Chapter 207.2

“It says that many of the draconids living in the Underground World today are of the eighth or ninth generation.” (Anos)

There were probably some first-generation draconids, aka dragonborns, somewhere as well.

Depending on the situation, maybe they were even reincarnated.

“In the Underground World, there are three nations, one sacred land, and a canopy. The canopy seems to be the umbrella that covers the sky, so in other words, it’s the surface. The three nations, the Kingdom of the Divine Dragon Jiordal, the Kingdom of the Royal Dragon Agaha, and the Kingdom of the Supreme Dragon Gadeciola, are constantly at war with each other. The reason for that seems to be… Hmm. Religious differences, huh.” (Anos)

The stone monuments didn’t seem to go into detail about it, but the reason may be that they believed in different gods or had different interpretations of religion.

This wasn’t to say that the surface didn’t have its fair share of religious conflicts, though.

“Why are the people here so close to the gods?” Misha asked.

“It seems to be due to the first Selection Trial taking place down here. That’s how the draconids came to learn of the existence of gods. Additionally, it was a dragonborn who was chosen to be the Proxy as a result of this Selection Trial. It says here that this dragonborn made a pact with a god down here, and introduced this world to the Pledge Jewels used to summon them.” (Anos)

Pledge Jewels were rare, but unlike the Selection Pledge Jewels, they were also used for purposes other than the Selection Trial.

Thanks to the Pledge Jewels, the draconids, who gained the ability to summon gods, were now able to survive in the harsh Underground World where there was little food and no sunlight.

Since then, people began to worship gods, and eventually, three religions were born, which turned into the three nations.

And that was how their feud began.

“However, I’m not finding what I want.” (Anos)

What I wanted to know most was not the quarrels among the nations, but how this Underground World came to be.

“Someone must’ve created this world.” (Anos)

Such a vast space was an environment where people could live, albeit with the power of summoned gods.

It would’ve been extremely difficult even for me to create this Underground World.

If this was created by a god, by an order, then it had to have been the work of Militia.

She may have appeared in this world.

“Anos.” Misha called out my name and walked toward the wall.

Of course, there was nothing on it. Even after peering into its abyss with my Magic Eyes, I didn’t see anything.

However, without hesitation, Misha touched the wall with her fingertips.

Then she sent her magic power into it.

The moment she did, there was a burst of light, and words appeared on the wall.

“I… I can’t believe it…!” a student uttered while trembling.

“…Not even the power of the gods can detect the secret runes of Everastanzetta, and yet…!” (Student A)

“…How could a heretic from the surface manage such a feat…?” (Student B)

They didn’t seem to be exaggerating when they said that not even the gods could spot those runes.

Because even I failed to see  them with my Magic Eyes.

“Misha, how did you know?” (Anos)

She tilted her head a bit.

“I thought I saw something there. Somehow.” (Misha)

Hmm. So it wasn’t like she clearly saw them, huh.

Misha had good Magic Eyes to begin with, but it seemed her power had improved over time.

What a frightening growth, even for one of my subordinates.

“Y-You’re wasting your time, heretic!” (Student A)

Unable to remain silent, the students of the institute raised their voices.

“The secret runes of Everastanzetta are a divine oracle…!” (Student A)

“The faithless can’t even read its preface…!” (Student B)

“No one in the last thousand years at least has managed to decipher this text. There’s no way a heretic could ever decipher the words of god!” (Student C)

“Back off! This is no place for someone who can’t read any of those words!” (Student D)

I skimmed through the words on the wall.

“Hmm. ‘It all started in this castle, Everastanzetta.’ I see.” (Anos)

As I spoke up, the runes on the wall glowed pale white, as if to say that I had read them correctly.

“…H… How…?!” (Student A)

“How come… he can read… the words of god…?!” (Student B)

“No heretic… should be able to… not even the preface…” (Student C)

“No, this has to be the devil’s scheme! Our faith is being tested, I’m sure!” (Student D)

The students knelt down and started praying to their god.

“…But seriously, how can you read them? Those runes are different from the ones from before, right?” Sasha asked with a look of shock.

“I asked Militia how many kinds of writings gods used once. This is one of them. They’re called eternal runes.” (Anos)

“Can the gods read them?” Misha asked.

“They probably could, but I don’t think they would tell us what it says.” (Anos)

I pointed at the symbols written on the wall.

“Using these eternal runes means that it’s a message from a god to other gods. If the message contains those runes, then the other gods won’t divulge their meaning to anyone.” (Anos)

Even a summoned god wouldn’t decipher this text without some kind of emergency.

Eternal runes were imbued with magic power. Even if one understood how to read them, these runes could only be read with the eyes of a god.

Which was why they had never been deciphered.

“—It was an endless night, one of perpetual nothingness.—” (Anos)

I read the text.

—Far beneath the earth, a castle of god was born.—

—To shine a gentle light on this endless night.—

—The sun did not rise on the surface, and destruction did not come.—

—No life was born, and the world came to a halt.—

—Was it order or people that mattered?—

—You know the answer.—

—You, alone, know the answer.—