Chapter 26
Nerva slowly raised an eyebrow, the expression of a professor pleasantly surprised by a student’s answer.
“Elysion, as ruled by the Titans in the past, was not a paradise, but a land of bitter cold. The Divine Lineage wanted to turn it into a place where life could thrive. So they persuaded the ones called ‘Fire Giants,’ those who shared their vision, to melt the frozen land.”
…Then the Fire Giants could control the powers of flame at will?
Elinne gazed at her with wide, curious eyes as she sipped her tea.
It felt just like listening to an old, fascinating myth.
“So that’s how Elysion became what it is now?”
“That’s right. …But the process wasn’t so simple. The Frost Giants opposed the melting of the frozen land, and only after a long war were their wills finally broken.”
Nerva paused once more and elegantly bit into one of the cookies Elinne had given her.
“I don’t often eat mortal food, but this is quite delicious.”
She murmured in soft admiration.
“Is this patterned after a turtle shell?”
“…No, it’s a shield. I modeled it after the one you always carry.”
She’d even carefully copied the sacred serpent Rycto carved onto it.
At her suddenly downcast expression, Nerva began to laugh.
“Oh dear, I wasn’t very observant, was I?”
“It’s okay. Everyone said the shape was weird anyway, so I wasn’t expecting much.”
“Now that I look closely, it does resemble Rycto’s pattern. It’s charming.”
“If you like them, I’ll bake them for you more often. So what happened to the Frost Giants?!”
Please finish the rest!
At her eager face, Nerva smiled gently.
“Naturally, the Titan Empire was defeated, and the Divine Empire’s reign began. And then, the Divines… began to shun even the Fire Giants who had helped them. The Titans, in turn, faced the verge of extinction.”
That smile faded in an instant to one of bitter sorrow.
“…Enraged, the King of the Frost Giants, Yotun, burned his own body to cast a Curse of Eternal Winter.”
【Curse of Eternal Winter: A curse cast centuries ago by Yotun, the last Frost Giant king of the Titans. It is a curse not even the power of the Supreme Deity can break. No one knows when it will be realized, and the Divines live in constant fear.】
【A Frost Serpent large enough to wrap around the world will rise, swallowing the sun. Thus shall begin an endless night, and Elysion shall return to a land of bitter cold. – From the full text of the Curse of Eternal Winter.】
Elinne blinked.
…So basically, it’ll become a second Ice Age? And we’ll go extinct like Earth’s dinosaurs?
“That’s a terrifying curse.”
“Yes. A curse that will end the world.”
She shook her head, imagining herself frozen in a block of ice like a cryogenically preserved human.
“It is as you guessed. Only the Fire Giants can withstand the curse, which is why I needed to claim the Immortal Lands to prepare for it.”
“Then what about Heril and Vishtar?”
“Heril has a child who governs the hearth. Vishtar can command the Fire Giants directly. So in truth, I was the one who needed the Immortal Lands most desperately.”
Ah… Now it all made sense.
So that’s why Nerva had offered such favorable terms.
No wonder. It had felt strange from the start that the Goddess of Wisdom had suddenly asked to adopt a stranger. There had been a reason all along.
“You’ve heard me say it before, haven’t you? The moment you gave me the golden apple, you had done your part.”
Then she wondered what would have happened if she hadn’t chosen Nerva?
Why did everyone insist on fending for themselves anyway? Didn’t she say the Fire Giants could nullify the curse?
“Then why not just ask for help from the Fire Giants?”
She asked eagerly.
It was her second shot at life, she had no desire to become ice cream.
“The Fire Giants obey only Vishtar’s orders. They live strictly within the closed borders of Venus, the land of beauty and love, and refuse all contact with other gods.”
Nerva answered kindly, as if she’d anticipated the question.
“Other than the few who remain in Venus, no one even knows where the rest of them are. Only Vishtar knows.”
“Then what if we ask Vishtar…”
She didn’t seem the type to give it up easily, but maybe with enough gifts and sweet talk?
“I’ve already tried everything. But Vishtar wouldn’t budge.”
It was as if Nerva had read her mind, her voice was tinged with dry humor.
“She didn’t even want the Immortal Lands going to any other god, so she manipulated the wager to tilt things in her favor.”
At that, Elinne’s mouth dropped open.
Absolutely rotten. How could someone so beautiful act like that?
She thought back to Vishtar’s smug, smiling face.
Discussion
1 CommentReactions
Gnfjfjfj