine stone today, or even tomorrow, so they failed to prepare properly for the winter because they were too busy mining for divine stones. Moreover, winters tended to come suddenly in the Northlands. It would start to get a little chilly at the end of summer before the first snowfall began out of nowhere, and then it would suddenly be winter. The grave robbers pulled back and huddled together to discuss amongst themselves. They¡¯d always wondered what the brat who didn¡¯t care about finding divine stones always did with his time while wandering around outside, and it turned out that he had been saving up on food. Furthermore, medicinal alcohol and fruit wine were just as precious as were divine stones around these parts. They didn¡¯t need to discuss for long. They simply had to hold the Northlander bastard hostage as they had their fill of meat and wine, and then they could simply kill the hostage off when spring came. The Northlander looked like he¡¯d probably drop dead long before that, but the grave robbers could at least get their fill while he was still alive. Then, Sedek, their acting leader, stepped forward. He hailed from Ninigal City in the Southlands, and he knew the most about the Northlands and was the largest and strongest inhabitant of the cave. ¡°Fine! Bring us meat in exchange for sparing that bastard. And bring it immediately tomorrow! The bastard dies if you don¡¯t bring us everything you¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that. Who¡¯s to say that you won¡¯t kill us the day after tomorrow after eating all of my meat? I¡¯ll bring you a little bit every day.¡± Renier resumed negotiations as she shook her head. Sedek made a menacing fist and swung it at Renier¡¯s cheek, but Renier refused to budge even as blood dribbled down her nose. After all, she held at least half the advantage now that the grave robbers had been tempted by the prospect of meat. The grave robbers eventually had no choice but to agree to Renier¡¯s terms, and then they dragged Kuhn toward a small chamber in the back of the cave and pushed him inside. The divine stone mines were filled with wide chambers along the veins that budded out ever so slightly from the main caves, and newcomers often found themselves a small crack between the rocks or their own chamber and slept there on top of beds of wool. Then, Sedek took the thick, three-ply rope of leather from the stone pillar and tied up Kuhn¡¯s feet. Kuhn entered the chamber obediently without resisting, and then he lied down and curled up on the floor. He didn¡¯t take off his blindfold even though his hands were free, nor did he try to untie the rope around his foot. He gnashed his teeth audibly whenever he moved his wounded leg, but he didn¡¯t even ask anyone to pull out the spearhead. No one inside the cave would pull it out even if he asked, much less help him stop the bleeding and treat him, and it wasn¡¯t like he could pull it out himself either. Perhaps it was because he knew this that he simply curled into himself on the floor and quietly endured the pain. ¡°O-ouch, ow ow ow,¡± Renier grumbled as she touched her puffy cheek. She couldn¡¯t see well out of one eye because it was nearly swollen shut, and blood continued to dribble out from her nose. One of her molars from the upper right side of her mouth had fallen loose, and her arms and legs were all scratched and bloody too. But she hadn¡¯t broken any bones. That was enough for her. Her injuries were unlikely to get badly infected because it was winter, and most of the cuts and scrapes would heal once she put some spit on them. But I¡¯m not the problem here. The problem, is that the rascal whom I¡¯ve barely just managed to save is lying there in a corner while barely reacting at all. Renier crawled around the rocky cave and brought over the old straw mat she had been using as a bed and her dirty and blackened wool blanket. ¡°Kuhn? Are you okay?¡± He didn¡¯t answer even after she¡¯d called him multiple times. Renier was frightened as she brought her face close to his mouth. She could just barely hear him breathing. And it was only then that she felt her heart settle down and she was able to breathe a sigh of relief. People die so easily, but it¡¯s so hard to save someone who¡¯s dying. ¡°¡­¡­You. W-what about you?¡± A hoarse and stuffy voice filled Renier¡¯s ear. His voice sounded horribly shaken. Renier scooted up close to him in alarm. ¡°Are you hurting? Are you feeling sick? What¡¯s wrong?¡± And then, she quickly shut her mouth. Of course he was hurting, and of course he was feeling sick. His leg was poisoned and beginning to fester. Weapons that were made from bluish or yellowish metal, unlike spears or arrows made from wood and stone, tended to spread a bluish black poison in the human body if it broke through skin. She brought her hands to his cheeks. He had a fever. She brought her ear to his mouth once more to find that his breathing was rough and feverish. What do I do? What do I do now? Suddenly, Kuhn arduously reached up and grabbed Renier by the wrist. Renier took in a sharp breath. Her wrist was so hot that it felt like she was touching fire. ¡°Why¡­¡­are you doing something so foolish?¡± ¡­¡­This fucking asshole. *** Kuhn began boiling with a fever as soon as his body melted. He had fallen into a coma during his first night inside the cave. And he had only continued to shiver horribly and vomit even as Renier kept a fire going and made sure he was drinking enough water. ¡°Ughh, ugh, hng.¡± Kuhn was clutching tightly to Renier¡¯s clothes. Renier let out a shaky breath. She¡¯d thought he¡¯d survive as long as she brought him here and kept him warm and fed, but it looked like she¡¯d picked up once hell of a pain in the ass. She knew what the problem was. It was the spearhead that was stabbed deeply into his thigh. He¡¯d die of blood loss if she pulled it out, and he¡¯d die of poison if she didn¡¯t. She could see that he¡¯d die one way or the other after today. She could hear the faint sounds of snoring. It was already past midnight, and it was now almost dawn. Renier was the only person present who wanted this child to live, and she was also the only person present who could save him and help him. Renier brought her lips close to the boy¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Kuhn.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Can you hear me, Kuhn?¡± His eyebrows wriggled. His breath felt hotter than the small campfire that was next to her. She continued, ¡°I need to pull out the spearhead.¡± Renier gently touched the broken part of the spearhead that was lodged inside his thigh. Kuhn writhed like he¡¯d been struck by lightning, and he groaned through gritted teeth. Slowly, Renier repeated herself, ¡°Kuhn, I need to pull out the spearhead. I want to save you no matter what.¡± His eyebrows wriggled once again. He squeezed Renier¡¯s arm harder. Renier understood that he was terrified but was also doing his best not to let it show. She slowly brushed back the tangled mess of his dark, rust-colored hair. ¡°I want you to survive even if it¡¯s hard. I want you to survive and live until you¡¯re a hundred fifty years old.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And if I could ask for one more thing, I¡¯m also hoping that you¡¯ll survive without having to cut off your leg.¡± ¡°Pull it out,¡± he said tersely. ¡°I don¡¯t have any herbs to stop the bleeding. There¡¯s no doctor here either. I¡¯ll have to use fire to burn away the poison and stop the bleeding. It probably won¡¯t get infected because it¡¯s winter, but it¡¯s going to hurt a lot.¡± ¡°Do it. I¡¯ll be all right.¡± Kuhn quivered and gasped for air as he added, ¡°I¡­I¡¯m a man of the Northlands. Don¡¯t worry about me, and just do it.¡± Renier grabbed Kuhn¡¯s wrist and lowered her head. Don¡¯t be ridiculous, you moron. Do you think you sound braver and stronger just because you say that you¡¯re a man of the Northlands? No. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s being ridiculous here. Why am I so desperate to save this moron when he has absolutely nothing to do with me? It¡¯d been because of guilt at first, the shallow impulse to do whatever it could to balance the scales before the Goddess Ereshkigal. But now, she simply wanted the rascal to live. She wanted to do everything she could to help him survive. Renier grabbed the boy¡¯s hand tight as she choked up and whispered, ¡°Live, please live. You only have to make it through tonight, Kuhn.¡± ¡°Why are you¡­¡­?¡± She was glad that Kuhn had decided not to keep asking. Instead, his voice had stopped trembling ever so slightly as he said again, ¡°Pull it out.¡± Renier ripped the cloth she had prepared on the floor into long strips, and then she rubbed the small knife she used for hunting on her clothes before she brought it to the fire. She took a fistful of straw and pushed it inside Kuhn¡¯s mouth once she saw that the blade was turning red hot. ¡°Bear with it for just a moment.¡± There was a long woolen kaunakes of good quality wrapped around Kuhn¡¯s waist, and he was wearing plump wraps of wool around his legs to ward off the cold. His woolen clothes were terribly heavy because they were drenched with blood, and the blood had dried on the wool and made parts of it as sharp and hard as thorns that scratched his flesh. Renier heard him draw in a sharp breath when she pried off his clothes. His chest heaved as he lie down. And Renier saw that his entire lower body was dyed red with blood from the wounds, so gruesome that she could hardly bare to keep looking at them, that were newly unveiled now that he was unclothed. The bronze spearhead was wedged deep into his upper left thigh, and the area around his wound had already turned purplish all the way up to just below his groin. Kuhn felt Renier staring and turned his head to hoarsely and angrily say to her, ¡°¡­¡­What are you looking at?¡± ¡°What am I looking at? What do you think I¡¯m looking at? Do you actually have the leisure to be embarrassed right now?¡± ¡°I still clearly remember your dishonorable request. Just pull out the spearhead already.¡± ¡°You crazy asshole! Is that really what you¡¯re thinking about right now? Do I have to wrench this thing out of you to get you to pull yourself together? Is that what it¡¯ll take?¡± Renier¡¯s hands were trembling even as she cursed. I have to dig deep into his flesh and grab the end of the spearhead and pull it out in one go. He¡¯ll end up dying from the pain if I don¡¯t do this properly. In one go, swiftly. One, two. ¡­¡­Three! ¡°Mmph! Ugh!¡± Kuhn writhed like he was having a seizure. Blackish blood and pus splattered all over Renier, and crimson blood gushed out afterward. Kuhn opened his mouth wide, only for the lump of straw inside his mouth to drop into his throat. Mm, mmph, ugh. He was also pressing his hands over his mouth as Renier pressed his clothes against the blood that was gushing from his wound with all the strength she could muster. She saw his head turning this way and that as his limbs began trembling. It would¡¯ve been so much easier for him to simply pass out, but the fool refused to. ¡°Stop squirming! Don¡¯t move! You¡¯re going to turn into a eunuch if I slip up while I¡¯m searing your wound shut with fire because you¡¯re moving around so much. Then you¡¯ll never be able to get married even if you survive this, you asshole. Hey, damnit, seriously?! I said, don¡¯t move!¡± Renier was panting heavily as she squeezed out the rest of the pus and blackish blood before she began pressing down on the wound again. But the bleeding wouldn¡¯t stop no matter how hard she pressed. The blood soaked through the dirty cloth and began flowing out from between her fingers. ¡°Ugh, damnit, w-why isn¡¯t it stopping. Why?!¡± Snot, tears, and cold sweat poured out from her as she muttered to herself. Renier bit her lips so hard that she drew blood as she wrapped her clothes around the heated knife. It was looking like she¡¯d have to sear the wound with fire immediately. Kuhn just barely managed to keep still as he gasped for breath. Renier didn¡¯t give him any warning before she placed the red-hot steel directly on top of his wound and pressed down. Sizzle, sizzle, sizz. Kuhn¡¯s mouth, which he had clenched shut, opened wide yet again, and he bent his back backward. But the boy didn¡¯t make a single sound, as if he¡¯d been prepared for the pain all along. The noises of something being scraped and the sizzling of his flesh as it melted mixed into each other as he scratched the stone floor with his fingers and desperately endured. The wound finally stopped bleeding after it had been seared for quite some time. Renier flung the knife away and began to cry. The boy, who was writhing so hard it looked like he was having a seizure, clenched his teeth together hard and swallowed back his groans when he heard her crying. Renier swallowed back her sobs as she said, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­you dare die. I¡¯ll kill you myself if you die after all this ¡ªdamnit, just don¡¯t die. I¡¯m begging you, please don¡¯t die.¡± He didn¡¯t reply. His body twitched every time he exhaled. The blindfold over his eyes was drenched. Renier tied cloth around his leg as she hoarsely mumbled, ¡°¡­¡­T-the bleeding¡¯s stopped. Are you okay? Are you okay, Kuhn?¡± Kuhn didn¡¯t say a single word. His quivering hand swam through the air for a moment before he found Renier¡¯s and pulled it toward him. Renier closed her eyes and desperately continued to mumble to herself. Live, please survive this and live. Please just make it through the night. Make it through tomorrow night too and live for another year, ten years, and twenty years. Until you¡¯re a hundred, two hundred years old, until you forget everything that¡¯s happened today and you forget all about ever meeting an unlucky wench like me ¡ªplease. Renier brought her hand to his cheek and continued sniffling for a very long time. Kuhn¡¯s ulnar bone was bulging. His blindfold was so drenched that it might begin to leak at any moment. His lips moved like he was trying to say something, but he couldn¡¯t speak because the only noise that came from his throat was the sound of his gasping. Drip. A bead of water finally leaked from his blindfold and began trailing down his temple and toward his ear. Kuhn no longer seemed interested in turning his head to hide it. He continued to mutedly gasp for air and arduously swallow his saliva until the palm of Renier¡¯s hand became drenched. Kuhn¡¯s hand gently fell on top of Renier¡¯s drenched one and squeezed. Then, he carefully pulled her hand down from his cheek so that it rested on top of his lips. Renier¡¯s palm tickled for a moment. But she could not understand the words that had been swallowed into her palm. Volume 1 - CH 4 Kuhn remained comatose for another two days. His fever was so high that there was nothing that Renier could do. She didn¡¯t move an inch as she continued to watch over him. She placed a piece of cloth in snow and rubbed it all over his body when his fever climbed higher, and she washed him with water that had been purified by the cedars at least three or four times every day. It looked like the fire had burned away all the metal poison, considering that it hadn¡¯t killed him. And Renier felt like the rascal was beginning to breathe a little easier as his fever slowly began to break on the second day. A faint light fell into the cave. The sunlight only entered the chamber where Kuhn was staying briefly during daybreak. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s so cold. Did the fire go out? ¡­¡­Is it morning already?¡± Renier, who had fallen asleep while crouching in front of Kuhn, startled as she stood up and stretched. ¡°W-when did you get up?¡± Kuhn was sitting up. He looked gaunt, but his face was no longer red from fever and the vigor was beginning to return to his countenance. He turned to where he could hear Renier¡¯s voice coming from and chuckled soundlessly. ¡°Just earlier. I was waiting for you to wake.¡± Renier felt a little dazed as she watched him laugh. He looked a little awkward and embarrassed, perhaps because he didn¡¯t laugh often. But he was pleasant to look at because his bashful embarrassment suited his awkward laughter well. To be honest, Renier wished that the Southlanders inside the cave could be even half as good-looking as Kuhn was. Seeing him laugh made her realize that the Northlanders weren¡¯t as ugly as she¡¯d originally thought. And then, Renier suddenly realized why Kuhn looked so different. The contempt that he had been wearing even just a few days ago had been wiped cleanly from his features. The boy¡¯s features looked soft and innocent now that the cold, hard, and composed air had left him. ¡°May I¡­have you hand for a moment?¡± he asked gingerly, perhaps because he was embarrassed. Renier quietly held out her hand, and Kuhn lowered his head as he squeezed her hand tight. The boy squirmed for quite some time before he seemed to choke up a little and mumbled, ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s very small.¡± Truly, the Northlanders had a very strange way of expressing their gratitude. Kuhn didn¡¯t let go of Renier¡¯s hand for a very long time. Even after their palms grew damp from moisture. *** Renier finally began bringing back her wine and meat and sharing them with the rest of the people inside the cave now that Kuhn had regained consciousness. She also gave Kuhn some meat with a few sprigs of medicinal herbs and boiled some of her precious lard with powdered grains and rock salt for him to eat. He hadn¡¯t been able to eat anything solid on the first day after he had woken up, but he had heartily begun eating meat after the second. This was the first time in Renier¡¯s life that she had ever seen anyone eating meat so well when they were supposed to be bedridden. The problem, however, was that Kuhn was eating too well. Renier began giving him her share of food as well because it looked like he didn¡¯t have enough. The dull boy ate his meat heartily without realizing that he was eating Renier¡¯s dinner too. Renier realized anew that the Northlanders really were beastmen as she watched him breathe out hot breaths and rip apart the meat like a lion or a panther even though it wasn¡¯t very salted and was so hard that people might dislocate their jaw while eating it if they weren¡¯t careful. ¡°That ingrateful little piece of shit¡¯s eating up the brat¡¯s dinner too. Looks like it¡¯s true when they say that animals don¡¯t know what it means to be grateful. Hey, brat! Be careful, will you? The bastard might even eat you if he gets hungry enough,¡± Sedek grumbled as he walked past. That fucking piece of shit! And who exactly has been stealing all my meat again?! Renier glared back at him, but he had already walked away. Kuhn dropped the piece of meat he¡¯d been holding into his bowl. ¡°Was this supposed to be yours?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s just something I didn¡¯t finish eating. I don¡¯t really eat that much.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie. I heard strange noises coming from your stomach just now.¡± ¡°Seriously, why¡¯d my stupid stomach have to go and rumble now of all times?¡± Kuhn estimated where Renier was from the direction her grumbling was coming from and did his best to smile. ¡°¡­¡­I am sorry. I didn¡¯t know because I couldn¡¯t see. Eat.¡± He was so stubborn about the most pointless things. He was just about as obstinate as the leg tendons of a lion were tough. The piece of meat that he¡¯d placed back inside his bowl stayed there until the next morning when it ended up in Sedek¡¯s mouth. Renier wanted to beat both of the bastards to death. *** ¡°So, why the hell will you only agree to go outside with Mr. Sedek of all people? Tell me, why don¡¯t you?¡± Renier had been enduring and enduring, and she exploded when she could endure no more. Renier, who had been robbed by Sedek of a fatty piece of boar meat began grilling Kuhn about his ¡®shitting problem.¡¯ Kuhn spent most of his time lying down in his chamber, but the one time he got up and went outside every day was when he had to relieve himself. He was so obedient when it came to everything else, but this was the only thing that made him hop with rage whenever Renier tried to be the one to take him outside. And so, Renier had no choice but bring Sedek, whom she despised like he was her mortal enemy, a big pile of boar lard and skin every day and ask him about ¡®you know what.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t simply refuse to let a healthy young man relieve himself no matter how irritated she was. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but curse whenever she thought about all the perfectly good lumps of lard she was losing every day because of the vexing fool. ¡°You fucking piece of shit. I had to give away some of my precious lard again today ¡ªand they¡¯re worth their weight in gold! You heard that? Who told you I was interested in watching you shit? I said that I¡¯d turn around and just hold onto the rope! Okay? Just so that you can¡¯t run away! Just the rope!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll repay you for the lard. I-I¡¯ll catch you some boars and repay you tenfold ¡ªno, hundredfold.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it! Why the hell aren¡¯t you okay with going with me when you¡¯re okay with that bastard Sedek?¡± ¡°W-well, that¡¯s, it¡¯s because I haven¡¯t come of age yet. Right, that¡¯s why.¡± Kuhn¡¯s voice suddenly grew as quiet as a mosquito¡¯s wings. Renier tilted her head to the side. ¡°¡­¡­What does that have anything to do with anything?¡± ¡°Well, i-in my household, men and women do everything separately until we come of age. Actually, any household in the Northlands that keeps to the proper traditions would do at least that much¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And so what? Does this date all the way back to when Lord Enki used to play with dirt or something?¡± Renier, who had been yelling at Kuhn in her grumpiness, suddenly snapped her mouth shut. Oh, aha? Is he just embarrassed to go with me because I¡¯m a girl? Renier was astounded, so she grabbed him by the cheeks and growled, ¡°Aha ¡ªI was wondering why you were whining so much without being able to read the damn room properly, but it turns out it¡¯s because you having come of age yet! Did you already forget who exactly it was that stripped you naked every day to treat your leg and wash you up? How old were you again? How are you ever going to get married when you¡¯re so immature?¡± Kuhn was sweating buckets of cold sweat as he struggled to answer Renier¡¯s three ¡®questions.¡¯ ¡°I will never forget that it was you, who lives inside this divine stone cave, who treated my leg and bathed me. I am sixteen years old, as I¡¯ve already told you on the day we first met, and I will turn seventeen soon. And, while I don¡¯t know by whose standards you are judging my maturity, I am perfectly able to be wed because my skills as a warrior were acknowledged as being that of an adult¡¯s after I hunted a sabretooth tiger by myself when I was ten. I simply¡­I simply pushed back the matter of my marriage until after I came of age because I was too young to be wed. I will be able to hold my wedding and become the respected head of my own household once the spring equinox passes and I have my coming-of-age ceremony.¡± Renier took her hands off his cheeks and scrutinized him up and down. She didn¡¯t feel like arguing with him anymore after seeing how red he was in not only both his cheeks but also all the way down his neck and listening to his stupid reply. Yeah, whatever. It¡¯s probably easier to get my hands on more lard than it will be trying to persuade you. Renier gave up and stepped back, and Kuhn huddled his shoulders and gauged her reaction as he began rubbing his nose. He rubbed so hard that his nose was turning bright red. It looked like this was something he did out of habit whenever he was embarrassed, but his nose was getting so red that Renier was almost worried that he might actually rub through his skin. ¡°Hey, your nose is super red right now. It looks like the nose of a newborn puppy! It¡¯s really cute!¡± Renier stuck out her tongue and giggled. Then, Kuhn angrily turned around and said, ¡°You are being rude. I am not ¡®cute.¡¯ I am a warrior who hunted a sabretooth tiger by myself when I was only ten.¡± The way he was trying to make himself seem more mature was adorable too. Renier suddenly wanted to see the rascal¡¯s face not from inside the cave under the dim moonlight but properly from outside under the sun. She especially wanted to see his eyes, which were hidden under his blindfold. What did they look like when he smiled, and what did they look like when he frowned? She even entertained the ridiculous notion that the color of his eyes was probably cute as well. *** ¡®What a catch. Hehe, this is the perfect opportunity.¡¯ Sedek and the other grave robbers were howling with delight. They¡¯d thought that they would all be doomed to starve helplessly to death, unable to survive the winter, but their fortunes had suddenly flipped on its head ¡ªthis was truly a gift of grace from the gods. The brat kept his promise faithfully. He diligently went out to hunt or set traps every morning and came back with something edible in the evening without fail, and if he couldn¡¯t hunt enough, then he¡¯d bring the salted and dried meat that he¡¯d stowed away in his secret storages. Then, the brat and the Northlander would prepare the meat quickly and shared fist-sized chunks of meat with everyone. Naturally, the dinners weren¡¯t nearly enough for twelve grave robbers to eat until they were full. There would¡¯ve been so much more food if even just one or two of the grave robbers accompanied the brat to hunt and help corner the prey or shoot down any startled birds or rabbits, but they opted to beat up the brat grumble about not having enough food instead. The beatings happened every night without fail when there wasn¡¯t enough meat to go around. Fast horses ran even faster when they were whipped, so they believed that beating up the skilled hunter would somehow make him bring back even just one more bird. After all, some people existed to supply and others existed to consume, and the brat had no grounds to be upset about the injustice of it all because it had been the great gods themselves who had dictated it thus. Sedek offered a prayer of thanksgiving every evening to the gods who had sent him the brat, who was skilled at hunting, and the bumbling Northlander. ¡°Fuck, this isn¡¯t what you promised ¡ªI¡¯m gonna starve to death at this rate! This is fucking tiny! Huh?!¡± It happened today, too. The bastards who were still hungry after eating their dinner dragged out the brat, who had been chatting away with the damned Northlander while sharing a tiny piece of meat with him, and slapped the brat across the face while picking faults with him and spitting curses at him. It was the young man whom everyone called Kish because he hailed from Kish City in the West that led the charge. Normally, the brat wouldn¡¯t have simply let someone hit him and get away with it, but he had no choice but to take it quietly even as he was slapped across the face and kicked in the stomach because he had to protect the hostage behind him. ¡°Stay there and don¡¯t move a muscle, Kuhn! Don¡¯t come out! I¡¯ll be the first to kill you if you do,¡± the brat yelled at the Northlander behind him before curling up into a ball instead of fighting back. A few of the veteran grave robbers who knew just how dreadfully dexterous the brat was stayed in the back and didn¡¯t lay a finger on the brat directly. It was only the newcomers who had started living in the cave just a few months ago who beat him. But the veterans did nothing to stop them. After all, they could reap the benefits without having to lay a finger on the brat this way. The large boy, who had been grinning like a fool just moments ago, turned around and covered his ears when the brat yelled at him sharply. He ignored the fact that his own savior was being beaten black and blue right before his nose and simply quivered as he pressed against his ears so hard that the veins on the back of his hands were popping out and turning red. The brat got up immediately, brushed himself off, and blew the blood out of his nose as soon as the beatings stopped, but the Northlander boy kept his back turned and simply quivered inside the small chamber all night long. Sedek had initially been wary that the Northlander bastard might run away or use that monstrous strength of his to cause mayhem inside the cave, but seeing just how servile he was made Sedek lower his guard. The bastard was a gentle coward who didn¡¯t have an ounce of the virile guts that the terrifying rumors suggested that all beastmen had. He was large and looked scary, but he was as docile as the eunuchs who stood quietly next to the kings they served. Moreover, he truly hadn¡¯t so much as touched the blindfold covering his eyes all week long because the brat had told him not to ¡ªthough Sedek didn¡¯t know whether this was because the Northlander was obedient or simply just that stupid. ¡°Weren¡¯t Northlanders supposed to be scary? Ridiculous. Pay up, you pathetic bastard.¡± ¡°The bastards who live in Salt Mountain are the ingrateful descendants of the man-eating eagle. It fits them to the tee. But the Northlander¡¯s mouth seems to be working perfectly fine, at least, since he keeps shamelessly packing away all the meat the brat brings him.¡± The grave robbers constantly spat at the Northlander or nudged him with their toes whenever they walked past him. But the bastard only continued lying down while facing the wall and didn¡¯t react. Then again¡­ What could he possibly do even if he was angry? There were twelve grave robbers and only one of him. He was also bedridden and couldn¡¯t even sit up by himself. He couldn¡¯t even walk by himself and had to crawl outside to do his business if no one helped him, perhaps because he could no longer use the leg that had been injured by the bronze spear. He couldn¡¯t even get outside of the cave by himself, much less actually fight back. ¡°Hey, gather around, everyone.¡± Sedek cast a sidelong glance at Kuhn, who was snoring away, as he gathered the grave robbers together with his eyes. The grave robbers who¡¯d been crawling around nearby quietly made their way over to him. Sedek continued, ¡°Let¡¯s get rid of that thing once it looks like the brat doesn¡¯t have any more meat stowed away. The brat must be stupid or something.¡± ¡°I know, right? Does he think that the beastman is really human like the rest of us? The brat¡¯s going to be the first to get killed if he calls the others here.¡± ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s best to get rid of anything that might cause trouble in the future. Keeps things nice and simple.¡± They were all thinking more or less along the same lines. They had all forgotten that it was none other than the brat himself who had been living in the divine stone cave the longest and was the most veteran amongst all of them. ¡°Well, it should be simple enough to just push the bastard over the cliff when he goes out to do his business.¡± ¡°It should only take a few more people since he can¡¯t even walk properly.¡± Their discussions wrapped up quickly because they were all of a similar opinion. They were all vigorously calculating just how much longer they could keep taking meat from the brat. It¡¯d be nice if they could keep leeching off the brat for another week or ten days. It¡¯d be spring again soon enough, and then it¡¯d get easier to find food again. Sedek turned to Kuhn, who was snoring away inside his small chamber, and quietly whispered, ¡°But it bothers me that the little brat¡¯s been getting so close to that Northlander lately.¡± ¡°Crazy little shit. How could he make friends with a beastmen just because they¡¯re around the same age?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because he¡¯s just a little kid. And they aren¡¯t even the same age. The brat¡¯s like, what, twelve? Thirteen? He probably wanted to know what it¡¯s like to have a brother. Shit, I don¡¯t even know how old the damned brat is, now that I think about it.¡± ¡°The spiteful little brat¡¯s gonna lose his shit if he finds out that we got rid of the Northlander.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only if he finds out. We just gotta make sure he doesn¡¯t,¡± the young man from Kish City said carelessly. Then again, he has a point. Besides, who cares even if the brat finds out? It¡¯s not like he¡¯d gonna come kill the lot of us just because we killed the bastard he worked so hard to save. The Northlander was supposed to have croaked in the snow a long time ago anyway. Damn, the Northlander should just be grateful that he even gets to live another one or two weeks. Sedek cast a sidelong glance at Kuhn as he stood up. It was only fools who thought long and hard today about things they were to do tomorrow. The large Northlander boy was still fast asleep without a single care in the world, and it was still snowing heavily outside the cave. *** ¡°Ugh, shit, seriously ¡ªscrew this all. To think there¡¯d even come a day when I ventured out into a blizzard just to hunt so I can feed those grave-robbing assholes some meat. And all that just to save some Northlander bastard who isn¡¯t even cute. Hmph. I must¡¯ve lost my mind. And why isn¡¯t this damned snow stopping when it¡¯s already been two weeks? Is the great Enlil already suffering from dementia or something? He opened up a hole in the sky and totally just forgot about it, didn¡¯t he? You should be patching up the skies in your father¡¯s place if your father¡¯s got dementia, o Ishkur of storms. You guys up there need to stop sleeping on the job for the rest of us to be able to survive down here. Fuck, you need to at least give it a break so the snow can melt!¡± Renier grumbled without pause as she climbed her way up to the cave. It was hard enough just to walk in the snow because it came all the way up to her knees, and having to hunt in this weather made her want to kill herself. She had been lucky on the first day because a small boar had run head-first into one of her traps and its meat had lasted several days, but it was usually smaller creatures, like starved rabbits, weasels, badgers, or partridges, that she found in her traps instead. She considered herself incredibly lucky if a stupid wolf got caught in one of her traps. She had little other choice if she couldn¡¯t catch enough meat. She either had to bring back some of her precious dried meat to make up for it, or she had to let herself get beaten up like she had yesterday. Renier genuinely considered, ¡®I¡¯m going to season their meat in piss next time,¡¯ every time the assholes beat her. Only four rabbits had been caught in her traps today. With little other choice, Renier had upturned a rock that she had marked in advance and fished out seven snakes and three frogs that had been hibernating beneath it. This was probably just about enough. It was all she had caught today, but the day was already beginning to grow dark. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Kuhn turned around and rejoiced when he heard the sound of Renier¡¯s footsteps. Renier smirked when she saw how upright his posture was as he sat up. According to what Sedek and some of the other grave robbers said as they sneered, Kuhn lied down on top of Renier¡¯s wool blanket like a housedog all day long and only got up to begin ¡®dolling himself up(?)¡¯ when it was about time for Renier to come back with all the critters she had hunted that day. He brushed through his disheveled hair with his fingers, washed his hands and face with a dirty rag and some melted snow, and if he had the time to spare, he straightened out his wrinkled clothes and undid the knots in his kaunakes in order to make himself more presentable. Renier had to admit that thinking about how he fumbled around to make himself look presentable when he couldn¡¯t even see was pretty funny. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back. ¡­¡­Er, ahem. You¡¯ve worked hard today too.¡± He rejoiced openly whenever Renier came back, and then he would force himself to make a serious expression in order to hide his embarrassment whenever he realized just how awkwardly he was acting. Renier truly couldn¡¯t bear to look at him directly whenever he made that face. It was too funny, especially when paired with his weirdly old-fashioned manner of speaking, and she was afraid that she might actually die laughing. Sure, I¡¯ll bear with all of it. It¡¯s not easy to save a person¡¯s life. Renier was glad that he was blindfolded, because it meant that he couldn¡¯t see the scowl on her face. Renier sat down and pried off her shoes and feet wraps, which were drenched from the snow, and Kuhn brought them over by the fire to dry and massaged her feet for a long time to help them warm up. He claimed that this was a secret technique of the warriors of the Northlands that prevented one¡¯s feet from getting frostbite. It had nauseated Renier and she had hated it at first, but it was tolerable now. Actually, it wasn¡¯t that bad at all. His hands were large, thick, and rough, but they were also warm, and more importantly, his touch was impossibly gentle and heartfelt. Renier felt like her entire being might warm up if he massaged her like this all night long. ¡°How are you feeling today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m all better now. I¡¯m well enough to hunt with you. Fine me Urtur¡­¡­my axe.¡± Why does he have to spring this on me as soon as I¡¯m back? He wants his axe? ¡°What makes you think you¡¯re anywhere near well enough to hunt? You¡¯re still boiling with fever.¡± ¡°My fever has broken. And, did I not tell you before? I am skilled at hunting. I¡¯m stronger than a sabretooth tiger and faster than an elk, and I can even climb up the cliff we¡¯re on as weightlessly as a bird. I¡¯ve even hunted a sabretooth tiger that was taller than two grown men standing foot to shoulder by myself. His fang reached all the way up to my waist when I wrenched it out.¡± Sure ¡ªlook, I know that you¡¯re a beastman without you needing to go out of your way to tell me all that. Renier held back her anger as she consoled the boy, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t need you worrying about me if that¡¯s why you¡¯re saying this. I¡¯m really okay. People getting beat up is pretty much a daily thing here in the divine stone caves.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not all right with this. I¡¯ll help you hunt, so find me my axe. And let me take off the blindfold.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that. They¡¯ll kill you instantly if they ever find out that you¡¯ve seen their faces and you know where the cave is.¡± ¡°Can that not be solved by simply getting rid of them?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Are you insane?¡± ¡°Those people deserve to die. They¡¯ve trespassed onto lands that don¡¯t belong to them, dug up people¡¯s graves, disturbed the rest of the dead, and even damages their corpses. Every tribe in the Northlands believes that anyone who dares disturb our forefathers¡¯ rest and violate their corpses deserves death, no matter who they are. It is not something that we will ever forgive.¡± Then, Kuhn fell into thought for quite some time before he quietly continued, ¡°But very well. I gave you my word, so I will go out and hunt without seeing your face. Nor will I run away.¡± ¡°And how do you expect me to believe that? I¡¯m finished if you decide not to return. The others will murder me and flee to another mine.¡± ¡°I swear that I will return without fail. I will swear this upon the name of my forefather.¡± ¡°Your forefather? The man-eating eagle?¡± His vows suddenly lost their credibility. Kuhn fell silent, as if he¡¯d been offended, before he began rummaging around his chest and pulled something out from his clothes. ¡°I¡¯ll leave this behind with you if you still can¡¯t trust me. Will you trust me then?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that even supposed to be?¡± ¡°The heart of my forefather.¡± Renier accepted it, looked back at Kuhn, touched the object she was holding, and looked back at Kuhn again. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m pretty sure this is just a rock?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a heart! My father told me in no uncertain terms that this was the withered up heart of our forefather, the Great Eagle! The heart is only passed down between the heads of my household, and it¡¯s the greatest treasure of all the Northlands!¡± Do you beastmen turn into rocks after you die? ¡­¡­Then again, I can¡¯t say for certain that the inside of your head ins¡¯t any different from a rock right now. It wasn¡¯t possible to persuade a rock. And so, Renier had no choice but to resort to blackmail once again. ¡°I think you¡¯re forgetting something important here, Kuhn, but you¡¯re my prisoner before you¡¯re my patient, got that? You¡¯re not allowed to leave the cave without my permission. And you swore on Lord Utu¡¯s name that you¡¯d listen to everything I say. Right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I did.¡± ¡°Stop bringing that up if you understand now. And help me skin this.¡± Kuhn pouted, but he ultimately fell silent. It was so easy to handle the rough bastard because he immediately stopped struggling and hung his tail between his legs as soon as she reminded him that ¡®you swore on Lord Utu¡¯s name.¡¯ It was a good thing when people were pious, regardless of which god they worshiped. ¡­¡­It made them easier to deal with. Kuhn stopped pressing his case and took the bronze shard that Renier had given him, grinded it against a rock, and began skinning the rabbits and snakes. Renier quietly clicked her tongue. He was working blind and only by using his sense of touch, but he was still several times faster than the dim-witted grave robbers. He was so adept at observing his surroundings that he had learned how to tell when Renier was coming back by the sound of her footsteps alone in just two days. Even Renier, who had keen senses herself, could not help but marvel in amazement. ¡°Er, well¡­there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask you,¡± he said as he worked with his hands. He looked taciturn, but he was actually rather curious and had a lot he wanted to say. ¡°Sure. What is it?¡± ¡°What did you catch today?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Can¡¯t you tell by touching it?¡± But everything he said tended to lack substance. ¡°Well, yes. Snakes and rabbits. Are the rabbits brown or white?¡± ¡°Who cares? Everything I caught today is the same color as shit. Does knowing that make it taste any better?¡± ¡°Er, no, it doesn¡¯t. How many did you catch?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you count that yourself?! Just count them! One, two, three, four!¡± ¡°I-I see. Four rabbits, and seven snakes. Um, what did you use to hunt them? A stone-sling? Or a bow, perhaps? Do you know how to use a bow? Are you adept at it? Which animal¡¯s tendons do you use for the bowstring?¡± ¡°You think I¡¯ve been prancing around shooting arrows when there¡¯s a blizzard outside and the snow¡¯s piled all the way up to my knees? Traps ¡ªI laid traps, okay?! Going around and checking all of them is a hard day¡¯s work too. Damnit all!¡± ¡°H-how many?¡± ¡°Gods damnit! A hundred ¡ªhappy now?!¡± Kuhn always looked like he impatiently wanted to say something whenever Renier sat down next to him. But it wasn¡¯t as if he was praising her for being good at hunting, and he was such a poor conversationalist that he only continued to lose points with her as he rambled on. Renier would give him 7~8 points if he simply sat there without saying anything, but her evaluation of him dropped to just 2 points as soon as he opened his mouth ¡ªon a scale of 100. ¡°Are you hungry? Have some more of this. It¡¯s difficult to chase down animals in the snow.¡± Kuhn slyly passed Renier the piece of meat he had been eating. Renier frowned. Don¡¯t suck on bones that you¡¯ve picked clean while I¡¯m watching if you¡¯re going to say something like that! And don¡¯t listen in so closely to the sound of me eating either! ¡°Hmm. T-the grave robbers had another brawl over the divine stones again today. But, it¡¯s strange.¡± Kuhn recalled everything that had happened inside the divine stone cave during the day and quietly told Renier what had happened. He was eerily good and remembering anything he considered important. He¡¯d gather up everything he didn¡¯t understand and ask Renier about them later while counting them off on his fingers. But, so much of what he didn¡¯t understand were things that Renier didn¡¯t quite understand either. ¡°Do Southlanders and Westerners not fear death?¡± ¡°Bullshit ¡ªof course they¡¯re afraid of dying.¡± ¡°Then, why do they continue to trespass on foreign lands and dig up stones? Surely, they¡¯re aware that we, the masters of this land, detest this? And that they will die if we catch them?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because digging up even a single fist-sized divine stone is enough to turn their fortune completely around. They can just walk up to the Golden Forest with the divine stone and name their price. The priests of the Golden Forest are basically walking corpses without them, you see.¡± ¡°Divine stones aren¡¯t used to save lives.¡± Argh, can¡¯t you tell when I¡¯m using a figure of speech? Renier pondered for a moment before she gave up and decided to explain herself instead. ¡°I meant that the priests of the Golden Forest can¡¯t do anything without the divine stones.¡± ¡°Then they simply shouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Even when the priests can draw power from the divine stones to start fires, summon the rain, lift up heavy objects and make them float in the air, and kill people with blades of wind?¡± ¡°You can just use flint to start fires, draw water up from a water vein if it doesn¡¯t rain, use a cart, pulley, or a sky chariot to move heavy objects, and kill people with an ordinary knife, arrow, or axe.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You can go and tell the priests of the Golden Forest this. They needn¡¯t do anything. Why do they keeping sending people here to die?¡± ¡°Are you crazy?! Why the hell would I go there?! I ran away from that place¡­¡­I mean, the Southlands because of how much I suffered there!¡± Renier yelped back in fright. Kuhn froze up for a moment. ¡°Are you a runaway slave, perhaps? Are you from the Golden Forest?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Renier shouted as she freaked out. No one¡¯s found out about that until now, so why are you so pointlessly good at guessing about these things? She continued, ¡°Anyway, I¡¯d rather die than go to the Golden Forest. Fuck the Golden Forest, fuck the tree goddess they worship there, fuck the Guardian of the Forest, and especially fuck the gods-damned priests. Descendants of the Celestials? Bullshit. If you want to tell them so badly, then go and tell them yourself.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? Likewise! I feel the same. I also detest the priests of the Golden Forest. They¡¯re the true thieves who instigate the divine stone robbers from behind the scenes.¡± ¡°Stop being so openly happy about having something in common with me, damnit!¡± Renier looked up at the heavens took a resolute breath. Great Enlil, Nanna, Enki, and Ninhursag. I really wanted to be nice to this pitiful boy. Okay? I really did. It would¡¯ve been so much easier if we ended up beating each other up because he didn¡¯t listen to me, but here he is clinging to me like he¡¯s some kind of puppy ¡ªno, puppies are supposed to be small and cute¡ª, he¡¯s clinging to me despite how big he is and either wagging his tail happily or getting wet ears with every word I say, and it¡¯s really, really getting exhausting and hard to deal with. Okay? ¡°The priests of the Golden Forest really hate you Northlanders too. Do you know what their wish is? It¡¯s to wipe out all the people who live on Salt Mountain. Though I guess the feeling¡¯s mutual.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not mutual. It is just for us to take vengeance on those who invade our lands ¡ªand the sacred graves of our forefathers especially¡ª, but the priests of the Golden Forest are simply angry that we are getting in the way of their thievery. Not only are they shameless and brazen, but they want to annihilate my tribe too? What kind of foul nonsense is that supposed to be? I¡¯ll murder the lot of them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s nonsense. You really should just go and murder the lot of them. I bet the gods will reward you for it too.¡± Renier giggled refreshingly, and the simple-minded boy tilted his head in bafflement for a very long time. Then, he began saying entirely the wrong thing again. ¡°Those bastards call me offensive names.¡± ¡°Yeah? What do they call you?¡± ¡°They address me as a beast, pig, or dog whenever you aren¡¯t present.¡± Huh? W-well, it is true that you eat a lot¡­¡­. Renier only just managed to keep herself from bursting out in laughter and spun her reply in an attempt to offend the rascal as little as possible. ¡°They say that because you¡¯re a beastman. I mean, ¡®beast¡¯ is already in the name¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Who said I didn¡¯t know that?! Have you been treating me like an actual pig as well?¡± Kuhn suddenly raised his voice. Renier quickly shut her mouth, but Kuhn seemed to have been truly offended this time, judging by how he wasn¡¯t lowering his volume. He continued, ¡°We do not think of ourselves as genuine beasts. Besides, it¡¯s they who are base, vulgar, and dishonorable like beasts, judging by what they¡¯ve been saying. What is it exactly about your people that makes you better than us?!¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you tell just by looking at me?! Have you ever seen a beast speak? Have you ever seen a beast light a fire and wear clothes and shoes made from beast skin? We can erect houses that are multiple stories tall, create altars ten times a man¡¯s height, dig canals from which to drink water, and smelt copper and tin together to forge powerful weapons. Even I know how to forge my own weapons! So, what I¡¯m trying to say is ¡ªwhy is it that you refuse to see us for who we are and conclude, baselessly, that we¡¯re nothing but beasts?!¡± ¡°Shut up! Hey, brat! Make your dog shut his damn maw!¡± Sedek yelled from somewhere behind them. Shh, Renier placed her finger over Kuhn¡¯s mouth and quietly asked, ¡°Are you a blacksmith, Kuhn?¡± ¡°No, but Elder Simug ¡ªmy nanny¡¯s husband, that is¡ª is the best smith in all the Northlands, and he taught me how to forge sturdy weapons, plate metal armor, and helmets. The knives and axes I¡¯ve forged are capable of shattering the shields of the Southlands and the West.¡± Renier opened her eyes wide. Smiths who knew how to forge weapons and plate metal armor were highly sought after in the Southlands, West, and East. Each respective city regarded the alloy ratio of copper and tin that was the best for making sturdy weapons as confidential information, and not even kings or their ministers could dare to be rude to a blacksmith who knew that information. If what Kuhn said was true, than his tribe ¡ªor perhaps all the Northlands¡ª had equal or even superior metalsmithing technology than even the most developed cities in the Southlands. ¡°Sure sounds like it. It looks like I¡¯ve been mistaken too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Your ancestor shows up for a bit in the legends of the Golden Forest in the Southlands. The beastmen of the Whitesalt Mountains, and your Salt Mountain Tribe in particular, are the descendants of the man-eating eagle who ate even his wife who gave birth to his own children, and the legends say that the man-eating eagle¡¯s descendants still possess the eagle¡¯s barbaric nature.¡± The ingrateful descendants of the man-eating eagle, the beastmen who are still bestial in nature ¡ªRenier, too, had believed in the legends blindly, much like the rest of the Southlanders. Renier placed her hands over the back of Kuhn¡¯s hand and quietly whispered, ¡°I misunderstood your people because of the legends I was taught in the Golden Forest. I¡¯ll stop believing in them now. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Renier was sincere in her apology. Her attitude had grown rough and her manner of speech vulgar because she hadn¡¯t wanted to let herself be pushed around by the grave robbers while she was living in the cave, but Renier had always been honest in nature, and she had never been the type of person who was unable to apologize to someone because of pride after she had upset them. She was quick to notice when someone was unhappy, and she was also quick to realize her mistakes and apologize for them. Kuhn mellowed when he heard the sincerity in her apology. He was still breathing heavily, but he took his voice down a few notches in volume as he began explaining about his people. ¡°I never meant to deny the fact that the man-eating eagle was my forefather. Nor was I trying to deny that the fact that we Northlanders were once barbaric like beasts long ago. But we¡¯re people now, and we are no different from you. The men of the Northlands know how to love their wives, respect their elders, and cherish their friends and children. And we are not ingrateful. We never forget our debts or grudges, and we always repay both in full. We regard upholding justice and protecting our honor as being more important than life itself.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. I was just telling you what the legends say. I¡¯m sorry I upset you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Y-you need only apologize once. I¡¯m no longer upset.¡± He wriggled his fingers as he continued mumbling, ¡°In any event, do the legends of the Golden Forest truly mention our forefather?¡± ¡°They mention the man-eating eagle, but only for a little bit.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Is the legend of my forefather entertaining?¡± ¡°It is, but it¡¯s also very long, very awful, and very sad. It¡¯d probably take me all night long to tell it to you, I think?¡± Kuhn furrowed his brows ever so slightly. ¡°You remember the legends of the Golden Forest?¡± ¡°Of course I do. I remember every last sentence. I used to be called a ¡®memory whiz¡¯ in my village when I was a kid.¡± ¡°A memory whiz? That¡¯s remarkable. ¡­¡­I envy you.¡± Kuhn suddenly slumped his shoulders and sounded dispirited. The bastard hadn¡¯t even huffed, much less actually be impressed, even when Renier had come back with a boar, and this was the first time he had shown Renier his amazement. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be envious about. I used to be summoned all over the place just to get beaten up all the time because of it.¡± ¡°I wish I could remember anything I¡¯ve heard once just like you can, even if it means getting beaten for it often.¡± He sounded so sad and eager as he sighed that Renier couldn¡¯t help but giggle. It wasn¡¯t easy to remember something important for a very long time. The world was overflowing with people who went back on their promises and conveniently ignored their monetary debts. Slaves were always branded by their masters¡¯ seal, but people had no choice but to bring lots of witnesses and make visible markings when they were trading large quantities of cows and sheep, land, houses, burial caves, or fishing boats. It was the brightest children of the village who tended to suffer whenever these large transactions took place. They were dragged to the situs without knowing why and slapped across the face after being made to memorize the contents of the contract and repeat them multiple times over. Supposedly, the pain was supposed to help them remember the contract for a very long time so that they could be called to testify(?) if deemed necessary. Renier had been dragged all over the place and slapped frequently because she had a good memory. But it had its benefits too. People often brought ¡®memory whizzes¡¯ with them to temples or invited them to the homes of the wealthy if a vagabond was visiting and had fun stories to tell. Then, the rest of the villagers would be able to hear the stories from the children whenever they pleased. ¡°Huwaaah, I¡¯m sleepy. You¡¯re probably sleepy too, Kuhn ¡ªhurry up and go to bed.¡± Renier yawned as she lied down in front of Kuhn when Kuhn stammered, ¡°Er, um. I¡¯m not tired.¡± ¡°Makes sense, since you¡¯ve been napping all day long. ¡­¡­So what am I supposed to do about it?¡± Renier grumbled coarsely out of habit, like she was bickering with the grave robbers, before she quickly shut her mouth. It meant that Kuhn was upset when his large frame seemed to wither up and his shoulders sagged. Renier could help but feel sorry when she thought about how he was forcing himself to stay lying down as he waited for her all day long. Renier had formed the habit of always adding thorns to her words because she had to be spiteful and react strongly if she didn¡¯t want the grave robbers to make light of her ¡ªwho knew what they¡¯d do to her if she appeared even a little weak before them?¡ª, but Kuhn obviously hadn¡¯t grown accustomed to this habit just yet. Maybe it¡¯s me that needs to mind how I talk, not him. Renier tapped the back of Kuhn¡¯s hand and gently consoled him, saying, ¡°Do you want me to tell you a story?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Mm. Um, very well. That would be nice.¡± The simple-minded fool failed to hide the smile that his mouth had broken into. Are you really just happy that you get to hear the legends, or are you happy that you get to talk to me for a little while longer? Why would you be so openly happy about something like that? Can¡¯t you just end things with being grateful if you¡¯re acting like this because I saved your life? ¡°You want me to tell you a story even though you aren¡¯t a little kid? I have to tell you a bedtime story even though I¡¯m not even your mom?¡± Renier grumbled before she realized what she¡¯d said and immediately shut her mouth. She didn¡¯t want to watch Kuhn¡¯s blindfold grow moist again. The boy smiled gently as if to say that he was okay. ¡°My mother only knew short ballads and tales. And she only knew three of them. Listening to the same stories every night was rather boring.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But I suppose I¡¯ll never be able to hear them again now. I would¡¯ve told her that they were fun every night if I¡¯d known this would happen.¡± Renier slowly nodded back. She pitied him more because he sounded so calm. He was openly happy when she offered him a word of comfort, and he grew obviously dispirited when she was curt with him, and he reminded her of a large puppy who was looking only to his owner. Developing any kind of feelings for someone was a truly bothersome thing. It was bothersome, cumbersome, difficult, and sometimes¡­¡­it was painful. Why on earth did I save you? Renier squirmed for a moment because she felt like she was choking. Crackle, crackle ¡ªa quiet voice seeped in between the crackling of the fire. ¡°Tell me the legends of the Golden Forest. Tell me about the place you¡¯re from.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Tell me the story that you say is long, entertaining, awful, and sad.¡± ¡°¡­¡­A long, long time ago, just after the great and terrible gods had created the world¡­¡± Renier lied down on her stomach on top of her wool blanket and began whispering her tale. Kuhn¡¯s winding hair was scattered before her eyes. His rough and dark rust-colored hair now reminded her of the color the warm and fertile earth. She gently stroked his hair. A gentle wave seemed to course through his field and crash against her in that moment. Her throat hurt. It hurt so much. ¡°A lone tree sprung up from Enki¡¯s, the master of the life tree and the earth, bellybutton.¡± Volume 1 - CH 5.1 Part 1 7. The most terrible and most perfect number in the world. The number that measures the changes of the world. Seven. The number of the great gods who decree fate. One week. The number of days that the seven gods had given mankind. One day given by An of the heavens, the father of all creation. One day given by Enlil of the air, who presides over the world. One day given by Enki the Creator, the master of the rich earth and water. One day given by Nanna of the moon, who governs the night sky. One day given by Utu of the sun, who governs light and justice. One day given by Inanna the Morning Star, who governs love, war, and fertility. One day given by Ninhursag the Arbiter, the merciful mother of all. As such, seven days and seven nights was the time during which all things in the world could happen. Everything that ever happened in the world could all return to nothingness in that time. It was more than enough time for all things to come to be and for all things to collapse. Enough time for all emotions to be connected together and untied. In the beginning, was a tree. The tree had sprung up from the center of the earth that was governed by Enki, the great god of creation. It was a sacred place which neither bird nor beast nor insect dared approach. The tree began to reach up toward the center of the sky, where the sun was, as soon as it sprouted, and it eventually grew blindingly beautiful leaves that glittered like sunlight as its body took on the beautiful colors of fertile soil. Utu, the sun god, was pleased when he saw how the beautiful tree, the likes of which he had never seen before, reached up to him with its countless hands, and he took the tree by the hand and pulled it up. Enki was startled, and he held firmly to the tree¡¯s roots and sent streams of water to the roots from below so as to tempt the tree to into planting its roots more firmly into the earth. The tree coveted both the blinding sky that was filled with the sun¡¯s light and the rich land where the life water was. And so, it reached up high into the heavens with branches that grew taller than any other grass, and it laid its roots down more deeply into the earth than any other plant. Utu summoned his son, Kittu1, the Divine Archer, who was the bravest and strongest warrior in heaven. Kittu was also called the Glory of Light because he was so radiantly beautiful that he illuminated the heavens, his eyes were as sharp as an eagle¡¯s, and he was as strong as a lion. His arrows never failed to hit their mark. Utu gave him three large pairs of eagle wings, placed a crown of gold upon his head, equipped him with a golden sword and golden arrows, and granted him eternal life as he commanded his son to bring the tree up to the ¡®peak of the heavens.¡¯ Enki summoned his son, the Black Dragon, who was the biggest and strongest warrior of all the land and waters. Enki placed a whitesilver crown upon his head, equipped him with a trident that could split through the vast waters and a cold fog that could conceal all, and granted him immortal wisdom as he commanded his son to drag the tree down to the ¡®deepest waters.¡¯ Kittu spread wide his six wings as he descended, and he sat on a tree branch that was reaching up to the heavens as it swayed and tempted the tree by scattering golden light over it. The Black Dragon shroud the tree in a gigantic cloud and drew water up from deep within the earth and coiled it around the tree¡¯s roots, which were still firmly planted in soil. Kittu and the Black Dragon battled fiercely with the tree in between them. The battle dragged on because the two warriors were equals in strength, and they fought so viciously that the earth around them was reduced to a wasteland without a single blade of grass to be seen. The faithful Celestial warriors, who were offshoots of Kittu, and the aquatic warriors, who were obedient to the Black Dragon, circled the tree so that the foolish races made from mud could not approach it. Then, one day, Kittu and the Black Dragon suddenly stopped fighting. This was because they had seen a beautiful naked woman sleeping by the tree. *** Gulp. Renier stopped speaking when she suddenly heard someone gulp. The rascal, who had stayed quiet as Kittu and the Black Dragon butted heads and battled fiercely, had suddenly raised his head stiffly and gulped after hearing about a naked woman sleeping unguarded. His damned gulp had sounded like thunder. Gulp ¡ªand again, gulp. Renier heard him clear his throat briefly as she continued to stay silent. ¡°Yaaawn. ¡­¡­I¡¯m sleepy.¡± Renier suddenly felt mischievous, so she yawned and peered at Kuhn out of the corner of her eye. Bleakly, she heard him ask, ¡°¡­¡­Are you tired?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m tired.¡± ¡°Are you very tired?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°Are you truly, truly tired?¡± ¡°I just told you that I was!¡± Kuhn didn¡¯t press her to continue the story and instead turned around and lied down without another word when Renier barked back. ¡°You must be fatigued after hunting all day. Go to sleep now.¡± What the hell? Renier felt like she could no longer tell what was what as she stared at the back of the large rascal who had turned around and started snoring as soon as he had lied down. *** Then, one day, Kittu and the Black Dragon suddenly stopped fighting. This was because they had seen a beautiful naked woman sleeping by the tree. The woman¡¯s hair was a beautiful rich and dark brown in color, just like the tree, her limbs were as elegant as the tree¡¯s gently sloping branches, and her skin was as pale as a tree¡¯s pulp and was flawlessly smooth. Kittu realized instinctively that the woman was the incarnation of the tree and approached her carefully. She was so much smaller and more delicate than Kittu and the Black Dragon that he could not see her face properly without kneeling. Then, he plucked the softest down feather of his wings and gently covered the woman¡¯s body with it. Blink. Blink. The woman¡¯s eyes met Kittu¡¯s and the Black Dragon¡¯s. Kittu saw the azure skies in the woman¡¯s eyes, while the Black Dragon saw clear blue seas. Kittu felt the blinding sun from the woman¡¯s porcelain skin, and the Black Dragon found the color of the rich earth in the woman¡¯s fluttering hair. The woman looked between Kittu and the Black Dragon, who were giants compared to her, and she parted her crimson lips as she asked them, ¡°Who are you?¡± The two were mesmerized as they answered. ¡°I am Kittu of Six Wings, son of Utu and the warrior of heaven.¡± ¡°I am the Black Dragon of Wisdom, son of Enki and the warrior of water.¡± ¡°Then, my name ¡ªwhat is my name?¡± And together, Kittu and the Black Dragon simultaneously replied, ¡®Armanu.¡¯ Armanu, Armanu ¡ªArmanu repeated her name to herself a few times before she looked up and reached out with both hands. Kittu and the Black Dragon were enthralled as they reached back and took her hands. The woman¡¯s hands were so impossibly soft and warm that neither Kittu nor the Black Dragon could bear to let go of her for a very long time. ¡°Please don¡¯t fight so close to me. It¡¯s so noisy that I can¡¯t sleep,¡± the woman requested with a voice as sweet as honey. ¡°But, upon my father¡¯s name, I cannot allow the land to take the tree.¡± ¡°But, upon my father¡¯s name, I cannot allow the sky to take the tree.¡± ¡°If neither the land nor the sky may take the tree, then why not keep the tree somewhere in the middle?¡± the woman suggested with lips as lovely as budding roses that were soon to blossom. And so, Kittu of Six Wings and the Black Dragon of Wisdom brought their long-standing battle to a pause. Then, they reached a compromise and decided to make it so that the tree belonged neither to the land nor to the sky. They took the tree and the lump of earth that supported its roots and made it float in the air, where it was neither in the land nor the sky. Only the tree, Armanu, who took after the tree, Kittu, and the Black Dragon lived there. The Celestial warriors, who were offshoots of Kittu, flapped their wings like large birds and supported the lump of earth in the air, and the Black Dragon drew up the clearest waters from deep within the earth and sprinkled it over the tree. The water, which was being scattered from up high, shroud the tree like mist, and a resplendent rainbow was formed when the sunlight poured over on top of it. Kittu sealed away the area with his golden sword and flaming arrows, and the Black Dragon filled the area with his cold fog so the dirty mud creatures and beasts could not find it. Armanu¡¯s soil was beautiful and fertile. The tree grew thick with verdant leaves and bore an abundance of sweet fruits thanks to the refreshing water, the warm sun, and the brilliant light. Sweet scents and waters overflowed wherever Armanu touched. Armanu offered the sweetest fruits to Kittu and the Black Dragon every day. They ate the fruits as they savored her fragrance and sweetness, and they made it so that nothing from the heavens or the earth could disturb their sacred dwelling. ¡°Thank you, Lord Kittu of Six Wings. Thank you, Lord Black Dragon of Wisdom.¡± Armanu was very pleased with her territory, which belonged to neither the land nor the sky, so she wrapped her arms around her two guardians¡¯ necks and kissed them each to express her gratitude. And something peculiar began to grow in Kittu¡¯s and the Black Dragon¡¯s hearts. *** Kuhn was acting strange. He completely forgot to prepare for dinner and he was antsy all day long ¡ªit looked like ending the story on a cliffhanger(?) had impacted him more than Renier had realized. No wonder. He was more excited than he needed to be last night. And, sure enough, he¡¯d even forgotten to finish eating the roasted rabbit meat ¡ªone of his favorites¡ª he was holding as soon as Renier resumed the story. His mouth was left agape as his ears perked up, and he looked so funny as he sat there that Renier thought she might die of laughter. Renier suddenly grew mischievous again and nudged Kuhn in the side with her foot, and he jumped so high that his head nearly hit the cave ceiling. ¡°Ack, w-what are you doing?!¡± ¡°Do you know what that ¡®something peculiar¡¯ is?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I do.¡± ¡°What is it, then?¡± His pulled at his blameless fingers so hard that he might rip them out from their joints before he resolutely, like a warrior about to step out onto the battlefield, answered, ¡°It is love.¡± Whoaaa! Renier applauded him without reserve and even whistled for good measure. ¡°Wow! You actually know what love is? ¡­¡­Oh, wait! That¡¯s not possible. You said that men and women live separately in your household until they come of age.¡± ¡°I still know all there is to know. I¡¯ll be of age soon, and then I¡¯ll be able to get wed immediately thereafter,¡± he spat out almost angrily. Oho, so you know all there is to know? Renier narrowed her eyes and scrutinized Kuhn up and down. She knew that the rascal couldn¡¯t lie, so he probably genuinely believed that he knew all there was to know. But Renier had no way of knowing if anyone else would agree with him about that. Why was it that she was starting to grow worried for his future bride even though she didn¡¯t even know who she was? ¡°Kuhn. I, well, I really wasn¡¯t going to ask you something like this¡­¡­. But I¡¯d like you to answer me honestly.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the first woman you¡¯ve ever held hands with, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Of course not! What do you take me for? I have held my mother¡¯s and nanny¡¯s hands plenty too.¡± Yep. ¡°You said that you knew all there was to know, so why don¡¯t you tell me what you know about love?¡± He shook his head no so furiously that it almost looked like he was having a seizure, but he folded so readily when Renier threatened him by saying that she wouldn¡¯t continue the story unless he responded. He listened carefully to make sure that no one else was nearby for quite some time before he lowered his voice and answered, ¡°S-so, love is¡­¡± ¡°Well? I¡¯m listening?¡± ¡°Love is being incredibly curious about someone, thinking about them all day long, thinking about them makes you feel good, and wanting to be good to them¡­¡­.¡± Renier saw the rascal¡¯s cheeks grow scarlet because of the fire. I¡¯m a fool for thinking he¡¯s cute. ¡°Yeah, and?¡± ¡°Wanting to hide them behind your back so no one else can see them, and wanting to murder anyone who hits them¡­¡­.¡± Kuhn twisted his fingers together as he did his best to answer. Renier could see beads of sweat forming on his forehead. She scowled. She suddenly felt like she was a rabbit being hounded into a hunter¡¯s net. Kuhn continued, ¡°Wanting to hold their hand, wanting to hold them close, and wanting to kiss them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Love is wanting to lie together, and wanting to sow my seed in your womb and have children with you.¡± Renier stared back at Kuhn in mute amazement. His straightforward conclusion left her speechless. The Northlanders¡¯ manner of speech must surely just be strange, especially considering how that bashful bastard was saying stuff like this. Only, Kuhn had apparently scraped together the very last of his courage to say all this, as he completely failed to realize that he had said that he wanted to sow ¡®my¡¯ seed in ¡®your¡¯ womb. Renier only just managed to keep her wits together and feign ignorance. ¡°Aha. So that¡¯s your idea of love?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then what about wanting to hold, kiss, and lie with someone without having anything growing inside your heart? Is that love too?¡± Kuhn paused. It looked like he was doing his best to consider the double meanings of Renier¡¯s question. A long wrinkle furrowed into his brow. ¡°¡­¡­It likely isn¡¯t, but it could become love if that person has a change of heart.¡± Renier huffed. She didn¡¯t like his crafty answer because it wasn¡¯t like him. And, sure enough, he shook his head no as he spat out, ¡°No, that¡¯s wrong. That¡¯s no better than a mere beast in heat. But why do you ask?¡± ¡°Oh, well, it¡¯s because that¡¯s the only kind of people I¡¯ve known until now.¡± ¡°Where on earth were you living, and with whom?¡± There was a faint hint of fury in his voice as he mumbled. The contempt he had harbored when they had first met had fortunately washed clean away, and in its place, he was boiling with antipathy for the people who had tormented her. ¡°In that case, Kuhn, what if only one person starts growing feelings in their heart while the other doesn¡¯t?¡± Renier knew several solutions to this problem. Forcing oneself on the other person, like how so many people had tried to do to her, making the other person submit voluntarily with blackmail or authority, or buying the other person for a price, like so many people tended to do. There was many solutions, so long as you gave up on obtaining the other person¡¯s heart. ¡°I would try my hardest so that the other person¡¯s heart grows too.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t guaranteed to happen even if you try your hardest. The other person¡¯s heart might never grow, not even until the bitter end.¡± ¡°If the gods only permitted love to grow in one person¡¯s heart¡­¡± Renier didn¡¯t like the preface to his answer, but she decided to wait quietly for him to finish. Kuhn carefully chose his next words and calmly replied, ¡°Then I would put my everything on the line and pray to the god I worship. I would beg him to let the same thing grow inside the other person¡¯s heart too.¡± Renier didn¡¯t like his answer. Crack, crackle ¡ªthe fire began crackling loudly as it burned up. Small sparks sputtered out like flaming arrows in the darkness around them and drew long arcs between them. Renier woke up in the middle of the night. The fire and gone out, and all that remained of it were a few bright red embers. It was pitch black all around her, and only the immediate area surrounding the embers had a faint glow. There was a dark shadow in front of her. She was wrapped tightly in wool clothing, and her hand was wrapped inside something. Something that was large, thick, and warm. It gently caressed the back of her hand. It was moving so carefully that it almost felt like a feather. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± A low and sonorous voice was melting into the darkness. The voice was as gentle and steady as the buzzing of a bumblebee¡¯s flight. And it was as sweet as honey as it filtered into her ears. Renier could tell by the dark silhouette that he was kneeling on top of the cold stone floor. Perhaps he was praying to the god he worshipped. What was it that he wanted so badly? What was it that he wanted so badly even as gulped so painfully and desperately? You still have things in your world that you would pray for so desperately. The whisper of his prayers stopped. He slowly lowered his head. He pressed his face onto the back of Renier¡¯s hand, and his disheveled hair fell over her wrist and arm. The back of her hand tickled. And then she heard a quick and gentle smooch. *** Armanu coveted the beautiful Kittu and the wise Black Dragon just as a tree coveted the light of the sun, the nutrients of the earth, and the water of life, and Kittu of Six Wings and the Black Dragon began coveting Armanu as well. But Armanu looked up at the heavens above and looked down at the earth below and sorrowfully shook her head. ¡°O Glory of Light, beautiful warrior of six wings, I cannot hold you because you are too big. Your wings are large enough to cover the skies, but I am as small as but one of your feathers. I could not dare hold you.¡± ¡°O Wisdom of the deep and dark waters, sage with beautiful scales, I cannot hold you because you are too big. Your tail covers the oceans, but I am as small as but one of your scales. I could not dare hold you.¡± ¡°Why would one who can be as large as the skies not also become as small as a feather?¡± ¡°Why would one who can cover the ends of the oceans not also become as small as a scale?¡± Kittu of Six Wings and the Black Dragon of Wisdom crumpled and folded and crushed their bodies so that they were the same size as Armanu and stood beside her. Kittu¡¯s and the Black Dragon¡¯s entire beings were seized by greed, the likes of which they had never experienced before in their lives, as they looked Armanu in the eyes and stood with her shoulder-to-shoulder for the first time ever. Her every breath carried the fragrance of flowers, and her body smelled like it had been slathered with honey. ¡°Allow me to love you. I will bring you pleasure with my body, and I will bring joy to your heart with the glory of light.¡± ¡°Allow me to love you. I will bring you merriment with my body, and I will entertain your soul with my beautiful wisdom.¡± ¡°Allow me to hold you. Your children shall be the most beautiful warriors in all the heavens and the earth.¡± ¡°Allow me to hold you. Your children shall be the wisest sages in all the heavens and the earth.¡± ¡°O Armanu, allow me to sow my seed in your womb that you may bear fruit to my children. My body burns for you.¡± ¡°O Armanu, allow me to sow my seed in your womb that you may bear fruit to my children. My bones are melting in want of you.¡± Hesitantly, Armanu asked, ¡°If you want me, O Kittu of Six Wings, then what will you give me in return?¡± ¡°State your wish. I will give you everything I have and more.¡± ¡°If you want me, O Black Dragon of Wisdom, then what will you give me in return?¡± ¡°State your wish. I will give you everything I have and more.¡± ¡°One week ¡ªplease give me one week, and then I shall give you my reply.¡± *** Kuhn was deeply absorbed in thought. So many wrinkles had formed on his forehead and brow. ¡°Why is Armanu toying with their hearts and satiating her greed instead of answering them with sincerity?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? It¡¯s because the thing that was growing in Kittu¡¯s and the Black Dragon¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t growing in Armanu¡¯s. But you can¡¯t blame her for that since ¡ªand these are your words¡ª, it was the gods who didn¡¯t permit it to grow in her. Kittu and the Black Dragon are ¡®trying their hardest,¡¯ as you put it, so Armanu will like them back.¡± Kuhn¡¯s forehead crumpled something fierce, as though he rather disliked Renier¡¯s answer. But he could not logically refute what she had said. ¡°Then, why a week? It must be torture to have to wait for so long.¡± Renier realized that Kuhn was empathizing with Kittu and the Black Dragon. It was never the loved but the lover who had to suffer so. Who was it that told me again? The gods humble arrogant men by granting them an emotion they can¡¯t withstand. Renier thought that Kuhn was brave for empathizing with Kittu and the Black Dragon so readily. She didn¡¯t have the confidence to do the same. It was only the very foolish or the very brave who could stake their everything on an emotion that could both arise and extinguish in just one week. Slowly, Renier explained, ¡°Everything in the world can happen in the span of one week.¡± One week. She recalled something that someone had told her before. Seven days was long enough for all things to come to be and for all things to collapse. Renier tasted something bitter in her mouth. She continued, ¡°It¡¯s enough time for the living to die and for the dead to come back to life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough time to get to know a stranger, to start loving someone you hated, and to part ways with someone you loved.¡± ¡°It is not. Seventy days, seven hundred days, seven years, and even seventy years is still too short a time for that feeling,¡± Kuhn interjected her coarsely. ¡°What do you know about that feeling, Kuhn? Seventy years is too short, you say? How can you claim that so boldly?¡± ¡°In that case, what do you know?¡± ¡°I know more about it than you do. At the very least, I know that it can vanish in just a day, never mind a week,¡± Renier replied with a bitter smile. The things she had suffered had been agonizing, her memories about them were bitter, and it pained her to crush his insides with the truth. ¡°¡­¡­You are wrong.¡± Kuhn¡¯s voice trailed away at the end. He couldn¡¯t speak with certainty, however, because this was the first time in his life that he was experiencing this feeling, and he wasn¡¯t fully certain about how it would end. Almost two weeks had passed since Renier and Kuhn had met. *** Armanu sat beneath the tree that was located between the sky and the land as she pondered. Kittu of Six Wings sat above the tree, and the Black Dragon of Wisdom melted into the waters deep within the soil. Kittu waited, and the Black Dragon thought. He thought, and he thought. He thought about what he would gain and what he would lose while these feelings lasted and after it had ended. Kittu waited, and the Black Dragon thought. The Black Dragon finished thinking a week later, and he divided his body into two, one white snake and one black snake, from within the water. The snakes slithered up the tree without Kittu¡¯s notice and approached Armanu. ¡°Have you made your choice yet, O Armanu?¡± ¡°I have not. I cannot tell which of the two loves me more because I have not wisdom.¡± ¡°Do you seek the wisdom to help you know who loves you more?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Choosing one means abandoning the other. Do you seek it even still?¡± ¡°I do.¡± The two snakes slithered up the tree and slid onto her shoulders and began whispering into her ears. ¡°¡­¡­Test them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ask each of them for something you want most and for what they hold most dear, and test whether they truly love you or not. That way, you will be able to learn who loves you more.¡± And Armanu believed that the snakes¡¯ wisdom was right. ¡°O Kittu of Six Wings. I wish for your glory of light ¡ªyour heavenly beauty and your eternal life.¡± What Armanu wanted most, and what Kittu held most dear. Kittu fell into serious contemplation. ¡°I can give you the glory of light ¡ªmy heavenly beauty. But my eternal life is something sacred that I received from Utu, my father, and it is something I must keep as a Celestial. It is not mine to give.¡± ¡°I wish for your glory of light ¡ªyour heavenly beauty and your eternal life,¡± Armanu repeated by the wisdom she had obtained from the snakes. And so, after thinking long and hard about an eternal life in the heavens without Armanu and a finite life on earth with Armanu, Kittu tortuously answered, ¡°You shall have what you seek. But in exchange, choose me.¡± Then, Armanu went to the Black Dragon and said, ¡°O Wise Black Dragon. I wish for abundant soil and water, and I wish for your wisdom.¡± What Armanu did not know, however, was that although life diminished and could not remain whole once shared, wisdom could. The Wise Black Dragon smiled and answered, ¡°The soil and water are not mine to give, but you may seek wisdom from me if you so desire. I shall give it to you. If this pleases you, then choose me.¡± And so, Armanu chose Kittu of Six Wings and went to him. Kittu gave to her his glory of light ¡ªthat is, his heavenly beauty¡ª as he had promised, and vowed to give her his eternal life after they had consummated their union. Kittu of Six Wings held her in his arms, kissed her, and spent the night with her as they consummated their union. But Kittu could not bear to give her his eternal life even after they were united. Utu had sent a lion to his dreams at dawn and had given him a stern warning. ¡°I do not permit thee to cast aside that which I have given thee, my son. Never shalt thee be able to return to the heavens if thee cast aside thy glory of light ¡ªthy heavenly beauty and thy eternal life. And thy shalt suffer all the joys and pains of the lives of the mud creatures and go extinct. The warriors, thy offshoots, shalt also suffer the same fate as thee.¡± Kittu awoke from his dream and climbed up to the very top of the tree and cried in anguish until the sun had risen, but Utu did not reply. Armanu felt betrayed when she was not given the eternal life she had been promised, so she went to the Black Dragon. ¡°He did not keep his promise to me. And so, I wish to you choose you and receive what you give me instead.¡± But the Black Dragon drew out his cold fog and smiled. ¡°Choosing one means abandoning the other. And you have already made your choice.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But I will prove to you just once that I had, in fact, loved you. I will share with you the wisdom that you seek, the truth that is known to me.¡± Kittu learned that Armanu had gone to the Black Dragon and understood that it was because he had held off on keeping his promise. His heart boiled like lava because he could not take Armanu back while she was buried deep inside the Black Dragon¡¯s cold fog. He immediately went to the tree, which was Armanu¡¯s true body, and gave it what he had promised her ¡ªhis eternal life¡ª, and he shouted loudly at the mass of cold fog that he had kept his vow. The sun sank down beneath the horizon in that instant, and Utu appeared in the sky on his chariot of light. Kittu of Six Wings lost his divinity and tumbled down to the earth. The very same earth that was swarming with the creatures made from mud, and the very same earth that he had scorned and considered dirty. The innumerable Celestial warriors, his offshoots, also lost their wings and plummeted down to the earth. The small lump of earth that the Celestial warriors had been holding up plummeted down to the earth as well. Armanu¡¯s soil, which had once been surrounded by rainbows, fragrant flowers, and sweet fruits was dyed dark with the blood of Kittu and his warriors after they had fallen, and the tree¡¯s branches were painted red with blood and white with broken feathers. The grand and beautiful tree lost many branches and roots, and it labored to replant itself into the land below. Armanu went to neither Kittu nor the Black Dragon and hid herself from them. The only trace that was left of her were the footprints of a large bird that were etched deeply into the mud. *** Volume 1 - CH 5.2 Kuhn closed his eyes and fell into thought for a very long time. Why had she hidden herself? She had obtained everything she had wanted ¡ªardent love, eternal life, the glory of light, and even the Black Dragon¡¯s wisdom¡ª, so why? And, what was the wisdom she had obtained? Why hadn¡¯t she chosen either of them? Why did she not love them? Either Kittu or the Black Dragon. ¡°I can¡¯t understand her at all.¡± ¡°Huh? I think I kind of get where she was coming from. It¡¯s Kittu that I don¡¯t understand. He should learn when to give up.¡± ¡°Why can you not understand Kittu? I understand him very well.¡± The two of them stopped talking for a moment and waited for the other to speak up. But only silence prevailed between them, as if it was crushing their lungs, no matter how much time had passed. Crackle, crack, crack. The flames crackled pitifully as they burned out. Renier simply watched and stared as the fire died instead of feeding it more firewood. ¡°¡­¡­Kuhn. You said before that you¡¯d put your everything on the line and pray if the gods only permitted love to grow inside of one person¡¯s heart but not the other, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to have to ask the gods for permission about that sort of thing. What¡¯s the point in begging the gods for something when I don¡¯t even know whether the other person loves me or hates me?¡± ¡°Why do you consider that begging? I am certain of the fact that Lord Utu, whom I worship, loves me and cares for me. Lord Utu will bless those who worship him and permit them to be happy, just as parents blessed their children and wish them to be happy too.¡± ¡°You really think so? I was told that I¡¯m loved by Goddess Inanna, but it seems to me that she only brings misfortune to the people she loves.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true. Lord Utu, whom I worship, Lord Enki, who created the mudpeople, and Lady Ninhursag all protect us and give us their blessings because they care about humankind.¡± ¡°Their blessings? Hmph! I don¡¯t need anything of the sort ¡ªI¡¯ll just go ahead and confess honestly if there¡¯s someone I like, and I¡¯d rather work hard to make them like me back instead of begging or praying to the gods, so go and tell them not to meddle.¡± The boy was rendered speechless by the firmness of her reply. It looked like he had noticed long ago that Renier tended to grow thorny and sarcastic whenever she was talking about the gods. Was that why? The boy didn¡¯t rebuke her and call her a blasphemer, a heretic, or accursed, but a shadow always fell over his face whenever she insulted the gods. ¡­¡­Was I too harsh? Renier hesitated for a moment before she gingerly asked, ¡°But anyway, Kuhn, would you give up on your feelings if Utu doesn¡¯t permit the other person to love you back? Or would you stop worshipping him instead?¡± Kuhn let out a sigh that sounded suspiciously like a groan in the lieu of a reply. Renier decided to say aloud the rest of what she wanted to say while she was already at it. She continued, ¡°Honestly, you don¡¯t even know whether Lord Utu actually listens to your prayers. Even if he does, you still don¡¯t know whether he loves you or whether he hates you, and you don¡¯t know whether his love and blessings will be a good thing for you or not even if he does love you.¡± ¡°Mind your words. You insult Lord Utu, the god of light and justice whom I worship,¡± he interjected sternly. Renier pouted as she quipped back, ¡°There¡¯s nothing for me to mind. How could a weak and pitiful mudperson like me ever possibly insult the great gods who decree fate? I respect and revere them so humbly. I swear by the great Goddess Inanna that I¡¯ve never¡­¡­.¡± A large hand suddenly fell over Renier¡¯s mouth. ¡°Why do you always utter Lady Inanna¡¯s name whenever you lie? You do it all the time! Stop that. You¡¯ll incur Lady Inanna¡¯s wrath.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it if I want to!¡± Renier smacked his hand away and continued, ¡°Just hearing her name makes me feel disgusted! Did you know that? She got to be born as a whimsical goddess who gets to hold her head up high no matter how arrogant and tyrannical she is because she just so happened to get lucky, while I was born as an orphan slave wench who has to roll around in mud without being able to trust anyone even though I never did anything wrong, all just because my luck was shit! That¡¯s already more than enough to piss me off, but now I have to go and beg to her if I ever fall in love with somebody too? And not only that, but I even have to watch out for her every time I lie?¡± ¡°What happened to you that you¡¯re so¡­¡­?!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know! Anyway, I¡¯m not going to feel better unless I at least use her gods-damned name every time I lie. And I¡¯m going to keep using her name whenever I swear something too, so you can just sit there and think, ¡®she¡¯s telling a bold-faced lie again!¡¯¡± Kuhn dropped his jaw when he heard Renier¡¯s sudden vehement outburst. Eventually, he sat back and burst out into a refreshing round of laughter. ¡°I¡¯ve served Lord Utu ever since I was a child and I¡¯m to become the next priest of my tribe soon, but you¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve met who insults the gods so openly ¡ªit¡¯s rather refreshing.¡± Renier was astonished for a moment and looked Kuhn up and down. ¡°Huh? Wait, what? A priest? You¡¯re a priest? Did you really say that you¡¯re a priest just now?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m to become the high priest of the Temple of Utu in Salt Mountain after the spring equinox passes and I come of age.¡± Gods, of all the things¡­ What kind of crazy person goes and blasphemes right in front of someone who¡¯s about to become a priest in just a few days?! It was only then that his answers, reactions, and behavior suddenly made sense to her. Her first hint should have been the fact that he would rather pray and ask the gods to let the woman he loved also develop feelings for him instead of trying to figure out how to seduce and sleep with said woman like all the other pieces of shit Renier had met in her life. Then again¡­ He took everything so seriously, to the point it was bizarre, whenever she made him swear upon Utu¡¯s name. He probably would¡¯ve untied himself, taken off his blindfold, and escaped from the cave a long time ago otherwise. Right. He¡¯s always had such a weird way of talking, and he¡¯s always been so old-fashioned and thought and acted like a hundred-year-old man. I get it now. I finally get it. Renier began stomping her feet as she laughed. ¡°Hey, won¡¯t your tribe be in trouble now? I can go ahead and say whatever it is that I want, since I¡¯ve probably already been singled out anyway, but how could you say that it¡¯s refreshing to hear someone insulting the gods when you¡¯re about to become a priest?¡± Kuhn suddenly dropped his shoulders. ¡°Even I don¡¯t know whether I¡¯ll be able to be a proper priest. I¡¯ll have to officiate rites at the temple on the first of every month once I become the high priest, but I have no idea what I¡¯d even say to bless those who are getting wed or had children, I don¡¯t know whether the people will really be blessed after I bless them, or rather, I¡¯m not sure if even I believe that my blessings will hold any meaning¡­¡­. So I don¡¯t know whether it¡¯ll be proper for me to accept sacrifices and offerings¡­¡­.¡± Renier began giggling as she listened to the to-be high priest¡¯s sudden confession of his guilty conscience. Kuhn would¡¯ve surely made it big if he¡¯d been a hunter or a blacksmith, so to think that he was to be a priest of Utu, the sun god, instead. And the high priest, at that. The to-be high priest grew gloomy as Renier laughed and asked, ¡°In any event, why do you swear upon the names of the great gods whenever you lie? What will you swear by when you have to make a real vow?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll swear it on my own name.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s the only thing I have left.¡± Renier grinned. Kuhn closed his mouth and lowered his head. Perhaps Renier¡¯s reply had come as a shock to him, but he didn¡¯t respond for quite some time. Renier could see his ulnar bone slowly moving up and down. He kept his head down as he replied, ¡°In that case, you can use my name.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± ¡°You should cherish your name more if that¡¯s the only thing you have left, so you should use my name when you have to make a vow. Swear upon the name, Kuhn of Salt City, son of Huwatu and Kahala, and I¡¯ll guarantee your vows with my life for as long as I live.¡± Renier opened her eyes wide. She couldn¡¯t speak because her throat had suddenly closed up. Kuhn still kept his head lowered as he continued whispering, ¡°It hurts me inside when you speak like that. I want to do something for you, but I don¡¯t know what to do or how to go about doing it. If you owe someone an animal, then I want to immediately hunt down that animal and give it to you, if you owe someone money, then I want to repay it seven times over, and if you owe someone your life, then I want to substitute my life for yours.¡± ¡°W-why would you just throw your l-life away like that after everything I¡¯ve been through to s-save it¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I already owe you my life either way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve already told you how you can repay me for that, and you agreed to do it. There won¡¯t be any debts or grudges to repay after that. You can just forget about everything! Who gives a shit about my vows?! I¡¯m just going to end up slandering your name too!¡± Renier didn¡¯t know why she grew angry when she saw the shadow falling over his face. You promised! Don¡¯t you remember? Her voice grew louder as she shouted. His voice was flat as he replied, ¡°I remember. I haven¡¯t forgotten. I will repay you in the manner that you so wished.¡± *** Kittu sank into madness. He wandered the wilderness in search of Armanu for a very long time. His dragged his bloodied feet as he wandered the wilderness. His eyes had festered because the tears never stopped flowing from his darkened eyes. He looked up at the sky and cried whenever the sun came up, and he buried his face into the ground and cried whenever he thought about Armanu, who had disappeared from him without a trace. When he returned to the tree at the end of his wandering, he found that the tree had grown at an alarming rate and had already become a forest. But Armanu, the incarnation of the tree, still had yet to return. The white and black snakes, which had been coiled around the tree as they guarded it, fused back into the Black Dragon as soon as they spotted Kittu. The Black Dragon neither summoned his cold fog nor attacked Kittu with a thunderstorm. He was exhausted in his loneliness, and he began to shed tears when he saw Kittu, whom he had battled and vied against for a very long time but who was also his equal who knew him best in all the heavens and the earth. Kittu did not ask him why he was crying. ¡°O Black Dragon, you who have received the wisdom of the heavens while living on the earth. I beseech you to tell me where Armanu is.¡± ¡°Do not seek her. No one knows whether that knowledge will be a boon or bane to you, for wisdom is neither good nor evil, so forget about her and enjoy the rest of your days instead, O Kittu, great warrior of six wings, Glory of Light, and beautiful one of heaven.¡± ¡°O Black Dragon, you who can see a thousand leagues from where you sit. I beseech you a second time to tell me where Armanu is.¡± ¡°She fled from you, and a wicked and contemptible winged beast was lying in wait to kidnap her as soon as she left the divine tree¡¯s territory. She has lain with the winged beast, received his seed, and borne his children. Don¡¯t go, and stay here in this forest instead. I yearn for the days we used to test our mettle against each other in battle. You are my eternal nemesis, my equal, my friend, and my brother.¡± ¡°O Black Dragon, you are my one and only enemy and my one and only friend. I beseech you a third time to tell me where Armanu is.¡± The Black Dragon shed tears as he answered, ¡°A man-eating eagle who eats young girls lives in the Whitesalt Mountains, and Armanu was taken to his cave. The seed that you¡¯ve sown have also borne fruit. The children who take after you are your son and daughter.¡± *** ¡°Which man would you wed if you were Armanu?¡± Renier stared quietly at the boy before her. He seemed to be craving something, and his question was filled to the brim with a burning wish. She felt like he was taking one step closer to her by the day. Renier was dismayed because his footsteps felt so sure, and she was dismayed because one week was far too short. There would come a time when she would be able to stop him and send him away, and the end of that time was only coming ever closer. Renier slowly picked up a shield and held it in front of her. She could not allow him to approach any closer. ¡°I¡¯m not planning to get married to anyone. I hate all men. I feel like ants or centipedes are crawling all over me whenever a man touches me.¡± Kuhn froze. He was so shocked that he stiffened up like a block of ice. It was only a while later that he quietly asked, ¡°Why is that?¡± You expect me to explain it to you with my own mouth? Renier sighed as she tried to cut short their conversation. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Don¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I? Why are there so many things you won¡¯t allow me to ask you? Why?! I¡¯ve answered every question you asked me! I answered everything truthfully no matter how embarrassing it was. Why won¡¯t you do the same?¡± Kuhn cried out vehemently. Renier¡¯s voice grew soft as she consoled him. ¡°Some people have things that they can¡¯t talk about, Kuhn. Are you the kind of person who can¡¯t be satisfied unless you know the answer to everything that happens in the world?¡± ¡°No. But I feel so frustrated whenever there¡¯s something about you that I don¡¯t know. It makes it hard to breathe.¡± Was I too late in picking up my shield to stop you? Renier was slowly starting to lose faith in her own heart. Should I have turned you away a bit sooner? She probably would¡¯ve given up on defending herself long ago if she hadn¡¯t covered his eyes with the blindfold. Kuhn frowned and fell into thought for a long time before he carefully asked, ¡°Did you hate it when I held your hand too? What about when I massaged your feet?¡± Renier broke into a smile when she saw the worry in his face. ¡°Who can say? I was grateful that you massaged me so I wouldn¡¯t get frostbite, but I still find it disgus¡­¡­I mean, I dislike it when men look at me or lay their hands on me. It feels dirty, and I hate it.¡± ¡°Do I simply need to wash myself more frequently?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Kuhn.¡± Renier sighed and shook her head. Was he doing this even despite knowing, or did he truly just not know? He persevered and pushed back even as she pushed him, cut him down, and turned him away, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel like she was slowly being pushed back and losing territory. Renier dropped the shield she was holding and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was horrible when you touched me.¡± Kuhn hesitated for a very long time before he clenched his hands into tight fists and asked, ¡°¡­¡­Then, would it be all right with you if I kissed you?¡± His voice was quivering so badly that she didn¡¯t know how to respond. Renier knew that he held her hand, prayed, and kissed her on the hand every night. If the bashful fool had already reached the point of asking this aloud, then it meant that all the words that had been crashing inside him like a tsunami had finally overflowed and spilled outside. They overflowed, and overflowed, and were overflowing. Kuhn lowered his head and gritted his teeth together when Renier didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Pretend you didn¡¯t hear that.¡± Blood had rushed up to his neck, and he was bright red. *** Utu, his father, came to him in a dream that night. ¡°Take back the two gifts thou hast so foolishly given away, my son. Then, thy shalt be able to return to the heavens.¡± ¡°How am I supposed to take them back?¡± ¡°Take thy blood into thy arms, and erase her and the rest of her blood from the face of the earth. Then, the glory of light, which thou hast given her, shalt be returned to thee. Next, burn the tree and take back thy eternal life that thou hast tied to it. Thou must take back the gifts in the order in which they were given, the glory of light first and thy eternal life last, then thee and thine descendants shalt be allowed to return to the heavens and by my side.¡± Instead, however, Kittu made the long trek to the Whitesalt Mountains because he wanted to live with Armanu, not kill her. It was difficult to find the man-eating eagle¡¯s cave because the Whitesalt Mountains were large and rugged. It was only after many long seasons had passed that Kittu finally found the cave, but the man-eating eagle had already eaten Armanu, the mother of his own children, by then, just like he had eaten the other young girls. The man-eating eagle had swallowed her whole, leaving no piece of flesh nor shard of bone behind, erasing her completely from the face of the earth. Kittu was enraged, so he took up his giant bow and nocked an arrow. The man-eating eagle, which had tried to flee to the skies, crashed down to earth and perished after being hit by seven of Kittu¡¯s arrows. Then, Kittu sank down where he stood, smeared ashes all over himself, and clawed at himself all over as he wailed sorrowfully for a week. Once his tears had stopped, he looked around the cave and found the four children whom Armanu had borne. There was a blindingly beautiful boy who had taken after him and a girl who his twin and mate, and there was a half-human beastman boy with bird feathers all over his body who had taken after the man-eating eagle and a girl who was his twin and mate. The latter were the dirty children borne between Armanu and the man-eating eagle. Armanu had already been erased from the face of the earth because she had been devoured by the beast, but Kittu still had to slay the son and daughter borne to Armanu and the man-eating eagle in order to retrieve his glory of light, which he had given to Armanu. Kittu held up his bow and shot the man-eating eagle¡¯s son and daughter. The boy and girl were struck, but they escaped while leaving a trail of blood behind them. Kittu chased after them and tried to kill them with a knife, but the children hid themselves in Salt Mountain, the tallest and most rugged mountain of the Whitesalt Mountains. Kittu eternally lost the chance to return to the heavens when he let Armanu¡¯s children with the man-eating eagle escape him. Having lost his glory of light, his eternal life, and now even Armany, Kittu and his Celestial warriors, his offshoots, sat in the mountains and wailed. His tears flowed endlessly, and they eventually froze over and covered the mountains. *** ¡°¡­¡­The man-eating eagle didn¡¯t die at that time,¡± Kuhn said despondently as he listened to Renier¡¯s story. It looked like he had been waiting eagerly for his ancestor to be mentioned and was hopeful that his ancestor might be painted in a decent light, but, unfortunately, his ancestor, the man-eating eagle, was unquestionably the villain of this tale. Still, it looked like he intended point out the parts of the story that were wrong. ¡°What happened to the man-eating eagle, then?¡± ¡°He later found his children while limping on his broken wings and legs, and he came to Salt Mountain. He lived in Salt Mountain with his children, who had been in hiding.¡± Wow, seriously? ¡ªwhat bullshit! But Renier barely just managed to keep herself from cursing aloud. ¡°His children must¡¯ve been saints. They actually lived with their dad even after he ate their mom? Actually, before that ¡ªthe Salt Mountain Tribe were being ridiculous too. They just accepted the man-eating eagle who ate their children like that? Were they really stupid enough to forget about that part?¡± Renier had been about to launch into a fiery speech, but she only ended up laughing instead. They were probably just too scared to say anything ¡ªwhat else could it possibly have been? She understood, but she was still infuriated all the same. She was always infuriated whenever she heard about people who became miserable because they had to submit to something more powerful. ¡°I seriously don¡¯t get it. Why¡¯d the beastme¡­¡­I mean, the Northlanders just let the man-eating eagle harass them when they supposedly had nothing else going for them but their brute strength? If they all worked together¡­¡­.¡± Then they could¡¯ve just barbequed the stupid bird and be done with it! But Renier swallowed back the urge to shout the rest of that sentence too. Kuhn would never have been born if the man-eating eagle had been barbequed, which posed its own set of complicated problems. ¡°Oh, they didn¡¯t have the wisdom or the strength to work together and defeat their enemy at that point. Hmm, to be honest, I really believe that the Northlanders weren¡¯t much better than beasts back then. It¡¯s said that they didn¡¯t know how to weave cloth, that they didn¡¯t have clothes, shoes, or feet wraps, that they lived in caves because they didn¡¯t know how to build homes, that most of them either froze or starved to death in winter, and that they didn¡¯t know how to make knives of stone or dishes from clay either.¡± ¡°Aha. Is that why the Northlanders are were called beastmen?¡± ¡°No one knows exactly why people started calling us beastmen. Some say it¡¯s because we¡¯re the race of people who were born between the twelve divine beasts of the twelve mountains and humans, and others say it¡¯s because we didn¡¯t know that the Seven Great Gods were the true creators of the world and worshiped the twelve beasts instead. But I beg to differ. The Northlanders at the time may have been barbaric and lacking in wisdom, but I believe that they were still people all the same.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°But it is correct to say¡­¡­that the people of my household are beastmen, because we¡¯re the descendants of the man-eating eagle. I grew angry with you before because I was upset, but I¡¯ve never actually been proud of my forefather either.¡± Renier stared quietly at Kuhn¡¯s large figure as he sat before her. He had been outraged because the Southlanders hadn¡¯t treated the beastmen like people, but he had also been ashamed by his household¡¯s origins. He had only been so angry because it had hit a nerve. Kuhn smiled bitterly as he began telling Renier about his ancestor. ¡°The Northlanders of that time were more afraid of the man-eating eagle than they were of the great gods. The man-eating eagle was a gigantic and ferocious bird that had somehow heard an oracle saying that ¡®mythical beasts will take on human forms and obtain vast wisdom if they devour one thousands humans,¡¯ so he kidnapped and ate people at the slightest provocation. He ate so many people that the twelve tribes couldn¡¯t endure it any longer and began voluntarily offering sacrifices to him so they could appease him.¡± ¡°H-hmm.¡± The man-eating eagle had truly been a piece of shit, but more importantly, a shitty oracle had been involved too. As always, it was the oracle that had ultimately been at fault. The man-eating eagle¡¯s story hit closer to home for Renier now that she had learned about the shitty oracle. Renier began glaring as she urged Kuhn to continue. ¡°The twelve tribes began taking turns offering young girls as sacrifices to the man-eating eagle every month. He ate the girls immediately if they weren¡¯t to his liking, and he spared them and hid them away deep inside his cave if he did.¡± ¡°Oh, so he spared them sometimes too. That¡¯s good to hear! What happened to the girls he spared?¡± Kuhn didn¡¯t reply immediately, and he was hesitant as he reluctantly answered, ¡°¡­¡­He used them to satiate his lust, and he ate them once he tired of them.¡± Shit ¡ªRenier couldn¡¯t help but curse. I take back what I said about it being good to hear. The man-eating bird had always just been a shitty bird bastard regardless of the oracle. It was only then that Renier finally and completely understood why Southlanders called the Northlanders, and the people of the Salt Mountain Tribe in particular, the ingrateful descendants of beasts and held them in contempt. From beginning to end, Renier hated the reason why the eagle had eaten people. It had been because of one absurd oracle that the man-eating eagle¡¯s and so many young girls¡¯ lives had been ruined. But it was also preposterous to say that the man-eating eagle was a victim in all this too. He could¡¯ve just rejected the oracle and refused to accept it, just like I did. Did he really need to become human? Then, I could¡¯ve heard an ending where he decided to stay as an eagle who could traverse the land and the skies and lived happily ever after. Renier pouted as she began venting her frustrations on the man-eagle¡¯s innocent descendant who was sitting before her. ¡°So, it was only after he¡¯d kidnapped a holy goddess who had just stepped out of her territory, lived with her, had children with her, ate her, because the sacrifices that the people of the Whitesalt Mountains weren¡¯t enough to satisfy him, and nearly died after being shot down by arrows that he finally went crawling to his children who were hiding in Salt Mountain?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Why are you angry with me? It¡¯s not like I was the one who ate them.¡± Renier was apparently so salty about all this that she couldn¡¯t even grow angry, considering how quickly she wilted despite how harsh Kuhn¡¯s reply had been. Kuhn had no idea what was making the brat, who was notorious inside the divine stone cave for having a temper, act this way. ¡°Anyway, he got his human form and wisdom after eating a thousand people, so I guess his wish came true after all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that he was neither fully eagle nor fully human by the time he made his way to Salt Mountain because he wasn¡¯t able to eat his full quota of one thousand people. But he still stopped eating people after he¡¯d eaten Armanu, he obtained vast wisdom, and he even became the chief of the Salt Mountain Tribe by sharing his wisdom with others.¡± ¡°Well, he obviously obtained vast wisdom after eating the goddess of the tree, so he probably just thought, ¡®Ack, why did I ever do such a thing?!¡¯ and came to his senses.¡± ¡°I¡­¡­also believe that to be the case.¡± ¡°But I still don¡¯t understand why the Salt Mountain Tribe made him their chief. We can say that the tribe let him live with them because they were scared of him, but it still doesn¡¯t make sense that they made him their chief. Did he threaten to start eating them again if they didn¡¯t?¡± Renier suddenly stopped speaking. She saw deep wrinkles forming in Kuhn¡¯s brow. He clenched his fists, as though he could no longer tolerate Renier¡¯s accusations, and he began stammering as he defended his ancestor. ¡°E-even still¡­¡­the man-eating eagle taught the beastmen of the Northlands a lot of things. He taught them how to live as a tribe, as neighbors, and as families; how to count and measure distance and weight; how to send signal with whistles; how to melt steel and forge weapons and tools; how to make anmars and train great eagles; how to bake dishes from clay; how to weave cloth and make clothes; how to built houses and temples by baking bricks or cutting stone; how to dig canals for water; how to salt and preserve fish; and how to revere the great gods and perform rites to properly worship them. It was the man-eating eagle who built the Great Temple of Utu at the peak of Salt Mountain, who taught us that the god who sent the winter storms was Lord Enlil of the atmosphere, and who made it possible for us to perform ancestral rites in the forest of cedars.¡± Renier stared back at Kuhn quietly and nodded. She was sorry for cornering someone who was already ashamed about his origins. And Kuhn looked like he was still feeling sore too, judging by how his face was starting to turn red. ¡°You¡¯re right. The man-eating eagle ended up helping the Northlanders a lot if they really used to live without houses, weapons, or even dishes before he taught them. I think I spoke too poorly about your ancestor. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kuhn¡¯s crumpled features mellowed somewhat when Renier offered him words of acknowledgement. He let out a big sigh, perhaps because he was truly relieved, before he began chuckling while rubbing his nose. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why the Northlanders recognize still my household and tribe, the Salt Mountain Tribe, as the leading tribe of the Northlands to this day.¡± ¡°Oh, is that how it is? That makes sense.¡± Renier agreed not because she fully accepted what Kuhn had said but rather because she simply wanted to after seeing the smile on Kuhn¡¯s face. She didn¡¯t know why he looked so cute and innocent and made her heart ache so much when he smiled like that. Renier patted the rascal, who had finally straightened himself out again after shrinking into himself, and gently stroked his hair as he hung his head in embarrassment. She liked the way his hair felt to the touch. It reminded her of the dog who had helped her herd sheep in the fields. ¡°Er, ahem.¡± Kuhn flinched momentarily, likely because he wasn¡¯t accustomed to having anyone stroke his hair. Renier immediately stopped because she had sensed the instinctive resistance and reactiveness in his movements. But it had only lasted very briefly. Phew. Kuhn let out a shaky sigh instead of growing angry or pushing her away. Not only that, but he also obediently leaned his head toward her and accepted her touch like a real sheepdog. Gingerly, Reiner asked, ¡°Did I upset you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­No. I was just unaccustomed to it because no one has touched my hair since I was six. You may touch my hair as much as you please.¡± Renier realized that Kuhn had broken down another part of her and accepted her yet again. Rather, it felt like he was personally breaking down all the walls she had put up. She continued stroking Kuhn¡¯s hair with renewed vigor. His hair was thick and coarse, so it was strange that it felt so soft and comfortable. His neck began growing bright red again, though not as visibly as it had been yesterday. Then, Renier felt something moving ever so slightly under her hand. She stopped and opened her eyes wide. ¡°¡­¡­You know how to wriggle your ears, Kuhn?¡± ¡°Oh, shoot.¡± Kuhn turned his head in bewilderment. His ears, which had grown as red as his neck was, abruptly stopped mid-wriggle. ¡°W-wow! Kuhn, your ears were moving!¡± ¡°¡­¡­Q-quiet down. The whole world can hear you.¡± But Renier was too excited to quiet down. She¡¯d never met anyone who could wriggle their ears before in her life. She brought her face right up to his ear and studied it this way and that. ¡°Wow! Do all of you beast¡­¡­Northlanders know how to wriggle your ears?¡± ¡°¡­¡­No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so weird! It¡¯s adorable! It reminds me of the way that puppies cock their ears! Can you do it again?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t want to. Don¡¯t say that I remind you of an animal.¡± Whoops. It was only a beat later that Renier remembered that Kuhn hated being compared to animals and quickly apologized. ¡°Oh, sorry. I¡¯m really sorry. It was just so cute and adorable. Are you mad?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m not angry. It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°Anyway, can I try touching your ear while it¡¯s moving? ¡­¡­It¡¯s just so cute.¡± Kuhn hesitated for quite some time. It was only then that Renier finally realized that he was very loath about showing this ability off to people like it was some form of entertainment. Reluctantly, he muttered, ¡°I never showed this to my mother or younger sibling either¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, really? You don¡¯t need to show me if you don¡¯t want to. I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡± ¡°¡­¡­No. If you truly want to see it¡­¡­then I¡¯ll show you. It¡¯s nothing much.¡± Kuhn ultimately brushed back his hair himself so Renier could see his ear better. It was bright red, as too was his exposed cheek. His ear flinched when Renier touched it gently. It looked like Kuhn was only reacting on reflex because it tickled, but Renier¡¯s heart began pounding because it was so curious and fun. Despite what looks suggested, Kuhn¡¯s ear was as soft and squishy as the insides of freshly baked bread. He frowned heavily and curled in his toes as hard as he could every time Renier touched his ear. He was curling them so hard that they were starting to turn white. Renier sighed wistfully and pulled her hand back because she was afraid that his toes might break if she continued. The dark night, the gentle glow of fire, the cold air, the mysterious heat, the shaky sighs, and the rough breaths. Renier gradually became more and more bothered by everything that was filling the silence the longer it stretched. It was his rough breathing, the suggestive bloody redness of his ears, cheeks, and neck, and his squirming toes that bothered her the most. Renier reached out like she was bewitched and wrapped her hands tightly around his feet. ¡°Why are you¡­¡­?¡± Kuhn was so startled that he didn¡¯t even pull his feet back. He drew in a sharp breath, and his toes began curling up in Renier¡¯s hands like he was having a seizure. I don¡¯t know, Kuhn? How should I answer? Should I say that it¡¯s because your muddy feet, and your wriggling toes in particular, were just too cute? Because your ears felt so mysterious and endearing in my hand? Because I¡¯m trying to hold myself back from planting a kiss on your thick and strong but candidly red neck even though I want to? Because your raspy stammering is making my mind go blank? But Renier knew that she mustn¡¯t say any of that aloud, so she instead grumbled, ¡°Stop wriggling your toes, it¡¯s bothering me!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And, what do you mean ¡®why?¡¯ You massage my feet every day, so I need to return the favor at least once too. Hey, stay still, will you?! I¡¯ll have to smell your feet if you keep moving them like that.¡± ¡°I-I washed my feet in the snow just earlier¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Shut up! I¡¯m going to tickle your feet if you don¡¯t stop moving! Hey, stop it!¡± Kuhn wasn¡¯t even able to take deep breaths has he let Renier massage his feet. He leaned back against the cave wall and huddled his shoulders in as his face flushed bright red. Beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead, and he bit down at his lip and forced himself to steady his breathing every time Renier squeezed his feet before he finally brought his knees up and buried his face into them. His face was hidden in his knees and his voice was quiet and raspy as he mumbled, ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry ¡ªmy toes just move by themselves every time you touch me.¡± Renier squeezed as hard as she could. The rascal was probably covering his mouth like that so he wouldn¡¯t make a slip of tongue like he had yesterday. Feeling his toes wriggling nonstop in her hands made it hard for her to breathe. *** Volume 1 - CH 5.3 The blizzard had reached its peak. Blizzards were sometimes called Enlil¡¯s whip, and this one swallowed the Whitesalt Mountains and the Northland plains whole. The Northlands were the coldest just before spring, and this was also the time of year that the inhabitants of the cave either starved or froze to death most frequently. The weather would grow impossibly warm as soon as the blizzard and the cold spell passed, and the snow would melt in no time at all as green grasses slowly covered the earth. ¡°Are you just gonna let the bastard be, Sedek?¡± The young man from Kish City walked up to Sedek and pointed at the small chamber where the Northlander bastard was sitting with his chin on his knees. He continued, ¡°We¡¯ve been starving for two whole days now. And the brat hasn¡¯t brought anything back for three.¡± Not even wild animals were leaving their burrows because the temperature had dropped and the blizzard was raging. Renier¡¯s traps had only yielded a rabbit, a badger, and two weasels. It hadn¡¯t been enough for anyone to eat their fill. The grave robbers were enraged. Most of them would have already starved to death by now if it hadn¡¯t been for Renier, but they forgot this fact all too readily. They could feign nonchalance about starving for one day and tell themselves that the brat would surely bring something back tomorrow, but their patience ran dry by after starving for two. ¡°Shit, what¡¯s the brat even doing that he¡¯s coming back empty-handed every day?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know? Can¡¯t you see that he¡¯s chatting and playing brothers with the Northlander deadweight all day long?¡± ¡°Big bro sure seems to like him a lot. Who knows? Maybe the deadweight¡¯s been teaching the brat a thing or two about sodomy.¡± ¡°Holy shit¡­¡­. You mean with that scrawny little brat? It¡¯ll probably take the brat cutting off a part of his body before the deadweight stops fucking around.¡± Bwahaha ¡ªlanguid laughter resounded. It wasn¡¯t unusual for their lust for women to be pointed in strange directions because there were only a bunch of men here. Newcomers to the cave often salivated after the short-haired young boy who diligently hunted all day long. Not only was he small, but he wasn¡¯t half bad-looking either ¡ªhis face was muddy on the outside, but his eyes seemed to sparkle upon closer inspection and he had a slender nose. But that never tended to last very long. Most grave robbers gave up on the notion of touching the brat before their first full month after coming to the cave. The brat didn¡¯t have much in the way of brute strength, but he was incredibly spiteful when he was hunting beasts, and he was also rumored to have a vicious streak. The men stopped picking fights with the brat, especially if they were alone, after seeing him clinging to a wolf¡¯s back, digging a knife or a tree branch into the wolf¡¯s eyes, and holding on until the wolf stopped struggling and finally died. They could probably satiate their lust at least once or twice if they forcefully pinned him down, but then they¡¯d never know when they¡¯d find a tree branch digging into their eyes and piercing through their brains. But the scales were tipped right now because they had a hostage in the deadweight. It would¡¯ve been impossible for them to steal meat from the brat and curse him and beat him up for not bringing back any otherwise. ¡°Anyway, I think I¡¯m going to have to teach those bastards a lesson or two today. It¡¯s fucking annoying how they put their heads together and make merry every night instead of working properly.¡± ¡°Exactly. Can¡¯t they see that we¡¯re starving here?¡± ¡°He absolutely still has some meat stashed away somewhere.¡± They believed that they were owed free meat every day like it was only a matter of course, and they pointed their rage at Renier because they were hungry. It also made them uneasy to see how close Renier was growing to the Northlander, whom they were planning to kill eventually. And so, they stood up and slowly walked over to the small chamber where Renier and Kuhn were sleeping. ¡°It looks like hunting will be difficult for at least another day or two. Can¡¯t you see the crazy blizzard outside? There won¡¯t even be any rabbits or weasels out on days like this. They¡¯d just freeze to death.¡± Renier shook her head as she got up while rubbing her eyes. The large Northlander bastard who had been curled up deeper inside the chamber as he slept also stirred and sat up. ¡°That¡¯s your problem. If you can¡¯t hunt, then shouldn¡¯t you at least bring us the meat that you¡¯ve stashed away?¡± ¡°What meat am I still supposed to have left after you ate my entire stash?! Stop wasting your strength, and just sleep and hold out for a few more days.¡± ¡°That ain¡¯t what you promised, brat! You said that you¡¯d let us eat our fill of meat every day! That ain¡¯t what you promised!¡± ¡°When the hell did I ever say I¡¯d let you eat your fill?! I said that I¡¯d give you everything I had stashed away! And, I did feed the lot of you meat for these past ten days, just as I said I would! All by myself!¡± Renier raised her voice sharply. Then, Kish grabbed her by the collar and punched her in the face. ¡°How dare you raise your voice at us after we¡¯ve been letting you off the hook for so long?¡± The beatings began again as soon as the words had left his mouth. This had already happened several times since the Northlander had come to the cave, and it always proceeded in the same order. But this time, the beating were more savage than usual because the grave robbers had been starving for two days. The brat cursed and curled up into a ball. Fuck, you assholes, I¡¯m seriously just going to let you all starve to death. Just who do you think¡¯s been keeping you alive all this time?! Kish began stomping on the brat¡¯s head because he hating to hear him fighting back. It felt good when the noisy brat finally shut up. This was something that always started the same way, continued until his rage was finally satisfied, and would always end in the same way too. ¡°¡­¡­What the fuck?!¡± But the bastard, who had always huddled up in the small chamber and trembled while covering his ears, had decided to crawl out while quivering today. Not that he could get very far, of course, because his ankle was still tied up. But the bastard crawled as close as he could, pulled the screaming brat tightly into his arms, and shielded the brat with his own body. ¡°Kuhn! Hey, go away! You moron! I said, go away!¡± The Northlander bastard didn¡¯t say a word as he curled himself completely around the brat like a hedgehog. Furious kicking cascaded onto his back. Kish walked around the bastard, grabbed him by the hair, and punched him in the nose. He was grimacing something fierce, but he endured it all without letting out so much as a single groan. The brat¡¯s shrill shrieking slowly quieted down, and the Northlander remained curled up around the petit brat while holding the brat so tightly he might shatter. Haah, haah, haaah. His short gasps were the only proof that he was actually feeling pain. Kicks and punches continued to fall upon his back, sides, and face like a deluge. ¡°¡­¡­Fuck.¡± Sedek was trembling as he took one, then two, steps back. He felt like he was kicking a rock. It felt horrible and bizarre. He continued, ¡°That¡¯s enough, assholes.¡± But the bastards who were punching away in their mad frenzy could not hear him. That¡¯s enough! The punching and kicking only stopped after he had grabbed a few of the grave robbers by the scruffs of their neck and dragged them away. All that remained was the Northlander¡¯s bloodied face and ragged breathing and the frantic brat¡¯s shrill cries. Kuhn, Kuhn! Are you okay? Kuhn! Kuhn! I thought I told you to stay back, you idiot! Hey, you fucking assholes, I¡¯ll kill you ¡ªI¡¯ll kill the whole lot of you, you fucking thieves! Ahh, ahhhh, ahh! ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m not hurt. It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m not hurt. Don¡¯t cry, please don¡¯t cry,¡± The Northlander bastard mumbled with the brat still securely in his arms. ¡°Look here, Kish.¡± Sedek muttered with a heavy frown. Kish and a few other grave robbers behind him were scowling as they walked up. Sedek continued, ¡°Something feels wrong.¡± Nobody asked him why. They had also been sensing the same thing. Sedek hushed his voice and whispered, ¡°I think we¡¯ll need to get rid of that Northlander bastard before it¡¯s too late. We¡¯ll all be fucked if we don¡¯t deal with him in time and the brat decides to free him in secret. Then, we¡¯d have to leave the cave.¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been had a bad feeling about all this too.¡± Everyone who had gathered nodded unanimously. Sedek lowered his volume even more as he concluded, ¡°Let¡¯s deal with him immediately the next time the brat goes hunting.¡± The sobbing from deeper inside the cave was gradually quieting down. Quickly, Kish added, ¡°Everyone here should work together, since just one or two of us might not be enough.¡± ¡°Prepare anything you can use as a weapon. Bring anything you use as a tool for mining divine stones with you,¡± Sedek said prudently. Renier wetted her shirt and wiped away the blood on Kuhn¡¯s face, swollen chin, and split lips. Then, she checked his body to make sure he hadn¡¯t broken any bones and combed back his disheveled hair with her hands. She had cried so much that her voice was no longer functioning. Kuhn¡¯s throat tensed up every time he heard her hiccup. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m not hurt. I¡¯m all right. Don¡¯t cry,¡± he repeated himself over and over again like a fool. But Renier teared up instead of growing annoyed every time he repeated himself. She pressed her head against his shoulder and cried for a very long time. She cried until she could feel him growing short of breath. The two of them went straight to bed without saying a single word that night. Renier couldn¡¯t sleep. She could see that the blizzard was still raging fiercely outside the cave. The frigid winds smacked the gigantic rocks of Salt Mountain like a whip. And every time the wind blew, she could hear it making noises like a long strip of cloth was being shredded as it climbed up the cave walls. Hwoo, hwo, hwooo. Hwoo. And Renier could hear Kuhn breathing raggedly, unable to sleep, in between the gusts of wind. *** Kittu carried his son and daughter in his arms and dragged his tired body back to the forest with his subordinates in tow. Then, he began to wait in his fervent belief that Armanu would one day return. He believed that she would surely come back to life one day and return to the forest as long as the tree yet lived because she was the incarnation of the tree. Kittu waited endlessly for the day that he could finally take the eternal life he had tied to the tree and give it to her, just as he¡¯d promised, and finally be together with her. He waited ardently not for the day he could return to the heavens, but only for the day of her return. Then, one day, his son brought him oil and a lit torch and asked of him, ¡°Please set this tree, Armanu, ablaze, Father. You must at least take back your eternal life with us before you grow sick with age.¡± Enraged, Kittu shouted, ¡°My Armanu, your mother, will never be able to return if you set the tree ablaze, my foolish son.¡± ¡°Mother will not be coming back either way. The man-eating eagle tore her apart with his claws and pecked at her shredded body with his beak as he swallowed her. She was dragged down to the lands of Ereshkigal, and surely you must know that none who belong to the lands of Ereshkigal may ever return to the lands of the living, Father.¡± Kittu¡¯s son held out the torch and raised his voice. He continued, ¡°So please, take back your eternal life first, and then find and slaughter the dirty life that Mother bore to the man-eating eagle so we may return to the heavens together.¡± ¡°I cannot. In order to return to the heavens, I must take back my gifts in the same order they were given, so I must take back the glory of light from the man-eating eagle¡¯s descendants first and burn the tree to take back my eternal life last ¡ªand it is only then that I will be able to ascend to the heavens once more. Such were the words of Lord Utu.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But remember this, my son. I gave your mother my eternal life to uphold the covenant between us, and so, it now belongs to her. She will come back to life someday so long as the tree, which is one and the same as her, is tied to the eternal life. The tree fills my heart and body, and it will also make these wastelands rich with fruits.¡± But Kittu¡¯s son was more drawn to the prospect of eternal life than to his father¡¯s ardent waiting. ¡°But so many seasons have already passed. How can you be so sure that Mother will return while you still yet live, Father?¡± Kittu grew fearful that his son would try to burn down the tree and take the eternal life for himself. ¡°Promise me that you will safeguard this tree, to which I have entrusted my eternal life, my son. Protect it until Armanu returns, so that no other wicked race may harm the tree and snatch away the eternal life.¡± ¡°Then, when exactly will we finally be able to obtain eternal life?¡± ¡°If Armanu does not return by the day that the abominable life born between her and the man-eating eagle are wiped off the face of the earth and the glory of life that I gave her is returned, then those who have inherited my blood may set the tree ablaze, retrieve my eternal life, and ascend to the heavens. Your mission shall be to protect the tree with your life until that day comes.¡± ¡°I will do as you say. I will protect the tree, and I will retrieve the eternal life and ascend to the heavens once the man-eating eagle¡¯s abominable descendants have been wiped off the face of the earth.¡± Kittu took the words that his son had spoken and tied it to a new promise. ¡°I will bind your body and soul to the tree, so you shall become the tree¡¯s guardian and protect it with all that you are. Not only will no one be able to obtain my eternal life if the tree dies before the man-eating eagle¡¯s abominable descendants are wiped off the face of the earth ¡ªthat is, before my descendants reclaim my glory of life¡ª, but so too shall the guardian who is bound to the tree perish.¡± Kittu¡¯s son scowled heavily. He desperately tried to persuade his father out of forcing him into this vow, but Kittu did not take back what he had said. Then, Kittu drew blood from his son¡¯s hand as proof of their covenant, and he blessed the owner of the blood and all his descendants who inherited the blood to be able to use all of Kittu¡¯s abilities. Eventually, the guardian of the forest, who had come to be called Galtir, grew up, took his elder twin sister as his wife, and had many children with her. Their children would eventually become the priests of the Golden Forest. Time passed, and Kittu of Six Wings grew exhausted in his waiting. His subordinates began leaving the world one after another as well. His subordinates were warriors of light, but instead of returning to the light to be reborn in the heavens, they transformed into stones that carried light within, were buried deep into the earth, and shattered. Kittu cried like a river as he buried their corpses deep inside his frozen tears. Then, Kittu looked up at the heavens, at his father, the sun, and offered one last prayer. O Utu, my father, Glory of Heaven, and great sun of light and justice. I do not wish to return to the heavens and recover my blinding glory. So instead, someday far into the future, please allow me to be born again with her so that I may meet her again, choose her again, and live at least one life with her. I care not even if that life is that of a mudperson¡¯s, which blinks out faster than the light itself, so please allow me to live even just one life with her. He stared into a lake for a very long time after he had finished his prayer, and then he abruptly turned around and left the forest. His aged and ill Celestial warriors dragged their wings and feet behind him and vanished alongside him. And they never returned to the forest ever again. *** ¡°Is that how the story ends?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Kuhn looked like he was in utter disbelief as he raised his voice, ¡°Are you certain that¡¯s how it ends? Did Kittu of Six Wings never meet Armanu again?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it ends.¡± ¡°Think harder. Are you certain that there¡¯s nothing more to tell? Was he never able to meet Armanu again in his next life, or even in his next life after that? Even though he prayed for it so desperately?¡± ¡°Yeah, he never saw her again. That¡¯s really how the story ends.¡± Kuhn scowled heavily and fiercely clicked his tongue. ¡°¡­¡­That truly was a cruel tale.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that how love usually is? It¡¯s fun and sweet at first, but it always ends up being cruel and sad.¡± ¡°Why do you keep saying things like that? It¡¯s not even as though you¡¯ve experienced it for yourself.¡± ¡°When did I ever say that I haven¡¯t?¡± ¡°W-wait, then you¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I what?¡± Kuhn¡¯s lips twitched when Renier quipped back, but he ultimately lied down and turned his back to her without saying another word. He didn¡¯t say anything even after a long time had passed. Renier eventually asked, ¡°Are you asleep, Kuhn?¡± He still refused to reply. Quietly, Renier asked him again. Are you asleep, Kuhn? Are you? He didn¡¯t reply no matter how many times she asked. Renier fed the fire more firewood instead of checking his face, and then she laid out her wool blanket at the entrance to the small chamber where he was lying and lied down next to him. ¡°The people are acting strange, Kuhn.¡± ¡°I know,¡± his subdued reply came from the other side of his back. Kuhn was a skilled and sensitive hunter, so he had obviously noticed what Renier had noticed too. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to stay here for much longer. You get what I¡¯m saying, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I know.¡± His repeated answer had only come a long while later. Renier wordlessly observed the dancing flames. Sniff. She could hear someone sniffling quietly. It had only been once, and only very brief, but Renier had heard it vividly because she had keen hearing. She feigned ignorance and muttered, ¡°I visited Goddess Inanna¡¯s temple once when I was seven.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I met an old woman priestess there. I listened to her story, cried for her, and shared my snacks with her.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And then, I was blessed by Goddess Inanna.¡± Renier began telling yet another story, though she didn¡¯t care whether Kuhn was listening or not. She recited the tale of a young girl¡¯s day as she visited Goddess Inanna¡¯s temple for the first time in her life and the gift she had received there, which was just as cruel as the legends of the Golden Forest had been. Thy possess a fragrance that will allure many men, just like Inanna herself. Thou who art loved by Inanna. Thy shalt be loved by noble and beautiful beings. Thou who art loved by Inanna. Accept Inanna¡¯s blessing. Else, thy fragrance shalt become a stench, and thy fate shalt turn astray and thou shalt lose the love of the noble and beautiful beings. May the two paths before thee never cease. South and north, up and down, heaven and earth, land and sea, love and hatred, noble and humble, beauty and ugliness, good and evil, truth and lies, past and future, life and death. Choose thy fate at the crossroads between all these things. The Great Inanna speaks. I see two men who shalt love thee. And I see two men whom thou shalt love. I see two men who shalt kill thee. And I see two men whom thou shalt kill. Brave and courageous Renier speaks. I see one man whom I love. And I see one man who loves me. I see one man whom I save. And I see one man who saves me. Goddess Inanna¡¯s blessing was cruel and continued to tie her down by the ankle on matter how hard she tried to defy it. ¡®Brave and courageous Renier¡¯s¡¯ oracle appeared to have collapsed in vain. Renier let out a long sigh and smirked. ¡°I tried turning down the gift, and I tried putting a fake oracle in motion so I could slip free of it too, but nothing worked. I was told that blessings are like curses in that you can¡¯t decline them. I didn¡¯t ask any of the other gods to give me another blessing to undo that one because I didn¡¯t want to be marked as a wicked girl who dared to pick a fight with the great gods. Getting slapped once already hurts badly enough, so I didn¡¯t want to turn the other way and offer my other cheek too.¡± She laughed merrily and continued, ¡°I hate men, and I never want to get married either. My wish is to be able to live the rest of my life quietly somewhere like this, where neither people nor the gods will pay any attention to me, and to die instantly in my sleep after a rock falls down from the ceiling and crushes my head. I don¡¯t want anyone to remember me, and I don¡¯t want to be touched by men either. The very idea disgusts me. I¡¯d rather die than let them touch me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And, more than anything else, what I¡¯d hate most is to drag innocent people into Goddess Inanna¡¯s curse. At least I could rest easy if I ended up struggling and dying alone, so why do I have to be a nuisance and get others involved too?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve never hated you. I liked it when you held my hand and massaged my feet. I really did.¡± Renier gently touched the back of Kuhn¡¯s neck as he slept with his back to her. His soft ears, which had wriggled in her hands, his toes, which had wriggled in her fists. His neck and cheeks, which made her want something she had never wanted before when they flushed crimson, and the certain strong and special feeling that she had felt. Did you hate it when I held your hand too? Then, would it be all right with you if I kissed you? Pretend you didn¡¯t hear that. The way he had clamped his mouth shut and the back of his neck had grown bright red. Renier slowly leaned in. She could smell something familiar to her the closer she drew. It was his scent, which had been imprinted on her as he held her in his arms and took the beating in her stead. His scent, which had already pierced her heart like a hook. He had simply pulled her into his arms with his terrifying strength before she had the chance to decide whether she liked it or hated it. Renier quietly pressed her lips against the back of his neck. It made a quiet smooch. The flesh of the large and rough boy¡¯s neck that was hidden beneath his hair was just as soft as Renier¡¯s. The last spark of the flickering fire finally went out and melted into the darkness. ¡°I didn¡¯t hate it when you secretly kissed me either. I just wanted to let you know.¡± Kuhn snored loudly. Renier giggled with her lips still pressed against the back of his neck. *** Rough fingers were caressing her face. Renier woke up, but she kept her eyes closed and steadied her breathing and pretended to still be asleep. His touch was as gentle as a feather¡¯s, and he was breathing so carefully that she could barely hear it. His each and every movement was so ardent that Renier could not bear to open her eyes. He also quietly stroked her hair, which she had cropped short like a male slave and had only just grown out to be about half a hand¡¯s width in length. He was touching her hair, which was a jagged mess reminiscent of a crow¡¯s nest, so gently that he could have been stroking fine silk. Finally, his faintly trembling hand slid down Renier¡¯s shoulder and gently wrapped around Renier¡¯s hand. And the buzz of his voice, like a bumblebee¡¯s flight, and the purity of his prayer fell softly to the cave floor once again. Are men of the Northlands taught that they aren¡¯t allowed to put what they¡¯re feeling inside to words and say it out loud? His heart was overflowing in his every word, in the quivering of his shoulders, and even in the careful movements of his fingers, yet the fool never actually spoke his feelings aloud to either make them manifest or let them go, and he only continued to let everything pile up inside him instead. Renier grew dismayed. Why are you doing this, Kuhn? Why do you keep doing this? You don¡¯t even know my name or my age. You don¡¯t even know what I look like. You don¡¯t know anything about me. Why do you keep letting yourself drown in these feelings? No. Maybe it¡¯s my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have doing nothing about your growing feelings, especially since we won¡¯t have anything to do with each other anymore once we¡¯ve parted ways. This is my fault for feigning ignorance and letting you pull me closer. And it¡¯s also my fault for doing nothing about my feelings too. It was wicked of me, and I might as well have killed you again after everything I¡¯ve done to save you. If only you were a mean bastard like Sedek or that asshole from Kish. Renier kept her eyes closed as she counted the days that had passed. It¡¯s been two weeks since we met. Seven nights and seven days was enough time for all things to happen and return to nothingness. Enough time for the living to die and for the dead to come back to life. Enough time to start loving someone you hated and to part ways with someone you loved. It was just enough time ¡ªneither too long nor too short. ¡°Kuhn,¡± Renier whispered quietly, prompting Kuhn to immediately let go of her hand and ask, ¡°You¡¯re awake? It¡¯s still nighttime. Sleep a little longer.¡± ¡°You¡¯re seriously saying that after waking me up like this?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­. You weren¡¯t asleep? I¡¯m sorry. I-I was just so curious to know what you looked like.¡± His rash and desperate heart. This was all he could do because he was caught between his duty to uphold his vow to Lord Utu and his feelings for her. He was so upright that he could never do something like casting aside his god in favor of an emotion that his god had not permitted him. ¡°I told you not to be curious about me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­And I tried not to be, but I couldn¡¯t erase my curiosity completely. I¡¯ll endeavor to be more careful in the future.¡± The grief in his voice make Renier feel like she was choking again. It felt like something was going wrong over and over again. Listening to the words that this idiot had to say made her angry and brought tears to her eyes. Why do I keep letting you drag me along when I already know that I must never go there? ¡°What do you think my face looks like?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You probably were able to imagine what I look like, especially since you touched me so much. So, what do you think? Am I pretty?¡± The large boy looked like a faint shadow as he bashfully nodded back. He simply continued nodding back for a while, unable to utter a single word. Renier smiled wryly and said, ¡°I¡¯m an ugly runaway slave, Kuhn. My face is dark, my nose is flat, my eyes are crumpled together, I lost a molar because I¡¯ve been beaten so much, I¡¯m bruised all over, and my hair is jagged like a crow¡¯s nest.¡± Renier cackled. But her laughter was eventually drowned in water. Kuhn reached out toward Renier¡¯s face. His fingers ever so carefully brushed over her head, forehead, eyebrows, eyelashes, nose, cheeks, and lips. It felt like his breathing was getting faster. It felt like he was exuding sweetness with every breath, and like the sweetness was filling the cave to the brim. Then, in a very hoarse and raspy voice, Kuhn whispered, ¡°You¡¯re pretty. You¡¯re¡­very pretty.¡± Renier only continued to stare blankly at his face as he pulled her into his arms. She felt like her body was about to be crushed. Her back hurt. His face was so close. It was so very close. Renier reached out and stroked his blindfold. She wanted to see his eyes. She¡¯d seen that he had thick eyebrows and long, soft lashes that curled upward before she¡¯d blindfolded him. She¡¯d thought that they didn¡¯t suit the rest of his rugged features. She wondered what color his eyes were. Why was it now of all times, when it was so dark, that she wanted to see his eyes so badly? Renier wrapped her arms around his eyes and undid his blindfold. She could faintly feel his eyelashes moving in the darkness, but she could not see his eyes, which she was so curious about. He blinked for a very long time. She could feel how keenly he was trying to see what little of her face that he could. But it was so dark that they couldn¡¯t even see their own hands. And eventually, he had no choice but to be satisfied with pulling Renier into his embrace and rubbing his cheek against her. ¡°You said that you wanted to know why I saved you, right, Kuhn?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That morning, five dirty and lecherous men fell down the cliff outside this cave and died while trying to rape me.¡± ¡°Did you kill them?¡± Renier pulled in his face and kissed him in the lieu of an answer. She heard him draw a sharp breath. ¡°That¡¯s how much your life cost me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Your life wasn¡¯t cheap. So pay me back now, just like you promised you would. And then, forget everything.¡± He embraced her with everything he had. His breathing was hot and impatient. His split lips fell over Renier¡¯s eyes, cheeks, and lips. His feverish fingers dug under her clothes and began undoing the leather and linen cloth that were tied tightly around her breasts. And the beast began repaying his debt inside the cave where not a single ray of light could enter. Volume 1 - CH 6 ¡°What is your name?¡± Kuhn was hugging Renier so tightly she felt like she was being crushed. He was squeezing so hard that she could barely breathe properly. Renier didn¡¯t reply. He brought his lips closer to her ear and whispered, ¡°How old are you? Where are you from? What is your father¡¯s name? ¡°What is that brand on your chest? And the scars on your back? Who did that to you? ¡°Did¡­did it hurt a lot? How much did it hurt? Are you all right now?¡± Kuhn had licked her all over inside the darkness where not a single ray of light could enter. With his hands, his eyes, and his lips. He twined their limbs together like vines and asked an endless stream of questions. Renier could not say a single word in reply. Everywhere that he¡¯d bitten, chewed, crushed, and dug into was sore and hurt so much. He hadn¡¯t known even half of what Renier knew about sexual relations. The only thing he¡¯d been taught was that men and women must lie together for a baby to be born between them. He hadn¡¯t known what to do with himself as he was faced with the severeness of his ignorance, but he had desperately done his best not to let his ignorance show. It was Renier herself who had told him, ¡®I might fight back and say no or scream about how you¡¯re hurting me, but I want you to cover my mouth with your hands, tie me up, and hit me as you rape me,¡¯ but she had been bewildered when the unfamiliar pain seized her, and she had found herself unable to control the powerful rejection that arose within her. Kuhn had grown flustered when Renier struggled fiercely to resist him because it hurt so much. He thought that her request was bizarre, and he could not understand it for the life of him, but he had ultimately been the one who accepted it. And so, he had covered Renier¡¯s mouth despite her fierce resistance as she struggled in pain, bent back her limbs and held them down, and sometimes even wrestled with her as he laid with her all night long, as he had promised. His mind had been in chaos the entire time he was holding her ¡ªwas he performing properly? Would she die from being in so much pain? Was it truly all right for him to use his brute strength like this?¡ª, and he had felt more miserable as time passed. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. I¡¯m really okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain I did something wrong, since¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. I heard that the first time is always supposed to hurt for women. I guess it was true.¡± Renier placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, unable to stop herself, as she comforted him. His stiffened up again. ¡°¡­¡­The first time is supposed to hurt?¡± ¡°Yup. So, you didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± ¡°¡­¡­The first time¡­is supposed¡­to hurt?¡± he repeated to himself again in disbelief like a fool. It sounded like he wanted to cry, judging by how much worse shakier his voice was growing every time he repeated the question. Renier gently patted his sweaty back as she comforted him. His breath felt sputtered as it hit her cheek. His moved his lips as if he wanted to say something, but he ended up burying his face in Renier¡¯s chest instead. His lips fell on top of the round, tree-shaped brand on her chest. Renier brushed back the tangled mess of his hair and whispered, ¡°You said that there¡¯s something you need to do once you get home, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± ¡°What is it? Is it something urgent? ¡­¡­Actually, never mind. You don¡¯t have to tell me. I¡¯m not curious.¡± Anything she learned about him would only become branded in her heart and make it harder for her to forget him. And so, she endlessly continued to swallow back the questions she wanted to ask him so they could not escape past her lips. ¡°Go home as soon as the blizzard stops, Kuhn. I¡¯ll figure out the rest. I¡¯ll just tell everyone that I chased you down and killed you because you tried to run away.¡± Renier felt him squirming. She continued stroking him on the back as she languidly continued muttering, ¡°Don¡¯t you ever come back here ever again after you¡¯re gone. The people here will never let you leave alive if you come back. You know that, right?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°And forget about everything that¡¯s happened inside this cave. Forget about me, too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to be grateful to me about anything. It wasn¡¯t because I like you or because you¡¯re a good person that I saved you. It was just something I decided to do on a whim to make myself feel better.¡± She had never once been free from these shackles ever since she was ten. Struggling to keep herself safe had only served to push her deeper in the mud by the day. There was blood mixed inside that mud. Kuhn kept his face buried in her chest and pulled her in tightly by the waist as he maintained his silence and listened to her tale. Renier stroked his hair. She probably wouldn¡¯t be able to forget how it felt between her fingers for a very long time. She¡¯d probably miss it a lot. And she¡¯d probably wonder what color his eyes were for a very long time too. But now was the time to be firm ¡ªor perhaps it was the time to be cruel. Two weeks had been long enough. ¡°This is enough. You¡¯ve repaid your damn debt or whatever too, so everything¡¯s over now. There¡¯s nothing more for you to give me or receive from me. Right?¡± ¡°I¡­h-haven¡¯t repaid my debt to you properly. This¡­this¡­¡­.¡± Something warm seeped into the round, tree-shaped brand that was etched into Renier¡¯s chest. Renier slowly closed her eyes and whispered, ¡°I wonder when the blizzard will stop? I hope it stops soon.¡± ¡°¡­¡­That is something that Great Enki of the atmosphere will handle,¡± Kuhn mumbled in a voice that was as dark and murky as mud that had been drenched in dew. As always, Renier heard him praying desperately on his knees again that night. She couldn¡¯t hear what exactly he was praying for, but she was confident that something about his desperate wishes had changed from yesterday. What was it? What new thing was he wishing for today? He gently placed his warm hand on the crown of Renier¡¯s head. His large, thick hand was oddly hot even though it was drenched in sweat, and there was something hard and uneven between his palm and Renier¡¯s head. It was only after Renier felt the dangling leather string that she finally figured out what that something was. It was the black stone that Kuhn had said was the withered heart of his ancestor, which Kuhn had once shown her while he was making a vow. Renier leaned an ear toward his prayer and learned that what he was uttering wasn¡¯t exactly a prayer but rather something closer to a blessings often given by priests. But no ¡ªRenier realized that they weren¡¯t blessings either as his words began filtering into her ears one by one. Utu, who presides over light and justice, speaks. You who are the most beautiful and valorous woman in the world. It was an oracle. Renier couldn¡¯t smell any herbs, his consciousness wasn¡¯t lost in the realm of the gods, and he wasn¡¯t even a priest yet. He was nothing more than a to-be priest of the Temple of Utu who had yet to officiate a single rite. Yet Renier could not deny that the words he was saying were, in fact, an oracle. The top of her head grew moist. Renier realized that it wasn¡¯t sweat that Kuhn¡¯s hand was drenched in when she smelled the faint scent of iron. He didn¡¯t have any offerings or sacrifices here, so he had opted to offer the blood from his own body to his god in order to receive this misguided oracle, in order to substitute for the formal requirements of receiving an oracle. This would never be considered an actual oracle under normal circumstances. But his voice still sounded so desperate as he continued to repeat himself. Utu, the Glory of Day who presides over justice, speaks. Without fail, there shall be one man whom you shall love. And there shall be one man who loves you. Without fail, there shall be one man whom you shall save. And there shall be one man who saves you. What was this? Renier furrowed her brows. He was qualifying the words that Renier had hurriedly added to the unwanted prophecy she had been given in the Temple of Inanna with the seal of certainty ¡ª¡®without fail.¡¯ You shall ultimately choose the path of light at the crossroads between all things, for you are a warrior powerful and wise. You shall beat back misfortune and walk the path of happiness. May all this surely come to pass, for I have spoken in the name of Utu, the great sun god who presides over light and justice. The oracle was clear and concise, just like his personality. Without fail, there shall be one man whom you shall love; without fail, there shall be one man whom you shall love. You shall ultimately choose the path of light, beat back misfortune, and walk the path of happiness. May all this surely come to pass. He repeated himself over and over again without end. He repeated himself desperately, as though each repeat gave him additional strength to stand against Inanna¡¯s oracle ¡ªno, as if he could materialize his words if he said them enough times. Tears began trailing down from the edges of Renier¡¯s eyes. Enough. That¡¯s enough. Whether or not he was a priest, whether or not he was saying this on drugs ¡ªnone of it mattered to her anymore. I¡¯ll believe this misguided priest¡¯s oracle. No, I choose to believe it. Renier clenched her teeth together as she resolved herself. Goddess Inanna¡¯s oracle may be miraculous, Goddess Inanna may say that she blessed me because she loves me, and you aren¡¯t even a real priest yet, but I choose to believe yours. Unlike what you said, I might not be able to choose the path of light, Kuhn. I might never get to find the path of happiness. I might never meet someone I love for the rest of my life and end of dying here in this divine stone cave. But moving forward, I¡¯ll believe that the paths I take will lead me to happiness, just as your oracle said. Someday, at the very least, surely, and without fail. ¡­¡­Thank you, Kuhn. The blizzard that had been raging for three whole weeks stopped that night. *** Kuhn was sitting up next to Renier with his back straight when she woke up at dawn. It was obvious that he¡¯d been up all night. Renier pretended that she¡¯d never heard his oracle from last night, and Kuhn didn¡¯t say a word about it either. Renier checked to make sure that Kuhn¡¯s blindfold was tied firmly in place before she started brushing the wasteland that was his hair. She wanted to make sure he looked presentable since he was finally going home. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll brush your hair for you ¡ªhold still for a sec. Your hair looks like a patch of weeds. Were you planning to go home like that?¡± Kuhn made a face and grew flustered as Renier told him off. T-this is only because I just woke up, I¡¯m not usually like this ¡ªb-besides, I don¡¯t have a comb either. Kuhn was actually very fortunate that he didn¡¯t have a comb, because trying to comb through the mess on his head might¡¯ve ripped out all his hair and left him bald. Renier combed through Kuhn¡¯s hair nicely with her fingers, tied it up with some leather string, and did it up into a high bun as per his request. Meanwhile, Kuhn sat with his back straight and waited patiently. He took a deep breath every time Renier¡¯s fingers brushed against his thick neck. A faint light was beginning to fill the cave, the other people were still fast asleep, and the only sounds that could be heard inside the small chamber was the rustling of Renier brushing through Kuhn¡¯s hair spreading quietly like a spiderweb. ¡°It looks a little weird, but there¡¯s nothing I can do about that. I¡¯ve never done someone else¡¯s hair for them before. Actually, I haven¡¯t really done my own hair either, now that I think about it.¡± Renier was giggling, but Kuhn replied seriously without a hint of laughter on his face. ¡°That¡¯s all right. I like it. Thank you.¡± Renier helped Kuhn tie up the strings of his outer garments tightly and neatly combed the wool tufts on his kaunakes skirt once she was done with his hair. ¡°The snow¡¯s stopped. Looks like the weather will be nice today.¡± She cut the leather rope around his ankle, brought her own feet wraps, which she had been warming by the fire, and wrapped it carefully around his feet, and wordlessly bandaged the wound that he was sure to have on his hand after last night. Then, she helped him put on his wool shoes, which were nice and soft because they were dried, and also tied his shoelaces tight. She couldn¡¯t help but worry ¡ªwhat if his feet got soaked while he was walking through all that snow, what if those lovely toes of his got frostbite? He quietly lowered his head and his face flushed a glowing red as she gently wrapped the still warm and cozy shoes around his feet. Silence fell between them for a very long time. ¡°Hmm? What is it¡­¡­?¡± He had reached out and started stroking Renier¡¯s hair. Renier was startled, but she quietly closed her eyes and accepted his touch because the look on his face was ever so solemn and sincere, because his hand was so warm against her cold hair. His large and thick hand moved ever so gently and lovingly. The way his hands then wrapped around her feet and clumsily tied her shoelaces managed to bring aching tears to her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a good day to go home. Do you think you can stand up?¡± Renier pulled Kuhn up by the hand. Renier was a skilled hunter, and she had assumed, from the way Kuhn moved, that he had only been limping in order to get the other people inside the cave to lower their guards around him. The large boy from the Northlands was visibly sturdy, and the way he moved suggested to Renier that he was almost fully recovered. And, as she¡¯d expected, he stood up easily and walked out the cave on his own two feet. A chill ran down Renier¡¯s spine because she could neither hear his footsteps nor feel his breathing now that he was intentionally hiding his presence. Renier purposefully took the long way around and cut through the cedar forest, where the snow had yet too pile up too high, so that they wouldn¡¯t leave their footprints behind. They didn¡¯t exchange a single word as they crossed the large forest, and they only held each other¡¯s hand tightly. The sun had risen, and their surroundings were blindingly bright by the time they finally arrived at their destination. The densely packed trees, covered with snow, stood behind them, and the vast plains of the Northlands stretched out before them. Renier could see the small hideout surrounded by rocks where she had first found Kuhn. Renier placed her last skin of fruit wine and a piece of salted jerky in Kuhn¡¯s hands and took a step back. ¡°Stand here and start counting, Kuhn. Count to seventy seven times, and count very, very slowly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Wait, hey, wait a minute. I-I have something I want to say to¡­¡­. N-no, that¡¯s not it.¡± He flung the wine and jerky aside and flailed urgently as he took Renier¡¯s hand once more. Renier felt her emotions surging inside. ¡°You want to say something? What? And why did you wait until now of all times?¡± She coldly slapped his hand away. Damned coward! You were hesitating to death all this time, and you¡¯re only squeezing out your courage now that you¡¯re running out of time? I¡¯m sorry, but you should¡¯ve said something sooner ¡ªit¡¯s too late now. Renier had already decided to cut all ties with the rascal and send him back. She continued, ¡°Enough. You listen to what I have to say. Take your blindfold off after you¡¯ve counted to seventy seven times. You swore to me on Lord Utu¡¯s name, remember? You promised me that you won¡¯t take off your blindfold until I say you can, right? Don¡¯t you dare skip a single number.¡± He probably wants to see me, but not so badly that he¡¯ll break a vow he made on a god¡¯s name. After all, breaking a vow that you made on the name of the god you believe in is a sin worthy of getting cursed to death for in both the Northlands and the Southlands. He might¡¯ve given me a sham oracle to go against Inanna¡¯s oracle for my sake, but he¡¯s to be Utu¡¯s next high priest, so I doubt that he¡¯d willingly let himself be cursed by another god all just for some girl whose face and name he doesn¡¯t know. And surely enough. Kuhn was hesitant and unable to undo the blindfold that was covering his eyes. The blood was beginning to drain from his face, which was filled with bewilderment and chaos. Quickly, Renier added, ¡°Make sure you call for someone once you¡¯re done talking. It¡¯s not snowing, and the sky¡¯s so clear, so your whistling will probably travel at least four leagues. And find your own way back if no one comes for you. You¡¯re fully recovered now, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to. Don¡¯t look for me, and don¡¯t chase after me either.¡± ¡°Wait, please wait! Will you be going back to the cave? Is there a reason why you must stay there?¡± ¡°Where else am I supposed to go? Northlanders are unfriendly to Southlanders, and I¡¯m a runaway Southlander slave ¡ªyou don¡¯t seriously think that I¡¯d be able to hide among you Northlanders, do you?¡± ¡°Wait, that¡¯s not what I¡­t-there¡¯s something I want to say even though I mustn¡¯t say it now.¡± ¡°If you mustn¡¯t say it, then don¡¯t.¡± Renier interjected coldly. Kuhn floundered his hands as he cried out, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t go! Woman, brat ¡ªy-you! Damn it! Your name! Please! Your name! I don¡¯t know your name yet! Why won¡¯t you¡­?!¡± ¡°Is my name important? I told you to forget about me. And it¡¯ll be a lot easier for you to forget about me if you don¡¯t know my name, my age, or what I look like.¡± Kuhn¡¯s hands trembled as he clutched the ends of his blindfold. He probably wants to take it off. He probably wants to see me like crazy. But he¡¯s going to be a high priest, so he can¡¯t break a vow that he¡¯s made on the name of the god he serves. That what¡¯s most important to him, after all. Renier neither intended to test the person who loved her and ask him to give up that which he treasured most like Armanu had, nor did she plan to simply let anything peculiar start growing inside her heart. And most importantly, she absolutely didn¡¯t plan to involve him in the horrible gift that Inanna had given her. They had each done the other a favor, and there didn¡¯t need to be anything between them anymore. Stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp ¡ªRenier began running quickly through the cedar forest. Kuhn wouldn¡¯t be able to track her down easily inside a forest even with his terrifyingly sharp senses. ¡°Don¡¯t go! Don¡¯t gooo! I have something I need to say to you!¡± Kuhn reached out and flailed before falling flat on his face over the snow. He didn¡¯t get back up no matter how long Renier waited. Renier startled, ran back to him while cursing furiously, and pulled him back up. ¡°What are you doing, you moron?! Are you hurt?¡± A moment later, Kuhn used his terrifying strength to pull Renier into his arms. Their lips locked together, and then he pushed his tongue inside. Renier couldn¡¯t breathe. She gasped for air as she punched his head. He scowled, and in a very subdued voice, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t go back to the cave. I hate the idea of you being there.¡± ¡°You crazy asshole! Are you telling me to go back to the Southlands, then?¡± Renier struggled for all she was worth and kneed him in the pit of his stomach. But he only flinched for a moment before he pushed her down backward. They fell into the snow that had piled up all the way to their knees. Everything went white, and all Renier could see and hear vividly was the crimson flush on his face and the sound of him gasping for breath. She continued, ¡°Who do you think you are to tell me what to do? Do you really think I¡¯d have left my home and come crawling all the way here to the land of beasts unless I absolutely had to? Do you really think I¡¯d have willingly lived inside a divine stone cave, where only the worst of humanity gather, if I had any other choice?! Huh?¡± Renier slapped her chest, where her slave brand from the Golden Forest was engraved, as she continued screaming, ¡°I¡¯ll die if I leave the Whitesalt Mountains. This fucking slave brand came with a shitty curse! The only reason I¡¯ve been living in that damned cave all this time is because the only place where the curse from the Golden Forest doesn¡¯t work is the Northlands! Because the Northlands are the lands of the beastmen! The lands of darkness where the holy spells of the Celestials don¡¯t work!¡± ¡°Oh, s-so your brand¡­¡­.¡± Kuhn, who had finally learned why Renier had been living inside the divine stone cave, dropped his jaw and dithered. Then, he continued, ¡°I-in that case, can¡¯t you live amongst u-us Northlanders instead of living inside the divine stone cave? Of all places, why¡­¡­?¡± ¡°How does that even make sense to you?!¡± Renier shouted back sharply. The biggest reason why foreigners could not live in the Northlands was because the Northlanders were hostile to them. They were so hostile that the rumors claiming that the Northlands were the lands of beasts and the lands of darkness where people could not live like people were trivial in comparison. They had lived sequestered amongst themselves so completely all these years because people from other lands had always labelled them as beastmen, and they never allowed outsiders into their fold. The Northlands were a land where no law existed to protect foreigners ¡ªthis was what Renier had been told about the Northlands. ¡°You are wrong. Nothing will stop you from living amongst us if you want to. I told you, didn¡¯t I?! People live in the Northlands, and we¡¯re no different from you! We cry when we¡¯re sad, laugh when we¡¯re happy, cherish our fathers, mothers, and siblings, and marry and have children with the person we love ¡ªjust like you do! We¡¯re people, just like you!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± ¡°Do you still see me as nothing more than a dirty beastman? Would you rather be with those men who are actually no better than mere beasts?¡± Kuhn held Renier tightly in his arms as he yelled at the top of his lungs. Just shut up and go if you don¡¯t know anything, you asshole! Renier punched him repeatedly in the chest as she struggled as hard as she could. Kuhn simply accepted her punching as he pressed down against her with his entire being. His whispers scattered into the snow between his gasping breaths. ¡°There¡¯s¡­there¡¯s something I wish to say to you without fail once I¡¯ve finished doing what I need to do.¡± Renier opened her eyes wide as she looked up at the boy who was pressing down against her. What on earth was this ¡®thing that he needed to do¡¯ that he kept going on about? Then, a certain vivid premonition swept through her mind. Her heart was already screaming the answer. It was so loud that it almost felt like the words were running rampant inside her ungagged. That¡¯s not why I saved him. It wasn¡¯t because I pitied him or because I¡¯m merciful or anything of the sort. I did it for selfish reasons ¡ªbecause I wanted to free myself from my own guilt. But her feeble and obsequious anticipation began to coil up inside her lower abdomen as the truth continued to sweep through her mind. If something began growing inside his heart because I saved his life, then isn¡¯t it okay for me to have hope? It might not be growing inside my heart, and it might not have grown to the same size inside my heart either, but the fact that I saved him still remains. If he says something to me, if he tells me the words that I desperately want to hear, if his heart is desperate and powerful enough to embrace Goddess Inanna¡¯s curse too ¡ªthen won¡¯t it be all right for me to have hope just this once? Ultimately, Renier succumbed to the powerful temptation and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is that you have to do, but say it now if you have something to say. Nothing will change whether you tell me now or later.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you right now.¡± Kuhn shook his head stubbornly. Renier sharply raised her voice. ¡°Then leave me the hell alone! You can¡¯t even say anything properly!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ith me,¡± he mumbled so quietly she could barely hear him. He was speaking so quietly that she had to bring her ear closer to his lips. He was frowning heavily, as if he was carefully picking out only the words that he could say right now, as he uttered each and every word with great care. ¡°I-I¡¯ll come back for you once I¡¯ve finished doing what I must do. My home is still safer than the divine stone cave. I will protect you. From the hands of every animal and beast, from the hands of anyone who tries to hurt you¡­¡­.¡± He took a deep breath, and steady resolve, continued, ¡°And from the hands of any gods who try to harm you too.¡± Tears slowly began welling up in Renier¡¯s eyes. Was it that he didn¡¯t have the courage to speak aloud the feelings hidden inside his heart just yet? This wasn¡¯t the confession that Renier had been hoping to hear. But his offer was the very thing that she desperately needed most right now. A roof under which she could hide, sturdy walls that shielded her from all four directions, and arms that would embrace the blessing-cum-curse she had been given. But it was so strange. She¡¯d always thought that she¡¯d be overjoyed to hear someone say this to her, but hearing it coming from him made her feel like her heart was being ripped apart. Renier choked up as she confirmed, ¡°Even if¡­¡­that god isn¡¯t Lady Inanna but Lord Utu?¡± His face crumpled again. Haah. He turned his face to the side and made a strange noise instead of replying. Renier wasn¡¯t to slap her own mouth silly. And, before he could answer, she shouted, ¡°No, that¡¯s enough! Don¡¯t answer that!¡± ¡°I¡­¡­¡± ¡°I said, don¡¯t answer that! I¡¯m not some kind of wicked bitch like Armanu was! So, don¡¯t you dare answer that!¡± She grabbed Kuhn by the collar and raged. She continued, ¡°Y-you moron! Why didn¡¯t you say anything until now? There isn¡¯t even any time to think right now!¡± ¡°Do you¡­¡­need time to think? Why? Why do you need time if you aren¡¯t Armanu?¡± ¡°It¡¯s you who needs the time to think, not me! I¡¯ll tell you since it looks like you didn¡¯t know, but it wasn¡¯t Armanu who needed to take a week to think ¡ªit was Kittu! It was Kittu of Six Wings, who became a complete idiot because he was so deep in love! You moron!¡± Even seven weeks might not be enough time to fully understand what it means to take on my burdens, much less one! Especially not with that head of yours, when all you could do was repeat a sham oracle all night long. You don¡¯t even have to look far. You need to take a moment and think about what happened to all the men who ever approached me, about what my life¡¯s been reduced to. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking all this time. For how much longer must I think before you finally believe me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­A-a week, no, t-two weeks, seven weeks, until your coming-of-age ceremony, no, that¡¯s not it ¡ªI don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Then wait. I¡¯ll come back once I¡¯ve finished what I must do. I¡¯ll come back after I¡¯ve come of age, and I¡¯ll come back after thinking a lot more about you, just as you wished. And then, I¡¯ll tell you everything I want to say to you without fail. Will that work? Will you wait for me?¡± Renier¡¯s lips were quivering. She couldn¡¯t answer. She could feel the bloody hands wrapped around her cheeks trembling. She succumbed to temptation yet again. Gulp, gulp ¡ªshe did her best to swallow as she nodded back. ¡°Thank you. And¡­¡­.¡± Kuhn hurried took off his outermost layer and untied the string around his neck. It was his necklace with the multi-faceted black rock. He held it in his hands and paused for a moment before placing firmly inside Renier¡¯s. Renier stared at her hands for a very long time. The blood that Kuhn had shed over it last night, which had since dried, was moistened by the snow and left red marks on her palms. She felt like her hands were on fire. ¡°¡­¡­What? Why are you giving me this?¡± ¡°I will not go back on a vow that I¡¯ve sworn upon my forefather¡¯s heart. We will meet again without fail. I will leave this with you as proof that I¡¯ll come back for you.¡± ¡°Kuhn!¡± ¡°We Northlanders never forget our debts or our grudges. Never. Please give me the chance to repay my debt to you properly.¡± Debt? Renier frowned. She felt like her head was cooling. She ruminated over everything that Kuhn had said just now and suddenly felt like she had been doused by icy water. ¡ª I will protect you. From the hands of every animal and beast, from the hands of anyone who tries to hurt you. ¡ª My home is still safer than the divine stone cave. He had never said anything about being in love. Never. He had never once said anything about being in love in any of the conversations they had ever shared, nor had he ever even said anything close to it. Does he only want me to come with him so he can repay his debt? Because he doesn¡¯t think that what we did last night counts? ¡°Your debt? Kuhn, you repaid that last¡­¡­.¡± But Renier wasn¡¯t able to finish her sentence. Kuhn had placed his hand over her mouth while frowning something fierce. He shook his head no as he curtly spat out, ¡°Let¡¯s pretend last night never happened.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kuhn was unaware of how Renier¡¯s expression had chanced as he continued explaining himself in his distress. ¡°I will be honest with you. I despised what we did last night. It was unspeakably dishonorable and shameful, and I never want to think about it ever again. This is why I¡¯d like to pretend it never happened and repay you with something else instead.¡± Renier felt like her blood was circulating in reverse. She jumped up to her feet and screamed, ¡°What do you mean it never happened, you fucking asshole?! This is exactly why I told you to forget about everything!¡± She wasn¡¯t angry at Kuhn. But she snapped back to her senses as soon as the words had left her mouth. Oh gods. I was hoping that he harbored special feelings for me even as I kept telling myself over and over again that I mustn¡¯t. I¡¯m acting like I did him some huge favor or something. I was seriously imagining something as absurd and brazen as a Northlander high priest bringing in a cursed runaway slave from an enemy nation into his chambers. Renier, you fool. There¡¯s no way that someone who¡¯s about to become a high priest wouldn¡¯t know what it would mean to share the burden of Goddess Inanna¡¯s curse with me. There¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t know about how Inanna¡¯s husband and lovers died, went insane, became ill, or otherwise became miserable because of her curses. And yet, I had the gall to imagine following him into his home and becoming his wife all because of my own desperate needs. It had been brief ¡ªonly very brief, but she had still imagined it. She was so embarrassed that she wanted to die. ¡°That¡¯s fucking hilarious! Do you really need to ask me that so desperately? Your head¡¯s thick enough that I¡¯m sure you¡¯re capable of forgetting about everything after a good night¡¯s sleep! And so cleanly that you¡¯ll probably forget that I ever existed in the first place! Cleanly! Screw the fuck off! I don¡¯t want you in my sight! I¡¯ll just leave for another cave if you dare come to find me!¡± Renier pushed him away and began running. Kuhn hastily stood up too and grabbed Renier by her clothes. The wool ripped audibly. He reached out and grabbed her short hair when she sank down and paused ever so briefly. But Renier jumped right back up to her feet, not caring about how some of her hairs were ripped out. And she began running like crazy toward the cedar forest before Kuhn could catch her. It would be hard for him to track her down because the forest would cover her tracks. ¡°Don¡¯t go! Don¡¯t go! Please don¡¯t go! At least tell me your name! Please! Please!¡± he yelled loudly while on all fours and with his hands balled into fists. His shouting gradually turned into wails. Renier ran while covering her ears so she wouldn¡¯t have to hear him. It was only after she had run into the forest while sniffling that she realized that she was still holding the black stone he had given her in her hands. She couldn¡¯t hear his voice anymore. Renier clutched to the stone and sank down to her knees as she began to sob. Volume 1 - CH 7.1 Part 1 Renier climbed down the cliff after she had sent Kuhn on his way, cut off the nose and ears of the man from Minotos¡¯s frozen corpse, and threw them before the people inside the cave. ¡°The fucking asshole tricked me and ran. After everything I¡¯ve done for him. So I hunted him down and killed him, just like I promised. I didn¡¯t bring his corpse back because it was too heavy. But I can bring you to it if you want to see it for yourselves.¡± Renier knew fully well that no one would take her up on that offer because corpses off the side of the road were destined to become food for the eagles and wild dogs anyway. Renier fell sick that day. She clutched the black stone hanging around her neck as she boiled with a fever. Both her body and her heart hurt like crazy, and he was the only thing she could think about regardless of whether her eyes were open or closed. Renier waited. She waited endlessly, despite having told him not to come for her. Should I have just closed my eyes and gone with him, if this was going to happen anyway? No, I mustn¡¯t do that. I must never do that. But, what if the rascal really does come back like he promised? Wouldn¡¯t it be okay for me to have a little courage then? Her hope that he would come back for her like he had promised and her resolve to never allow herself to go with him clashed fiercely inside her. Would he come? Would he not come? What would she do if he didn¡¯t come? No ¡ªwhat would she do if he did come? I miss him, I miss him, ¡­¡­I miss him. She dreamt of him every night. In her dreams, he confessed his feelings for her, kissed her passionately, and held her all night long. She felt like her body was on fire wherever his lips had touched her even after she awoke, and she eventually began hallucinating about him during the day too. Renier thought that she would lose her mind every time his voice filtered into her ears. During the day, she climbed up tall trees to stare blankly toward Salt Mountain, where his home was. Something¡¯s strange. Something¡¯s really strange. This isn¡¯t me. Renier cackled as she rubbed her cheeks against the wool blanket he had slept on. ¡°You idiot, you gods-damned moron. It wasn¡¯t inside his heart that something peculiar was growing. It wasn¡¯t his.¡± Renier finally began pulling her hair. She grinded her teeth because she regretted ever telling him not to come back for her, and she shed tears of disappointment at the idea that she might never see him again. She tried so hard to forget about him, but one look at even just the pieces of rock salt that were scattered all over the place was enough to make something surge up from within her. His rich and quiet voice began to echo around her again. ¡ª Why is your city called Salt City? That¡¯s no fun. ¡ª It¡¯s called Salt City because it¡¯s located on Salt Mountain. Why must a city¡¯s name be fun? ¡ª What do you mean, why?! It¡¯s always better to have a cute and fun name. You could¡¯ve called it Snow City because it¡¯s white and bright and glittery, or you could¡¯ve called it Milk City too. It¡¯s not even like the actual city itself is made out of salt. The two of them had often chatted in whispers after the grave robbers had fallen asleep. The fire had crackled and sent sparks flying as it burned out, and the light illuminated a hand¡¯s span-sized space between them as their voices circled around them like they were tangible things they could catch with their hands. ¡ª There is one beautiful room that¡¯s made entirely of rock salt. My mother¡¯s boudoir. ¡ª Wow, really? It¡¯s seriously made entirely out of salt? Have you ever tried licking it? All the way from ceiling to floor? ¡ª ¡­¡­I-I have not. But I could try it if, if you¡¯re curious.¡± -¡ª Try it, promise me you¡¯ll try it! It must be so convenient to be in that room while you¡¯re eating. You can just lick the walls if the food isn¡¯t salty enough! ¡ª I-I¡¯ll try it sometime, and I¡¯ll tell you about it after I do. Did he really lick the walls once he made it home? That fool¡¯s as straight as an arrow, so he probably really did. He probably licked everything ¡ªthe walls, the floor, the chairs, and even the ceiling. He¡¯s such as awkward fool, after all. Renier covered her mouth a giggled for a while before she started crying again. She barely ate or drank as she stared blankly into the direction where Salt Mountain was all day long. She felt like she was gradually losing her mind. She was sick for two days, and her fever continued to linger faintly. She had already been on the skinnier side, but she had practically lost half her size. The grave robbers inside the cave were wistful that they couldn¡¯t have free meat anymore, but they didn¡¯t seem to be particularly suspicious of her otherwise. Hmph, damned idiot. How did he not know that the Northlander bastard was going to betray him eventually? ¡ªbut he still chased the bastard down and killed him despite growing close to him and acting like they were real brothers. The brat¡¯s still as spiteful as ever, but it looks like he¡¯s pretty shocked too. He¡¯s sick in bed. Shh, don¡¯t provoke him ¡ªthe brat¡¯s probably still feeling super spiteful, so who knows what he might do to you if you loiter around him right now? The grave robbers whispered amongst themselves as they deftly avoided Renier. It slowly grew warmer after the blizzard had passed, and it was suddenly spring and the equinox was drawing closer. Renier forced herself to her feet and staggered her way over to the cypress forest located at the border between the two mountains ¡ªthe place where she had parted ways with Kuhn. All the snow had melted away, and the moss, grasses, and small wildflowers were slowly peeking out. Salt Mountain looked like a beautiful bride because the red, yellow, and white flowers that were in blossom. A bride with a rainbow-colored crown of flowers wearing a gorgeously decorated shawl and a long skirt made of crimson linen and seven layers of woolen ornaments fluttering in the wind was standing and smiling before her. Renier sank down where the snow had melted away and stared blankly into space for quite some time. ¡°¡­¡­Urtur.¡± The axe. The gigantic axe he had been wielding, the one with the faded dark patterns on its handle, was lying strewn about on top of the grass. Renier dragged the axe back with her. She left it in the crack between the rocks where she had used to hide her dried meat and wine, and then she spent another endless stretch of time just staring at it. Sometimes, she grew so angry that she just wanted to hurl the damned axe off the cliff, and sometimes, she missed the bastard so much that her eyes welled up with tears. Why did I bring this damned thing back with me? I should just cleanly forget about him. But, in the one-in-a-million chance that he really does come back for me or we just so happen to see each other again by chance, wouldn¡¯t he be happy if I gave his axe back to him? It¡¯s a weapon made out of bronze, so it¡¯s probably really valuable. ¡°Thank you for finding this for me. I thought I¡¯d never get to see it again. It¡¯s uncomfortable to be without a weapon that your hands have gotten used to wielding. How would you like me to repay you for this debt?¡± Renier¡¯s lips twisted as she tried to mimic Kuhn¡¯s strange way of speaking, but then she suddenly stopped and lowered her head. Ugh, shit. Her nose wouldn¡¯t stop running. Kuhn returned to the cave almost immediately after the equinox had passed. Renier woke up at down and felt a chill slowly creeping down her back. She didn¡¯t sense any animals nearby, and the people around her weren¡¯t moving about yet. Her surroundings were quiet, but the chill running down her spine only grew stronger and stronger. It wasn¡¯t as though anyone was exuding bloodlust from nearby, but something still felt off. And Renier knew that her instincts were never wrong. She needed to get out of here for now. Renier slipped out of the cave on all fours like a wildcat without bothering to wake any of the grave robbers and quietly walked outside. The pearly light that signaled the dawn was starting to climb up the Whitesalt Mountains. She stared at the sky for quite some time before she suddenly frowned. She had spotted some kind of strange movement inside the darkness. It looked like a flock of birds were flying her way, but they didn¡¯t move like any of the nocturnal birds, like bats or owls, she had seen often in the Southlands. Are they some type of eagles, considering how fast they¡¯re flying? Wait. Do eagles normally fly around in groups at night? Renier pondered for a while before she suddenly shot her eyes wide open. ¡°Are those¡­¡­sky chariots? Are those anmars?¡± The chills running down her spine only grew sharper. ¡®Anmars¡¯ were round chariots found only in the Northlands that were pulled by six or seven giant eagles each. It was said that Northland horses or dogs pulled sleds over the Northland plains, and sky chariots ¡ªanmars¡ª soared through the Northland skies. The Northlanders raised nu¡¯umma eagles, a breed of eagles with particularly large bodies and wings, and trained them to pull sky chariots, but even they, who were said to have a natural gift in rearing beasts, said that it was difficult to raise nu¡¯umma eagles and drive anmars. Of course, some of the high-ranking priests of the Golden Forest, where Renier had briefly stayed as a slave, could also use ngak ¡ªthe power of the divine stones¡ª to lift and move objects or human bodies through the air. But levitation ngak that allowed people to fly through the sky were very expensive, and it was difficult for people to control levitating vehicles while they were levitating. It was practically impossible to see anything flying so high and freely through the skies because of the problems that came with levitating, such as horrible airsickness, terror, and the risk of falling and injury. The circular object attached to several giant birds became more visible as it came closer. Renier turned around to see whether there was any smoke or light coming from the cave. There was neither. The cave¡¯s small entrance was hidden behind large rocks and trees, and it should have been impossible to tell that the cave was even there from all the way up in the sky. But the anmar was undeniably coming straight for the cave. ¡°Maybe¡­?¡± Renier¡¯s heart began racing like crazy. -¡ª Then wait. I¡¯ll come back once I¡¯ve finished what I must do. Maybe, just maybe, was it Kuhn? ¡ª I¡¯ll come back after I¡¯ve come of age, and I¡¯ll come back after thinking a lot more about you, just as you wished. And then, I¡¯ll tell you everything I want to say to you without fail. Will that work? Will you wait for me? But Renier decided to climb up a tree that was covered thoroughly in leaves instead of waiting where she was. Her heart was screaming that it was surely Kuhn inside that sky chariot, but she still had to prepare for the off chance that it wasn¡¯t. The chill running down her spine was so ominous that she figured that it couldn¡¯t hurt to be cautious. The nu¡¯umma eagles came all the way to the cave entrance and cawed noisily as they flapped their wings. The person who was driving the anmar used the ropes tied to the chariot and a series of whistles to skillfully land the anmar over the grass. Renier saw the large man with the powerful bow and large quiver on his back jumping lightly down from the chariot and instantly knew that he was the boy she had so been waiting for. ¡®You really, really came.¡¯ Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. ¡°Are you really planning to embrace my curse? Why would you do that, you moron? ¡ªyou stupid, stupid fool.¡± Renier rubbed her eyes against the back of her hand and was just about to climb down from the tree. But then she saw Kuhn walking up to the cave entrance and tilted her head to the side. ¡°What¡­¡­is that?¡± Something reminiscent of black smoke was blazing from Kuhn¡¯s being. Renier hid herself between the branches and opened her eyes wide. There was no way that she didn¡¯t know what that blackish smoke meant. Her entire being froze solid on the spot. The bloodlust that he was exuding was so vivid and forthright that she couldn¡¯t possibly mistake it for anything else, and it was larger and more violent than anything she had ever seen before. Now that she thought about it, his profile looked ferocious and menacing even from a distance. ¡°The hell¡¯s with all the noise? And where the fuck did that shitty little brat run off to without saying a word to any¡­¡­huh?¡± Sedek walked outside when he heard the birds cawing and flapping their wings. Kuhn ran up to him in an instant and swung his arm. It was like a giant black panther had jumped out from nowhere to ambush his prey. ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± His movements had been so swift and light that even Renier, who had good vision, hadn¡¯t seen what had happened. It was only after Sedek¡¯s head fell to the ground and rolled a couple of times that Renier clasped her hands over her mouth as the blood drained from her face. Did you really¡­¡­just kill him without bothering to check if it was me first? The other people inside the cave came outside as a group after they heard Sedek¡¯s short cry. The number of grave robbers living inside the cave had grown to thirty after spring had come. Kuhn readjusted his grip on his axe with one hand. New bloodlust surged blackly from behind him. Was this the source of the ominous premonition Renier had sensed at dawn? She felt like the aura pouring out from his being alone was enough to suffocate her to death. He brandished his axe without a single word at everyone who came outside the cave. He held the incredibly large and heavy axe with just one hand and wielded it as if it was as light as a feather. His each and every swing was powerful and concise ¡ªthere was absolutely nothing wasted in his movements¡ª, and he swung, blocked, and slipped away as quickly as lightning so his prey barely even saw him as he attacked them. Only the buzzing, swooshing, and splats of destruction resounded after the fact. The grave robbers rushing at him with weapons drawn had their heads and limbs severed from their bodies and scattered about each and every time he swung his arm. Renier quivered like a leaf as she saw what was happening below. ¡­¡­You can¡¯t be doing this, you know, Kuhn? You don¡¯t know anything about me ¡ªnot what I look like, not my name, and not even my age. If you¡¯re really here to take me back with you, then, at the very least, you should leave them alive so you can ask them where I am. At the very least, you should be hearing what their voices sound like so you can make sure it¡¯s not me. ¡­¡­You can¡¯t just kill everyone like this, not unless you intend to kill me too. Despite Renier¡¯s pitiful hopes, however, Kuhn slaughtered every last grave robber who ran outside the cave without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Renier¡¯s vision spun as a white fog crept up from the ground. She clutched the branches hard. She had no doubts about what the chill that had been running down her spine was about anymore. Her pitiful hope that had bubbled up from within had almost blinded her for just a very brief moment, but her ability to sense the blackish bloodlust had saved her life yet again. Kuhn went inside the cave and did not come back out for a very long time. Loud screams resounded from inside the cave. Every last grave robber inside the cave was being massacred too. The grave robbers had recently created a lot of new stone and steel tools to mine with. Either they or Kuhn ¡ªone of them would not come out of the cave in one piece. Renier covered as her ears as she trembled. Finally, someone walked out from the cave. It was the flippant grave robber whom everyone called Kish because he hailed form Kish City. He used the corpses of his comrades as a shield to slip out of the cave and quickly began fleeing down the path leading down the mountain. Kuhn followed him out the cave and nocked an arrow. He pulled back the string of his large and thick bow, the likes of which could never be found in the Southlands, and released it immediately. The arrow pierced through Kish¡¯s thigh, and Kish tripped on the spot. Kish knelt where he was as soon as Kuhn walked up to him. Kuhn brought his axe to Kish¡¯s neck and began interrogating the latter. Did he remember how horribly Kish had used to beat him? Renier could see how Kish was leaking from between his legs and moistening the ground below. It wasn¡¯t long before he lost his head too. Kuhn stepped over Kish¡¯s corpse and whistled loudly. Piriri, piii, pii, piriri. Pii, pii. It was unmistakably different from the distress signal Renier had heard him sending previously. A loud ruckus stirred up in the sky before not one, two, or three, but six sky chariots landed in front of the cave. Ferocious warriors wrapped in the fur of black panthers and carrying powerful bows and scimitars jumped down from the chariots, followed ¡ªsurprisingly¡ª by several large dogs. Kuhn held out something for the dogs to sniff. Renier shivered as she realized that the yellowish thing he was holding was the wool blanket that she had been using as a bed. Gods. Are you really trying to find and kill me too? The dogs sniffed the wool blanket, barked loudly, and began sniffing around the cave entrance as they began their search. The blackish bloodlust around Kuhn was still there as he went back inside the cave to search too. Renier curled into herself on top of the tree. She desperately forced her brain to work even as she quivered. No, it¡¯s still possible that he¡¯s not here to kill me ¡ªit¡¯s still possible that he only wants to find me to bring me back with him. Right, he might just be here to bring me back with him! After all, he definitely, definitely¡­¡­. Renier clasped her hands over her mouth and laughed like she was crying. I only have one life ¡ªare you really going to risk it? You still think that even after feeling that dark and bloodthirsty malice coming from him? Are you serious? Renier desperately steeled her heart. I can¡¯t go there right now. At the very least, I need some kind of guarantee that he won¡¯t try to kill me. I¡¯ll just end up like Sedek or Kish otherwise. Get your wits together, Renier. Kuhn stayed inside the cave for a very long time even as the dogs from the anmars searched the area like they were combing for lice. The cave was deep and had a lot of branching paths, so it would take time to search through it carefully. His subordinates began clamoring. ¡°There are a lot of smaller caves in the area, and she might be hiding in one of them. Search them thoroughly.¡± ¡°She hasn¡¯t been gone for long. Find and drag her here without fail!¡± The warriors¡¯ voices were also filled with bloodlust. Renier flattened herself against the overgrown tree and squeezed her eyes shut. The warriors searched until the sun was high in the sky and reported to Kuhn that they hadn¡¯t been able to find anyone in the vicinity once he had finally come out of the cave. Kuhn surveyed his surroundings one last time with a bloodthirsty look in his eyes before he climbed into his anmar. Piriri, pii, pii. The warriors lined up before him with the dogs in tow and bowed as Kuhn whistled sharply. ¡°Everyone inside that cave deserved to die.¡± ¡°It is as you say, Lugal!¡± ¡°They trespassed onto our sacred lands and dug up the earth where our forefathers¡¯ blood, flesh, and bones are buried. Anyone who disturbs the rest of our forefathers forfeits their own right to repose, so we shall tie them up on poles and let the beasts of the land and skies take them as they will.¡± ¡°Yes, Lugal!¡± They stripped the corpses of their clothes and weapons before skewering them nude on long poles, erecting them before the cave, and taking to the skies. Renier stayed in the tree and quivered for a very long time even after they had left. The bloodlust that Kuhn had left behind was still pressing down on her and making it difficult for her to breathe. He was a much more terrifying and crueler warrior than Renier had ever imagined. It was like he didn¡¯t feel anything at all even as he killed. The boy¡¯s hoarse and dry voice echoed belatedly in Renier¡¯s ears. ¡ª You can never undo the act of taking another¡¯s life. And so, there must be an appropriate reason to do so. ¡ª And who gets to decide whether a reason¡¯s appropriate or not? ¡ª I do. No one inside the cave had survived. No one, not a single soul, save for herself because she had been hiding in a tree. Would I be hung up on a pole too if I hadn¡¯t woken up early today? No, he surely wouldn¡¯t do that to me! She could deny it as many times as she wanted, but she couldn¡¯t guarantee that she was right. She could not deny the black bloodlust that had enshrouded Kuhn¡¯s entire being, nor could she deny the reality that she had clearly seen him brandishing his axe without bothering to check what the grave robbers¡¯ voices had sounded like. But Renier refused to accept it. She didn¡¯t believe that the boy had been deceiving her as he cried out for her when she left him behind. She didn¡¯t believe that the foolish and tactless bastard could possibly deceive her so cunningly. Sure, I¡¯ll make a hundred concessions and accept the fact that his feelings could have changed as the days passed. Human hearts are fickler than you¡¯d think, and he could have met some beautiful girl while he was gone, and he could have started feeling dirty and ashamed whenever he thought about what we did together that day. But that¡¯s not something you¡¯d go out of your way to find and kill me over, is it? I told you that you didn¡¯t need to repay your debt to me. You could¡¯ve just stopped caring about me and lived out the rest of your life. Why would you need to go out of your way just to find and kill me? I mean, at the end of the day, I still saved your life¡­¡­. Renier hurled the black stone that she had been clutching in her hands. It fell over the blood-splattered earth with a quiet thud. Renier looked down at the black stone that she had thrown to the ground. She felt like a hole had suddenly opened up in her chest now that the stone was no longer hanging from her body. The hole seemed to eat away at the flesh surrounding it and grow bigger as she continued to stare in silence. Renier slowly climbed down from the tree and picked it up again because it hurt so, so much. And now her hands hurt because she was gripping it so hard. Stupid Renier. Why can¡¯t you even throw it away? She¡¯d had a hundred reasons why she had refused to go with him back then. The biggest among them was that she didn¡¯t want to transfer Inanna¡¯s curse to him. And yet, there was just one single reason why she had waited for him even still. I just wanted to see him. ¡­¡­Because I missed that fool like crazy. Stupid Renier. Don¡¯t you remember what the great and mighty Inanna told you? There¡¯s no way that any man would actually offer to make me a roof over my head. But that wasn¡¯t the only oracle I was given. Utu, who presides over light and justice, speaks. You who are the most beautiful and valorous woman in the world. Utu, the Glory of Day who presides over justice, speaks. Without fail, there shall be one man whom you shall love. And there shall be one man who loves you. Without fail, there shall be one man whom you shall save. And there shall be one man who saves you. You shall ultimately choose the path of light at the crossroads between all things, for you are a warrior powerful and wise. You shall beat back misfortune and walk the path of happiness. May all this surely come to pass, for I have spoken in the name of Utu, the great sun god who presides over light and justice. Renier lowered her head and began to shed tears. Kuhn had been unquestionably sincere. There was no way that his feelings had been fake, not when he had wished so ardently and had even made a forced oracle. He had, at the very least, been sincere at the time. But his oracle couldn¡¯t negate Inanna¡¯s. I don¡¯t know why, but he¡¯s changed, and now he came here to kill me. ¡°That¡¯s why I told you not to come. I told you not to say stuff like that and to just forget about me, so why did you have to come after me like this? You wicked bastard.¡± Did I ask you to repay your debt? Did I ask you for this stupid token? I told you that I didn¡¯t need it! I don¡¯t need any of it! Renier returned to the cave and packed her things. Kuhn knew where the cave was located, and there was no telling when he might come again. She needed to move her hiding place to a deeper gorge, a smaller cave. Renier took everyone else¡¯s earthenware, bronze tools, and even their spare clothes with her as she left the cave. She had been pondering over what she should say when Kuhn thanked her for returning his axe to him just last night. She had foolishly been pondering over whether it would really be all right to go with him as they had promised or whether she should persuade him into returning home without her, and how she should go about consoling him if he was sad. ¡°I should¡¯ve just left him to die¡­¡­.¡± But Renier couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. Saltwater was dripping down over her feet. Renier cried beneath the skewered corpses for a very long time because her heart suddenly began hurting so much, as if it was being ripped apart, as soon as she entertained the thought of him bleeding out in the snow and freezing to death, and because her heart astoundingly and tenaciously mumbled about how glad she was that she had managed to save him even still. The eagles were flying about all around her because they had smelled the scent of blood. *** ¡°Lugal Kuhn is the new high priest of Utu, the sun god, the new chief of our Salt City, the strongest and bravest warrior in all the Northlands, and the firstborn son of Huwatu and Kahala.¡± The warriors standing guard at the gates to Salt City were overflowing with pride as the recited their praiseworthy leader¡¯s many titles, and they clenched their hands into fists as they continued, ¡°He subjugated all twelve ¡ªI mean, eleven¡ª tribes and unified the Northlands not too long ago. Which tribe do you hail from that you didn¡¯t know about this shocking news?¡± Renier stared back at the gatekeepers instead of opening her eyes wide in surprise. Hadn¡¯t he only said that he was going to be the next high priest? But now he was the new chief of Salt City too? And he had unified the eleven tribes of the Northlands? There was so much to take in that Renier wasn¡¯t even shocked anymore. ¡°Oh, I guess I didn¡¯t hear since I live really deep inside the mountains.¡± Renier had wandered through several different caves over the course of a few weeks as she fled for her life until eventually, she decided to make her way directly to Salt City with Kuhn¡¯s axe in tow. The grave robbers had been systematically eradicated from the Whitesalt Mountains after Kuhn had slaughtered Sedek and the others. Renier suffocated as she felt the noose tightening around her neck as he continued to search for her. Anmars soared in the sky no matter what time of day, and his subordinate warriors came intruding inside even the deepest caves without warning. It felt like the scale and scope of the search party was growing by the day too. Renier had keen senses and had a track record of successful escapes, but it had been more than once or twice that she had only barely managed to slip away mere seconds before she would¡¯ve been found. I¡¯ll be caught by his subordinates and end up dying like a dog at this rate. There had been a time when she had welcomed the sweet embrace of death too, but the very idea of being skewered naked on a pole to become food for the eagles was dreadful to her. Renier had contemplated endlessly as she wandered from one cave to the next. I¡¯m sure I¡¯m wrong. There¡¯s no reason for him to be so desperate about killing me. He¡¯s just trying to eradicate the grave robbers, right? I would¡¯ve given up by now if I was looking for me, even if only because it¡¯s too annoying to continue. No, he might really only be trying to find me to take me back with him. He even gave me this necklace when he asked me to wait for him. Oh, I¡¯m growing sick and tired of trying to persuade myself now too. Her heart was so stubborn and obsessive as it tried to force her to look away from the reality before her eyes that it failed to convince her. Fine, if I¡¯m going to die anyway, then I at least want to know why first. Renier wrapped Kuhn¡¯s axe ¡ªUrtur¡ª, which she had hidden in a crack between the rocks deep within the cave, in cloth before she heaved it onto her back. She could vaguely make out Salt City, the distant white city located at the center of Salt Mountain. Renier looked up at the tall white ramparts behind the gatekeepers. The leaves were lush around them because spring had ripened, yet the white ramparts in the midst of the green were shining so blindingly that it hurt her eyes. Blankly, Renier muttered, ¡°When were the Northlands unified? And how?¡± ¡°Our tribe, the Salt Mountain Tribe, went through a lot of hardship last winter because the Golden Forest¡¯s schemes resulted in the Blackrock Mountain Tribe betraying us. But they say that the young master of Salt City, who¡¯s our new lugal now, solved that problem in an honorable manner too!¡± ¡°You must really be an ignorant country bumpkin if you somehow managed to miss this shocking news.¡± The large men who spoke with Kuhn¡¯s accent deplored at and censured Renier for not knowing about the ¡®legendary event¡¯ and began to regale her with the tales of their tribe chief¡¯s great feats. Volume 1 - CH 7.2 At the beginning of winter last year, the chief of the Blackrock Mountain Tribe, which had been hostile to the Salt Mountain Tribe for a very long time, sent a letter to Huwatu, the high priest of Utu and the chief of the Salt Mountain Tribe, expressing his desire to reconcile. The Blackrock Mountain Tribe chief claimed that Utu, the sun god, had descended down to his dreams and ordered him to reconcile with the Salt Mountain Tribe, the first tribe of the Northlands, and seal their promise of harmony with a matrimonial alliance. He sent over a broken bow and a broken bronze scimitar alongside his letter as proof of his desire for reconciliation, and he also apologized for the Blackrock Mountain Tribe¡¯s continued tolerance of the mining of divine stones. He also respectfully requested the high priest of Salt Mountain to visit the newly remodeled temple of Utu in Blackrock Mountain and officiate unity rites to celebrate their two tribes¡¯ reconciliation. The letter had asked for everyone in the chief of the Salt Mountain Tribe¡¯s family to attend the rites. ¡®I heard that your son will come of age when the spring equinox next year comes, and the daughters of the chief of the Blackrock Mountain Tribe, who are beautiful in both appearance and character, also came of age only recently, so what better way is there for our two tribes to reconcile if one of them captures your son¡¯s heart and they are wed immediately? ¡ªnothing could please Utu more,¡¯ the chief of the Blackrock Mountain Tribe had added in his letter. There was enmity between the twelve rival tribes, but they all shared the pain of being shunned by foreigners for being beastmen and they were all the same in that it had been the man-eating eagle, the ancestor of the chief of the Salt Mountain Tribe, had taught them how to live like human beings. Most importantly, the Blackrock Mountain Tribe¡¯s request to hold rites in Utu¡¯s name and form a matrimonial alliance was no different from vowing upon Utu¡¯s name to reconcile. And the Northlanders, who worshiped Utu as their main god, considered breaking a vow made in Utu¡¯s name to be the greatest of sins. Huwatu had agonized for a very long time. He was happy about the offer to reconcile, but he was opposed to the idea of marrying Kuhn to a maiden from another tribe because the household of the chief of the Salt Mountain Tribe had always practiced intermarriage in order to preserve the man-eating eagle¡¯s bloodline. That being said, he could not ignore Utu¡¯s dream oracle either. He convened the tribe elders to a council once he was done contemplating, and the council decided to accept all of the Blackrock Mountain Tribe¡¯s requests. Kuhn, who was just about to come of age, also accepted his marriage without a word because it was Utu¡¯s command. Huwatu took his whole family to Blackrock Mountain a week later. They were treated well at Blackrock Mountain for ten days. They were fed ample dried fruits, meat, cheese, butter, and honeycombs, and the Blackrock Mountain Tribe poured out an endless stream of fermented goat milk, beer, and wine for them. The chief of the Blackrock Mountain Tribe¡¯s two daughters wore purple kaunakes with five layers, gorgeous shawls, and headpieces with flowers sewn into them as they greeted their guests every day. The atmosphere had been cordial and friendly until the day that the people of the Salt Mountain Tribe finally let down their guard and climbed up to the temple in order to perform the rites. ¡°We worship Utu no longer!¡± Kuhn¡¯s family was suddenly surrounded by dozens and hundreds of warriors as soon as those words were spoken. ¡°We worship Armanu and Kittu of the Golden Forest now!¡± ¡°And now, we will eliminate your lineage and the Northlanders of Salt Mountain and take over your fertile lands, just as the Golden Forest asked!¡± A terrible massacre had taken place before the altar. It hadn¡¯t even been a proper fight. Huwatu and his family were unarmed because they had entered a temple, and the warriors who guarded them could not break through the siege of the hundreds of warriors and people of Blackrock Mountain who surrounded them, and they were slaughtered. But Kuhn survived. Kahala, who had been standing outside of the temple, had desperately broken through the siege to hand her son, who had been fighting with only his bare fists, his axe, and then she had fallen on the spot. Kuhn saw his parents, his younger sibling, and his fellow warriors with whom he had overcome the trials of life and death lying strewn about the ground as he broke through the cloud of people surrounding him with nothing but a single axe and fled. He had calmly determined that the Salt Mountain Tribe would lose its cornerstone and be massacred by the Blackrock Mountain Tribe if he were to die here too, and he gave up on the idea of dying like a dog while trying to save his family. He was the one and only survivor of the chief¡¯s household, and he was responsible for keeping his tribe safe. A blizzard was raging outside. He was drenched in blood, and there was a spearhead lodged into his thigh. He could not take it out on his own because it hurt so much every time he touched it that he thought he might faint. And he knew that blood would begin pouring out of the wound like a deluge and he would bleed to death if it pulled it out anyway. He endured the agony of his flesh being torn apart as he just barely managed to reach the entrance to the cypress forest that stood on the border between Salt Mountain and Blackrock Mountain and hid himself. It was only then that he finally turned back to look at Blackrock Mountain and shed tears of blood as he vowed, ¡°You swore upon the name of Utu, the Glory of Light, so I shall do the same ¡ªI will repay for you everything you¡¯ve done! I will offer up all your lives as sacrifices to satisfy Utu, who rights what is wrong and makes all things fair! May your corpses overflow atop his altar!¡± Then, he looked up at the snowy skies and shouted, ¡°I swear upon the name of Utu, the god of light and justice, that I will repay you for murdering us in Utu¡¯s name. You pledged to massacre our tribe, so I, too, pledge to do the same to you!¡± Swoosh, woosh, the winds howled like wailing ghosts as Enlil¡¯s whip beat sharply against his body. Kuhn shuddered from the chill and the pain before he turned back to the heavens and cried out, ¡°By Utu¡¯s name, I, Kuhn of Salt City, hereby swear to slaughter everything that lives on Blackrock Mountain, from the household of the chief of the Blackrock Mountain Tribe to newborn slaves and even to the livestock in your pens, without sparing a single one. I swear this upon the name of Utu, the sun god whom I worship¡­¡­.¡± He couldn¡¯t get the words out properly because his body was shaking and his throat was choking up. He fell to his knees where he stood. He couldn¡¯t understand. If Utu truly governed over light and justice, then it was only right that the god sent down a giant pillar of fire from the heavens and massacre everyone in the city right this instant. It was only right that the god mobilized the warriors of fire and light to destroy the city and break it to pieces. Why did the great gods always remain so silent even as their own names were insulted so? Kuhn found it dreadful that his entire household had been slaughtered under the pretext of his marriage, and he felt like his body was being ripped apart as he thought about his mother, who had willingly chosen death just so he could survive. And the responsibility he felt when he thought about his duty to keep the people of Salt City safe pressed down upon him so heavily he thought his lungs might explode. He bent over and began beating his chest. His breathing came out in sputtering gasps, but he did not cry. Even tears were a luxury to him right now. He was the sole survivor of the chief¡¯s household, and he had the duty to survive until the bitter end and repay everything that had been done to him. ¡°¡­¡­There will be neither funerals nor dirges until everything is over. I will neither indulge in feasts to make me merry, spoil myself in dances and songs to console me, nor receive any women to make me happy. May Utu¡¯s rage and curse fall upon me if I do. There shall be nothing and no one for me until everything is over. Nothing!¡± It took a while before Salt Mountain heard the news. The people were stunned to hear that Huwatu, their chief, Kahala, their entire household, and their warriors had all been massacred. Kuhn had escaped, but he had not only already been gravely wounded as he fled but he hadn¡¯t returned even after two weeks had passed since his disappearance, and everyone thought that he was dead. The people of Salt City couldn¡¯t even go looking for him on their anmars because Enlil¡¯s whip, the storm of snow, was still raging fiercely. The people who safeguarded Salt City during the emergency situation were Ningalsarbat, the wise old woman who was also the greatest doctor in the Northlands and Kuhn¡¯s nanny, Simug, her husband, the rest of the five great elders, and the rest of Salt City¡¯s greatest warriors who had remained in the city and who were also Kuhn¡¯s closest friends. They closed the city gates, gathered the warriors, and prepared to defend the city as they waited for the Blackrock Mountain Tribe to attack. It was three weeks later when Kuhn finally returned. He neither shed tears nor flew into a rage as he informed the people who were clinging to him while wailing that everyone else beside him had perished in Blackrock City. Then, he calmly ordered, ¡°Prepare the cows and sheep. I will offer a rite to Utu and ask him to bring judgement and justice upon them. I will pay them back for this hundredfold to make right these wrongs, and I will offer their unjust blood to as a sacrifice to the god of light and justice.¡± And all the people knew that the air about Kuhn had changed completely. Kuhn climbed up to the temple at the heart of Salt Mountain and officiated his first rite in his late father¡¯s stead. He personally butchered twelve bulls, piled up their flesh and bones, and drowned the altar in their blood before he turned to the sun and began shouting at the top of his lungs. He made it known to all that he was the new chief of Salt City and high priest of Utu, the sun god, that he would regain Utu¡¯s honor by punishing the heretics of Blackrock Mountain for insulting Utu¡¯s name and for murdering innocent people, and that he would shine down the light of justice, over which Utu presided, like it was the light of the sun. The other ten tribes sent their warriors to Salt City. Then, they assembled together an elite unit comprised only of those warriors who knew how to handle anmars. And, on the day of the spring equinox, the first day of the new year, Kuhn led the warriors to Blackrock Mountain for battle. Kuhn was the first to arrive and he landed in front of Blackrock City¡¯s gates. It had been nearly two months since his family and colleagues had been murdered, yet their corpses were still hanging from the ramparts and being pecked at by birds. Kuhn took up his bow and nocked an arrow. Unlike the other tribes or foreign nations, the warriors of Salt City used compound bows that had been crafted while using multiple materials, and Kuhn¡¯s bow in particular was so powerful that most people could not even pull its string. His arrows never missed their mark, and he pierced straight through the birds and eagles who were pecking at the corpses and he brought down the corpses one by one. ¡°Hey, what the hell is that bastard over there doing?!¡± ¡°You bastard! Who are you?! How did you get here?!¡± The gatekeepers at the gates to Blackrock City and other warriors who had been standing guard shouted as they began rushing out. But they collapsed to the ground after only a few steps when Kuhn¡¯s arrows rained down upon them. The soldiers of Blackrock Mountain, who had been rushing outside while shooting arrows, stopped in their tracks as dozens of their vanguard were felled almost instantaneously. Their arrows could not reach Kuhn, yet Kuhn¡¯s arrows were lodging in their chests. They grew bewildered as they realized the difference and range between Kuhn¡¯s arrows and theirs, and they quickly began backtracking. Kuhn threw aside his empty quiver and his bow. The lava that had been bubbling inside him finally roared as it poured down into his arms and legs. He drew the axe he had been carrying on his back and held his shield firmly in his hand. Clang ¡ªhis right arm drew a wide arc as an arrow bounced off his shield, and two warriors who had made it close to him lost their heads. ¡°Come out! All of you, come out! Come out and wield your blades again as you did back then without realizing the cowardice of your actions! I dare you to tell me that you worship Utu no longer!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I will repay the injustice you caused under Utu¡¯s name with the justice that I have sworn upon Utu¡¯s name! Come out!¡± He was wearing a newly commissioned helmet and sturdy leather armor with heavy sheet metal plates and wielding a heavy shield and axe as he rampaged like he was consumed by madness. Anyone who blocked his path had their heads or limbs sent flying in a spray of blood. Neither shield, blade, nor armor could stop the frightening force behind his axe, and the short and light arrows shot by the terrified archers could not penetrate through his shield or armor. Clang, clang ¡ªthe bell at the city¡¯s peak threatened to shatter as it tolled. People who had not been able to equip themselves properly were running out from every direction. Some warriors fought back with scimitars, spears, or clubs, but the majority of the people of Blackrock City were too busy trying to flee. Kuhn raced ahead like a soaring eagle, and he was as ferocious as a savage beast who had smelled blood. No one survived more than one blow from him. Everything before his eyes that moved was sundered by his axe. The soldiers who were defending the chief¡¯s house lost their will to fight when they saw that none of their offenses nor defenses were working against Kuhn. The scales of battle tipped sharply as even the chief¡¯s closest warriors turned tail and tried to flee. Kuhn kept his promise to Utu. He slaughtered the chief of the Blackrock Mountain Tribe, who had conspired with the Southlands and the Golden Forest, the chief¡¯s wife, the chief¡¯s elderly mother, the chief¡¯s children, and the warriors who defended the city ¡ªhe killed everything before his eyes that lived. He had no reason to hesitate because he had no reason to stop and discern whether they deserved to die, and nothing could stop him. The warriors of Salt City finally reached the castle ramparts and saw that someone had thrown the firmly shut gates wide open. A large man who was drenched in blood was pointing at them as his eyes flashed white. The only thing about him that wasn¡¯t crimson were his eyes, which were glistening with bloodlust, and his teeth, which he bared as he laughed. ¡°It¡¯s a demon!¡± ¡°¡­¡­I-it¡¯s the lion of Ereshkigal!¡± The warriors were accustomed to hunting and fighting, but they could not help that their hairs began standing on edge. He stared at the warriors before him and ordered, ¡°Don¡¯t spare even a single life. If you spare even a single one of those dogs, then you shall pay for it with your own lives.¡± The people of Blackrock City were seized with terror as they watched Kuhn fight and had already lost their will to fight back. What was waged against the terrified people was not a battle but a massacre. A full day passed before the massacre was finally over. They gathered all the corpses at the center of the city and set the entire city aflame, reducing it to ruins. Blood dyed the earth black, and crimson rivers of blood flowed in the streets for days. Kuhn stood at the heart of the devastated Blackrock City, piled up the corpses, and offered up a rite to Utu. He raised his hands up toward the sun, which was slowly setting over the ravine, and he declared that he had restored the sun god¡¯s honor, made right what was wrong, and exercised justice. Then, he turned to the other tribe chiefs that had gathered around him and proclaimed that he would defend the White Salt Mountains from the Golden Forest and the Southlands, which had schemed injustice against the Northlands, and he informed anyone who opposed to go home and prepare for his attack. Two days later, the ten tribe chiefs unanimously crowned the young master of Salt City as the lugal, the king over the alliance between the eleven tribes of the Northlands. Then, several days afterward, Kuhn collected the bones of his dead family, household members, and of the warriors who had been close to them into an urn and buried it in a cave deep inside the Whitesalt Mountains. And the people of Salt City and the eleven chiefs let down their hair and clawed at their bodies for the innocent lives that had been lost as they lamented for ten days straight. *** ¡°And that¡¯s how the lugal unified the Northlands. It was hard, but everyone¡¯s been comforted by the fact that Utu was satisfied by the lugal¡¯s actions and prepared a suitable eresh (which means queen) for him in the boudoir.¡± ¡­¡­Eresh? Boudoir? What is he talking about? Renier listened to the gatekeep in a blank daze before she began quivering and clung to her walking staff. ¡°T-the lugal got married? T-to who¡­¡­?¡± ¡°How could you not know something that even puppies know here in the Northlands? Our lugal welcomed the most beautiful lady in the Northlands to the boudoir just a few months ago, and a cute little royal heir will be born to them before winter.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way that news of a royal pregnancy wouldn¡¯t be a cause for celebration, since the lugal isn¡¯t just the firstborn son of the very first household of the Northlands but also because his household was nearly annihilated.¡± A royal pregnancy? And what¡¯s that supposed to be about? And the baby will be born before winter? Renier couldn¡¯t comprehend what she¡¯d just heard no matter how hard she tried. But there was just one thing that she did understand. The most beautiful lady in the Northlands. The most beautiful lady. The most beautiful. The white city seemed to be crumbling before her eyes. ¡­¡­Right. I always knew that you¡¯d like beautiful women. But I¡¯m not exactly ugly either, Kuhn. You just never had the chance to see me, but people have always told me that I¡¯m pretty ever since I was a child. If I washed off the mud on my face and grew out my hair, then even I¡­¡­. Renier was so astounded by the voice that immediately began clamoring inside her head that she couldn¡¯t help but laugh. My word. You¡¯ve lost your mind, Renier. You¡¯re crazy. She¡¯d been planning to ask him why he had betrayed her and stabbed her in the back, planning to pompously return his axe to him while saying, ¡°I¡¯d rather you just kill me quicker than die a slow and wretched death!¡±, but to think that he was married. And to the most beautiful lady in the Northlands at that. She realized just how ridiculous she was for coming all this way with even his axe in tow. The gatekeepers were too busy bragging about their king and making merry amongst themselves to notice that Renier¡¯s eyes were filled with tears as she giggled. ¡°Did you hear that the marriage gifts that the other tribes sent to celebrate the royal wedding were piled up so high that they reached the boudoir¡¯s ceiling?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve been so happy together that they say that the lugal has practically holed himself up in the eresh¡¯s boudoir. His axe has been growing rust, apparently.¡± ¡°I heard that his subordinates had repeatedly advised him not to sour the eresh¡¯s mood and to tiptoe around her. There¡¯s no mistaking it, since my cousin told me himself. Even the high and mighty lugal can¡¯t lift a single finger in front of his eresh.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that how it always works? It¡¯s the inevitable fate of every man, whether he¡¯s a lowly bastard like us or the lugal over the eleven tribes who unified the Northlands, to have to be mindful of his pregnant wife¡¯s mood.¡± ¡°The lugal might actually pretty used to it too. The late Lady Kahala was no joke either. Besides, every man in the chief¡¯s household inherited the inability to keep his wits before his queen ¡ªwhy would the lugal be any different?¡± ¡°Hey, are you badmouthing our lugal in front of someone from another tribe? All great warriors need to rest after a large battle, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯s happy that the eresh will bear him a cute child soon enough.¡± Renier couldn¡¯t stand to listen to this any longer. Her legs gave out, and she sank down right as the gatekeepers were watching. Hee hee, hehehehe. Renier looked up at the blindingly white ramparts as she cackled. What was I hoping for when I came all the way here? Did I want him to grow flustered and apologize to me? No. The truth, the truth that she really didn¡¯t want to acknowledge, was that she had only wanted to see that asshole¡¯s face just one more time. And the other truth was much more wretched than the first. The place where the ungrateful fool, who was the descendant of a man-eating eagle, lived was actually this lovely city, and inside this city was a gorgeous boudoir made from rock salt, and in the boudoir resided the most beautiful queen in all the Northlands, and the bastard held the queen in his arms and planted his seed inside her every night, and his seed had taken root and was beginning to grow inside her womb, and his child would be born in a few months¡¯ time. ¡­Is it because you don¡¯t want this beautiful lady to know about a wench like me? Because you¡¯re afraid that your beautiful lady might chase you out of her bedroom if she learns that you briefly gave your affections to a slave wench from an enemy land? Because she might start nagging you? Because she might slap you across the face? Is that why you personally came to find me in that cave with your axe? ¡ª I will be honest with you. I despised what we did last night. It was unspeakably dishonorable and shameful, and I never want to think about it ever again. Tears slowly began falling from Renier¡¯s eyes. The voice that she had so desperately buried away every time it cropped up resounded ever so vividly in her ears. Something dishonorable and shameful, was it? Sure. From your perspective, I basically forced you to sleep with me in return for saving your life, so I can see why you¡¯d feel like I raped you. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry, okay? It was selfish of me. But then you should¡¯ve just turned me down from the get go ¡ªwhy are you chasing after me so persistently and trying to kill me when you were the one who consented? You could¡¯ve just seen it as the price you paid to save your life and cursed at me! Is it because you just couldn¡¯t forget about what happened? Or were you just afraid that I¡¯m come all the way to Salt City to find you and run my mouth? She couldn¡¯t even deny it. After all, Renier had, in fact, come all the way to Salt City to see him and speak her mind to him, wretchedly enough. I should never have come here. I should never have learned about any of this. I should never had seen him slaughtering the grave robbers with so much bloodlust in his face. I could¡¯ve been eager, thrilled, and happy for a very long time if only I hadn¡¯t. No. It was for the best that I saw him exuding so much bloodlust, and it was for the best that I learned about the harsh truth. I would¡¯ve had lingering feelings for him forever otherwise, and I might¡¯ve done something stupid because of it. Renier had nowhere left to stay in the Northlands. There was only one reason why she had lived in these bleak lands to begin with. She was a runaway slave from the Golden Forest, she had a slave¡¯s brand on her chest, and the brand was enchanted with a ngak of fire ¡ªa terribly painful curse that activated when a slave ran away from the Golden Forest. The Northlands, the lands of the cursed beasts, was the only place where ngaks, the holy power belonging to the priests of the Golden Forest, did not work. But now she couldn¡¯t even stay in the Northlands anymore. And if she couldn¡¯t stay here, then she had no other choice but to go back. She would have to return to the Golden Forest, the sinister lands of the priests that had branded her in the first place, if she didn¡¯t want the ngak to activate. Renier wiped away her tears against the back of her hands as she stood back up. The axe on her back suddenly felt unbearably heavy now that both her dreams and her fantasies had vanished from her. It was nothing more than a nuisance now ¡ªshe couldn¡¯t even use it as an excuse to see him anymore. Renier unwrapped it and held it out to the large-bodied gatekeeper. ¡°I have a favor to ask. Can you please deliver this to the lugal if you happen to see him one day?¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Some woman I met on my way here asked me to give this to the chief of Salt City if I ever found myself here.¡± The gatekeeper tilted his head to the side as he accepted the axe. He knew that his lugal favored axes. So he didn¡¯t think that the kid was talking nonsense. Renier didn¡¯t even ask the gatekeeper to promise that he would deliver the axe. The damned thing kept tormenting her by digging up emotions that she should throw away like they were trash, so she wanted to throw away the damned thing like it was trash too, just like her emotions. ¡°Hey, kid. What was the woman¡¯s name? What should I tell him when I give him the axe?¡± Her eyes began welling up again. I would¡¯ve just told him my name ages ago if I knew that things were going to end up like this. That way, he¡¯d at least think of me from time to time. When he asked me for my name, I should¡¯ve just told him, ¡°Kuhn, my name is Renier. I¡¯m the same age as you. I¡¯m from a place in the boondocks called Elde Isle.¡± He would¡¯ve at least smiled for me innocently if I had. But it¡¯s pointless now. He¡¯s trying so desperately to erase his memories of me ¡ªno, he¡¯s trying to erase my entire existence. ¡°I don¡¯t know either, Mister. I just happened to meet her on the road, and it¡¯s not like I actually knew who she was. You can keep the axe for yourself if you don¡¯t have any reason to see the lugal, or you can just throw it away too.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Well, that woman¡¯s dead.¡± The large gatekeeper dropped his jaw and swallowed back the words he had been about to say when he saw that Renier was crying again. She¡¯s dead, she¡¯s dead. She went and kicked the bucket, and that¡¯s why she can¡¯t come here to snap at you for breaking your promise, why she can¡¯t come here and demand to know why you betrayed me and stabbed me in the back¡­¡­. Renier continued, ¡°You can just throw the axe away if it¡¯s too much trouble. Or sell it to a blacksmith, I guess,¡± Renier repeated as she rubbed her tears away again. But they kept flowing down to her cheeks no matter how much she rubbed and rubbed. The gatekeeper¡¯s mouth was still agape as he accepted the dark and stained axe with both hands. ¡°I¡¯ll deliver this to the Lugal as soon as I see him.¡± ¡°No. Don¡¯t do that.¡± She needed enough time to have a good head start just in case he decided to chase after her. Just yesterday she had wanted so dearly to see Kuhn again, and she had come all the way to Salt City come hell or high waters just to use his axe as an excuse to see his face again, but now she had to go on the run again so he wouldn¡¯t split her head open with the very same axe. ¡°A week, seven weeks, seven months, no¡­¡­.¡± Only after enough time has passed that that moron finally forgets about me completely. ¡°Please deliver it to him after seven or even seventy years. That should be enough time¡­¡­.¡± Renier lowered his head without being able to finish her sentence. Her tears were pouring so uncontrollably now that she could no longer keep them in check. The gatekeepers cleared their throat awkwardly, but Renier was grateful that they didn¡¯t ask her any questions. It was only a day after she had left Salt City that Renier realized that she had forgotten to return the necklace. But she couldn¡¯t go all the way back just to return it. She¡¯d likely be dragged inside the gates immediately if the gatekeeper had delivered the axe to Kuhn immediately like he¡¯d promised. It took two whole weeks before Renier fully crossed the White Salt Mountains and made it to the Southlands border. It had taken two whole weeks for her tears to finally dry, and she had repeatedly buried the black stone, then dug it back up, then buried it again, then dug it back up again for two whole weeks too. She felt so wretched and miserable every time she dug it back up again that she clutched the muddy stone in her hands and screamed curses. The smell of blood lingered ever so faintly on the stone, which had been drenched in his blood. Just smelling it brought tears to her eyes again. For two whole weeks, all the water and salt in her body leaked out from her eyes and melted into Salt Mountain. The circular, tree-shaped brand in her chest began burning as soon as she crossed the border into the Southlands. Renier realized that the ngak, cast by a priest from the Golden Forest, had activated as she was met with an relentless pain that burned into her flesh every second of the day. She would never be freed from these horrible chains unless the caster of the ngak lifted it for her, and it would only take three days for the ngak cast over the brand to burn its way to her heart. She had been branded so that she could never leave the Golden Forest, and she would have to return to the Golden Forest within three days. Renier stole a horse from Ninurgal City, a city near the border, and began heading straight for the Golden Forest. It took three days to reach the Golden Forest from the Whitesalt Mountains on horse. *** ¡°Ahh, ugh, ughhh!¡± Reneir clutched her chest as she clawed the earth. The pain worsened the closer she got to the Golden Forest. She tied up the horse¡¯s reins, crouched down next to a tree, and scratched at her chest. It felt like a fire-hot iron was pressing down on her all the time, and it continued to dig deeper into her flesh. ¡°Lord Gishzida, Lord Gish¡­¡­it hurts! It hurts! Please save m¡­¡­ngh, ahhh! Ugh!¡± It had been three years since his name had last fallen from her lips. En-ishib Gishzida was a high-ranking priest of the Golden Forest. Renier sobbed as she cried out his name. ¡°I should¡¯ve just rammed my head into that bear¡¯s axe that day instead of hiding in the tree if this was how I was going to end up!¡± Renier was flooded with regret. I won¡¯t regret dying, but I don¡¯t want to die in so much pain. Renier struggled as she bashed her head against a rock. She would rather break her own head open and die that way. But Renier was made to know once again that it was difficult to kill yourself. She thought that she¡¯d bashed her head against the rock pretty hard, but it didn¡¯t even bleed, though it did hurt a ton. Apparently, bashing her own head against a rock could not compare to having a rock from a cave ceiling fall on her head. Argh, I¡¯m gonna go crazy. I¡¯m not even halfway to the Golden Forest yet. I have to endure this for two more days? But no. She probably wouldn¡¯t need to bear this for two whole days. She felt like the fire would melt her heart as soon as tomorrow. Renier grasped her chest tightly as she desperately began to think. Renier was a runaway slave from the Golden Forest, and the priests would kill her immediately if she was caught lurking around the forest. And they wouldn¡¯t give her a nice and clean death either ¡ªthey¡¯d kill her in the most horrible way possible. Renier shuddered as she recalled the gruesome way that her fellow slaves had been ripped apart to death. But the pain would only grow worse if she didn¡¯t go back to the Golden Forest, and her heart would melt down and kill her in just one or two days¡¯ time. She only had three options available to her unless she could somehow manage to live out the rest of her days in the Golden Forest without being found by anyone. First, she was caught by the priests of the Golden Forest and ripped apart to death; second, she didn¡¯t go to the Golden Forest and died once her heart melted; and third, she went back to the Northlands and died by axe. ¡­¡­Seriously, why are my options always so shitty? Think, Renier. Is it possible for me to live in hiding without being seen by anyone after I reach the Golden Forest? How many years can I last in that place swarming with priests? Renier couldn¡¯t help but envy Sedek and Kish for dying without ever realizing that they were about to die ¡ªthey probably hadn¡¯t even felt any pain. Renier. Then, she suddenly began hallucinating a faint voice in the wind. Renier, Renier? The neighing of a horse and the trotting of its hooves drummed gently against her eardrums. Her horse, which had been sleeping while tied to the tree, raised its head and began looking around. Renier clutched at her chest and gasped for air as she also surveyed her surroundings. She saw one, two, three, or maybe more people galloping over to her on their horses. ¡°Renier!¡± A tiny voice, as faint as the beating of an insect¡¯s wings, pricked her ears like a needle. It was a familiar voice. Renier broke out in a cold sweat through her dizziness. She grasped her chest and staggered up to her feet. She was sure of it. Two ¡ªno, three¡ª people were racing toward her on horseback. And she could see the person who was at the head of the group. Renier had good vision, and she could see him. ¡°¡­¡­L-Lord Gishzida?¡± Renier swiftly stepped back. Her heart squeezed. The mere fact that he had recognized her made it hard for her to breathe. Renier quickly turned around and tried to run, but then a giant flame erupted beside her with a pow. ¡°Ack!¡± Pow! Pow pow! Two more flames erupted nearby, and Renier heard a loud swoosh before the leaves and branches from the tree above her head were cut off and fell down all at once. Renier realized that this was a warning and immediately stopped in her tracks. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Renier.¡± He raised a hand and had the people behind him step back. It was only after the people serving him were far away that he slowly steered his horse and made his way over to Renier. The priest of the Golden Forest wasn¡¯t very accustomed to horses, and his breathing was ragged because he¡¯d been riding for a while, and he pressed one hand against his side while looking like he was in pain. ¡°I never imagined even in my wildest dreams that you of all people would turn your back to me and flee. Though as suppose you¡¯re still as clever as ever, seeing how you stopped as soon as you understood my warning.¡± She could finally hear his voice clearly. His voice was as sweet and gentle as honey, just as it had been three years ago, but it was shaking, like a snake that had been swept away by a wave, perhaps because he was out of breath. Renier took one, then two, steps back before she finally cracked her lips into a smile. She couldn¡¯t escape. The ngak cast on her brand had activated, and she could not break free from its power if she wasn¡¯t in the Northlands. And the man standing right before her very eyes was the only person in the world who could lift the ngak. Gishzida, an en-ishib of the Golden Forest. His blindingly white clothes, the golden embroidery on his long sleeves, the various jewels embedded into his waistband, the multiple divine stone bracelets hidden beneath his sleeves, the round hat worn only by high-ranking priests of the Golden Forest, and the array of his blindingly blond hair, as golden as if it had been spun from actual gold, that scattered beneath it. He gathered his ragged breath as he quietly scolded, ¡°I told you to come back in three days. I told you to come back in three days without fail. And you promised me that you would. Do you remember?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± ¡°So why has it taken you three years to come back? Did you never once stop to think about how desperately I¡¯ve been waiting for you?¡± Renier abandoned all thoughts of escaping and fell to her knees. It was impossible for her to flee from him. And it hurt so much now that she actually felt like her heart was finally melting away. Renier clutched her brand and quivered as she greeted the man sitting on his horse before her. ¡°Lord En-Ishib¡­¡­Gishzida.¡± ¡°So it looks like you at least haven¡¯t forgotten my name yet,¡± he spat out as he jumped down from his horse. Renier prostrated before him and trembled as she heard his footsteps growing nearer. Then, he took Renier by the shoulder and helped her up. His face was drenched in sweat and his features were crumpled, and he looked so unfamiliar to her like this. His voice sounded suppressed as he quietly asked, ¡°Were you hiding in the Whitesalt Mountains?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So the ngak wouldn¡¯t activate?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± ¡°It must¡¯ve been difficult.¡± His brows furrowed heavily as he smacked his tongue. He used his hand, which was covered in divine stone bracelets, to push aside Renier¡¯s clothes and found the brand on the left side of her chest. Renier squeezed her eyes shut and waited. It hurt so much that she couldn¡¯t even feel anything as his cold fingers buried against her chest. He pressed his finger hard against the circular, tree-shaped brand over Renier¡¯s heart and recited an en (words that activate ngak). ¡°Tab Guea Esh Anba.¡± And the agony stopped, as if it had never been there to begin with, as soon as the command, ¡®manifest three days later¡¯ fell from his lips. All that was left inside Renier¡¯s body was a chill that ran down her spine and some dizziness. Renier shuddered as she blinked. ¡°¡­¡­Lord Gishzida?¡± A chillingly beautiful face was staring at her from right before her very eyes. His skin that was as fair and smooth as goat¡¯s milk, his sapphire eyes, his lips that were as pink and the dew falling off poppy flowers, and his hair that was like a waterfall of melted gold. Priests of the Golden Forest were called the descendants of Kittu and Armanu, Celestials, heavenly gods who dwelt on earth, and demi-gods, and they all possessed an otherworldly beauty. He looked down at Renier after he had withdrawn his hand and put her clothes back in place. Then, his fair and slender fingers slowly caressed her cheek. His brows ever so gently furrowed. ¡°Your pretty face has become quite the mess. What happened to your face?¡± Renier looked up at him, but she quickly averted her eyes as she grew bewildered. Barely visible tears were welling in his eyes. And Gishzida wasn¡¯t even trying to hide them. He continued, ¡°I¡­..I tried so hard not to believe that you¡¯d died.¡± But why, Lord Gishzida? Renier looked up again and was about to ask, but then she closed her mouth. The clear droplets of water welling in his eyes were threatening to fall. ¡°I waited. I waited, just like I promised you I would. I thought my blood would dry up as I waited for you these past three years. And yet, you were hiding from me in the Whitesalt Mountains.¡± One of them finally fell. The transparent droplet of water traced the lines of his cheek and chin before it finally plopped to his feet. Renier couldn¡¯t breathe. One step, the two ¡ªhe stepped forward as Renier stepped back, and then he took another step. And slowly, Renier¡¯s head was buried in his arms. ¡°L-Lord Gishzida?!¡± ¡°Stay still for just a moment.¡± His hands gently patted Renier¡¯s head and back. His entire being was drenched in sweat, and his heart was thumping against Renier¡¯s cheek. He continued, ¡°I just needed to make sure. That you¡¯re really still alive and not just a hallucination.¡± The broken words he uttered between his short and ragged breaths drove themselves painfully into Renier¡¯s flesh. Gishzida, Lord Gishzida. Lord Gishzida. The name that she could not speak aloud circled like crazy behind her lips. And his human breaths were sucked into the vortexes of her ears. ¡°Never forget. You offered me your life, and you vowed to be mine, Renier.¡± Volume 1 - CH 8 Part II: Gishzida (D.NIN.GIS.ZI.DA) Renier¡¯s master, the fisherman from Elde Isle, sold her the year she turned fourteen. For ten silver shekels. Most slave girls around her age were sold for twenty shekels, and male slaves were sold for thirty. Renier guessed that she was about to be dragged away to somewhere bad when she learned how cheaply she was being sold for. She had done all kinds of backbreaking farm work to avoid being sold off, but it had all been to no avail. Renier herself knew best why her master was selling her off for so cheap like he was throwing her away. All kinds of accidents had always occurred whenever a man tried to make passes at her, but the incident from last week had sealed the deal. Her master¡¯s youngest son had tried to rape her as she herded the goats and sheep in the field, and Renier had accidentally severed the veins in his wrist with the bronze decoration he had been wearing on his clothes. Renier had avoided being killed on the spot because her master was terrified that Inanna would curse him, but she could not avoid the fate of being sold to somewhere beyond the isle. The person who had come to buy Renier was so beautiful that he didn¡¯t seem to be of this world. He had blindingly blond hair, his skin was as pale as goat milk, his eyes were as blue as the southern sea, and his lips were as crimson as ripe cherries. Renier¡¯s master, who normally stared rudely at vagabonds from foreign lands as if they were no better than cows or pigs, had bowed before this stranger like he was intimidated. ¡°Is that the child who recently began menstruating?¡± ¡°Without a doubt, Lord En-ishib.¡± En-ishib? Renier knew that the male priests and female priestesses who guarded the Golden Forest and could control the power of ngak were called ¡®ishib¡¯ and ¡®nugig¡¯ respectively. High-ranking priests and priestesses were called ¡®en-ishib¡¯ or ¡®en-nugig,¡¯ and the high priest who governed the forest was called the ¡®galtir,¡¯ which meant ¡®Guardian of the Forest,¡¯ and the priests were Celestials who lived on earth and not like the rest of the mudpeople. But that person¡¯s an en-ishib even though they¡¯re so pretty? That¡¯s a male priest? No way. Renier snuck glances at the priest¡¯s chest out of the side of her eye. Surely enough, however, the clothes flowing down to the priest¡¯s calves were loose-fitting and straight, without a single bend or curve in sight. The priest noticed Renier¡¯s disrespectful staring and scowled for a brief moment. And there was frost in his voice, which had previously been as serene as still waters, as he said, ¡°Your name is Renier. The master of this house found you in a forest when you were young and you were raised here ever since, you turn fourteen this year, and I¡¯m told that you recently began menstruating. Is this correct?¡± ¡°Yes? ¡­¡­Oh, yes.¡± Renier didn¡¯t know what menstruating was, but she decided to nod back for now. If her master had said that she had begun menstruating, then it must be true. It never crossed her mind that her master might have lied in order to sell her off as quickly as possible. ¡°You look like a boy. I think I might have to confirm that you¡¯re truly a girl.¡± ¡°What are you doing? Undress yourself at once!¡± Renier¡¯s master yelled as he interjected. Renier was stunned, as she hesitantly replied, ¡°R-right here? You want me to undress right here?¡± Renier immediately realized that she was being made to pay the price for staring at the priest so rudely. There are so many misters and grandpas who looked at me all weird here with us, but I really have to undress in front of all of them? Should I just get on my knees and beg the priest to forgive me for being rude? ¡°Undress at once! Or do I need to whip you first?¡± Renier¡¯s master began yelling even louder as she dithered, but the man whom her master had called an en-ishib shook his head with a frigid expression on his face. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s enough. If she¡¯s begun menstruating, then she¡¯s old enough to feel embarrassed even if she isn¡¯t quite aware of when she¡¯s being insolent.¡± Then, he turned to the small spring that was gushing beside him and took one of bracelets that had been dangling over his wrists in his hand. He continued, ¡°Idim, Mug, Girigub.¡± A moment later, the spring water began circling like a whirlpool before it shot up and created a large lump of water in midair. Several people around the priest gasped. ¡°Sur, Mir.¡± The wind suddenly gushed after the priest had recited the next short incantation. The water floating in the air moved in the direction that he was pointing as it twisted this way and that as it stretched out into a long shape. ¡°N-ngak?¡± Renier¡¯s master, who had been standing next to the priest, gasped loudly as he took a few steps back. Renier was so surprised that she dropped her jaw as she stared up at the floating lump of water. ¡°I can¡¯t see your face properly because you¡¯ve slathered mud all over it. Shub.¡± The floating water splashed down upon Renier as the priest pointed downward. The sudden baptism of cold water snapped Renier back to her senses. ¡°Ngak ¡ªhe manifested a ngak!¡± ¡°I guess he really is a priest. A noble en-ishib from the Golden Forest.¡± The slaves who had been peeking glances at the priest immediately got down on their knees. They had previously seen their master igniting fires with a ngak tablet from the Golden Forest that he had bought from a merchant, but this was their first time bearing witness to a high-level ngak being manifested personally by a priest from the Golden Forest. Renier squeezed her eyes shut and quivered. The baptism was over, but she was still too terrified to open her eyes. She quickly wrapped her arms around her chest when she realized that her old clothes were drenched and clinging tightly to her figure. She was so scared that she felt numb, but her instincts were telling her that she needed to sort out the situation quickly before something worse happened to her. And so, Renier got down on her knees. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful that I thought I misheard my master calling a nugig an ishib. But I was wrong. Please forgive me if I¡¯ve displeased you.¡± The priest narrowed his eyes and observed Renier for a while when he heard how clearly she had managed to convey herself despite the trembling of her quiet voice. It felt like such a dreadfully long time to Renier. ¡°You¡¯re rather deft at reading the situation. And you¡¯re quick to act too,¡± his voice fell over her ears. It was smooth and gentle now that his ire had evaporated. It almost sounded as sweet as honeyed goat milk. But Renier could not feel any human warmth in the timbre of his voice. Was that why? Renier couldn¡¯t help but keep trembling. ¡°Here I thought you¡¯d be rough and ragged, but you¡¯re actually quite the lovely child.¡± Renier gingerly looked up and studied the priest¡¯s face. His eyes, as vividly blue as the seas surrounding Elde Isle, were looking right back at her. For the life of her, she couldn¡¯t tell from his expression whether he was truly no longer angry. Were all Celestials like that? The priest¡¯s eyes narrowed even further as he continued observing Renier. He continued, ¡°It was never my intention to embarrass you. I apologize for that. Shahan, Dig Mir.¡± The priest moved his hands again as he recited yet another unfamiliar incantation. Renier forgot to be afraid for a moment because the gestures of his long and pale fingers were so concise and beautiful. There was a sudden swoosh as a warm and gentle breeze wrapped around Renier¡¯s frame and dried the water from her limbs. Renier squeezed her eyes shut once again because she realized that the priest was still watching her. She felt like her entire being would freeze over if she met his azure eyes. The priest frowned as he stared at the trembling slave girl before he took off the soft kaunakes shawl that he had been wearing over his shoulders. ¡°Perhaps you should cover yourself for a bit.¡± The long and fluffy woolen kaunakes enveloped Renier¡¯s frame. Renier quickly adjusted the front of the shawl and bowed her head. ¡°¡­¡­What a lovely child,¡± she heard him say as he quietly smacked his tongue. Then, the priest pulled out several pieces of silver and a set of scales and paid Renier¡¯s master ten shekels. Renier blinked quietly when she saw the colorful and beautiful bracelets on the priest¡¯s wrists and the small smear of blood at the edge of his alabaster fingertips. ¡°My name is Gishzida, and I am an en-ishib of the Golden Forest.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You will be working for the Golden Forest from now on, Renier.¡± *** Gishzida rode on a donkey, and Renier was holding the reins as she guided the donkey. She¡¯d thought that it would be terrifying to leave the household that she¡¯d lived in all her life, and she was mystified to find that it wasn¡¯t. She even felt relieved when she learned that they would be boarding a ship and leaving the isle entirely. On the first day, they walked all day long without exchanging a single word. In Renier¡¯s case, she had been so daunted by her time living in her master¡¯s house that she was in the habit of always working hard to read the atmosphere before she spoke up, lest she beaten, and she found it strange that such a noble priest could be so reticent too. Renier stared at Gishzida and blinked whenever they came across a fork in the road, and Gishzida silently pointed at the right direction from atop his donkey. The bastard¡¯s apathetic and emotionless visage was so captivatingly beautiful that her mind went blank and her fingers twisted together every time she looked at him. But she felt like she would die if she kept walking in absolute silence like this. The last thing she had eaten the morning before she was sold to the priest was a hard piece of barley bread no bigger than her palm, and she hadn¡¯t eaten anything since. Renier gulped as she gathered up her courage. ¡°Um, Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Excuse me, Lord Gishzida?¡± Instead of replying, the priest only tilted his head ever so slightly and looked down at Renier. His reaction was so subtle that it was difficult to know whether he had actually heard her or not, but Renier could tell by the slightly lifted angle of his chin and the subtle way he moved that he disliked talking to humans. That being said, she couldn¡¯t exactly suffer in silence without saying a single word like a mute either. The Golden Forest wasn¡¯t some nearby place that they could reach within a day. Renier clenched her stomach tight and gathered up her courage once more. ¡°Um¡­¡­are you a little hard of hearing, Lord Gishzida?¡± Renier heard something in between a tongue smacking and a short gasp when she posed her question. ¡°No.¡± She obviously knew that he wasn¡¯t deaf. But she felt like she wouldn¡¯t get any reaction out of him at all if she didn¡¯t provoke him like this. But his response, which she had only just managed to draw out, had cut short and broken away. It would be a long and hard road before she finally got some food out of him. Renier desperately did anything she could to start a conversation with him. ¡°Do you not like it when a slave talks too much, Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Are you the type that likes to talk a lot, Renier?¡± Rattle. Gishzida pulled the reins and stopped the donkey. His expression hadn¡¯t changed very much, and his voice sounded the same too, but Renier could tell that he was growing annoyed. ¡°N-no, not at all! I used to be a chatterbox when I was younger, but now I can go for months without talking.¡± ¡­¡­As long as you feed me, that is. The indifferent priest, who hadn¡¯t noticed Renier¡¯s desperate wish at all, seemed somewhat intrigued as he looked down at Renier. ¡°That¡¯s not bad. What brought about that change?¡± Well, it¡¯s because I had to stand out as little as possible and keep as quiet as the dead if I didn¡¯t want all the misters and old men to do weird things to me¡­¡­ But it wasn¡¯t as if she could actually be honest and tell him that. Renier gauged the situation and quietly mumbled, ¡°I forgot how to talk to people after living with the goats and sheep in the field for a couple of years.¡± Hah! ¡ªGishzida exclaimed from the absurdity of it all. ¡°Then, that must mean that you¡¯re rather skilled at talking to goats and sheep.¡± ¡°A little.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you show me?¡± ¡°What? You want me to show you?¡± He must have strange tastes to be asking me to show him this. Is he bored? Renier had been stealing glances at the priest, and he did certainly look apathetic to the world. Is this his way of telling me to shut up and be quiet? Does it sound like animal noises to him when I talk? Renier wriggled for a bit before she finally straightened out her shoulders. She was hungry, and she was also stubborn. Hmph. You think I can¡¯t show you? ¡°They go baaa when they¡¯re thirsty, baaah when they¡¯re really thirsty, baa when they¡¯re cold, bahahaa when they want to say, ¡®I¡¯m super cold, you rascal,¡¯ they go baa baaa when they¡¯re sleepy, baah baaah when they want me to put them to sleep, baaahbaa baahaabaaa when they¡¯re hungry, and they go bleat bleaaat when they want to say, ¡®I¡¯m gonna starve to death, Master.¡¯¡± ¡°Pft.¡± Gishzida¡¯s frame staggered on top of his donkey. Renier blinked as she gathered her hands together. There was nothing she couldn¡¯t do for food. She made the most pitiful face she could and said the words that she had been wanting to say for a while now in the language of sheep and goats. ¡°Baaahbaabaahaabaaa! Bleat, bleat, bleaaat!¡± ¡°Ahahahahahahaha!¡± Gishzida finally burst out in laughter. His shoulders heaved as he clutched to the reins, and he nearly fell off the donkey. The frigidness had finally left the priest¡¯s mien, and Renier looked up at him quietly. Was it really that funny to hear a poor slave girl saying that she felt like she was about to starve to death? It was only a while later that Gishzida seemed to have given up on something and let out a short sigh as he nodded. ¡°Very well. Let us eat.¡± *** Gishzida smiled wryly as he looked at the back of the slave wench¡¯s short-cropped head while she hopped around in excitement. She¡¯d waited on him patiently until he had finished his own meal, and she had accepted it with both her hands like she was receiving something precious when he pulled out a hard piece of bread, a piece of honeycomb, and a dried fig and handed to her, and then she had hugged the food close to her chest. He had even seemed overwhelmed with emotion for a moment when, with a tremble in her voice, she¡¯d exclaimed, ¡°I love rock honey! I really love it! Thank you so much!¡± Is the food truly that delicious? Gishzida felt strangely displeased as he watched her crouch under a tree far away, likely so as to not offend him, and nibble away. The sensitive child felt his gaze and looked up as he continued to glare at her quietly. She grinned from ear to ear when their eyes met and quickly bowed her head. ¡­¡­Was she really that hungry? He became a bit more disgruntled. Gishzida disliked speaking with the mudpeople. Rather, he loathed coming into contact with humans in general. Celestials had originally lived in the heavens, so it was only right for humans to hold them in awe and serve them. There was a line that could never be crossed between the two races, and Gishzida was the Celestial who was most uncompromising when it came to maintaining that line. And yet, he had been sent outside of the Golden Forest to buy slaves all alone despite being a high-ranking priest because his attitude had earned him the ire of his superiors, who were sycophantic to humanity. He had only told the cheeky wench to show him how she talked to goats and sheep as a warning ¡ªhe was telling her, ¡°Do not approach a Celestial without reserve,¡± and, ¡°You humans sound no different from the bleating of goats and the baaing of sheep to us Celestials.¡± But his warning had been made without purpose, and so it had quickly fallen apart. And Gishzida had realized that the wench might actually end up communicating with him solely through the language of goats and sheep whenever it was time to eat if he kept being stubborn. The fun part, however, was the fact that the child had responded the way she had precisely because she had understood his intent. ¡°Lord Gishzida¡­¡± Renier, who had carefully licked off every last drop of honey from her fingers after she had finished eating her food, walked up to Gishzida and gingerly brought her hands together. She continued, ¡°Will we be heading to the Golden Forest immediately? Or are we stopping by someplace else first?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be stopping by a few other places first before we return to the forest. I need to buy more slaves.¡± ¡°Lord Gishzida, if you don¡¯t like talking to other people¡­¡­.¡± Gishzida looked up at Renier without a word, and Renier confirmed that he had affirmed her suspicions with his silence before she cautiously continued, ¡°Then what if I stepped up and talked to people in your place until we get to the Golden Forest? It must¡¯ve been so uncomfortable to come all this way without a single slave or pageboy to help you, Lord Gishzida, but I can stand by your side and bargain, go shopping, find lodgings, and prepare meals on your behalf if you just give me the money as I need it.¡± Aha? Gishzida narrowed his eyes as he observed the slave child standing before him. He actually had been rather uncomfortable because he didn¡¯t have even a single pageboy with him on this trip. Still, he was surprised that a slave child whom he¡¯d never met before had made such a bold offer. The child was innately smart and astute even though she looked so frightened, and she even carried thorns that were sharp enough to make his palms sting at the most surprising times. Gishzida, who normally felt like he was being eaten away by depression and boredom, found the sting rather amusing. He was one of the brightest minds in the Golden Forest, and he valued disciples and subordinates who were quick on the uptake and intelligent like he was. Apparently, his favoritism also extended to mudpeople. ¡°You aren¡¯t old enough to make business transactions on my behalf.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, you¡¯re right.¡± The child brought her hands together and lowered her head. There was a subtle vitality in her features as she blinked her sparkling eyes and beamed. Gishzida found that he could not easily look away, perhaps because hers wasn¡¯t the kind of vitality that could be found inside the Golden Forest. She continued, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll do trivial chores and serve you in every other way so that you won¡¯t be displeased and so that the Celestials won¡¯t lose their dignity. There are a lot of idiots who look down on people who travel without a single slave attending to them, you see. I can do the work of ten servants. Give me one week, and I¡¯ll have you thinking that I¡¯m a slave worth one hundred shekels instead of ten.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be in your care.¡± She bowed her head of short-cropped hair yet again, and she had a wide grin on her face when her head bobbed back up. And Gishzida finally felt like conversing with that small, chestnut-like slave girl with a smile on his face. *** Renier was finally able to relax a little. She no longer had to go without her meals ever since the noble Celestial priest had ¡®permitted the lowly slave girl to speak.¡¯ He even seemed to pay extra mind to how he spoke to her, perhaps because he could see that the slave girl had been intimidated in her previous household. This wasn¡¯t necessarily a good thing, of course, so she did keep his distance from him. His tone had grown so soft and gentle, like how his voice lifted and the sounds trailed ever so slightly when he called her name, ¡°Renieeer,¡± and it made her feel like her entire being was shriveling up. Only Gishzida knew whether that was simply how the Celestials normally spoke, whether that was simply how he personally spoke, or whether that was simply how his voice had ended up sounding when he intentionally tried to speak gently. But Renier was still certain that being called, ¡°Renieeer,¡± was still a hundred times better than being threatened, treated coldly, or whipped. She was given ample food too. He gave her a piece of honeycomb from the jar inside his sack once a day. It hadn¡¯t even been that long since Renier had left the fisherman¡¯s household, and her world had already turned into sunshine and rainbows. Renier licked the honey off her fingers so hard that she could have licked her fingerprints right off with it, and she silently vowed to herself upon her life that she would be loyal to Lord Gishzida hundreds of times over. A series of other curious events had happened too. Renier had gathered some firewood and was rubbing some branches together so hard that the skin on her palms were beginning to split as she tried to start a fire when Gishzida, who had been watching her from behind, let out a sigh and recited a brief incantation. ¡°Ganzer.¡± Just then, a spark shot out from his fingertip and billowed into a raging flame in the middle of the firewood. ¡°It¡¯s the en to manifest a fire ngak.¡± Gishzida chuckled and stood up when Renier dropped her jaw and fell on her behind and tossed her a pouch of powdered grains and a copper pot. Then, he said, ¡°Prepare the meal.¡± ¡°Hey! Fall down already! You should just fall down out of courtesy at this point after how much I¡¯ve hit you! You¡¯re destined to be eaten anyway, so just accept your fate! If you¡¯re going to fall anyway, you should do it after being hit just once ¡ªor is it that you just want to fall down only after you¡¯ve been beaten and bruised? Do you like it when your leaves get all shredded up like that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Pft.¡± The priest made a strange noise as he watched Renier jabbering to herself while throwing stones at a fig that was hanging too high for her to reach. He apparently seemed to think it was funny to watch her struggling, especially considering how he was hanging back and making weird noises while spectating instead of helping her. ¡°I know you¡¯re short, so just ask me to pick it for you if you can¡¯t reach. Sur Mir, Kichura Baj, Pesh.¡± He waved his hand, the one with the pretty bracelet, as he spoke his long incantation, and Renier heard a sharp swish from thin air even though there was nothing there. Then, a bunch of figs and leaves dropped down to her feet a moment later. ¡°Wow! That was amazing! Wow! That was incredible!¡± Renier raised her arms and began cheering like crazy, but then she saw how the leaves and branches had been cut so cleanly ¡ªas if they¡¯d been cut with a blade¡ª and froze stiff. I¡¯ll get killed on the spot if I fool around just because he looks pretty. Right, pretty mushrooms tend to be poisonous, pretty flowers usually have thorns, and the prettiest frogs in the forest can be used to make scary poison arrows. Naturally. Mhmm. Renier jumped to her feet and nodded to herself. ¡°O grasses, o weeds, don¡¯t you feel pain too when rabbits or goats nibble on you with their teeth? So, can¡¯t you just sit still and let me pull you out, you stubborn and tough pieces of poop?! I¡¯m going to bring the donkey over here if you keep being stubborn, you got that?¡± It was evening, and Renier had put up the leather tents and was in the middle of gathering grasses to cover the ground with. She was huddled over the side of the road struggling against the weeds when she heard the rude and weird chuckling behind her again. Renier began sulking. Lord Gishzida never helped her immediately, now that she thought about it. He would make noises like ¡®pft¡¯ and ¡®mmph¡¯ behind Renier as she floundered, flailed, and stomped all alone, and he would only help once he finally couldn¡¯t hold back his laughter anymore. He definitely gets a kick out of watching me act ridiculous. He has such bad tastes. Seriously. When Renier looked back at him with a petulant look in her eyes, he abruptly stopped laughing and scowled as he spat out, ¡°What are you doing? You looked like a little rabbit squirming in the grass.¡± ¡­¡­Are you trying to say that I¡¯m cute, or are you cursing me out? Talking to Lord Gishzida always gave Renier a headache. He never made it clear whether he was praising her or scolding her, whether he found her cute or funny, or whether he was in a good or bad mood, and it drove her insane. And trying to read his expressions was an even bigger headache ¡ªit didn¡¯t always mean that he was in a good mood when he was smiling, and it didn¡¯t always mean that he was in a sour mood when he was scowling either. He was the kind of master whom someone who wasn¡¯t quick on the uptake would never be able to serve. Gosh, I¡¯m only able to serve him so well because I¡¯m me. You have to be as clever as Lady Renier¡­¡­. Actually, I¡¯d still serve him anyway because he always gives me a piece of honeycomb at least once a day, to be honest. ¡°Stand back for a moment.¡± Eventually, he stepped out in front of Renier. He was somewhat frail, delicate, elegant, indecipherable, and had questionable tastes, and Renier could guarantee that he was without peer when it came to being a fussy master who was difficult to serve, but Renier¡¯s grievances seemed to fly away whenever she witnessed him using a new ngak. Lord Gishzida showed Renier more ngaks are time passed, and Renier couldn¡¯t help but think, even if somewhat foolishly, that he kept showing her new ngaks not because he needed to use them per se but rather because he enjoyed watching how curious and astonished she was whenever she saw them. ¡°Sur, Mir.¡± Swoosh. The wind whooshed around them. The dry grasses bowed down whenever he moved his hands, and sliced up pieces of leaves began circling as they gathered together. ¡°W-w-whoa! T-the wind beneath your feet, Lord Gishzida¡­it just keeps¡­¡­whoaaa!¡± Renier could feel something squishy(?) sloshing around in empty space. She couldn¡¯t touch it per se ¡ªthe empty space was still, in fact, empty¡ª, but she could feel some kind of resistance like when she put her hand in water and sloshed it around. It felt like she was touching invisible water inside an invisible leather waterskin, but she didn¡¯t know how to explain herself because all she could see was empty space. ¡°L-Lord Gishzida! What is this? There¡¯s something there even though I can¡¯t see anything! Something¡¯s there!¡± Gishzida apathetically took off the kanaukes shawl that had been draped over the shoulders and spread it over the empty space when Renier began shouting while pointing at the empty space. ¡°You should be able to see it now.¡± Snap. The thick and wide woolen shawl flattened itself out like a spread of tablecloth and remained floating in midair instead of settling down to the ground. Gishzida often feigned indifference, but he apparently had a flair for the dramatic. Renier dropped her jaw, just like Gishzida wanted, and drooled in her genuine marvel. Gishzida continued, ¡°This ought to be better than a grass mat. I¡¯ll put this inside the tent, so be sure to sleep on it.¡± He¡¯s letting me sleep inside the tent? Renier opened his eyes wide. She understood fully well that Lord Gishzida, a Celestial, was showing her immense goodwill. But she couldn¡¯t help the fact that her spine automatically straightened out as she grew nervous. ¡­¡­Could it be? Gishzida tilted his head to the side when he saw how nervous Renier had grown, and then he suddenly snorted sharply. He¡¯d immediately realized what Renier was thinking. The air around him grew instantly cold as he narrowed his eyes. How absurd. Why would I, a Celestial, cast aside my nobility and lust after the body of a lowly mudperson ¡ªand a slave wench, no less? Renier opened her eyes wide yet again when she all too clearly felt his poignant contempt and rejection. It wasn¡¯t that she was happy, but rather that she was surprised that he didn¡¯t consider her a target of his lust. Oh, maybe Celestials don¡¯t feel any lust for mudpeople? Gishzida¡¯s forehead twitched. Renier realized that he knew exactly what she was thinking. And she also realized that he knew that she had realized this. A heavy curtain of silence fell in between them. ¡°¡­¡­You are mistaken,¡± Gishzida spat out frigidly as he whisked around. Renier didn¡¯t exactly know what it was that she was mistaken about, but she decided to understand it as Lord Gishzida¡¯s declaration that he harbored no strange desires for her. After all, she had never once seen the bone-chillingly evil aura that other men exuded coming from Lord Gishzida. He felt closer to a snow-covered rock or a frozen winter lake than a lustful man. Renier was grateful for that, even if it originated from his contempt toward mudpeople. ¡°Thank you, Lord Gishzida.¡± Lord Gishzida stopped in his tracks and looked back at her with an unfamiliar look on his face. She couldn¡¯t tell if he was puzzled or bewildered. He narrowed his eyes and observed Renier quietly as she bowed to him in genuine gratitude. ¡°¡­¡­Is this really something that you¡¯re thankful for?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°I see. Go inside and sleep, now.¡± Lord Gishzida didn¡¯t ask any further questions. And Renier was grateful for that too. Renier stepped inside the tent, squinted as hard as she could, and jumped on top of the white shawl that was floating in midair. Bounce ¡ªher body sank down and airily flung back up again. Next, Renier plopped down on the bed on her stomach and rolled around. Wow. This is awesome. It¡¯s better than a grass mat, he said? What kind of joke was that supposed to be? I feel like I¡¯m sinking into a pile of wool. I feel like my body¡¯s just gonna melt in here, seriously. The bed of wind was the single greatest luxury that Renier, a country bumpkin from the boondocks of Elde Isle, had ever experienced. It must be really nice to be a priest of the Golden Forest. Renier was so envious she thought she could die. How nice must it be to be able to get so much work done with just one finger? She could start a fire with just one short incantation instead of having to rub pieces of wood together until her hands started bleeding, could draw up water in the morning without having to labor to pump it up, and could sleep on a comfortable bed of wind that her whole body could just sink into at night. Actually, she¡¯d first use her skills to make a lot of money so she could buy her freedom, and then she¡¯d make even more money buy a big house and a lot of fishing boats just like her master and eat lots of delicious foods without having to do any hard work¡­¡­. Renier was giggling as she entered the land of fantasy, but then she abruptly stopped laughing. How did one become a priest of the Golden Forest? Could a slave become one too? Renier turned around, and her face crumpled as she flinched. Lord Gishzida wasn¡¯t using any cloth, so he was simply floating in midair as he slept. Renier¡¯s conscience pricked. I¡¯m sleeping on the shawl that he meant to use as his blanket¡­¡­. What do I do? Should I give it back to him? Is it okay to wake him up? Renier agonized so hard that she could have ripped out every last strand of her short cropped hair before she quietly asked, ¡°Uh, er, um¡­¡­. Aren¡¯t you cold, Lord Gishzida?¡± He muttered back from the darkness, ¡°Ugh, truly¡­¡­you¡¯re quite the handful.¡± ¡°Pardon? O-oh no, t-that¡¯s not what I¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Shahan.¡± A warm and comfortable wind blew into the leather tent as soon as the quietly uttered word left Gishzida¡¯s lips. Renier vowed to never speak up again as she spent the entire night sweating because of the sudden scorching heat. *** Afterward, Renier served Gishzida diligently without needing to be told what to do. She stopped the donkey and had it drink whenever they came across a small stream, gathered grasses to make a comfortable place for Gishzida to sit, and collected branches suited for firewood and tied them tightly to the donkey¡¯s back. She picked wild strawberries and large mushrooms from the road every now and again, and she used her sling to hunt down birds. She also caught a few grasshoppers, skewered them on long sticks, and roasted them over the fire for snacks. ¡°You¡¯re remarkably skilled at hunting, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well, I have to be able to eat in order to survive.¡± Lord Gishzida seemed like the type of person who had lived a high and lofty life in the Golden Forest and had never needed to dirty himself with even a single drop of water, and it didn¡¯t seem like he had much experience living out in the society either. There was no way that he would¡¯ve bought Renier without haggling over her price ¡ªthough she had already been incredibly cheap at just ten shekels, of course¡ª, apologized to a mere slave wench, given her his shawl, or personally make a bed for her otherwise. Moreover, Lord Gishzida was weak to the strangest things. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to watch as Renier began yelling as soon as she spotted a snake, grabbed it by the tail, and began bashing its head against the earth or hunted a rabbit by slinging a stone at it, skinned it, and skewered it, and he shuddered as he looked away. ¡°Er, ahem. Catch the snake when I¡¯m not looking, Renier. And skin your hunt when I¡¯m not looking too. Don¡¯t walk around with that red thing dangling from the skewer, Renier. Take off the grasshoppers¡¯ legs when you roast them, and you don¡¯t need to give me any ¡ªI¡¯m not eating that!¡± ¡°L-Lord Gishzida? But you like rabbit meat. And you like snake stew too. My master ¡ªmy previous master, that is¡ª said that snake stew is good for stamina, and he always had the first bite. Do you actually not like it?¡± ¡°This and that are two different things entirely. Put¡­put it away. You fed me snake stew? Renier?! Renier!¡± Renier began to ponder serious as she watched Lord Gishzida try to regurgitate the stew that he had already eaten and digested. Wait, why¡¯s he doing that when he ate it just fine, even said that it was delicious, and it wasn¡¯t like it gave him a stomachache or anything? Why? Why? Just why? Renier pondered for a while before she finally reached a major conclusion. Celestials were very beautiful, but they were also very, very frail. Right. I have to be sure to watch over Lord Gishzida even if only during our journey to the Golden Forest. Renier made a fist and steeled herself as if she was an escort warrior from the West. Gishzida observed with great interest as Renier¡¯s attitude changed by the day. The child seemed to come back to life and return to her true colors the farther away they got from her former master¡¯s house. She¡¯d probably had to deal with a lot back there. Renier was unable to hold back her curiosity. She asked a lot of questions, and she grew curious about many things. In particular, she opened her eyes wide and hopped up and down and ogled whenever Gishzida manifested a ngak. Watching her like this was oddly addictive, and Gishzida found himself using ngaks even when he didn¡¯t need to just so he could show them to her. She also had a surprising reaction speed and perception for danger. She moved swiftly and concisely, and she was able to readily see any plant or animal that entered her line of sight because she had good vision. She stood before him like some kind of guardian warrior or something and meted out punishment upon any creature in his path no matter its size. Gishzida had snorted and simply watched at first, but he gradually stopped laughing. Even the strongest patrol soldiers of the Golden Forest were no match for her. He¡¯d been wondering how such a young child had managed to do something as dangerous as herding in an open field for as long as she had, but any doubts he¡¯d harbored had all but disappeared by this point. The only problem with the bright child was that she knew so little about the Golden Forest because she had grown up in such a remote area. The bigger problem, however, was the fact that Gishzida was responsible for teaching the slaves of the temple the basics about the Golden Forest. ¡°Renier¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°You may ask me if there¡¯s anything you¡¯re curious about the Golden Forest. Stop casting sidelong glances at me with such a strange look on your face.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon? Oh, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Her round head, which was bursting with hard brown sprouts, bowed down, and her face was filled with a mixture of curiosity and fear when she peeked back up. But the questions were something else even from the get go. ¡°How does one become a priest of the Golden Forest?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Renier realized that she¡¯d made a mistake and covered her mouth while looking down when Gishzida was so astonished by her question that he stopped the donkey. How impudent and insolent of you ¡ªbut Gishzida swallowed back his harsh reprimands. It looked like this child had no notion that Celestials weren¡¯t human beings, that even the kings of entire cities weren¡¯t allowed to speak so casually to a Celestial, or that the Celestials disliked the mere act of intermingling with mudpeople. Gishzida didn¡¯t bother to hide his irritation as he spat out, ¡°The priests of the Golden Forest are Celestials, people who belong to the sky. To be more exact, we¡¯re the bloodline of ¡®Kittu of Six Wings,¡¯ the son of Utu, the sun god. No mudperson or slave wench can become a priest simply because she wants to.¡± ¡°O-oh, I see¡­¡­. I only asked because I was curious.¡± The clever child didn¡¯t ask twice and immediately changed the topic. ¡°Are all priests as beautiful as you, Lord Gishzida? You know, you¡¯re the most beautiful person I¡¯ve ever seen in my life, Lord Gishzida!¡± Gishzida couldn¡¯t help but huff out a chuckle when Renier balled her hands into fists and raised them into the air as she sang his praises. ¡°We all more or less look similar. But we¡¯re not born looking like this. Our bodies become Celestial-like when we draw ngak from a divine stone and use it for the first time. Our hair takes on the light of the sun, and our skin becomes fair too. Just like Kittu of Six Wings, our forefather.¡± Wow. How nice ¡ªnot only do they get to become a priest, but they also get to be pretty too. ¡°Was this Kittu person really that beautiful?¡± ¡°Yes. He was so beautiful that he was called the ¡®Glory of Light,¡¯ which means heavenly beauty, even in the world of the gods. It¡¯s said that even Inanna, the goddess of love and beauty, lost her light before Kittu. It¡¯s also said that the entire world was shroud in darkness for a whole week when the sun god Utu, Kittu¡¯s father, failed to operate his solar chariot because heaven had lost its light when Kittu passed away.¡± Renier found it easier to latch onto Kittu¡¯s beauty rather than his death. Silly words began flowing out from her mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure that you¡¯re still more beautiful, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± Gishzida¡¯s expression suddenly turned sour. Renier only came back to her senses a beat later and quickly covered her mouth. Are you crazy?! I¡¯ve finally gone crazy because of that face of his. She grabbed her head and began pulling out the short hairs she could barely even grasp hold of, but she could not take back the words that had already escaped her lips. Ah, goodness. Gishzida looked like he¡¯d heard the most absurd thing in the world as he asked, ¡°Do you really believe that I¡¯m as beautiful as Kittu of Six Wings?¡± ¡°No! Not at all! You¡¯re much more beautiful than him!¡± ¡°Aha? Then you¡¯ve seen Kittu before, I take it?¡± ¡°Nope! But I can still guarantee it anyway. No god in all the heavens and the seas could possibly be more beautiful than you, Lord Gishzida!¡± She was so enthusiastic that Gishzida couldn¡¯t help but burst out in laughter. ¡°Anyway, Kittu forged a covenant before he died so that only those who guard the forest may use his powers. That¡¯s what the priests of the Golden Forest are. And Kittu and the Celestial warriors, his offshoots, turned into large and lustrous stones after they died, and those stones are called divine stones.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Gosh, that¡¯s so unfair. The warriors were beautiful when they were alive, and they got to turn into beautiful stones after they died too ¡ªlife is so unfair.¡± Gishzida¡¯s expression stiffened, and he stopped the donkey. He decided that now was a good time to issue a warning. ¡°Celestials aren¡¯t mudpeople, Renier. We are gods from the heavens who are simply dwelling on earth temporarily. Do not quibble about the unfairness of worldly affairs before a Celestial.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Renier replied quickly as she hunched into herself. Gishzida nodded and stopped speaking so sharply. It was only proper to whip slaves promptly after their transgressions because they always seemed to be raising at least seven stubborn yet foolish donkeys in the pits of their stomach, but the girl named Renier seemed to understand that she was being warned as soon as the warning was given. Besides, Gishzida was the displeased with the discomfort he experienced every time he raged at children. ¡°In any event, Kittu¡¯s powers remain in the divine stones, and the divine stones only permit us priests, who protect the forest, to use them. Ngak manifests when the Guardian of the Forest, who made a contract with Kittu, his ¡®blood,¡¯ and a stated command called ¡®en¡¯ touch a divine stone.¡± Renier opened her eyes wide for a moment before she nodded back in understanding. ¡°I saw blood on your finger on the day we first met, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°You have sharp eyes. But yes. I pressed my finger against a small needle on the hook of my bracelet and drew a drop of my blood. ¡­¡­Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not painful at all,¡± Gishzida added with a grin when he saw Renier looking worried. ¡°Then, are all Celestials born with the ability to manifest ngak, Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°No. A strong desire to manifest the powers inside the divine stone emerges from within us around the time we come of age. We only become official priests after we¡¯ve successfully manifested a ngak at that time. This is our rite of passage as Celestials.¡± The girl looked up at stared quietly into Gishzida¡¯s face. He felt like he could hear her voice echoing, ¡®I want to try manifesting a ngak too, just like you, Lord Gishzida ¡ªI have that desire in me too.¡¯ What was he to do about this daring fixation of hers? Did he need to scold her harshly out of it? But Gishzida changed his mind, only ever so slightly, when he saw the sparkles in her eyes and the cheery grin on her face. Surely, there was no need to rebuke her for words she had never said aloud. And so, Gishzida smiled and continued his explanation instead of expressing his anger. ¡°The process of drawing out ngak by oneself is a difficult process. The body rejects it strongly until one grows accustomed to it, and sometimes, a Celestial is rendered unable to eat for days because it makes them so nauseated or dizzy. Our hair takes on a blindingly beautiful golden color, just like Kittu¡¯s, after the first time we¡¯ve successfully manifested a ngak, and sometimes this happens when a Celestial is ten, and sometimes a Celestial is only able to manifest their first ngak well into their twenties.¡± The donkey trotted along slowly, and Gishzida educated Renier as best as he could. Renier was bright and was a quick study, but she was also very curious and had lots of questions. Where do divine stones come from, Lord Gishzida? Why is the Golden Forest on such bad terms with the Northlands? What kind of people live in the Northlands? Who rules the Golden Forest? Which gods do the Golden Forest worship? What kind of people were Lord Kittu and Lady Armanu? ¡°A lot of divine stones can be mined from the Whitesalt Mountains in the Northlands. We¡¯re on bad terms with the Northlands because they, and their leading tribe, the Salt Mountain Tribe, in particular, are strongly opposed to anyone mining the divine stones. The people of the Salt Mountain Tribe are the descendants of Armanu and the man-eating eagle. They¡¯re dirty and barbaric beastmen¡­¡­.¡± Gishzida paused for a moment and coughed drily as he sat upon the ridge of a hill. His throat was sore and dry like he was about to lose his voice. Renier was quick to notice and swiftly handed him a waterskin with both hands. Gishzida accepted it and drank sweetly of the water until he suddenly heard alarm bells ringing in his head. Slowly, he brought the waterskin back down. ¡°¡­¡­Unbelievable.¡± It¡¯s only been a week since I bought this little slave girl from Elde Isle, but I talked to her so much that I nearly lost my voice? He had spoken more to this child than he had ever spoken to all the other mudpeople he¡¯d ever met in his life combined, now that he thought about it. He took one look at the winding, twisting, hilly road that led to the next village and one look at Renier¡¯s face before he turned back to the road going downhill again. ¡°Then again¡­ They say that anything can happen in the span of one week. After all, seven is a terrible number indeed.¡± Gishzida smiled faintly as he massaged his tired eyes. ¡°Pardon me? What do you mean? What did the number seven ever do wrong?¡± ¡°Seven is the holy and perfect number of the great gods who decree fate, but it¡¯s also the terrible number that can change all things.¡± Gishzida gently stood up and observed the small girl who was looking up at him. Her eyes, which was open round in her inability to comprehend, were bright with the sparkling light of curiosity. The girl was fourteen this year. He had a feeling that any multiple of seven would surely be terrible too, moving forward. Gishzida lost himself in the strangest and most unfamiliar thought he had ever entertained in his life as he received Renier¡¯s puzzled gaze. ¡°One week. It¡¯s ample time for all things to come to be, and ample time for all things to collapse to nothingness.¡± A chill ran down Renier¡¯s back as she listened to the words that Gishzida was ruminating quietly to himself. His sapphire eyes and sharp gaze passed over her like a whip. Renier had thought that her initial fear of him had passed after their first day together, but it had only been hiding away somewhere, and now it had suddenly reared its head. Swoosh. He withdrew his gaze. But Renier still found it difficult to breathe. Then, a gentle and quiet voice fell over her from above. ¡°We still have a long way to go, so I shall tell you more about the two gods that are worshipped in the Golden Forest.¡± Renier sighed a breath of relief as she looked up. Her eyes met Gishzida¡¯s for an instant because he had looked down at her at exactly the same time, but he quickly turned away. The faint blush on his face made him look so beautiful that it made him seem fickle, but his profile was quickly covered by the cascade of his long, golden hair. The sweet honey of his languid voice flowed through their rippling waves and gently began settling over Renier¡¯s shoulders like dew. A long, long time ago, just after the great and terrible gods had created the world¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°A lone tree sprung up from Enki¡¯s, the master of the life tree and the earth, bellybutton.¡± Volume 1 - CH 9 Gishzida went around the cities of the Southlands, small and large alike, and bought more girls to be used as temple slaves prior to his return to the Golden Forest. He only checked to make sure that the girls had begun menstruating and did not ask any other questions about them. He was not at all curious about where they had come from, whether their parents still yet lived, or whether they were skilled at making fires, weaving, brewing barely beer, fieldwork, or herding. He didn¡¯t even haggle over their price. He had only paid ten shekels for Renier, but he had paid a whooping thirty-five shekels for Eunik¨¨, who was sixteen this year. Lord Gishzida had been completely ripped off, especially considering that a male slave who was skilled at fieldwork was only worth about thirty silver shekels, but he didn¡¯t seem to care. It took three full weeks to make his journey, which spanned two isles, three cities, and ended with Minotos, the first city of the Southlands. Renier continued to hold the donkey¡¯s reins and lead the way throughout all three weeks, and a train of nine girls, each carrying a small bundle over their shoulders, chattered amongst themselves as they followed after her. Renier was no longer allowed to sleep inside the same tent as Gishzida once their party began growing, and Gishzida never created a bed of wind for any of the other girls or used sharp blades of wind to cut down figs for them. Renier didn¡¯t mind that she could no longer eat yummy figs or peaches or that she had to sleep on the hard dirt, but she did note that Lord Gishzida didn¡¯t showcase his mysterious ngak to the other girls. Then, a moment later, she tilted her head to the side and pondered why on earth she thought this way. *** ¡°That large forest down there is the Golden Forest.¡± The girls, who had arduously climbed up the mountain ridge, cheered. A seemingly endless plain stretched out before them, riddled with small brooks and creeks here and there, and in the middle of it all was a forest. The Forest was not golden, despite what its name suggested. Rather, it was almost scarily green. They could see the tiny figures of the slaves harvesting barley from the Kusig Plains, which stretched out from the Forest. Eunik¨¨, the oldest of the slave girls, looked up at Gishzida and asked him, ¡°What kind of work will we be doing once we arrive at the Golden Forest, Lord En-Ishib?¡± ¡°Your work won¡¯t be difficult. You¡¯ll be assisting with the rites conducted at the temple.¡± Then, Carla, who was standing behind Eunik¨¨, stepped forward and asked, ¡°There was only a temple for Goddess Inanna in Minotos City, where I used to live ¡ªwhich gods does the temple in the Golden Forest worship, Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°Indeed. I remember there being a ziggurat with seven steps dedicated to Lady Inanna at Minotos.¡± At a first glance, his voice seemed just as kind and gentle as he had been when he had spoken to Renier alone, but there was something that seemed subtly reserved about his voice that hadn¡¯t been present previously. It occasionally made Renier feel like an ice cube was sliding down her spine. But the other girls didn¡¯t seem to notice this at all, and they simply fell for their new master¡¯s beautiful looks, the elegant air about him, and his kind words. ¡°The Golden Forest worships Armanu, the goddess of the tree located at the center of the Golden Forest Temple, and her husband, Kittu of Six Wings, who is also the son of Utu, the sun god.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Your work won¡¯t be much different from what slaves do at the Temple of Inanna. You¡¯re free to spend your days at leisure so long as you do a few things that you¡¯re told, you¡¯ll be able to eat lots of delicious food, you¡¯re permitted to wear lovely linen headdresses embroidered with flowers, you¡¯re allowed to wear leather shoes that have been dyed with three different colors, and you may also wear pretty clothes.¡± Oh. It was only then that Renier finally understood why she had been bought. Her hairs immediately began standing at edge. Oh gods. Why did things end up like this? Priestesses who received the bodies of men resided at the temples of Goddess Inanna. This was because the rites to ask the goddess for a plentiful harvest included sex rituals. And it wasn¡¯t only Inanna¡¯s temples. It was widely known that there were priestesses or female slaves who serviced sex rituals in the temples of all the great gods, such as Enlil, Enki, or Ninhursag. Renier took a quick peek behind her and tilted her head to the side. Contrary to her expectations, her fellow slave girls seemed indifferent or sour at most even though they had also realized what they were here to do. None of them were bewildered or repulsed by the idea like Renier was. Renier fell into thought for a moment before she understood why. It wasn¡¯t unusual for the men at her former master¡¯s house to do strange things to any female slaves, even before they came of age, if they were at least halfway decent-looking. Renier was overly sensitive to this, but the truth was that she was significantly outnumbered by other female slaves around her who simply considered this to be the norm. Similar things happened in other houses too, after all. Not all slaves could resist and protect themselves like Renier could. ¡°Well, I suppose it¡¯s much better than being forced to do fieldwork like harvesting wool or reaping barley. More than a few slaves die all the time while doing fieldwork or digging canals.¡± ¡°Besides, we even get to wear pretty clothes and wear tricolored leather shoes.¡± Renier could hear Eunik¨¨ and Carla sigh and whisper to themselves. The other girls were either quick to resign themselves to fate or thought along the same lines as Eunik¨¨, as they only stirred briefly before quieting down again. But Renier couldn¡¯t stand it. She hated the idea so much that she would rather die on the spot than have to suffer yet again the disgusting gazes and touches that she¡¯d been forced to suffer ever since she was young. Renier knelt down on the dirt and pressed her forehead against the ground as she begged, ¡°Please let me do fieldwork instead, Lord Gishzida. I¡¯m good at doing hard work like herding goats and sheep, harvesting wool, or reaping barley.¡± The other girls gathered around her all tilted their heads to the side. Calmly, Gishzida replied, ¡°Female slaves of the Golden Forest Temple neither herd sheep nor harvest wheat, Renier. There¡¯s no need for you to do fieldwork.¡± Gishzida frowned. But he quietly waved his hand when the other girls¡¯ gazes started turning strange and continued, ¡°We¡¯ll discuss this later in the evening. We¡¯ll need to hurry in order to reach the village at the foot of the mountain by the end of the day.¡± *** ¡°Tell me why,¡± Gishzida said in a quiet yet frigid tone. Renier shuddered at the sound of his voice. She had thought that he was exceptionally kind to her, but he was not a kind person to begin with. She recalled how she had been so terrified of him that it¡¯d felt like her entire body had frozen stiff back when they had first met. She trembled like a leaf as she confessed the truth that her previous master had kept secret in order to sell her off. ¡°I hold death in my hands. That¡¯s why people always kept getting hurt as I resisted whenever the misters tried to do anything weird to me. And I was always whipped and starved afterward.¡± Surely, Gishzida wouldn¡¯t sell her back to her previous master¡¯s house now that they had already come all the way here. Renier dithered for a while before she finally confessed everything to Gishzida. Gishzida listened to her tale quietly and never interrupted her even once. He narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms once she was done. ¡°Hmmm. You can see something like a black fog lingering around anyone who tries to harm you or rape you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And there was never an exception to this?¡± ¡°No. I see it every time.¡± Gishzida narrowed his eyes even more. Then, he quietly asked, ¡°And only the men were hurt while you came out unscathed? But none of those men ever died on the spot?¡± ¡°No. My master would have beaten me to death if that happened.¡± ¡°And they were hurt in the confusion of the moment even though you never intended to hurt them?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Renier.¡± His sapphire eyes glistened as he glowered at Renier. He continued, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to punish you or sell you off because of what happened. But did you truly never intend to hurt them when you fought back?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You confirmed their bloodlust with your own two eyes, instinctively determined if there was anything you could use around you as a weapon, and hurt your assailant only just enough that they couldn¡¯t assault you and without killing them. Is that correct?¡± ¡°¡­¡­L-Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°Be honest with me, Renier.¡± A long stretch of silence ensued. Renier lowered her head and trembled. She had a feeling that she would never be able to hide this from him. ¡°I¡­I only fought back because they were trying to hurt me first. But I only fought back just enough so that they couldn¡¯t hurt me anymore. I hate it so much when people get hurt, and I asked to do shepherd work because I just wanted to avoid the situation entirely. ¡­¡­But then the same things only kept happening out in the fields too,¡± Renier replied in a strained voice and with her head lowered. She felt like a big crime that she¡¯d been keeping secret had suddenly been unveiled. No. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. It wasn¡¯t my fault. Renier did her best to shake her head clear, but her throat kept hurting and her eyes kept burning. Gishzida observed Renier with narrowed eyes for a very long time before he quietly asked, ¡°You said you were fourteen, yes?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I find it difficult to believe you. You aren¡¯t a warrior who¡¯s undergone many years of training or anything, and yet you were not only able to oppose grown men so that they couldn¡¯t hurt you but you were also able to stop yourself before you killed them too?¡± ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s all true, Lord Gishzida.¡± Renier wanted to cry. She was furious, and it all felt so unfair, but on the other hand, she was also afraid that she¡¯d done something terribly wrong. ¡°What did you think when you saw that they were badly injured? Were you sorry or worried for them?¡± ¡°¡­¡­No. I only thought that they naturally deserved to be punished for what they did.¡± It hurt to be whipped and it was painful to be forced to starve just because she had hurt them. But she never wanted to feel sorry about the fact that they would suffer a long time because of their injuries. After all, it was only right that they¡¯d been made to pay the price for what they themselves had done. If she had only resisted half-heartedly and allowed herself to be pushed back, then something terrible would¡¯ve happened to her and she would¡¯ve been the one to end up horribly injured while they would neither be punished for their actions nor forced to suffer for them and would only continue doing the same things over and over again. ¡°Do I need to try to feel sorry and worried for them? Was it wrong for me to hurt them when they were trying to hurt me first?¡± Gishzida looked back at Renier inquisitively and fell into thought for some time. Then, a moment later, he grinned and shook his head. ¡°No.¡± Renier snapped her head up. His answer was firm and concise, and Renier could see no censure in his features as he grinned back at her. Something heated seemed to burst up from within her and burned her eyes. She was so grateful that he¡¯d said no without any excuses trailing afterward that it brought her to tears. No one, not a single person, had ever taken her side and declared ¡°no¡± for her sake before. Everyone had only ever found fault with her or censured her whenever it happened. Renier began glaring and took a deep breath so that she wouldn¡¯t start crying in front of Gishzida. But the painful lump in her throat continued to threaten to spill out. She heard sniffles every time she swallowed the lump back down. Eventually, Renier was so bewildered by the tears that stubbornly continued falling no matter how hard she tried and tried to hold them back that she had to hide her face behind her hands. Gishzida didn¡¯t say a word and waited as he gave Renier the time to sob silently. It was only after her sniffling began to wither away that he quietly said, ¡°But I do believe that the life you¡¯ve lived until now was nothing short of a miracle. You would¡¯ve either been stoned or whipped to death had you stayed in that house any longer. You may detest the idea of having intercourse with a man, but is it really worth losing your life over?¡± ¡°But I still hate it. I¡¯d rather murder all the bastards who lay their hands on me and then kill myself after.¡± Renier hugged her chest tight and shuddered. Gishzida looked back at Renier dubiously. ¡°The slaves in your old master¡¯s household must¡¯ve lacked discipline. To think that more than a few grown men tried to lay their hands on a ten-year-old child.¡± ¡°The discipline was one thing, but there was another problem too.¡± Hesitantly, Renier confessed everything that she had been keeping inside her heart until now. She continued, ¡°It¡¯s actually because of Goddess Inanna¡¯s gift that I keep getting entangled with men. I visited her temple once when I was younger, and I just so happened to receive an oracle by pure chance.¡± Renier told Gishzida in detail about the old priestess¡¯ prophecy. By the time she got to the part about where the priestess saw two men who would kill her and two men whom she would kill, Gishzida quietly interjected, ¡°Do you really believe that it¡¯s because of Goddess Inanna¡¯s gift that every man you meet ends up lusting after you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s why I decided to just not accept her gift. I can never seem to figure out whether it was a blessing or a curse no matter how hard I try.¡± ¡°You decided¡­¡­to not accept Lady Inanna¡¯s gift?¡± Gishzida repeated what Renier had said with a strange look on his face before he burst out in laughter. Renier couldn¡¯t fathom why he was laughing. Nor could she understand what his laughter meant. Did I say something that struck his fancy? ¡°Godness Inanna must¡¯ve also granted you her talents as a warrior when she gave you her gift. Or perhaps you caught her eyes because you were born with those talents to begin with. In any case, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re able to see bloodlust and avoid danger.¡± Renier blinked. Instead of saying that she held death in her hands or censuring her for hurting people, Lord Gishzida was saying that it was ¡®good¡¯ that she was able to avoid danger. It was only a beat later that Renier realized that no one else had ever told her that it was a ¡®good¡¯ thing that she had never been hurt even though so many people lusted after her. Then, in a voice as soft as a bird¡¯s down feathers, he continued, ¡°Lady Inanna¡¯s gift would surely have been a great blessing that would¡¯ve allowed you to sway those in power if you¡¯d been born into royalty. The kings and high priests of the cities who tremble in constant anxiety and the warriors of the battlefields would surely enjoy your ability to see bloodlust. Lady Inanna must be rather mean-spirited to have given a gift like yours to a mere slave.¡± He stopped smiling and placed his hand over Renier¡¯s head. The gesture reminded Renier of the solemn benedictions that priests tended to give, but the air around him was gentle and comforting. He slowly stroked Renier¡¯s short hair with his long and gentle fingers. Renier felt like a warm and mellow breeze was slowly wrapping around her entire being. Renier looked down and squeezed her eyes shut because she couldn¡¯t bear to look at his face. ¡°You must¡¯ve suffered so much.¡± ¡°Lord Gishzida¡­¡­.¡± ¡°There are some fates that you just cannot avoid. But you won¡¯t have to keep suffering for too much longer. So endure it just a little more.¡± Renier¡¯s tears, which she had only just managed to stymie, began pouring out once more. She could no longer hold back any noise. She couldn¡¯t help it even though she knew that Gishzida disliked noisy crying. Renier buried her face in her hands and began crying loudly. *** The slave girls¡¯ lodgings consisted of a brink building in front of the temple. It shined brightly because its outer walls had been plastered with white clay, and it was cool inside because it was very breathable. Its front yard was large, and it was very fragrant and beautiful because there were many trees and flowers. Two priestesses named Minn¨¨ and Jada took turns to bring the slave girls food and clothes. It had originally been Gishzida¡¯s responsibility to buy, educate, and manage the slave girls, but it was somewhat strange to have a young man look after a group of slave girls. Unlike Gishzida, Minn¨¨ nagged the slave girls often and Jada was strict and cold. There were ten slave girls serving the Golden Forest Temple in total, and they were all roughly the same age. The youngest among them was Ninhur-birga, who was thirteen, and the oldest was Eunik¨¨, who was sixteen, both of whom had come from Minotos, the largest city in the Southlands. Renier wasn¡¯t the youngest because she was fourteen, but she was the shortest and skinniest of the bunch. The Golden Forest was much more affluent and comfortable then the girls had ever imagined. Gishzida sent them grapes and olives that had been cultivated in the Golden Forest, Western date palms, figs, fresh meat and sheep milk, freshly baked bread, and wild honey collected from the crevasses between rocks that melted on your tongue almost every day. The slave girls ate well and slept well as per Minn¨¨¡¯s and Jada¡¯s instructions and busily decorated their bodies. They ate late breakfasts after sleeping in on warm bedding made from goat or rabbit fur, and they practiced dolling themselves up by peering into polished copper mirrors or washbasins filled with water. They cheered and ran to the door whenever they were given gorgeous new clothes or makeup. Renier grew so anxious whenever this happened that she felt like something was slowly tightening around her neck, but the other girls adjusted to their new, carefree lives with unbelievable speed. Apparently, they believed that they might as well enjoy living in luxury while being treated almost like priestesses themselves since all slave wenches who were sold off at their age were treated more or less the same everywhere. What the other girls cared about most right now were the priests of the Golden Forest, and Gishzida, the en-ishib who had brought them here, caught their attention in particular. ¡°Lord Gishzida doesn¡¯t visit as often anymore, does he? Aw, I miss him.¡± ¡°Being an en-ishib means that he¡¯s a high-ranking priest. He must be busy with a lot of other things besides taking care of us. It¡¯s the priests who manage the forest, oversee the slaves of the Kusig Plains, and make the ngak tablets that they sell to the believers, remember?¡± replied Eunik¨¨, the eldest. She had picked up a lot of information about the Golden Forest and its Celestial priests because she had previously been a slave to the grand chamberlain of the royal palace of Minotos. While they did not know as much as Eunik¨¨, none of the other girls, who were from the Southlands¡¯ mainland, knew as little about the Golden Forest as Renier had. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him use a ngak. Has anyone, by any chance?¡± The other girls exchanged looks, but none amongst them had ever witnesses Lord Gishzida using a ngak before. Renier, who had been sitting in the corner, only blinked and burrowed her head in between her knees. She simultaneously wanted to brag about having seen Gishzida using a ngak and wanted to cherish it as her little secret forever. ¡°I heard that he¡¯s really skilled at using ngak. Lord Gishzida¡¯s on bad terms with the Lord Galtir, but I heard that he became an en-ishib at such a young age even still because he¡¯s so skilled at using ngak and because he¡¯s one of the best in all the Southlands when it comes to knowing about medicinal herbs or healing arts,¡± Eunik¨¨ explained, prompting Carla to interject, ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Sis! The very best thing that Lord Gishzida has going for him is his face ¡ªyou got that?! He could ask you to pick a star or dump out all the water in the ocean, but no one could ever possibly say no to him if he said it with a smile. I know I sure couldn¡¯t! Not even if I die of old age while trying to dump out all the water in the ocean. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right!¡± The girls brought their foreheads together and giggled. Renier found it difficult to join them. This was because she had made herself stick out like a sore thumb when she¡¯d asked to be sent to do fieldwork instead of receiving men at the temple. Still, Renier neither used the knowledge at her command to curry favor with her peers nor tried to join in her colleague¡¯s chatter. She was happy whenever she realized that Lord Gishzida didn¡¯t treat the other girls the way he treated her, and she grew bewildered whenever she realized that this made her happy. Renier went outside to do work whenever she found herself reluctant to be with her colleagues. She swept the front yard, drew water from the wells, or made flower crowns from the pretty flowers to hang outside the door. The forest beyond the wall was scarily dense. The thick tree trunks and branches filled her vision no matter where in the temple she looked from, the edges of the leaves were so sharp that they seemed to glisten blue under the light, and the flowers were frighteningly crimson and capricious. Renier had no idea why it was called the Golden Forest. The Forest was so dark, cold, heavy, and humid that it was hard to breathe. Only Lord Gishzida alone shone blindingly and beautifully in the forest, save for the occasional rays of sunlight that managed to peek through. Renier picked up a small axe that had been leaning against the stone wall and packed a rope made from straw. She intended to cut down a few branches because Lady Jada had yelled at them about being wasteful with their firewood yesterday. *** ¡°Lord Gishzida? ¡­¡­Huh? Oh, it¡¯s not. Who¡­¡­?¡± Renier, who had been in the middle of chopping up a tree, tilted her head to the side as she saw the men approaching her. There were several large trees with many stray branches next to the temple, and Renier had cut off a branch that had dropped down low enough to nearly poke her eye out, chopped it into smaller pieces, and was in the middle of tying the wood together. The man at the forefront of the group walked up to Renier. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± Renier bowed her head immediately when the man raged at her out of nowhere. The people who had been behind him circled around her. The man who had yelled at her was a priest who was shorter than Gishzida, had a long beard, and had deep wrinkles around his eyes. His blonde hair, which seemed to glow silver, was neatly combed, and he was wearing a headband with gorgeous golden embroidery. Renier knew that the only priest who ranked higher than Gishzida in the Golden Forest was the high priest, who was called the ¡®Galtir¡¯ and served as the guardian of the forest. ¡°L-Lord Galtir?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll ask you again. What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± There was fury boiling in the Galtir¡¯s features. Renier had surely been caught doing something terribly wrong. ¡°I-I¡¯m Renier of Elde Isle. I¡¯m a slave who came to work at the temple here not too long ago, and I¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Such impertinence. How dare you speak to him while standing up on your feet?¡± ¡°Did you not hear the Galtir ask you about what you were doing?!¡± The shouts of the tall priests encircling Renier resounded throughout the Forest. Renier immediately got down to her knees and answered, ¡°I-I was chopping down a tree. It¡¯s still cold out, and I feared we were running low on firewood.¡± ¡°You mean to say that you dared to cut down Armanu, the divine tree of the Golden Forest?! How dare you?!¡± Yelled yet another priest from behind Renier. The galtir trembled as he glowered at Renier, and then he began shouting so loudly that his voice pierced through the Forest. ¡°Anyone who harms Armanu in the Golden Forest deserves to die!¡± ¡°Deserves to die.¡± ¡°For the galtir¡¯s, the guardian of the forest, life is bound to Armanu¡¯s, who is the divine tree.¡± ¡°His life is bound.¡± ¡°Anyone who torments the tree shall die by the galtir¡¯s hands.¡± ¡°By the galtir¡¯s hands.¡± The priests standing behind Renier repeated the galtir¡¯s words drearily and emotionlessly. ¡®T-they must be crazy. Every last one of them.¡¯ But Renier could not utter her thoughts aloud. She was frightened by their pallid faces, bloodthirsty eyes, and their lips, which were as crimson as the flowers. They reminded her of corpses that had been drained of blood. ¡°I didn¡¯t know. I won¡¯t do it again. I thought it was okay to chop down the trees because no one told me that I mustn¡¯t lay a hand on them. I¡¯m really sorry. I won¡¯t do it again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­zer.¡± A powerful bloodlust erupted from the galtir as a murmur fell out from between his lips. Renier quickly jumped from her elbows and knees and dodged as soon as she saw the galtir¡¯s sleeves flapped with movement. There had been no time to think ¡ªshe had simply moved out of pure instinct. And, a moment later, a giant flame surged up exactly where she had been mere moments ago. ¡°How dare you flee instead of dying quietly?!¡± the galtir raged. His white sleeves flapped yet again, and Renier rolled across the ground to avoid his second attack. The fire trailed behind her. The galtir grew even more furious after Renier dodged his attacks five times, and he clutched his chest and gasped as he screamed, ¡°Catch the wench and tie her up!¡± The big and burly priests behind Renier leapt at her. Renier escaped them by rolling to the side, threw dirt in their eyes using both her hands, spun around, and began to run. The galtir continued, ¡°Catch her ¡ªcatch her at once!¡± Piiii, piii, pii, piii! She heard a sharp whistle. The sound probably meant something, judging by how it rose and fell in pitch. She began sensing movement all over the place. Renier ran as quickly as she could. The forest was so dark she could hardly see the roads. Renier¡¯s breath caught and she grew terrified because not only did all the trees look similar, but she wasn¡¯t familiar with the forest¡¯s topography either. She began looking around for anything she could use as a weapon as she ran. But she didn¡¯t see anything besides the trees, rocks, and dirt. The sounds of the people chasing after her alternated between growing closer and farther away. Renier ran for a very long time before she stopped in bewilderment. She was familiar with that tree. After all, she was certain that it was¡­¡­. ¡­¡­Armanu? ¡°Damn it!¡± You were bound to return to where you had been originally if you ran in a circle. And, of all things, her eyes locked with the galtir¡¯s, who had been waiting there because he was too out of breath to chase after her. ¡°Shit. Why?!¡± ¡°Damn you!¡± A giant flame erupted beside Renier as soon as the galtir waved his hand. He continued, ¡°Stand still so I can have your head!¡± Gods damn you! Would you stand still if you were in my shoes? Renier began running once more. More and more of her pursuers began closing in on her as the galtir shouted and whistled. Thud thud, thud thud thud thud, Renier¡¯s footsteps were light and agile, but she couldn¡¯t help but be cornered like a hunted rabbit because there were so many people chasing her. She ran for so long that her breath seemed to catch right below her chin and she could taste blood in her throat. ¡°Ganzer!¡± Renier felt a huge wave of bloodlust once again and rolled away reflexively. She no longer knew how many times she had dodged the bloodthirsty attack by now. The priests¡¯ net was slowly closing in around her, and their attacks were getting nearer. ¡°Fuck, I hope the forest catches on fire!¡± Renier¡¯s back felt hot as a colossal ball of flame exploded where she had been just moment ago. Her clothes singed a little, but she didn¡¯t care. Renier ran like crazy. Pow! Pow pow! More gigantic fireballs flew toward her and exploded right next to her. Just then, she heard an urgent voice calling out to her, ¡°Renier? What on earth?¡± ¡°Lord Gishzida?¡± Two or three more fireballs came hurling after Renier as she stopped to look around. Renier gave up on her search and flattened herself against the ground. She didn¡¯t think she had any way of avoiding them unless she allowed her back to burn off. ¡°Zii!¡± Renier expected to hear at least two explosions at her back, but everything suddenly went silent. Flutter. Gishzida jumped down from the tree and stood in front of Renier. Renier climbed to her elbows and knees and began trembling like a leaf. ¡°Gishzida!¡± The high priest, who had been gathering his breath in the distance, started slowly walked up to them. Gishzida didn¡¯t even move his head as he quietly asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I chopped a little bit of firewood from the trees near the temple this afternoon. But then, the lord galtir showed up out of nowhere and¡­¡­.¡± She heard Gishzida grinding his teeth together. ¡°You fool! Did you forget that this is the Golden Forest and that we¡¯re the protectors of the forest?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± ¡°None may lay a hand against any of the trees here, especially Armanu, the divine tree next to the temple that we worship. All the firewood is imported from outside the forest ¡ªwho put you up to such a ridiculous task?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know. Lady Jada scolded us last night for going through our firewood too quickly, so I just¡­¡­.¡± Gishzida furrowed his brows and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sure I told you that the galtir is bound to the tree Armanu body and soul and that he lives and dies with the divine tree. Breaking off any of Armanu branches, in particular, signals that you intend to kill the galtir. You weren¡¯t told?¡± ¡°I-I really didn¡¯t know about the branches, Lord Gishzida. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my responsibility, since I was in charge of your education. Stay on your knees, stay behind me, and don¡¯t move an inch.¡± ¡°L-Lord Gishzida! T-the fire! Ahh!¡± Pow, pow pow pow! A gigantic flame erupted in front of Gishzida. This time, instead of extinguishing the fire outright, Gishzida used a short incantation to change its direction and diminish its size. Swoosh! The flames grew smaller, but they didn¡¯t extinguish completely and they caught on his sleeves and hair. Gishzida only manifested the ngak of extinction after the flames had climbed all the way up to his forearms. Ugh. A quiet groan was about to escape him only to be swallowed back behind his tightly pursed lips. ¡°Who¡¯s path do you think you¡¯re blocking, Gishzida? Step aside. That child cut off one of Armanu¡¯s branches.¡± ¡°Please forgive her, Galtir. She¡¯s a slave that is to be used during the spring festival. It was my fault for failing to educate her properly. She really didn¡¯t know any better, so please forgive her.¡± Gishzida¡¯s hair and sleeves were burnt hideously black as he knelt where he stood. Renier burrowed her head against the dirt too. Her legs were quivering. ¡°A child who¡¯s to be used during the spring festival? You mean to say that this is a girl? Then why is her hair so short?¡± ¡°Her hair was cut short, but she¡¯s undeniably a girl, Galtir.¡± The galtir scowled heavily. He scrutinized Renier while she was kneeling as if he meant to ascertain the fact that she was truly a girl. It was difficult to tell from the child¡¯s outward appearance alone, but Gishzida surely wasn¡¯t one to lie. At the very least, no priest was foolish enough to lie about one of the girls who were to participate in the ritual. But the galtir could not forgive Gishzida for standing in his way. The bastard was a core member of the fundamentalists, who opposed the galtir at every turn, and he commanded great power as both a priest and as a political force. The galtir sounded enraged as he spat out, ¡°You seem to grow more irrational and arrogant by the day, Gishzida. The children who participate in the ritual become incarnations of Armanu during the festival. Where on earth did you pick up that thing? Are you planning to make a mockery of the ritual and scorn me?¡± ¡°Your claims are unjustified, Galtir. It was simply difficult for me to bring back ten girls who met all the conditions because I was on a tight deadline and it was the first time I¡¯d ever undertaken the task. How could I ever possibly dare to scorn you, Galtir? The girl¡¯s hair will grow long enough by the spring festival to no longer mar her appearance.¡± ¡°She cut off a branch of Armanu. Surely, she knows what that means?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t. Besides, the girl is neither a Celestial nor royalty but a mere slave. Why would she have dared do such a thing if she had known? I beg you to show mercy.¡± But the galtir was still shivering in fury. And so, Gishzida seemingly threw away all his honor and pride as a high-ranking priest as he planted his forehead into the dirt and apologized desperately on Renier¡¯s behalf. He continued, ¡°Please forgive her just this once, Galtir. If nothing else, then only because this child is to be used in the upcoming ritual. I am responsible for supervising her and educating her, so please rebuke me and withdraw your anger. I¡¯ll make sure to educate her properly so nothing like this ever happens again.¡± The galtir was momentarily rendered speechless because Gishzida never acted like his under any normal circumstances. The felt his anger subside a little as he saw how Gishzida¡¯s hair was a mess from being burnt, his sleeves had been burnt black, and his arms were red and swollen from burn injuries. Then, he turned back to Renier and sharply inquired, ¡°Your name was Renier, was it? Why did you leave your lodgings and start chopping down trees instead of eating your fill and practicing dolling yourself up like the other girls? You would¡¯ve been given firewood if you needed more, and you would¡¯ve been sent more food and clothes if you needed more too. Were you not ordered to eat your fill and fatten yourself up beautifully?¡± Renier trembled on her knees as she answered, ¡°I¡¯ve been eating my fill, Lord Galtir. I was eating fruit and white bread just earlier. I drank freshly milked and boiled sheep melk too. I decided to chop more firewood without thinking when I heard that we were running low on firewood. I didn¡¯t know that I wasn¡¯t supposed to cut down any of the trees in the Golden Forest. I won¡¯t ever do it again.¡± The galtir looked like he was about to rage at her again, but he turned back to Gishzida instead and said, ¡°The girl is a slave under your supervision as you said, Gishzida, so you shall take responsibility for her actions. Get your arms treated for now, since it looks like you¡¯re injured, and await further orders at your home.¡± ¡°I¡­¡­shall accept your orders, Galtir.¡± Gishzida staggered as if he was about to lose consciousness any second now. The galtir¡¯s lips twisted into a smirk as he turned around, and the ishibs, all dressed in white clothes, trailed after him in a line. ¡°Lord Gishzida! Lord Gishzida!¡± Tears streamed down from Renier¡¯s face as she ran to where Gishzida was. He brushed off his sleeves and stood up. His once lovely and beautiful hair had been burnt a hideous black. Renier could see that his arms were red and swollen because his sleeves had been burned. He had been burned badly, considering that she could already see blisters beginning to form. What was she to do? Renier wanted to die. ¡°W-what¡­what do we do?!¡± ¡°My head hurts. Quiet down,¡± Gishzida spat out as he scowled heavily. Renier did her best to blink away her tears. Gishzida looked at his injuries, and his reddened skin slowly returned to being the same shade as milk. He explained, ¡°I silently cast crimson camouflage ngak to make it look like I got burned. Camouflage ngak is normally used by women when they want to look beautiful, but it can also be used to fake being injured. In any event, don¡¯t tell anyone that I know how to manifest ngak silently. It¡¯ll be a headache if word got out.¡± Renier dropped her jaw and stared at Gishzida¡¯s newly flawless wrists. How strange. But I¡¯m certain that his wrists were aflame for a really long time? And I¡¯m sure I remember seeing Lord Gishzida gritting his teeth because it was so hot? Renier continued staring at Gishzida¡¯s gradually paling skin like a fool before she suddenly realized the truth. Lord Gishzida¡¯s lying. He wasn¡¯t trying to fool the galtir, he¡¯s trying to fool me. Gishzida shook out his sleeves and wrapped them around his wrists irately when Renier tried to get a better look while looking like she wanted to cry. ¡°How dare you try to study my body? If I tell you something, then you should simply accept it as fact.¡± ¡°P-perhaps¡­¡­did you let the galtir attack you on purpose?¡± Renier nodded with a trembling voice, prompting Gishzida to finally let out a short sigh and nodded back. ¡°I guess being too quick on the uptake isn¡¯t necessarily always a good thing. The galtir¡¯s anger wouldn¡¯t have subsided if I was perfectly fine even after taking his attack. Don¡¯t concern yourself about me. It won¡¯t leave a scar because I wasn¡¯t hurt that badly, and my hair will grow back in no time at¡­¡­, Renier? Why are you¡­¡­?!¡± ¡°Waaaah, Lord Gishzida! I¡¯m sorry. I did something terrible. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Renier threw herself down at Gishzida¡¯s feet and began bawling. A long sigh passed over her back. ¡°Renier.¡± She heard his long linen clothes rustling. Gishzida had knelt down in front of her. His voice was light, suggesting that he wasn¡¯t nearly as angry as Renier had thought, as he continued, ¡°That you weren¡¯t to lay a finger on the trees was the first thing that I instructed Eunik¨¨ and Carla to explain to the rest of you, but I see that you were never told. Are the others still ignoring you?¡± Oh ¡ªRenier finally realized why she hadn¡¯t known about this vital piece of information. She was accustomed to the other girls ignoring her and telling her important information last, but it had never been nearly fatal before. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to stop sobbing. ¡°I told you to stop crying. ¡­¡­It¡¯s loud, and my head hurts. Are you really going to make me comfort a crying slave too?¡± But Lord Gishzida¡¯s actions differed from his words. The quiet smacking of his tongue, the bewilderment ¡ªor perhaps it was irritation¡ª in his mien, and the clumsy way he patted her back ¡ªRenier didn¡¯t know which was the real Gishzida. Renier¡¯s heart jumped like a small boat in a storm because she couldn¡¯t feel anything malicious in his touch and only felt warm instead of sending chills down her spine. She could see Minn¨¨ and Jada running over in the distance. Gishzida immediately withdrew and stood up when he spotted them too. His expression returned to being cold and unreadable. ¡°Stop crying. I¡¯ll let Minn¨¨ know not to whip you.¡± ¡°Yes, sniff, sir. I-I¡¯ll stop crying.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach you everything you need to know, so be sure to visit my house sometime. The sooner you come, the better, since I promised the galtir that I¡¯d make sure you were properly educated. I¡¯ll let Minn¨¨ know.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Renier peered into his sapphire eyes and nodded. The image of his eyes narrowing ever so slightly into a smile wavered through her tears. Her stop, which was thumping like crazy, wouldn¡¯t stop all afternoon. Volume 1 - CH 10 Gishzida lived on top of a tree that was far away from the temple. The priests¡¯ houses were built on top of trees so the slaves of the Golden Forest could not reach them, and one had to use ngak to travel to and from them if no one lowered a ladder for access. Renier looked around this way and that as she observed the priests¡¯ houses. The hem of her dress kept getting caught on the roots, however, so she eventually tied it up to her knees so she could walk unhindered. She had never worn a dress so long that it trailed across the ground before now. ¡°Won¡¯t you hurry up? You need to dress up beautifully, just like Armanu, and participate in the festival come spring, but you¡¯ll end up tripping over your skirt with every step you take at this rate. What are you even looking at?¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s nothing, Lady Minn¨¨. I was just so curious about the priests¡¯ houses.¡± ¡°Are you some kind of country bumpkin? ¡ªthey¡¯re nothing much to look at,¡± Minn¨¨, who was holding Renier¡¯s hand, rebuked. Priests built their own houses with ngak. They apparently poured their hearts and souls into creating their houses because one¡¯s house was a good indicator of one¡¯s skill in using ngak. This was why the Golden Forest was littered with strange houses that Renier couldn¡¯t even imagine ever seeing outside the forest. A house made from white clay, a house made from sparkly black stone, a house made from wool. There was even a house that had been made by twisting some branches in bizarre shapes. And it wasn¡¯t unusual to find that the priests had painted all the outer walls of their house with expensive purple or violet dye. ¡°Ack! L-Lady Minn¨¨! T-there¡¯s something strange over there!¡± Renier dropped her jaw when she belatedly spotted a very peculiar house peeking through the exuberant branches and leaves. Hidden between the branches was a house that seemed to be simultaneously transparent and opaque, like water and like ice, and like a ball made of some kind of matter that she couldn¡¯t identify. ¡°That¡¯s Lord Gishzida¡¯s house. It¡¯s not very large, but it¡¯s as amazing as the temple itself when it comes to how it operates on ngak.¡± Renier swallowed the urge to reply, ¡°It looks even more amazing than the temple to me.¡± This was because Minn¨¨ looked sour as she praised Lord Gishzida. Minn¨¨ continued, ¡°The Lord Galtir would have killed you on the spot yesterday if Lord Gishzida hadn¡¯t stepped up on your behalf. Be sure to thank him properly when you go up. Baras.¡± Renier¡¯s body floated up into the air. The top of her head hit a tree branch before she could even yelp. She struggled for a while as she did her best to keep her balance in midair. She heard Minn¨¨ chuckling. ¡°I¡¯ll come pick you up later this evening.¡± ¡°My house is made out of water. Curious, isn¡¯t it?¡± Gishzida smiled as he offered Renier a seat. Renier was still quivering from excitement as she touched the walls. It sloshed around when she touched it, but it didn¡¯t wet her hands or clothes, as if there was some kind of thin membrane surrounding it. It reminded her of the bed of wind that Gishzida had created previously. Fortunately, the floors were made out of wood. She would¡¯ve been too dizzy to take a single step if the floor had been just as squishy and sloshy as the walls. There was less furniture in the house than she¡¯d expected. But the few pieces of furniture that Gishzida did have ¡ªlike his table, desk, and bed¡ª were very smooth despite the grains in the wood being so close together and very luxurious, because they had been made from juniper wood, and the lines of the delicate fish painted on his crimson vase and the designs etched around it were smooth and straight. Everything was subtly beautiful despite also being elegant and tidy. The house spoke volumes of Lord Gishzida¡¯s tastes and his discerning eye. There was a large lump of clay with a damp cloth over it in the inner room that seemed to be his workshop, and there were also piles of sacks that seemed to contain herbs. A couple of nugigs wearing white habits were busily organizing the sacks of herbs and rolling the clay into flat slabs inside the workroom. None of the spared Renier a single glance even when she peeked inside and bowed silently. But Renier wasn¡¯t surprised because Lord Gishzida had reacted this why the first she¡¯d met him too, though it did make her feel a little awkward. Renier sat down and surveyed her surroundings for a very long time. The sunlight filtering through the leaves glowed white as it passed through the translucent walls. However, Renier couldn¡¯t see anything outside the walls because of the way the water was splashing around as it moved. ¡°This is incredible¡­¡­,¡± Renier marveled with her eyes wide open, prompting Gishzida to grin and shake his head no while saying, ¡°Incredible? I simply applied water to my walls because I mainly research fire-type ngak. What would I do if I incurred the galtir¡¯s wrath by accidentally setting my house on fire?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I see!¡± Renier looked dazed as she nodded back vigorously. Gishzida¡¯s chuckling grew a little louder. ¡°I study herbs a bit too, and sometimes I end up smoking them while fiddling around with this and that. There¡¯s nothing better than having a house made of water when it comes to making sure the stench won¡¯t spread around. I actually thought I might go bald while making the house because I had to manifest several hundreds of complicated ngak at once.¡± ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t worry! You¡¯d still be beautiful even if you were bald, Lord Gishzida¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Thank you.¡± But Renier jumped up and ran away like a startled rabbit before the words had even left Gishzida¡¯s mouth. ¡°A-ahh! W-what is that?!¡± A dish filled to the brim with ripe fruits and nuts was floating closer to them. Renier realized who was responsible for the wayward tableware when she saw the annoying smile on his fair face and the bright twinkle in his eyes. Did he really want to see a small slave wench like her being startled so badly? Renier liked it when Gishzida showed her new skills, of course, but this wasn¡¯t very good for her heart. ¡°What¡¯s this now? Have you already flown all the way back to the door? Whatever happened to the brave little miss who even quipped back at Lady Inanna herself?¡± Renier¡¯s legs gave out from under her, and she began to whine. ¡°Waah¡­¡­. B-but nothing came flying at me out of nowhere in Goddess Inanna¡¯s temp¡­¡­wow, those are grapes! Wow! Wow! There are figs and cookies too! Wow, Lord Gishzida!¡± Gishzida swung his head back and began laughing heartily when Rennier suddenly turned around and began rushing back to the tray. ¡°We had a shipment of grapes and figs from the Ghana Plains recently, so I prepared some for you. There¡¯s some honeyed goat milk and almonds too, so have some at your leisure. I¡¯ll teach you what you need to know while you eat.¡± Kiriak¨¨ and Sabato, Gishzida¡¯s disciples who were organizing the herbs and making ngak tablets, suddenly tensed up. Not only had their teacher invited a mere slave wench into his house, but he was also treating her like an honored guest. They had heard that she was one of the slave girls who were to participate in the coming spring festival. They also realized that she was the same disgraceful wench who had fearlessly cut off Armanu¡¯s branches and left burns on Lord Gishzida¡¯s person, judging by how she was worrying after Lord Gishzida¡¯s injured arms with her warbling voice. But what Kiriak¨¨ and Sabato were least able to understand was the things that Lord Gishzida, their teacher, was saying. He had created his house¡¯s walls out of water because he used fire ngak often and was afraid of setting his house on fire? He was in the middle of studying herbs? They were stunned speechless. There was a limit to humility. This small and round house of water was something that no galtir or priest had ever been able to construct before in history. The ngak that Gishzida had used while constructing it far surpassed the skill level of any other ngak that was used in the temple. The priests on the galtir¡¯s side may be loath to acknowledge it, but Gishzida had purposefully showed off how skilled he was at using the ngak inside the divine stones and how he was on a much higher level than any other in the most open and arrogant way possible. Moreover, Gishzida was one of the best healers in the Golden Forest. He was without peer in the Southlands when it came to his knowledge of medical herbs. Gishzida never passed down his knowledge, and he was also very particular about choosing his disciples. His disciples had been selected among only the brightest, most skilled at handling ngak, and youngest priests in the Golden Forest. Their teacher was very skilled, but he was also very strict. He was also so cold and heartless that he was often difficult to serve. But there were still plenty of priests who wanted to become his disciple even still. After all, becoming one of Gishzida¡¯s disciples was regarded as being more admirable and honorable than becoming one of the priests among the galtir¡¯s personal guard. And so, Gishzida¡¯s disciples were furious as this lowly slave wench from gods-know-where sat down with their teacher, whom even other priests could not easily obtain an audience with, and babbled on about some nonsense about being bald or whatnot that even they, Gishzida¡¯s actual disciples, would never dare utter in front of him. While it was true that Gishzida especially favored those who possessed the skills he was looking for, this only pertained to fellow Celestials. There was absolutely no reason for him to favor that pea-sized mudperson slave wench. ¡°That bitch must¡¯ve lost her damn mind. I¡¯ll rip that mouth of hers right off her face. Wait, I think I need to actually see the wench¡¯s face first. Was getting Teacher hurt yesterday not enough for her?¡± Kiriak¨¨ spat out curses, which she normally would have never uttered had her teacher been listening, in her fury. Sabato, who was standing next to her, quickly tugged on her sleeve. ¡°Please stop, Lady Kiriak¨¨. You¡¯ll make Teacher angry.¡± ¡°Sabato, are you seriously asking me to stop when you know just how badly Teacher suffered because of his burn wounds yesterday? Can you not hear what that slave wench is prattling with that wretched mouth of hers?¡± ¡°That child will likely be participating in the spring festival anyway. What¡¯s the point in bothering to even look at her when she¡¯s nothing but a lowly slave wench? You¡¯ll only end up dirtying your eyes.¡± They could hear their teacher laughing brightly and refreshingly outside even as they quibbled. They stopped moving. They couldn¡¯t believe their ears ¡ªwho knew that their teacher was capable of laughing so loudly and brightly? Their teacher was noticeably beautiful even among the Celestials, who were said to have inherited Kittu¡¯s beautiful looks, but on the other hand, he was very sensitive psychologically and he was not very physically strong. He was often drowning in melancholy and boredom, and he only allowed those who were closest to him to see him laughing on rare occasions ¡ªand even then, his laughter was generally cold and curt or somewhat twisted. So it was strange to hear him laughing like that. Then, through the door, they overhead their teacher seemingly comforting the slave wench as she worried about his wounds. ¡°My hair will grow back soon, so you don¡¯t need to worry yourself about that. Why don¡¯t you worry about yourself instead? You made the galtir misunderstand for no reason because your hair¡¯s so short even though you¡¯re not a boy. Why don¡¯t you just focus on eating a lot of good food and growing out your own hair faster? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be much prettier than you are now after you¡¯ve grown out your hair and gained a bit of chubbiness to your cheeks.¡± Even the normally composed Sabato let a clay tablet slip from her fingers, causing it to shatter audibly on the floor, when she heard that. ¡°The first and foremost thing you need to be careful of is that you don¡¯t hurt the trees. I told you that the galtir will also die if Armanu dies, right? It doesn¡¯t matter if you let a few leaves or flowers fall off, but you must never break any branches. Any new slaves who accidentally breaks a branch because they didn¡¯t know that will be tied up naked in the plaza and receive fifty lashes.¡± ¡°Ack! Fifty lashes just for breaking one branch?¡± I only survived by the skin of my teeth yesterday. Renier shuddered. ¡°Even then, the punishment is limited to only lashings when the culprit is a slave -¡ªthings are much different for priests. And you avoided even that because you¡¯re a child who will be participating in ritual. I¡¯m fairly certain that any priest who broke off Armanu¡¯s branches on purpose would get beheaded on the spot if the galtir found out about it, you know?¡± ¡°Ugh, how could he do that to a fellow Celestial over just a single tree branch¡­¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s not ¡®just a single tree branch.¡¯¡± Gishzida chuckled meaningfully and asked, ¡°Do you know how galtirs are chosen, by any chance?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ve never heard anything about that.¡± ¡°This is something that most people in the Southlands should already know¡­¡­. But then again, I suppose Elde Isle was a very isolated region.¡± The esteemed priest who had very nicely called Renier a country bumpkin lowered his head and quietly continued whispering, ¡°Armanu bears golden branches at its very center that shine brightly. We call those branches ¡®Armanu¡¯s Fingers.¡¯ First, you break those branches¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And the priest who manages to use them to kill the current galtir becomes the next galtir.¡± Ack ¡ªRenier was so shocked that she instinctively covered her mouth. ¡°Countless galtirs have been assassinated while they were asleep at night. This is why the Guardian of the Forest never sleeps and trusts no one. And he especially doesn¡¯t trust the priests closest to him.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The only thing he can trust is Armanu, the divine tree that chose him, but even Armanu will abandon him someday. Once he¡¯s old and no longer intelligent or beautiful, the divine tree will cast him aside in favor of a younger and stronger man. Just like how Armanu left Kittu in the legends.¡± Renier clasped her hands over her mouth and shuddered. Why did such a cruel and heartless tradition exist amongst the descendants that Armanu and Kittu of Six Wings had borne out of love? Gishzida continued, ¡°The galtir must always live with the knowledge that he could die at any given moment as soon as he becomes the galtir. He has to pay the price for his greed, you see. The galtir alone must stay awake and guard the tree even as the rest of all creation sleeps at night. He must wait with bloodshot eyes for one of his brethren, who will either become the next galtir or a cold corpse, to challenge him.¡± Gishzida¡¯s whispers grew darker and heavier. ¡°The galtir must also break off a branch and rise to the occasion if a younger and overwhelmingly stronger new priest breaks off a golden branch and challenges him. Then, the two of them must fight with only Armanu¡¯s Fingers and their physical strength ¡ªno ngak or weapons are allowed. Armanu will use her Fingers to make her choice as the two of them do battle with their lives on the line. And she will choose the younger, stronger, wiser, and livelier of the two.¡± He roared with laughter as he stroked Renier¡¯s hair. Renier felt like her throat was burning up as she looked up at him. The emotions etched into his features were so fierce that she couldn¡¯t tell what they signified. The Forest was neither holy nor noble. It was obscener than Goddess Inanna, the philanderess, and it was far crueler than Goddess Inanna, the goddess of war. Could Lord Gishzida not feel just how evil it was? ¡°The Lord Galtir¡¯s station must be as lonely as it is honorable.¡± ¡°Oh it¡¯s a dreadfully lonely and agonizing position to be in. They say that many galtirs of the past either lost their minds or became despots after losing themselves to their madness.¡± Then, Gishzida chuckled as if he was having great up and added, ¡°But there isn¡¯t a single priest who doesn¡¯t dream about becoming the galtir. The galtir becomes one with the Golden Forest, which is loved by both the heavens and the earth, in both body and soul, and every Celestial instinctively desires to be the galtir. Just like how the love stricken Kittu always desired Armanu. It¡¯s a dreadful sickness that none of us can escape.¡± Renier trembled. She suddenly felt so sad and helpless when Gishzida tied himself to the cruel and accursed custom. ¡°Then, does the Lord Galtir hate you because he¡¯s anxious, Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°Who can say? Doesn¡¯t it seem like the galtir hates me a little too much for that to be the case? I¡¯m not the only priest who¡¯s capable of challenging him, you know?¡± Gishzida leaned against the cool wall of water and gazed at Renier through half-closed eyes. He was undoubtedly smiling, but Renier couldn¡¯t feel the warmth that she had felt from him before. Was it because of his animosity for the galtir? His words had felt as cold as ice. Then, Gishzida said, ¡°Renier. Most of the past generations of galtirs tried their best to annihilate the beastmen of the Northlands ¡ªand the Salt Mountain Tribe in particular. Do you know the real reason why they tried so hard?¡± ¡°I heard it was because the Salt Mountain Tribe won¡¯t let you dig up divine stones¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only the public reason. But why must we go through the trouble of annihilated an entire tribe just because of that? You should be able to glean the answer if you think about the legend I told you on our way here to the Golden Forest,¡± Gishzida whispered sharply. Renier¡¯s head suddenly began ringing. Renier dropped her jaw and nodded slowly. Oh, I see. I think¡­I know. I know why. I-I think I finally know what it is that you really want¡­Lord Gishzida. ¡°Are you¡­¡­really trying to take back what Kittu lost?¡± Ah, hahaha. A pleased peal of laughter roared above Renier¡¯s head. ¡°Indeed. The priests who want that are called the Fundamentalists. And I am currently being ardently supported by the Fundamentalists.¡± A shiver ran down Renier¡¯s shoulders and back. I knew it. Lord Gishzida ¡ªno, all the Celestial priests genuinely believe that legend. Gishzida continued, ¡°Meanwhile, the priests who want to give up on our ideals and create a powerful nation here on earth are called the Realists. Kiros, the current galtir, is a Realist ¡ªas are Minn¨¨ and Jada, whom I¡¯m sure you¡¯re already familiar with.¡± Aha. Renier finally comprehended the rift between Lord Gishzida and the galtir, Minn¨¨, and Jada. ¡°We call them Apostates. Those who¡¯ve fallen after abandoning the mission given to us by Kittu and Utu to chase after worldly wealth and power instead. Our two factions can never be reconciled. Minn¨¨ has even disowned her one and only daughter because they belong to different factions. Her daughter declared herself a Fundamentalist a few years back, you see.¡± His voice was so saccharine as he whispered that it could have been drenched in honey. ¡°But we have no reason to keep waiting for Armanu like Kittu did. We¡¯re going to annihilate the people of Salt Mountain, where the descendants of Armanu and the man-eating eagle are said to live, and take back the glory of light at the earliest opportunity, and then we¡¯ll burn down the divine tree that was entrusted with eternal life and go home to the heavens where we belong.¡± ¡°But the galtir¡¯s life is tied to the divine tree¡¯s, and he¡¯ll die too if the tree dies!¡± ¡°His mortal shell that¡¯s bound to the earth would die, but he¡¯d get back his eternal life as a Celestial at the same time. Would you want to cling to your shell of mud and give up on your new life as a Celestial, if you were in his shoes?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­thank goodness. I see.¡± Renier let out a sigh of relief before she could stop herself. Then, she immediately grew puzzled as to why she had done so. Gishzida¡¯s chuckling began sounding a little strange. ¡°I plan on completing the sacred mission given to us Celestials within my lifetime.¡± Did Lord Gishzida mean that he would become the galtir, conquer the Northlands, and annihilate the Salt Mountain Tribe so thoroughly that no one remained? There was such a jarring difference between his kind and gentle voice and the ghastly meaning of his words. It prevented Renier from fully perceiving the cruelty of what he had just said. Then, when will you become the next galtir, Lord Gishzida? When will you break off a golden branch and challenge the current one? But Renier did not voice her questions aloud. One reason was because she knew that his disciples were still inside the workshop, but she also didn¡¯t think that she should ask him about this so thoughtlessly. Renier¡¯s lips twitched, but she ultimately decided against voicing the questions that she wanted to ask and swallowed them instead, and then Gishzida smiled smoothly as he stooped over and whispered to her, ¡°Renier. Being the Guardian of the Forest is an incredible position on one hand, but it¡¯s also an accursed position on the other. You can¡¯t trust anyone if you¡¯re the galtir, and you have no choice but to be extremely distrustful of even the people who defend you. It¡¯s a dreadfully lonely and isolated position to be in. So much so that it¡¯d be a challenge just to be the galtir without going insane.¡± Renier felt the air around her growing weirder and weirder. Why is Lord Gishzida telling me all of this? He was telling her secrets that he had no reason to tell a mere lowly slave girl. He was smiling like he was hiding something. And he was being so incomprehensibly kind. Is there something that Lord Gishzida wants from me right now? Renier began desperately working the gears in her head as she tried to capture the underlying meaning hidden beneath his words. What did Lord Gishzida really want? What would he need most in order to become the galtir or after he became the galtir? Then, Renier suddenly recalled everything that Lord Gishzida had told her after they had arrived at the Golden Forest and everything he had told her just now. ¡ª The kings and high priests of the cities who tremble in constant anxiety and the warriors of the battlefields would surely enjoy your ability to see bloodlust. ¡ª Oh it¡¯s a dreadfully lonely and agonizing position to be in. They say that many galtirs of the past either lost their minds or became despots after losing themselves to their madness. Her thoughts began guiding her to one clear conclusion. Renier raised her head and looked Gishzida directly in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll stay by your side and protect you, Lord Gishzida.¡± His eyes narrowed. Renier knew that she had not been off the mark as soon as she saw that. And so, with a little more confidence, she repeated, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to protect you, Lord Gishzida. I¡¯m a huntress with good night vision, and I¡¯m the best at noticing danger and bloodlust. And more importantly, I¡¯m a slave of the temple and not a priestess, so I can¡¯t ever assassinate you. Please take me in as your guard slave, Lord Gishzida. I¡¯ll protect you with my life when you can¡¯t protect yourself!¡± Gishzida suddenly broke out into a boisterous burst of laughter. Wahaha, aha, ahahaha! He laughed so laudly that the watery walls of his home began rippling. ¡°I never expected to hear anyone say that in all my life as Gishzida of the Golden Forest. And from a little miss who would¡¯ve been burned to death if it hadn¡¯t been for me, no less.¡± Uh oh. Did I get it wrong? It took Renier a moment to come back down to earth. Actually, her mind had been floating through the clouds all day long today, now that she thought about it. Just yesterday, she hadn¡¯t been able to take care of even just herself and had needed Gishzida¡¯s help, yet now she was telling him that he could rest easy knowing she would protect him ¡ªit was ridiculous, really. Gishzida flicked Renier audibly on the forehead when she immediately began growing flustered. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ve heard you loud and clear. They say that saying something aloud has the power of making things manifest, so I¡¯ll be sure to remember your promise.¡± Gishzida¡¯s eyes narrowed as he grinned. One edge of his lips was somewhat askew, however, so his smile barely felt like a smile at all. It wouldn¡¯t be until much later that Renier learned that this was how Gishzida smiled whenever he was genuinely satisfied about something. Sabato and Kiriak¨¨ gingerly opened the workshop door once the young slave had finally returned to her lodgings. They intended to simply bid their teacher farewell and slip away quietly because, although there was a mountain of questions they wanted to ask him, they would probably only manage to incur his ire if they tried to ask. But they ended up flinching and stopping in their tracks as soon as they opened the door. The sunset was gently seeping through the watery walls. The light in the living room was off, and golden and blood-colored glow of the setting sun had melted ever so slightly into the murky darkness, filling the otherwise dark room with a sweet and mellow atmosphere. Their teacher was lying sideways on his lounge chair with his head propped up on one arm in the middle of that very atmosphere. His long and beautiful golden hair was cascading from the chair down to the floor, where it pooled into gentle curls, and the thin linen habit wrapped around him brought out the lines of his smooth and slender figure in the most elegant and sensual way possible. Sabato and Kiriak¨¨ forgot how to breathe. Had their teacher been reclining like that in front of the slave girl this entire time? No, more importantly ¡ªthe lowly thing had dared to see their teacher looking like this? They could feel themselves growing enraged at slave wench whose face they did not even know. ¡°The roads are dark outside. You¡¯ve both worked hard today. Be careful on your way back,¡± a voice seeped into the slow spread of darkness. Sabato and Kiriak¨¨ startled and studied their teacher¡¯s mien. Their teacher was not looking at them. His eyes were half-closed, and he was gazing gently at the scattered fruits and cookie crumbs left on the table, but gracing his lips was an unfamiliar smile that neither of them had ever seen him wear before. For a brief moment, something akin to a heavy breath ¡ªor perhaps an airy sigh?¡ª escaped his lips and permeated the air around him. The sound made the darkness, mixed with the sunset¡¯s golden glow, grow even denser, and it also seemed to make the air around him more alluring, more decadent, and breathtakingly sweet. Volume 1 - CH 11 ¡°Hey, did you hear?! Apparently, Lord Gishzida almost had a showdown with the Lord Galtir a few days ago.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± The room suddenly became noisy. Renier¡¯s ears perked up as she sat in a corner of the room and eavesdropped on the other slave girls chattering. ¡°Who knows?! But I heard that the ngak they manifested went boom when they clashed ¡ªthey were evenly matched the first time, but Lord Gishzida got pushed back a little the second time. I heard that he was still amazing, though.¡± ¡°Wow, really? Does that mean that Lord Gishzida is almost as strong as the Lord Galtir himself?¡± ¡°But I wonder what happened?¡± Renier couldn¡¯t get a word in even though she had witnessed the entire incident in person. After all, it wasn¡¯t as if she could simply tell them, ¡®It all happened because of me!¡¯ She had her hands over her ears because listening to the other girls¡¯ gossiping embarrassed her, and she wanted to die because the only damn topic that reached her ears whenever she put her hands down had to do with ¡®Lord Gishzida.¡¯ Renier wasn¡¯t the only girl who had a crush on Lord Gishzida. The other nine girls who had come here with her had fallen completely head over heels for him too. Gishzida was a Celestial, which made him far nobler than even the kings inside their castles, and he was by far the most beautiful and kind man the girls had ever met. He never whipped them, and he provided them a platter overflowing with fruit, rye bread, nuts, honey crackers, warm goat milk, and the like every day. The slave girls ate and drank until they thought their stomachs were so full they felt like they might burst open for the first time in their lives as they chatted about Lord Gishzida all day long. ¡°Lord Gishzida¡¯s probably married, right? I wonder who his wife is?¡± ¡°Who knows? He¡¯s a Celestial, so he¡¯s probably married a lady nugig, right?¡± ¡°How many children do you think he has?¡± ¡°Is he even married in the first place?¡± Everyone suddenly became tongue-tied. Even Renier could help but get nervous. She remembered seeing Lord Gishzida¡¯s disciples when she visited his home, but she was certain she hadn¡¯t seen his wife or children. Somewhat feebly, Eunik¨¨ finally broke the ice and said, ¡°No, priests don¡¯t get married. That¡¯s what my old master told me.¡± ¡°Then how do they have kids? Lady Minn¨¨ and Lady Jada sometimes talk about their children when they visit us.¡± ¡°But they never say anything about their en-ishib husband.¡± The chatter stopped abruptly as if everyone¡¯s mouths had suddenly been glued shut. They all knew that it was possible to have children outside of marriage, but they could not speak out about it because of the disrespectful discussion that would inevitably follow. Renier, who had been listening in on the conversation, tilted her head to the side in confusion. What did it mean for them to have children outside of marriage? Everyone found it too awkward to continue, so Eunik¨¨ evasively changed the topic. ¡°Oh, there are a bunch of young Celestials who haven¡¯t become priests yet studying in the basement of the temple. I saw them when I went there on an errand yesterday ¡ªdid you know that they aren¡¯t blonde? Some of them had black hair, and others had brown hair.¡± ¡°Huh? Aren¡¯t Celestials supposed to be blonde?¡± Nope! Their hair only turns gold after they take their rite of passage and manifest ngak for the first time. But Renier didn¡¯t respond, so her peers were left to turn their heads this way and that as they ventured into the lands of speculation. Their imaginations eventually led them down roads that were either disrespectful, bizarre, or sugary-sweet, and a languid silence eventually settled down upon the room like a gentle sigh. Then, they suddenly heard Lady Jada¡¯s sharp voice. ¡°Renier! Renier! Wear something pretty, put on a headdress, and come out at once. Lord Gishzida summons you.¡± The girls sitting behind Renier opened their eyes wide. *** ¡°Are you always home, Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°Almost. The galtir has ordered every priest to make ngak tablets, but he¡¯s given me an especially large quota.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s because you¡¯re so incredibly skilled, Lord Gishzida!¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m certainly not unskilled. But the problem is that a certain someone wants nothing more than for me to expend all my energy holed up in my house making ngak tablets and eventually die of old age.¡± Renier immediately understood that the ¡®certain someone¡¯ was none other than the lord galtir. It was obvious to her that the priests of the Realist faction were doing their best to trample over the leader of the Fundamentalist faction. Renier sipped on the honeyed goat milk that Lord Gishzida had personally warmed up for her as she tactfully changed the topic. ¡°Are there a lot of different types of ngak?¡± ¡°Yes. And that number will only keep growing bigger as us priests continue developing more.¡± ¡°Developing¡­¡­more? Wow, you don¡¯t just learn and use the incantations that are already there ¡ªyou develop more of them too?¡± ¡°Of course. I happen to be a bit skilled in that area.¡± Renier giggled, delighted by Gishzida¡¯s verbal tics. ¡°How do you go about developing more ngak, Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I was actually just about to teach you more about ngak today. The galtir will be furious if a slave of the temple was to know so little about ngak.¡± Gishzida leaned comfortably back against his lounge chair. Then, he continued, ¡°I told you before that divine stones are the beautiful rocks that Kittu of Six Wings and his offshoots, the Celestial warriors, turn into, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Rocks are created my applying immense pressure over a long stretch of time. Right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Kittu¡¯s blinding beauty is still imbued inside the divine stones¡¯ beautiful colors. And, though this may come as a surprise, while these divine stones may feel cold to the touch, they actually hide a heat that¡¯s as hot as lava inside them.¡± This made Renier go quiet. It almost only felt obvious that the divine stones were hiding incredible heat inside them, considering how Kittu¡¯s love had also been hot enough to melt both his body and soul. Gishzida continued, ¡°There are four types of forces that we priests have discovered imbued inside the divine stones: overwhelming pressure, scorching heat, extensive time, and beautiful colors. We aren¡¯t able to manipulate time. So we draw out the remaining three forces to apply and develop ngak in a way that¡¯ll allow the people to use them in all kinds of ways.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing.¡± Renier grew a little puzzled and looked to the small stones that were wrapped around Gishzida¡¯s arm. ¡°And you need an en, an incantation, in order to use a ngak. Now then, shall I invoke a hot breeze for you? Shahan, mir.¡± A sudden heated breeze whisked past Renier. ¡°Ganzer.¡± A small spark burst out from Gishzida¡¯s finger from the same hand with the bracelet of divine stones and began burning in front of Renier. Gishzida snapped his fingers and sent the small flame flying into the wall of water when Renier startled, and the flame sizzled as it extinguished. Then, Gishzida said, ¡°Overwhelming pressure can be used in many different ways. It allows you to take air, water, and all kinds of different objects and move them, twist them, or shape them in any manner you wish.¡± ¡°Right. The water seemed to transform into a long snake when you dowsed¡­¡­I mean, washed me when we first met.¡± ¡°¡­¡­That was a dragon.¡± ¡°O-oh, no wonder it was such a thick snake. A d-dragon ¡ªI didn¡¯t think of that,¡± Renier hastily corrected herself. Gishzida¡¯s smile turned impish. ¡°I worked hard to give the dragon four legs and a set of wings back then ¡ªyou didn¡¯t notice, Renier?¡± How was I supposed to look and see whether a lump of water had legs or wings or whatever when I was so shocked that I thought I might pass out on the spot? Besides, Lord Gishzida, why would you go through the trouble of giving the water so much detail for no good reason when you were just gonna dump it over me anyway? Renier broke out into a cold sweat as she responded, ¡°Oh, u-um, I know I shouldn¡¯t lie, but I think I might¡¯ve seen something that could¡¯ve resembled legs or wings. I think.¡± The impish priest hid his mouth behind his sleeve and began chuckling. Clearly, he was having great fun teasing the pea-sized slave girl. Renier averted her gaze ever so slightly as she grew awkward. Lord Gishzida was dressed in rather unscrupulous clothing, just like he had been last time, and it made her feel a bit ¡ªor rather, very¡ª embarrassed. Perhaps it was because he was wearing informal clothing, but although his linen habit was long, it was also so thin that it was partially see-through and very flowy. He was wearing nothing else on top except for a long pair of dangling earrings and a necklace with three layers that reached all the way down to his chest ¡ªhe wasn¡¯t even wearing an overgarment or a shawl¡ª and his habit didn¡¯t have any noteworthy decorations except on the hems of his sleeves and skirt, so the cloth outlined the contours of his body all too clearly every time he made even the slightest movements. Moreover, he was reclined against his lounge chair, like a cat lying coyly beneath the spring sun, with his hand dangling and swaying slowly as he laughed, and goodness, seeing him like that made something feel like it was bubbling up in her stomach and chest, made her hands and feet tickle and squirm, made her face flush hot, and made her keep having to swallow down her saliva ¡ªshe had no idea where to look. And, naturally, she didn¡¯t feel from him any of the dangerous or scary aura that she¡¯d always felt coming from other men. Undoubtedly, the only thing she felt from Lord Gishzida was his gentle friendliness. Renier didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable or like she wanted to flee at all. So she had no idea why she was feeling so awkward right now. Hesitantly, she changed the topic. ¡°Then was the invisible bed you made for me before also made from ¡®overwhelming pressure,¡¯ Lord Gishzida? And the blades of wind you used to pick the fruits too? Oh, but I remember the incantation for the blades of wind being much longer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The blades of wind are made by compressing the air much more than is needed to make the bed and then sharpening the edges.¡± ¡°In that case, can you make other things sturdier too besides water?¡± ¡°Exactly. You really are a quick learner. If you cast a fortifying ngak stone knives, stone arrows, clay hoes, stone axes, or other similar farming tools, then they¡¯ll become as sturdy as if they¡¯d been forged from bronze.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± ¡°And, while it¡¯s a bit awkward to tout myself, but I was the one who invented that technique.¡± ¡°Wow! That¡¯s amazing! You¡¯re incredible, Lord Gishzida! You invented a technique that¡¯s necessary and helpful to everyone! Everyone should be bowing before your feet for that, you know?¡± Gishzida burst out in a refreshing peal of laughter when Renier suddenly began clapping her hands. ¡°I can even make people float in midair, draw up water from a river and make it rain if I really exert myself, and stir heat and wind around together like a spinning top and create tiny storms. Hmm. Keep this a secret, will you? I don¡¯t think the lord galtir will like it if he hears of this.¡± Gishzida bragged a little more because he took great delight in Renier¡¯s reactions. But Renier no longer felt like smiling or clapping her hands. Gods, he can create rain and storms even though he¡¯s just a Celestial? ¡ªhe¡¯s not Enlil, the god of the atmosphere, or Ishkur, the god of storms. A chill ran down her spine. ¡°And finally, I can even do something like this.¡± Renier saw a divine stone that was transparent and yellowish, like honey, appear right before her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s like clear gold.¡± ¡°What a lovely way to put it. They call this ¡®amber¡¯ in the outside world, but I guess you haven¡¯t come across any yet. You can extract a certain special ngak from this. Girikur kusig dilib.¡± Renier felt her scalp growing hot no sooner than the en had left Gishzida¡¯s lips. Gishzida laughed a little louder when she opened her eyes round and tilted her head to the side in confusion. Then, he said, ¡°Wait just a moment. You¡¯ll be so surprised when you see. Sur mir, kichura baj, dilib, pesh.¡± A gentle breeze blew past immediately after Gishzida had finished his long incantation. Wasn¡¯t that similar to the en I heard him recite when he picked the fruits for me before? Then Renier suddenly heard a quiet rustle just as she was thinking this. A wave of cold fell over her head and shoulders. ¡°W-what just¡­¡­?¡± She moved as quickly as lightning as she lowered her center of gravity and practically rolled backward. She had reacted purely upon instinct ¡ªeven she didn¡¯t know whey she had done this. Renier saw Gishzida grinning when she looked up, and she flung herself over to the door and stuck to it. She continued, ¡°Um, w-what is that?¡± Something from her head fell to the floor as she looked around. It looked like a bunch of fur from a yellow cat or dog. Renier trembled like a leaf as she looked down at the yellowy fur. What¡¯s with the fur, and why am I trembling so much right now? Was I attacked without realizing it? Then, she suddenly heard Gishzida¡¯s resonant laughter. ¡°¡­¡­Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°You jumped like a startled rabbit. It¡¯s your own hair. I transferred the color from the divine stone to your hair. You¡¯d look magnificent with amber-colored hair once it grows out. What are your thoughts on becoming a blonde?¡± ¡°T-then, all the stuff that looks like a bunch of dog fur down there¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Dog fur¡­¡­. It¡¯s your own hair, not dog fur. I cut off a bit of your bangs to show you that you became blonde. But you reacted so quickly even though I wasn¡¯t letting off any bloodlust at all. That¡¯s good, though. You¡¯ll never have to be worried about being stabbed in the back no matter where you go.¡± ¡°You cut my hair with a blade of wind?¡± Renier shouted back in fright. No wonder she¡¯d suddenly broken out in goosebumps all over for no discernable reason. Renier was suddenly overcome with terror and began quivering from head to toe with her back flat against the door. Lord Gishzida probably hadn¡¯t meant anything when he¡¯d cut her hair, but she could have lost her head if she had accidentally moved even just a little. Gishzida grew flustered when he saw Renier falling into a panic. ¡°Why are you so shocked, Renier? It¡¯s just blonde hair. It¡¯s pretty, Renier. It really looks good on you. You¡¯ll really be as pretty as Goddess Inanna one day if you keep growing¡­oh, do you not like having blonde hair? A-all right. I¡¯m sorry. I guess I did change your hair color without asking you first. I¡¯ll return it to your original color. Ack! Girikur su dilib. Wait, no no no! Barr! Barr! Barr!¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± A chilly breeze blew over Renier¡¯s head. Renier quickly flung her body to the side before another blade of wind came flying at her and ripped out her hair with a shaking hand. Her hair was brown, just as it had been before. ¡°I won¡¯t cut it. I won¡¯t cut it, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°O-oh. Ahhh¡­¡­.¡± Renier let out a shaky breath as her legs gave out from beneath her. Her legs were wobbling too much now that the tension had suddenly left them, and they could not bear her weight. Looking at the yellowish pieces of hair scattered on the floor made her so scared she thought she was going to cry. It wouldn¡¯t even be difficult for Lord Gishzida to murder someone standing in front of him if he feels like it. Renier looked up find that Lord Gishzida was scowling heavily while tightly grasping his fingers. He must have injured his fingers badly, considering that his white sleeves had been dyed bright red. He must¡¯ve pricked himself with the needle on his bracelet too hard in his bewilderment. Renier¡¯s vision grew dark. ¡°P-please, please forgive me. I¡¯ve committed a great crime.¡± I didn¡¯t need to react so rashly. He was only showing me his rare and precious ngak because he saw how much fun I was having. Renier was so bewildered and sorry that her tears dribbled to the floor. Then, she heard his bitter voice as he said, ¡°And what exactly is this crime that you claim to have committed? You should tell me what it was that you allege to have done first before you beg for forgiveness.¡± ¡°I-I ran away before I could stop myself, and you got hurt because of me, Lord Gishzida¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I got hurt because of you? When I was the one who failed to control my strength?¡± Gishzida spat out in displeasure. He continued, ¡°It¡¯s only natural to flee on instinct if you feel like your life is in danger. This only happened because your abilities are exceptional ¡ªyou didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Don¡¯t start begging for no reason like the other brainless slaves when you¡¯re with me.¡± ¡°Y-yes, sooob, I won¡¯t! I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°And don¡¯t cry, either.¡± ¡°Yes, I absolutely won¡¯t c¡­I, sniff, sob, sniff, ahhh! Sniff sniff.¡± Renier remembered that Lord Gishzida disliked noisy children who cried loudly and clasped her hands over her mouth. The terrible thing about crying, however, was the fact that it wasn¡¯t possible to stop crying at will once you started. Gishzida¡¯s frown only deepened when Reneir lowered her head with her hands still clasped over her mouth as she struggled to stop crying. ¡°¡­¡­Enough. It¡¯s fine to cry, but I¡¯ll ask you to bandage my finger with this cloth for me. It¡¯s hard to tie knots with only one hand.¡± Renier bandaged his bloody finger tightly even as she continued crying. It felt so strange to her that a Celestial¡¯s finger was no less warm than a mudperson¡¯s. His wound wasn¡¯t serious, but it was bleeding at lot, and her tears continued to pour out from her eyes. Hwoo. A long sigh passed over her head. Hwoo, hwoo. His breaths were long and hot, and Renier did not dare raise her head. She could not bear to keep her eyes open because of the extraordinarily thin habit that made her imagine his pale flesh underneath right before her eyes. And so, Renier squeezed her moist eyes shut and endured his heated breathing for a very long time. Renier¡¯s face was bright red and swollen when Gishzida carried her to her lodgings on his back later that evening. The other slave girls, Minn¨¨, and Jada were so shocked they nearly passed out, but no one dared to say a word because the look on Gishzida¡¯s face was so intimidating. Volume 1 - CH 12 Renier instantly became the target of the other girls¡¯ envy and jealousy. They seemed to believe that something untoward had happened between Renier and the noble en-ishib, and even Minn¨¨ and Jada seemed to have assumed the same thing. This was because Gishzida himself never confirmed nor denied anything about that incident. ¡°I think Lord Gishzida carried me on his back in an attempt to console me because I was crying so much.¡± Renier had tried to explain to Minn¨¨ and Jada what had happened, but they were all too familiar with Gishzida¡¯s cold and heartless personalities and simply huffed at the absurdity of it all. And so, the mood inside the lodgings became warlike when Gishzida summoned Renier again a week later. Minn¨¨ and Jada quarreled fiercely over Renier ¡ªone argued that they had to send her to Gishzida again because he was their supervisor, whereas the other argued that they should not send her over to such an irresponsible supervisor. Renier was frozen stiff as she was dragged back to the house of water. She was nervous that Gishzida might say something about what had transpired the other day, but all he did was to teacher her about how ngak tablets were made, some of the divine script that was etched onto them, and how ordinary civilians of the Southlands could use the ngak tablets to manifest incantations. He also very casually provided her with a bowl of her favorite snacks and a cup of goat milk with honey. ¡°You worry about the darndest things. Would you like to try some of this? I had them bring me freshly milked goat milk, and I cast a honey ngak over it so it¡¯d taste better.¡± Wow. Lord Gishzida knows how to crack a joke? Renier slowly grew less nervous thanks to Lord Gishzida¡¯s attitude, and she gradually started smiling again. Perhaps the tension had left her too quickly, however, because she then started growing terribly sleepy. Renier did her best to keep her eyes and ears open to Lord Gishzida¡¯s teachings, but she couldn¡¯t keep herself from nodding off from time to time. She heard Lord Gishzida chuckle quietly and say, ¡°You seem tired, Renier. Were you unable to sleep well last night?¡± His voice was growing quieter and fainter. Renier shook her head no as she rubbed her eyes. Her eyelids suddenly drooped downward, and her hands and feet felt so heavy. Gishzida continued, ¡°Sleep if you¡¯re tired ¡ªI won¡¯t wake you. You may get as much rest as you need.¡± Renier¡¯s body suddenly began floating in midair. This marked the second time that Lord Gishzida had moved her around in this manner, but her ability to stay conscious had melted away before the tidal wave of her sleepiness, and she didn¡¯t even have it in her to wonder what to do with her body. It was so strange. Had Lord Gishzida¡¯s body always been this warm and soft? ¡­¡­But why am I acting like this again? Even her brief doubts vanished quietly into nothingness. *** ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re already aware, Lord Gishzida, but Renier is a temple of the slave who will be participating in the spring festival with the other nine children.¡± ¡°I am aware, Minn¨¨.¡± ¡­¡­Huh? When did I fall asleep? Renier blinked. She couldn¡¯t believe that she had so fearlessly napped in Lord Gishzida¡¯s home until evening. I¡¯m pretty sure that Lord Gishzida was teaching me how to manifest ngak from ngak tablets just earlier, and then I had some of the hot honeyed goat milk that he gave me, and then I felt a little sleepy and started dozing off¡­¡­. ¡°I¡¯m dreaming. I was probably napping in the forest and just woke up. Yup, that sounds about right. This is a dream.¡± But no matter how strongly Renier insisted to herself, she couldn¡¯t deny the fact that she was inside Lord Gishzida¡¯s house with translucent walls made from water, lying on Lord Gishzida¡¯s bed, and covered by the luxurious linen blanket that was surely used by Lord Gishzida himself. She slowly grew frightened. I¡¯ve lost it. I¡¯ve surely gone crazy. What on earth am I doing right now? Then, she suddenly heard Minn¨¨ raising her voice in the next room over. ¡°Then why did you do this, if you were fully aware? Don¡¯t you know how angry the lord galtir will be? Was the fact that you¡¯ll be flogged because of that child not enough of a punishment for you? Why would you take a child who will be participating in the spring festival unless you were intentionally trying to provoke the lord galtir¡­¡­?¡± Renier snapped back to her full senses. Flogging? What is she talking about? Lord Gishzida never said anything about getting flogged, though? She didn¡¯t hear Lord Gishzida responding. Renier grew nervous and leaned her ear in their direction, and then she heard Minn¨¨ quietly saying, ¡°¡­¡­The girls who will be participating in the festival don¡¯t need to be virgins, of course, but at the very least they should not be carrying the seed of another man during the festival. We will be cursed, not blessed, if we send a pregnant girl to participate in the ritual that is supposed to celebrate the union of Armanu and Kittu and the fruit of their love. I will be checking to see whether Renier has her period next month, and if she doesn¡¯t, she will need to be chased away so another girl can be found to take her place.¡± Pregnant? What¡¯s that supposed to mean? I¡¯ve never even kissed a man, never mind let one put a baby in my belly? And my period? What¡¯s that? Renier understood that something vulgar needed to occur between a man and a woman for a baby to be made. She knew this because all female slaves were to some extent taught this by the overwhelming lewdness around them in their lodgings. However, she had only picked up bits and pieces of information about the subject from here and there, and there were holes in her understanding. Renier vigorously turned the gears in the head as she pondered. She¡¯d be okay since she didn¡¯t have a baby or anything of the sort, but she¡¯d be in big trouble if she was chased out of the Golden Forest and sold somewhere else because she didn¡¯t have this thing called a period. This would mean that she would never be able to see Lord Gishzida ever again. It was almost like she wasn¡¯t the same child who had asked to be sent to work in the fields because she didn¡¯t want to lie with men in the temple. But what¡¯s a period? I don¡¯t have anything weird-sounding like that. Where do I get one of those? It¡¯s going to be okay. I don¡¯t have a baby inside my belly, so I just need to start by figuring out what a period is, and then I can work on getting one. Right. And if I really can¡¯t figure it out, then I can always try asking Lord Gishzida for help. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be able to help me get one if I beg him. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not as rare and expensive as a divine stone. She felt a little better once she had finished thinking. Renier took a deep breath as she checked the state of her body again. Her lower abdomen felt a little sore and a bit heavier than usual, but, fortunately, nothing was too different from what she was expecting. Lady Minn¨¨ was misunderstanding something. Renier was extremely sensitive to the dirty gazes of men, and she had never once felt any sort of perverseness from Lord Gishzida. Of course, that wasn¡¯t to say that Renier hadn¡¯t been embarrassed by the way he sometimes dressed or the way he carried himself or ever found him suspicious. But Renier had simply written it off as Lord Gishzida having a nasty personality. And to be honest, being a little suspicious suited Lord Gishzida surprisingly well. At the end of the day, however, Renier had never once felt the vulgar emotions that she was so wary of coming from him with her keen senses. In Renier¡¯s mind, Gishzida was the furthest person possible from animalistic desire and was the noblest and most beautiful person she knew ¡ªhe was everything a Celestial should be. She knew that this was only because of the pride he carried in being a Celestial and the scorn and contempt he harbored for human beings, but the fact remained that this brought her great peace of mind. I need to hurry over and tell Lady Minn¨¨ that nothing happened to clear up her misunderstanding. Renier clenched her hands into fists and nodded to herself, but then she heard Gishzida quietly reply, ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll endeavor to be more careful in the future.¡± Renier froze in her tracks. Wait, Lord Gishzida? What are you talking about? What are you going to be more careful about? Minn¨¨ continued nagging him, ¡°I have no idea why someone who should know better like you did something like this. Are there not enough beautiful nugigs in the Golden Forest for you? Why a slave of the temple who¡¯ll be participating in the festival?! Why would you even consider touching a strange-looking slave wench in poor condition like her?¡± Lord Gishzida? Why did you say something weird like that instead telling her that she was clearly mistaken? Hurry up and tell her! I just dozed off ¡ªthat¡¯s why I took a nap¡ª, nothing happened between you and me, and nothing happened last time either! Please hurry up and tell her! Contrary to Renier¡¯s hopes, however, Gishzida instead replied, ¡°In any case, I was at fault here, so I will take responsibility for this. I will send Renier away before the festival and bring back another child to take her place if she doesn¡¯t have her period.¡± Renier froze up. ¡®W-what? Did I actually do something with Lord Gishzida, then? But I don¡¯t remember anything?¡¯ The inside of Renier¡¯s head became a right mess. *** ¡°Um, Lore Gishzida? There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask you.¡± ¡°Sure. Did you sleep well? Did you grow curious about something as soon as you woke up?¡± Renier, who had checked two or three times to make sure that Minn¨¨ had gone back, wasn¡¯t able to ask her real question and ended up dithering for a long time instead. ¡°A-are you going to get flogged¡­¡­because of me?¡± Gishzida scowled heavily. ¡°Did Minn¨¨ tell you that? Actually, did you overhear us talking earlier?¡± ¡°W-when will you be¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been set in stone yet, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The traitorous high priest is slowly going blind. If he¡¯s gotten drunk on worldly money and power, then he should at least be exorcising demons, curing illnesses, or getting high on incense and spitting out prophecies like they do at other temples ¡ªbut it seems like beating up us Fundamentalists, who are only trying to fulfil our sacred mission, is the only thing he wants to do.¡± The mere idea of Lord Gishzida being punished because of her was awful to Renier. Her voice quivered as she asked, ¡°If you¡¯re only being flogged because of me, then can¡¯t I take it in your place? It, it won¡¯t hurt me at all because I¡¯ve been whipped so much ever since I was young. And I heal quick too. So I, I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°I told you not to worry. I¡¯ve been marked by the galtir, who¡¯s a very doubtful person, so he¡¯ll find some kind of flaw to criticize me about sooner or later, but in no cases do Celestials actually get flogged. I¡¯ll just rest and relax at home if he puts me under house-arrest, and I suppose you can help me if he orders me to make more clay tablets.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The galtir¡¯s impatiently trying to get me removed from my post as a priest because he hates the fact that my forces are getting stronger, but he needs to hold a trial in order to punish or depose a high-ranking priest, and he¡¯s not going to do that because I¡¯d be required to participate in a Celestials¡¯ trial.¡± ¡°I see. But please let me help you. I¡¯ll do anything you ask.¡± Gishzida crossed his arms and peered into Renier¡¯s face for a long time before he tilted his head to the side. ¡°Anyway, Renier. You look like you have something else you want to ask me?¡± Renier raised her head ever so slightly and gingerly studied Gishzida¡¯s mien. Her lower abdomen still hurt a bit and felt a little heavy, but nothing else felt out of place otherwise. She had no way of knowing if he had done something to her while she was asleep. But Renier couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask him about it, however, and she dithered for a very long time. Did you take off my clothes and do something weird to me while I was asleep, Lord Gishzida? ¡­¡­She was way too embarrassed to actually ask him that. Maybe I misheard. Maybe he and Lady Minn¨¨ were talking about something else. Renier pondered for a moment before she decided to ask him about something else instead. ¡°Um, what¡¯s a period, Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s a per¡­¡­what?¡± Gishzida made a face. He stared openly at Renier and tilted his head quizzically for a moment before he turned away and cleared his throat. Did he not hear me correctly? Renier slowly and articulately repeated, ¡°What is a period, Lord Gishzida?¡± Gishzida stopped clearing his throat, uncrossed his arms, and began touching his chin. About half of his sapphire pupils disappeared as he narrowed his eyes. He began tapping his fingers irritably against the wooden table. Renier folded her hands together and waited patiently for him to answer. ¡°Why are you asking me that? ¡ªI was told that you¡¯d already had your menarche.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a menarche?¡± ¡°Did you not have your menarche yet? I¡¯m fairly certain that your master told me that you¡¯d had your menarche and that you¡¯d come of age soon¡­¡­.¡± Lord Gishzida kept talking about something unrelated instead of answer Renier¡¯s questions. Renier did her best to set the conversation back on track. ¡°Are a menarche and a period the same thing? Do I need to have a period before I can come of age? Everyone else was around fourteen or fifteen when Master¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No, no ¡ªfor starters, your menarche refers to your first menstruation. Actually, why do I need to be the one explaining this to you again?¡± ¡°Er, what¡¯s a menstruation? I don¡¯t get any of this¡­¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Gishzida furrowed his brows and began shaking his head instead of answering. Ha, hahaha. Then, he abruptly burst out into laughter a moment later as if he¡¯d suddenly realized something. ¡°Your master lied to me. You were causing him too many problems, so he lied to me to get rid of you. And you lied to me too.¡± ¡°N-no I didn¡¯t, Lord Gishzida. I¡¯ve never lied to you. Not even once!¡± ¡°You lied to me by omission when you stayed silent instead of answering my question.¡± Huh? Renier recalled what had happened when her master had sold her to Gishzida. Gishzida had asked her to confirm that her name was Renier, that she was fourteen years old, and that she had recently begun menstruating, and Renier had nodded yes because she had assumed that it was surely true if her master had said so. Renier looked up and did her best to explain herself. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything because I didn¡¯t know. I can¡¯t confirm or deny anything if I don¡¯t know what it means!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But Lord Gishzida ¡ªand I¡¯m really sorry to ask¡ª, but what¡¯s a menarche, what¡¯s a menstruation, what¡¯s a period, how do these things have anything to do with coming of age, and why did my master lie to you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Gishzida let out a long sign and smiled wryly. Then, he continued, ¡°Ask Minn¨¨ to teach you about all that when you go back ¡ªwait, no. Make sure you absolutely don¡¯t ask Minn¨¨ or Jada, and ask Eunik¨¨ or Carla on the sly instead. And make sure they won¡¯t tell anyone that you asked them about this.¡± Renier closed her mouth. Lord Gishzida was a very respectable man, so the new words that she had learned today were probably not all that respectable to talk about. Gishzida pondered for a very long time before he clicked his tongue and stood up from his seat. ¡°I feel ridiculous for agonizing so long over how to make it stop,¡± Gishzida muttered irritably before, like a bolt from the blue, he suddenly declared, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that you haven¡¯t even started yet. Children who are too young to conceive can¡¯t participate in the spring festival.¡± ¡°What? Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°Enough. This is enough for today, so go back to your lodgings now. I¡¯ll let you know after some decisions have been made.¡± His kind and friendly attitude had suddenly done a complete one-eighty. He felt as cold as ice now that the smile had been wiped off his face. Renier was bewildered and quickly got down on her knees. ¡°Lord Gishzida? D-did I do something wrong? Lord Gishzida?! Why are you chasing me out?¡± ¡°I need to think about something. Go back.¡± ¡°I was wrong. I was wrong, and I¡¯ll never do it again.¡± ¡°And what exactly did you do that was wrong? And what are you suggesting that you¡¯ll never do again?¡± ¡°O-oh!¡± Renier forgot how to speak for a moment because she was so flustered, and Gishzida roughly turned back to her and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before? Don¡¯t beg if you don¡¯t even know what you did wrong. You probably got down to your knees and begged your previous master for forgiveness whenever anything happened too, right? Are you reverting back to your old habits in front of me?¡± ¡°I was wrong for not telling you that I didn¡¯t know what you were talking about back then. I was wrong to ask you strange questions, and I was wrong to fall asleep in your house too. Please don¡¯t sell me off.¡± ¡°I told you to leave. I¡¯ll call for you again later. Baras, Ki.¡± Renier¡¯s body floated into the air. Ahh, ahhh! Lord Gishzida! Lord Gishzida! Renier flailed her arms and tried her best to regain her balance, but she quickly plummeted down the tree. Fortunately, she stopped falling just before she hit the ground, so she didn¡¯t get hurt. Her eyes were filled with tears as she looked up at the tree. Gishzida was yelling furiously. Renier could vaguely make out the sporadic bursts of flame that were exploding inside his translucent house of water. ¡°I fed her a drug that¡¯ll make the blood vessels in her uterus dry up for no reason. Ganzer! I never needed to use something so toxic in the first place! Damn it all! Ich! Geshbar! Pow, pow, shaaa. Flames of all sizes ignited. Gishzida sank down in his chair and cradled his head in his hands. He grinded his teeth audibly. The herbs on his desk and the herbs inside his bag gave off a smoke and repulsive odor as they were instantaneously reduced to ashes. Damn it, damn it all! He scowled heavily as he looked to the mess he had made of his desk and brushed back his disheveled hair. A while later, he dropped his head and dejectedly muttered, ¡°¡­¡­No. This might actually have been for the best.¡± *** Renier¡¯s questions were answered within a few days. She had asked Eunik¨¨ and Carla on the sly while helping them dress up and do their hair. Renier could memorize the nugigs¡¯ pretty hairdos and help the other girls mimic them because she had sharp eyes, was remarkably dexterous, and could remember anything she¡¯d seen even if she¡¯d only seen it once. Apparently, popular hair trends existed amongst the nugigs too. The most popular hairstyle in the Golden Forest involved making small buns on both sides of the head using the hair immediately behind the ears and securing them nicely with a golden headband, braiding the rest of the hair like a long tail, and then adding beautiful decorations such as flowers, leaves, or hoops and rings. Eunik¨¨ and Carla were in a good mood because their hair had come out so prettily, so they sat Renier down and began teaching not only everything she needed to know about menstruating but also about ¡®experiences with men¡¯ that they had either personally lived through or had heard about from the people around them and how babies were made. Renier had turned deathly pale before Eunik¨¨ and Carla had finished the very first sentence of their explanation, and she wanted to hang herself and die by the time they were finished. Renier pulled at her short hair and began working herself into a frenzy. I need to die. What have I done? I need to die. I need to die for my ignorance. Eunik¨¨ and Carla were so accustomed to seeing Renier acting out that they didn¡¯t particularly react to it. It was good that Renier¡¯s questions had been answered, but now she had even more questions. Why did Lord Gishzida make it seem like we did shady stuff together? He didn¡¯t actually do anything to me while I was asleep, did he? Do I have rocks for brains? ¡ªwhy can¡¯t I remember anything? But Renier had no way to confirm anything. She was trapped inside her lodgings, and Gishzida had stopped summoning her. ¡°You won¡¯t be permitted to join the spring festival if you don¡¯t menstruate before the beginning of next month, Renier. You won¡¯t be allowed anywhere beyond the fence outside this building either. You should¡¯ve been tied up in leather rope and locked away somewhere to begin with.¡± The blood drained from Renier¡¯s face when she heard the en-nugig¡¯s, Jada¡¯s, stern warning. ¡°What will happen to me then?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be sold off outside the Forest. No slave is allowed to stay inside the Golden Forest without the galtir¡¯s permission. And Lord Gishzida won¡¯t be able to cover for you like he did last time because the galtir is already furious with him.¡± Jada crossed her arms and glowered quietly at Renier. She continued, ¡°Lord Gishzida was sentenced to be flogged a hundred times publicly with an additional two years of house arrest because of the mess you made. He¡¯ll probably participate in the festival because he has duties that he will need to carry out, but he may not be allowed to leave his house at all for the next two years otherwise.¡± Renier yelped. One hundred lashes? Even the hardiest of slaves survived that many lashes only about half the time. Jada glared at Renier wintrily and said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of kids with a few screws loose in my time, but you¡¯re the first to cause this much trouble.¡± ¡°C-can¡¯t his flogging sentence be changed to s-something else? L-Lord Gishzida said that it would be¡­¡­. N-no, I, I¡¯ll take it instead!¡± ¡°How arrogant of him. Who does he think he is to change the lord galtir¡¯s orders on his whims? And this wouldn¡¯t be the first time he¡¯s ignored the galtir¡¯s authority either.¡± Jada frigidly clicked her tongue. Renier quickly shut her mouth. Minn¨¨ and Jada were undoubtedly the galtir¡¯s people, just as Lord Gishzida had told her. Jada shook out her sleeves and sat up as she spat out, ¡°The galtir decided to enforce his orders immediately and start Gishzida¡¯s sentence today because he knew that Gishzida might try to slip out of it somehow. You should know that the entire forest has been turned on its head right now because it¡¯s unprecedented for a Celestial ¡ªand a priest as high-ranking as Gishzida at that¡ª to be flogged publicly in the Golden Forest.¡± Renier clasped her hands over her mouth and swallowed back a scream. Oh no. Oh no! Oh gods, what do I do?! ¡°Stay quiet and stay put unless you intend to have him get lashed to death today.¡± Then, Jada turned to the other slave girls and ordered, ¡°Lock Renier up in the warehouse.¡± *** ¡°You can¡¯t do this! He¡¯s a Celestial, and a high-ranking priest to boot! Nothing like this has ever happened before in the history of the Golden Forest.¡± ¡°Galtir! The proper thing to do is to flog the slave who broke off the tree branch. Lord Gishzida had nothing to do with breaking off Armanu¡¯s branch.¡± Twelve of the galtir¡¯s guardian priests had dragged Gishzida out of his house three days after Renier had been driven out from it. The galtir had announced that Gishzida was to take responsibility for the slave who had harmed Armanu and be flogged one hundred times publicly. Gishzida crossed his arms and icily spat out, ¡°What makes you think you get to decide anything in a trial that I didn¡¯t participate in? I am one of the top three highest-ranking priests of the Golden Forest, which means that you wouldn¡¯t be able to sentence a high-ranking priest without my input, no?¡± ¡°Why would you get a say in the matter of your own punishment? This is an order from the galtir. What are you all doing? ¡ªtie him up at once!¡± The Fundamentalist couldn¡¯t believe their eyes at first when they saw the galtir¡¯s guards arrest Gishzida and drag him away in broad daylight. ¡°What is the meaning of this?! Do you even know who he is? Release him at once!¡± ¡°Get out of our way! We¡¯re acting on the galtir¡¯s orders. We¡¯ll drag you away too if you resist!¡± The Fundamentalists immediately began whistling, and hundreds of their colleagues poured out and stopped the guards from taking Gishzida away. The galtir heard about this, and he mobilized every last priest he could to surround the Fundamentalists. The galtir¡¯s side had more people, but the Fundamentalists who served under Gishzida were far better at using ngak for destruction and murder. ¡°Stop this. You can¡¯t simply drag Lord Gishzida away like that.¡± ¡°Release him at once. Lord Gishzida has done nothing wrong! Stop them, everyone!¡± ¡°Get out of way! You bastards are stopping us from carrying out the galtir¡¯s orders!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t lawfully drag away a high-ranking priest without a proper trial!¡± The Fundamentalists who had lost their ability to reason when they saw how Gishzida was being dragged away barefoot began squaring off against the galtir¡¯s priests. People began grabbing each other by the collar, and bloodlust exploded. It felt like things would quickly become violent and bloody. Then, Gishzida, who was being restrained, suddenly raised his head. ¡°No one is to use any ngak!¡± The priests who had been moments away from attacking each other froze in their tracks when Gishzida shouted while glowering. Gishzida had seen through the galtir¡¯s schemes. He had figured out why the galtir had plotted to humiliate him so publicly and out in the open where the Fundamentalists would see. Things would quickly become bloody between the Fundamentalists and the Realists if an enraged Fundamentalist launched the first attack with their ngak, and then the galtir would use the incident as an excuse to arrest the entire opposing faction and either have them demoted or executed. The galtir saw this as the perfect opportunity to crush Gishzida and the Fundamentalists beneath his feet. ¡°Do not use ngak ¡ªno one is to use any ngak! Anyone who does will die by my hands!¡± Gishzida shouted so loudly that the veins began popping out in his neck. ¡°What is the meaning of this, Lord Gishzida?! Why are you simply letting them have their way?!¡± ¡°Please bring the slave here, Lord Gishzida! This is not your responsibility!¡± ¡°No Celestial should have to suffer a punishment like this. It will be a stain on the Golden Forest¡¯s history if you allow them to punish you like this, Lord Gishzida!¡± Kiriak¨¨, Sabato, and Gishzida¡¯s other closest disciples came running when they heard about what was going on and clung to his sleeves in tears. The galtir only made his appearance after Gishzida had been dragged over to the plaza in front of the temple. Gishzida was barefoot and bound from head to toe while wearing nothing but his thin nightclothes, and his hair was a disheveled mess. He was visibly boiling with rage, perhaps because he had never been treated so poorly before in his life. The galtir silently clicked his tongue. There had been more than enough time to cause some friction between the two factions during the short walk from Gishzida¡¯s house to the temple plaza. But the cunning and level-headed bastard hadn¡¯t fallen for the provocations that the galtir had so painstakingly prepared. Instead, Gishzida had successfully stopped the Fundamentalists from lashing out even as he was being dragged here. The truth was that Gishzida¡¯s subordinates would put their lives on the line and begin attacking with fatal ngak with just one word from him. It was a testament to how truly influential he was. Gishzida had developed many ngak that could be used to help the people, but the overwhelming majority of the ngak he had developed where those that could be used to kill. The offensive ngak that Gishzida had developed seemed to be at odds with the fact that he was a master of medical botany who had also developed countless new medical treatments, but this duality was what made him special, and it was also what the galtir feared about him most. In any event, it was the galtir, who had ignored precedent to drag Gishzida here, who found himself in trouble now that things had ended up like this. Even the Realists were beginning to make a fuss. Gishzida was a high-ranking priest and a faction leader. It was not right to treat him like this without first giving him a proper trial. The galtir might even suffer backlash from this. ¡°Please reconsider, Galtir.¡± ¡°This will set bad precedent, Galtir. Gishzida¡¯s recent actions may be disgraceful, but he¡¯s done no wrong in this matter, and we should not mar a Celestial¡¯s noble body by flogging him.¡± ¡°Please bring the slave here instead. There¡¯s still enough time to bring back another slave from outside the forest even if the wench dies after being flogged a hundred times.¡± The galtir continuously swallowed back his surging fury as he looked down at Gishzida, who was kneeling on the floor. Most of the Realists standing near the galtir turned their heads and whispered, ¡°There¡¯s nothing else we can do, Galtir. Dragging the slave wench here and smoothing over the situation is the right thing to do. We will probably have to ask Gishzida to pardon this matter separately.¡± ¡°Please bring the slave girl here, have her flogged, and end things there.¡± Gishzida suddenly looked up. His sapphire eyes flashed white. And then, something unbelievable flowed out from his lips while the galtir hesitated while scowling heavily. ¡°¡­¡­I was in charge of educating the slaves who will be participating in the festival this year, so I will accept my punishment.¡± The Fundamentalists bit down at their lips and looked away. They closed their eyes and covered their ears as they shuddered. Not only could they not bear to watch the leader they so respected be punished, but they could not bear to listen to the noises that were pounding upon their ears either. The galtir was a madman, but he couldn¡¯t believe Lord Gishzida¡¯s decision either. But no one could erase the words that he had already uttered with his own mouth. The galtir summoned even the probationary priests and the slaves to watch as Gishzida was flogged publicly. Gishzida was stripped naked and tied to a wooden pole as he was flogged, and he was shocked not only by the pain of the leather whip but also by the sheer humiliation he was forced to endure ¡ªhe had never had to suffer either before in his life. He had never been healthy enough to be able to withstand the agony of his back being split open without anything to help alleviate the pain, nor was his personality dull enough to simply let the humiliation wash over him. He yelped sharply, groaned, and struggled fiercely after the first few lashes. But he wasn¡¯t even able to scream properly by the time he was on his thirtieth and fortieth lashes, and all he could do was shudder like he was convulsing. He slumped against the pole by fiftieth lash and stopped moving altogether. His back was such a bloody mess that it was unbearable to even look at. ¡°Please spare Lord Gishzida, Lord Galtir! He might actually die if he¡¯s forced to take all one hundred lashes!¡± Several priests ran up to the galtir and got down on their knees. The plaza was quickly filled with grief-stricken wails and screams. ¡°It would become a stain on the legacy of Galtir Kiros¡¯ reign if Lord Gishzida was to die today, Galtir. Please show him mercy.¡± ¡°Why must you go so far when he isn¡¯t even at fault in this matter, Galtir?! Please stay your hand and let him be treated already!¡± Even the Realists were greatly disturbed. It was normal for slaves to be punished in this manner, but it shocked them to their very core to see a high-ranking priest being treated in the same way. The galtir realized that some of his own faction might turn against him if he continued any longer. And so, with a heavy look on his face, he stood up and turned around. ¡°You will receive the rest of your punishment after the spring festival has concluded. You will also be punished for other crimes in addition to the disgrace committed by the slave wench, Gishzida, so you are not to take a single step outside of your house for the time being. Either you or the slave wench will receive your remaining fifty lashes if you do.¡± It was only two days later that Gishzida regained consciousness. Volume 1 - CH 1.5 Part 1 7. The most terrible and most perfect number in the world. The number that measures the changes of the world. Seven. The number of the great gods who decree fate. One week. The number of days that the seven gods had given mankind. One day given by An of the heavens, the father of all creation. One day given by Enlil of the air, who presides over the world. One day given by Enki the Creator, the master of the rich earth and water. One day given by Nanna of the moon, who governs the night sky. One day given by Utu of the sun, who governs light and justice. One day given by Inanna the Morning Star, who governs love, war, and fertility. One day given by Ninhursag the Arbiter, the merciful mother of all. As such, seven days and seven nights was the time during which all things in the world could happen. Everything that ever happened in the world could all return to nothingness in that time. It was more than enough time for all things to come to be and for all things to collapse. Enough time for all emotions to be connected together and untied. In the beginning, was a tree. The tree had sprung up from the center of the earth that was governed by Enki, the great god of creation. It was a sacred place which neither bird nor beast nor insect dared approach. The tree began to reach up toward the center of the sky, where the sun was, as soon as it sprouted, and it eventually grew blindingly beautiful leaves that glittered like sunlight as its body took on the beautiful colors of fertile soil. Utu, the sun god, was pleased when he saw how the beautiful tree, the likes of which he had never seen before, reached up to him with its countless hands, and he took the tree by the hand and pulled it up. Enki was startled, and he held firmly to the tree¡¯s roots and sent streams of water to the roots from below so as to tempt the tree to into planting its roots more firmly into the earth. The tree coveted both the blinding sky that was filled with the sun¡¯s light and the rich land where the life water was. And so, it reached up high into the heavens with branches that grew taller than any other grass, and it laid its roots down more deeply into the earth than any other plant. Utu summoned his son, Kittu1, the Divine Archer, who was the bravest and strongest warrior in heaven. Kittu was also called the Glory of Light because he was so radiantly beautiful that he illuminated the heavens, his eyes were as sharp as an eagle¡¯s, and he was as strong as a lion. His arrows never failed to hit their mark. Utu gave him three large pairs of eagle wings, placed a crown of gold upon his head, equipped him with a golden sword and golden arrows, and granted him eternal life as he commanded his son to bring the tree up to the ¡®peak of the heavens.¡¯ Enki summoned his son, the Black Dragon, who was the biggest and strongest warrior of all the land and waters. Enki placed a whitesilver crown upon his head, equipped him with a trident that could split through the vast waters and a cold fog that could conceal all, and granted him immortal wisdom as he commanded his son to drag the tree down to the ¡®deepest waters.¡¯ Kittu spread wide his six wings as he descended, and he sat on a tree branch that was reaching up to the heavens as it swayed and tempted the tree by scattering golden light over it. The Black Dragon shroud the tree in a gigantic cloud and drew water up from deep within the earth and coiled it around the tree¡¯s roots, which were still firmly planted in soil. Kittu and the Black Dragon battled fiercely with the tree in between them. The battle dragged on because the two warriors were equals in strength, and they fought so viciously that the earth around them was reduced to a wasteland without a single blade of grass to be seen. The faithful Celestial warriors, who were offshoots of Kittu, and the aquatic warriors, who were obedient to the Black Dragon, circled the tree so that the foolish races made from mud could not approach it. Then, one day, Kittu and the Black Dragon suddenly stopped fighting. This was because they had seen a beautiful naked woman sleeping by the tree. *** Gulp. Renier stopped speaking when she suddenly heard someone gulp. The rascal, who had stayed quiet as Kittu and the Black Dragon butted heads and battled fiercely, had suddenly raised his head stiffly and gulped after hearing about a naked woman sleeping unguarded. His damned gulp had sounded like thunder. Gulp ¡ªand again, gulp. Renier heard him clear his throat briefly as she continued to stay silent. ¡°Yaaawn. ¡­¡­I¡¯m sleepy.¡± Renier suddenly felt mischievous, so she yawned and peered at Kuhn out of the corner of her eye. Bleakly, she heard him ask, ¡°¡­¡­Are you tired?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m tired.¡± ¡°Are you very tired?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°Are you truly, truly tired?¡± ¡°I just told you that I was!¡± Kuhn didn¡¯t press her to continue the story and instead turned around and lied down without another word when Renier barked back. ¡°You must be fatigued after hunting all day. Go to sleep now.¡± What the hell? Renier felt like she could no longer tell what was what as she stared at the back of the large rascal who had turned around and started snoring as soon as he had lied down. *** Then, one day, Kittu and the Black Dragon suddenly stopped fighting. This was because they had seen a beautiful naked woman sleeping by the tree. The woman¡¯s hair was a beautiful rich and dark brown in color, just like the tree, her limbs were as elegant as the tree¡¯s gently sloping branches, and her skin was as pale as a tree¡¯s pulp and was flawlessly smooth. Kittu realized instinctively that the woman was the incarnation of the tree and approached her carefully. She was so much smaller and more delicate than Kittu and the Black Dragon that he could not see her face properly without kneeling. Then, he plucked the softest down feather of his wings and gently covered the woman¡¯s body with it. Blink. Blink. The woman¡¯s eyes met Kittu¡¯s and the Black Dragon¡¯s. Kittu saw the azure skies in the woman¡¯s eyes, while the Black Dragon saw clear blue seas. Kittu felt the blinding sun from the woman¡¯s porcelain skin, and the Black Dragon found the color of the rich earth in the woman¡¯s fluttering hair. The woman looked between Kittu and the Black Dragon, who were giants compared to her, and she parted her crimson lips as she asked them, ¡°Who are you?¡± The two were mesmerized as they answered. ¡°I am Kittu of Six Wings, son of Utu and the warrior of heaven.¡± ¡°I am the Black Dragon of Wisdom, son of Enki and the warrior of water.¡± ¡°Then, my name ¡ªwhat is my name?¡± And together, Kittu and the Black Dragon simultaneously replied, ¡®Armanu.¡¯ Armanu, Armanu ¡ªArmanu repeated her name to herself a few times before she looked up and reached out with both hands. Kittu and the Black Dragon were enthralled as they reached back and took her hands. The woman¡¯s hands were so impossibly soft and warm that neither Kittu nor the Black Dragon could bear to let go of her for a very long time. ¡°Please don¡¯t fight so close to me. It¡¯s so noisy that I can¡¯t sleep,¡± the woman requested with a voice as sweet as honey. ¡°But, upon my father¡¯s name, I cannot allow the land to take the tree.¡± ¡°But, upon my father¡¯s name, I cannot allow the sky to take the tree.¡± ¡°If neither the land nor the sky may take the tree, then why not keep the tree somewhere in the middle?¡± the woman suggested with lips as lovely as budding roses that were soon to blossom. And so, Kittu of Six Wings and the Black Dragon of Wisdom brought their long-standing battle to a pause. Then, they reached a compromise and decided to make it so that the tree belonged neither to the land nor to the sky. They took the tree and the lump of earth that supported its roots and made it float in the air, where it was neither in the land nor the sky. Only the tree, Armanu, who took after the tree, Kittu, and the Black Dragon lived there. The Celestial warriors, who were offshoots of Kittu, flapped their wings like large birds and supported the lump of earth in the air, and the Black Dragon drew up the clearest waters from deep within the earth and sprinkled it over the tree. The water, which was being scattered from up high, shroud the tree like mist, and a resplendent rainbow was formed when the sunlight poured over on top of it. Kittu sealed away the area with his golden sword and flaming arrows, and the Black Dragon filled the area with his cold fog so the dirty mud creatures and beasts could not find it. Armanu¡¯s soil was beautiful and fertile. The tree grew thick with verdant leaves and bore an abundance of sweet fruits thanks to the refreshing water, the warm sun, and the brilliant light. Sweet scents and waters overflowed wherever Armanu touched. Armanu offered the sweetest fruits to Kittu and the Black Dragon every day. They ate the fruits as they savored her fragrance and sweetness, and they made it so that nothing from the heavens or the earth could disturb their sacred dwelling. ¡°Thank you, Lord Kittu of Six Wings. Thank you, Lord Black Dragon of Wisdom.¡± Armanu was very pleased with her territory, which belonged to neither the land nor the sky, so she wrapped her arms around her two guardians¡¯ necks and kissed them each to express her gratitude. And something peculiar began to grow in Kittu¡¯s and the Black Dragon¡¯s hearts. *** Kuhn was acting strange. He completely forgot to prepare for dinner and he was antsy all day long ¡ªit looked like ending the story on a cliffhanger(?) had impacted him more than Renier had realized. No wonder. He was more excited than he needed to be last night. And, sure enough, he¡¯d even forgotten to finish eating the roasted rabbit meat ¡ªone of his favorites¡ª he was holding as soon as Renier resumed the story. His mouth was left agape as his ears perked up, and he looked so funny as he sat there that Renier thought she might die of laughter. Renier suddenly grew mischievous again and nudged Kuhn in the side with her foot, and he jumped so high that his head nearly hit the cave ceiling. ¡°Ack, w-what are you doing?!¡± ¡°Do you know what that ¡®something peculiar¡¯ is?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I do.¡± ¡°What is it, then?¡± His pulled at his blameless fingers so hard that he might rip them out from their joints before he resolutely, like a warrior about to step out onto the battlefield, answered, ¡°It is love.¡± Whoaaa! Renier applauded him without reserve and even whistled for good measure. ¡°Wow! You actually know what love is? ¡­¡­Oh, wait! That¡¯s not possible. You said that men and women live separately in your household until they come of age.¡± ¡°I still know all there is to know. I¡¯ll be of age soon, and then I¡¯ll be able to get wed immediately thereafter,¡± he spat out almost angrily. Oho, so you know all there is to know? Renier narrowed her eyes and scrutinized Kuhn up and down. She knew that the rascal couldn¡¯t lie, so he probably genuinely believed that he knew all there was to know. But Renier had no way of knowing if anyone else would agree with him about that. Why was it that she was starting to grow worried for his future bride even though she didn¡¯t even know who she was? ¡°Kuhn. I, well, I really wasn¡¯t going to ask you something like this¡­¡­. But I¡¯d like you to answer me honestly.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the first woman you¡¯ve ever held hands with, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Of course not! What do you take me for? I have held my mother¡¯s and nanny¡¯s hands plenty too.¡± Yep. ¡°You said that you knew all there was to know, so why don¡¯t you tell me what you know about love?¡± He shook his head no so furiously that it almost looked like he was having a seizure, but he folded so readily when Renier threatened him by saying that she wouldn¡¯t continue the story unless he responded. He listened carefully to make sure that no one else was nearby for quite some time before he lowered his voice and answered, ¡°S-so, love is¡­¡± ¡°Well? I¡¯m listening?¡± ¡°Love is being incredibly curious about someone, thinking about them all day long, thinking about them makes you feel good, and wanting to be good to them¡­¡­.¡± Renier saw the rascal¡¯s cheeks grow scarlet because of the fire. I¡¯m a fool for thinking he¡¯s cute. ¡°Yeah, and?¡± ¡°Wanting to hide them behind your back so no one else can see them, and wanting to murder anyone who hits them¡­¡­.¡± Kuhn twisted his fingers together as he did his best to answer. Renier could see beads of sweat forming on his forehead. She scowled. She suddenly felt like she was a rabbit being hounded into a hunter¡¯s net. Kuhn continued, ¡°Wanting to hold their hand, wanting to hold them close, and wanting to kiss them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Love is wanting to lie together, and wanting to sow my seed in your womb and have children with you.¡± Renier stared back at Kuhn in mute amazement. His straightforward conclusion left her speechless. The Northlanders¡¯ manner of speech must surely just be strange, especially considering how that bashful bastard was saying stuff like this. Only, Kuhn had apparently scraped together the very last of his courage to say all this, as he completely failed to realize that he had said that he wanted to sow ¡®my¡¯ seed in ¡®your¡¯ womb. Renier only just managed to keep her wits together and feign ignorance. ¡°Aha. So that¡¯s your idea of love?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then what about wanting to hold, kiss, and lie with someone without having anything growing inside your heart? Is that love too?¡± Kuhn paused. It looked like he was doing his best to consider the double meanings of Renier¡¯s question. A long wrinkle furrowed into his brow. ¡°¡­¡­It likely isn¡¯t, but it could become love if that person has a change of heart.¡± Renier huffed. She didn¡¯t like his crafty answer because it wasn¡¯t like him. And, sure enough, he shook his head no as he spat out, ¡°No, that¡¯s wrong. That¡¯s no better than a mere beast in heat. But why do you ask?¡± ¡°Oh, well, it¡¯s because that¡¯s the only kind of people I¡¯ve known until now.¡± ¡°Where on earth were you living, and with whom?¡± There was a faint hint of fury in his voice as he mumbled. The contempt he had harbored when they had first met had fortunately washed clean away, and in its place, he was boiling with antipathy for the people who had tormented her. ¡°In that case, Kuhn, what if only one person starts growing feelings in their heart while the other doesn¡¯t?¡± Renier knew several solutions to this problem. Forcing oneself on the other person, like how so many people had tried to do to her, making the other person submit voluntarily with blackmail or authority, or buying the other person for a price, like so many people tended to do. There was many solutions, so long as you gave up on obtaining the other person¡¯s heart. ¡°I would try my hardest so that the other person¡¯s heart grows too.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t guaranteed to happen even if you try your hardest. The other person¡¯s heart might never grow, not even until the bitter end.¡± ¡°If the gods only permitted love to grow in one person¡¯s heart¡­¡± Renier didn¡¯t like the preface to his answer, but she decided to wait quietly for him to finish. Kuhn carefully chose his next words and calmly replied, ¡°Then I would put my everything on the line and pray to the god I worship. I would beg him to let the same thing grow inside the other person¡¯s heart too.¡± Renier didn¡¯t like his answer. Crack, crackle ¡ªthe fire began crackling loudly as it burned up. Small sparks sputtered out like flaming arrows in the darkness around them and drew long arcs between them. Renier woke up in the middle of the night. The fire and gone out, and all that remained of it were a few bright red embers. It was pitch black all around her, and only the immediate area surrounding the embers had a faint glow. There was a dark shadow in front of her. She was wrapped tightly in wool clothing, and her hand was wrapped inside something. Something that was large, thick, and warm. It gently caressed the back of her hand. It was moving so carefully that it almost felt like a feather. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± A low and sonorous voice was melting into the darkness. The voice was as gentle and steady as the buzzing of a bumblebee¡¯s flight. And it was as sweet as honey as it filtered into her ears. Renier could tell by the dark silhouette that he was kneeling on top of the cold stone floor. Perhaps he was praying to the god he worshipped. What was it that he wanted so badly? What was it that he wanted so badly even as gulped so painfully and desperately? You still have things in your world that you would pray for so desperately. The whisper of his prayers stopped. He slowly lowered his head. He pressed his face onto the back of Renier¡¯s hand, and his disheveled hair fell over her wrist and arm. The back of her hand tickled. And then she heard a quick and gentle smooch. *** Armanu coveted the beautiful Kittu and the wise Black Dragon just as a tree coveted the light of the sun, the nutrients of the earth, and the water of life, and Kittu of Six Wings and the Black Dragon began coveting Armanu as well. But Armanu looked up at the heavens above and looked down at the earth below and sorrowfully shook her head. ¡°O Glory of Light, beautiful warrior of six wings, I cannot hold you because you are too big. Your wings are large enough to cover the skies, but I am as small as but one of your feathers. I could not dare hold you.¡± ¡°O Wisdom of the deep and dark waters, sage with beautiful scales, I cannot hold you because you are too big. Your tail covers the oceans, but I am as small as but one of your scales. I could not dare hold you.¡± ¡°Why would one who can be as large as the skies not also become as small as a feather?¡± ¡°Why would one who can cover the ends of the oceans not also become as small as a scale?¡± Kittu of Six Wings and the Black Dragon of Wisdom crumpled and folded and crushed their bodies so that they were the same size as Armanu and stood beside her. Kittu¡¯s and the Black Dragon¡¯s entire beings were seized by greed, the likes of which they had never experienced before in their lives, as they looked Armanu in the eyes and stood with her shoulder-to-shoulder for the first time ever. Her every breath carried the fragrance of flowers, and her body smelled like it had been slathered with honey. ¡°Allow me to love you. I will bring you pleasure with my body, and I will bring joy to your heart with the glory of light.¡± ¡°Allow me to love you. I will bring you merriment with my body, and I will entertain your soul with my beautiful wisdom.¡± ¡°Allow me to hold you. Your children shall be the most beautiful warriors in all the heavens and the earth.¡± ¡°Allow me to hold you. Your children shall be the wisest sages in all the heavens and the earth.¡± ¡°O Armanu, allow me to sow my seed in your womb that you may bear fruit to my children. My body burns for you.¡± ¡°O Armanu, allow me to sow my seed in your womb that you may bear fruit to my children. My bones are melting in want of you.¡± Hesitantly, Armanu asked, ¡°If you want me, O Kittu of Six Wings, then what will you give me in return?¡± ¡°State your wish. I will give you everything I have and more.¡± ¡°If you want me, O Black Dragon of Wisdom, then what will you give me in return?¡± ¡°State your wish. I will give you everything I have and more.¡± ¡°One week ¡ªplease give me one week, and then I shall give you my reply.¡± *** Kuhn was deeply absorbed in thought. So many wrinkles had formed on his forehead and brow. ¡°Why is Armanu toying with their hearts and satiating her greed instead of answering them with sincerity?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? It¡¯s because the thing that was growing in Kittu¡¯s and the Black Dragon¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t growing in Armanu¡¯s. But you can¡¯t blame her for that since ¡ªand these are your words¡ª, it was the gods who didn¡¯t permit it to grow in her. Kittu and the Black Dragon are ¡®trying their hardest,¡¯ as you put it, so Armanu will like them back.¡± Kuhn¡¯s forehead crumpled something fierce, as though he rather disliked Renier¡¯s answer. But he could not logically refute what she had said. ¡°Then, why a week? It must be torture to have to wait for so long.¡± Renier realized that Kuhn was empathizing with Kittu and the Black Dragon. It was never the loved but the lover who had to suffer so. Who was it that told me again? The gods humble arrogant men by granting them an emotion they can¡¯t withstand. Renier thought that Kuhn was brave for empathizing with Kittu and the Black Dragon so readily. She didn¡¯t have the confidence to do the same. It was only the very foolish or the very brave who could stake their everything on an emotion that could both arise and extinguish in just one week. Slowly, Renier explained, ¡°Everything in the world can happen in the span of one week.¡± One week. She recalled something that someone had told her before. Seven days was long enough for all things to come to be and for all things to collapse. Renier tasted something bitter in her mouth. She continued, ¡°It¡¯s enough time for the living to die and for the dead to come back to life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough time to get to know a stranger, to start loving someone you hated, and to part ways with someone you loved.¡± ¡°It is not. Seventy days, seven hundred days, seven years, and even seventy years is still too short a time for that feeling,¡± Kuhn interjected her coarsely. ¡°What do you know about that feeling, Kuhn? Seventy years is too short, you say? How can you claim that so boldly?¡± ¡°In that case, what do you know?¡± ¡°I know more about it than you do. At the very least, I know that it can vanish in just a day, never mind a week,¡± Renier replied with a bitter smile. The things she had suffered had been agonizing, her memories about them were bitter, and it pained her to crush his insides with the truth. ¡°¡­¡­You are wrong.¡± Kuhn¡¯s voice trailed away at the end. He couldn¡¯t speak with certainty, however, because this was the first time in his life that he was experiencing this feeling, and he wasn¡¯t fully certain about how it would end. Almost two weeks had passed since Renier and Kuhn had met. *** Armanu sat beneath the tree that was located between the sky and the land as she pondered. Kittu of Six Wings sat above the tree, and the Black Dragon of Wisdom melted into the waters deep within the soil. Kittu waited, and the Black Dragon thought. He thought, and he thought. He thought about what he would gain and what he would lose while these feelings lasted and after it had ended. Kittu waited, and the Black Dragon thought. The Black Dragon finished thinking a week later, and he divided his body into two, one white snake and one black snake, from within the water. The snakes slithered up the tree without Kittu¡¯s notice and approached Armanu. ¡°Have you made your choice yet, O Armanu?¡± ¡°I have not. I cannot tell which of the two loves me more because I have not wisdom.¡± ¡°Do you seek the wisdom to help you know who loves you more?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Choosing one means abandoning the other. Do you seek it even still?¡± ¡°I do.¡± The two snakes slithered up the tree and slid onto her shoulders and began whispering into her ears. ¡°¡­¡­Test them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ask each of them for something you want most and for what they hold most dear, and test whether they truly love you or not. That way, you will be able to learn who loves you more.¡± And Armanu believed that the snakes¡¯ wisdom was right. ¡°O Kittu of Six Wings. I wish for your glory of light ¡ªyour heavenly beauty and your eternal life.¡± What Armanu wanted most, and what Kittu held most dear. Kittu fell into serious contemplation. ¡°I can give you the glory of light ¡ªmy heavenly beauty. But my eternal life is something sacred that I received from Utu, my father, and it is something I must keep as a Celestial. It is not mine to give.¡± ¡°I wish for your glory of light ¡ªyour heavenly beauty and your eternal life,¡± Armanu repeated by the wisdom she had obtained from the snakes. And so, after thinking long and hard about an eternal life in the heavens without Armanu and a finite life on earth with Armanu, Kittu tortuously answered, ¡°You shall have what you seek. But in exchange, choose me.¡± Then, Armanu went to the Black Dragon and said, ¡°O Wise Black Dragon. I wish for abundant soil and water, and I wish for your wisdom.¡± What Armanu did not know, however, was that although life diminished and could not remain whole once shared, wisdom could. The Wise Black Dragon smiled and answered, ¡°The soil and water are not mine to give, but you may seek wisdom from me if you so desire. I shall give it to you. If this pleases you, then choose me.¡± And so, Armanu chose Kittu of Six Wings and went to him. Kittu gave to her his glory of light ¡ªthat is, his heavenly beauty¡ª as he had promised, and vowed to give her his eternal life after they had consummated their union. Kittu of Six Wings held her in his arms, kissed her, and spent the night with her as they consummated their union. But Kittu could not bear to give her his eternal life even after they were united. Utu had sent a lion to his dreams at dawn and had given him a stern warning. ¡°I do not permit thee to cast aside that which I have given thee, my son. Never shalt thee be able to return to the heavens if thee cast aside thy glory of light ¡ªthy heavenly beauty and thy eternal life. And thy shalt suffer all the joys and pains of the lives of the mud creatures and go extinct. The warriors, thy offshoots, shalt also suffer the same fate as thee.¡± Kittu awoke from his dream and climbed up to the very top of the tree and cried in anguish until the sun had risen, but Utu did not reply. Armanu felt betrayed when she was not given the eternal life she had been promised, so she went to the Black Dragon. ¡°He did not keep his promise to me. And so, I wish to you choose you and receive what you give me instead.¡± But the Black Dragon drew out his cold fog and smiled. ¡°Choosing one means abandoning the other. And you have already made your choice.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But I will prove to you just once that I had, in fact, loved you. I will share with you the wisdom that you seek, the truth that is known to me.¡± Kittu learned that Armanu had gone to the Black Dragon and understood that it was because he had held off on keeping his promise. His heart boiled like lava because he could not take Armanu back while she was buried deep inside the Black Dragon¡¯s cold fog. He immediately went to the tree, which was Armanu¡¯s true body, and gave it what he had promised her ¡ªhis eternal life¡ª, and he shouted loudly at the mass of cold fog that he had kept his vow. The sun sank down beneath the horizon in that instant, and Utu appeared in the sky on his chariot of light. Kittu of Six Wings lost his divinity and tumbled down to the earth. The very same earth that was swarming with the creatures made from mud, and the very same earth that he had scorned and considered dirty. The innumerable Celestial warriors, his offshoots, also lost their wings and plummeted down to the earth. The small lump of earth that the Celestial warriors had been holding up plummeted down to the earth as well. Armanu¡¯s soil, which had once been surrounded by rainbows, fragrant flowers, and sweet fruits was dyed dark with the blood of Kittu and his warriors after they had fallen, and the tree¡¯s branches were painted red with blood and white with broken feathers. The grand and beautiful tree lost many branches and roots, and it labored to replant itself into the land below. Armanu went to neither Kittu nor the Black Dragon and hid herself from them. The only trace that was left of her were the footprints of a large bird that were etched deeply into the mud. Volume 1 - CH 12.1 Renier instantly became the target of the other girls¡¯ envy and jealousy. They seemed to believe that something untoward had happened between Renier and the noble en-ishib, and even Minn¨¨ and Jada seemed to have assumed the same thing. This was because Gishzida himself never confirmed nor denied anything about that incident. ¡°I think Lord Gishzida carried me on his back in an attempt to console me because I was crying so much.¡± Renier had tried to explain to Minn¨¨ and Jada what had happened, but they were all too familiar with Gishzida¡¯s cold and heartless personalities and simply huffed at the absurdity of it all. And so, the mood inside the lodgings became warlike when Gishzida summoned Renier again a week later. Minn¨¨ and Jada quarreled fiercely over Renier ¡ªone argued that they had to send her to Gishzida again because he was their supervisor, whereas the other argued that they should not send her over to such an irresponsible supervisor. Renier was frozen stiff as she was dragged back to the house of water. She was nervous that Gishzida might say something about what had transpired the other day, but all he did was to teacher her about how ngak tablets were made, some of the divine script that was etched onto them, and how ordinary civilians of the Southlands could use the ngak tablets to manifest incantations. He also very casually provided her with a bowl of her favorite snacks and a cup of goat milk with honey. ¡°You worry about the darndest things. Would you like to try some of this? I had them bring me freshly milked goat milk, and I cast a honey ngak over it so it¡¯d taste better.¡± Wow. Lord Gishzida knows how to crack a joke? Renier slowly grew less nervous thanks to Lord Gishzida¡¯s attitude, and she gradually started smiling again. Perhaps the tension had left her too quickly, however, because she then started growing terribly sleepy. Renier did her best to keep her eyes and ears open to Lord Gishzida¡¯s teachings, but she couldn¡¯t keep herself from nodding off from time to time. She heard Lord Gishzida chuckle quietly and say, ¡°You seem tired, Renier. Were you unable to sleep well last night?¡± His voice was growing quieter and fainter. Renier shook her head no as she rubbed her eyes. Her eyelids suddenly drooped downward, and her hands and feet felt so heavy. Gishzida continued, ¡°Sleep if you¡¯re tired ¡ªI won¡¯t wake you. You may get as much rest as you need.¡± Renier¡¯s body suddenly began floating in midair. This marked the second time that Lord Gishzida had moved her around in this manner, but her ability to stay conscious had melted away before the tidal wave of her sleepiness, and she didn¡¯t even have it in her to wonder what to do with her body. It was so strange. Had Lord Gishzida¡¯s body always been this warm and soft? ¡­¡­But why am I acting like this again? Even her brief doubts vanished quietly into nothingness. *** ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re already aware, Lord Gishzida, but Renier is a temple of the slave who will be participating in the spring festival with the other nine children.¡± ¡°I am aware, Minn¨¨.¡± ¡­¡­Huh? When did I fall asleep? Renier blinked. She couldn¡¯t believe that she had so fearlessly napped in Lord Gishzida¡¯s home until evening. I¡¯m pretty sure that Lord Gishzida was teaching me how to manifest ngak from ngak tablets just earlier, and then I had some of the hot honeyed goat milk that he gave me, and then I felt a little sleepy and started dozing off¡­¡­. ¡°I¡¯m dreaming. I was probably napping in the forest and just woke up. Yup, that sounds about right. This is a dream.¡± But no matter how strongly Renier insisted to herself, she couldn¡¯t deny the fact that she was inside Lord Gishzida¡¯s house with translucent walls made from water, lying on Lord Gishzida¡¯s bed, and covered by the luxurious linen blanket that was surely used by Lord Gishzida himself. She slowly grew frightened. I¡¯ve lost it. I¡¯ve surely gone crazy. What on earth am I doing right now? Then, she suddenly heard Minn¨¨ raising her voice in the next room over. ¡°Then why did you do this, if you were fully aware? Don¡¯t you know how angry the lord galtir will be? Was the fact that you¡¯ll be flogged because of that child not enough of a punishment for you? Why would you take a child who will be participating in the spring festival unless you were intentionally trying to provoke the lord galtir¡­¡­?¡± Renier snapped back to her full senses. Flogging? What is she talking about? Lord Gishzida never said anything about getting flogged, though? She didn¡¯t hear Lord Gishzida responding. Renier grew nervous and leaned her ear in their direction, and then she heard Minn¨¨ quietly saying, ¡°¡­¡­The girls who will be participating in the festival don¡¯t need to be virgins, of course, but at the very least they should not be carrying the seed of another man during the festival. We will be cursed, not blessed, if we send a pregnant girl to participate in the ritual that is supposed to celebrate the union of Armanu and Kittu and the fruit of their love. I will be checking to see whether Renier has her period next month, and if she doesn¡¯t, she will need to be chased away so another girl can be found to take her place.¡± Pregnant? What¡¯s that supposed to mean? I¡¯ve never even kissed a man, never mind let one put a baby in my belly? And my period? What¡¯s that? Renier understood that something vulgar needed to occur between a man and a woman for a baby to be made. She knew this because all female slaves were to some extent taught this by the overwhelming lewdness around them in their lodgings. However, she had only picked up bits and pieces of information about the subject from here and there, and there were holes in her understanding. Renier vigorously turned the gears in the head as she pondered. She¡¯d be okay since she didn¡¯t have a baby or anything of the sort, but she¡¯d be in big trouble if she was chased out of the Golden Forest and sold somewhere else because she didn¡¯t have this thing called a period. This would mean that she would never be able to see Lord Gishzida ever again. It was almost like she wasn¡¯t the same child who had asked to be sent to work in the fields because she didn¡¯t want to lie with men in the temple. But what¡¯s a period? I don¡¯t have anything weird-sounding like that. Where do I get one of those? It¡¯s going to be okay. I don¡¯t have a baby inside my belly, so I just need to start by figuring out what a period is, and then I can work on getting one. Right. And if I really can¡¯t figure it out, then I can always try asking Lord Gishzida for help. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be able to help me get one if I beg him. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not as rare and expensive as a divine stone. She felt a little better once she had finished thinking. Renier took a deep breath as she checked the state of her body again. Her lower abdomen felt a little sore and a bit heavier than usual, but, fortunately, nothing was too different from what she was expecting. Lady Minn¨¨ was misunderstanding something. Renier was extremely sensitive to the dirty gazes of men, and she had never once felt any sort of perverseness from Lord Gishzida. Of course, that wasn¡¯t to say that Renier hadn¡¯t been embarrassed by the way he sometimes dressed or the way he carried himself or ever found him suspicious. But Renier had simply written it off as Lord Gishzida having a nasty personality. And to be honest, being a little suspicious suited Lord Gishzida surprisingly well. At the end of the day, however, Renier had never once felt the vulgar emotions that she was so wary of coming from him with her keen senses. In Renier¡¯s mind, Gishzida was the furthest person possible from animalistic desire and was the noblest and most beautiful person she knew ¡ªhe was everything a Celestial should be. She knew that this was only because of the pride he carried in being a Celestial and the scorn and contempt he harbored for human beings, but the fact remained that this brought her great peace of mind. I need to hurry over and tell Lady Minn¨¨ that nothing happened to clear up her misunderstanding. Renier clenched her hands into fists and nodded to herself, but then she heard Gishzida quietly reply, ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll endeavor to be more careful in the future.¡± Renier froze in her tracks. Wait, Lord Gishzida? What are you talking about? What are you going to be more careful about? Minn¨¨ continued nagging him, ¡°I have no idea why someone who should know better like you did something like this. Are there not enough beautiful nugigs in the Golden Forest for you? Why a slave of the temple who¡¯ll be participating in the festival?! Why would you even consider touching a strange-looking slave wench in poor condition like her?¡± Lord Gishzida? Why did you say something weird like that instead telling her that she was clearly mistaken? Hurry up and tell her! I just dozed off ¡ªthat¡¯s why I took a nap¡ª, nothing happened between you and me, and nothing happened last time either! Please hurry up and tell her! Contrary to Renier¡¯s hopes, however, Gishzida instead replied, ¡°In any case, I was at fault here, so I will take responsibility for this. I will send Renier away before the festival and bring back another child to take her place if she doesn¡¯t have her period.¡± Renier froze up. ¡®W-what? Did I actually do something with Lord Gishzida, then? But I don¡¯t remember anything?¡¯ The inside of Renier¡¯s head became a right mess. *** ¡°Um, Lore Gishzida? There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask you.¡± ¡°Sure. Did you sleep well? Did you grow curious about something as soon as you woke up?¡± Renier, who had checked two or three times to make sure that Minn¨¨ had gone back, wasn¡¯t able to ask her real question and ended up dithering for a long time instead. ¡°A-are you going to get flogged¡­¡­because of me?¡± Gishzida scowled heavily. ¡°Did Minn¨¨ tell you that? Actually, did you overhear us talking earlier?¡± ¡°W-when will you be¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been set in stone yet, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The traitorous high priest is slowly going blind. If he¡¯s gotten drunk on worldly money and power, then he should at least be exorcising demons, curing illnesses, or getting high on incense and spitting out prophecies like they do at other temples ¡ªbut it seems like beating up us Fundamentalists, who are only trying to fulfil our sacred mission, is the only thing he wants to do.¡± The mere idea of Lord Gishzida being punished because of her was awful to Renier. Her voice quivered as she asked, ¡°If you¡¯re only being flogged because of me, then can¡¯t I take it in your place? It, it won¡¯t hurt me at all because I¡¯ve been whipped so much ever since I was young. And I heal quick too. So I, I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°I told you not to worry. I¡¯ve been marked by the galtir, who¡¯s a very doubtful person, so he¡¯ll find some kind of flaw to criticize me about sooner or later, but in no cases do Celestials actually get flogged. I¡¯ll just rest and relax at home if he puts me under house-arrest, and I suppose you can help me if he orders me to make more clay tablets.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The galtir¡¯s impatiently trying to get me removed from my post as a priest because he hates the fact that my forces are getting stronger, but he needs to hold a trial in order to punish or depose a high-ranking priest, and he¡¯s not going to do that because I¡¯d be required to participate in a Celestials¡¯ trial.¡± ¡°I see. But please let me help you. I¡¯ll do anything you ask.¡± Gishzida crossed his arms and peered into Renier¡¯s face for a long time before he tilted his head to the side. ¡°Anyway, Renier. You look like you have something else you want to ask me?¡± Renier raised her head ever so slightly and gingerly studied Gishzida¡¯s mien. Her lower abdomen still hurt a bit and felt a little heavy, but nothing else felt out of place otherwise. She had no way of knowing if he had done something to her while she was asleep. But Renier couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask him about it, however, and she dithered for a very long time. Did you take off my clothes and do something weird to me while I was asleep, Lord Gishzida? ¡­¡­She was way too embarrassed to actually ask him that. Maybe I misheard. Maybe he and Lady Minn¨¨ were talking about something else. Renier pondered for a moment before she decided to ask him about something else instead. ¡°Um, what¡¯s a period, Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s a per¡­¡­what?¡± Gishzida made a face. He stared openly at Renier and tilted his head quizzically for a moment before he turned away and cleared his throat. Did he not hear me correctly? Renier slowly and articulately repeated, ¡°What is a period, Lord Gishzida?¡± Gishzida stopped clearing his throat, uncrossed his arms, and began touching his chin. About half of his sapphire pupils disappeared as he narrowed his eyes. He began tapping his fingers irritably against the wooden table. Renier folded her hands together and waited patiently for him to answer. ¡°Why are you asking me that? ¡ªI was told that you¡¯d already had your menarche.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a menarche?¡± ¡°Did you not have your menarche yet? I¡¯m fairly certain that your master told me that you¡¯d had your menarche and that you¡¯d come of age soon¡­¡­.¡± Lord Gishzida kept talking about something unrelated instead of answer Renier¡¯s questions. Renier did her best to set the conversation back on track. ¡°Are a menarche and a period the same thing? Do I need to have a period before I can come of age? Everyone else was around fourteen or fifteen when Master¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No, no ¡ªfor starters, your menarche refers to your first menstruation. Actually, why do I need to be the one explaining this to you again?¡± ¡°Er, what¡¯s a menstruation? I don¡¯t get any of this¡­¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Gishzida furrowed his brows and began shaking his head instead of answering. Ha, hahaha. Then, he abruptly burst out into laughter a moment later as if he¡¯d suddenly realized something. ¡°Your master lied to me. You were causing him too many problems, so he lied to me to get rid of you. And you lied to me too.¡± ¡°N-no I didn¡¯t, Lord Gishzida. I¡¯ve never lied to you. Not even once!¡± ¡°You lied to me by omission when you stayed silent instead of answering my question.¡± Huh? Renier recalled what had happened when her master had sold her to Gishzida. Gishzida had asked her to confirm that her name was Renier, that she was fourteen years old, and that she had recently begun menstruating, and Renier had nodded yes because she had assumed that it was surely true if her master had said so. Renier looked up and did her best to explain herself. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything because I didn¡¯t know. I can¡¯t confirm or deny anything if I don¡¯t know what it means!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But Lord Gishzida ¡ªand I¡¯m really sorry to ask¡ª, but what¡¯s a menarche, what¡¯s a menstruation, what¡¯s a period, how do these things have anything to do with coming of age, and why did my master lie to you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Gishzida let out a long sign and smiled wryly. Then, he continued, ¡°Ask Minn¨¨ to teach you about all that when you go back ¡ªwait, no. Make sure you absolutely don¡¯t ask Minn¨¨ or Jada, and ask Eunik¨¨ or Carla on the sly instead. And make sure they won¡¯t tell anyone that you asked them about this.¡± Renier closed her mouth. Lord Gishzida was a very respectable man, so the new words that she had learned today were probably not all that respectable to talk about. Gishzida pondered for a very long time before he clicked his tongue and stood up from his seat. ¡°I feel ridiculous for agonizing so long over how to make it stop,¡± Gishzida muttered irritably before, like a bolt from the blue, he suddenly declared, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that you haven¡¯t even started yet. Children who are too young to conceive can¡¯t participate in the spring festival.¡± ¡°What? Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°Enough. This is enough for today, so go back to your lodgings now. I¡¯ll let you know after some decisions have been made.¡± His kind and friendly attitude had suddenly done a complete one-eighty. He felt as cold as ice now that the smile had been wiped off his face. Renier was bewildered and quickly got down on her knees. ¡°Lord Gishzida? D-did I do something wrong? Lord Gishzida?! Why are you chasing me out?¡± ¡°I need to think about something. Go back.¡± ¡°I was wrong. I was wrong, and I¡¯ll never do it again.¡± ¡°And what exactly did you do that was wrong? And what are you suggesting that you¡¯ll never do again?¡± ¡°O-oh!¡± Renier forgot how to speak for a moment because she was so flustered, and Gishzida roughly turned back to her and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before? Don¡¯t beg if you don¡¯t even know what you did wrong. You probably got down to your knees and begged your previous master for forgiveness whenever anything happened too, right? Are you reverting back to your old habits in front of me?¡± ¡°I was wrong for not telling you that I didn¡¯t know what you were talking about back then. I was wrong to ask you strange questions, and I was wrong to fall asleep in your house too. Please don¡¯t sell me off.¡± ¡°I told you to leave. I¡¯ll call for you again later. Baras, Ki.¡± Renier¡¯s body floated into the air. Ahh, ahhh! Lord Gishzida! Lord Gishzida! Renier flailed her arms and tried her best to regain her balance, but she quickly plummeted down the tree. Fortunately, she stopped falling just before she hit the ground, so she didn¡¯t get hurt. Her eyes were filled with tears as she looked up at the tree. Gishzida was yelling furiously. Renier could vaguely make out the sporadic bursts of flame that were exploding inside his translucent house of water. ¡°I fed her a drug that¡¯ll make the blood vessels in her uterus dry up for no reason. Ganzer! I never needed to use something so toxic in the first place! Damn it all! Ich! Geshbar! Pow, pow, shaaa. Flames of all sizes ignited. Gishzida sank down in his chair and cradled his head in his hands. He grinded his teeth audibly. The herbs on his desk and the herbs inside his bag gave off a smoke and repulsive odor as they were instantaneously reduced to ashes. Damn it, damn it all! He scowled heavily as he looked to the mess he had made of his desk and brushed back his disheveled hair. A while later, he dropped his head and dejectedly muttered, ¡°¡­¡­No. This might actually have been for the best.¡± *** Renier¡¯s questions were answered within a few days. She had asked Eunik¨¨ and Carla on the sly while helping them dress up and do their hair. Renier could memorize the nugigs¡¯ pretty hairdos and help the other girls mimic them because she had sharp eyes, was remarkably dexterous, and could remember anything she¡¯d seen even if she¡¯d only seen it once. Apparently, popular hair trends existed amongst the nugigs too. The most popular hairstyle in the Golden Forest involved making small buns on both sides of the head using the hair immediately behind the ears and securing them nicely with a golden headband, braiding the rest of the hair like a long tail, and then adding beautiful decorations such as flowers, leaves, or hoops and rings. Eunik¨¨ and Carla were in a good mood because their hair had come out so prettily, so they sat Renier down and began teaching not only everything she needed to know about menstruating but also about ¡®experiences with men¡¯ that they had either personally lived through or had heard about from the people around them and how babies were made. Renier had turned deathly pale before Eunik¨¨ and Carla had finished the very first sentence of their explanation, and she wanted to hang herself and die by the time they were finished. Renier pulled at her short hair and began working herself into a frenzy. I need to die. What have I done? I need to die. I need to die for my ignorance. Eunik¨¨ and Carla were so accustomed to seeing Renier acting out that they didn¡¯t particularly react to it. It was good that Renier¡¯s questions had been answered, but now she had even more questions. Why did Lord Gishzida make it seem like we did shady stuff together? He didn¡¯t actually do anything to me while I was asleep, did he? Do I have rocks for brains? ¡ªwhy can¡¯t I remember anything? But Renier had no way to confirm anything. She was trapped inside her lodgings, and Gishzida had stopped summoning her. ¡°You won¡¯t be permitted to join the spring festival if you don¡¯t menstruate before the beginning of next month, Renier. You won¡¯t be allowed anywhere beyond the fence outside this building either. You should¡¯ve been tied up in leather rope and locked away somewhere to begin with.¡± The blood drained from Renier¡¯s face when she heard the en-nugig¡¯s, Jada¡¯s, stern warning. ¡°What will happen to me then?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be sold off outside the Forest. No slave is allowed to stay inside the Golden Forest without the galtir¡¯s permission. And Lord Gishzida won¡¯t be able to cover for you like he did last time because the galtir is already furious with him.¡± Jada crossed her arms and glowered quietly at Renier. She continued, ¡°Lord Gishzida was sentenced to be flogged a hundred times publicly with an additional two years of house arrest because of the mess you made. He¡¯ll probably participate in the festival because he has duties that he will need to carry out, but he may not be allowed to leave his house at all for the next two years otherwise.¡± Renier yelped. One hundred lashes? Even the hardiest of slaves survived that many lashes only about half the time. Jada glared at Renier wintrily and said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of kids with a few screws loose in my time, but you¡¯re the first to cause this much trouble.¡± ¡°C-can¡¯t his flogging sentence be changed to s-something else? L-Lord Gishzida said that it would be¡­¡­. N-no, I, I¡¯ll take it instead!¡± ¡°How arrogant of him. Who does he think he is to change the lord galtir¡¯s orders on his whims? And this wouldn¡¯t be the first time he¡¯s ignored the galtir¡¯s authority either.¡± Jada frigidly clicked her tongue. Renier quickly shut her mouth. Minn¨¨ and Jada were undoubtedly the galtir¡¯s people, just as Lord Gishzida had told her. Jada shook out her sleeves and sat up as she spat out, ¡°The galtir decided to enforce his orders immediately and start Gishzida¡¯s sentence today because he knew that Gishzida might try to slip out of it somehow. You should know that the entire forest has been turned on its head right now because it¡¯s unprecedented for a Celestial ¡ªand a priest as high-ranking as Gishzida at that¡ª to be flogged publicly in the Golden Forest.¡± Renier clasped her hands over her mouth and swallowed back a scream. Oh no. Oh no! Oh gods, what do I do?! ¡°Stay quiet and stay put unless you intend to have him get lashed to death today.¡± Then, Jada turned to the other slave girls and ordered, ¡°Lock Renier up in the warehouse.¡± *** ¡°You can¡¯t do this! He¡¯s a Celestial, and a high-ranking priest to boot! Nothing like this has ever happened before in the history of the Golden Forest.¡± ¡°Galtir! The proper thing to do is to flog the slave who broke off the tree branch. Lord Gishzida had nothing to do with breaking off Armanu¡¯s branch.¡± Twelve of the galtir¡¯s guardian priests had dragged Gishzida out of his house three days after Renier had been driven out from it. The galtir had announced that Gishzida was to take responsibility for the slave who had harmed Armanu and be flogged one hundred times publicly. Gishzida crossed his arms and icily spat out, ¡°What makes you think you get to decide anything in a trial that I didn¡¯t participate in? I am one of the top three highest-ranking priests of the Golden Forest, which means that you wouldn¡¯t be able to sentence a high-ranking priest without my input, no?¡± ¡°Why would you get a say in the matter of your own punishment? This is an order from the galtir. What are you all doing? ¡ªtie him up at once!¡± The Fundamentalist couldn¡¯t believe their eyes at first when they saw the galtir¡¯s guards arrest Gishzida and drag him away in broad daylight. ¡°What is the meaning of this?! Do you even know who he is? Release him at once!¡± ¡°Get out of our way! We¡¯re acting on the galtir¡¯s orders. We¡¯ll drag you away too if you resist!¡± The Fundamentalists immediately began whistling, and hundreds of their colleagues poured out and stopped the guards from taking Gishzida away. The galtir heard about this, and he mobilized every last priest he could to surround the Fundamentalists. The galtir¡¯s side had more people, but the Fundamentalists who served under Gishzida were far better at using ngak for destruction and murder. ¡°Stop this. You can¡¯t simply drag Lord Gishzida away like that.¡± ¡°Release him at once. Lord Gishzida has done nothing wrong! Stop them, everyone!¡± ¡°Get out of way! You bastards are stopping us from carrying out the galtir¡¯s orders!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t lawfully drag away a high-ranking priest without a proper trial!¡± The Fundamentalists who had lost their ability to reason when they saw how Gishzida was being dragged away barefoot began squaring off against the galtir¡¯s priests. People began grabbing each other by the collar, and bloodlust exploded. It felt like things would quickly become violent and bloody. Then, Gishzida, who was being restrained, suddenly raised his head. ¡°No one is to use any ngak!¡± The priests who had been moments away from attacking each other froze in their tracks when Gishzida shouted while glowering. Gishzida had seen through the galtir¡¯s schemes. He had figured out why the galtir had plotted to humiliate him so publicly and out in the open where the Fundamentalists would see. Things would quickly become bloody between the Fundamentalists and the Realists if an enraged Fundamentalist launched the first attack with their ngak, and then the galtir would use the incident as an excuse to arrest the entire opposing faction and either have them demoted or executed. The galtir saw this as the perfect opportunity to crush Gishzida and the Fundamentalists beneath his feet. ¡°Do not use ngak ¡ªno one is to use any ngak! Anyone who does will die by my hands!¡± Gishzida shouted so loudly that the veins began popping out in his neck. ¡°What is the meaning of this, Lord Gishzida?! Why are you simply letting them have their way?!¡± ¡°Please bring the slave here, Lord Gishzida! This is not your responsibility!¡± ¡°No Celestial should have to suffer a punishment like this. It will be a stain on the Golden Forest¡¯s history if you allow them to punish you like this, Lord Gishzida!¡± Kiriak¨¨, Sabato, and Gishzida¡¯s other closest disciples came running when they heard about what was going on and clung to his sleeves in tears. The galtir only made his appearance after Gishzida had been dragged over to the plaza in front of the temple. Gishzida was barefoot and bound from head to toe while wearing nothing but his thin nightclothes, and his hair was a disheveled mess. He was visibly boiling with rage, perhaps because he had never been treated so poorly before in his life. The galtir silently clicked his tongue. There had been more than enough time to cause some friction between the two factions during the short walk from Gishzida¡¯s house to the temple plaza. But the cunning and level-headed bastard hadn¡¯t fallen for the provocations that the galtir had so painstakingly prepared. Instead, Gishzida had successfully stopped the Fundamentalists from lashing out even as he was being dragged here. The truth was that Gishzida¡¯s subordinates would put their lives on the line and begin attacking with fatal ngak with just one word from him. It was a testament to how truly influential he was. Gishzida had developed many ngak that could be used to help the people, but the overwhelming majority of the ngak he had developed where those that could be used to kill. The offensive ngak that Gishzida had developed seemed to be at odds with the fact that he was a master of medical botany who had also developed countless new medical treatments, but this duality was what made him special, and it was also what the galtir feared about him most. In any event, it was the galtir, who had ignored precedent to drag Gishzida here, who found himself in trouble now that things had ended up like this. Even the Realists were beginning to make a fuss. Gishzida was a high-ranking priest and a faction leader. It was not right to treat him like this without first giving him a proper trial. The galtir might even suffer backlash from this. ¡°Please reconsider, Galtir.¡± ¡°This will set bad precedent, Galtir. Gishzida¡¯s recent actions may be disgraceful, but he¡¯s done no wrong in this matter, and we should not mar a Celestial¡¯s noble body by flogging him.¡± ¡°Please bring the slave here instead. There¡¯s still enough time to bring back another slave from outside the forest even if the wench dies after being flogged a hundred times.¡± The galtir continuously swallowed back his surging fury as he looked down at Gishzida, who was kneeling on the floor. Most of the Realists standing near the galtir turned their heads and whispered, ¡°There¡¯s nothing else we can do, Galtir. Dragging the slave wench here and smoothing over the situation is the right thing to do. We will probably have to ask Gishzida to pardon this matter separately.¡± ¡°Please bring the slave girl here, have her flogged, and end things there.¡± Gishzida suddenly looked up. His sapphire eyes flashed white. And then, something unbelievable flowed out from his lips while the galtir hesitated while scowling heavily. ¡°¡­¡­I was in charge of educating the slaves who will be participating in the festival this year, so I will accept my punishment.¡± The Fundamentalists bit down at their lips and looked away. They closed their eyes and covered their ears as they shuddered. Not only could they not bear to watch the leader they so respected be punished, but they could not bear to listen to the noises that were pounding upon their ears either. The galtir was a madman, but he couldn¡¯t believe Lord Gishzida¡¯s decision either. But no one could erase the words that he had already uttered with his own mouth. The galtir summoned even the probationary priests and the slaves to watch as Gishzida was flogged publicly. Gishzida was stripped naked and tied to a wooden pole as he was flogged, and he was shocked not only by the pain of the leather whip but also by the sheer humiliation he was forced to endure ¡ªhe had never had to suffer either before in his life. He had never been healthy enough to be able to withstand the agony of his back being split open without anything to help alleviate the pain, nor was his personality dull enough to simply let the humiliation wash over him. He yelped sharply, groaned, and struggled fiercely after the first few lashes. But he wasn¡¯t even able to scream properly by the time he was on his thirtieth and fortieth lashes, and all he could do was shudder like he was convulsing. He slumped against the pole by fiftieth lash and stopped moving altogether. His back was such a bloody mess that it was unbearable to even look at. ¡°Please spare Lord Gishzida, Lord Galtir! He might actually die if he¡¯s forced to take all one hundred lashes!¡± Several priests ran up to the galtir and got down on their knees. The plaza was quickly filled with grief-stricken wails and screams. ¡°It would become a stain on the legacy of Galtir Kiros¡¯ reign if Lord Gishzida was to die today, Galtir. Please show him mercy.¡± ¡°Why must you go so far when he isn¡¯t even at fault in this matter, Galtir?! Please stay your hand and let him be treated already!¡± Even the Realists were greatly disturbed. It was normal for slaves to be punished in this manner, but it shocked them to their very core to see a high-ranking priest being treated in the same way. The galtir realized that some of his own faction might turn against him if he continued any longer. And so, with a heavy look on his face, he stood up and turned around. ¡°You will receive the rest of your punishment after the spring festival has concluded. You will also be punished for other crimes in addition to the disgrace committed by the slave wench, Gishzida, so you are not to take a single step outside of your house for the time being. Either you or the slave wench will receive your remaining fifty lashes if you do.¡± It was only two days later that Gishzida regained consciousness. Volume 1 - CH 12.2 ¡°Ugh, ngh, argh!¡± Sabato, Kiriak¨¨, and Paraskier, who were the best among Gishzida¡¯s disciples at handling medicinal herbs, took turns to tend to their teacher all night long. Their teacher¡¯s wounds were slow to heal because they were so severe, and his mind was on the brink of collapse from the sheer agony of it all. ¡°Argh. Ngh¡­¡­.¡± Crash, pow, pow! Crunch. The sounds of something shattering or otherwise breaking always followed his pained groaning. Two or three people would also run into the room whenever it happened, clean up after whatever had been broken, extinguished any fires using ngak, and helped stabilize their teacher. Gishzida writhed and convulsed every time he recalled what had happened not because of the pain from his back but because of great humiliation he had suffered. He recklessly cast offensive ngak everywhere whenever it happened, and his floundering caused his wounds to reopen. His disciples and the rest of the Fundamentalists were in great shock. Their leader was their pride and glory. Gishzida was unprecedentedly talented at developing new ngak, his knowledge was vast, he was composed and never swept away by emotion, he was merciless to the point that he would willingly cut off his own hands and feet without hesitation if he had to, and he carried himself with a remarkable amount of pride. They could not accept the fact that Gishzida had been humiliated like a mere mudperson slave because of a mere mudperson slave. They wanted to murder the slave wench at once if they could have things their way, but unfortunately, she was to participate in the upcoming spring festival. Moreover, Minn¨¨ and Jada, who oversaw the slaves, were not only Realists but also counted among the galtir¡¯s closest allies. Not only would things only get worse if they acted on their anger, but more importantly, the consequences that resulted would also fall upon none other than Gishzida himself. ¡°Baras.¡± Someone uttered a short support en from below. It was Jada, the fastidious woman who was a close ally of the galtir¡¯s and also one of the en-nugigs in charge of overseeing the slaves who would be participating in the festival. ¡°En-Nugig Jada requests a private audience.¡± Gishzida¡¯s eyes glistened when he heard his new disciple Paraskier had said. A pair of sapphire eyes immediately began boiling. Paraskier continued, ¡°Shall I tell her to leave? It is rather late.¡± ¡°No. Have her wait outside the door. She came all the way here without prior notice just to see me in my humble state, so she can humble herself and wait by the door in return,¡± Gishzida spat out frigidly before he sat up with much difficulty. Then, he continued, ¡°Sabato, Kiriak¨¨. Change the bandages on my back and help me change into a habit. Bring me everything ¡ªincluding by hair accessories, waistband, necklace, and shoes. Prepare my face lotion and fragrant oils too.¡± Sabato immediately tried to stay him. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to push yourself to meet with her right now, Lord Gishzida. You aren¡¯t in good condition.¡± ¡°No. If Jada¡¯s here this late at night, then it means that she has important news.¡± Sabato, who had been preparing Gishzida¡¯s clothes, gradually slowed down. Jada was in charge of overseeing the slaves, and she had come with ¡®important news.¡¯ It didn¡¯t take Sabato very long to guess exactly who that news was about. And everything was pointing her to one undesirable conclusion. ¡°The galtir said that you should be grateful that he was considerate enough to split your punishment in two in consideration for your life, since originally, you were supposed to be flogged one hundred times publicly all at once for the crime of breaking one of Armanu¡¯s branches. You will receive the remaining fifty lashes after the spring festival is over.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I see. If he wants me to be grateful, then you may tell him that I am, Jada.¡± Jada watched quietly as the man standing before her warped his lips into a twisted smile despite still looking deathly pale. He had passed out after being flogged and had only recently come to, and it looked like he had yet to reclaim the leisure to perfectly hide his emotions. ¡°As a separate matter, the lord galtir was furious when he heard about the disgraceful rumors about you and the slave wench. You are to be punished with house arrest for your misgivings. He¡¯s declared that both you and your assistants will be stripped of your respective ranks if you ever leave your house during your confinement.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I suppose I should be grateful for that too. And?¡± ¡°Your house arrest will be temporarily lifted for the spring festival. You are also ordered to prepare poignant aromatic herbs and incenses to mask the stench during all ten days of the festival, as well as prepare a fortnight¡¯s worth of medicinal tea for the nugigs who come into contact with mudpeople, like you¡¯ve done before,¡± En-Nugig Jada said dispassionately as she repeated her leader¡¯s orders. Gishzida reclined against his lounge chair as he coldly spat out, ¡°One hundred lashings, two years of house arrest, aromatic herbs, incense, and a fortnight¡¯s worth of medicinal tea for the nugigs. It seems I won¡¯t even have the time to be bedridden. Is there anything more?¡± ¡°He said that you will also need to make two hundred ngak tablets with fire-based incantations every month.¡± ¡°Wow, he really got me good this time. The good galtir must be so anxious just to kill one measly priest.¡± Gishzida lowered his head and cackled as he continued, ¡°Please do tell him that I¡¯m ever so grateful. It¡¯s rather late, so I¡¯ll have to ask you to return if that was everything you had to say, En-Nugig.¡± Jada looked at the white cloth wrapped around Gishzida¡¯s back and the bloodstains that had managed to smear even his outer garments and quickly clicked her tongue. He was dressed up nicely and sitting upright out of sheer pride, but he was actually in no state to be sitting up at all. Jada thought that fifty lashes had been overboard, which was nothing to say of a hundred. The slave wench had accidentally broken a branch because she hadn¡¯t known any better, and Gishzida had only offered to take responsibility for her because he had in charge of educating and managing the slaves who would be participating in the festival. She hadn¡¯t imagined even in her wildest dreams that the galtir would really flog a high-ranking Celestial priest in a mere slave¡¯s stead, and absolutely no one could have anticipated that Gishzida would actually accept the punishment. The two years of house arrest was also excessive. Priests of the Golden Forest did not marry or establish households, so there were no official restrictions on whom they could choose to have relations with. It wasn¡¯t unheard of for priests to lay their hands on the girls who would be participating in the ritual. The priests¡¯ licentious behavior was generally overlooked because there was no requirement that the girls who participated in the Golden Forest¡¯s ritual had to be virgins. The status quo was to simply turn a blind eye unless it because something bigger since the slaves had been bought for the explicit purpose of having sex with the priests anyway. This was why Jada could not erase the idea that the galtir had simply been picking fault with Gishzida no matter how much she disliked the man. That being said, however, there was still something that she just couldn¡¯t understand. The Fundamentalists generally looked down on mudpeople, but Gishzida had always been exceptionally indifferent to them even for a Fundamentalist. He had disliked mudpeople so much that he¡¯d even skipped the ritual before because he hadn¡¯t wanted anything to do with the people who came to the Golden Forest from the outside to celebrate the spring festival. The only reason why his disdain had never posed a problem all this time was because he was remarkably skilled at concealing his emotions. He was so skilled, in fact, that all ten girls that he had brought to the Golden Forest had fallen completely head over heels for him. Minn¨¨ and Jada was fully aware of Gishzida¡¯s true nature, and they were aghast whenever they heard the girls dreamily chatting away about their beloved ¡®Lord Gishzida.¡¯ But Gishzida undoubtedly acted strangely when it came to the small and scrawny girl called Renier. He had not only voluntarily taken the galtir¡¯s attack in her stead and invited her to his home to teach her how to use clay tablets and the how to write the ¡®letters¡¯ that the priests used, but he had even agreed to be flogged in her place too. And Jada had only learned today about the thing that baffled her the most. She stood up as she nonchalantly added, ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. The galtir has also ordered for the problematic slave child to participate in the spring festival without fail.¡± Gishzida¡¯s visage stiffed like wax. Curtly, he replied, ¡°Girls who aren¡¯t old enough to conceive or who had stopped menstruating because they¡¯re pregnant cannot participate in the spring festival. Surely, the galtir is aware of something so obvious?¡± I knew it. Just you wait. The thing that baffled Jada the most about the wise priest¡¯s actions was that he had tried to pretend that he had gotten a slave wench pregnant to get her disqualified from participating in the festival. Jada¡¯s lips twisted as she spat out, ¡°Renier has begun menstruating.¡± Gishzida¡¯s eyes opened wide. It took a while before he finally managed to hoarsely stammer, ¡°That¡­that¡¯s impossible. Renier isn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°And how can you be so sure of that, En-Ishib? Did you feed her a medicinal tea that would cause the blood vessels in her uterus to dry up or something?¡± Gishzida¡¯s features immediately stiffened. I knew it. Sharply, Jada accused, ¡°You dared to try and deceive the galtir, En-Ishib.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Jada?¡± ¡°The child started crying and confessed everything today. She confessed that nothing happened between you two and that she had been sold to you even though she hadn¡¯t started menstruating yet, and she begged for you to be forgiven now that she can still participate in the festival because she started her first menstruation the other day. She stirred up such a ruckus about how she¡¯d accept the rest of the flogging in your stead that she could be heard all throughout the lodgings. She¡¯s been tied up in leather rope and locked in the warehouse for the time being.¡± ¡°Renier! You¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I suppose you must¡¯ve pretended to have gotten the lowly and foolish slave wench pregnant because she possesses some kind of special talent or could otherwise be useful to you somehow, considering how much you detest and scorn mudpeople and how you¡¯ve turned away all the noble and beautiful nugigs you cared for previously.¡± ¡°Jada!¡± Had she hit the mark? Gishzida jumped up from his seat and fell back down into his chair with his teeth gritted. Jada could see that his arms were quivering, perhaps because of the pain he was in. ¡°Please give up, En-Ishib Gishzida. There¡¯s nothing you can do anymore. That child has begun menstruating, and she will be participating in the spring festival. You seem to have expended quite a bit of effort into this matter, which is rather uncharacteristic of you, but that wench will never fall into your hands, Lord Gishzida.¡± Jada could see Gishzida¡¯s features hardening like alabaster. She decided to stop provoking him any further than this and got up. She continued, ¡°In any case, I pray that the wounds on your back will heal soon. They¡¯ll have to heal before you receive your remaining fifty lashes after the festival, no?¡± Gishzida squeezed his eyes shut after Jada had left. Renier started menstruating? That¡¯s impossible. No one knows more about medicinal herbs in the Golden Forest than I do, and I know best that the herb I fed Renier were incredibly potent. The herb that Gishzida had fed Renier were usually used by priestesses who wished to induce abortion by drying up the blood vessels in their uterus after lying with a mudperson and receiving his seed, and it was a highly toxic herb that normally rendered the user barren for at least a year. Ingesting too much of the herb could even render the user barren permanently. This was why Gishzida had agonized over whether or not he should use the herb for such a long time ¡ªbut he had ultimately chosen wrongly. I even gave her a full dosage because of the honey I put in so she wouldn¡¯t realize that anything was off with those sharp senses of hers¡­¡­. ¡°So why now of all times?!¡± Gishzida tensed up, and the wounds on his back audibly reopened. His face crumbled as he buried it in his hands. *** ¡°Do I seem strange to you, Sabato?¡± Her teacher hadn¡¯t been able to sleep ever since Jada had left. Instead, he had stayed up in his bedroom and had been staring outside with a hand against the watery wall. The only thing that could be seen beyond his house¡¯s walls of water was the muddy darkness, so dark that you couldn¡¯t even see your own hand in front of you, because there was no moon in the sky since it was the first day of the lunar month and the forest was too dense for the starlight to shine through. ¡°If you are asking whether you appear to be the same person as you were before, then no.¡± Gishzida smiled as he continued staring out the window. Sabato could not see her teacher¡¯s face because he was facing the wall of water. ¡°So you mean that I should have stopped at a better time. Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± Gishzida placed his hand against his forehead and leaned against the wall. Sabato had no idea when or where this foolishness had entered her teacher¡¯s heart. Had he truly not known when he ought to have stopped? Had he realized too late? Quietly, Sabato answered, ¡°It¡¯s still not too late yet, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too late yet¡­¡­? Even though something inside of me isn¡¯t working properly?¡± ¡°You are Lord Gishzida of the Golden Forest, Teacher. You will recover soon enough.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The air around Gishzida cooled as his chuckles withered away. Sabato was almost grateful for Jada¡¯s message. She could not make heads or tails as to why her teacher had changed. At first, she had thought that the wench had possessed something that he needed. But then, it had almost started to look like her teacher had desired the slave wench herself. Did her teacher know why that was? Her teacher was one of the brightest minds the Golden Forest had ever known, but Sabato still believed that it was entirely possible that he didn¡¯t know. After all, En-Ishib Gishzida was not the kind of man who would have simply allowed things to end up like this if he had known why he¡¯d changed. In any event, there was nothing he could do for the slave now. Sabato was actually relieved that this particular pustule had burst sooner rather than later ¡ªit was better that her teacher stopped coming into contact with the slave wench altogether than for him to be ruined to the point of no return. It wouldn¡¯t end with only Gishzida¡¯s personal humiliation if something like this ever happened again and he took it even just one more step too far ¡ªif that happened, the foundation of the Fundamentalists¡¯ faction would collapse entirely. Gishzida had something he needed to protect and a sacred duty that he must fulfil. Fortunately, Sabato¡¯s teacher was the most unshakable person she¡¯d ever met, and he was as level-headed as he was cruel. Both to others and to himself. ¡°Worry not. I am the leader of the Fundamentalists, and I know best what that means, what I must do, and what I must not do,¡± Gishzida said firmly, as if to clear away Sabato¡¯s apprehensions. Her teacher did not cry when he was sad, he did not smile when he was happy, and did not say his wishes aloud. He cried when he was required to cry, he smiled when he was required to smile, and he only spoke the words that he was required to speak. His reactions toward the slave wench ¡ªSabato didn¡¯t even know what she looked like¡ª had been the one and only exception. Gishzida stared into the darkness for a very long time before his shoulders heaved. He pressed his hands against the wall of water and brought his face to it. His back was taut with tension, and his pale and slender fingers began quivering. The forest was still as dark as ever, but he was staring piercingly at some unknown point beneath the tree. ¡°Wake up Kiriak¨¨ and Paraskier, Sabato.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡°Go and stand in front of the door with them. And stop me if I try to ignore my house arrest and go outside.¡± Sabato slowly rose from her seat. A bead of cold sweat ran down her back. Someone had come in the pitch darkness. They had come in the dead of night with neither fire nor moonlight. Gishzida¡¯s straight fingers curled into tight fists. Sabato clasped her hands over her mouth when she saw the veins popping out the back of his hand. ¡°Lord¡­¡­Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°The three of you are to stop me with your lives on the line if I try to step outside.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Gishzida,¡± Sabato responded with a trembling voice. Renier¡¯s eyes were filled with tears as she looked up at the tree. ¡°Lord Gishzida. Are you okay, Lord Gishzida?¡± she muttered hoarsely as she looked up. Renier had been locked up in the warehouse because she had cried so much and made such a ruckus when Gishzida was flogged, but the warehouse was so poorly secured that it was nothing for her to slip away. It hadn¡¯t been impossible for her to find Gishzida¡¯s house again either because she had already visited him several times. Renier had great night vision because she had spent many years working in the fields, and she was very good at remembering the lay of the land. A couple of lamps had been lit inside the house of water. And she could see a few people walking to and from the living room. She couldn¡¯t tell who was who by their silhouette or the color of their clothes because all habits were white, but she had recognized immediately that the tall and slender figure standing with his hand against the wall was Gishzida. She also knew that he was aware that she was here. He knew she was there even though there was no way that he could see her clearly in the pitch darkness. She could feel his gaze fixated on her. Can¡¯t he come outside? Oh, maybe he can¡¯t because he¡¯s under house arrest? Right. Not only was Lord Gishzida flogged because of me, but he¡¯s going to be locked up in his house for two whole years too. Renier¡¯s shoulders curled inward yet again. That being said, Renier couldn¡¯t exactly climb up the tree and into his house when there were other priests inside either. She had broken out of the warehouse to come here, and there was no way for her to know how the consequences could affect Gishzida again if she was found out. Tears rolled down her cheeks and fell to the ground. She wanted to see him, but even that felt so shameless. She didn¡¯t know what to do, and she didn¡¯t know what she would even say. How much pain is he in? He¡¯s such a noble and prideful person ¡ªhow much is he suffering? All because of me. All because of someone as insignificant as me. Her throat and chest hurt like she had swallowed a ball of fire whole. Lord Gishzida, Lord Gishzida. Renier wiped her tears against the back of her hands she cried. ¡°Don¡¯t cry¡­¡­. I told you you¡¯re being loud. You¡¯re making my head hurt¡­¡­.¡± The three priests standing at the door were tense with anxiety as they heard their teacher mumble to himself. They couldn¡¯t hear any noises coming from outside, but he was being tormented by the cries they couldn¡¯t hear. His hands were still balled into tight fists as he pressed against the wall of water. His fists were so tight that his hands were pallid, and they were quivering. ¡°How did you even find your way here when it¡¯s so dark outside, hmm?¡± Swish. A small spark of fire suddenly shot out from the house no sooner than the words had left his lips. ¡°L-Lady Kiriak¨¨! W-what is that?¡± Paraskier asked frightfully with her eyes wide open. A small flame was spinning circles as it slowly made its way downward before their teacher¡¯s eyes and on the other side of the wall of water. Sabato and Kiriak¨¨ had also opened their eyes wide in shock. There was another crackling noise, and more sparks flew out through the wall of water and began floating down. ¡°Shh! Our teacher manifested a fire ngak.¡± Kiriak¨¨, who had quickly grasped the situation, whispered urgently as she clamped her hand over the youngest disciple¡¯s mouth. The small flames rode the wind and began fluttering around the girl standing in the darkness instead of floating all the way down to the ground. The small girl was wearing black clothes and was buried completely inside the darkness, but the flames began illuminating her dimly. Her face was buried inside her hands and she sobbed. ¡°Please don¡¯t cry.¡± Shaaa. The small flames suddenly began showering down like snowflakes. The small girl raised her head and looked around in a daze. He saw her eyes opening wide as she began reaching out curiously toward the lights, but then she took fright and hesitantly retracted her hands. He could see the small child¡¯s ashen face as she looked up and stared anxiously back at him. Then, the small flames suddenly began bursting as they transformed into butterflies of varying sizes. The three disciples desperately swallowed back their screams as they stood guard by the door. ¡°Oh Armanu. Good heavens.¡± The butterflies circled around the child as they fluttered up and down. Hundreds, thousands of yellow butterflies glowing like fireflies began dancing around her. The priests standing by the door clasped their hands over their mouths as they swallowed their screams. This was a ngak manifestation of unimaginable skill. It was not something they could possibly learn no matter how long or hard they studied. They had served Lord Gishzida for such a long time but had never seen just how truly great his skills were until now, and they were stunned by what they were witnessing. ¡°I¡¯m alright. I¡¯m alright, so stop crying now, okay?¡± Pop pop pop, pop pop pop pop. Swoosh. This time, the yellow chickweed flowers near the girl were popping open like bubbles and blossoming like dandelions. Her surroundings became filled with yellow chickweed flowers before long. ¡°Look. Look as much as you¡¯d like. Isn¡¯t it pretty, isn¡¯t it¡­¡­?¡± The young girl looked at the mounds of small chickweed flowers that were blossoming, then she turned back to Gishzida, then she looked at the flock of golden butterflies surrounding her, and then she turned back to Gishzida. The field of flowers grew wider, the flock of butterflies grew larger, and the young girl¡¯s surroundings were being enveloped in light. The flock of butterflies began moving this way and that as it danced. They cascaded downward like a golden waterfall, wrapped gently around her like an embrace, circled around her like a meandering stream, and even bounced around from time to time like splashes of water. It was so brilliant and blinding that she could barely keep her eyes open. The flock of butterflies began moving again. They flapped their wings and stopped in front of the young girl as though they were chastising her for only keeping her gaze blankly on Gishzida. It¡¯s dangerous for you to stay here. Be on your way. I¡¯m fine, so be careful on your way back. The butterflies will guide you through the darkness. The priests felt like they could almost hear their teacher¡¯s gentle voice through the flock of butterflies. The young girl, who was enshrouded by the butterflies, looked up, followed the butterflies away for a few steps, and turned around to look up at Gishzida once more. Then, she got down to her knees and bowed. Her shoulders heaved for quite some time as she prostrated herself. Gishzida pressed his forehead and fists against the wall of water and did not budge. Hundreds and thousands of butterflies danced as they led the young girl and guarded her from all sides. The path upon which she walked began sparkling with a blinding golden light. But she continued to keep looking back even as she walked through the starry sea, and she continued to keep crying. The crying girl grew gradually smaller alongside the flock of light until she was slowly buried under the darkness again. The three priests finally heard a sound coming from their teacher¡¯s lips. His short, sharp, and moist breaths mixed aimlessly into each other as if through gritted teeth, or as if he was trying to swallow a lump of something painful. Gulp, gulp ¡ªthe moisture that had pooled near his chin dripped to the floor all at once every time they heard him swallow. ¡°¡­¡­She¡¯s gone,¡± he muttered calmly as he looked up. It was completely dark outside, and the three priests finally breathed out sighs of relief. They were deeply, deeply grateful not because their teacher had adhered to his house arrest and not gone outside, not because they had survived the encounter with their lives intact, but because their teacher¡¯s tears had been buried by the darkness and they could not see them anymore. Volume 1 - CH 13 TRIGGER WARNING: Graphic content Boom boom, dum dum dum dum, boom boom, dum dum dum dum. Booooom! A horn resounded as soon as the fast drumming ended. Wooo! Woow! Whoaa! The people who were crowded around Armanu, the divine tree at the heart of the forest, stomped their feet as they roared. Tall altars of wood and stone had been erected in front of the temple, and white smoke rose from the bronze incense burners in which incense and herbs were burning. The spring festival, which was the biggest event in the Golden Forest, began as the sun climbed high into the sky at noon. There were ten slave girls, and one of them was to assist with the ritual every day. They drew lots each morning to decide who was to participate in the ritual that day. Ninhur-birga, who was the youngest girl at thirteen, was chosen to participate on the first day. She was from Minotos, just like Eunik¨¨, and she was doted on by all the other girls and even Minn¨¨ and Jada because her cheeks were still rosy and plump. The girls were already aware that the reason why they had eaten well, slept well, and had worked so hard to decorate themselves was all to participate in ¡®The Holy Wedding of Kittu and Armanu,¡¯ a sex ritual. Their partners could be the galtir himself, other priests, or kings or other royals from outside the forest ¡ªthey were all men of noble blood. They could have just one partner, or they could have as many as ten. The spring festival was, at its core, a rite meant to ask Armanu to bless the earth with a fertile harvest, so the sex ritual was the most important event at the festival. The other girls already seemed to have steeled themselves ¡ªthis was, after all, the reason why they had been sold here, and it was something that they could not avoid anyway. The silver lining was that, unlike what happened at other temples, the festival was only ten days long, and they each only had to serve for just one day. They consoled each other by saying that it was worth squeezing their eyes shut and suffering for just one day a year if it meant that they could live the rest of their lives in luxury. ¡°I hope I¡¯ll get partnered up with Lord Gishzida if I have to participate in the sex ritual anyway.¡± Everyone fell silent when they heard what Eunik¨¨ had mumbled. It was clear to Renier that everyone shared the sentiment. This is horrible. I¡¯m losing my mind. Renier buried her face into her knees. She detested the fact that all the other slave girls here were thinking along the same lines as her, and she detested herself the most when she felt herself boiling up with hatred for Eunik¨¨. She had heard that Lord Gishzida had passed out after getting flogged because of her. Renier would have gladly laid down her life if it meant that she could have taken the flogging in his stead. And yet, in another corner of her heart, she was thinking something so horrible. She couldn¡¯t believe herself. Ninhur-birga was tearing up in fright, and Eunik¨¨ was patting the younger girl on the back as she tried to comfort her. ¡°Don¡¯t be so scared, Birga. It¡¯s not scary at all. Just do what they tell you. You¡¯ll see that it¡¯s nothing really to write home about if you just close your eyes and endure it for a bit. The sooner the better, as they say. It¡¯ll only hurt a little at first, and then it won¡¯t hurt at all. You¡¯ll be okay. And, you never know, right? Maybe you really will get partnered up with Lord Gishzida.¡± Renier covered her ears. She wasn¡¯t able to control her heart at all. The shrill notes of a flute sounded all the way from the temple, and then the drums began beating once more ¡ªboom, boom, boom. They could faintly make out the sounds of the priests shouting, the drums, the flute, and the music. ¡°None of you may leave the lodge during the festival. Your ankles will be cut off if you do. Only the girl who was chosen will participate in the ritual for that day, and after you¡¯re done, you will be praying reverently in a small prayer room inside the temple to the goddess Armanu to ask her to bless the land until the festival is over,¡± Jada commanded sternly. The lodge fell silent after Ninhur-birga left on a chariot drawn by white horses. Renier listened carefully to the faint noises coming from outside. Boom boom boom boom, dum dum dum dum, the beating of differently-pitched drums, the legends of the Golden Forest, the long and solemn hymns offered up to Armanu and Kittu, the chorus of the crowd surging like waves, the scream-like singing, the noises of all manner of instruments clamored together ¡ªbut the beating of the drums and the singing only became more and more disharmonious as time passed. The nine girls wondered briefly about what was going on outside and who Ninhur-birga¡¯s partners were before they gave up on the exercise and either napped for laid down on their woolen blankets and ate snacks. But not Renier. Her senses had been dreadfully keen all morning, and she didn¡¯t have an appetite either. She felt nauseated like she was seasick, perhaps because the aroma from the ritual incense had somehow wafted all the way to the lodge, and she didn¡¯t feel good. Boom boom, dum dum dum dum, boom boom, dum dum dum dum. Whoaaa, ooo, whoaaa, ooo! Boom boom, dum dum dum dum, boom boom, dum dum dum dum. O, Kittu! Ooo, Kittu! Kittu! May you be glorified! O, giant warrior of six wings! Envelop us in thy large wings! O, blinding father of light! Guard us with thy light and justice! O, great Guardian of the Forest! Protect us and the divine tree! Everyone chanted the chorus as one ¡ªit sounded like an animal¡¯s cry. But something was strange. Renier found her breathing growing arduous and ragged the longer she listened. Boom boom, dum dum dum dum, boom boom, dum dum dum dum. O, Armanu! Ooo, Armanu! Armanu! Show us thy mercy! O, beautiful goddess of the tree, give us thy blessing! O, mother of the fertile earth, grant us a bountiful harvest! O, she who bears fruit, give us overflowing grains and fruits! Is Lord Gishzida there too? He probably is, since the lord galtir tasked him with a role in the festival, right? He must be in so much pain if he¡¯s out and about even though he isn¡¯t well. Is he one of the priests who¡¯s partnered up with Birga today? What if, just if, he¡¯s there when it¡¯s my turn to participate? Renier crushed her ear against the wall and grinded her teeth. She became so disillusioned with herself and felt so guilty whenever she thought this that she wanted to die. Crazy Renier. Do you even think he¡¯s able to move properly right now? You know fully well who¡¯s fault that is! And you call yourself human? But Renier couldn¡¯t help but think from time to time that if there was no avoiding this, then she desperately hoped that at least her partner would be Lord Gishzida, and every time it made her want to choke herself to death. Renier was tormented by this shameful, brazen, and insane feeling, which she could not even put a name to because she could not for the life of her comprehend what it was. The girls were unable to glean any information about the sex ritual because Ninhur-birga, the girl who had participated today, had gone straight to the prayer room in the temple instead returning to the lodge. The remaining nine girls drew lots again the next morning. Eunik¨¨, who hailed from Minotos, was the second girl to be chosen. She was as beautiful as the goddess Inanna herself when she did up her wheat-colored hair and decorated it lavishly with flowers. Eunik¨¨ wore a thin veil over her face so the evil galla (spirits), who were envious of brides, could not see her, and she waved back leisurely as she left the lodge. The eight remaining girls drew lots again the next morning. The girls began talking less and less. Renier squeezed the string she was holding on the morning of the eighth day. Her hands were shaking. There was a red mark at the end of the string in her hands. *** The two remaining girls, Carla and Iona, filled a wooden bathtub with water while Jada and Minn¨¨ gave Renier a check-up that morning. Renier bathed herself in the wooden bathtub that was filled with crimson flowers, and then she changed into the goddess¡¯ costume. She slipped on the white top with a very deep neckline, slid into the long, fluttering skirt, and fastened the crimson belt that she had been hard at work embroidering during her time in the forest. ¡°Your hair is as ugly as ever. You need to look as beautiful as possible today since you¡¯re going to be the physical incarnation of Lady Armanu, the goddess of the divine tree, today. Hide Renier¡¯s hair as much as possible when you dress her up, Carla.¡± Carla tried her best to decorate Renier¡¯s hair, which was barely a hand¡¯s width long, at first, but then she gave up and wrapped several layers of thin linen cloth over Renier¡¯s head and wrapped a headband embroidered with gold stiches around it, and then she made a large and gorgeous flower crown and laid it on Renier¡¯s head. Iona powdered Renier¡¯s face with the white powder from crushed flower seeds. She dabbed a towel with a little bit of olive oil and massaged it into Renier¡¯s face and set a fine layer of the powder on top. Then, she also went over Renier¡¯s eyebrows using dark eyebrow paint made from a mix of charcoal from the brazier, fine red clay, and oil. ¡°Why are you trembling so much? Ninhur-birga went to the festival with her head held high, and she¡¯s even younger than you. Everything will be okay. You only have to bear with it for a day,¡± Iona whispered to Renier, who had been quivering nonstop ever since before she had bathed all the way until her makeup was done. ¡°You¡¯re so pretty, Renier. You¡¯re much prettier than even Big Sis Eunik¨¨ now that you¡¯re wearing makeup. I bet even the goddesses Lady Inanna and Lady Armanu weren¡¯t as pretty as you,¡± Carla whispered to Renier too as she patted Renier¡¯s back. The girls had ostracized Renier for a while at first, and they had even envied her when there had been rumors about how she was favored by Lord Gishzida going around, but they started pitying her after she¡¯d been locked up in the warehouse, and nothing else mattered to them anymore. They had realized anew that she was a pitiful slave, just like them, now that the festival was here and they were all getting dragged to the ritual to be forced to have sex with men. ¡°Hmm. You¡¯re actually quite pretty now that I¡¯m seeing you all dressed up.¡± Even Jada, who did not normally give out compliments, smiled contentedly when she lifted up Renier¡¯s veil to take a peek at the girl¡¯s face. Renier was quivering from head to toe as she stepped past the fence. The chariot, decorated with gorgeous flowers, was waiting for her. The snow-white horses raised their heads and neighed excitedly. Renier was trembling so badly that two priests had to help her climb inside the wagon. The round wooden wheels clattered as they rolled. Renier grew more and more nauseated every time the wagon shook. The Golden Forest didn¡¯t look golden at all even under broad daylight. The flowers that were in full bloom everywhere the eye could see were the color of blood, and the trunks of the densely packed trees were frighteningly dark. Renier felt like each tree she passed by was wriggling their branches as they pointed their fingers at her or narrowing their eyes as they leered at her. Renier squeezed her eyes shut. It¡¯s just so strange. Am I losing my mind? Countess voices inside her stomach were screaming at her to flee the forest at once. No, I hate this, I don¡¯t want to go! I¡¯d rather die! Jump off the wagon right now and run away! It¡¯s not too late yet! But Renier endured the voices through gritted teeth. She recalled the pity that she had heard in Lord Gishzida¡¯s voice. ¡ª You may detest the idea of having intercourse with a man, but is it really worth losing your life over? Renier shook her head vigorously. I¡¯m throwing a tantrum. I mustn¡¯t console myself for having these crazy thoughts, and I mustn¡¯t let them grow either. I have to suppress them with everything I have until they disappear completely, she thought to herself repeatedly as she grimaced. I just need to endure it. It¡¯s just a day. Just today. Just one day. People were gathered in front of the temple like a cloud. Most of them adult priests, who were blonde and were wearing white clothes, but Renier could also see a lot of people with black, brown, and red hair who were wearing colorful clothes ¡ªthey were probably believers from outside the forest. The outsiders were wearing crimson or purple seven-layered kanaukes and had jeweled accessories hanging from their necks and waists. Their hair and beards were curled and adorned, and some of them were even wearing lavish bands across their foreheads. They looked like they were either kings, royals, high-ranking nobles, or famed warriors. Renier tilted her head to the side. She¡¯d known that outsiders were coming for the festival, but it didn¡¯t make sense to her that so many people from such high stations had all gathered here together. There area was filled with an acrid smell. There were bronze incense burners and furnaces set up around the altar every so often, and clouds of white smoke were rising up from them. Everyone¡¯s facial expressions looked strange. Some people¡¯s eyes looked half-unfocused, and others were staggering as they laughed. Some people were dancing, and others were singing so loudly that the veins in their neck were popping out. The other slave girls had hoped that Lord Gishzida would be their partner for the sex ritual, and Renier had done everything in her power to censure herself and not share their sentiments, but seeing so many people right before her eyes made her think that she¡¯d rather die than lay with Lord Gishzida while everyone was watching. Please don¡¯t let him be here. Please don¡¯t let him watch what happens to me. But even those thought didn¡¯t last very long. Her terror grow so fierce that she could no longer keep it in check as she approached the altar. Minn¨¨ and Jada had not told her exactly how the ritual would proceed or how many men she would need to have sex with. Renier was shaking uncontrollably. ¡°This way, Armanu.¡± ¡°This is your wedding ceremony with Kittu. Please smile, Armanu.¡± The priests, who were suddenly speaking politely to Renier, were smiling stiffly. The two priests practically dragged her up the altar. Whoaaa! Whoaaa! The priests and the people cheered so loudly with every step up to the altar Renier took that she thought her eardrums might burst. Armanu, Armanu, o divine tree of the Golden Forest! O mother of the harvest! Come to this place! Come here once more! Kittu, Kittu, o Kittu of Six Wings! O strong-armed father! Come to this place! Come here once more! The galtir was wearing a long, white habit and a golden crown as he waited atop the altar. The altar looked like it had been drenched with blood because of all the crimson flowers that had been scattered over it. Renier smiled emptily when she realized that her partner for the sex ritual was to be the galtir. But that was only obvious. This was supposed to be a reenactment of Kittu¡¯s and Armanu¡¯s wedding ceremony, so it was only natural that the galtir, who was Kittu¡¯s descendant and the Guardian of the Forest, and she, who was dressed up as Armanu today, were to play the starring roles. She could faintly see the blue sky through her veil as she laid down on top of the soft woolen blanket that had been laid over the altar. It felt so strange to her that the sky was still so blue even though dozens, hundreds of people were surrounding her and shouting in a crazed frenzy, and it sent a chill down her spine. Run away! It¡¯s still not too late yet! Hurry up and run away! ¡ª You may detest the idea of having intercourse with a man, but is it really worth losing your life over? Two voices were battling inside her heart. But she knew how things would end if she tried to run away. She was surrounded on all sides by at least a thousand priests and hundreds, thousands of other people, and she would surely die like a dog if she tried to flee. I should¡¯ve run a long time ago if I wanted to run away. It¡¯s still not too late yet, you idiot! Please! Renier clenched her teeth together and shook her head. She wasn¡¯t going to run today. She couldn¡¯t run today. Not today. Not today. It was getting harder for her to think deeply. She was dizzy, and it felt like the world was spinning around her even though she was laying down. Maybe the incense is getting to me. She couldn¡¯t decide if she should do her best to stay in her right mind, or whether it would be better if she allowed herself to get intoxicated by the fumes and forget everything that was about to happen to her. Her arms were tied in front of her. She felt like a tree that was overgrown to a terrifying extent was peering down at her penetratingly when the veil that had been covering her face was moved away. The sounds of people shouting grew fainter, and the blue sky was covered by something white. Renier¡¯s lips twisted into a smile when a sudden thought crossed her mind. What would happen if they found out that I actually don¡¯t have any right to be here right now? Renier had not begun menstruating yet. She had only lied about having her first period because she had wanted to spare Gishzida from his sentence of flogging and two years of house arrest. Renier had desperately recalled everything that Eunik¨¨ and Carla had taught her as she caught a mole in the warehouse, drew its blood, and smeared the blood all over her white dress. She could get killed on the spot of people found out that she was participating in the ritual even though she had no right to do so, but sparing Gishzida from his punishment had been more important to her at the time. Everything was so pointless now that I think about it. The galtir¡¯s white beard was hanging from his face, and his eyes were red as if he was high from the incense. The people below the altar shouted like a surging wave when he pulled down the garment that had been covering Renier¡¯s shoulders as she lay on the altar. The burning sunlight touched her pale and exposed chest. Then, the galtir took a red-hot iron brand from the brazier and slowly walked closer. Renier heard him mutter, ¡°I now brand this dweller of the forest with the sacred symbol of the tree, and she will now be one with the holy Armanu.¡± The galtir, who was probably high from the incense, repeatedly mumbled something incomprehensible that sounded like a prayer as he approached Renier and stooped over. ¡°Argh, argh!¡± Agony erupted from the left side of Renier¡¯s chest. And finally, finally, she was branded as a slave of the forest¡¯s temple. Female slaves were typically branded on their shoulder, but here, they were branded close to their heart on the left side of their chest. It was so hot and it hurt so much that Renier nearly passed out. She glowered furiously so no tears would spill from her eyes. At the very least, she did not want to cry in such an unseemly manner while she was here. Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom. Dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum. The priests beneath the altar brandished their drumsticks. Small and large drums urged the ritual to continue. The galtir lifted up Renier¡¯s skirt and spread open her legs before he climbed over her, and Renier squeezed her eyes shut. His bare flesh was touching the lower half of her body. It felt horrible, like snakes were crawling up her frame. The beating of the drums became faster as the galtir began moving back and forth, and the people¡¯s screaming became frantic and fanatical. Armanu! Kittu! Armanu! Kittu! Grant us your blessing! Renier opened her eyes. Something was off. She squinted and looked down only to find that the galtir¡¯s features were distorted as he only moved his body mechanically back and forth with his head down. Minn¨¨ and Jada, who were assisting in the ritual with their backs to the crowd, looked distressed. Then, Minn¨¨ quietly whispered, ¡°Move your body.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°The galtir isn¡¯t in good condition because he¡¯s been performing the ritual for a week straight. Move your body. Move your waist and legs at the same time the galtir moves.¡± ¡°No one will notice since everyone else will begin participating in the sex ritual soon enough anyway. Just move!¡± Gods. Renier opened her eyes wide and looked up at the man with the white beard who was scowling on top of her. She wasn¡¯t alone in her deceit. The spring festival was an event meant to pray for a bountiful harvest though Armanu¡¯s and Kittu¡¯s union, but one party was so old and spent that he no longer had any seed to give, whereas the other was a barren field who hadn¡¯t even begun menstruating yet. It was laughable. Did Big Sis Eunik¨¨ or the other girls who went first do something so messed up too? Are they making fun of the galtir and this wedding ceremony instead of praying in the temple¡¯s prayer room like they¡¯re supposed to? Renier turned her head and looked down the altar. It was already absolute madness down there. Boom boom dum dum dum dum, boom boom dum dum dum dum. Men and women began to mingle amongst the backdrop of the mind-numbing drums. The people, who had been singing and dancing before, were now pairing up, dancing while holding hands, and kissing. A white cloud seemed to have settled down over the plaza because the smoke was getting thicker, and it made the people move more lasciviously and explicitly. The noble Celestials and the believers were now pairing up in twos and running their hands over each other¡¯s bodies. Then, they either began mingling their bodies right there below the altar, or they moved to an open space beneath a tree to unclothe and climb up on top of each other¡¯s bodies like snakes with no hesitation whatsoever. Renier stared blankly at the madness that was unfolding beneath the altar. So this was what the Golden Forest¡¯s festival really was. It was a large orgy between the priests and priestesses and the believers from outside that lasted ten days. They didn¡¯t seem embarrassed at all, either because they believed they were a part of the ritual or because they were too high on incense, as they lifted their skirts and had sex in broad daylight. Moist breaths began mixing into the singing and all the other noise. Celestial ishibs and nugigs, noble kings of the mudpeople, royals, nobles, gallant warriors ¡ªthey all seemed like mere animals. Renier began cackling. Oh, I get it. I get it now. I finally get why the priests don¡¯t get married or start families and live alone, and why they all raise their children together as a group. It was because of this sex ritual. What meaning was there in marriage when the priests did this for ten days straight year after year? Still, Renier could not believe that the sex ritual was being carried out between Celestials and the people from outside too. Why would the noble Celestials do this with the mudpeople they scorned so much? Renier pondered blankly as she watched the orgy unfolding below, and then she began giggling. She¡¯d figured it out. She understood all too well why men of high stations from outside had all gathered here for the festival. They wanted to fill the priestesses with their seed through this ritual, and they hoped that any children that resulted would be born as Celestials themselves. This was how the Golden Forest pulled people of power from the outside over to their side. It would be impossible for outside kings or royalty to not hope that their children might be born as Celestials, to not hope that their own son or brother may become the next Guardian of the Forest. It was all so simple when she actually thought about it that it seemed absurd. Renier understood why the Golden Forest was doing this too. The Golden Forest did not have its own military force, and there were only about a thousand priests here at most. The Golden Forest needed to forge relationships with people of power outside through any means possible because there were not enough priests to manage and defend the vast forest and the fertile Kusig Plains. The wedding ceremony of Armanu and Kittu? A blessed sex ritual? A ritual to pray for a bountiful harvest? ¡­¡­How ridiculous. Lord Gishzida might also be in the crowd somewhere, doing something like that with some priestess I haven¡¯t even met before. He must¡¯ve done this every year. I was hoping desperately that my partner for the sex ritual would be Lord Gishzida without knowing any better, and I¡¯m so disgusted, revolted, and disappointed in myself that I can¡¯t help but shudder. Ha, ha, hahahaha. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes once more. It was all just so laughable. The sex ritual was shorter than Renier had anticipated. The two priestesses were helping Renier down the altar when she suddenly saw something strange below the stairs. Huh? Aren¡¯t those the ribbon and flowers that I put in Eunik¨¨¡¯s hair? ¡­¡­Why¡¯re they on the floor? Renier snapped her mouth shut. A chill seemed to stab her in the back as it crawled down her spine. She kept stealing glances at the floor to make sure that she was seeing correctly. But they were undoubtedly the things that she had personally put in Eunik¨¨¡¯s hair. What she couldn¡¯t figure out, however, was what the ribbon and flowers were doing on the floor, what the spots of red patches were, why there was a coil of brown hair nearby, and what the crimson lump of something attached to the coil of hair was. Renier opened her eyes wide. A certain crystal-clear premonition crawled up her spine. She felt like she had suddenly been doused in icy water. She quickly scanned the floor out of the corner of her eye. I knew it! Renier gritted her teeth. The knots, scraps of cloth, flowers, and hair ties that the other seven girls before her had been wearing, the crimson stains dying them, the spots of red patches around her, and the way the soil looked darker here than elsewhere! Renier had finally pieced together exactly what those patches were. Oh gods! The plaza reeked with the stench of blood. The pungent incense and herbal smoke had been meant to hide the stench of blood. Why had she only realized this now? Renier had herded sheep and hunted in the fields for several years now, so she was familiar with the scent of blood. She would never mistake its muggy and fishy stench with anything else. Especially since the smell only grew stronger immediately after it rained. I would¡¯ve known instantly if only it weren¡¯t for the incense! Renier had thought that she had only been seized with terror these last few days because of how averse she was about the idea of participating in the sex ritual, but there had evidently been more to it. It was only now that she finally understood why the voice inside her had been screaming at her so ardently to run away. The priests who were beating the drums began walking closer to her. The galtir was standing at the forefront. Renier could faintly see a blackish fog coiling around them. And she finally figured out what exactly the heavy object hidden inside the galtir¡¯s sleeve was. The seven slave girls who had participated in the ritual before Renier were not praying inside the temple¡¯s prayer room. Renier finally spotted the crimson and bloody piece of bone at the bottom of the wagon. It was a scarily fresh crimson in color because it hadn¡¯t had the chance to oxidize yet. The slave girls had been forced to offer their flesh and blood to the Golden Forest¡¯s soil, or perhaps even to the priests and the believers, in the cruelest and most horrific way possible. Renier spun her body to the side and pushed Minn¨¨ and Jada away as soon as she saw the galtir¡¯s hand reach inside his long sleeve. ¡°Let go! Let go of me!¡± ¡°Kyaah! R-Renier!¡± Renier broke free of Minn¨¨¡¯s and Jada¡¯s grasp and charged directly at the galtir as he was pulling something out from his sleeve. Volume 1 - CH 14 ¡°What in the¡­¡­ack!¡± Renier used her hands ¡ªwhich were still tied up¡ª to grab a bunch of dirt and throw it in the galtir¡¯s eyes as soon as she¡¯d tackled him in the chest and sent him tumbling backward. Ahh, ahhh! Then, as he began rolling over the ground while clutching his eyes, she picked up the knife that he¡¯d dropped, spun it around, and sliced through the rope between her wrists. The rope fell away with a swish. Her vision always became sharp, and her movements always became unbelievably swift in critical moments like this. ¡°Renier!¡± ¡°Catch that bitch!¡± Three of the priests who had been drumming moved to grab Renier in unison. But they immediately yelped loudly and fell back. Bright red blood was pouring down their feet. Two of them had injured their arms, and the third had collapsed on the ground while clutching his throat. ¡ª Was it wrong for me to hurt them when they were trying to hurt me first? ¡ª No. She could hear Gishzida¡¯s answer in her ears as clear as day. His answer had been firm and conditioned upon nothing, and Renier was grateful that he¡¯d answered that way with all her heart. And she was ten times more grateful now than she had been back then. Renier tore through her cumbersome skirt with the knife and began running with the knife still clenched tightly in her hand. The two injured priests ignored their colleague on the ground and began chasing after her. ¡°Stop right there, you bitch!¡± ¡°H-how could the sacrifice¡­the sacrifice¡­¡­.¡± The other priests and believers, who were still lost in the ecstasy of sex, were slow to react. Renier spotted the wagon that had carried her here and began running like crazy. Tied to the wagon was a horse that was only equipped with reins. She cut through the rope that tied the bridle to the wagon, climbed on top of the wagon, and clung to the horse¡¯s back. ¡°Go! Go! Hurry!¡± The horse reared when she kicked its flank as hard as she could, and then it galloped out of the plaza. The naked priests who had been entangled with each other slowly pulled their clothes back on and began chasing after Renier too. ¡°Catch her! Catch the sacrifice!¡± The galtir¡¯s hoarse screaming, the priests¡¯ drumming, and the whistles they sent to each other quickly began crossing the forest. Pow! Pow pow! Flames finally began erupting around Renier. The galtir and the priests had begun attacking her. Pow, pow, pop pop pop pop! Things were exploding loudly around Renier, but she never looked back as she clung tightly to the horse¡¯s mane. Clop, clop, clop ¡ªthe horse was galloping as fast as it could, but it was unsteady because it didn¡¯t know where to do, and Renier increasingly felt like she was being cornered. The forest was a giant maze. All the trees looked unfamiliar to her, she couldn¡¯t find any proper roads, and she had no idea where she was supposed to go. The shouting of the people whom she had thought that she¡¯d gotten away from grew closer as she dithered. They¡¯d apparently split up after losing sight of Renier. The priests had been born in the forest and had lived in the forest all their lives, so there was no way that Renier could shake them while she was still here. ¡°She¡¯s over there!¡± Pow! A burst of fire finally exploded by the horse¡¯s feet. Renier was thrown off and sent tumbling to the ground when the horse startled. She quickly scanned her surroundings as she rolled over the earth. ¡­¡­I think I recognize this place? ¡°Over there! She¡¯s over there!¡± Renier saw several priests running toward her with their long clothes fluttering behind them, perhaps because they had heard the horse neighing. More balls of fire were sent flying at her again, but Renier was in so much pain that she couldn¡¯t get back up to her feet in time. ¡°Zii, Zi, Ziii!¡± A long and white sleeve fluttered in the wind. Someone was standing in front of Renier, and their long shadow was cast over her. A familiar voice, a familiar figure. Zii. That was the extinguishing ngak. Gishzida cast the extinguishing ngak nonstop as he blocked the three priests¡¯ attacks. His counters were quick and precise, unlike back when he had purposefully taken the galtir¡¯s attack previously. His sleeves cut swiftly through the air every time he brandished his hands, and the fireballs that had been flying at Renier sizzled before they disappeared completely. The priests hesitated, and Gishzida took the chance to turn around to Renier, who was still lying on the ground, and ask, ¡°What¡¯s going on, Renier? Was it your turn today? And why are the priests chasing you?¡± ¡°Lord Gishzida!¡± Renier gritted her teeth and swallowed back the cries that threatened to burst out from her. Lord Gishzida knew. He knew that we were going to be offered up as living sacrifices when we participated in the festival as Armanu¡¯s incarnations. Lord Gishzida knew from the very beginning that us foolish slave wenches, sold to him for as little as ten silver shekels, were going to get torn apart to death during the festival. Oh, Renier finally understood why he had answered so vaguely before. When she had previously asked him to let her do fieldwork instead of participating in a ritual that involving laying with men, he had replied by saying that she would only need to endure it for a little bit. He¡¯d meant that she¡¯d only need to endure it for a little bit before she died. And he had allowed her to dream the sweetest dream during the brief stretch of time before her demise. ¡°You, did you¡­¡­escape from the galtir during the sex ritual?¡± Gishzida asked sharply. Renier could see that beads of sweat had formed on his forehead. Tears slowly formed in Renier¡¯s eyes. She could clearly hear him asking, ¡®Was it your turn to die today? Did you escape from there even though you¡¯re the sacrifice who was supposed to die?¡¯ beneath the kindness in his voice. ¡°I escaped immediately after the sex ritual was over. Though the galtir only pretended to perform because he wasn¡¯t feeling very well¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Aha? Did he, now?¡± Gishzida¡¯s sapphire eyes glistened. Renier gripped the knife tightly in her hands and desperately climbed to her feet and stepped back as she asked, ¡°Are you going to take me back there?¡± Gishzida was a priest, and he had brought her to the Golden Forest specifically to die. Renier finally understood why he had seemed so kind and caring to the slave girls and had doted on them until now. His kindness had been no different than the sugary fruits or honeyed goat milk that had been given to the sacrificial offerings in the few months they had before their deaths. It was probably true that he cared about me despite the fact that I¡¯m a lowly mudperson slave. As hard as it is to believe, it¡¯s probably true that he had special feelings for me, and that¡¯s why he endured so much humiliation and pain for my sake. But Renier couldn¡¯t trust anything anymore. After all, Gishzida had told her to simply bear with it for a little bit and die with the same mouth that he had used to smile so kindly to her and console her about all the hardship she had suffered in the past. Even now, he may have saved me, but he could also decide to just hand me back over to the galtir too. After all, that¡¯s his duty as a priest of the Golden Forest. Renier tripped over herself as she stepped back. Her ankle hurt like someone was stabbing it with an awl with every step she took, likely because she¡¯d sprained it, and her chest hurt so much it could¡¯ve been on fire. But nothing hurt more right now than her heart. Then, she suddenly heard people clamoring behind her, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing right now, En-Ishib Gishzida?! Hand over the escaped sacrifice. I promise I won¡¯t even tell the lord galtir about this if you hand her over quietly.¡± ¡°Then is it true that the galtir allowed the sacrificial offering to escape, En-Nugig Jada?¡± ¡°The ritual isn¡¯t over yet. It won¡¯t be a problem as long as we catch her and bring her back.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he fail to perform during Kittu¡¯s and Armanu¡¯s union ritual too? Shouldn¡¯t you know what it means for the Guardian of the Forest to fail to perform his marriage ceremony with Armanu and allow the sacrifice to escape, Lady Jada?¡± This was the first time that Renier had ever seen his sapphire eyes glistening so cruelly and terribly. Pitch black fog started to spread out from him like blades immediately thereafter. Renier couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°Shut your mouth, Gishzida! Ich! Ganzer!¡± Jada raised up her hand and promptly shouted an en. She probably intended to shut Gishzida up for good. Fire and wind began flaring up around them. Zii! Zii! Zi! Gishzida quickly extinguished Jada¡¯s attacks with one hand, and then he suddenly grabbed his bracelet with both hands and yelled, ¡°Imhul, Ich! Du! Ganzer! Gaanzerr!¡± All kinds of powerful en to summon fire and wind poured out from his lips in succession. His attacks were on a completely different scale than that of the other priests. A storm of fire whirled through the area like a tornado. It was the priests who had come chasing Renier who needed to dodge out of the way now. ¡°Sur Imhul Kichura Baj Pesh!¡± Renier knew instinctively that Gishzida had just manifested an incredibly dangerous ngak. It was the same en he had used to cut off the fruit from very high up on a tree and to cut off strands of her hair without a single sound, but chanted together with the en that was used for summoning a very powerful gust of wind. Argh ¡ªa sharp sounded erupted as Jada, who had been casting ngaks from the forefront of her group, clutched her arm as she screamed. Crimson blood was gushing out of her arm. Minn¨¨ and the other priests who had been standing behind Jada hesitantly began shouting back at Gishzida. The commotion was growing bigger. ¡°Tumudal!¡± Gishzida was emitted a terrifying bloodlust from every pore of his being. Swoosh, whooo ¡ªa powerful whirlwind swept up several priests off their feet. ¡°Lord Gishzida! ¡­¡­Ack!¡± They screamed as they were hurled against the distant rocks. Renier clasped her hands over her mouth. The priests had probably died on the spot, or had been wounded so badly they wouldn¡¯t be able to move, after being thrown from that height and with that much force. Gishzida quickly spun around and shouted at Renier, ¡°Run, Renier! Leave the forest at once!¡± ¡°Lord Gishzida? A-are you saving me¡­¡­?¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be any second chances. I¡¯ll try to stop them from chasing after you, but I probably won¡¯t be able to hold them back for long. The galtir knows the forest well. He¡¯ll be coming here immediately.¡± Renier couldn¡¯t tell right from left. She didn¡¯t know who to trust in this situation ¡ªshe didn¡¯t even know whether she should trust Lord Gishzida. ¡°B-but then, where, where should I¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Leave the forest at once! You¡¯ll die if you stay here. You are the physical incarnation of Armanu and the offering that is to be sacrificed during the festival right now. The believers will cling to you like evil spirits and tear apart your flesh while you¡¯re still alive! Hurry!¡± ¡°B-but Lord Gishzida¡­what about you, Lord Gishzida? You hurt the priests so badly!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have time to be worrying about me right now! Stop worrying about me and go!¡± He grabbed Renier by the arm and tried to push her up on top of the horse, but then he suddenly seemed to remember something and froze. Then, he said, ¡°The brand¡­¡­shit, the forest brand!¡± ¡°Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Did they brand you when you were on the altar earlier, Renier?¡± Gishzida pulled down Renier¡¯s clothes and exposed her chest before she could stop him. Renier yelped and pulled her clothes back up, but he had already seen the crimson tree-shaped brand on her chest all too clearly. Shit! Gishzida scowled heavily and fell into thought for a moment before snapping his head back up and saying, ¡°¡­¡­I forgot for a second. You were marked by the forest brand. Damn it all! The galtir probably cast a fire ngak on you while he was branding you. You can¡¯t run away like this!¡± A dark shadow fell over his face. Renier quivered as she asked, ¡°Why not? What is this brand?¡± ¡°The brand marks you as the sacrifice that is to be offered to the forest during the spring festival, and its purpose is to prevent you from leaving the forest. The galtir brands the slaves¡¯ chests and casts a fire ngak on the brand so you can never leave the forest, since it would incur Armanu¡¯s and Kittu¡¯s wrath if the sacrifice were to escape.¡± ¡°W-what kind of ngak is the fire ngak?¡± ¡°The ngak is set activate immediately as soon as the sacrifice leaves the forest, and the brand will begin burning through your flesh. It will be agonizing, and it will melt your flesh all the way to your heart within three days.¡± ¡°Lord Gishzida! Does that mean that I¡¯ll never be able to leave the Golden Forest?¡± Renier¡¯s vision was growing dark. She could hear Gishzida hissing through gritted teeth. ¡°You have to. We priests know the forest like the backs of our hands. They¡¯ll find you no matter where you try to hide.¡± Piii, pii. Renier could hear the priests whistling, and people were beginning to gather noisily around from afar. Gishzida grinded his teeth together and placed his hand over Renier¡¯s brand. ¡°Tab Guea Esh Anba.¡± Renier felt like the brand was burning her skin yet again as soon as the words had left his lips. Renier clasped her hands over her mouth so her screams wouldn¡¯t leak out. Gishzida readjusted her clothes and secured them around her as he quickly continued, ¡°I can¡¯t undo the galtir¡¯s en. Only the person who cast the en can undo this one. Making it so that the en will activate three days late and not immediately is the best I can do. For now, you should be safe for about at least three days even if you leave.¡± ¡°Sniff, Th¡­sniff, sniff. Thank you. Thank you.¡± ¡°Come back after three days ¡ªno, within three days. I¡¯ll figure out a way for you to be able to live here safely before then.¡± Renier nodded back as she trembled. Many things had endangered her life before now, but this was the first time the danger was making her quiver from head to toe. She had a feeling that it would truly be a miracle if she somehow managed to survive this. ¡°Put on my clothes and wrap some cloth over your head. No one will be able to tell it¡¯s you from afar that way.¡± Gishzida quickly took off the clothes he was wearing. He gave her the long habit that high-ranking priests wore and a see-though linen shawl with gold embroidery. He wrapped his clothes over Renier¡¯s shoulders as he urged her to move. ¡°Put this on quickly and get on the horse! There¡¯s no time to waste!¡± Renier saw Gishzida¡¯s blindingly pale and smooth skin and the bright red scabs on his back when he turned around to bring the horse closer. Renier immediately squeezed her eyes shut. Oh gods¡­¡­. She also caught a glimpse of his arm, which had been curious about for quite some time now. His arm had looked just fine before, but it was covered in ugly scars from wrist to elbow now. He really was hiding it behind a camouflage ngak so it wouldn¡¯t bother me. Renier clasped her hands over her mouth as she swallowed back her cries. ¡°Hide outside the forest for three days ¡ªjust until the festival is over. I¡¯ll do everything in my power to figure out how to counter the galtir¡¯s ngak by then. Renier? Don¡¯t cry! Pull yourself together and look at me! Trust me! The fire ngak will activate in three days, so you must return to me before then without fail.¡± ¡°Lord Gishzida! Sniff, sooob! But what about you, Lord Gishzida?! What if the galtir kills you for helping me escape?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me! Just go!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together, Lord Gishzida. We should run away together!¡± Gishzida froze in his tracks just then. His eyes opened wide, and his sapphire pupils within seemed to swallow Renier whole. Renier could not read the emotions carried within them for the life of her. ¡°¡­¡­I need to stop them from chasing you. And I need to do something about the galtir here so you can be safe after you¡¯ve come back. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Gishzida. I¡¯m so sorry, Lord Gishzida! Because of me, you¡­! It¡¯s all my fault!¡± ¡°I should be the only apologizing to you. I shouldn¡¯t have bought you that day. You have no idea how much I¡­¡­.¡± He bit down hard at his lip and swallowed back the sounds that had been about to leave this throat, and then, through gritted teeth, he added, ¡°All this time¡­¡­I¡¯m truly sorry I was never able to tell you.¡± Eventually, Renier grabbed onto his arm and began to wail. How could she had misunderstood someone like him so badly? How could she have ever distrusted him? Through her sobbing, Renier said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll come back to repay this debt without fail if I manage to survive today. I¡¯ll give you my life and the rest of the time I have to live in return for everything you¡¯ve done for me, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I see, thank you. I accept your promise. But you know that you have to survive in order to keep it, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll came back after three days without fail.¡± Gishzida wrapped his hands tightly around Renier¡¯s damp cheeks and pulled her close. ¡°May Kittu, the great warrior of the heavenly realm, and divine Armanu watch over you¡­¡­. Survive, and come back to me without fail, Renier.¡± Then, he pulled her in and hugged her tight. Renier opened her eyes wide. Both his actions and the look on his face right now were so unfamiliar to her. His blindingly pale, icy blue, and deeply crimson features were boiling with a heat that Renier had thought hadn¡¯t existed in him at all until now. She could feel his desire for her so unbelievably clearly when their bodies pressed against each other. What on earth? Has Lord Gishzida been hiding this inside himself this entire time? A chill ran down her spine. Renier was so frightened that she felt like she was going to be petrified. But she desperately stopped her limbs from defying him and pushing him away as hard as she could. He had always respected her and had been patient with her. She could not bring herself to struggle against him and reject the feelings that he was only briefly letting show while their lives were in danger. It¡¯s Lord Gishzida. I can accept him. After all, I¡­¡­. ¡°Lord Gish¡­¡­mmph!¡± Gishzida pulled Renier¡¯s face closer and kissed her. Renier had always thought that kisses were soft and sweet, but his lips were rough, dry, and hot. He squeezed his eyes shut and gasped for air as he devoured her lips. And Renier¡¯s tears and sniffles seeped into his lips in but an instant. *** Gishzida made his way over to the rocks where the priests were lying once Renier had disappeared from view. He staggered because the wounds on his back were growing feverish, and he was dizzy. Every step he took made him feel like the earth below him was lurching upward. But he had work he needed to finish. Minn¨¨ and two other ishibs whose names he did not even know had likely died after having their necks broken, and Jada was still breathing ¡ªas he¡¯d expected of her¡ª but she was likely to perish soon because she¡¯d lost too much blood. Gishzida looked down at Jada and coolly said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry this had to happen, En-Nugig Jada.¡± Jada¡¯s lips quivered. Gishzida couldn¡¯t hear what she was saying, but he didn¡¯t need to hear her to know what she was saying. Gently, he whispered in her ear, ¡°Your ability to manifest ngak is unparalleled in the Golden Forest. You were more than skilled enough to challenge the galtir yourself, so why did you place yourself at his beck and call only to die such a vain death?¡± ¡®Shut up!¡¯ ¡°Did you really believe that the galtir would look your way if you devoted your entire life to him? Galtir Kiros doesn¡¯t even trust you or depend on you. He¡¯s nothing but a distrustful old goat.¡± ¡®Shut up, you wicked liar. Doubt and loneliness are the curse of every Guardian of the Forest ¡ªnot even Kittu himself could escape it. Aren¡¯t you trying to use that poor child yourself?¡¯ The smile was wiped off Gishzida¡¯s face. He grinded his teeth audibly as he replied, ¡°What does it matter to you what I may think of that child or what I decide to do with her?¡± ¡®¡­¡­What?¡¯ ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be worrying about yourself first before you start worrying about her? What the Golden Forest needs most right now is a sacrifice for the ritual. Don¡¯t you already know this, Jada?¡± ¡®Y-you bastard, what are you¡­?!¡¯ ¡°Sur.¡± Buzz ¡ªthe air vibrated and shook. Gishzida pressed his hand down flat against the air and smiled frigidly as he continued, ¡°It¡¯s a shame that I have to crush your features when you were once one of the most beautiful individuals in the Golden Forest ¡ªeven the galtir favored you for your beauty in the past. But you¡¯ll be at least a little grateful to me since you won¡¯t have to suffer for too long, right? May you become Armanu¡¯s holy body, bless the forest, and find repose in Armanu¡¯s embrace. You¡¯ve worked hard, Jada.¡± Crunch, creak. Bones were being crushed audibly. Jada¡¯s mouth fell agape and her eyes opened wide as blood poured out from them. Her face began contorting bizarrely as Gishzida moved his hands. She stopped struggling altogether after a strange crunching and tearing sound escaped her lips. ¡°Dilib Pesh.¡± Jada¡¯s features were crushed beyond recognition, and her head suddenly flipped back. Swish, swish ¡ªher silky golden hair, which had been tied up neatly, was audibly cut away. Gishzida cut Jada¡¯s hair so that it was around the same length that Renier¡¯s had been, and then he waved his hand again and recited yet another en. ¡°Girikur Su Dilib.¡± Jada¡¯s shortened hair quickly turned the same shade of brown as Renier¡¯s. Then, Gishzida unclothed Jada, made a large burn scar on her left chest that reached all the way to her shoulder, and then dressed her in the clothes that Renier had been wearing. After that, he took the clothes of a dead priest and put them on. ¡°Gur.¡± He lifted Jada¡¯s corpse into the air and began walking toward the temple and the divine tree Armanu. His breathing grew increasingly ragged, and he felt like his back was exuding heat. He quickened his pace as he played as series of long and short whistles into the air. Piiii, fweee, fwee, pii. Pii. I found the runaway sacrifice. I caught the runaway sacrifice. Piii, pii. Who caught her? Whistles sounded from all throughout the forest at once. Gishzida waited for a moment of silence before he replied. Fweee. Pii, piii. Piiii, fwee, fwee. Pii. En-Ishib Gishzida. I¡¯ve killed the rebellious sacrifice. Everyone was already standing around the altar by the time Gishzida walked over to Armanu wearing torn clothing and with the corpse floating behind him. The incense was no longer burning, and everyone had come back to their senses. It was so quiet that even the birds weren¡¯t chirping. Gishzida laid the corpse down and bowed reverently to the galtir. The galtir was quivering as he looked down at the horribly disfigured corpse. He groaned quietly. ¡°How dare you, Gishzida?¡± Gishzida had made an effort to disguise her, but there was no reason why the galtir wouldn¡¯t be able to distinguish between the sacrifice, whom he had just concluded the sex ritual with, and Jada, whom he had once favored. But Gishzida only smiled nonchalantly as he explained, ¡°I caught the slave while she was trying to flee the forest on horseback. I needed to use fire and weaponry to suppress her because she was resisting too fiercely, but I judged that it was still better to drag her back here than to let the sacrifice escape.¡± ¡°I applaud your hard work, En-Ishib Gishzida. Bring the sacrifice here. I will resume the ritual.¡± The galtir managed to rein in his fury even as he quivered in anger. Her face had been crushed, but finishing the ritual with a corpse was still the best way to cover things up. Gishzida simply grinned instead of handing the corpse over, and then he walked up to the galtir and loudly said, ¡°But what shocked me the most was that, before she ended up like this, the sacrifice told me that the sex ritual today failed to take place. I don¡¯t believe her, of course, but isn¡¯t this something we should verify?¡± The people gathered around them began whispering quietly. The galtir gritted his teeth and quivered. The fact that the slave had run away was already enough to smear mud on the galtir¡¯s authority and dignity, so to think that he had failed to carry out the sex ritual of the wedding ceremony to pray for a bountiful harvest too. The divine tree Armanu¡¯s partner must always be the individual who was the healthiest and most overflowing with virility. Loudly, the galtir shouted back, ¡°Anyone who disrupts the ritual with their wicked lies will lose their heads where they stand!¡± ¡°Who is lying and who is telling the truth¡­¡­?¡± Gishzida took a step closer to the tree. Then, he raised his hand and slowly caressed one of Armanu¡¯s branches before he suddenly clenched a long and thick branch that had started glowing. He continued, ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask Armanu herself?¡± The branch broke with an audible snap. Several people gasped. The blood drained from the galtir¡¯s face. ¡°What is the meaning of this?!¡± Gishzida brushed off the stray twigs that was attached to his branch before he pointed it at the galtir. ¡°Armanu does not desire a guardian who is too old to plow her fields and plant his seed, Kiros.¡± ¡°Gishzidaaa!¡± The priests stopped stirring and instantaneously fell silent. No one had ever called Galtir Kiros by only his given name ever since he had become the galtir. A challenger had appeared to challenge the galtir of the Golden Forest for the first time in a truly long while. Volume 1 - CH 15 TRIGGER WARNING: Graphic Content It was wholly Armanu¡¯s right to choose a galtir. Both the galtir and the challenger had to lay down their weapons and were not permitted to use ngak so that they could be certain about whom Armanu had chosen, and the only weapons they were permitted to use were the golden branches that were known as Armanu¡¯s Fingers. Normally, the younger and stronger of the two would become the next galtir if they only weapons permitted were tree branches, but Armanu¡¯s choice was never that simple. Kiros, the current galtir, had killed the previous galtir and become the Guardian of the Forest when he was just twenty, and he had ruled over the Golden Forest for forty years since. Dozens of priests had challenged him during his reign. Some of them had broken off Armanu¡¯s branches in broad daylight, while others had tried to assassinate him in his bedchambers inside the temple in the dead of night. But none of them had managed to kill Kiros. He had been chosen by Armanu even after his glistening golden hair had turned brittle and white, and the priests had stopped challenging him altogether after conceding that he possessed Armanu¡¯s wholehearted favor. This had lasted ten years. The galtir also broke off a golden branch and brushed off any stray twigs. Everyone else took a step back, then another. The priests were taut with nervousness and watched with bated breath because this was the first time that anyone had challenged the sitting Guardian of the Forest in front of so many people. Galtir Kiros was ashen-faced as he walked up to Gishzida and extended his arm. ¡°Haah!¡± Two branches of different lengths clashed against each other and shook. The galtir¡¯s branch was longer, while Gishzida¡¯s branch was shorter and thicker. Their duel was closer to a melee involving punches, kicks, and other blows associated with hand-to-hand combat because the golden branches began breaking after just a few blows and were not very useful as weapons. But neither of them let go of their respective branches. After all, their victory would not be determined by the physical outcome of their fight but by Armanu¡¯s choice. The priests and the believers held their silence in terror as they bore witness to the duel. Gasp, gasp, gasp. The galtir¡¯s breathing was terribly ragged, and cold sweat was pouring down Gishzida¡¯s forehead. There was no way that the galtir could best the younger Gishzida with physical strength alone. But Gishzida was also unwell because he had recently been flogged. He hadn¡¯t even had the time to properly rest and recover, the wounds on his back continued to fester and grow feverish, and it was still difficult for him to move his burned arm freely too. It was hard for Gishzida to remain on his feet because the wounds on his back reopened with every large movement he made and because the galtir was targeting his back specifically. He grew dizzier as the wounds on his back opened up with an audible pop every time he moved too much, and blood began pouring down his back. Gishzida glowered and gritted his teeth. Even the sunlight felt like a blade being scraped against his back. He could not let this drag out for too long. ¡°Haah!¡± The galtir¡¯s long branch shot toward Gishzida¡¯s chest once again. Red droplets of blood splattered everywhere as a wound appeared on Gishzida¡¯s chest as if a knife had sliced him. Gishzida took one step back, then two, as he pressed down hard against the wound. ¡­¡­I knew he was using silent en. Gishzida raised his head and looked straight ahead as his lips twisted oddly. The galtir charged straight at him while brandishing his branch. ¡°Die, Gishzida!¡± Suddenly, Gishzida threw the branch he had been holding at the galtir. The branch swished through the air and planted itself squarely in between the charging galtir¡¯s ribs. Several people in the crowd gasped. The galtir, who had been running toward Gishzida in an attempt to bash in the latter¡¯s head, crumpled to the ground. ¡°C-cough, cough, G-Gishzi¡­¡­.¡± Gishzida flipped over the galtir, who had fallen on his face, with his foot and pulled free the branch that had pierced his lungs. The galtir¡¯s blood vessels were audibly ripped apart as blood gushed from his wound. Cough, hack, cough. His white beard was quickly dyed scarlet. Smash. Gishzida then drove his branch through the galtir¡¯s neck and twisted it as he whispered in the galtir¡¯s ear, ¡°I guess none of the bastards who challenged you before managed to figure out that you were using silent en. But I¡¯ve known ever since I was seven.¡± ¡°¡­¡­G-gasp, hack.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why I¡¯ve been practicing how to use silent en too for the last ten years ¡ªall in preparation for this moment.¡± He heard the galtir gritting his teeth. ¡°¡­¡­Did you think¡­¡­it was only me?¡± The dying man¡¯s lips twisted. His lips began moving behind his bloodied beard. Gishzida narrowed his eyes and he read the galtir¡¯s silent sneers. Every galtir has used silent en. I used it, and so did you. And so too will the next galtir after you. No, technically speaking, it¡¯s only those who know how to use silent en who have a chance at becoming the galtir in the first place. Armanu¡¯s choice? What bullshit. Kiros bent his head back and laughed soundlessly. There was a wintry look on Gishzida¡¯s face as he pulled free the bloody branch. Kiros¡¯ head was severed from his body as if he had been decapitated by a blade. Gishzida had noticed that the galtir was deceiving everyone by using silent en for a long time now. It was said that anyone who used other weapons or manifested ngak during the duel would be cursed to die on the spot for defying ¡®Armanu¡¯s choice.¡¯ But Kiros, who had secretly been using en, had always been the survivor of any duels he had been involved in, as had been every other galtir before him. Each galtir had begun their new lives as the Guardian of the Forest by learning that Armanu¡¯s curse held no power. ¡°Thank you for all your hard work until now, Kiros. May you rest in peace in Armanu¡¯s embrace.¡± Gishzida was neither smiling nor did he seem excited as he dug out the fallen man¡¯s heart and held it high in the air. The crowd began stirring hesitantly at first, but it eventually broke out into a loud cheer. ¡°Whoaaaaaa!¡± ¡°A¡­a new Guardian is born!¡± ¡°Armanu¡¯s Fingers had chosen a new Guardian!¡± Gishzida ripped apart Kiros¡¯ still-twitching heart and scattered its pieces around the tree. Galtir, Galtir ¡ªthe loud cheering rippled all throughout the forest like a wave. Anyone who became the Guardian of the Forest lost their old name and was only called ¡®Galtir.¡¯ This was because the galtir must live only as the Guardian of the Forest and Arnamu¡¯s spouse. The priests and believers who were gathered there roared loudly as they welcomed the beautiful young man who had just become the new Guardian of the Forest. Armanu would surely give them more of her blessings and bounty if her spouse was young and full of virility. The new Galtir, who was covered head to toe in blood, climbed up the altar and spread open his arms as he loudly proclaimed, ¡°We will continue the ritual for Armanu! Sound the drums! Place the sacrifice in the wagon!¡± Boom boom boom boom, dum dum dum dum. The people became entranced yet again as the beating of the drums grew quicker. Jada¡¯s corpse was placed inside the wagon, and the priests who had been nearby pulled the wagon instead of the beautifully decorated horse that had pulled it before. The wagon slowly began circling around the forest. The priests standing near the wagon took the corpse¡¯s blood and sprinkled it over the earth, and they tore off chunks of the corpse¡¯s flesh and tossed them to the believers. The believers flocked to the wagon as it moved in order to catch the pieces of Armanu¡¯s body, which symbolized grace and was the proof of her blessing. The new galtir stood atop the altar as he looked down at the scene with no emotion on his face. The people looked like a horde of demons as they swarmed around the wagon, tore of chunks of the corpse¡¯s flesh, and stuffed it in their mouths. Nothing about what was happening suggested a perfect union with Armanu. The corpse inside the wagon disappeared in no time at all as Gishzida quietly looked down at the plaza, save for her bright red bones, her hair, and scraps of her white clothing that was now dyed in the brilliant color of blood. ¡°Sound the drums!¡± The drums began beating loudly once more. The people chanted Armanu¡¯s and Kittu¡¯s names as they began singing in chorus. The incense was being burned again, and its scent permeated the plaza to the brim, and the people who had seen the sacrifice¡¯s blood began jumping around in excitement. The full-scale madness had begun. *** ¡°The galtir didn¡¯t cast that ngak on you. The sacrifices are Armanu¡¯s body¡­¡­so the g-galtir can¡¯t cast any ngak on them¡­¡­.¡± It was Minn¨¨ who was blocking Renier¡¯s path. Minn¨¨ had seemingly died instantly after being hurled against the rocks, but she had managed to keep her life by casting defensive ngak just before the attack had landed. But she had broken several bones, and her consciousness had faded in and out because of how much blood she had lost. She had watched quietly like a corpse, with her bones still broken, as Gishzida murdered Jada, her friend and colleague, in cold blood, and then she had cast floating ngak on herself after he had left and had just barely managed to catch up to Renier on horseback. ¡°All the galtir did¡­¡­was to mark you as a sacrifice to the forest. The one who shackled you by filling the brand with a ngak¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Shackled me? ¡­¡­Lady Minn¨¨?!¡± ¡°Was none other than Gishzida.¡± Minn¨¨, who had been desperately holding out on the horse, eventually tumbled to the ground. She continued, ¡°I saw him¡­¡­casting a ngak over your brand. What did he say when he was casting it?¡± ¡°He said that there was a curse on my brand that would melt my heart if I left the forest, and that he cast a ngak over it to delay the curse by three days. He told me hide for now and come back later¡­¡­.¡± ¡°There is no such thing as an en that can delay someone else¡¯s ngak. Did his en sound something like¡­¡­Tab¡­¡­Guea Esh Anba?¡± Renier opened her eyes wide as she nodded back. How did Lady Minn¨¨ know? Heh, hahaha. Minn¨¨ threw her mouth open and cackled. Then, she said, ¡°I knew it ¡ªhe shacked you at the first chance he got. Yeah, that¡¯s Gishzida for you. He¡¯s as wise as the Black Dragon, as cunning as a snake¡­¡­and he¡¯s skilled at secrecy and deceit¡­¡­. That¡¯s who Gishzida is.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Lord Gishzida isn¡¯t that kind of person!¡± Renier shook her head furiously. She knew that Lord Gishzida loathed mudpeople, but she was also certain that she was precious to him and that he cared for her. This was what Renier chose to believe. ¡°You foolish thing. Do you know¡­¡­what that en even means? It means, ¡®to manifest three days later.¡¯ It¡¯s a ¡®fire ngak¡¯ that¡¯ll kill you after three days. You¡¯re a mudperson, and yet you trust a Fundamentalist whose hatred for mudpeople runs deep inside his very bones ¡ªyou must be out of your mind¡­¡­.¡± Minn¨¨¡¯s speech was gradually growing slower. She continued, ¡°Gishzida¡¯s greatest¡­¡­skill isn¡¯t his ngak but his ability to scheme and manipulate people. Shouldn¡¯t that be obvious¡­¡­seeing that he¡¯s managed to climb to such a high position despite being the galtir¡¯s greatest nemesis?¡± ¡°What do you¡­¡­?!¡± ¡°He¡¯s amazingly skilled at using other people¡¯s weaknesses and guilty consciences against them, and he¡¯s more than capable of concealing his hatred and smiling seamlessly if he needs to. Did he not perfectly manage to hide his hatred of mudpeople before you, and did he not show you the wounds he suffered for your sake whenever he stood to benefit from doing so?¡± ¡°No, L-Lord Gishzida, he¡­¡­he wouldn¡¯t do that do me.¡± ¡°Then again, you girls adored Gishzida without question ¡ªit was astounding, really. None of you ever realized that he put you under our care because of how much he hated dealing with you lowly mudpeople.¡± Minn¨¨ snorted even though she was struggling to breathe. Renier opened her eyes wide as she observed Minn¨¨. It¡¯s not true ¡ªLady Minn¨¨ must be lying, Renier desperately denied Minn¨¨¡¯s claims. Or at least, she tried to. But there was nothing she could do about the fact that something cold was beginning to seep inside her heart. Lord Gishzida may have been endlessly kind and gentle, but he had still tried to pretend that he¡¯d gotten her pregnant without telling her, and it was true that he, who she knew harbored a deep-seated hatred for mudpeople, had suddenly started acting like he¡¯d turned over a new leaf out of nowhere. It was also true that Renier¡¯s guilty conscience had strung when she had seen his injuries earlier. No, that was just coincidence. He didn¡¯t do it on purpose! Renier could not deny it no matter how hard she tried. She had most certainly heard the words ¡®Tab Guea Esh Anba¡¯ coming out from Lord Gishzida¡¯s mouth. If that en really means that my brand will ¡®manifest three days later¡¯¡­¡­. ¡­¡­But why? Why would Lord Gishzida do something like that? Renier¡¯s lips were quivering. A sharp voice began screaming at her that she mustn¡¯t trust him even though she desperately wanted to. It would¡¯ve been so much easier if she could just believe that Lady Minn¨¨ was lying. But the shivers running down her spine felt too ominous. Renier slowly and hesitantly walked up to Minn¨¨, helped her sit up, rested Minn¨¨¡¯s head on her arm, and, with a tremble in her voice, asked, ¡°B-but Lady Minn¨¨, how did you know¡­¡­that the ngak he cast on me was a fire ngak?¡± Minn¨¨ began cackling eerily as she rested her head against Renier¡¯s arm. Renier endured her laughter for a very long time before she finally answered, ¡°I have the same ngak cast on me. Several other people have that ngak cast on them too. Galtir Kiros cast them on us a long time ago.¡± What on earth? Renier was partially stunned as she leaned closer to hear the words that kept flowing out from Minn¨¨¡¯s lips. Minn¨¨ continued, ¡°The galtir branded¡­¡­the priests who were his closest guards with the same brand used on slaves and cast a fire¡­¡­ngak on our brands. So that we could never betray him or run away. Do you really think that someone who lusted after the galtir¡¯s position like Gish¡­¡­zida wouldn¡¯t have learned about something so good?¡± Renier¡¯s eyes opened wide as her gaze trailed down to Minn¨¨¡¯s chest. Her outer garments had been singed here and there because of Gishzida¡¯s attacks and her front was open, so it was easy for Renier to find the brand on her chest when she looked down. Renier¡¯s lips quivered. I can¡¯t believe this. How is this possible? I may be a mudperson slave, but the priests are Celestials, and Lady Minn¨¨ is an en-nugig. Even the galtir shouldn¡¯t be able to do something like this to a high-ranking priestess. There was a tremble in Renier¡¯s voice as she asked, ¡°Why did you let him do this to you, Lady Minn¨¨?¡± Minn¨¨ hesitated for a moment, and then she slowly closed her eyes and steadied her breathing before she calmly replied, ¡°We¡­our sin was that we loved Kiros¡­¡­and that we trusted him. We believed that he would never dance to the Fundamentalists¡¯ insane tune¡­¡­and that he would rule realistically and mercifully and bring prosperity to the Golden Forest. I severed my blood ties and abandoned even my own self for him.¡± Oh, oh gods. ¡°We were sad that the galtir was destined to a life of solitude¡­¡­and that he was suffering so much because of his doubts, and we hated the situation for making it so that he couldn¡¯t accept our love and loyalty and so that he couldn¡¯t trust us. That¡¯s why¡­¡­.¡± Renier had to stoop down lower and lower because Minn¨¨¡¯s voice was gradually growing as quiet as a mosquito¡¯s wings. ¡°Then, will I have to come back here after three days and never be able to leave the Golden Forest again?¡± ¡°That¡¯s your choice to make. But¡­¡­what I can tell you as someone who fell victim under the same curse before you¡­¡± Minn¨¨ shivered as she continued speaking until she began coughing up blood. Her injuries were apparently worse than they appeared. But she stopped Renier from trying to wipe away the blood and desperately continued, ¡°We sincerely loved Kiros and tried to protect him, but he wasn¡¯t able to trust us after he became the galtir, and he wasn¡¯t able to break free from his dreadful loneliness either. Because we were also priests, and that meant that we could also become the galtir at any time. And we were good at killing too.¡± Renier lamented. Their emotions were so unbelievably bizarre and twisted. The mistrust and the horrible solitude that accompanied the position of the Guardian of the Forest was particularly unbelievable to her. ¡°Then, why did Lord Gishzida cast the en on me, Lady Minn¨¨? There¡¯s no reason for him to do that¡­¡­.¡± Minn¨¨ opened her eyes and asked, ¡°Did you¡­make him some kind of promise?¡± ¡­¡­A promise? Yes. Renier had made Gishzida a promise. She had done so twice, in fact. Renier lowered her head and gritted her teeth as she recalled what she had promised him. Minn¨¨¡¯s words were making everything slowly fall into place. Renier felt like the inside of her head was melting like butter. ¡°I promised him that¡­¡­I¡¯d protect him¡­¡­with my life. That I¡¯d give him my life and the rest of the time I have to live in repay the debt I owe him¡­¡­.¡± ¡°And there you go. You walked into his trap yourself, just like we did! C-c-cough!¡¯ Minn¨¨ laughed through her coughing as she clutched Renier¡¯s clothes. Then, she continued, ¡°Gishzida knows fully well about the solitude and mistrust that has ruined so many galtirs. That¡¯s why he chose a mudperson, and not a priest, to guard him from his side. He chose you because you have special feelings for him and you¡¯re highly skilled, and most importantly, because you can¡¯t challenge him to become the galtir yourself.¡± ¡°B-but there¡¯s still no reason for him to do this to me¡­¡­. There¡¯s no way that he would¡­¡­.¡± Minn¨¨ ignored Renier¡¯s pitiful protests and simply continued laughing. ¡°Ha, c-cough, haha, to think that Gishzida of all people would decide to keep a mudperson by his side ¡ªwhat a sight to behold.¡± Renier grabbed Minn¨¨¡¯s bloody hand as she swallowed back her sobs. She couldn¡¯t believe any of this, nor did she want to. But why would anyone lie so urgently when they were about to die? Renier didn¡¯t know. She really didn¡¯t know anything. Renier clenched her jaw and frantically shook her head, and Minn¨¨ took a ragged breath and began moving her lips again. She said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen the fire ngak¡­¡­that Gishzida cast before. The ngak the galtir cast on is only one color, a light brown, but Gishzida¡¯s ngak was two colors ¡ªcrimson and brown. You should¡­¡­check your chest later. Though I doubt that you¡¯ll want to believe what you see, even until the bitter end.¡± ¡°Lady Minn¨¨¡­ Sob, ahh, what, what should I do if you¡¯re right? How do I free myself from the fire ngak?¡± She could barely hear Minn¨¨¡¯s voice anymore. Most of Minn¨¨¡¯s voice just sounded like the wind now because it was so mixed into her raspy breathing. Renier frantically tried to understand what Minn¨¨ was trying to say by reading the latter¡¯s lips. ¡®There are only two ways to free yourself from the fire ngak. The first, is to stay here in the forest forever and live in hiding until the day you die, and the second, is to cross the Naaru River near Ninurgal City and go to the Northlands.¡¯ ¡°The Northlands?¡± ¡®Yes. The twelve beastmen tribes live scattered amongst the Whitesalt Mountains in the Northlands. They say that we Celestials¡¯ ngak can¡¯t manifest in the land of the beasts because the land is dark and barbaric.¡¯ ¡°But Lady Minn¨¨, it takes three days to get to the Northlands even by horse.¡± ¡®Take my horse. You might be able to make it within three days if you ride north all day and night long.¡¯ ¡°T-then, does that mean that I¡¯ll have to live in the Northlands for the rest of my life?¡± ¡®You could also wait until the person who cast the ngak on you changes his mind on his deathbed. I know that you want to believe that person is Kiros, but¡­¡­.¡¯ Renier was so bewildered she thought she might go insane. Who am I supposed to trust when the person I want to trust and the person I need to trust aren¡¯t the same person? Minn¨¨ vomited more blood as she smiled and continued, ¡°Jada and I, we¡­¡­we pitied you girls. That¡¯s why¡­¡­we tried to give you the best lives we could before you had to die, but we also tried so hard not to love you. We¡­¡­were afraid that any warmth we showed you would make you r-regret your deaths even more.¡± ¡°Lady Minn¨¨¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡­¡­hurt so much to send you girls to the ritual. So it makes me so glad to see¡­¡­that you managed to survive.¡± ¡°Lady Minn¨¨! Lady Minn¨¨? Please pull yourself together, Lady Minn¨¨!¡± Renier grabbed Minn¨¨¡¯s hand and began sobbing. Minn¨¨ raised her shaky hand and placed it on Renier¡¯s head. Her feeble breathing suddenly became rapid. And, with her final breath, Minn¨¨ gave the very last, most ardent, and longest blessing of her life. ¡°May An of heaven, Ninhursag, the merciful mother, Enlil of the air, Enki of the earth and the tree of life, Nanna of the moon, Utu of the sun, and Inanna, the goddess of harvest and war, protect you from the clutches of greedy Armanu and the Kittu the Fallen¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Lady Minn¨¨! Sob, sooob! Lady Minn¨¨!¡± Renier hugged the dying priestess tight and wailed. Her tears mixed into her nausea and made a mess of her. Minn¨¨¡¯s final blessing flowed from her lips. ¡°Never step foot in the forest again, and may you find peace.¡± *** Renier reached the Naaru River, which marked the boundary between the Southlands and the Northlands, just before her three days were up. Behind her were the Ghana Plains, the granary of the north, and vividly before her eyes were the Whitesalt Mountains, which stood so tall that they seemed to hold up the sky itself. Her waist and buttocks hurt so much she thought they were going to shatter, and she couldn¡¯t feel them properly. She had ridden donkeys before while herding sheep, but this was the first time she had ever ridden a horse for such a long stretch of time. The horse, which had been racing for three days straight, shook its head as it breathed raggedly. Renier thought that she was going to be driven crazy by her doubt that going to the Northlands was truly the right thing to do now that the Naaru River was right before her very eyes. She bit down at her lip as she muttered, ¡°What do I do? Do I really have to go to the Northlands?¡± She didn¡¯t believe that Lady Minn¨¨ had lied as she lay dying, but she also still fervently wanted to trust Lord Gishzida. Renier knew without a doubt, thanks to the kiss he had given her as they parted, that the depth of Lord Gishzida¡¯s feelings for her exceeded any ¡®favor he had for his favorite slave.¡¯ How much had someone as noble and arrogant as he had to endure before he¡¯d finally acknowledged his own emotions? Renier stood at a loss as she found herself in front of the small boat by the riverside. He only did it because he likes me so much. Because he couldn¡¯t bear to lose me, because he wanted to make sure that we could meet again. Lady Minn¨¨ wasn¡¯t lying either ¡ªshe was probably just mistaken. He told me to come back in three days. And I promised him that I would. Shouldn¡¯t I go back and see if what Lady Minn¨¨ told me was true for myself? Should I turn back, even if only now? Where will I live if I do? Will I have to stay by Lord Gishzida¡¯s side forever, in hiding and never able to leave the forest again? ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Her thoughts were cut short. Renier fell off her horse when her chest suddenly began hurting so much it felt like something was stabbing her. ¡°Argh, ahhhh! It hurts!¡± Renier clutched her chest as she rolled around the mud. She felt like the red-hot iron was searing her chest where the brand was again. Renier¡¯s mind grew dark when she realized that the ngak had manifested. Shit! This is how the ngak manifests? Renier gnashed her teeth and pulled down her clothes to check her wound. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s really¡­¡­two colors?¡± The brand was glowing in two colors, crimson and brown, through the scabs that were beginning to form as it burned her flesh. She felt like a long and dull spear was skewering her brain. I tried so hard to convince myself that Lady Minn¨¨ was lying for past three days. The pain only grew worse as time passed. She pressed down against the brand, wet it with water, rolled around the dirt, and bit down at her lips so hard they bled ¡ªbut nothing made the pain go away. Her tears were flung everywhere every time she whipped her head from side to side as she flailed. ¡­¡­I need to suffer through this agony for three whole days before I finally die? She suddenly snapped back to her senses. The hesitation that had tormented for the last three days evaporated in no time at all. Maybe it¡¯s true that he loves me. Maybe the emotion that only just managed to sprout in my fearful heart shares the same name as his. But if he planted this agony inside me in order to make me go back, then I don¡¯t think this is love. If I have to go back to him in order to be free from this pain, then I don¡¯t think that¡¯s love either. It¡¯s not love when a slave succumbs to their master¡¯s whip and gets dragged away. But then¡­¡­how is the way that Lord Gishzida tricked me and placed this curse on me any different from the dirty men who tried to subdue me with their fists? Tears welled in Renier¡¯s eyes as she came to a realization that hurt her as much as the vivid pain itself. I let myself get dragged around by Goddess Inanna¡¯s oracle because I¡¯m just a helpless mudperson, but that doesn¡¯t mean I have to love her when she torments me. Lord Gishzida¡¯s no different. And I won¡¯t let there be two Goddess Inannas in my life. ¡°Sob, ugh, L-Lord Gishzida, ugh, ahhh¡­¡­.¡± Renier hugged the horse¡¯s neck with one hand and pressed hard against her burning chest with the other as she gritted her teeth. She couldn¡¯t tell which one hurt more: her chest or her heart. It was just¡­her chest hurt, her heart hurt, and everything else hurt too. Tears poured down Renier¡¯s cheeks as she used the ferryboat to cross the river. She used the headdress that Gishzida had given her to pay the ferryman. The Whitesalt Mountains, which seemed to pierce the heavens, felt so close to her now that she¡¯d crossed the river. The pain in her chest slowly started to fade with every step she took toward the mountains. But the agony that was surging from within only grew worse and worse. ¡ª Come back within three days. I¡¯ll figure out a way for you to be able to live here safely before then. ¡ª I¡¯ll come back after three days without fail. ¡ª I should be the only apologizing to you. I shouldn¡¯t have bought you that day. You have no idea how much I¡­¡­. All this time¡­¡­I¡¯m truly sorry I was never able to tell you. ¡ª I¡¯ll come back to repay this debt without fail if I manage to survive today. I¡¯ll give you my life and the rest of the time I have to live in return for everything you¡¯ve done for me, Lord Gishzida. Renier buried her face in her hands and wept as she walked toward Salt Mountain. It took over a day to walk to the mountain even though it looked so close, and Renier wept for three days as she walked toward it. She prayed for her disgusting tears to wash away any feelings she had left for him only to learn just how truly powerless her tears were. She pressed down against the pain that had transferred from her chest to her heart as hard as she could, but she still ended up crying for a very, very long time before she could finally stop thinking about him. Volume 1 - CH 16 ¡°Never forget. You offered your life to me, and you vowed to be mine, Renier.¡± ¡ª I¡¯ll give you my life and the rest of the time I have to live in return for everything you¡¯ve done for me, Lord Gishzida. Renier recalled what had happened three years ago as she looked up at the man standing before her. Surprisingly, she wasn¡¯t awe-struck even though he was still just as beautiful and mysterious as ever, and she also didn¡¯t feel anything ¡ªshe had always wondered whether she¡¯d want to spit curses at him or murder him if they ever met again. Renier¡¯s life was too short for her to have found many things that were precious to her, and the time she had spent living had been so tough that she¡¯d hardly had the leisure to dare utter the word love, yet every man she had ever loved or she thought had loved her had betrayed her and tried to kill her. However, the conclusion she had reached three years prior was thrown into chaos when she saw the tears welling up in his eyes and threatening to overflow as he pulled her into his embrace, and she watched his long eyelashes growing damp from his tears, and as she heard the stifled sniffles in his throat as he swallowed them back. ¡°You were safe. Thank you, Renier. That¡¯s enough for me. Thank you, Armanu. Thank you.¡± Thick rivers of tears flowed down his cheeks as he squeezed his eyes shut. Renier looked up at him vacantly. The proper response to seeing a Celestial shedding tears over a mudperson was probably to be awed and throw herself down to his feet in gratitude, but Renier no longer wanted to do that. Oh, right. She said that he¡¯s the kind of person who had conceal his hatred and smile like nothing¡¯s wrong, right? That he¡¯s good at using other people¡¯s weaknesses and guilty conscience against them. ¡­¡­Then again. He¡¯s the same man who completely fooled me even in that short and urgent duration of time. His feverish tears no longer melted the ice in her heart bur rather made her wonder endlessly whether they were real or just another disguise now that the seed of truth had been sprouted in her heart. Her heart slowly began to cool down. Renier looked up into his face and apathetically asked him, ¡°Is there anything you want to say to me, Lord Gishzida?¡± Gishzida flinched and wriggled for a bit before he relaxed his arms. Renier carefully choose her next words, just in case he¡¯d misunderstood her the first time, before she added, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that you have something else to say to me other than ¡®thank you for being safe.¡¯ ¡­¡­Something that you should¡¯ve been honest with me about three years ago.¡± Renier did not intend to blame him for buying her as a sacrifice. After all, that was the mission that the galtir had given him, and there was no way that he could¡¯ve declined. But the fact that he had tricked a young girl whose life had been in danger into swearing her loyalty to him and cursing her with a ngak was a different story altogether. He had shackled her with something that she would have to live with for the rest of her life. Renier would no longer be able to step foot in the rest of the wide world ever again because of the fire ngak. His curse was worse than even Inanna¡¯s oracle. Gishzida fell into a heavy silence instead of replying. I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s something you want to say. Do you really have nothing to say to me about the fire ngak you cast on me, Lord Gishzida? Renier questioned silently, and Gishzida pulled away from her and mumbled, ¡°Something I should¡¯ve been honest with you about three years ago?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Gishzida.¡± Ha¡­¡­haha. Gishzida began laughing with his tearstained face. His laughter didn¡¯t sound merry but rather empty, or perhaps even flustered. And it bewildered Renier all over again because his tearstained face under the moonlight didn¡¯t look sad but rather only beautiful. Quietly, his voice flowed from his lips, ¡°I suppose there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t say anymore. Very well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I love you, Renier.¡± Her head went blank. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears. It was so absurd, so pointless, and an emotion that she couldn¡¯t quite put to words began stirring up a storm within her before it promptly escaped her. Renier laughed blankly. She was so stunned that laughing was the only thing she could manage. Just how does he think I¡¯ll respond that he¡¯s telling me bullshit like this? Is this how he intends to cover up the fire ngak? Gishzida opened his eyes wide ¡ªperhaps he hadn¡¯t anticipated that Renier would start sneering at him¡ª, but he listened to Renier¡¯s laughter without a single word. ¡°Why are you like this¡­¡­?¡± Renier scowled as she did her best to suppress her emotions. I must not grow angry. Renier was painfully shackled to this man. She was not in a situation where she could express her ire. And yet, she could not stop the words that exploded out from within her. She continued, ¡°Why are you only saying this now? Were you not able to say that three years ago? Was it too hard for a noble Celestial like yourself to confess his love to a lowly mudperson like me? Did you spend the last three years practicing those words?¡± Gishzida¡¯s brows suddenly furrowed. Renier could not tell if the emotion on his mien was astonishment, disappointment, frustration, or something else entirely. He stepped back, turned away, and wiped down the mess on his face with his sleeve before he looked back up and said, ¡°I spent the last three years practicing¡­¡­?¡± He slowly repeated what Renier had said, and then he lowered his head and chuckled. He continued, ¡°¡­¡­Yes, I suppose I did.¡± Renier held back the urge to slap him across the haughty face of his. She was so sick and tire of this damn thing called love, and she knew that she must not let her anger explode. Calmly, she began confirming the things that had happened three years ago. ¡°Galtir Kiros marked me with a slave¡¯s brand three years ago, Lord Gishzida. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°But it was you who cast the fire ngak so that the brand would burn through my heart. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Gishzida froze. The warmth that had settled around him cooled rapidly. ¡°Who told you that?¡± ¡°Is that important? Are you going to drag them here and cut of their heads right now if I tell you?¡± Gishzida grabbed his forehead. He lowered his head and let out a short sigh now that he finally understood why Renier was reacting like this. Renier waited. She didn¡¯t know how she wanted him to answer ¡ªshe didn¡¯t know how she would feel if he admitted it, and she didn¡¯t know how she would feel if he denied it, and so, she simply waited quietly. ¡°Yes, it was me,¡± Gishzida admittedly it firmly instead of insisting Renier to tell him who had exposed him. Renier was neither angry nor surprised when she heard his answer. She felt like she had received a notice for the funeral of someone whom she already knew was dead. All she felt was that she was glad that he had at least not tried to dodge the issue by telling her another lie. ¡°I cast something terrible on you before you left all because I didn¡¯t want to lose you, and I regretted it dreadfully and it tormented me ever since. ¡­¡­I was planning to undo the ngak immediately once you came back in three days.¡± A heavy weight seemed to fall on Renier¡¯s chest as soon as she heard what followed. Gods. He was planning to undo it? Does he really mean that?¡¯ If he was telling the truth, then it meant that she could be freed from the fire ngak right now. Renier felt like her vision was fading white, and her voice was trembling as she asked, ¡°Can I¡­¡­really trust you?¡± ¡°Are you going to trust me just because I tell you to? The fact that it took you three years to return speaks volumes of your trust in me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t force trust. It¡¯s your choice whether you want to trust me or not.¡± His voice sounded a little heavier than it had before. His was a vague reply that could be answered either way. Renier could no longer read anything from his pale features. Had his pride been wounded by her unsatisfactory response? Was he angry? Or did he truly not care whether she trusted him or not? Then again, a Celestial like Gishzida was too high and lofty to beg a lowly mudperson slave wench for her love. Especially since he was also a radical Fundamentalist who loathed to even talk to regular humans. Renier pondered for a moment and smiled bitterly as she realized just how honeyed the idea that ¡®he might release me right away¡¯ was. Nothing would¡¯ve changed even if she had returned to him within three days. You weren¡¯t going to undo the ngak after all. Gishzida had been confined to house arrest for two years, so he hadn¡¯t been in a situation where he could hide and protect her or chase her down if she fled from his side. Had he believed that Renier would have stayed by his side even after he¡¯d released her from the ngak in that situation? Surely, Lord Gishzida was not that na?ve. But Renier forced herself to smile and nod back even still. She wasn¡¯t in any position to be picking fights with him just because she wasn¡¯t happy. The most important thing for her right now was to be freed from the fire ngak. She could only respond with the emotion he desire from her or forge the relationship with him that he wanted if he released her from the shackles that was the fire ngak. This was what Renier genuinely believed. She also had a feeling that this wouldn¡¯t be her only chance to be released from the ngak. And so, Renier gathered her breathing and closed her eyes as she politely responded, ¡°I¡¯ll trust you, Lord Gishzida. I¡¯ll keep my promise too. I¡¯ll protect you without fail. So, please release me from this ngak now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to ask me why I did it in the first place?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m not curious about that, Lord Gishzida.¡± In truth, Renier was afraid because she knew exactly how he would answer her if she asked. She did not want to hear him repeat the confession that he had practiced giving for years out of necessity. But Renier took a deep breath and conceded a step when she saw how his eyes were burning up. She said, ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m curious, but rather that I feel like I already know how you¡¯re going to answer.¡± ¡°¡­¡­And how do you think I¡¯m going to answer?¡± ¡°With, ¡®I love you, Renier. I couldn¡¯t bear the thought of losing you,¡¯ or, ¡®Please be understanding, since this is something necessary to complete the Celestials¡¯ sacred mission ¡ªyou should be honored.¡¯ That¡¯s how I think you¡¯ll answer,¡± Renier just barely managed to squeeze out, prompting Gishzida to throw his head back and guffaw. ¡°You surprise me. I didn¡¯t realize that the noblest of emotions or our sacred mission could sound so humble.¡± ¡°Not at all, Lord Gishzida ¡ªhow could a lowly slave such as I ever possibly deign to comprehend the noble and sacred mission of the Celestials? Please forgive me if I displeased you. I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± ¡°Nor did I ever realize that your mouth was capable of saying such cold and brutal words.¡± Renier was starting to grow anxious. The way that he continued to undermine her request and dodge the question infuriated her to no end. This was why she couldn¡¯t stop speaking even though she was fully aware that her manner of speech was becoming increasingly harsh. ¡°¡­¡­But not as cold or brutal as the things you did despite the kindness and gentleness of the words from your mouth, Lord Gishzida.¡± Gishzida took a moment to steady his breathing and shook his head dismally from side to side as he replied, ¡°What on earth must I do to make you trust that I¡¯m being sincere?¡± I¡¯ve already told you. I¡¯ve been telling you. Renier took a deep breath and swallowed back the large lump that was threatening to spill out from her throat as she spat out, ¡°Please apologize to me for tricking me about the ngak¡­¡­and please release me from it.¡± Renier held on to a glimmer of hope as she fervently looked up at Gishzida. She clung to the ridiculous expectation that he would ignore the fact that they were Celestial and slave and genuinely feel guilty about what he had done to her, and she believed that he had to release her from the ngak as a matter of course, if he truly loved her. Then, perhaps, they would be able to restart their relationship again anew. It surprised her that there was still a part of her that wanted to trust him. ¡°Very well. I am sorry,¡± he apologized immediately without any hesitation whatsoever. But his voice was so indifferent, like the smooth surface of a still lake, that she couldn¡¯t tell if he was actually apologizing or simply bidding goodnight. Renier blinked, and then he quietly continued, ¡°But I cannot release you from the ngak.¡± ¡°Why not?!¡± Renier shouted back despite herself. No. This can¡¯t be how it ends. You want me to live while hiding in the forest like some kind of bug? I don¡¯t want to go back to the Northlands. Please, please! Renier stomped her feet as she continued shouting, ¡°Why not?! You said you were sorry! You said that you were planning to release me three years ago! Please, Lord Giszhida. Please release the ngak. I don¡¯t want to live in hiding like some kind of bug or mole anymore.¡± She ended up in tears. But Gishzida firmly shook his head no even still. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t do that anymore. You promised me that you¡¯d be back in three days, but it took you three years to return. I can¡¯t trust you anymore.¡± ¡°Please, Lord Gishzida! I was wrong. I¡¯ll never do that again. Never ¡ªI¡¯ll swear this on my life. So please¡­¡± ¡°Renier! I told you not to apologize unconditionally when you don¡¯t actually think you¡¯ve done anything wrong.¡± But Renier couldn¡¯t stop begging even after Giszhida¡¯s stern warning. She threw herself at his legs. ¡°It was because I was too scared to come back. But I¡¯ll really keep my promise of my own will if you free me from the ngak. I won¡¯t take a single step outside unless you permit me to, Lord Gishzida, and I¡¯ll serve you faithfully. So please!¡± He roughly smacked Renier away from his legs instead of replying. Then, he began laughing as Renier fell over backward. His features crumpled as he laughed for a very long time. His laughter had used to feel so warm, but how it felt as cold and painful as Enlil¡¯s whip striking the Whitesalt Mountains. ¡°I suppose you went through a lot because of the ngak. I am sorry about it, and it breaks my heart. I don¡¯t know what I can do to quell your anger. You¡¯re free to get mad at me, curse at me, and even hit me until you feel better if you like. But I cannot release from the ngak right now.¡± ¡°Then do I have to live with this weighing down on me for the rest of my life? I don¡¯t want to ¡ªI¡¯ve already been shackled by Goddess Inanna¡¯s curse as it is. This is too much for me to bear. Please release me, Lord Gishzida!¡± Renier grabbed the hem of Gishzida¡¯s clothes and began wailing, and Gishzida took a step back and bitterly replied, ¡°I¡¯m not saying that I¡¯ll keep you shackled forever. I¡¯ll release you someday, Renier¡­¡­when the time comes. I promise you this.¡± ¡°A-and when will that time come?¡± Renier asked with anticipation with tears still welling in her eyes. Gishzida looked down at her quietly as he bitterly spat out, ¡°When I restore the Celestials to our glory and ascend to the heavens.¡± ¡­¡­Come again? The inside of Renier¡¯s mind exploded in white. Slap ¡ªGishzida¡¯s head turned sharply to one side. He staggered heavily, and the hat he had been wearing flew some distance away before finally rolling over the dirt. Renier gritted her teeth and continued brandishing her hand. She was ever so grateful that he¡¯d let her do this ¡ªhe probably hadn¡¯t actually expected her to go this far. Slap, slap, smack, slap, slap. Renier was small and she most certainly wasn¡¯t strong, but her slaps had bite. Gishzida made no move to protect his cheeks with his hands or avoid her blows, and he simple gritted his teeth and let her keep hitting him. His pale skin, as white as freshly milked goat milk, quickly became red and swollen, and the cascading waterfall of his golden hair became a disheveled mess. ¡°Your slaps sting quite a bit,¡± he mumbled while pressing against his cheeks. Renier glared right back at him. She didn¡¯t bother filtering her words, which had grown sharp and thorny during the three years she had spent living in the divine stone cave, as they poured out from her lips. ¡°Oh, thanks soo much. I¡¯m so grateful that you cared about and obsessed over a mudperson slave that you didn¡¯t even want to talk to at first, and that you had to practice for three whole years just to force yourself to say ¡®I love you¡¯ to that I don¡¯t know what to do with myself. Does decorum dictate that I have to confess to you too now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Very well. I don¡¯t love you, Lord Giszhida.¡± Renier saw Gishzida¡¯s subordinate warriors, who had been tying up the horses far in the distance, running over. Gishzida pressed his hands over his cheeks and squeezed his eyes shut as he quietly listened to what Renier had to say. Renier quickly said everything she wanted to say before the others arrived. ¡°And it¡¯s not only you, Lord Gishzida ¡ªI don¡¯t love any men or any male. All men disgust me after all the terrible things that I wish I never had to suffer not only in the Southlands and the Golden Forest but in the Northlands too.¡± ¡°The terrible things that you wish you never had to suffer¡­¡­,¡± Gishzida slowly repeated what Renier had said without any emotion in his voice. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t even see any point in blaming other people at this point. I¡¯ve vowed to live my life alone, hidden away from everyone else.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You vowed to live alone?¡± He was still only parroted what Renier had said, as if a part of his brain had suddenly gone empty. Adamantly, Renier replied, ¡°Yes. And I¡¯ll never be able to take back my vow either, since I said it before a high priest upon the names of Goddess Inanna, Enlil of the air, and Enki of the earth and the tree of life.¡± Renier had learned in the Northlands that it was easier to deal with priests if she leveraged the names of the great gods who decree fate. She continued, ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯ll never be able to get what you want from me even if you drag me back to the Golden Forest.¡± Renier couldn¡¯t hear his response. Two of Gishzida¡¯s guards had come in between them and were keeping them apart. ¡°How dare you?! What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± The men was probably neither a priest of the Golden Forest nor an outsider of the forest from the Southlands, but warriors from the West, judging by their curly black hair and strange accents. They drew their curved scimitars and pointed their blades at Renier. ¡°Lord Galtir! Are you all right, Lord Galtir?!¡± ¡°You bastard! Do you have a death wish? How dare you do that to the galtir?!¡± Renier felt like someone had hit her on the head with a hammer. What are they talking about? Galtir? ¡°Did they just¡­¡­call you the galtir?¡± Gishzida didn¡¯t reply. Renier turned to the two Western warriors who were pointing their blades at her and practically screamed at them as she asked, ¡°Lord Gishzida¡­did you just address him as the galtir and not as an en-ishib?¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯s the Lord Galtir, the Guardian of the Forest. Did you not know this?¡± Renier stumbled backward. She grew dizzy, and she suddenly felt like the earth had given way beneath her feet. Her head felt blank. The chills running down her back felt ominous. She needed to stop talking. She needed to stop asking questions. She would end up hearing things that she must never hear otherwise. ¡°When¡­¡­did you become the galtir?¡± But she couldn¡¯t not ask either. Gishzida still wasn¡¯t responding, so the Western warriors who were standing in front of him answered in his stead. ¡°He became the galtir during the spring festival three years ago. He caught the sacrifice who escaped the previous galtir and dragged her back to the ritual, and he challenged the previous galtir to a duel in front of many witnesses.¡± ¡°Armanu¡¯s Fingers chose a new galtir that day. There¡¯s not a soul in the Southlands who doesn¡¯t know about this. You seem to know the lord galtir well, so why do you still address him as an en-ishib?¡± Her vision began fading white again. It had happened on the day she had escaped. Lord Gishzida hadn¡¯t even been able to keep himself steady because he¡¯d still been badly wounded that day. But he¡¯d gone and challenged the galtir to a duel even still? Gishzida sent the two warriors back with a wave of his hand. It was only after the warriors were so far away that they couldn¡¯t possibly hear him that, in a boiling voice, he sued, ¡°I kept my promise to you.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I promised you that I¡¯d figure out a way for you to be able to stay safe within three days. And I kept that promise.¡± The strength left Renier¡¯s legs. She thought her legs were going to give out, but she somehow managed to stay upright. Gishzida continued, ¡°I was still so unwell that day when you escaped that I could barely manage to stand properly. My wounds reopened every time I moved, and I could barely see what was in front of me because I had such a high fever. And yet, I had to fight Kiros, who was using silent en, before hundreds and thousands of people while in that state. And Kiros¡¯ skill at using silent en was one of the best that the Golden Forest has ever known.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It was too early for me to considering challenging the previous galtir at the time because I didn¡¯t have many supporters back then. I would never have attempted something so crazy if I¡¯d been in my right mind. But I was blinded by my fear that you¡¯d never come back again after you ran away.¡± His quiet voice suddenly became unsteady. He continued, ¡°And about how I cast the fire ngak on you ¡ªyes! It was pathetic and cowardly of me. I was being greedy, and it was wrong of me. I regretted it bitterly after I sent you away like that! I felt like my insides were burning to ash whenever I wondered what happened to you, whenever I thought that you¡¯d died every day these past three years¡­¡­. No, that¡¯s enough. You probably don¡¯t want to hear any of this either. But in any event, I was sorry this entire time.¡± ¡°Lord Gishzida¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I was planning to apologize for what I did and release the ngak I cast on you as soon as you returned. I had no choice but to challenge the galtir to guarantee your safety in order to do that. ¡­¡­But it took you three years to return instead of just three days. Three years!¡± Renier sank down where she stood. She felt like the earth had suddenly been upturned. That which she had believed to be the truth and that which she had believed to be a lie had suddenly swapped places. No, the lie was still a lie and the truth was still the truth, but the end result of what she had decided was good and bad had been turned on its head. In the midst of the jumbled chaos that everything was reduced to, she heard the rage in his voice as he continued, ¡°Thank you for your candor. May the great Inanna, Enki, and Enlil forever guarantee your vow. Love is nothing but shackles and a curse to Celestials, especially considering what happened to Kittu, my ancestor, so you¡¯ve essentially made a very wise decision for me.¡± Renier desperately held back her tears as she looked up at him. She wanted to die when she saw how red and swollen his cheeks were. She wished she could turn back time just once. Renier grasped her throat as she choked up and just barely managed to ask, ¡°T-then, everything you said just earlier¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What? Does it bother you now that you think I was being sincere?¡± He chuckled coldly as he shook his head. He continued, ¡°I foolishly believed that you would¡¯ve returned to me in three days if I¡¯d told you those words before I sent you away three years ago. I clung to that thought for three years straight. I only said it because I regretted that I hadn¡¯t back then, so you¡¯re free not to believe me if you¡¯re so inclined.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°There is no such thing as an everlasting truth when it comes to emotion, since emotions change, so you should pick and choose to believe in only the parts of what I said that you want to believe in. It ultimately doesn¡¯t matter what you decide to believe in since truth is just another name for doubt, and nothing will grow in a field that was sowed with the seeds of doubt.¡± Gishzida¡¯s cold and tidy voice gradually drowned into silence. Renier was not accustomed to watching him smiling coldly and hiding away the pain that was melting his insides behind nothing but his pride. She started choking up. Should I have returned three years ago? Should I not have rejected the confession that he¡¯d been practicing for three whole years ¡ªsomething that was undoubtedly extremely difficult for someone like him? In the midst of Renier¡¯s bewilderment, Gishzida quietly continued, ¡°I respect your choice and its outcome, and I will not force my feelings on you. I¡¯m the high priest of the Golden Forest, and I will not do something so foolish like going against the Seven Great Gods.¡± Renier clenched her molars when she saw the burn scars that remained beneath his flowing sleeve. There are probably scars as bad as the burn scars on his back too. He had suffered all kinds of humiliation for a mere lowly slave wench, and he had allowed himself to be tied up and whipped as if he¡¯d been a slave himself. He had also desperately suppressed his own sense of shame and internal conflict in order to confess his love to a mere mudperson slave. I was assuming things and criticizing him without bothering to check with him to see if anything was even true first, yet he¡¯s always been bearing all of that all by himself just for my sake¡­¡­. ¡­¡­And I¡¯d forgotten about that. Her stomach began throbbing, and a huge lump of something surged up her throat. She suddenly felt like she was drowning in bitter waters. And the bitterness was always followed by a terrible agony. ¡°Enough. Thank you for bringing me back to my senses ¡ªI was disgusted that I allowed myself to be dragged around for so long by a mere mudperson slave wench, and I was miserable because I wasn¡¯t able to control my emotions. You may forget everything I said earlier.¡± Forget everything I said. The d¨¦j¨¤ vu those words triggered made Renier¡¯s lips quiver. She felt like something was jolting inside of her. ¡ª Pretend you didn¡¯t hear that. But something that she needed to pretend she hadn¡¯t heard was something that she had already heard in the first place, which meant that those feelings had been real. Emotions changed, just as Lord Gishzida had said ¡ªeven real emotions could sour just as quickly as goat milk on a hot summer day¡ª, which meant that Renier had no choice to believe that the large-bodied boy had truly meant what he had said in that moment back then. Renier now understood that Gishzida¡¯s lament and confession had both been real. The greed he had expressed during that critical moment three years ago, the fact that he had regretted shackling her and the way he¡¯d been waiting to release her from them, the confession he had been practicing for three whole years, the way he was tucking his tail between his legs and trying to pretend that none of it had ever happened, and the terrible disgust he had felt about himself and his feelings for Renier ¡ªall of it had been undoubtedly real. A tear rolled slowly down Renier¡¯s cheek. What have I¡­¡­no, what have we done to each other? If only he¡¯d trusted me enough not to cast the fire ngak on me, and if only I¡¯d trusted Lord Gishzida instead of Lady Minn¨¨ and came back to the forest in three days ¡ªwhat would¡¯ve happened then? At the very least, I¡¯d never have had any reason to go to the Northlands, I could¡¯ve been free, and I may have entered into some kind of relationship with Lord Gishzida. Suddenly, Renier recalled the oracle she had received when she was seven. Thou who art loved by Inanna. Thy shalt be loved by noble and beautiful beings. Thou who art loved by Inanna. Accept Inanna¡¯s blessing. Else, thy fragrance shalt become a stench, and thy fate shalt turn astray and thou shalt lose the love of the noble and beautiful beings. Choose thy fate at the crossroads between all these things. Renier suddenly felt like icy water was being poured over her head. Choose? I had a choice? Back then, or maybe even today, did I choose to lose the love of this noble and beautiful person? She clenched her molars and shook her head. Put your head on straight, Renier. You decided you weren¡¯t going to be bound to that oracle anymore. Inanna¡¯s curse was still a pair of shackles on Renier¡¯s ankles, especially considering how everything was unfolding, and she would surely never be freed from it. I decided that I wouldn¡¯t let myself be affected by it anymore. ¡­¡­I absolutely won¡¯t drag anyone else into my curse by loving them either. Renier returned to her senses as soon as she recalled her resolve. Right. I swore this on my own name hundreds of times. And a certain foolish high priest put his everything on the line to guarantee my oath too. Ultimately, however, he hadn¡¯t been able to escape the snare of Inanna¡¯s curse and had tried to kill Renier too. And so, Renier finally decided to cleanly move on from her lingering regrets about what could have happened ¡®if I¡¯d heard his confession three years ago.¡¯ Nothing was more pointless than speculating about all the ¡®what ifs¡¯ that could have happened in the past. Renier had chosen her fate three years ago, and she had chosen again just a few months ago. And she was choosing yet again even now. I¡¯m going to live my life while trusting the me who made that choice that day and trusting that my choice will protect the people who love me. For a moment, just a very brief moment, I almost regretted the fact that I¡¯d trusted Minn¨¨ that day ¡ªthat I¡¯d saved Kuhn¡¯s life¡ª, but looking back on it now makes me so glad that it¡¯s not possible to turn back time. ¡°But I still need you to keep the vow you made to me with your own mouth, Renier. I¡¯m the galtir now, and I really do need you.¡± Gishzida¡¯s voice was a cut gentler as it flowed into Renier¡¯s ears. He continued, ¡°You have no idea just how terrible and lonely it is to be the galtir. I didn¡¯t imagine even in my wildest dreams that I¡¯d end up feeling so dreadfully isolated. I finally understand why so many galtirs before me turned their backs on Kittu¡¯s sacred mission and died after going mad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only been three years since you became the Guardian of the Forest, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°I almost respect Kiros for surviving this horrible role for over forty years,¡± Gishzida said with the same smooth smile he had always worn in the past, perhaps because he¡¯d finally succeeded in controlling his emotions. But his smile only made Renier realize anew just how gaunt and emaciated he¡¯d grown over these last three years. Gishzida continued, ¡°Renier, I¡¯d like you to stay by my side and protect me while this body of mine still resides on the earth. Protect me whenever I can¡¯t protect myself. I¡¯ll give you everything you want in return. There are very few things that a human can want that I cannot grant.¡± He was likely telling the truth. The high priest of the Golden Forest was nobler and more powerful than any other king on earth. He probably wasn¡¯t saying empty words when he said that he¡¯d give her everything she wanted. And yet¡­ ¡°I tried my best to find myself another priest or slave to replace you, but I failed time and time again. I need something to guarantee that you won¡¯t ever leave me. Just like how Kiros also needed something to guarantee that Jada and Minn¨¨ wouldn¡¯t stab him in the back too. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t undo your ngak. I¡¯m sorry, Renier.¡± Renier understood that she wasn¡¯t going to be able to make him change his mind. Releasing her from the ngak would run completely contrary to his wishes, and there was absolutely nothing that she could do. ¡°Even still, I still can¡¯t give you the love that you want from me, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°Repeating myself is starting to grow exhausting. I mean it when I say that I no longer want your love. If I can¡¯t have both your love and your loyalty and you absolutely won¡¯t give me your love, then I have no choice but to ask you only for your loyalty, no?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Celestial, and safeguarding both my body and my mind is the most important thing when it comes to carrying out my sacred mission. I¡¯m a Fundamentalist, as you already know. It isn¡¯t pleasant for me to have feelings for a mudperson. I¡¯m actually very relieved right now. Do you understand?¡± Renier quietly looked up at him. Gishzida was skilled at secrecy and deceit. He had to conceal his own emotions perfectly from now on. And now, Gishzida, who had put his everything on the line to carry out his sacred mission, was about to request perfect loyalty from her. He continued, ¡°You¡¯ll have no choice but to stay in the Golden Forest as long as you still have that ngak on you. In turn, that means that you¡¯ll be safest and most comfortable by my side.¡± It¡¯s true. Lord Gishzida needs me for his sacred mission, and he¡¯s more than capable of suppressing any desire he has for me in order to complete his mission. Renier pressed her eyes shut and let out a deep breath. She realized that it was time for her to give up and accept reality now. She smiled ever so faintly as she opened her eyes again. ¡°In that case, please let me ask you just one thing, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°Ask away.¡± ¡°Is it wrong for me to hurt someone who¡¯s trying to hurt me?¡± The man who had been trying his hardest to smile gently let his features stiffen up. Renier thought that Lord Gishzida¡¯s face had looked much gentler and composed when she¡¯d asked him the same question three years ago. Would he answer differently this time? After all, his own life was on the line this time. ¡°No.¡± But Gishzida returned the same concise and clear answer he¡¯d given her before. But Renier wasn¡¯t happy. She didn¡¯t know why she wasn¡¯t happy, however, so she took one last step forward and confirmed, ¡°You won¡¯t resent me even if that someone is you, Lord Giszhida?¡± Gishzida smiled wryly. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d be able to hurt you? Besides, you¡¯ll never be free from the ngak if you hurt me ¡ªdo you really have to threaten me with such nonsense?¡± ¡°A lot of nonsensical things tend to happen to me, you see.¡± Gishzida narrowed his eyes and replied, ¡°We¡¯re not here to beg each other for love, so why don¡¯t we make things fair? Neither of us will resent the other even if one of us ever ends up having to hurt the other ¡ªhow does that work?¡± Gishzida returned a very ambiguous answer instead of simply said that he wouldn¡¯t touch her, hurt her, or resent her. Why did Lord Gishzida decide to answer this way? Renier gave up on pondering the case any further and nodded back. Then, Gishzida continued, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Let¡¯s go back now. Will you take the reins for me?¡± There was nothing else she could do. Renier brought her hands low and laced them together so she could help him climb onto his horse. But he simply smiled gently and carefully closed her hands instead of stepping on them. ¡°I won¡¯t step on your hands even if it means I have to walk all the way back to the Golden Forest. Sur, Mir.¡± A gust of wind swirled between them when he pointed at the ground and chanted a short en. He stepped on top of the wind, and his body began floating upward as if he was riding it. Renier lowered her head and smiled wryly after she saw him climbing airily onto the horse. The idea of entertaining personal and humanly feelings for him ¡ªsuch as loving him, resenting him, wanting to treat him well, or hating him¡ª felt so pointless whenever she saw this side of him. Those was not the kinds of emotions that a human ought to have for a god. Fear, awe, devotion, and obedience. These were the kinds of emotions she was supposed to have. Then again, he said he was disgusted at himself for having feelings for a mudperson. But that¡¯s only natural. He said he was grateful for my cold-hearted rejection. Yeah. This was the right way to go about this. Renier was truly glad that she couldn¡¯t turn back time. Finally, Renier was able to look him in the eyes and smile as senselessly as she had in the past. ¡°Oh, you created a new skill, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°I can create anything if I need to. I needed to be able to ride a horse. I couldn¡¯t ride them before because I didn¡¯t want to step on Kiros¡¯ toes, but the galtir of the Golden Forest shouldn¡¯t be seen riding around on a donkey, now should he?¡± Renier awkwardly took the reins and took the lead, just as she had three years ago, prompting Gishzida to chuckle clearly a beat later. Ten silver shekels, the dragon made of water, the long road to Minotos City, the stubborn donkey, the bed of wind, Lord Gishzida, the countless ngak he manifested endlessly just to hear me laugh, the stuffy tent, his refreshing and clear laughter, the beautiful house of water, the painfully crimson scars on his clear and pale skin, the flock of blindingly bright butterflies that danced around me on that dark night, that endless stretch of starry flowers ¡ªRenier¡¯s recollections wouldn¡¯t seem to end. ¡°Riding a donkey was hard enough, but riding a horse is something else entirely. Every time the horse¡¯s spine moves¡­¡­how should I put this, it feels like I¡¯m being beaten with a club.¡± ¡°Does it really hurt that much? Then again, I¡¯ve heard that even famous warriors¡­¡­suffer a lot of pain if they ride their horses for too long.¡± Renier decided against saying, ¡®say that they start bleeding down their ass cracks,¡¯ and modified her sentence. ¡°I don¡¯t blame them. This actually hurts more than being flogged by a leather whip. I can¡¯t feel anything below my waist anymore.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll just have to put up with it for the rest of your life. It¡¯s not easy to play it cool. But, you¡¯d still look plenty cool¡­¡­I mean, beautiful even if you were only riding a donkey, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°It was only for three years, but I see that living in the Northlands must¡¯ve been harsh on you. You¡¯ve learned how to say things that you don¡¯t even mean without so much as blinking.¡± ¡°Yes, and you¡¯re already as shriveled up and smelly as Lord Kiros used to be even though it¡¯s only been three years since you became the galtir, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°Be good to me if you pity me, Renier.¡± ¡°Sure thing. I¡¯ll be good to you, if only because I have a heart of gold. But I won¡¯t work for free.¡± ¡°Let me know if there¡¯s anything you want. I¡¯ll never know if you don¡¯t tell me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want much. All I need is honeyed goat milk and a roof that doesn¡¯t leak.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I happen to make good money, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯re already aware, so I¡¯m more than capable of giving you a jar of wild honey every day and finding you a solid roof to sleep under. You¡¯ll need walls to lean against too, so I¡¯ll even lend you mine. It¡¯d be too pitiful if a roof was the only thing I gave you.¡± Renier giggled as she walked ahead while holding the reins. She had no choice but to laugh if she wanted to keep her tears from spilling senselessly down from her eyes. If only I¡¯d come back within three days three years ago. If only I¡¯d trusted what Lord Gishzida told me instead of believing the truth that Lady Minn¨¨ told me. If only he¡¯d freed me from the ngak. If only I¡¯d heard the confession he gave me today back then, when I still thought that being is love was worth at least trying out. She needed to laugh even more if she wanted to stop these useless ¡®what ifs¡¯ from pervading her mind. ¡°Are you really going to wipe out the Salt Mountain Tribe of the Northlands, Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t allow the beastmen to keep plundering the Southlands any longer. And their king, who hails from the Salt Mountain Tribe, is the biggest problem. They¡¯re plundering more and more by the day. They might even start trying to plunder the Golden Forest at this rate.¡± ¡°They¡¯re only resorting to plunder because their food trade was cut off.¡± ¡°It was those bastards who stopped us from procuring more divine stones first.¡± ¡°But the divine stones are buried in the Whitesalt Mountains, and the Northlanders are the rightful masters of the Whitesalt Mountains.¡± ¡°The divine stones are the bones, flesh, and blood of Kittu and his offshoots, the Celestial warriors, and the Whitesalt Mountains originated from Kittu¡¯s frozen tears. How dare those animals lay claim to that land just because they happen to be squatting on it?¡± This was a circular problem that could never be resolved. Underlying that problem was the awful, hate-spewing legend that had been told since times immemorial, and the descendants of the Celestials who believed in it. ¡°Yes, and I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ll ascend to the heavens without ever looking back after you¡¯ve annihilated the lot of them and burned Armanu to the ground, Lord Gishzida.¡± Gishzida only smiled awkwardly instead of nodding back. Renier continued, ¡°Do you mind passing a message along to Lady Inanna once you¡¯re there?¡± ¡°And what would that message be?¡± ¡°A slap to the face.¡± Pft. Gishzida brought a hand over his mouth. In all seriousness, Renier added, ¡°Actually, make that two ¡ªone on each cheek. I happen to have a pretty deep grudge against her.¡± Ahahaha, ha, ahahaha! Gishzida threw his head back and guffawed in a refreshing manner. He laughed for a very long time over something so trivial, as if he was trying to make up for all the years he hadn¡¯t been able to laugh at all. The warriors from the West tilted their heads quizzically to the side as they looked between Renier and Gishzida in turns. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that Lord Utu, who is Kittu of Six Wings¡¯ father, is Lady Inanna¡¯s twin brother, Renier?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh? I-is that what the family tree looks like?¡± ¡°I¡¯m technically a distant grandson of Kittu of Six Wings¡¯ according to my genealogy, and yet you want me to slap the Goddess Inanna across the face? Are you trying to get me chased out of heaven and cast back down to earth as soon as I ascend?¡± ¡°Oh, does that mean that our agreement would automatically have to get renewed? Please raise my compensation twice-fold if that¡¯s the case, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°Would that mean that I¡¯d need to give you two jars of honey every day?¡± ¡°Of course. You gave great memory.¡± ¡°I can do that much. I¡¯ll be in your care if things ever get to that, Renier.¡± ¡°Understood, Lord Gishzida.¡± Renier heard his laughter coming from above once more. Ha, haha, hehe, heh. His laughter was broken up and choppy. Renier did not know why he sounded like he was weeping while he was laughing. But Renier didn¡¯t look up to check, and he continued laughing for a very, very long time before he finally asked, ¡°Um, Renier, has anything happened to you in these past three years, that is, um, to your body¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t had it yet, Lord Gishzida.¡± Renier noticed that Gishzida was trying to ask her about her period and answered loudly before the guard warriors behind them caught on too. Aha, is that so? I see. So that¡¯s what happened. Gishzida clicked his tongue and, with his voice still sounding sweet and gentle like honeyed goat milk, said, ¡°Renier.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°On the day I come back after I finally annihilate the Salt Mountain Tribe of the Northlands¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll release you from the ngak and give you your freedom¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll leave everything that we Celestials have amassed during our time on earth to you ¡ªour riches, our power, and even the Golden Forest itself.¡± ¡°Wow, talk about motivation. I¡¯ll have to swear my loyalty to you on my life if that¡¯s what you¡¯re going to give me in return, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking. I¡¯ll swear this on the names of Kittu of Six Wings, Armanu, Enki of the earth and the tree of life, and Inanna¡­¡­ha. Hahaha. Heh, ahaha.¡± Gishzida was unable of finish his sentence and instead started laughing again for a very long time. Renier still didn¡¯t look up at him and simply held the reins and continued walking toward the Golden Forest. She would surely see something that she mustn¡¯t see if she turned to look at him now, and that would lead her to doing something that she would surely come to regret in the future. Something she would surely regret for the rest of her life. The beautiful night scenery of the Southlands stretched before her eyes. A shore of golden sand carpeted the dark sky, and white dandelions blossomed on either side of the trail like clouds. Oh, right. The road of starry flowers that Lord Gishzida made for me back then was really beautiful. Renier recalled the hundreds and thousands of shining butterflies that had enshrouded her that day. She remembered the infinite glowing flowers that had dimly illuminated her surroundings for her in the pitch-black forest, and how Lord Gishzida had leaned against his walls made from water as he watched her go until the bitter end. Renier¡¯s heart ached. He¡¯s a stubborn man who let me go, caught me again, let go of me again, and dragged me back to his side ¡ªso what does it mean that he¡¯s ultimately decided to give up on his feelings and ask only for my loyalty? And what does everything that the Celestials have amassed during their time on earth ¡ªtheir riches, their power, and even the Golden Forest itself¡ª mean to me? Renier looked down and smiled bitterly. She couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how much wealth and power the Celestials had. All she knew was that the Celestials were greater than even the kings of the cities. She couldn¡¯t be astonished by something that she couldn¡¯t even imagine. But she also thought that it was a reasonable price to pay in exchange for completely erasing the emotion called love from her life. And maybe she could even avoid Goddess Inanna¡¯s damned blessing too if she had that much power? Also, what would happen to that idiot high priest of Salt Mountain if the entire Salt Mountain Tribe had to be annihilated? Renier held the reins and walked over the white clouds all night long as she listened the fragmented laugher coming down from above the horse. Volume 1 - CH 17.1 Part 1 Gishzida and Renier arrived at the Golden Forest at daybreak two days later. Gishzida had been in a hurry and had said that he needed to get back within the next two days without fail, so Renier had ultimately had to ride a horse too, and they rode day and night without rest as they hurried along their way. All four of them had been aching all over, as if they¡¯d been beaten by an iron mace, they the time they finally made it to the forest. Gishzida paid the two warriors from the West in silver at the entrance to the forest and sent them back to their homeland, and then he whistled to let the other priests know of his arrival. Then, he handed the linen shawl that he had been wearing around his shoulders to Renier. ¡°You should at least cover your face. Minn¨¨, Jada, Kiros, and anyone else who might recognize you are already dead and you look and sound different than you did three years ago, but it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry.¡± Renier hesitated when she saw the shawl¡¯s gorgeous embroidery, so Gishzida flipped over the part of the shawl that had been embroidered with gold thread and covered half of Renier¡¯s head and face with it, and then he untied one of the strings that had been decorating his hair, wrapped it around her head, and tied it at her forehead. ¡°A lot of Western warriors cover their heads like this, so it¡¯ll be safer for you to pretend that you¡¯re one of them. You could even pretend to be mute too if this isn¡¯t enough to assuage your concerns. Anyway, a lot of people from outside are visiting the forest right now, so you should be able to fit right in.¡± A lot of people from outside are visiting the forest? But no one can just walk inside the Golden Forest without sanction¡­¡­. ¡°Ah, oh dear.¡± Renier froze in her tracks. There was an acrid smell permeating the forest. And Armanu¡¯s, the divine tree¡¯s, flowers were just as scarily crimson as they had been three years ago. Renier looked back at Gishzida, and there was a tremble in her voice as she asked, ¡°I-is it the spring festival right now?¡± ¡°You seem to have forgotten the date. Today¡¯s the first day of the ten-day ritual. We had to hurry here so I could make it on time.¡± Renier was stunned speechless and looked up at Gishzida in silence. Does that mean that the galtir left the forest right before the ritual began and had to hurry back in just two days just to look for me? Wait ¡ªis he even in his right mind? Gishzida continued, ¡°Rest in my bedchambers inside the temple while the ritual is being carried out. I¡¯ll have them prepare a separate bed for you.¡± ¡°Lord Gishzida? But I¡­¡­.¡± Renier¡¯s voice was on edge as she stopped him. Gishzida shook his head in exhaustion. ¡°I want you to rest during the day and guard me at night. Did you forget that you have a duty to protect me?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­.¡± Renier finally realized that she was being overly sensitive and lowered her head. Coldly, Gishzida continued, ¡°I asked you for your loyalty, and you agreed to give it to me. I won¡¯t make you uncomfortable, and I don¡¯t intend to lay a finger on you either. But it¡¯s up to you whether or not you want to believe me, of course. You can rest in my house of water from before instead if you¡¯re still unsettled.¡± It¡¯s up to me¡­¡­huh. He always spoke so ambiguously, now that Renier thought about it. A considerable portion of his words and actions were neither lies nor the truth, and neither good nor evil ¡ªhe was always so vague. She could never tell whether the outcomes of his words and actions were good or not either. It flustered Renier because he was so different from a certain other high priest whom she had met in the Northlands. The other high priest had been vividly unambiguous about everything. His goodwill, his hatred, his love, his feelings, his life, his death ¡ªeverything about him had been so clear. Even his bloodlust, which she had witnessed after he¡¯d betrayed her, had been so clear and intense. Renier saw a number of en-ishibs who were probably Gishzida¡¯s close aides running toward them. They immediately threw themselves to the ground and prostrated themselves once they saw him. Renier realized anew that he had truly become the leader of the Celestials. She folded her hands together and politely said, ¡°I will go to the house of water, Lord Galtir.¡± Gishzida left for the temple with the en-ishibs, and Renier began making her way to Gishzida¡¯s old house. It wasn¡¯t difficult for her to find Gishzida¡¯s old house. It was on top of a tree that stood northeast in relation to the temple. The house of water was spherical, and it looked no different than it had three years ago. Renier heard the drums, the singing, and the flutes echoing from afar as she looked up at the house in a daze. The memories that she had repressed deep within were probably starting to get dragged to the surface, especially considering that she was already so dazed even though there was still plenty of time left until the ritual started at noon. Renier grew increasingly uncomfortable. Ten children were probably sold to the forest to be sacrificed again this year, just like what happened to me. Her brand began hurting, as if she was being branded all over again, as the memories resurfaced. She undid the long piece of cloth that was covering her head and face before she began climbing up the tree. ¡°How dare you?! Who are you?! That¡¯s the galtir¡¯s personal rest area. Don¡¯t you know that outsiders aren¡¯t permitted to enter the priests¡¯ homes?!¡± ¡°Ack!¡± Renier, who had nearly made it all the way up the tree, slid down and landed violently on her backside. The low-ranking priest must¡¯ve been making preparations for the ritual, as he was holding a bundle of plants that looked like herbs in the skirt of his kanaukes, which he had pulled up to his knees, and he came running over while glowering fiercely at Renier. ¡°Did you come from outside? Then you should be participating in the ritual that¡¯s taking place in the plaza at the center of the forest ¡ªhow dare you try to sneak into the priests¡¯ houses?! I don¡¯t care how high and mighty you are on the outside ¡ªDid you forget that once you step foot inside the Golden Forest, you¡¯re just another believer like everyone else?!¡± ¡°Gosh, may Armanu of the harvest and Lord Kittu of Six Wings forgive this fool! I¡¯m the lord galtir¡¯s new slave, my good priest. I met the lord galtir by chance in Ninurgal two days ago, and he bought me for seven shekels. He told me to wait up there until the ritual ends,¡± Renier answered hastily while rubbing her hands together. The priest sighed and scrutinized her up and down before he finally nodded. ¡°Right. The galtir did say that he brought back a new slave with him. That must be you.¡± ¡°Oh, did he now?¡± ¡°Hmph. He must¡¯ve sent you here since slaves aren¡¯t permitted to participate in the ritual. Well, go on up. You mustn¡¯t wander around the forest on your own while the ritual is still ongoing! Understand?!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The low-ranking priest picked his bundle of herbs back up and began making his way to the plaza. Renier scowled when she tried to start climbing back up the tree. Not only had the skin on her arms and hands been torn against the rough tree back as she was sliding down but she¡¯d also gotten a long scratch that stretched from her chin all the way down her neck because of the rock she was wearing as a necklace. She was vexed. Renier grasped the rock and stuffed it back under her clothes as she grumbled, ¡°Seriously, this is the worst. I can¡¯t just throw this damn rock away, but I can¡¯t exactly give it back either. And it¡¯s not like it¡¯s even pretty or lightweight. It¡¯s always getting in my way, and now it¡¯s even made me bleed too.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but sigh as she looked back up the tree and then at her hands again in turns. Her hands were scraped and bleeding, and now she had to climb up a rugged tree. A wave of sadness washed over her as she suddenly thought about Lady Minn¨¨. ¡°Back in the day, Lady Minn¨¨ would just say, ¡®Baras!¡¯ and send me up there in one go. I¡¯d basically go flying straight up to the top of the¡­¡­ack, w-what the¡­!? Ahhh!¡± Renier startled as her body suddenly began floating in the air. Ahh, ahhh? She was struggling to keep her balance in midair when her back collided into the tree¡¯s branches and she realized that she was already so high up. Ah, ahh, arghhh! Screams poured out from her lips like there was no tomorrow. ¡°W-what the¡­who¡¯s doing this?! Who¡¯s messing around with me?!¡± Renier screamed as she clumsily grabbed hold of the branches so she wouldn¡¯t ascend any higher. ¡°Help! P-please stop! I¡¯m scared! Please stop this!¡± She desperately looked around. But she didn¡¯t see a single soul, perhaps because everyone was busy preparing for the festival. Then again¡­ No priest would have the spare time to wander around and mess around with a slave on a day like today. This was undoubtedly the work of a ngak, especially considering that she¡¯d received no warning before she was attacked. However, she didn¡¯t know who had attacked her or from where. Renier trembled and gasped for air as she clung to the branches in order to keep herself to floating any higher. She was extremely dizzy, and she was also on the verge of throwing up. Is this how I die? She would fall to her death if the ngak was suddenly released while she was floating so high in the air. Her vision started turning yellow. As a last ditch effort, Renier tried shouting the extinguishing ngak that she remembered Gishzida using previously. ¡°Zii! Zii! Ziiiii!¡± ¡­¡­Huh? Her force lifted her up into the air suddenly vanished, and she began plummeting to the ground. Renier was just barely able to grab a thick branch before she hit the ground. She dangled from the branch for quite a while. Tears were flowing down from her eyes. Renier crawled her way over to the house of water and quivered on the floor for a very long time. She could not comprehend what had just happened. She rummaged through her old memories and pointed in front of her. Then, she recited the en that Lord Gishzida liked to use often. ¡°Gan¡­¡­zer.¡± Pow! A large flame shot out from her fingertips. Renier had been expecting this to happen, so she opened her hand and pushed the flame aside. ¡°Asilal!¡± The flame was pushed toward the watery wall as Renier directed, and it sizzled as it extinguished. She sank down to her feet and stared blankly into space as tears began pouring down her face once again. ¡°What¡­¡­the hell?¡± I¡¯m not a priest, I don¡¯t have a ngak tablet, I don¡¯t have priests¡¯ blood, and I don¡¯t have a divine stone either. Forget having a divine stone, I don¡¯t even have a divine pebble¡­¡­. Renier suddenly froze stiff. I do have a pebble on me. She pulled out the black rock that had been hanging from her neck and peeked down into her clothes. She had scraped her chest when she was climbing the tree, just like her hands, and there were beads of blood forming where her skin had broken. A divine stone¡­¡­and blood. ¡°But this isn¡¯t a divine stone.¡± Renier quivered as she ripped out her hair. She recalled Lord Gishzida saying that a Celestial¡¯s hair turned golden after the first time they manifested a ngak¡­¡­. ¡°W-what do I do?! I don¡¯t know¡­what now?¡± Her hair was the golden color of honey as it rested in her palm. Tears began falling uncontrollably from her eyes yet again. ¡°Lord Gishzida. Lord Gishzida? What¡¯s going on? I¡¯m not a priestess. I swear I¡¯m not a Celestial. What do I do, Lord Gishzida?¡± I¡¯m just Renier, a slave who had brown hair until just now. Renier covered her now-golden hair back up with the linen shawl and tied it tightly before she hastily climbed back down the tree. She needed to see Lord Gishzida before the ritual started. There was still a quarter of a day left before the ritual commenced, so he was probably preparing himself mentally somewhere inside the temple. She had to find him at once and ask him. What on earth was going on? Had she really become a priestess? Was it even possible for a mere slave wench to suddenly become a priestess one day? She was certain that Lord Gishzida had previously told her that a mere slave wench could never become a priestess. Only the descendants of priests could become priests themselves. In which case, something truly preposterous was going on here. Renier clutched her rock and sniffled as she walked, but then she stopped in her tracks and began sobbing again. Her vision fluctuated between turning yellow and going white, and it made her so dizzy. Lord Gishzida. Lord Gishzida? Please help me. Please tell me if I¡¯m really a priestess of the Golden Forest, if I¡¯m really a Celestial. ¡°I¡¯m just an orphan that a fisherman on Elde Isle happened to find abandoned in the forest. The island has nothing to do with the Golden Forest. So, how did I end up being a Celestial? I thought that Celestials were only born inside the Golden Forest.¡± I don¡¯t know anymore. She recalled that believers of the Golden Forest who were noble kings, royals, and warriors participated in an orgy with the priestesses during the festival. Is it possible for me to be a descendant of a Celestial? Is it possible for someone with Celestial blood to be born outside of the forest? Do I really have Celestial blood in my veins, and is that really why this happened? She had wanted to become a priestess back when she¡¯d first met Lord Gishzida. She had envied his ability to start fires and draw up water with just a single word. But not anymore. Renier continued to rip out her hair to check what color it was as she cried. ¡°I¡¯m so scared, please don¡¯t be like this. I¡¯m so scared that I think I¡¯m about to lose my mind.¡± ¡­¡­Why are you scared? A sharp voice asked from within her. You thought that it¡¯d be nice to become a priestess. And a priestess of the Golden Forest, to boot, you idiot. Your fate¡¯s about to turn around completely. Your damnable old master, who always neglected you, and the bastards who always tried to force themselves on you will have to bow down before you now ¡ªthey won¡¯t even be allowed to look you in the eyes. Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Do you really think that Lord Giszhida will continue keeping you by his side if you¡¯re really a priestess? If you¡¯re really a priestess, the Lord Gishzida¡­¡­he¡­¡­. ¡°Great. Getting chased out of here will be a wish come true for me too,¡± Renier forced herself to mutter, but the curt voice inside her only started up again. Do you really think that Lord Gishzida will really just let you go like that? Renier had no way to confirm how Lord Gishzida truly felt. Thus, she had no way to anticipate how he would act. Renier slowed down. She felt like feet were sticking to the ground below as she approached the temple. The increasingly dense scent of incense was churning her insides ¡ªperhaps they¡¯d started burning it earlier this morning. Lord Gishzida was very knowledgeable about medicinal herbs, so he had probably compounded the incense himself. The incense was supposed to mask the stench of blood and entrance and arouse people, but it only made Renier want to retch. Renier slowly stopped walking toward the temple. A large crowed of people had already started gathering in the plaza early in the morning. The mood in the air felt strange. Renier¡¯s throat dried up even as cold sweat poured down her back. Why are there so many people here when it¡¯s still bright and early in the morning? Doesn¡¯t the ritual start at noon? Armanu, the giant tree, was standing tall next to the temple, the makeshift altar was next to the tree, and the bronze incense burners were spewing dense aromatic smoke. The people were eerily quiet and noticeably tense. There¡¯s still so much time before the ritual starts ¡ªdid something happen? Renier pushed her way through the crowd, and she froze in her tracks when she looked to the altar. ¡°¡­¡­Oh. O-oh my god.¡± She squeezed her eyes shut and backed away. Gishzida was in the middle of performing the sex ritual with the sacrifice atop the altar. What is this? Isn¡¯t the ritual supposed to start at noon? She suddenly recalled how Gishzida had urged them to hurry all night long because he had to return to the forest ¡®before dawn.¡¯ Gods. Her head began to hurt. The ritual had apparently been changed to start at sunrise instead of noon. Renier wanted to rip out her own feet for hurrying her to the temple without being aware of this. I need to go back. Right now! Despite her wishes, however, her body sank down on the spot. The strength left her legs, and she grew terribly nauseated, perhaps because of the dense scent of incense and her horrible memories of the past. The earth seemed to lurch up at her with every step she took backward because she was so dizzy that everything seemed to be spinning around her. Oo, oooo. The people watching the altar were beginning to moan as they smiled with a strange light in their eyes. Renier was quivering like a leaf as she raised her head and looked around. ¡­¡­Shit. Renier turned back to the altar only to immediately whip her head back to the side. The festival was very different from before now that Gishzida was presiding over it. Unlike Kiros, who had conducted the ritual while clothed in order to trick people into thinking that he was performing his duties, both Gishzida and the girl who was today¡¯s sacrifice were fully naked. The intense rays of the sun shone down on him and made both his snow-white skin and the beads of sweat on his back dreadfully visible. The restrained sacrifice had brown hair just like Renier, but her hair was a disheveled mess atop the altar, and she was giggling senselessly with her eyes rolled back as if she was high on something. ¡°Ah, haha, ahahaha, kyahaha¡­¡­.¡± The girl become more hysterical as Gishzida¡¯s movements grew fiercer, and she began clenching and unclenching her hands after the rope around her wrists had broken apart. The sacrifice¡¯s giggling and the high priest¡¯s ragged breathing reached the ears of the people below the altar. Renier bit down on her lip as she shook her head. Forget about her golden hair ¡ªshe wanted to get out of here immediately. She forced her quivering legs to steady, but a sharp scream suddenly erupted from the altar just as she¡¯d finally managed to climb back up to her feet. ¡°Kyaaaaah!¡± Several people gasped sharply all around Renier. The high priest stood up after he had concluded the sex ritual and promptly stabbed the sacrifice in the heart. The sacrifice, who had been high on some drug and completely unaware that she was dying, had died with a mixture of laughter and astonishment frozen on her face. Her limbs began convulsing in a frightening manner. ¡°Priests and devout believers of the Golden Forest! Receive Armanu¡¯s blessing!¡± Gishzida stood up and raised his right arm. He was holding a sputtering heart in his bloody right hand. Whoaaa, whoa! The people¡¯s excited shouts surged into the air. Then, Gishzida took some of the blood in his other hand and smearing it across his forehead and lips before he loudly proclaimed, ¡°Armanu has promised thus! The sacrifice¡¯s blood, flesh, and bones are her own blood, flesh, and bones, and any man or land that receives it will be granted Armanu¡¯s overflowing blessings! O Armanu, fill the forest with thy vitality, and bless them with thy bountiful harvest!¡± ¡°Give us thy blessing!¡± ¡°May the earth be blessed with bountiful harvest, may your wives, daughters, and daughters-in-law be blessed with many children, may kings be blessed with vast territories and numerous soldiers, and may warriors be blessed with strength in their arms! Glory to Armanu, our first mother! Glory to Kittu of Six Wings, our first father!¡± ¡°Glory be!¡± The drums began beating quickly after the people shouted back, and then their singing began resounding from every direction like thunder. Oo! Ooo! Blessed be the Galtir of the Golden Forest! Bless thy galtir, O Armanu! Bless thy descendants, O Kittu of Six Wings! Renier stared up at the altar in a blank daze. Was the cruel-looking man covered in blood up there really the same man who had so gently patted her head and comforted her? His figure, which was so pale, smooth, and sparkly that it almost looked like he didn¡¯t have a single drop of blood inside his body, elicited only the awe toward one who had transcended humanity and lust for his beauty. It was not only the priestesses but also even the men who had come from outside who gulped as their eyes glossed over. Renier began backing away again, unable to tolerate this any longer. Everyone had lost their minds. Gishzida¡¯s pearly whites flashed as he grinned. ¡°The ritual!¡± The drums continued beating ¡ªboom boom boom boom, dum dum dum dum¡ª as priests came out from either side of him and draped his clothes over him and tied a sash around his waist. Gishzida was scowling heavily as he surveyed the believers who were gathered around the altar. His terrifying gaze, bloodshot eyes, and the capricious lines of his firmly shut lips clashed horribly against the beauty of his face. Gishzida raised his hands and began blessing the believers in a sharp tone. ¡°Come, sons and daughters of Armanu and Kittu. Come, o faithful servants! May Armanu grant the earth, Celestials, and man her bountiful vitality! Grant us thy blessing, o Armanu!¡± ¡°Whoaaa! Grant us thy blessing, o Armanu!¡± ¡°Plow the land, plant your seed, and bear fruit! The men shall plant the seeds, and the women shall bear the fruit! May you find pleasure in this land. Grant us thy blessing, o Armanu!¡± Then, he raised up his bloodied and crimson arm no sooner than the words had left his mouth. ¡°Du, Ushumgal!¡± Yet another loud shout erupted from his lips. Immediately, all the smoke from the incense burners was suddenly sucked into a large vortex above his head and took on a gigantic shape. It was a long and great white dragon that seemed to shroud his head completely. ¡°Whoaaa!¡± ¡°Wooow, Galtir!¡± ¡°Galtir! Galtir! O great Guardian of the Forest!¡± The dragon made from white smoke neither scattered away nor ascended into the heavens. Instead, is slowly began descending to where Gishzida was pointing. The people were buried in a dense cloud of smoke as if they were covered by a fog. ¡°Sound the drums. This is the time to sow the seeds for a bountiful harvest, and the time for the heavens and the earth, and for Armanu and Kittu, to be united. Add one and one to get three, then seven, and then twelve as all things become plentiful, and may the blessing of the Golden Forest be with you, who believe this!¡± ¡°May we be blessed!¡± Boom boom boom boom, dum dum dum dum! The drums began beating faster, and Gishzida began dancing on the altar that was enshrouded by the white smoke from the incense. His dancing was fierce and rugging, contrary to what his looks suggested. It took a moment before the people returned to their senses and realized that Giszhida, whose long sleeves were whipping the air and whose golden hair was disheveled, was dancing in midair. The crowd went wild as Gishzida demonstrated the Celestials¡¯ abilities. The people shouted, danced while being intoxicated on the incense, and sang as they rushed toward the cart where the sacrifice had been loaded. Anyone whose senses were keen, like Renier, were vomiting and collapsed here and there. The people reached out to Gishzida from every direction when he climbed down the altar. Then, Gishzida took one of the priestesses who were standing by the altar by her neck and brought their lips together. The priestess did not refuse him, and she beamed brightly instead. Her arms snaked behind his back and neck as if she had been waiting to receive him. That was the trigger, and the people began pairing up to have sex. The orgy was the last stage of the ritual. Renier was quivering from head to toe as she backtracked. That wasn¡¯t the Lord Gishzida she knew. By the time she squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again, his body was already intertwined with the priestess he had chosen like a pair of intwined snakes. Everyone¡¯s eyes were glistening eerily around Renier. It terrified her, and it was appalling to her. She felt multiple hands grabbing her from all over the place. Renier smacked all of them away, and then she turned around and began to run. She vomited over and over again, until she felt like her gastric juices were beginning to flow in reverse, all the way back to the house of water. ¡°Lord Gishzida¡¯s the galtir. He was only doing what he had to do. I¡­I was just surprised, that¡¯s all. I was just a little surprised.¡± Renier trembled under the covers as she tried to comfort herself. But chills kept running down her spine every time she recalled what he had looked like atop the altar, and her whole being shuddered. How am I supposed to look Lord Gishzida in the face now? Will I be duty-bound to participate in that festival too if I¡¯m a priestess? Do I have to become one of those women reaching out to him from the crowd, just like the priestess who was standing beneath the altar? Renier slowly undid the shawl around her head and ripped out some of her hair again. Nothing had changed ¡ªher hair was still the golden color of honey. She had a mountain of things she wanted to ask Lord Gishzida, but she didn¡¯t have the courage to see his face right now. Should I wait for just a few more days? I¡¯ll probably have calmed down, and Lord Gishzida will probably have returned to normal, once the spring festival¡¯s over. Will I be able to keep my composure and ask him then? ¡°I¡¯ll have to change my hair back to its original color first.¡± Renier desperately forced herself to remember the en that Lord Gishzida had once used to change her hair to blonde and then return it back to brown. ¡°Girikur Kusig Dilib,¡± she mumbled, but then she tilted her head quizzically to the side. She couldn¡¯t feel anything, unlike before. She ripped out her hair again, but it was still blonde. Wait, did I get it wrong? Was that the en that makes you blonde? What was the other en again? ¡°Bar¡­barr? Was that not it? Why isn¡¯t it changing?! Oh, was that the en that returns things to normal? I guess that blonde is just the normal color of my hair now. O-oh gods. What do I do? What was hell was the en that turns your hair brown again?¡± Renier wracked her brains for a while before she clutched the black rock in her hands and feebly muttered, ¡°Girikur, Su, Dilib.¡± The tip of her fingers stung a little, and the something seemed to sweep through her head. Renier hesitantly ripped out a few more hairs. ¡°I knew it¡­¡­.¡± The strands of her hair resting in her quivering hands was the same shade of brown that her hair had been before. Her eyes began burning as the hairs in her palm grew blurry. There was no way for her to deny it anymore no matter how much she wanted to. Reneir was a bona fide member of the Golden Forest. Volume 1 - CH 17.2 Part 1 Gishzida and Renier arrived at the Golden Forest at daybreak two days later. Gishzida had been in a hurry and had said that he needed to get back within the next two days without fail, so Renier had ultimately had to ride a horse too, and they rode day and night without rest as they hurried along their way. All four of them had been aching all over, as if they¡¯d been beaten by an iron mace, they the time they finally made it to the forest. Gishzida paid the two warriors from the West in silver at the entrance to the forest and sent them back to their homeland, and then he whistled to let the other priests know of his arrival. Then, he handed the linen shawl that he had been wearing around his shoulders to Renier. ¡°You should at least cover your face. Minn¨¨, Jada, Kiros, and anyone else who might recognize you are already dead and you look and sound different than you did three years ago, but it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry.¡± Renier hesitated when she saw the shawl¡¯s gorgeous embroidery, so Gishzida flipped over the part of the shawl that had been embroidered with gold thread and covered half of Renier¡¯s head and face with it, and then he untied one of the strings that had been decorating his hair, wrapped it around her head, and tied it at her forehead. ¡°A lot of Western warriors cover their heads like this, so it¡¯ll be safer for you to pretend that you¡¯re one of them. You could even pretend to be mute too if this isn¡¯t enough to assuage your concerns. Anyway, a lot of people from outside are visiting the forest right now, so you should be able to fit right in.¡± A lot of people from outside are visiting the forest? But no one can just walk inside the Golden Forest without sanction¡­¡­. ¡°Ah, oh dear.¡± Renier froze in her tracks. There was an acrid smell permeating the forest. And Armanu¡¯s, the divine tree¡¯s, flowers were just as scarily crimson as they had been three years ago. Renier looked back at Gishzida, and there was a tremble in her voice as she asked, ¡°I-is it the spring festival right now?¡± ¡°You seem to have forgotten the date. Today¡¯s the first day of the ten-day ritual. We had to hurry here so I could make it on time.¡± Renier was stunned speechless and looked up at Gishzida in silence. Does that mean that the galtir left the forest right before the ritual began and had to hurry back in just two days just to look for me? Wait ¡ªis he even in his right mind? Gishzida continued, ¡°Rest in my bedchambers inside the temple while the ritual is being carried out. I¡¯ll have them prepare a separate bed for you.¡± ¡°Lord Gishzida? But I¡­¡­.¡± Renier¡¯s voice was on edge as she stopped him. Gishzida shook his head in exhaustion. ¡°I want you to rest during the day and guard me at night. Did you forget that you have a duty to protect me?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­.¡± Renier finally realized that she was being overly sensitive and lowered her head. Coldly, Gishzida continued, ¡°I asked you for your loyalty, and you agreed to give it to me. I won¡¯t make you uncomfortable, and I don¡¯t intend to lay a finger on you either. But it¡¯s up to you whether or not you want to believe me, of course. You can rest in my house of water from before instead if you¡¯re still unsettled.¡± It¡¯s up to me¡­¡­huh. He always spoke so ambiguously, now that Renier thought about it. A considerable portion of his words and actions were neither lies nor the truth, and neither good nor evil ¡ªhe was always so vague. She could never tell whether the outcomes of his words and actions were good or not either. It flustered Renier because he was so different from a certain other high priest whom she had met in the Northlands. The other high priest had been vividly unambiguous about everything. His goodwill, his hatred, his love, his feelings, his life, his death ¡ªeverything about him had been so clear. Even his bloodlust, which she had witnessed after he¡¯d betrayed her, had been so clear and intense. Renier saw a number of en-ishibs who were probably Gishzida¡¯s close aides running toward them. They immediately threw themselves to the ground and prostrated themselves once they saw him. Renier realized anew that he had truly become the leader of the Celestials. She folded her hands together and politely said, ¡°I will go to the house of water, Lord Galtir.¡± Gishzida left for the temple with the en-ishibs, and Renier began making her way to Gishzida¡¯s old house. It wasn¡¯t difficult for her to find Gishzida¡¯s old house. It was on top of a tree that stood northeast in relation to the temple. The house of water was spherical, and it looked no different than it had three years ago. Renier heard the drums, the singing, and the flutes echoing from afar as she looked up at the house in a daze. The memories that she had repressed deep within were probably starting to get dragged to the surface, especially considering that she was already so dazed even though there was still plenty of time left until the ritual started at noon. Renier grew increasingly uncomfortable. Ten children were probably sold to the forest to be sacrificed again this year, just like what happened to me. Her brand began hurting, as if she was being branded all over again, as the memories resurfaced. She undid the long piece of cloth that was covering her head and face before she began climbing up the tree. ¡°How dare you?! Who are you?! That¡¯s the galtir¡¯s personal rest area. Don¡¯t you know that outsiders aren¡¯t permitted to enter the priests¡¯ homes?!¡± ¡°Ack!¡± Renier, who had nearly made it all the way up the tree, slid down and landed violently on her backside. The low-ranking priest must¡¯ve been making preparations for the ritual, as he was holding a bundle of plants that looked like herbs in the skirt of his kanaukes, which he had pulled up to his knees, and he came running over while glowering fiercely at Renier. ¡°Did you come from outside? Then you should be participating in the ritual that¡¯s taking place in the plaza at the center of the forest ¡ªhow dare you try to sneak into the priests¡¯ houses?! I don¡¯t care how high and mighty you are on the outside ¡ªDid you forget that once you step foot inside the Golden Forest, you¡¯re just another believer like everyone else?!¡± ¡°Gosh, may Armanu of the harvest and Lord Kittu of Six Wings forgive this fool! I¡¯m the lord galtir¡¯s new slave, my good priest. I met the lord galtir by chance in Ninurgal two days ago, and he bought me for seven shekels. He told me to wait up there until the ritual ends,¡± Renier answered hastily while rubbing her hands together. The priest sighed and scrutinized her up and down before he finally nodded. ¡°Right. The galtir did say that he brought back a new slave with him. That must be you.¡± ¡°Oh, did he now?¡± ¡°Hmph. He must¡¯ve sent you here since slaves aren¡¯t permitted to participate in the ritual. Well, go on up. You mustn¡¯t wander around the forest on your own while the ritual is still ongoing! Understand?!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The low-ranking priest picked his bundle of herbs back up and began making his way to the plaza. Renier scowled when she tried to start climbing back up the tree. Not only had the skin on her arms and hands been torn against the rough tree back as she was sliding down but she¡¯d also gotten a long scratch that stretched from her chin all the way down her neck because of the rock she was wearing as a necklace. She was vexed. Renier grasped the rock and stuffed it back under her clothes as she grumbled, ¡°Seriously, this is the worst. I can¡¯t just throw this damn rock away, but I can¡¯t exactly give it back either. And it¡¯s not like it¡¯s even pretty or lightweight. It¡¯s always getting in my way, and now it¡¯s even made me bleed too.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but sigh as she looked back up the tree and then at her hands again in turns. Her hands were scraped and bleeding, and now she had to climb up a rugged tree. A wave of sadness washed over her as she suddenly thought about Lady Minn¨¨. ¡°Back in the day, Lady Minn¨¨ would just say, ¡®Baras!¡¯ and send me up there in one go. I¡¯d basically go flying straight up to the top of the¡­¡­ack, w-what the¡­!? Ahhh!¡± Renier startled as her body suddenly began floating in the air. Ahh, ahhh? She was struggling to keep her balance in midair when her back collided into the tree¡¯s branches and she realized that she was already so high up. Ah, ahh, arghhh! Screams poured out from her lips like there was no tomorrow. ¡°W-what the¡­who¡¯s doing this?! Who¡¯s messing around with me?!¡± Renier screamed as she clumsily grabbed hold of the branches so she wouldn¡¯t ascend any higher. ¡°Help! P-please stop! I¡¯m scared! Please stop this!¡± She desperately looked around. But she didn¡¯t see a single soul, perhaps because everyone was busy preparing for the festival. Then again¡­ No priest would have the spare time to wander around and mess around with a slave on a day like today. This was undoubtedly the work of a ngak, especially considering that she¡¯d received no warning before she was attacked. However, she didn¡¯t know who had attacked her or from where. Renier trembled and gasped for air as she clung to the branches in order to keep herself to floating any higher. She was extremely dizzy, and she was also on the verge of throwing up. Is this how I die? She would fall to her death if the ngak was suddenly released while she was floating so high in the air. Her vision started turning yellow. As a last ditch effort, Renier tried shouting the extinguishing ngak that she remembered Gishzida using previously. ¡°Zii! Zii! Ziiiii!¡± ¡­¡­Huh? Her force lifted her up into the air suddenly vanished, and she began plummeting to the ground. Renier was just barely able to grab a thick branch before she hit the ground. She dangled from the branch for quite a while. Tears were flowing down from her eyes. Renier crawled her way over to the house of water and quivered on the floor for a very long time. She could not comprehend what had just happened. She rummaged through her old memories and pointed in front of her. Then, she recited the en that Lord Gishzida liked to use often. ¡°Gan¡­¡­zer.¡± Pow! A large flame shot out from her fingertips. Renier had been expecting this to happen, so she opened her hand and pushed the flame aside. ¡°Asilal!¡± The flame was pushed toward the watery wall as Renier directed, and it sizzled as it extinguished. She sank down to her feet and stared blankly into space as tears began pouring down her face once again. ¡°What¡­¡­the hell?¡± I¡¯m not a priest, I don¡¯t have a ngak tablet, I don¡¯t have priests¡¯ blood, and I don¡¯t have a divine stone either. Forget having a divine stone, I don¡¯t even have a divine pebble¡­¡­. Renier suddenly froze stiff. I do have a pebble on me. She pulled out the black rock that had been hanging from her neck and peeked down into her clothes. She had scraped her chest when she was climbing the tree, just like her hands, and there were beads of blood forming where her skin had broken. A divine stone¡­¡­and blood. ¡°But this isn¡¯t a divine stone.¡± Renier quivered as she ripped out her hair. She recalled Lord Gishzida saying that a Celestial¡¯s hair turned golden after the first time they manifested a ngak¡­¡­. ¡°W-what do I do?! I don¡¯t know¡­what now?¡± Her hair was the golden color of honey as it rested in her palm. Tears began falling uncontrollably from her eyes yet again. ¡°Lord Gishzida. Lord Gishzida? What¡¯s going on? I¡¯m not a priestess. I swear I¡¯m not a Celestial. What do I do, Lord Gishzida?¡± I¡¯m just Renier, a slave who had brown hair until just now. Renier covered her now-golden hair back up with the linen shawl and tied it tightly before she hastily climbed back down the tree. She needed to see Lord Gishzida before the ritual started. There was still a quarter of a day left before the ritual commenced, so he was probably preparing himself mentally somewhere inside the temple. She had to find him at once and ask him. What on earth was going on? Had she really become a priestess? Was it even possible for a mere slave wench to suddenly become a priestess one day? She was certain that Lord Gishzida had previously told her that a mere slave wench could never become a priestess. Only the descendants of priests could become priests themselves. In which case, something truly preposterous was going on here. Renier clutched her rock and sniffled as she walked, but then she stopped in her tracks and began sobbing again. Her vision fluctuated between turning yellow and going white, and it made her so dizzy. Lord Gishzida. Lord Gishzida? Please help me. Please tell me if I¡¯m really a priestess of the Golden Forest, if I¡¯m really a Celestial. ¡°I¡¯m just an orphan that a fisherman on Elde Isle happened to find abandoned in the forest. The island has nothing to do with the Golden Forest. So, how did I end up being a Celestial? I thought that Celestials were only born inside the Golden Forest.¡± I don¡¯t know anymore. She recalled that believers of the Golden Forest who were noble kings, royals, and warriors participated in an orgy with the priestesses during the festival. Is it possible for me to be a descendant of a Celestial? Is it possible for someone with Celestial blood to be born outside of the forest? Do I really have Celestial blood in my veins, and is that really why this happened? She had wanted to become a priestess back when she¡¯d first met Lord Gishzida. She had envied his ability to start fires and draw up water with just a single word. But not anymore. Renier continued to rip out her hair to check what color it was as she cried. ¡°I¡¯m so scared, please don¡¯t be like this. I¡¯m so scared that I think I¡¯m about to lose my mind.¡± ¡­¡­Why are you scared? A sharp voice asked from within her. You thought that it¡¯d be nice to become a priestess. And a priestess of the Golden Forest, to boot, you idiot. Your fate¡¯s about to turn around completely. Your damnable old master, who always neglected you, and the bastards who always tried to force themselves on you will have to bow down before you now ¡ªthey won¡¯t even be allowed to look you in the eyes. Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Do you really think that Lord Giszhida will continue keeping you by his side if you¡¯re really a priestess? If you¡¯re really a priestess, the Lord Gishzida¡­¡­he¡­¡­. ¡°Great. Getting chased out of here will be a wish come true for me too,¡± Renier forced herself to mutter, but the curt voice inside her only started up again. Do you really think that Lord Gishzida will really just let you go like that? Renier had no way to confirm how Lord Gishzida truly felt. Thus, she had no way to anticipate how he would act. Renier slowed down. She felt like feet were sticking to the ground below as she approached the temple. The increasingly dense scent of incense was churning her insides ¡ªperhaps they¡¯d started burning it earlier this morning. Lord Gishzida was very knowledgeable about medicinal herbs, so he had probably compounded the incense himself. The incense was supposed to mask the stench of blood and entrance and arouse people, but it only made Renier want to retch. Renier slowly stopped walking toward the temple. A large crowed of people had already started gathering in the plaza early in the morning. The mood in the air felt strange. Renier¡¯s throat dried up even as cold sweat poured down her back. Why are there so many people here when it¡¯s still bright and early in the morning? Doesn¡¯t the ritual start at noon? Armanu, the giant tree, was standing tall next to the temple, the makeshift altar was next to the tree, and the bronze incense burners were spewing dense aromatic smoke. The people were eerily quiet and noticeably tense. There¡¯s still so much time before the ritual starts ¡ªdid something happen? Renier pushed her way through the crowd, and she froze in her tracks when she looked to the altar. ¡°¡­¡­Oh. O-oh my god.¡± She squeezed her eyes shut and backed away. Gishzida was in the middle of performing the sex ritual with the sacrifice atop the altar. What is this? Isn¡¯t the ritual supposed to start at noon? She suddenly recalled how Gishzida had urged them to hurry all night long because he had to return to the forest ¡®before dawn.¡¯ Gods. Her head began to hurt. The ritual had apparently been changed to start at sunrise instead of noon. Renier wanted to rip out her own feet for hurrying her to the temple without being aware of this. I need to go back. Right now! Despite her wishes, however, her body sank down on the spot. The strength left her legs, and she grew terribly nauseated, perhaps because of the dense scent of incense and her horrible memories of the past. The earth seemed to lurch up at her with every step she took backward because she was so dizzy that everything seemed to be spinning around her. Oo, oooo. The people watching the altar were beginning to moan as they smiled with a strange light in their eyes. Renier was quivering like a leaf as she raised her head and looked around. ¡­¡­Shit. Renier turned back to the altar only to immediately whip her head back to the side. The festival was very different from before now that Gishzida was presiding over it. Unlike Kiros, who had conducted the ritual while clothed in order to trick people into thinking that he was performing his duties, both Gishzida and the girl who was today¡¯s sacrifice were fully naked. The intense rays of the sun shone down on him and made both his snow-white skin and the beads of sweat on his back dreadfully visible. The restrained sacrifice had brown hair just like Renier, but her hair was a disheveled mess atop the altar, and she was giggling senselessly with her eyes rolled back as if she was high on something. ¡°Ah, haha, ahahaha, kyahaha¡­¡­.¡± The girl become more hysterical as Gishzida¡¯s movements grew fiercer, and she began clenching and unclenching her hands after the rope around her wrists had broken apart. The sacrifice¡¯s giggling and the high priest¡¯s ragged breathing reached the ears of the people below the altar. Renier bit down on her lip as she shook her head. Forget about her golden hair ¡ªshe wanted to get out of here immediately. She forced her quivering legs to steady, but a sharp scream suddenly erupted from the altar just as she¡¯d finally managed to climb back up to her feet. ¡°Kyaaaaah!¡± Several people gasped sharply all around Renier. The high priest stood up after he had concluded the sex ritual and promptly stabbed the sacrifice in the heart. The sacrifice, who had been high on some drug and completely unaware that she was dying, had died with a mixture of laughter and astonishment frozen on her face. Her limbs began convulsing in a frightening manner. ¡°Priests and devout believers of the Golden Forest! Receive Armanu¡¯s blessing!¡± Gishzida stood up and raised his right arm. He was holding a sputtering heart in his bloody right hand. Whoaaa, whoa! The people¡¯s excited shouts surged into the air. Then, Gishzida took some of the blood in his other hand and smearing it across his forehead and lips before he loudly proclaimed, ¡°Armanu has promised thus! The sacrifice¡¯s blood, flesh, and bones are her own blood, flesh, and bones, and any man or land that receives it will be granted Armanu¡¯s overflowing blessings! O Armanu, fill the forest with thy vitality, and bless them with thy bountiful harvest!¡± ¡°Give us thy blessing!¡± ¡°May the earth be blessed with bountiful harvest, may your wives, daughters, and daughters-in-law be blessed with many children, may kings be blessed with vast territories and numerous soldiers, and may warriors be blessed with strength in their arms! Glory to Armanu, our first mother! Glory to Kittu of Six Wings, our first father!¡± ¡°Glory be!¡± The drums began beating quickly after the people shouted back, and then their singing began resounding from every direction like thunder. Oo! Ooo! Blessed be the Galtir of the Golden Forest! Bless thy galtir, O Armanu! Bless thy descendants, O Kittu of Six Wings! Renier stared up at the altar in a blank daze. Was the cruel-looking man covered in blood up there really the same man who had so gently patted her head and comforted her? His figure, which was so pale, smooth, and sparkly that it almost looked like he didn¡¯t have a single drop of blood inside his body, elicited only the awe toward one who had transcended humanity and lust for his beauty. It was not only the priestesses but also even the men who had come from outside who gulped as their eyes glossed over. Renier began backing away again, unable to tolerate this any longer. Everyone had lost their minds. Gishzida¡¯s pearly whites flashed as he grinned. ¡°The ritual!¡± The drums continued beating ¡ªboom boom boom boom, dum dum dum dum¡ª as priests came out from either side of him and draped his clothes over him and tied a sash around his waist. Gishzida was scowling heavily as he surveyed the believers who were gathered around the altar. His terrifying gaze, bloodshot eyes, and the capricious lines of his firmly shut lips clashed horribly against the beauty of his face. Gishzida raised his hands and began blessing the believers in a sharp tone. ¡°Come, sons and daughters of Armanu and Kittu. Come, o faithful servants! May Armanu grant the earth, Celestials, and man her bountiful vitality! Grant us thy blessing, o Armanu!¡± ¡°Whoaaa! Grant us thy blessing, o Armanu!¡± ¡°Plow the land, plant your seed, and bear fruit! The men shall plant the seeds, and the women shall bear the fruit! May you find pleasure in this land. Grant us thy blessing, o Armanu!¡± Then, he raised up his bloodied and crimson arm no sooner than the words had left his mouth. ¡°Du, Ushumgal!¡± Yet another loud shout erupted from his lips. Immediately, all the smoke from the incense burners was suddenly sucked into a large vortex above his head and took on a gigantic shape. It was a long and great white dragon that seemed to shroud his head completely. ¡°Whoaaa!¡± ¡°Wooow, Galtir!¡± ¡°Galtir! Galtir! O great Guardian of the Forest!¡± The dragon made from white smoke neither scattered away nor ascended into the heavens. Instead, is slowly began descending to where Gishzida was pointing. The people were buried in a dense cloud of smoke as if they were covered by a fog. ¡°Sound the drums. This is the time to sow the seeds for a bountiful harvest, and the time for the heavens and the earth, and for Armanu and Kittu, to be united. Add one and one to get three, then seven, and then twelve as all things become plentiful, and may the blessing of the Golden Forest be with you, who believe this!¡± ¡°May we be blessed!¡± Boom boom boom boom, dum dum dum dum! The drums began beating faster, and Gishzida began dancing on the altar that was enshrouded by the white smoke from the incense. His dancing was fierce and rugging, contrary to what his looks suggested. It took a moment before the people returned to their senses and realized that Giszhida, whose long sleeves were whipping the air and whose golden hair was disheveled, was dancing in midair. The crowd went wild as Gishzida demonstrated the Celestials¡¯ abilities. The people shouted, danced while being intoxicated on the incense, and sang as they rushed toward the cart where the sacrifice had been loaded. Anyone whose senses were keen, like Renier, were vomiting and collapsed here and there. The people reached out to Gishzida from every direction when he climbed down the altar. Then, Gishzida took one of the priestesses who were standing by the altar by her neck and brought their lips together. The priestess did not refuse him, and she beamed brightly instead. Her arms snaked behind his back and neck as if she had been waiting to receive him. That was the trigger, and the people began pairing up to have sex. The orgy was the last stage of the ritual. Renier was quivering from head to toe as she backtracked. That wasn¡¯t the Lord Gishzida she knew. By the time she squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again, his body was already intertwined with the priestess he had chosen like a pair of intwined snakes. Everyone¡¯s eyes were glistening eerily around Renier. It terrified her, and it was appalling to her. She felt multiple hands grabbing her from all over the place. Renier smacked all of them away, and then she turned around and began to run. She vomited over and over again, until she felt like her gastric juices were beginning to flow in reverse, all the way back to the house of water. ¡°Lord Gishzida¡¯s the galtir. He was only doing what he had to do. I¡­I was just surprised, that¡¯s all. I was just a little surprised.¡± Renier trembled under the covers as she tried to comfort herself. But chills kept running down her spine every time she recalled what he had looked like atop the altar, and her whole being shuddered. How am I supposed to look Lord Gishzida in the face now? Will I be duty-bound to participate in that festival too if I¡¯m a priestess? Do I have to become one of those women reaching out to him from the crowd, just like the priestess who was standing beneath the altar? Renier slowly undid the shawl around her head and ripped out some of her hair again. Nothing had changed ¡ªher hair was still the golden color of honey. She had a mountain of things she wanted to ask Lord Gishzida, but she didn¡¯t have the courage to see his face right now. Should I wait for just a few more days? I¡¯ll probably have calmed down, and Lord Gishzida will probably have returned to normal, once the spring festival¡¯s over. Will I be able to keep my composure and ask him then? ¡°I¡¯ll have to change my hair back to its original color first.¡± Renier desperately forced herself to remember the en that Lord Gishzida had once used to change her hair to blonde and then return it back to brown. ¡°Girikur Kusig Dilib,¡± she mumbled, but then she tilted her head quizzically to the side. She couldn¡¯t feel anything, unlike before. She ripped out her hair again, but it was still blonde. Wait, did I get it wrong? Was that the en that makes you blonde? What was the other en again? ¡°Bar¡­barr? Was that not it? Why isn¡¯t it changing?! Oh, was that the en that returns things to normal? I guess that blonde is just the normal color of my hair now. O-oh gods. What do I do? What was hell was the en that turns your hair brown again?¡± Renier wracked her brains for a while before she clutched the black rock in her hands and feebly muttered, ¡°Girikur, Su, Dilib.¡± The tip of her fingers stung a little, and the something seemed to sweep through her head. Renier hesitantly ripped out a few more hairs. ¡°I knew it¡­¡­.¡± The strands of her hair resting in her quivering hands was the same shade of brown that her hair had been before. Her eyes began burning as the hairs in her palm grew blurry. There was no way for her to deny it anymore no matter how much she wanted to. Reneir was a bona fide member of the Golden Forest. *** Part 2 Renier was curled up and sleeping on top of a goat wool blanket when she suddenly felt like a space had opened up nearby and looked up as she rubbed her eyes. Tap, tap ¡ªquiet footsteps ensued. The footsteps were slow and sounded exhausted as they approached. ¡°Were you sleeping?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Gishzida.¡± It was dark all around, except for the small oil lamp that was illuminated Gishzida¡¯s face. He had probably sent away the priests and warriors who normally accompanied him, as Renier didn¡¯t see or feel anyone else nearby. Renier was alarmed to see him looking so exhausted and gaunt. She felt the same way now as when she had seen a completely new side of him earlier in the morning. He sat at the edge of the bed and clutched his head. His voice was feeble as he said, ¡°Did you drop by earlier?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Why did you go out of your way to drop by and watch me do something horrendous when I told you to rest here?¡± ¡°Horrendous? You¡¯re the galtir, Lord Gishzida, and you performed your duties spectacularly.¡± ¡°Spectacularly, huh?¡± He began to snicker. Heh, hehe, hehehehe. Then, he continued, ¡°You got better at lying after all the time you spent in the Northlands. It¡¯s admirable, really.¡± Renier could neither confirm nor deny. She wanted to say, ¡®It¡¯s up to you whether you want to believe me or not, Lord Gishzida,¡¯ and mimic what he¡¯d said to her previously, but she could not bring herself to open her mouth in this situation. ¡°I intend to fulfil the Celestials¡¯ sacred mission within my generation, Renier. And I¡¯m prepared to do anything to make it happen. But¡­¡± His voice was feeble and dim, like a dying torch, as he muttered with his head hanging low. ¡°This is truly horrible.¡± He whimpered as little as he snickered again. ¡°The people think that the harvest was poor a few years back because Kiros was too old and sickly to satisfy Armanu. Isn¡¯t that ridiculous?¡± ¡°Lord Gishzida¡­¡± ¡°And they¡¯re hoping that Armanu will be content with me because I, at the very least, am much younger than him. So, what else was I supposed to do?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I laid with five women today, and I¡¯ll have to keep it up for the remaining nine days. And I have to keep stuffing my lungs full with the incense until I¡¯m at death¡¯s door to make sure I can do it.¡± Renier realized that he probably wasn¡¯t in his right mind right now. ¡°I think you¡¯re high from all the incense, Lord Gishzida. You don¡¯t really need to¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Then what else can I do? Doing this makes me want to retch too, just like how the thought of being with men sends shivers down your spine. But I have to carry out my duties spectacularly, don¡¯t I? All so I can satisfy Armanu, that wicked and lecherous vixen. ¡­¡­And I might as well let the crowd enjoy the show too while I¡¯m already at it, right?¡± Gishzida was saying something strange. Armanu, that wicked and lecherous vixen ¡ªat the very least, that wasn¡¯t something that the Guardian of the Golden Forest should be saying. Gingerly, Renier asked, ¡°Do you not believe in Armanu, Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°Armanu is my ancestor and my first mother. But she also made Kittu Fall and smeared mud all over his noble life. Kittu should never have fallen in love with her, he should¡¯ve killed the half-human half-beast children she had with an animal on the spot, and he should¡¯ve set the tree ablaze and ascended back to the heavens instead of waiting for her.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I doubt it sometimes, Renier. Will we Celestials really be able to ascend to the heavens after we carry out our sacred mission by slaughtering countless Northlanders and burning Armanu to the ground? What if we don¡¯t ascend even after carrying out such a massacre?¡± Renier stopped responding and opted to listen to him quietly instead. The galtir was destined to a life of solitude and doubt, and what he needed wasn¡¯t a warrior who could guard him physically but someone to whom he could open up this decaying heart ¡ªsomeone who could protect from the dreadful loneliness that threatened to drive him insane. Being the galtir meant that he had to embrace everything that came with the job ¡ªthe near-impossible mission, the instinctive desire for the reward it promised, the doubt about whether any of it was even true, and the absolute loneliness that inevitably followed. ¡°I¡¯m a Celestial, and I¡¯m the high priest who rules over the Golden Forest. But I¡¯m acting no different from a prostitute or a conman. I use my ngak, my divine powers, to research and create clay tablets to sell to people or make them submit to me, and I study medicinal herbs just to compound incenses that do nothing but stop the hormone cycle and make people aroused and terrible medicinal teas that abort the seed of mudpeople and cause people to become barren.¡± Renier didn¡¯t say a single word in reply as she listened, and Gishzida snickered in self-derision as, in an increasingly quiet voice, he added, ¡°¡­¡­You should know, since you drank it too. The terrible tea that I gave you to get you out of the ritual is still affecting your body even to this day.¡± Renier opened her eyes wide. It looked like Gishzida had assumed that Renier already knew about this, but Renier had only learned about it just now. When did I drink his medicinal tea? Renier rummaged through her memories until she suddenly recalled how she had fallen sound asleep in front of him after drinking the goat milk he¡¯d given her with a lot of honey in it. A bell seemed to go off in her head. ¡­¡­Was it¡­back then? Gishzida was completely blind to Renier¡¯s reaction, and he hazily continued mumbling, ¡°The orgy that takes place between humans and priests are just a gods-forsaken formality for the safety and wellbeing of the Golden Forest. But we Celestials abhor the idea of mudpeople blood mixing in with ours. I would never tolerate such a thing either. To think that my own children could have the dirty blood of humans mixed into their veins ¡ªjust imagining it is dreadful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Oh gods. Is that what I¡¯d have had to go through too if I¡¯d accepted his feelings for me three years ago? No, wait ¡ªdid I already experience it? Renier kept down the new wave of nausea that surged inside of her as she just barely managed to say, ¡°L-Lord Gishzida, then, the reason¡­the reason why you gave me that tea back then¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re not thinking that I gave you that tea just in case I ended up leaving my seed in you one day, are you, Renier?¡± His voice was barely above a whisper. He clutched his head when Renier couldn¡¯t answer, and he sorrowfully mumbled, ¡°So even you were doubting me this much. Hah, haha, ahaha¡­¡­.¡± Renier could neither console nor comfort him. She had only just realized why she hadn¡¯t started menstruating yet, and it was taking everything she had just to suppress the shock of the revelation. Until now, she had simply thought that it was because she hadn¡¯t been living in the greatest environment back when she was living in the divine stone cave or because her body was simply developing a bit more slowly than normal. But she immediately understood why Lord Gishzida had done what he had. She didn¡¯t resent him for it. Still, it was something that she hadn¡¯t known about until just now, and she had no idea what to say or where to even begin. He clutched his head and laughed until even the noises he was making were crushed into nothingness. It was only long after he¡¯d stopped laughing that Renier finally thought of something and hesitantly said, ¡°Then, what will happen to the nugigs who became pregnant after performing the sex ritual with the kings from outside, Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll probably drink the medicine I compounded. They¡¯ll be able to abort without a doubt because my medicines are effective. Though some of them end up becoming infertile for life.¡± ¡°But what would happen to the baby if it manages to be born even still?¡± ¡°Why do you ask? You don¡¯t think that I¡¯d actually order a mother to murder her own child, would you?¡± Gishzida cackled for a very long time before listlessly continued, ¡°I¡¯d tell her that the child will be sent to be adopted into a royal family somewhere and then abandon the baby somewhere where it couldn¡¯t possibly survive, such as a dense wood or an uninhabited island filled with wild beasts or a forest on a smile island, just like we¡¯ve always done. I¡¯d have to swear to the nugig that I didn¡¯t kill her baby, you see. This is the secret duty that only the galtir and a few select high-ranking priests know about. Hahaha, doesn¡¯t the task sound daunting and glorious?¡± Gods, Renier thought as she clasped her hands over her mouth and shuddered. Finally¡­I finally know who I really am. I finally know how I ended up in Elde Isle. She had learned something that she had always been curious about, but it made her feel increasingly dreadful instead of refreshed. Gishzida collapsed over his bed without even bothering to change his clothes after he squished out the flame on the wick of the oil lamp with his fingers. His voice was so quiet now that it sounded more like he was sniffling instead of whispering. ¡°And the worst part of all this, is that I¡¯m still attracted to you even in this situation.¡± Then, he began laughing again. Heh, hehehe, hehehehe. Renier felt faint and her vision began to spin as he continued laughing. She tensed up in nervousness, prompting Gishzida to listlessly mumble, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t intend on doing anything to you.¡± Renier nodded. He could lust after Renier every night, but he would never act upon his desires for the rest of his life, as if he was made from stone. After all, that was an unspoken provision in the contract of loyalty between Renier and Gishzida. His laughter continued into the darkness for a very long time, and Renier quietly listened to him laughing. He eventually stopped, and then he hoarsely muttered, ¡°What to do? I think the incense is still in my system.¡± ¡°Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I hope you¡¯ll never have to know what this feels like for as long as you live.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Summon someone here for me. If you go to the temple, you¡¯ll find the en-nugigs¡¯ lodgings down the corridor to your right. Go and tell them that the galtir has ¡®summoned the person he has reserved.¡¯ They¡¯ll know who that is. Don¡¯t tell them your name if they ask you who you are, and just tell them that you¡¯re the galtir¡¯s new pageboy.¡± Then, he climbed back up to his feet and turned and re-lit the oil lamp. His face was scarily pale and contorted, just like a shattered chunk of rock. It was an en-nugig named Paraskier who followed Renier out of the temple, and she was a woman with distinct and lovely features. She was apparently Gishzida¡¯s disciple and one of the priestesses whom he was close to, and she had gotten up without a hint of hesitation, pulled out a bronze mirror, did her hair, put on some accessories, and applied some rouge. Her every action had been so heartfelt that Renier hadn¡¯t had it in her to press the en-nugig to hurry, so she had simply stood there and waited for the priestess to finish. Gishzida was wearing nothing but a thin nightgown as he sat in his bed. When Renier hesitantly tried to leave the room, he noticed and quietly said, ¡°Don¡¯t leave, and just sit there. That is your duty as my slave who guards me and attends to me.¡± Paraskier shuddered in rage as she cried, ¡°Please send that child away, Galtir.¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not even a Celestial ¡ªhe¡¯s a mud person, a slave, and a boy. I fully understand that you need an attendant by your side to protect you, Galtir, but it¡¯s humiliating for Celestials like us to engage in private activities while he¡¯s watching.¡± ¡°You¡¯re mistaken about something, Paraskier. It¡¯s humiliating to be watched by others while having sexual intercourse even if it¡¯s not by a mudperson slave. You should¡¯ve sent someone else over if you hated it so much.¡± ¡°Can you just trust me already, Galtir?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you just be satisfied with having my unchanging affection instead of my trust? Hmm? You know that I especially adore you, Paraskier,¡± Gishzida consoled her sweetly. The stone-like stiffness in his facial expression melted away into a face of overflowing affection. He continued, ¡°Take off your clothes and turn around. I need to make sure that you¡¯re not carrying any weapons or divine stone accessories on you. You understand why, right?¡± Paraskier glowered at the corner of the room that Renier had huddled into before she began disrobing, and then she circled in place twice with her arms and legs spread out. Renier did her best to ignore the priestess, but she had no idea where to look. The woman¡¯s cerulean eyes were boiling. En-nugigs are high-ranking priestesses, so why¡¯s he making her do something so humiliating¡­¡­? Renier thought, but then she saw that the priestess had the same exact brand as hers on her chest and squeezed her eyes shut. A clear chuckle resounded. ¡°I can¡¯t have you closing your eyes, Renier. After all, your job is to protect me.¡± Renier was crouching in the corner of the room while staring up at the ceiling. She wanted to cover her ears too, but she decided to endure it because she knew that she probably wouldn¡¯t be allowed to. Time passed ever so, so, so dreadfully slowly. She couldn¡¯t even look away. Gishzida never stopped looking back at Renier out of the corner of his eyes even while he was having sex, and he also checked to make sure that Renier was watching him properly multiple times. Renier could not for the life of her fathom why he was doing that or what it was even supposed to mean. His moans sounded both like laughter and crying. The sweat pouring down from his entire being both looked like a by-product of ecstasy and like the rest of his body was crying for him because his eyes could not. Renier stared blankly the woman¡¯s arms wrapping around Gishzida¡¯s body and caressing him like a pair of snakes, and then she saw how her hand was wrapped around the divine stones that Gishzida was wearing around his wrist. Gishzida was moving furiously and panting heavily with his eyes squeezed shut, and Renier felt a sharp bloodlust sweeping past behind his back. A black haze was rising up from the woman¡¯s shoulders. Paraskier brandished her arms as soon as Renier opened her eyes wide. Renier jumped up to her feet and shouted, ¡°Lord Gishzida!¡± Gishzida¡¯s bracelet snapped apart, and Paraskier sharly screamed, ¡°Sur Mir, Kichura Baj¡­¡­.¡± But Renier was a hair¡¯s width faster. She flung herself from where she had been sitting and bodily slammed into the other woman. Gishzida was slow to react, perhaps because he was still being affected by the incense or because he was distracted by the heated sex, but Renier was able to stop the en in the middle of its incantation with her counterattack, and then she grabbed the other woman by her arm and waist and rolled over to the floor. ¡°¡­¡­Pesh!¡± Paraskier¡¯s en was completed a beat later, and Renier felt a terrible pain running up her elbow to her shoulder. Renier realized that the other woman¡¯s attack had brushed against her arm instead of flying toward Gishzida. Oh, thank the gods. Renier clung to Paraskier even as she oozed blood from her arm as she screamed, ¡°Dodge it, Lord Gishzida!¡± Meanwhile, Gishzida had finally managed to pull himself together and had hurried grabbed one of the scattered divine stones from his bracelet. Paraskier grinded her teeth together as she chanted an en at Renier. Whip, whip, whip! Long gashes appeared on Renier¡¯s arms and legs. But Renier continued to cling desperately to the other woman¡¯s waist and roll around the floor so that Gishzida could escape from the room. ¡°Move, Renier! Sur Mir, Kichura Baj, Pesh!¡± Gishzida countered with the same attack that Paraskier had tried to use on him. Renier instinctively twisted away as soon as the command had left his lips. Pow! Renier suddenly heard something erupting dully from somewhere behind her back. She heard the short and sharp shriek of a woman as something fell heavily and drily to the floor with a thud. Renier was quivering as she made to turn around. ¡°Don¡¯t turn around, Renier.¡± Renier felt some rustling as Gishzida approached the woman. She could hear him whispering something to her. It sent shivers down her spine as he spoke such gentle words in such as bone-chilling tone. ¡°I knew that there were still some of Kiros¡¯ rats lingering around me. Though I didn¡¯t realize that you were one of them. Someone else must¡¯ve planned this ¡ªwho was it?¡± Paraskier, who had actually always been a Realist, had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to assassinate Gishzida for a very long time ¡ªever since she had been chosen to be one of his disciples. But Gishzida had never met anyone privately, even the priests who were his closest allies, and he even had at least two other priests skilled at murder watching on guard even when he summoned women to his bedroom. Paraskier had been unable to achiever her objective for so long, and then she had finally been granted the golden opportunity today. The weak mudperson pageboy who could not manifest ngak and whom Gishzida had picked up off the roadside. Gishzida wasn¡¯t a warrior, and neither was he physical strong. Paraskier knew that she had a chance of victory as long as she stripped him of his divine stones. She¡¯d figured that the pageboy that Gishzida had picked up off the road somewhere would likely flee as long as she managed to subdue Gishzida, and she had also believed that she was more than capable of getting rid of the pageboy even if he decided to resist her and fight back. After all, the Western warriors that Gishzida had been employing until recently had neither been valorous nor loyal. This was supposed to have been her golden opportunity, but the pageboy had proven to be her downfall. The pageboy had reacted faster than any other warrior Paraskier had ever met, and he had become as the most gallant of warriors as he struggled against her with his life on the line. For the life of her, Paraskier could not fathom why a mere pageboy whom Gishzida had found off the side of the road and had employed for a mere seven silver shekels was acting like this. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± A scream burst out of her mouth as she lost the ability to think. Her hands and arms twisted unnaturally as she felt like her flesh was being gouged out by knives. The pain grew so terrible she thought she was going to pass out every time she heard someone quietly chanting another en. Paraskier twisted and turned as she screamed like she had lost her mind. ¡°Why don¡¯t you talk to me now? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re rather not die a painful death. Talk.¡± His voice was calm and gentle. Paraskier knew that Gishzida had already killed many other would-be assassins before her and tried to look for something she could use to commit suicide with, but then the joints in her arms and wrists were bent backward. Renier was sitting with her back to Paraskier as she trembled. She felt nauseated. She was utterly terrified not by the other woman¡¯s horrible screaming or the occasional bizarre sounds of bones twisting and flesh tearing apart but by the pitch-black fog that was enshrouding Lord Gishzida¡¯s entire being, which she had caught a glimpse of when she had tried to turn around earlier, and by the blood-curdling gentleness of his voice. Several names briefly passed Paraskier¡¯s lips before they disappeared. Renier heard Lord Gishzida¡¯s voice in between the names. Crunch ¡ªRenier heard the sound of someone grinding their teeth together, or perhaps it was the sound of something gasping for air through gritted teeth. How much time had passed? ¡ªRenier couldn¡¯t hear anything behind her anymore. However, she remained trembling in place with her hands clasped over her mouth. ¡°Renier.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Gishzida?¡± ¡°Renier.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°Renier, Reni¡­¡­.¡± The noises he was making ¡ªwas he gasping for air or was he weeping?¡ª gradually grew louder. But Renier could not turn around. She could not bear to turn around and look even though the gruesome pool of blood behind her was wetting her feet. ¡°Always stay in my line of sight from now on.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°Whether I¡¯m sleeping, eating, conducting a rite, or laying with a woman ¡ªalways stay in my line of sight no matter what.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Gishzida.¡± ¡°Your arms are badly injured.¡± A small pouch of powdered medicine and clean towels floated gently to Renier¡¯s feet a moment later. ¡°I can¡¯t touch you right now. I¡¯m sorry, Renier.¡± He did not say that she could leave, even at the bitter end. Gishzida continued making strange noises behind Renier, like he was gasping for air, as she bent down to pick up what he had given her and applied the medicinal powder and bandaged her arms herself. Renier had repaid the debt that she owed Gishzida for saving her life, but in return, she was made to realize that she would never be able to ask him to let go of her. A golden branch and several weapons were found among Paraskier¡¯s personal belongings later at dawn. She had apparently been planning to furnish the golden branch after she had successfully assassinated Gishzida and claim that they had fought a proper duel and that she had been chosen by Armanu¡¯s Finger. Gishzida hung her now-unrecognizable corpse from a tree and let the birds feast on her. He always executed several high-ranking Realist priests, the ones whom Paraskier had betrayed, and hung them in similar fashion. When some of the priests protested, saying that the Celestials were gods on earth and must not be insulted this way, Gishzida simply bared his pearly whites and laughed at them. ¡°Be grateful to Kiros, who left behind an amazing precedent for you! Bring me a whip at once!¡± Gishzida had the protestors tied to a pillar, and he flogged them to death. He gritted his teeth and continued brandishing his whip even long after they had been reduced to bloody lumps of flesh and had completely stopped moving. None of the priests who had gathered around him did anything to stop their crazed galtir. Once the sun had risen, Gishzida tossed his whip aside, changed into his white high priest¡¯s formal habit, and climbed up the altar, where the air was heavily permeated with incense. ¡°Praise be the great gods who govern the Golden Forest! Only when they are fully united shall the heavens send down the rain of life and the earth shall return a bountiful harvest. Shout it loud, all of you who are gathered here! Glory be to Kittu of Six Wings and Armanu!¡± ¡°Glory be to Kittu and Armanu!¡± ¡°Bless they descendants!¡± ¡°Bless them!¡± ¡°Bless all who worship thee!¡± ¡°Bless us!¡± The packed crowd¡¯s chanting filled the plaza. Gishzida conducted the ritual just as he had yesterday, had sex with the sacrifice, murdered her, and danced. This time, however, his gaze frantically chased after his small pageboy, who was standing in the crowd. And Renier decided to keep silent about her golden hair forever.