Chapter 393: A World Abandoned By Gods (1/2)
”Bingo!”
The being announcing himself as the Sovereign winked with a grin. Arthur noticed teeth were sharp enough that they reflected light. However, it didn't make the being threatening, as it had a childish smile on its face.
”Show I kneel in greeting?” Arthur joked, but he was also probing the being in front of him.
”I don't know, I never received any guests here,” the being scratched its head and turned toward the tree. ”Should he kneel for me?”
Arthur was confused and turned toward the giant tree, which seemed to be as big as the five worlds stacked on each other. He expected a reply, but there was only the hissing of the wind.
”That is true,” the allegedly Spirits Sovereign nodded after he heard the hissing. It turned back toward Arthur and waved its hand. ”Social norms are a character of humans, and it's something that I don't need. If you need to kneel, feel free to do so.”
”Then I will refrain,” since that was the case, Arthur preferred against humbling himself. ”Can I know where I am?”
”Yggdrasil, the spirit that holds the physical world and the five spirit worlds together!” The Spirit Sovereign beamed as if he was introducing one of his treasures.
”Yggdrasil,” Arthur repeated as he gazed at the giant tree before turning to look at the land below them. It was an infinite fog.
”Don't worry about the weather. It's always like that. Only those who can see everything can peer through the fog and look at everything.”
”Seers,” Arthur realized, and the Sovereign nodded in response. ”Do they come here when they try to see?”
”They do. Otherwise, how can they see through the fog?”
'So that's how Sier sees everything. His spiritual body comes to Yggdrasil and looks through the fog.' Arthur realized as he felt like another secret has been uncovered.
”What you did earlier was reckless, Seika of Living Beings,” the being gazed at him silently as he opened the gourd to take another sip.
”What are these screams?” Arthur asked with a frown as he looked at the gourds. Every time the Spirits Sovereign took a sip, he could hear howls of agony coming from within the gourd.
”Oh,” the Sovereign paused. ”You can hear them?” A thin smile danced on its lips. ”How truly fascinating. You are just like him, but you are someone else entirely. The howls are from the Abyssal Spirits I devour.”
”I see,” Arthur nodded and turned to look at the tree. It was humongous, and he could feel a deep connection with it.
”You are not curious about what I'm talking? Shouldn't you be eager to understand who I'm comparing you to?”
”I'm truly not,” Arthur shook his head. ”You are not the first person to say things like that,” he looked around again.
”Are you looking for your friend?” The Sovereign asked. ”Is that why you look so sad?”
Arthur paused and didn't say anything. The fact that he just killed Gala within the Spirits Realm made everything else, even the being in front of him now, seem trivial.
”Do you know where she is?”
”I do, and I do not,” the Sovereign shrugged. ”What you did wasn't something common, and no one knows what is going to happen. The simple fact that the witch knew of such a method astonished me so much that I kind of wanted to see what happens.”
”That's a lax attitude from the protector of the realm,” Arthur said with a thin smile. ”So, she is gone, and I will never know if she succeeded.”
”Of course, you will,” the Sovereign was confused. ”If you meet her again, that means she went through the cycle, and if you do not...”
”Then she died, by my own hands,” Arthur looked at his golden hands. ”Tell me, powerful being. What use does power have if you can't even protect those you care about?”
”People have different aspirations, but your failure to help your friend simply means you need to get stronger.” The Sovereign answered with a smile. ”How about we take a tour around Yggdrasil?”
”Sure,”
The two began walking from a branch to the other, and each branch was as big as a highway. At first, the Spirits Sovereign didn't say anything, and Arthur followed after him.
”You met the bookkeeper, no?”