Chapter 122: Priests of the God of Lies and Deception (7)

“Huh?” Ketal’s puzzled tone broke the tense silence as he looked at Arkemis with a slight frown. She sounded so frantic that he couldn’t help wondering what was wrong. “You haven’t actually done anything to upset me,” he said gently, “so why are you acting like this?” Arkemis’s face was pale with anxiety. She stammered, “T-then why are you leaving all of a sudden? It must be because I made some mistake or said something wrong. Isn’t that it?” Ketal spoke again, trying to soothe her. “Calm down. None of this is your fault. Something urgent has come up. That’s all.” He then explained that he had once been acquainted with a certain priestess and that her holy land was under attack by evil forces. He was going to leave the capital of the Denian Kingdom to help defend it. At last, Arkemis began to relax. She stepped back with an awkward expression, realizing her misunderstanding. “Oh, so that’s why... I honestly thought I’d messed up and made you want to leave.” “You’ve done nothing wrong,” Ketal reassured her. “In fact, you have been very kind to me.” Arkemis heaved a huge sigh of relief, bowing her head in embarrassment. She had genuinely believed she was the reason Ketal wanted to leave. The momentary confusion and panic fell away, replaced by a blush as she recalled how frantically she had clung to him. Desperate to move on, she cleared her throat and asked, “W-what’s your relationship with that priestess? How long have you known her?” “When I was working as a mercenary,” Ketal explained, “we went on a few requests together. We were teammates for a while.” Arkemis blinked in surprise. “You’re seriously leaving the city and traveling all the way to a holy land for someone you just did a few jobs with?” He nodded without hesitation. “That’s right.” Arkemis hesitated. She had already come to accept Ketal’s unique personality—he was the barbarian from the White Snowfield, after all—so it did not shock her for long. Still, she couldn’t help muttering, ‘Those dark mages must have a death wish, attacking a god’s domain.” “I take it that’s not common?” Ketal asked her. “I’ve never even heard of it,” she replied, shaking her head. “Holy lands are places where gods directly exert their power. Most evil creatures can’t step foot there because the holy lands are protected by divine energy.” Ketal grunted as though he found it intriguing. Arkemis continued, “Attacking such a place makes no sense. If demons wanted something, they’d probably invade a human kingdom instead. Which god is it, anyway?” “Kalosia,” Ketal replied. “The God of Lies and Deception.” Arkemis froze for an instant. “Kalosia? That god?” “Yes, is that a problem?” Ketal asked her. “No, it’s probably nothing,” she replied. Yet, she didn’t sound fully convinced. Ketal gave her a curious look. “So, I assume there is something going on with this god?” He noticed that Milayna and Barbosa had also reacted oddly to the name. Naflas and Hayes, however, showed no concern. “Is that just because this is the God of Lies and Deception?” Ketal wondered aloud. Arkemis looked at him, momentarily taken aback. “Don’t you know the story?” “I’m a barbarian from the White Snowfield.” “You’re right...,” she said, realization dawning. “Even as an elf, I know of the story, so I just assumed you’d know it too, but I guess not.” She began explaining. “Gods each oversee a certain domain, and their followers typically reflect it. Worshippers of the Sun God revere daylight. Followers of the Earth Goddess cherish the earth. The priests of the God of Strength honor physical might and train their bodies. Ketal stroked his chin thoughtfully. “So the followers of the God of Lies and Deception would deceive people without hesitation.” “They used to,” Arkemis replied. “It caused all sorts of problems for everyone.” The priests of the God of Lies and Deception genuinely loved lying and trickery. In the past, they traveled around causing endless mischief. They rigged dice rolls, hid cards, cast illusions to confuse people, and spewed out lies at the drop of a hat. They even disguised their own identities, sometimes even hiding the fact that they worshipped Kalosia. They lied for no reason and tricked kings and nobles alike, proudly boasting about their misdeeds. “I had no idea,” Ketal said, his curiosity piqued. “They caused so much trouble that people once debated whether to classify Kalosia as an evil deity.” “They don’t seem like that now,” Ketal noted. Neither Naflas nor Hayes tried any such tricks on him. “They finally pushed the world too far,” Arkemis continued. “All the kingdoms and religious orders banded together to destroy the Church of Kalosia. It was extremely powerful back then, but not enough to survive a united onslaught.” The Church of Kalosia ended up surrendering and agreeing to retrain its deception, trying to become a more conventional religious order. “After that, its influence dwindled significantly,” she said. “I haven’t heard any rumors about them in ages, so they must not be causing trouble anymore. But people still remember what happened. That’s why there’s so much lingering distrust.” Ketal gave a slight grin. “That’s fascinating.” He had never paid much attention to history before, but anything tinged with fantasy was a different story. “In any case, you’re doing a good thing,” Arkemis said. Going to protect a god’s holy land from evil was an admirable act worthy of praise. “It certainly is, but...” She trailed off with a conflicted expression. She had assumed Ketal would stay by her side, help her work with the iridescent particles, and then follow her back to the elven sacred land. Now, he was leaving for a reason she couldn’t refuse. She thought it over, then spoke hesitantly. “What about alchemy? Are you just going to abandon it? It seems like such a waste after everything you’ve learned.” “I don’t want to give it up, either,” Ketal admitted as he saw Arkemis’s face brighten. However, he added, “I plan to teach myself. I have that book you organized. You told me yourself that experimenting is more valuable than simply learning from someone else, remember?” “Yes, I did say that...,” she mumbled. Why did I say that? she cursed her own words in her mind. As much as she wanted to go with him, she couldn’t. The iridescent particles needed delicate handling in a proper workshop, not in the field. After a brief struggle with herself, she lowered her gaze. “Ketal,” she said quietly. “I have something to tell you.” “What is it?” he asked her. Arkemis took a deep breath. Her golden eyes shone as she gathered her courage to speak. At that very moment, a thunderous crash came from the yard. “Is it demons again?” Ketal muttered. “Huh? No, that’s not it,” Arkemis said quickly. She didn’t sense any demonic aura. In fact, it felt like the complete opposite—a power drenched in nature. A gust of wind blasted through the gaps of the door and window, carrying the energy of the wild. Arkemis’s eyes flew wide open. “No way,” she whispered, then rushed outside. Ketal followed on her heels. They found the yard in shambles, scattered by gale-force winds. At the center of the chaos stood a man. Ketal let out a low whistle. “He’s handsome.” The man’s face was flawless, bearing soft, androgynous features—though the shape of his jaw marked him as male. His pointed ears made it clear he was not human. I guess all male elves are this striking, Ketal thought idly. It’d be nice to see a more muscular elf someday. Meanwhile, Arkemis fixed the newcomer with a furious stare. “You... you!” “So this is where you’ve been, Lady Arkemis.” The man spoke in a low voice, staring straight at her. “Have you enjoyed your time among the humans? I cannot allow this any longer. He stood up, his green hair rippling in the wind. “The world is too dangerous. I won’t leave you exposed to danger any further, Lady Arkemis.” The man extended a hand toward her and said, “Please come with me. We shall return to our sanctuary—Elfo Sagrado.” *** The elf who had suddenly appeared urged Arkemis to return with him. She looked alarmed for a moment, then shouted, “You come out of nowhere and say that? What’s wrong with you?” It was clear she knew this male elf. She scowled, her annoyance plain on her face. “I’m not going back. I’m pretty sure I made that clear when I left.” “It wasn’t an issue before. I dismissed it as a simple tantrum and let you be. But times have changed,” the male elf said, narrowing his eyes. He met her glare without flinching. “The world is in turmoil. And you, Lady Arkemis, are a High Elf. I refuse to leave you in this filthy outside world any longer. You must come with me.” Arkemis’s voice turned ice cold. “I already said no.” The elf sighed. “Then there’s nothing left to do. I’m sorry, but please forgive my rudeness.” A sudden swirl of wind gathered around him. Arkemis also began to muster her mana, her face set in grim determination. Just as the clash seemed unavoidable, Ketal broke in. “I apologize for interrupting your private conversation,” he said, taking a step forward. “But I’d like to know what’s going on.” “Ketal...” Arkemis’s eyes flickered, and her concentration on the gathering mana wavered. The male elf frowned. “A barbarian...? Why is someone like you standing at Lady Arkemis’s side?” Ketal shrugged. “Well, you and I don’t know each other at all. Wouldn’t it be better if we talked first?” The elf rejected the idea outright. “No, there’s no need.” All at once, a powerful wind erupted around Ketal, encasing him in a swirling barrier. His eyes widened in mid surprise. “Oh?” Ketal said, sounding more intrigued than alarmed. “This is an elven matter. Stay out of it, barbarian,” the elf commanded, as though completely dismissing Ketal. The barrier he created was strong enough to immobilize most skilled fighters, and he acted as if he could simply ignore Ketal and continue the conversation with Arkemis. To his shock, Ketal only smiled. “No need to be so harsh.” With a light snap of his fingers, Ketal tore through the surrounding wind with explosive force. “W-what?” The male elf stumbled back, staring wide-eyed as his wind barrier scattered. “You...!” Ketal remained relaxed, his posture casual. “They say most problems can be solved through conversation. How about we sit down and talk this out?” He gave the stunned elf a calm smile, clearly inviting him to a more civilized discussion.