Chapter 13: Agreement of the Gods (2/2)
”You heard him.” With a look of helplessness appearing on her face, Irea clearly didn't dare to refute her leader's actions, even after he already walked away.
'I wonder if she's just wary of him hiding somewhere near…' Taking that strange ability of the man to appear right in the worst timing, Layn couldn't help but wonder. For him, all of the techniques used by the ancients were akin to the long-lost magic of the world long-gone.
In Irea's eyes, this technique was most likely something quite good, but nothing out of ordinary. From how no one around them seemed to react to Irea's leader appearing and disappearing like that, it was clear that it wasn't something all that coveted or rare. But without even a single shred of idea about the real inner-workings of any of the ancient techniques, Layn had no way to understand the underlying principle of it, and thus, was defenceless against any move born in the ancient era.
”Yeah, I did. Let's change the topic then. Mind telling me something about this… barrier? What is it? Who made it?” This was the real point that Layn was curious about. Given how the enormous amount of magical energy was involved in the creation of this barrier, he could hardly even imagine a force capable of erecting such a barrier.
”Who? Isn't that obvious?” Looking at the archmage as if he was some kind of insect who didn't know better, Irea showed this kind of contemptuous face for the very first time. It seemed that Layn unknowingly stepped on the landmine.
”I'm sorry, but it doesn't seem like the history behind this place is amongst the memories that I still hold.” Instead of flaring up at the clear disapproval hearable in the girl's voice, Layn instantly lowered his head as to show ample respect for the matter. If just a bit of humility would end up as the only cost of learning more about this insane barrier, then Layn would have to be crazy or stupid to not pay it.
”Eh… Okay then. The current barrier… it was erected by the demonic shadow god. It's a patron of the demonkind that lives on the other side of this vast desert. Before the change, this entire area was under the influence of the light-god blessing, granting us the entry and a slight power-up while in the desert.”
Explaining the situation as if it was something pathetically obvious, Irea continued to cast occasional glances at the archmage.
'I wonder if she's worried that I will ridicule her.' That was the only way in which Layn could explain the strange looks that the girl was casting at him.
”So, how did you know that one god would trump over another?” Accepting the narration that the girl provided as something beyond any discussion, Layn asked. After all, if he were to start arguing about whether beings like gods existed or not, all his hard work to curry some favours in this particular group of ancients would be for nought!
”Trumph? No, it's not like that.” Putting a strange smile on her face, Irea finished. ”They came to a standstill and decided to reach an agreement. For three months, the shadow god will reign supreme. Then, for the next three months, our god of light will bless this land. That's how it always been and that's how it always will be.”