Though better than the chaos that engulfed the Eastern Continent, the Western Continent was not a friendly environment for humans, and in a time when survival necessitated doing anything, it was not unusual for human lives to be undervalued.
An era where merely traveling from village to village or city to city meant risking one’s life.
The human villages that fell under the protection of Roa were desperate to remain within that safeguard.
Above all, Roa often had a strong sense of pride, and when the humans they were guarding acted in ways that displeased them or attempted to break free from their protection, it was not uncommon for them to completely erase the villages or cities from existence.
On the Western Continent, the existence of Roa was much like what humans referred to as a land deity — it was ‘divine’ in itself.
The human sacrifices offered to Anakthus increased as Pohelrn grew.
“Priegoss referred to Pohelrn at that time as Anakthus’s sheep farm,” he said.
When Pohelrn’s population was small, they waited for it to grow, fearing that too much of a population decrease could lead to the village itself collapsing.
“While the population continues to rise, the number of humans sacrificed hasn’t been small, and Pretaras, who became the mayor from village chief, occasionally sacrificed travelers who seemed to have no connections to Pohelrn just to meet the required numbers.”
Pohelrn was a city of sin that maintained its prosperity by sacrificing its own kind and innocent beings.
Priegoss felt disillusioned with such circumstances and sought to find freedom by killing Anakthus.
Under the surface, Priegoss gathered those who had lost family or friends to Anakthus.
The bronze swords made by humans were powerful, but their opponent was the transcendent being known as Roa. The possibility of dead ends was high.
After failing, if Anakthus’s rage engulfed Pohelrn, it would have been possible to blame even their kin for disturbing the beehive.
And when the preparations were finished and the execution date was set, Priegoss’s group met Alia and the succubi.
“Humans do die quickly. Not from a lack of strength, but simply from their lifespan. We, born from Elder Roa, live for hundreds of years or more, but it seems humans struggle to live past fifty even in the safe Western Continent.”
“For us, time isn’t a major resource. Waiting for several decades is not a particularly remarkable matter.”
“Is that why? Humans sometimes engage in recklessness, almost like flames.”
In the Eastern Continent, beings treated as peculiar monkeys were now brandishing swords against Roa, who had ascended to freedom.
Alia, captivated by humans, assisted Priegoss in dealing with Anakthus.
The warriors of Pohelrn, prepared for death and defeat, wept, embracing each other as they looked upon the corpse of the once-godly gigantic serpent with the succubi’s aid.
But Priegoss remained cautious of the powerful succubi.
It was hard to believe that strong beings would lend their strength for free.
Surely they were wary of succubi becoming a second Anakthus.
But Alia entered under Priegoss without any price to pay and aided him.
“Hehe… It took several years for Him to find value in me and even trust me. In fact, even now, He might still be somewhat doubtful.”
After sharing many stories, Alia began her designated tasks at the door, as though nothing had happened.
It was a complicated sentiment.
Though it was said casually, the story of Alia and Priegoss appeared to hold a desperate history.
The history of the Elf race?
Though only ten years had passed, the elves born under the World Tree had been a race at the pinnacle of nature since their birth.
Moreover, I was an extraordinary being who retained memories of my past life.
Even the feral deity, Roa, who had lived for hundreds of years, was not above me and the elves.
It seemed reasonable that Priegoss, kneeling, faced such desperation.
Though not immediately, humans must have yearned for the strength to defend themselves without relying on external help in the future.
It is true that Priegoss’s soldiers, through various combat experiences, were quite trained for their time, but without the succubi’s aid, they could not hunt a Roa.
However, while martial arts were rare even in the Middle Continent, a human who reached the realm of mastery could stand against Roa alone.
Given the current foundation of humans, it could take over a thousand years without assistance for a human to reach that realm.
That time would undoubtedly become an extensive period of hardship for humans.
“Alia, can I have an audience with King Priegoss tomorrow?”
“…! I will convey the message to the King.”
Upon realizing the meaning of my words, Alia displayed a surprised expression and quickly vanished into the shadows.
“…Indeed, Alia could also use such means.”
It was understandable that she, being an Einherjar, could employ skills similar to those of her followers.
“She subtly avoided revealing her true purpose… but I’ll put off confronting Alia for now.”
In the room where Alia had vanished, I sat cross-legged on the bed and began to circulate my energy.
—
“Lady Araya has arrived.”
“Ah… I see you’ve come; can I entrust the rest to you, Alia?”
In the modest room, which hardly qualified as a court, Priegoss rose from his throne with a face mixed with nervousness and anticipation at my visit.
Those engraving clay tablets on Priegoss’s orders continued their work after Alia and I entered.
“…This way.”
“Hmm. I beg your pardon.”
It was unprecedented for a king or emperor in the Middle Continent to rise from their throne without guards to lead a guest into a private room for a secret conversation, but perhaps due to the era not yet solidifying in etiquette and authority, Priegoss’s attendants seemed not overly concerned about it.
“It seems that the very concept of a king doesn’t resonate much with him.”
The room we entered became an airtight chamber as Priegoss closed the door.
A room without a single window.
Yet, as I stepped on the ground, the thick walls echoed, indicating their substantial thickness.
It was a suitable place for discussing secret matters.
Although it was morning, the dark room admitted no light, illuminated only by a few tiny sources of illumination.
Of course, this wasn’t a significant issue for me, but Priegoss, being human, moved cautiously.
On the stone-crafted table sat a teacup and some pastries resembling dried fruit I had never seen before.
I had no intention of engaging in leisurely conversation while drinking a liquid that insulted the notion of tea crafted by humans.
“I apologize for any discomfort.”
“Hmm, not at all. I am not particularly bound by darkness.”
As I calmly took my seat despite the dim light, Priegoss awkwardly followed suit.
“…Am I frightening you?”
“…I can’t say no.”
“You don’t seem to embody the hero who once dared face Roa with just a sword.”
“…Did Alia tell you?”
“It was also a crucial factor for bringing us to this moment.”
Priegoss smiled bitterly, saying, “Would I have not been frightened at that time? I was simply desperate and flailing against an inescapable reality.”
“But if you had never attempted that, you’d likely never have met Alia. The heavens tend to assist those who help themselves.”
“That’s quite a grand-sounding statement.”
“Is it? But are you persistently trying to keep your honorifics?”
“…Right now, I’m not a king representing humans on the throne; I’m merely a human begging for mercy from a great being.”
“…That reference to a great being is somewhat embarrassing.”
Seeing a young man bowing to a seemingly ten-year-old girl is quite the ridiculous sight for an observer.
I tapped the table with my finger and opened my mouth.
“I had many concerns yesterday.”
“…”
“Since I got the gist of what I needed to know, I considered whether to leave, assist your request, or… kill you.”
For a moment, Priegoss’s breath hitched.
Tension, fear of death, despair.
But it was only for a moment; after some time had passed, he managed to calm himself.
Drenched in cold sweat, Priegoss took a deep breath before speaking.
“So what answer did you arrive at?”
“…Just as Alia saw potential in you, I saw it in you as well.”
“…”
“The problem was whether the potential you possessed would benefit our elves. After all, you aspire to usher in the age of humans in this land, don’t you?”
“That’s…”
I scratched my cheek as I spoke.
“Don’t worry too much. I’ve considered the idea of killing you for such reasons, but isn’t it somewhat amusing to kill everyone just because humans might pose a mild threat to elves, given that our kind is supposedly meant to be mediators?”
Reflecting on the history that Alia had shared, I continued.
“Even if humans pose a bit of a threat to elves, we won’t consider them foes unless they attempt to turn the Western Continent into the same fate as the Eastern Continent.”
As Priegoss mulled over my words, color returned to his face.
“What does that mean…?”
“If it is conditional, I’ll teach you the methods of martial arts… how to utilize the nature’s energy.”
Priegoss’s throat moved once.
“Human King Priegoss. What do you wish to achieve through martial arts?”
“…I want humans to be able to live on this land by themselves.”
“You do live well now, don’t you? Just look at Pohelrn; it cannot compare to any of the human villages I’ve encountered.”
“How much you have traveled through the human worlds, Lady Araya, I know not… but the lives of humans survive by depending on nature’s whim and the deities’ caprice. Villages that were once flourishing can vanish into ruins overnight upon a single visit from a traveling merchant. If we remain satisfied with our current flourishing, then Pohelrn will also fade into mere history like other human clusters.”
He then continued with a bitter expression as if recalling something.
“The current flourishing is merely due to Anakthus backing Alia and her sisters.”
“Did Alia ever ask anything in return from you?”
Priegoss shook his head.
“Not at all, but if one day their attention wanes and they leave, things will revert to how it was before. I wish nothing more than for humans to acquire the strength to protect themselves, relying on no other force.”
“Is that the reason for unifying humans?”
“One human, even if strong, struggles to contend with a beast they encounter in the fields. However, when there are three, the beasts hesitate and back off, and if there are even more, they avoid approach altogether. The weakest humans from the Western Continent possess dexterity, wisdom, and the ability to unite, which beasts don’t have.”
I thought of the slaves repairing the city walls of Pohelrn.
Among them were children.
“By that measure, even if a human doesn’t wish to unite, he’ll suffer exploitation at the hands of another human?”
“You saw the humans building the city walls.”
After contemplating thoughtfully, Priegoss spoke.
“Honestly, I’m not sure about that. In some sense, I, as a human, might be to them as Anakthus is to you. But if someone other than myself has to decide the fate, I hope that the decision is made by humans rather than other races as much as possible.”
“Humans must risk their lives merely stepping outside the barriers of the village or the walls of the city. This land is a world where all races fight to prove their worth of existence. The humans of the Eastern Continent have vanished with little trace after losing that battle, as Alia depicted. There’s no guarantee the Western Continent won’t meet the same fate.”
“The slaves are tragic as individual humans, yet seen from the totality of the human race in this harsh world… I don’t believe I’m wrong.”
“This world, this land is a realm where all races struggle to sit where they believe is right. I hope that the human race can secure a place among those seats.”
There were times when Priegoss spoke confidently and times when he questioned himself as he continued to speak.
I pondered over his words for a while.
Looking up at the ceiling, I spoke.
“Don’t be so tense, Alia.”
“…?”
Priegoss glanced around at my mutterings.
There were two of us in the concealed stone room.
“I understand your intentions well. I shall teach you martial arts.”
“…!”
“However, there are a few conditions.”
“…I will comply with whatever conditions possible.”
“Hmm.”
I rose and slowly extended my hand toward Priegoss.
“If you and your humans keep the pact we shall make today, I swear upon my name.”
Taking my hand that had reached out in the dim light of the stony chamber, Priegoss seemed mesmerized.
“I will ensure that humans are granted the power to stand on their own someday.”
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