Chapter 315
A Divine Spirit, really.
I felt that the giant was dangerous, but this was beyond my comprehension.
Divine Spirits couldn’t descend directly to the lower world. They were beings of the upper world, and the system strictly divided and separated the upper and lower worlds.
Even if it was a Divine Spirit from this world, it couldn’t fully descend into its own world.
They could only send an avatar, a physical manifestation, to the lower world after receiving all sorts of enhancements.
However, what I just saw could never be called an avatar.
True Form.
The Divine Spirit I just saw existed in its true form.
“What on earth is going on?”
“I don’t know either.”
Lean was also confused as to why it was here.
“I heard that Georn sent the Great Five Sisters and gathered candidates to leave his power behind.”
Georn, the god of Glacalis.
The ruler of the northern continent and the idol of the Gardians. And a Divine Spirit of this world.
Such a Georn was left in the lower world, fallen into a hideous form like the Frost Giant.
“Why is Georn… there? And why in such a form…”
“…Whatever the case, we know this isn’t a normal situation.”
I recalled the red gem embedded in Georn’s chest. At the center of that ominous object, unseen by others, was a shard of the Codex.
‘This is crazy.’
I had found the shard. But it was not simply lying on the side of the road; it was embedded in the chest of the Divine Spirit of this world, who was thought to be dead.
I compared Georn and the Frost Giant. The Frost Giant closely resembled a degraded copy of Georn’s current form.
No matter how I tried to think positively, I could only conclude that the Frost Giant originated from Georn.
In that case, so did the Curse of the Frozen Land.
“Let’s go back for now. Rather than staying here, we should return and explain to the others…”
“How?”
“What?”
“How do you plan to explain this?”
Lean was still in shock, unable to shake off the image of Georn.
To them, Georn was the god of this world. More than anyone, Lean, one of the candidates chosen to succeed Georn as the god of this world, knew Georn well.
The god of the great warriors.
It was Georn who led them to the land of salvation when they died.
Would anyone believe that such a Georn was the root of this world’s curse and had degenerated into creating Frost Giants?
Even if people believed it, then what?
Who would welcome the truth that the great god wanted to kill them directly?
“People will fall into chaos.”
“Are you suggesting we just sit back and do nothing?”
I frowned.
“You’ve been searching for 32 years. Now the cause is right in front of you, and you want to just ignore it? Besides, there’s a traitor within us… Sigh. We can’t just leave this newfound truth as it is.”
“Then what do you plan to do?”
“We must inform everyone. There’s a traitor, and the god of this world has fallen into a monster.”
“Chaos will ensue. What do you think will happen to people clinging to a glimmer of hope when they hear that?”
“We must still do it. Otherwise, we’ll all truly die.”
“We can’t possibly fight Georn! He’s the god of this world!”
“If we don’t fight! Are we just going to live each day unable to die for another 68 years, only to be destroyed in the end?!”
Unable to contain myself, I shouted at Lean.
At my outburst, Lean clenched his fists tightly.
How could he not know? The survivors of Gard would inevitably perish if things continued as they were.
But Georn, fighting a Divine Spirit was another matter. Even if they fought, the result would be the same death.
In that case, it was better to endure for another 68 years, gaining some respite.
Georn was their absolute deity.
“Georn is a god. And we can’t win against a god.”
“God. God. You keep calling him a god.”
I frowned and bared my teeth.
“The ones you claim to serve are Divine Spirits, not gods.”
“If a Divine Spirit isn’t a god, what is it?”
“They’re just superior to us, not omnipotent. They threw off their bounds to gain the power of the stars, but they’re not immortal. They too eventually die, decay, and are crushed by greater forces.”
“But in this world, they are omnipotent.”
“Omnipotent? That omnipotent being, sensing his end, chose candidates for succession?”
I scoffed at the ridiculous notion.
“You and everyone else seem to be under a huge misconception. That these so-called Divine Spirits are invincible gods.”
I had never liked that idea.
Even on Earth, when people claimed the world of thought was a punishment from the gods and that we must comply with their will, I was even more against it.
They were not gods. They were just beings masquerading as gods.
“If everything is as the gods will, if mere mortals like us cannot resist them, then why are we alive?”
The weak sought domination.
Those unable to stand on their own or wishing to escape harsh realities sought something to lean on, ultimately reaching blind adoration for gods.
They claimed to serve them with faith and belief.
But to me, it was all nonsense.
“They’re all just running away.”
They merely relied on a great power.
Turning away from harsh reality, what’s the difference?
Accepting it as unavoidable, submitting to power, hoping the gods they serve are good. They mask their inability to resist as faith and brand those who can’t with disbelief.
Cowards.
Divine Spirits are not gods. There are no gods in this world.
There were only those who created the illusion of gods and the people who relied on it.
There had never been an absolute being for humans to rely on.
“Then, what do you suggest we do?”
“Fight. Until the last person falls.”
“…Not everyone can be that strong. For some, it might be better to die submitting to a great power rather than resisting it.”
“I understand. So, I won’t force anyone. I won’t stop those who flee, and I’ll respect their choice. But I will fight.”
Without fighting, nothing could change. Eventually, people had to break down the wall blocking their path with a hammer.
Even in the face of apocalypse, I saved people to resist a world where everyone wished for death.
That was my fight. A struggle against a world suppressed by power.
That harsh march couldn’t stop even in this place, where the cold was severe enough to freeze one’s lungs.
“You…”
Meeting my unwavering gaze, Lean felt himself shrinking.
This appearance was no different from the days when he thought of himself as half a person, bowing his head in shame.
‘I haven’t changed in decades.’
Lean felt ashamed of himself.
What was all the effort for?
What had he endured for so long?
‘What do I really want?’
I wanted to save them. I wanted to restore this world to its former state.
I wanted to send the oppressed souls of this cold world to the land of salvation again.
It wasn’t Kaira’s will or anyone else’s coercion.
I just wanted to do it.
“…Give me time.”
“That’s unexpected.”
I relaxed my furrowed brow.
“I thought you would only evade reality.”
“I realized that can’t be done. No, maybe I knew from the beginning. So give me time to answer.”
“…I can’t give you long. Time will pass, and people will grow endlessly weary, both you and me.”
“I know. It won’t take long.”
Since Lean said that much, I didn’t press him further. I never intended to.
“Perhaps Kaira really left her mark believing in you.”
Kaira had led the sisters and candidates to the root of the curse.
She wouldn’t have failed to recognize Georn. Kaira must have fought. She would have inspired courage in the sisters who despaired before Georn and remained until the end to protect this world.
However, she didn’t return. She lost the fight against Georn.
Yet her traces remained.
She had made a deal with the system and used her form to try to save this world.
She still had hope.
Because Lean, the last key to this world, was still there.
“…”
Lean neither denied nor confirmed my words.
* * *
After that, we returned to Gard.
The shocking truth we learned today left us with no energy to explore other areas. There was no need to explore further since we knew the truth.
We knew the source and origin of the Curse of the Frozen Land.
It should have been a joyous occasion, finding the cause after 32 years of desperate searching, but solving the cause was entirely different.
Moreover, realizing there was a traitor within us made us even more cautious.
After passing through the gates, I parted ways with Lean at the plaza and returned to the inn, locking myself in my room.
‘Who is it? Who deliberately erased the traces and blocked the path?’
I lay on the straw-smelling bed, pondering.
The traitor hadn’t visited the place just once. They had roamed the area at least ten times, checking repeatedly to ensure no one discovered the secret passage.
The traitor was more cautious and meticulous than expected.
They hadn’t been discovered for a long time, meaning they knew how the exploration teams moved and where.
‘The first suspects are those who claimed to have explored that area.’
The key was whether there were records at the exploration headquarters. But more than that, I recalled Lean’s words.
‘Emperor Frechen and his knights often roamed near that place.’
What did
Emperor Frechen seek by leading his followers around the outskirts?
Did he plan to revive the fallen empire?
Despite his enmity with Lean, Frechen lived well in Gard.
Without a magic circle, even if he reclaimed the empire’s territory, he couldn’t overcome the Curse of the Frozen Land.
Was he seeking a hollow empire? Or did he have another plan?
‘Emperor Frechen is the most suspicious. But I can’t be certain.’
Even if he was indeed the traitor, holding him accountable would be difficult.
Considering the number and power of his followers, it wouldn’t be surprising if Gard split in half.
Even if shocked followers turned away, the imperial knights who had served him for 32 years might not.
Perhaps they knew and were complicit.
Declaring Frechen a traitor would inevitably lead to a great conflict.
Many people would die.
We might have to fight Georn, and we couldn’t afford to tear ourselves apart.
‘What does Lean plan to do?’
We had talked a lot, but I still didn’t know what Lean wanted.
The truth I knew was just a rough conjecture pieced together from a few clues.
Even if the general direction was right, I couldn’t know the details.
“Kaira! Come down and eat!”
Bella’s loud voice echoed up to the second floor.
My mind was too tangled to think about eating, but I couldn’t refuse Bella.
Bella never compromised on food. She couldn’t stand wasting precious provisions.
When I went downstairs, Bella greeted me but then asked after seeing my face.
“Huh? You don’t look so good.”
I smiled and brushed it off.
“It’s nothing. Just tired from going too far today.”
“That’s a bit different from the usual.”
Bella said, placing a large pot of soup in the center of the table.
Sitting at the table, I suddenly became curious about Bella’s situation.
“By the way, I’m curious.”
“Hmm? About what?”
“Why did you open an inn here, Bella?”
Gard was now the only place left in this world. Perhaps there were other survivors in the continent, but for now, Gard was everything.
People here had their own homes. An inn was essentially unnecessary.
No external guests were expected.
“Oh, if it’s a difficult question, I’m sorry.”
“Huh? No, it’s not. Don’t worry. So you’re curious why I run an inn?”
“Yes.”
“It’s because of my husband.”
“Your husband? You were married?”
Bella chuckled at my straightforward question.
“Yes, I was married. A long time ago, when I was a young maiden.”
“But, your husband…”
“He died. Over 20 years ago. He went out as an explorer and never returned.”
“…”
“That’s why I run this inn. It was originally my husband’s dream. To run an inn while I cooked in the kitchen, welcoming guests.”
Even though her husband didn’t return and died.
She couldn’t give up on this work.
It wasn’t just her dream but also that of the one she loved.
“I believe spring will come someday. I believed it before, and I still do. Even if my husband can’t return. When spring comes, when the country prospers, and people increase, I will continue this inn.”
She had inherited the will of the deceased.
So she couldn’t stop.
For their sake, the living had to keep on living.
“It’s not just me. Everyone in Gard probably thinks similarly. Some may have already given up, but at least those who haven’t. Even if the world freezes, we’re still alive.”
“…I see.”
I nodded quietly, eating the soup.
The soup, which always tasted delicious and warm, filled me with even more warmth today.