Immortal's Ascending Path-58
Episode-58< Queen Bee in Muwang Army >
Just as dwarves ruled the world in the age of dwarves, and fairies ruled the world in the age of fairies, so too is the age of humans.
The nouns attached to each era indicated the rulers of that era, so people today hastily conclude that the age of gods was the same. They believe that secular lords ruled their Yeongji in the same way.
That is a false belief. Among the gods, there were those who came down to the land, performed miracles, and built achievements, but compared to the whole, it was only a part and a fleeting moment. The gods resided in the sky and merely contemplated the world, rarely reaching out.
Even so, the people of that era did not doubt the existence of the Creator. Even if the gods did not easily reveal themselves, no one worried about the connection between heaven and earth.
'Even if we cannot see them, they watch over us from above, so what is there to worry about?'
However, the age of gods has ended.
The Creator left for another world, and the creations could not possibly follow. They wanted to believe that they would watch over them even if they could not see them, but they felt it was even more distant than that.
People began to think that there should be something between the Creator and the creations. That there should be a bridge connecting the two.
Humans regarded that bridge as Hestio.
They believed that the adopted son of God, who came down from heaven and remained by the side of humans, reconnected the distant Creator and humans.
Other races also sought beings like Hestio. However, they walked a different path from Hestio and were forgotten. Also, as time passed, a common position appeared in all races, including humans.
That was the spirit medium.
"Think about it for a moment."
After taking a brief breather, Ulrich continued.
"Do you know when the Pantheon, or rather the Public Church, was established?"
"It was established in this era, along with the Yocuster Empire."
Fritz answered instead, as Ella hesitated to answer.
"Then, before the establishment of the Public Church?"
"I heard that before that, it was divided into all sorts of sects. Then, the Cormilius clan held a Council and established the Public Church, which gathered all the sects."
"That's right. The Public Church, the order we call the Pantheon, is a union of various sects. But how did each sect begin, and who do you think was the very first Priest?"
When the question went that far, Fritz was also at a loss for words and closed his mouth. Ulrich did not seem to expect an answer and continued without delay.
"It's difficult for me to say exactly when. It's a long, long time ago, and it wasn't led by any giant, nor did it appear in an instant."
He added that it appeared naturally and gradually.
"What is clear is that after the gods left, people who made it their business to serve them sprang up like mushrooms after rain."
"Are those people the first Priests?"
"They were a tribe that wanted to be, but failed."
Failed?
Ella and Fritz's faces showed question.
"Let's assume that there was no such thing as a 'cleric' anywhere in the world. Then, what if someone suddenly appeared and said, 'I am a believer in God,' 'I am the one who can connect you to the Creator'?"
Ella imagined the assumption. What if a self-proclaimed cleric appeared in a world where there was no such position as a cleric before?
'No one would believe it. They would be very suspicious. They would ask what gives you the right to connect us with the beings of heaven, and unless you reveal your relationship with heaven…'
As her thoughts reached that point, she saw what Ulrich was saying.
"What if the spirit medium did that?"
Ulrich gestured for her to continue.
"Spirit mediums are people who have received power from the King of Spirits. And the King of Spirits is a being directly created by the gods. So, can't we say that there is some relationship between the spirit medium and heaven?"
"That's it."
Moreover, the King of Spirits, the Four Spirits, continued their lives until the age of fairies, and it was widely known that the gods created them.
If a person inherited duties and authority from a being directly created by God, wouldn't they deserve to be recognized?
Looking at the Cormilius clan as an example, it was clear.
Where does the authority of that clan come from? It was because they had the first emperor as their ancestor, and because the emperor was regarded as a being who received the divinity of Hestio.
"When the era we call the age of gods ended, the world was in chaos."
It was because the vacancy of the Creator was felt too greatly. They did not rule the world like secular lords, but the fact that they existed alone maintained order.
"When a being who seemed to possess omniscience and omnipotence left, I saw the people of the earth calling out to them and creating faith."
Ulrich smiled lightly, watching Ella's expression.
"The spirit medium was the best alternative for those who cried out for faith. At the time, the flow of mana was pure, so consecration was not necessary, and the existence of the Four Spirits gave them immense power and authority."
"But… why is it like this now?"
"You ask why, but it's a natural result. The spirit medium is not fundamentally a cleric, and their purpose is to keep the flow of mana pure."
Above all, the problem was that their sensitivity to the flow of mana was higher than that of Priests and magicians.
Today, there were few places where the flow was pure enough for spirit mediums to take root, and this trend continued with each era. The Four Spirits also disappeared at the end of the age of fairies.
What good is a being who is supposed to be a bridge between the Creator and the creations if they are not nearby?
"In areas where there were no spirit mediums, those who claimed to be bridges took their place, and the temples they built replaced the shrines. And then, time passed and today has come."
#
Ella quietly pondered Ulrich's words. What the role of the spirit medium was, what the flow of mana was like, these were difficult stories for the girl.
It wasn't that she wasn't interested, but it sounded like a story far removed from the girl's situation. Rather, Anders' claim to be a spirit medium resonated with her.
That he had inherited the role of spirit medium from someone other than the girl's father, and that he had returned to his hometown hiding his identity because he could not fulfill his duty.
The village was going through all sorts of commotion to fill the vacancy of the spirit medium, but there was already a spirit medium in the village. However, he was hiding his identity.
The fact that the spirits followed Anders' instructions so well, and that the girl's brother, Waldemar, was pushed back by Anders, was obvious when you knew the truth. Because he was a spirit medium.
"If that person is a spirit medium…"
As she was about to ask what to do, Ulrich said,
"There's no need to think too complicatedly. What I was asked to do is to determine whether he is a suitable person or not. All I have to do is find out if there is anyone among the people here, including Anders, who is suitable for a spirit medium."
And Ulrich began to walk around the village, and what he observed was the relationship between people and spirits. He watched how people treated spirits and how spirits treated people.
He saw Waldemar using spirits to clear a landslide caused by a heavy rain, he saw a woman ordering spirits to do errands, and he saw a young boy playing with spirits.
Ella followed Ulrich's side and explained one by one who that person was and what their relationship with the spirits was. Ulrich only nodded his head once or twice each time, without showing any particular reaction.
"Do you think there is a suitable person?"
"It's too early to judge after looking around once or twice. I'm going to stay for a few more days and watch."
Ulrich stayed in the village for a few more days and looked around. On the first day, he walked around with Ella's guidance, but from the next day, he went around with a Priest and a servant as companions.
He also observed Ella's appearance, helping with work following Waldemar, and he seemed to ask Anders about this and that.
After the first day, Ella hardly talked to Ulrich's group. Since they were staying at the siblings' mansion, they only exchanged a few words during meal times, and even that was trivial things unrelated to the spirit medium.
Ella wanted to ask, but each time, Ulrich shook his head as if he had read her mind, so she held back. All she could do was wait, keeping a secret that she couldn't tell her brother or the villagers.
And time passed and it became the fifth day.
#
Around the time when the summer sun began to set, Ella was at the old shrine in the middle of the mountain. She had been away for a few days and had finally taken the time to clean up the shrine.
She was complaining that the number of spirits staying at the old shrine had decreased compared to four days ago and was sighing when she heard footsteps.
The sound of stepping on the stairs was so loud that Ella, who was sweeping in the shrine, could hear it. At this late hour, in this place?
Wondering what was going on, she came out and faced an unpleasant face.
'Anders?'
Anders stood in the shrine's yard with a stiff expression. Ella examined him with question, and he also raised his eyes as if surprised to see the girl.
"Did they call you too?"
"Call me? For what?"
When she asked, not knowing what was going on, he quietly looked at the girl holding the broom. And then, he clicked his tongue, judging that she really didn't know and was asking.
"If you don't know, that's fine. It's not your business, so go down when you're done."
His voice was full of annoyance.
"I was going to do that anyway?"
Ella retorted in an absurd tone. She wondered what was wrong with the person who was always so relaxed, but there was no other way, so she put down the broom and went down the shrine.
But while going down the stairs, she encountered another visitor. It was Roberta, Fritz, and Ulrich. The three of them were climbing the stairs.
"You were here."
Ulrich also asked Ella as soon as he saw her.
"Did you find him?"
Like Anders, the words were stuck in her throat.
"That's good. Let's go up together."
The question of why did not come out. She knew intuitively that they were the ones who called Anders. And the reason why Anders' voice was tinged with annoyance was obvious.
Because his secret was revealed, because he had heard about the spirit medium, he had lost his usual composure and visited the shrine.
Anders frowned when Ella visited the shrine again, but when the other three followed, he quickly changed his expression. He made a kind impression with a smile.
"You sent a very strange letter, Priest."
"In what way is it strange?"
He asked, looking at the Priest, but the person who answered was Ulrich.
"Anders, we know that you are a spirit medium."
The polite tone he had shown on the first day was gone. His expression was also calm.
"Who doesn't know that?"
"Everyone here except for this Ella doesn't know. That you are here not as a friend of the spirits, but as a spirit medium who has inherited duties and authority."
Anders did not erase his smile as if he had heard a joke. However, Ella saw his lips trembling slightly.
"Don't deny it. It's easy to determine whether you are a spirit medium or not. As I recall, there are few areas of spirit mediums left now. There are even fewer areas that have failed to manage within the last twenty years."
Then, Anders stared at Ulrich for a long time, and then finally let out a long breath.
"How, no… what do you want from me?"