She looks at me for a moment before speaking.
"...Alright. If my benefactor wishes for information, I shall provide it."
I walk with her down the palace corridor.
After walking for a while, the Queen, Yuk Yo, and I arrive at the library.
The first thing she does upon arriving at the library is to dismiss all the subjects and guards before entering a corner of the library.
"Your Majesty, this place is...?"
"It is time for you to know as well. The various affairs of Penglai Kingdom..."
It's when the Queen places her palm on a corner of a wall.
Flash!
The wall seems to glow, and then it turns into a bright white door that opens.Creak—
The Queen walks inside the door, and Yuk Yo and I follow her inside.
"...!"
And I can't help but be startled by the scene beyond the door.
[Darkness]!
The entire world is covered in pitch-black [Darkness]!
Yet, strangely, I feel that I can discern what lays ahead in this darkness.
It isn't due to using consciousness or awakening a special sense.
Despite being in [Darkness], I can see ahead.
It's a peculiar space that can only be explained that way.
And I have been in such a space once before.
'This is the same space as when I faced [that being]!'
At the bottom of the Serving Command Ark, it's the exact same feeling as when I met [Them] presumed to be a True Immortal.
Step, step...
I follow the Queen, and though Yuk Yo is flustered, fumbling as she moves forward, she manages to walk well.
How long do we walk through the darkness?
Twinkle!
"...!"
Unlike my previous encounter with [Them], I see a bright white [Light] twinkling ahead.
Yuk Yo, possibly delighted to see the light, quicken her pace as she moves toward it. Meanwhile, I recall the warnings given by many beings to 'be wary of the light,' and decide to slow down instead.
"Come this way. What are you doing?"
"...Understood."
As I hesitate, the Queen looks at me curiously and speaks.
We arrive at the place with the light, and I can finally see what the source of the light is.
"...Salt?"
It is, amusingly enough, salt.
Salt is placed on a small brazier, and a soft, white light emanates from it, illuminating the surroundings.
The surroundings are the library.
A library shrouded in darkness.
The Queen takes out three chairs from one side of the library and hands them to Yuk Yo and me before taking out another for herself to sit on.
"Sit down, as this could become a dull story. Please understand that I cannot offer you tea."
"...That's alright."
"By the way, is it not uncomfortable?"
"Except for the darkness and...the light, it is quite pleasant."
I watch the light emanating from the salt with a sense of caution.
"Isn't it true that important discussions should take place not in the light but in the darkness?"
The Queen of Penglai Kingdom gives a meaningful smile at my words.
"It seems you fear the light."
"It's not so much fear as it is caution."
"So you know who you fear. You fear the God of Light, don't you?"
"...!"
I flinch in surprise and stand up, clutching my head while looking back and forth between Yuk Yo and the Queen of Penglai Kingdom.
But neither the Queen nor even Yuk Yo show any reaction, only blinking their eyes.
Even more so...
'I'm also okay?'
No matter how much I have recently developed a slight tolerance to higher beings, nothing unusual occurring despite higher beings being mentioned is strange.
It's when I am bewildered,
"When one looks up at the summit of a great mountain, their neck cranes because the mountain is so tall. However, if the mountain is partly shrouded in clouds, their gaze stops at the clouds, with no strain on the neck."
With her words, I realize that this space is safe.
"Is it alright to mention them?"
"At least for my daughter and I. As for you, I cannot say. If you're worried, don't mention them recklessly."
"...I understand for now. Then this light..."
I ask while looking at the white light seeping from the salt.
The Queen smiles faintly and says,
"Axle Imperial Venerable...no, do you dreamers call them the God of Salt Mountain?"
"...!"
I'm startled by those words but quickly calm down.
Come to think of it, it makes sense.
Since Penglai Island is obviously the domain of the Owner of Salt Mountain, it isn't surprising that they are considered a God or Buddha Venerable of Penglai Island.
'Hold on, then what existence is the Wheel Imperial Venerable?'
While I am puzzled, he pats my shoulder to stop me.
He is telling me it’s best not to mention that name in the darkness.
"Ah, yes. I understand."
Having experienced firsthand through Zhengli how serious the consequences can be for mentioning a name carelessly, I remain silent.
The Queen points to the glowing salt and says,
"According to the legends, the Axle Imperial Venerable stole the light from the domain of Light. When they shaped this world, they used the light they had taken to illuminate the world, and what remained, they bestowed upon us."
"...Then is all the light in Penglai Island safe?"
Then why did we come into such a dark place?
This question suddenly occurs to me, and I ask.
But she shakes her head and says,
"Light can go anywhere. Do you know how much external light comes in whenever Penglai Kingdom is connected to the outside world? The light from outside has already mixed to some extent. The pure light of the Axle Imperial Venerable remains only here."
I heard that on the day Penglai Island opened, Hae Lin forbid the light of the Ancient Force Realm itself, but apparently, even that wasn't enough.
"Well...I understand. Then may I ask what I'm curious about?"
"Ask away. I'll tell you what I know, or recommend a book from the library."
She gestures with a gentle voice to the dark library around us.
I contemplate what to ask then question her.
"Did Yuk Rin ever enter this library?"
She shakes her head at my words.
"In this library, only 'those who know the Axle Imperial Venerable' can enter. Others can't even perceive the entrance door. The Imperial Venerable set it up that way. There are a few more restrictions, but they are trivial...in any case, he did not know the Axle Imperial Venerable, so he could not set foot here."
"...I see."
The entry condition is unexpectedly formidable.
'One must know the Governing Immortal to enter.'
Among mortals, only someone like me or Seo Hweol would dare to enter.
I shake my head and continue with the next question.
It's a seemingly trivial but important question.
"...Why are the people of this country human?"
The Queen of Penglai Kingdom gives me a look as if she doesn't understand what gibberish I'm saying.
"Ah...it seems you don't quite understand. Where should I start explaining..."
If you asked Earthlings, 'Why is the dominant species on Earth humans?', you would likely receive the same kind of look.
However, I, having lived in this world for thousands of years, know it well.
In this world, the Human Race is not a particularly noble existence.
They are just one of the many, many intelligent species and are among those who occupy the six pillars of the Heaven Tribe in the Bright Cold Realm due to their vicious nature, even without any backing from an Esteemed One.
They are remarkable if they are remarkable, but they are not such a special race.
A moderately dominant species that found its place in the world.
That is the Human Race.
But Penglai Kingdom is strange.
Why is it that, despite numerous races entering Penglai Island to play roles in the world, do they walk around in human form in Penglai Kingdom?
Yuk Yo is a hybrid carp of the Demon Race but in Penglai Kingdom, she is a half-human, half-dragon. Jin Ma-yeol is of the Fighting Ghost Race, but upon entering, he's a perfectly normal human.
Of course, there are plenty of various demon spirits, but it's a bit unnatural for the ruler of this world to be 'deliberately' human.
After listening to my explanation, the Queen seems to think for a moment before speaking.
"I don't really know about that. To us, this is the natural world...but I do know where there might be information about why 'specifically' humans are the dominant species."
The queen points to one side of the library.
It's a library field with bamboo scrolls.
"Read the information over there. You might find what you're looking for. Perhaps."
I get up from my seat and take out the bamboo scrolls.
'This is...?'
It's a kind of mythological text.
Among them, a book titled Penglai Chronicles has a shallow account of how the world of Penglai Kingdom was created.
—In the beginning, there existed a world full of illusionary dreams.
—The Axle Imperial Venerable felt sorry for this and, with the help of the Wheel Imperial Venerable, Hyeon Go (玄古/Black Ancient), and three Heavenly Kings, created a new heaven.
—The Wheel Imperial Venerable rolled the wheel to guide virtuous souls under the new heaven, and the Three Heavenly Kings performed all sorts of miracles to cultivate a land where we could live.
—The Primordial Giant Hyeon Go, at the request of the Axle Imperial Venerable, made a promise to prevent the snakes from entering this land.
'Hyeon Go?'
Seeing a familiar name, I look at the description of this being.
—The shadow of Hyeon Go when they made the promise became the flesh of our souls, giving birth to us. We have two eyes and two ears...
It's a description of humans.
Although the size of the entity known as Hyeon Go being described is a bit, well, very large.
The First Giant who covered the entire sky with one hand.
That is Hyeon Go (Black Ancient).
The contents of the bamboo scroll end there.
Looking around, there is another scroll that explains about Hyeon Go.
—They are the greatest Divine Beast.
— They are called the God who governs all oaths and contracts.
— As the [Owner of Names], they are said to preside over naming of all in Heaven and Earth.
'Black Ancient Paper, Black Ancient Plaque!'
Only then do I understand why the most revered contract in the Ancient Force Realm is called Black Ancient Paper.
The divine spirit governing all oaths and contracts is none other than Hyeon Go.
However, I suddenly feel my heart begin to pound.
'Wait, have I just learned the true name of a great being?'
Tingle, tingle...
It's fine here and now, but if I remember this name when I go outside...
'I'll be watched, I'll be watched, I'll be watched!'
Thump, thump, thump...
As I calm my heart trembling like an aspen tree, I continue reading the bamboo scrolls and find something reassuring.
It's about an existence recorded in another scroll besides this one.
— Xiezhi.
— They are another Divine Beast.
— They are the beast entrusted with symbolizing all peace and well-being...
'In these bamboo scrolls, they refer to Immortal Beasts as 'Divine Beasts'.'
The names used to express Immortal Beasts are not their true names, so knowing them isn't a problem.
Thus, the name 'Hyeon Go' is not the true name of the being but refers to the species of this being.
And I realize one more thing here.
'The meaning behind humans becoming the dominant species of Penglai Kingdom due to the entity known as Hyeon Go is...'
Just as names like Black Dragon or Lofty Dragon are given when a Dragon Race becomes an Immortal Beast.
If a human becomes an Immortal Beast, the name Go (古/Ancient) is attached to them.
Charak—
After resolving my necessary questions, I roll up the bamboo scrolls and put them back.
While I was reading the scrolls, it seemed that the two others became bored. Yuk Yo tried to move one of the chairs, and the Queen began lecturing her on her behavior.
I interrupt their conversation and ask a question.
"This has been a great help. May I ask the next question?"
"Go ahead."
"It is regarding the Axle Imperial Venerable. I assume you know well about this topic."
"I do, indeed."
"You might feel it's blasphemous...but please answer. Is the Imperial Venerable truly dead?"