I sip the tea served with my meal and think.
"Well... First of all, goblins are basically unintelligent ...... and don't think too deeply about things. But the goblins around Mount Shudras were different. They are surprisingly disciplined for goblins and completely monolithic."
For the time being, I decided to muddy the waters by talking about goblins in general.
Madrair silently urges me to go on.
"...On the way, I saw a group of goblins, but they were all full of the will to fight. You need to have a clear sense of purpose to maintain that kind of morale. I'm sorry to be so subjective, but they are very hostile towards you elves. I'd like to ask you, do you have any idea why the goblins would go to such lengths to attack us?"
I found myself asking the question in reverse, but I don't see the problem.
I'm curious about what the elves think about this battle.
Madrail made a subtle face and pretended to be unsure how to answer.
I'm like, 'Oh? I tilt my head.
...Maybe you don't know what's going on?
"You may be surprised, but I want you to believe me."
"It depends on what it is."
"It seems that the Goblin King and Master Rickhard had a connection, and I don't know the details, but he offered them coexistence, and they refused."
Coexistence? You mean, 'joined'?
"Coexist? With goblins?"
I know, but I'm going to be dumbfounded.
"Yeah. I don't know what went wrong with the Goblin King, but it ended badly. The goblins turned on us."
Madrail sighs softly.
"Thanks to them, all the small settlements around the village were wiped out. The inhabitants were killed or kidnapped. From the looks of things, they wouldn't have survived..."
No, they're being treated like livestock, but some of them are alive.
Although they would have been better off dead.
"That's nothing... What did this king or whatever he's called say to the goblins?"
"I don't know that much. Only that they refused to accept our blessing..."
Most people who know what happened would say it was a foregone conclusion.
Abdullah seemed to be very fond of Mr Kofuji, and I wonder what this Rikhard guy was thinking about that?
Look at the High Elf in front of you.
How did that expression come about? Her expression says that she is sincerely curious and does not understand the goblin's behaviour.
What I felt at that expression was a sense of discomfort.
Don't these people ever look at themselves objectively?
At least from what I hear from this Madrail, it sounds like they are saying, "We are right, so why can't they understand us?"
It sounds like they are saying.
They don't think about why they were rejected.
Perhaps they sulked like that with the Dark Elves.
Maybe it was a wise decision, in a way, to break up with them before it got completely worse.
Etienne's description of something as being intoxicating was spot on.
To be honest, from my point of view, there's something wrong with these guys.
"It's all a bit gloomy, so if you want a change of pace, why don't you come to our temple? It's the most magnificent building in the village!"
Madrair changed the subject in a cheerful voice, as if to shake off the darkened atmosphere.
I was also having trouble reacting to the topic, so I decided to take advantage of the opportunity.
I'm also interested in temples.
When I nodded, she happily cleared away the empty dishes and took me by the hand to lead me outside.
On the way to the temple or whatever it is called, Madrail was in a very good mood.
She was talking about the weather, the food and other unimportant things.
I was just chatting away, but I wondered why she was in such a good mood, and when I asked her about it, she said that she was glad that this kind of casual conversation was fresh and new.
Even with that out of the way, this woman's attitude was beyond strange and sickening.
I walked behind the woman, who was happily spouting off about unimportant things, while thinking that I was feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
After walking for a few minutes, the temple came into view.
The structure is similar to the building that Millard and I talked about earlier, but the scale is literally orders of magnitude different.
It is almost several times bigger.
The surface is pure white, with columns and statues of feathers here and there.
It certainly looks very similar, but it's slightly different.
For some reason, the wings and pillars are carved with a pattern resembling the human eye.
"What do you think of our temple?"
"Spacious."
No further impressions were given.
There are no rooms inside, but a space.
The floor is made of marble or something, with a smooth tile-like floor similar to the ruins from some time ago, and in front of it is a pillar with feathers, as in the example.
...Why is there a faint glow, or is it a trick?
Looking around, the walls are also lined with pillars at equal intervals.
This one is not particularly glowing, but is it not meant as a substitute for lighting?
Well, it doesn't matter.
I'm curious, but it's probably nothing serious. Ignore it and walk on.
The pattern of the eyeballs makes me feel as if I am being watched, which is somehow uncomfortable.
The Madreir walking in front of me beckons me to go to the back.
The unpleasant feeling I've been having since a while ago is getting stronger.
After confirming the whereabouts of Savage, who has been following me in hiding, just in case, I walk towards the back and can clearly see the pillars in front of me.
On the way out, I noticed.
One man is kneeling at a pillar.
When he noticed us, he slowly stood up and turned around.
He is a high elf man.
He is a handsome man, as usual, and smiles kindly when he sees me.
I felt a chill. I was chilled, even if a man smiles at me.
The clothes are decorated with luxurious ornaments just like Madreir's, and it looks like he is of a high status.
Perhaps, this man is also a druid.
He turns his gaze to Madrair. She notices and smiles for some reason.
...What in the world is going on?
From her reaction, it seems that I was lured in.
Was that the plan all along?
"Hello. Sorry for the deception. I couldn't have met you otherwise."
The man came up to me, saying that he had read my thoughts.
I stare at the man without saying anything.
I could tell he was a powerful man.
Given that there's no one else around, does that mean he's sneaking up on me?
If so, who is this guy...?
"I am Rikkhard. I am the king of this village."
"Thank you for your hospitality. I'm Roe. I'm a traveller."
This is Rikkhard?
I wanted to at least see his face, but I didn't think he would come in person.
"Is it so unusual to be an outsider that the king would go to the trouble of coming to a guy like me?"
"It's certainly unusual to be an outsider. But I came to see you because I needed to."
"Necessary?"
"Yeah, I had an epiphany. I should talk to you, and I want to talk to you."
What's he talking about?
"Ugh."
Suddenly, Madrail started moaning.
What now?
To be honest, it's too sudden a development for me to follow...
At the same time, one of the pillars on the wall glowed dimly, followed by Madrair's body.
She moaned in agony for a little while, but then calmed down and looked up from her prone position.
Her face had lost its expression and she looked like a different person.
Rikhard is kneeling facing Madrair before I know it.
"Have you come down?"
I heard him mutter.
Madrail looks alternately at Rickhard and me, then slowly turns his gaze to me.
"O Gentiles. Welcome."
What? I hear double voices.
I have no idea what language she's speaking, but somehow I understand what she's saying.
What the hell is this?
"I am one Γριγορι Grigori pillar; Σηεμηαζα'."
What? I can't hear the name.
I can understand the meaning of the words being said, but only the proper names sound weird and blurred.
I can barely make out the first half of Grigori, but I can't understand the name.
Sh... sh... sh? Something? I don't know.
"Don't be afraid. Those are the Grigori. They are the great ones who gave us elves knowledge."
I frown at Rikkhard's words.
I see. These are the backers of the elves?
If they appear in such an easy-to-understand form, that's why the number of believers is increasing.
"...And? What the hell does this Great Being want with me?"
"We are interested in your flesh."
"Body? What do you mean?"
"The body is the αρχη(principle) which contains the elements of life. It is as close to a τελος(end) as possible."
There's another word I don't understand.
Could you please speak in a way I can understand?
"I have felt the signs, but it's really interesting. Is it because of thy nature that thou hast done it..."
That's not good.
I have no idea what you're talking about.
"I'm sorry to interrupt the excitement, but can you speak in a way I can understand? If you're so great, it would be nice if you could adapt a little bit to the lower classes, wouldn't it?"
"Do you feel nothing when you look at us?"
"Feel what?"
I can see you're in trouble, but I don't owe you any favours.
The man's eyes narrow in amusement.
"Do you not know fear... no, in the truest sense of the word? Chaos in body, innocence in mind. You are a human being, yet you have renounced original sin and attained liberation. Wonderful material."
To be honest, I can only tilt my head because I don't understand the content.
What is it? Are these people trying to show off how smart they are by saying small, difficult things?
Is this what you sometimes hear conscious people say? I don't know.
"There is one thing we ask of thee. Come under our protection and give yourself to us. Then you will come into contact with our wisdom and make further progress."
I sigh inwardly.
In short, I'm supposed to be a lackey? Although he is saying difficult things, in the end, he is the same as Darzain, isn't he?
It suddenly felt ridiculous to think so.
...Oh, I had to ask you something first.
"Before I answer, I want to ask you, do you remember the name Gnosis?"
"Γνοστιψισμ Gnosis. The Bearer of Knowledge."
"Knowledge? Not one of yours?"
"No and yes. We have a different role to play than they do. We are the watchers. We are the ones who will watch over this land and his land until the time of judgement. But we have work to do."
Yikes. Can someone translate this?
"O Gentiles! With thy body and strength we can attain the true Νεπηιλιμ(Nephilim) we seek and fulfil the Incarnation. Come, take our hands..."
So, this is a separate account from Gnosis?
I don't understand the purpose of this, but that's all I need to know.
There are some tricky words, such as incarnation, but let's put them aside for now.
So...? Do you want me to become a believer?
"I refuse. Find someone else."
I'm not joking.
I said that to him as if I was putting him on the spot.
I sip the tea served with my meal and think.
"Well... First of all, goblins are basically unintelligent ...... and don't think too deeply about things. But the goblins around Mount Shudras were different. They are surprisingly disciplined for goblins and completely monolithic."
For the time being, I decided to muddy the waters by talking about goblins in general.
Madrair silently urges me to go on.
"...On the way, I saw a group of goblins, but they were all full of the will to fight. You need to have a clear sense of purpose to maintain that kind of morale. I'm sorry to be so subjective, but they are very hostile towards you elves. I'd like to ask you, do you have any idea why the goblins would go to such lengths to attack us?"
I found myself asking the question in reverse, but I don't see the problem.
I'm curious about what the elves think about this battle.
Madrail made a subtle face and pretended to be unsure how to answer.
I'm like, 'Oh? I tilt my head.
...Maybe you don't know what's going on?
"You may be surprised, but I want you to believe me."
"It depends on what it is."
"It seems that the Goblin King and Master Rickhard had a connection, and I don't know the details, but he offered them coexistence, and they refused."
Coexistence? You mean, 'joined'?
"Coexist? With goblins?"
I know, but I'm going to be dumbfounded.
"Yeah. I don't know what went wrong with the Goblin King, but it ended badly. The goblins turned on us."
Madrail sighs softly.
"Thanks to them, all the small settlements around the village were wiped out. The inhabitants were killed or kidnapped. From the looks of things, they wouldn't have survived..."
No, they're being treated like livestock, but some of them are alive.
Although they would have been better off dead.
"That's nothing... What did this king or whatever he's called say to the goblins?"
"I don't know that much. Only that they refused to accept our blessing..."
Most people who know what happened would say it was a foregone conclusion.
Abdullah seemed to be very fond of Mr Kofuji, and I wonder what this Rikhard guy was thinking about that?
Look at the High Elf in front of you.
How did that expression come about? Her expression says that she is sincerely curious and does not understand the goblin's behaviour.
What I felt at that expression was a sense of discomfort.
Don't these people ever look at themselves objectively?
At least from what I hear from this Madrail, it sounds like they are saying, "We are right, so why can't they understand us?"
It sounds like they are saying.
They don't think about why they were rejected.
Perhaps they sulked like that with the Dark Elves.
Maybe it was a wise decision, in a way, to break up with them before it got completely worse.
Etienne's description of something as being intoxicating was spot on.
To be honest, from my point of view, there's something wrong with these guys.
"It's all a bit gloomy, so if you want a change of pace, why don't you come to our temple? It's the most magnificent building in the village!"
Madrair changed the subject in a cheerful voice, as if to shake off the darkened atmosphere.
I was also having trouble reacting to the topic, so I decided to take advantage of the opportunity.
I'm also interested in temples.
When I nodded, she happily cleared away the empty dishes and took me by the hand to lead me outside.
On the way to the temple or whatever it is called, Madrail was in a very good mood.
She was talking about the weather, the food and other unimportant things.
I was just chatting away, but I wondered why she was in such a good mood, and when I asked her about it, she said that she was glad that this kind of casual conversation was fresh and new.
Even with that out of the way, this woman's attitude was beyond strange and sickening.
I walked behind the woman, who was happily spouting off about unimportant things, while thinking that I was feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
After walking for a few minutes, the temple came into view.
The structure is similar to the building that Millard and I talked about earlier, but the scale is literally orders of magnitude different.
It is almost several times bigger.
The surface is pure white, with columns and statues of feathers here and there.
It certainly looks very similar, but it's slightly different.
For some reason, the wings and pillars are carved with a pattern resembling the human eye.
"What do you think of our temple?"
"Spacious."
No further impressions were given.
There are no rooms inside, but a space.
The floor is made of marble or something, with a smooth tile-like floor similar to the ruins from some time ago, and in front of it is a pillar with feathers, as in the example.
...Why is there a faint glow, or is it a trick?
Looking around, the walls are also lined with pillars at equal intervals.
This one is not particularly glowing, but is it not meant as a substitute for lighting?
Well, it doesn't matter.
I'm curious, but it's probably nothing serious. Ignore it and walk on.
The pattern of the eyeballs makes me feel as if I am being watched, which is somehow uncomfortable.
The Madreir walking in front of me beckons me to go to the back.
The unpleasant feeling I've been having since a while ago is getting stronger.
After confirming the whereabouts of Savage, who has been following me in hiding, just in case, I walk towards the back and can clearly see the pillars in front of me.
On the way out, I noticed.
One man is kneeling at a pillar.
When he noticed us, he slowly stood up and turned around.
He is a high elf man.
He is a handsome man, as usual, and smiles kindly when he sees me.
I felt a chill. I was chilled, even if a man smiles at me.
The clothes are decorated with luxurious ornaments just like Madreir's, and it looks like he is of a high status.
Perhaps, this man is also a druid.
He turns his gaze to Madrair. She notices and smiles for some reason.
...What in the world is going on?
From her reaction, it seems that I was lured in.
Was that the plan all along?
"Hello. Sorry for the deception. I couldn't have met you otherwise."
The man came up to me, saying that he had read my thoughts.
I stare at the man without saying anything.
I could tell he was a powerful man.
Given that there's no one else around, does that mean he's sneaking up on me?
If so, who is this guy...?
"I am Rikkhard. I am the king of this village."
"Thank you for your hospitality. I'm Roe. I'm a traveller."
This is Rikkhard?
I wanted to at least see his face, but I didn't think he would come in person.
"Is it so unusual to be an outsider that the king would go to the trouble of coming to a guy like me?"
"It's certainly unusual to be an outsider. But I came to see you because I needed to."
"Necessary?"
"Yeah, I had an epiphany. I should talk to you, and I want to talk to you."
What's he talking about?
"Ugh."
Suddenly, Madrail started moaning.
What now?
To be honest, it's too sudden a development for me to follow...
At the same time, one of the pillars on the wall glowed dimly, followed by Madrair's body.
She moaned in agony for a little while, but then calmed down and looked up from her prone position.
Her face had lost its expression and she looked like a different person.
Rikhard is kneeling facing Madrair before I know it.
"Have you come down?"
I heard him mutter.
Madrail looks alternately at Rickhard and me, then slowly turns his gaze to me.
"O Gentiles. Welcome."
What? I hear double voices.
I have no idea what language she's speaking, but somehow I understand what she's saying.
What the hell is this?
"I am one Γριγορι Grigori pillar; Σηεμηαζα'."
What? I can't hear the name.
I can understand the meaning of the words being said, but only the proper names sound weird and blurred.
I can barely make out the first half of Grigori, but I can't understand the name.
Sh... sh... sh? Something? I don't know.
"Don't be afraid. Those are the Grigori. They are the great ones who gave us elves knowledge."
I frown at Rikkhard's words.
I see. These are the backers of the elves?
If they appear in such an easy-to-understand form, that's why the number of believers is increasing.
"...And? What the hell does this Great Being want with me?"
"We are interested in your flesh."
"Body? What do you mean?"
"The body is the αρχη(principle) which contains the elements of life. It is as close to a τελος(end) as possible."
There's another word I don't understand.
Could you please speak in a way I can understand?
"I have felt the signs, but it's really interesting. Is it because of thy nature that thou hast done it..."
That's not good.
I have no idea what you're talking about.
"I'm sorry to interrupt the excitement, but can you speak in a way I can understand? If you're so great, it would be nice if you could adapt a little bit to the lower classes, wouldn't it?"
"Do you feel nothing when you look at us?"
"Feel what?"
I can see you're in trouble, but I don't owe you any favours.
The man's eyes narrow in amusement.
"Do you not know fear... no, in the truest sense of the word? Chaos in body, innocence in mind. You are a human being, yet you have renounced original sin and attained liberation. Wonderful material."
To be honest, I can only tilt my head because I don't understand the content.
What is it? Are these people trying to show off how smart they are by saying small, difficult things?
Is this what you sometimes hear conscious people say? I don't know.
"There is one thing we ask of thee. Come under our protection and give yourself to us. Then you will come into contact with our wisdom and make further progress."
I sigh inwardly.
In short, I'm supposed to be a lackey? Although he is saying difficult things, in the end, he is the same as Darzain, isn't he?
It suddenly felt ridiculous to think so.
...Oh, I had to ask you something first.
"Before I answer, I want to ask you, do you remember the name Gnosis?"
"Γνοστιψισμ Gnosis. The Bearer of Knowledge."
"Knowledge? Not one of yours?"
"No and yes. We have a different role to play than they do. We are the watchers. We are the ones who will watch over this land and his land until the time of judgement. But we have work to do."
Yikes. Can someone translate this?
"O Gentiles! With thy body and strength we can attain the true Νεπηιλιμ(Nephilim) we seek and fulfil the Incarnation. Come, take our hands..."
So, this is a separate account from Gnosis?
I don't understand the purpose of this, but that's all I need to know.
There are some tricky words, such as incarnation, but let's put them aside for now.
So...? Do you want me to become a believer?
"I refuse. Find someone else."
I'm not joking.
I said that to him as if I was putting him on the spot.
