Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 98

Chapter 98

I was just as surprised as the flustered priest. I didn’t expect Kaitain to arrive so quickly. It seems he set off around the same time we did.

“Really? It seems he’s currently speaking with the High Priest. This is no time to stand around! We must greet our guests! Don’t just stand there, come along!”

“Ah, well, um…”

The priest fidgeted, looking anxious. He seemed to be restraining himself from running off immediately, out of consideration for us, his guests. I chuckled inwardly and nodded.

“It’s alright, you can go.”

“Really? Are you sure it’s alright?”

“We’re just here to pay our respects anyway. Don’t worry about us.”

At those words, the priest’s face lit up as if he’d been saved. He bowed deeply to us.

“Thank you so much for your consideration! If you wish to attend the mass, just ask any of the priests or trainee priests nearby. They will guide you to the main hall. Now, if you’ll excuse me!”

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and dashed off. Looking around, it seemed all the other priests had gone in the same direction, leaving no one behind. Lapis watched the quickly disappearing back of the priest for a moment before asking nonchalantly,

“But aren’t you guys the guests they’re talking about?”

“…That’s right.”

“They’ll be kicking themselves later when they find out.”

I shrugged at his blunt assessment. I felt sorry for the priests and Kaitain who were expecting us, but parting ways with him midway was like a blessing from the heavens. I almost ended up as a zoo animal.

To prepare for any unforeseen circumstances, I locked the bolt firmly as soon as I entered the prayer room. I intended to prevent anyone from entering until I had finished my business. After checking several times, I turned around, and the interior of the room finally came into view.

Inside, there were no particular decorations, only a platform with an altar built on it. Seeing it made me feel nervous. I felt as solemn as a soldier before a major battle.

‘…Now, how do I pray?’

There was nothing on the altar on the platform. In a way, it was just a plain and simple structure made of haphazardly piled stones. But I felt a strange sense of intimidation from it. I approached it and carefully took a breath. Then, Lapis impatiently urged me on.

“What are you doing? Just ask for the sigil [a symbol or sign] already.”

“…Geez, just wait a moment. I need to prepare myself, you know?”

“You’re supposed to be close. What preparation do you need?”

“This brother has deep reasons you wouldn’t understand.”

“Oh, really?”

Ignoring his dumbfounded expression, I took another deep breath. All sorts of sentences and words were swirling around in my head. I had been waiting for this day, but now that it was here, I didn’t know where to start or how to say it.

‘Um, so… I should apologize first, right?’

In this world, impersonating a priest is a serious crime equivalent to blasphemy. Even if we’re close, starting things without permission was clearly impolite (though there wasn’t time to ask for permission). If Ellyuen had shown any hint of his feelings, I wouldn’t be so anxious, but I couldn’t read his mind, so I felt uneasy. Lapis, unaware of my feelings, just gave me a look of pity.

“Why don’t you just get started? Are you planning to stay here all day?”

“I will if you keep rushing me.”

“Tsk, how hard is it to ask for a sigil? I can’t believe a Spirit King is so timid…”

“Keep it up, and I really will stay here all day.”

“Tch, fine. I’ll just wait quietly.”

After hearing my threat, he grumbled and stepped back obediently. Then, feeling spiteful, he suddenly started picking on Isana, who was watching intently from the side.

“What are you looking around for? There’s nothing to see in here.”

“Huh? Oh, I’m just curious. This is the first time I’ve been to a temple since I was very young. I felt it then too, but coming in here really makes my heart feel reverent. Don’t you feel that way, Lapis?”

“Reverent, my foot. It’s not like there’s anything properly equipped here. Even a shantytown would be better than this. I expected it, but it’s really pathetic.”

“L-Lapis. You shouldn’t say things like that in the prayer room. The gods might hear you.”

“Hmph, what are they going to do even if they hear me?”

Despite Isana’s warning, the lizard was defiant. I don’t know if all dragons are like that, or if he’s just particularly unique, but he didn’t seem to fear the gods at all.

He’ll only come to his senses after getting struck by lightning. I shook my head and turned my gaze back to the altar. But an unexpected sight came into view. A clear ray of light was shining on the altar, which had been dark just a moment ago. The sparkling sunlight was pooling and overflowing inside the altar like a puddle of water.

‘Where did the light suddenly come from…’

Confused, I stared blankly at the ceiling. But I couldn’t see any holes where sunlight could enter from above. All sides were blocked by thick walls, and there wasn’t even a single window.

Logically, it’s impossible for such bright light to penetrate the roof. But the overflowing pool of light in front of me was an undeniable reality.

‘Does that mean…’

“Which impudent fellow dares to utter such petty words, calling my temple pathetic?”

I froze on the spot at the voice that suddenly rang out. An unbelievable sight was unfolding before my widened eyes. A man was sitting leisurely on the altar, bathed in the light. His pale blue eyes, like chips of ice, and platinum blonde hair, flowing down to his toes, shone vividly like the sunlight itself.

“…E, Ellyuen?”

“What?!”

I could feel Isana and Lapis panicking at my scream-like exclamation. But I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I couldn’t believe it, as if I were standing there dreaming.

I never expected Ellyuen to appear on Earth in person! I was happy, but I was so dumbfounded because it was so unexpected. In this world, it was literally a divine descent!

However, unlike me, who was shocked by this incredible situation, Ellyuen was simply staring at me with his usual expressionless face. If he had continued like that, I might have thought I was hallucinating because I was too tired. Fortunately, he didn’t intend to leave me like that, as he suddenly reached out one arm and said,

“Come here, El.”

“Huh?”

“It’s been a while since we met, are you just going to stand there awkwardly? You should greet me properly.”

…He doesn’t mean I should run over and hug him, does he?

Sure enough, glancing at him, he gestured with his outstretched hand as if to tell me to come quickly. His domineering appearance, looking down at me confidently, was as much as when he declared himself my son.

But perhaps because I found stability in his familiar attitude, my confusion subsided, and I gradually began to calm down. Until then, Ellyuen was silently holding out his arm. It seemed he intended to stay like that until I greeted him ‘properly’ in the way he wanted.

I chuckled and slowly approached him. Considering the effort he had made to come all the way here, I was willing to do as he wished. But someone grabbed my arm tightly, stopping me in my tracks. It was Lapis, with a hardened face.

“Where do you think you’re going! Just who is that guy?”

Was it because his hair color had changed? He didn’t recognize Ellyuen at all. I clicked my tongue and shook off his arm.

“Who else? I just said it was Ellyuen.”

“Ellyuen? That guy is the God of Punishment, Ellyuen?”

When I nodded, he looked even more dumbfounded. Nevertheless, his face was full of disbelief as he stared intently, as if he couldn’t believe it. Seeing that, Ellyuen frowned slightly.

“A fellow who has eaten his manners with his soup [a saying meaning someone is rude or lacks manners]. El, since when have you been hanging out with such a rude lizard?”

“Huh? You recognize him?”

I thought he had recognized Lapis. But unlike my expectations, Ellyuen looked at me as if to say, ‘What are you talking about?’

“Well, is he someone I should know?”

“Huh? Ah, no. Not really, but…”

“Then I don’t know him.”

“Oh, really? But how did you know he was a dragon?”

“The eyes of a god always see only the essence. A rather disgustingly ugly red lizard, I must say.”

As expected of a master of sarcasm, his merciless assessment contained not a shred of consideration. Lapis, who had suddenly become a disgustingly ugly lizard, was naturally furious.

“What? What did you just say!”

“If your face is ugly, at least your personality should be good, but it’s not. Tsk. El, I might be interfering, but try to distinguish the species you associate with. Well, it won’t lower your status because of something like that, but still.”

“Ahaha…”

I could almost picture what he and Lapis must have been like when he was the Spirit King. He must have spewed out an enormous amount of venomous words back then too. And he doesn’t even recognize him. For this moment, I felt a little sorry for Lapis.

“Have you said everything you wanted to say? You little baby god!”

“Baby? Are you talking to me?”

“Then who else is a baby god here besides you? Were you even even born thirty years ago? In dragon years, you’d still be swimming around in your egg. What else would you call that if not a baby?”

“Hmph, interesting.”

“What?”

“Say one more word. I think you need to be hit to come to your senses.”

Ellyuen reacted indifferently to the blatant provocation. But I couldn’t help but feel a chill inside. I already knew from past experience that he doesn’t give two warnings. Of course, Lapis, who had no idea, was brave.

“Hmph! Who says I can’t do it if you tell me to? You little baby…!”

‘You idiot!’

It was already too late when I turned around in horror. At the same time as a huge noise erupted, Lapis’s body was already slammed into the corner. It happened so fast that I didn’t even see him flying.

Lapis staggered to his feet. Fragments of the cracked wall were falling down on his bent body. That alone made it clear how tremendous the impact he had just received was.

“Cough! Hack, cough!”

He seemed fine for a moment, but he soon vomited blood while lying face down. The amount of blood staining the floor red was more than I expected. It was a wonder he didn’t faint on the spot.

Unlike me, who was instantly horrified by the sight, Ellyuen leisurely swept back his hair as if nothing had happened. His body, sitting on the altar, was still motionless. However, he seemed to be in a worse mood than before.

“Neither of you listens to a word I say. It’s a pity that there are so many who have lost their fear. You’re making me go to the trouble.”

“Ugh! You…”

“A foolish fellow suffers physically. El, it would be best to cut ties with that fellow. If you leave him alone, he’ll make you quite tired.”

“Ahaha…”

Surely this isn’t another warning, is it?

I smiled awkwardly and avoided his gaze. At any other time, I would have actively agreed with him, but seeing Lapis so brutally crushed, I couldn’t readily answer that I would. I felt like there would be repercussions later.

‘By the way, I’ve been feeling like something’s missing since earlier…’

Was there something I was forgetting here? I tilted my head for a moment and soon realized the cause. Isana’s presence, which should have been felt, was strangely quiet.

Fortunately, he was easily found nearby. But instead of feeling relieved, I had to harden my face. It was because his condition was a little strange. He was huddled in a ball in the corner, his whole body curled up. He looked like a small animal trembling with fear.

“Isana?”

Was he shocked to see Lapis vomiting blood? When I called out to him in a panic, he struggled to lift his head with a pale face. His blue lips were trembling as if they had been in a freezer. I was startled and approached him.

“What’s wrong, Isana! Are you sick?”