45 Chapter 38: A Different Interpretation of the Goddesses Legend

[Fina's POV]

Fina: "Howaaaa~ So this is the interior, huh~? So spacious~?"

I couldn't help but be left astonished from the scenery in front of me. Who wouldn't? It's still day when we entered the interior of the Dastrientel Mountain Range, but it looks like it's already night inside! With all these Glow Stones scattered above the ceiling!

It really looks like a starry night… Waaahh~

… How I wanted to show this to that guy… He loved these kind of scenery, after all.

If I found him, I'll definitely take him here. Hyahaha~

Leila: "Stay alert now, Fina. Don't let your guard down. We don't know what lurks around here, now that the Evil God's shadow disappeared."

Fina: "R-Roger that."

Leila: "…? Whatever. Just stay close behind the formation."

Leila's brows knitted, probably because she's not familiar with the word I just said.

Right now, we're walking along a wide corridor of earthen walls. It closely resembles a cave with a high ceiling, covered with a lot of Glow Stones. Because of that, the Glow skill I've been using with my staff is kind of useless. Myuu…

But Leila told me to use it, anyways.

So yep. We're now on our way to gather the resource materials.

Glow Stones are abundant in this place, so we won't have any problem gathering them our way. But there is this ore that can only be gathered deep inside the mountain range.

The miners gave it up when Leila decided to throw me in to act as an escort, saying that I'm not strong enough yet to act as an escort deeper inside. Saying that the monsters there are a fold stronger than the ones by the entrance because of the influence of the Evil God's miasma.

But that's just plain rude! Rude, I say! Muu!

Even I am strong!

… Well, not as strong as Leila, but still!

Anyways! We have to gather that ore, or they call it Merata Ore, deeper inside. The second material will be the Glow Stone, but that will be for later, since we have easier access to them.

As for what Leila said earlier, she already explained to me the circumstances inside the Dastrientel Mountain Range.

Firstly, we only had a problem of the dwindling monsters. Which at first glance means, easier exploring of the place, since we can focus on the mining instead of avoiding places with the most monsters in it.

But that is also accompanied by a major question.

Who or what is behind the disappearance of the monsters?

The only logical explanation to that is another stronger monster killing and eating the monsters to get stronger. If that's true, then avoiding monsters is the least of our problem.

Leila included that fact when she suggested me to go, giving me a special Teleportation Scroll in such case of emergency.

But that also changed when Leila was contacted by the Association about a new case inside the mountain range.

And that is…

The Shadow of the Evil God that was sealed here disappeared.

Leila: "No monsters on sight yet, Fina?"

Fina: "Yes! We're still clear here, boss!"

Leila: "…"

To not notice my slight sarcasm… Leila is really on her serious mode…

The disappearance of the Evil God here is not as simple as it seems. For the reason, that is because the Evil God also acts as a monster repellant for the monsters outside. What enters the mountain range from the Dastrientel Forest is usually killed by that Evil God, depending on how noticeable they are.

But now that the Evil God disappeared, that also means that the monsters outside earned a free pass inside. Resulting to more monsters inside the Dastrientel Mountain Range, due to it being abundant in Crysaztel.

That's one of the reason why Leila went with us, the investigation of the disappearance being the other.

Fina: "Leila~"

I trotted towards Leila, who is acting as our vanguard for the incoming monsters in front of our file. I casually pass by the miners. Among them are archeologists and artisans who came along us to explore the 'dungeon.'

They've been calling it dungeon, so I'll be doing so.

These archeologists and artisans are also from our village who studied their specialties in their respective race's continent, some of them being Humans.

Leila: "What is it? I told you to focus on the job."

Muu… Leila, that was already an hour ago. Of course, the little 'ol me would already be bored by that time. Hyahaha~

Fina: "I just remembered what you told me about the Evil God. Who is this Evil God in the first place and why is it sealed?"

Leila seemed to think for a while, maybe pondering about what to do since we're in an important job. But later on, she heaved an exasperated sight and…

*bonk*

Fina: "Ow-! Wh-What was that for…??"

Muuu!! She used her mace to hit me in the head…!

Leila: "I've only heard it from my grandmother. She was a pure Aelf."

E-Eh? The story is already starting??

Leila: "You're already familiar with the legend of the creation, I assume?"

Fina: "Eh? Ahh… When the four goddess idiotically tried to up their elder sister, but partially failed. And the last one, uhm… The Lost Goddess? Failed miserably and created the monsters, right?"

Leila: "… What's with that sardonic summary…? *sigh*"

I mean, they actually are, right?? Instead of harmoniously creating a race that could help the others, they tried to best their sister's creation, only to lose an aspect for their creation. Like for example, Aelves being physically weak due to Goddess Elise making them more adaptable to Crysaztel.

Fina: "Hyaha~"

If they just tried to consult on another and created using their best, then I can only imagine how this world is not on war right now.

Leila: "Anyway… From what I heard from Grandma, that story is actually not everything."

Fina: "You mean, it's different?"

Leila: "Not really, but there's a hidden legend that says Goddess Elise is not actually the Goddess of the Aelves. … She was the Goddess of the monsters."

Fina: "… Eh?"

Leila: "The true Goddess of the Aelves is actually the second to the oldest Goddess, which is just now known as the Lost Goddess. She gave up her position for the youngest sister, who failed at her own creation, and told the rest of the Goddess that she's the one who failed at her creation."

…

… Eh?

… Wh-Wha… Th-That's…

Wait… Why can't I think…? Properly…?

Leila: "Fina? You look pale… Are you okay?"

Fina: "I-I'm fine… H-Hyaha~ Tell me more."

I try to act as fine as possible, but my mind is jumbled. I don't know why, but it's just… Muuu… What is this hazy feeling… It suddenly sprung out after hearing what Leila said…

The Lost Goddess is actually the Goddess of the Aelves? Not the monsters?

She gave up her position for the other Goddess? For Elise?

Wh-Why does it concerns me this much…?

Leila: "The Lost Goddess loved her sisters so much, mostly the youngest, Elise. That's why, when the eldest, Ninnea, and the third sister, Beatrice, saw the Lost Goddess 'creation'…"

Saying that, Leila gestured an apostrophe sign with her own two fingers. Yep, there're apostrophes in this world, too.

She did it sarcastically, because that 'creation' was actually not the Lost Goddess's.

Leila: "They exiled her in an island near the Faunalian Continent, without knowing that it was actually Elise that failed at her creation. And so, Goddess Elise could only accept her sister's sacrifice, and promised the Lost Goddess that she will take good care of the Aelves in her stead. *sigh* Thinking about it, I can somehow agree with you that they're kind of idiots."

… I get all of these. I understand everything… They enter my ear and get processed by my mind perfectly.

But why is my mind getting all jumbled because of this story…?

Fina: "A-Ah… Right, right. Why are you telling me this story? How is it connected to the Evil God being sealed here?"

I waited for her reply, but she only looked straight on the road without answering my question. Slightly, but surely, I saw her hand gripped the handle of her mace stronger, as if she was trying to contain something. But instead of responding, she continued the story.

Leila: "When the Lost Goddess was exiled, the Goddesses sent someone to act as a guard and to look after her. It was one of the first creation of Ninnea."

Fina: "From your words, looks like it wasn't a Human?"

Leila: "Correct. It was a creation after the Humans. The Realnes."

Real… ne…?

Leila: "They are created for the sole purpose of purifying the soles of the Goddesses' creations. They live in the realm of the dead, Eifilrah."

Fina: "Then what's with this Realne person that guarded the Lost Goddess?"

Leila: "… They… fell in love."

Leila seemed hesitant at first, but she replied nonetheless.

Leila: "They fell in love. All the while the Realne guarded the Lost Goddess. They interacted, known each other, and eventually, they fell in love with each other."

… Realne…

Love…

*prick*

Fina: "Urk…! … Wh-What the… I-It hurts…"

All of a sudden, my head started to hurt like it was being torn apart into pieces. It hurts like something was hammering it from the inside out. Like something is corrupting my mind from within my core…

Leila: "F-Fina?? Hey! What's wrong??"

Fina: "My head… I-It hurts… Aargh…!"

Leila: "Fina? Hey, pull yourself together! Fina!"

I don't remember anything after that.

I just heard Leila and the other's voice from afar, echoing in the darkness…

…

..

.

Fina: "Hnn?"

Leila: "Fina! Are you okay?? Do you feel anything weird?? Is your head still hurting??"

I slowly opened my heavy eyelids, only to be bombarded with questions by a worried Leila. The miners and the rest also calls out to me, concern painted all over their faces.

Fina: "… Wh-Why am I…?"

Leila: "Ah… Thank the Goddess…! You… You fell unconscious."

I fell unconscious…?

Fina: "… Why?"

Ugh… I still feel groggy, I feel like I'm having a hangover from drinking too much…

Leila: "… Y-You slipped and hit your head. That's why I told you to be careful."

Really? Is it only that…?

Well, I can't remember anyways. Maybe that's really it. I'm not into thinking much, after all.

Fina: "Hyaha… I'm ashamed. But I'm fine now! Look!"

I stood up from the cloth that was prepared on the ground to serve as my bed, and puffed my chest out.

Leila: "… Alright. That's better."

Fina: "Yep!"

After that, we resumed our walking and traveled deeper inside to mine for the Merata Ore.

About an hour or so of walking, I felt better. The pain in my head now disappeared like I never felt it in the first place. As if it was just a dream and all. It's really weird.

We're now walking along a wide space, preparing for anything that may jump at us.

According to Leila, monster usually avoid these kind of wide spaces, since it'll be hard for them to attack due to the geographical disadvantage. Most monsters prefer close and narrow spaces to make sure that their prey loses their escape.

Still, she said that we can't have our guard down. That's because… this is already the range of where the shadow of the Evil God roams around.

Fina: "Are you sure that the Evil God here disappeared?? I still feel ominous for some reason…"

Leila: "I'm certain. Its presence is nowhere to be found, that's for sure. That huge ball of malice should be enough to fill this mountain range with negative Crysaztel or in other words, Miasma. But I can't feel any of that. Well, there are still lingering ones from here and there, however."

Ohh~ So it's gone now!

Fina: "So that means, we're safe? –Ow!"

All of a sudden, I felt a blunt pain on my head.

Sh-She used the mace to hit me again…!

Fina: "What the heck are you doing?? Muu…!! That hurts!"

Aaahh… Rubbing it doesn't do anything… It still hurts… Myuu… This loli is just so…

Leila: "Don't be complacent at what you see and hear. Becoming lax is one of your biggest enemies when it comes to exploring dungeons."

Fina: "Muu… Okay…"

If I say any more than this, I can only imagine a barrage of lecture later. I'll just obediently agree here…

Someday…! Someday I'll make her say uncle!!

Leila: "Halt. … We have company."

Eh?

…

..

.

Chapter End