CHAPTER 592

【 A REMINDER FROM THE ANCESTRAL DRAGON 】

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As her words echoed throughout the grand halls of the Pantheon, Evé once again drew the full attention of the assembled gods.

Those who had initially entertained the thought of accepting the request from Dorft, the God of Dwarves and Forging, began to waver. A heavy silence fell over them, and one by one, they quietly abandoned the idea.

The reason was simple and undeniable.

Although Evé was a newly ascended deity, she was the only true god whose true form currently resided within the realm of Seigües.

This fact alone elevated her status considerably.

In essence, she had become the most formidable deity operating directly within Seigües. Therefore, if she chose to intervene in the affairs of the Dwarves and lend her strength to their cause, none of the other gods present would be able to rival her effectiveness or challenge her claim over the matter.

Thus, any intentions they might have had were quietly withdrawn.

Naturally, her impressive battle record also contributed to the gods’ deference.

Despite her graceful and beautiful appearance, Evé was anything but fragile. In truth, she was a fearsome entity—one who had slain a fellow deity not long after her ascension.

What made this feat even more striking was that the fallen god had been a member of the League of War, a faction renowned for its strength and one of the two dominant powers among the divine factions.

Such a bold and decisive act had firmly established her reputation. In the face of a god capable of such feats, even the most prideful of deities would think twice before opposing her.

Furthermore, while the reward Dorft offered was certainly tempting, it lacked the weight necessary to justify a struggle among true gods. It simply was not worth the risk of challenging someone of Evé’s caliber.

Had the reward been something greater—such as dominion over an unclaimed material realm—then perhaps the situation might have played out differently. In that case, even the threat of Evé’s power might not have deterred them from making a move.

Upon hearing Evé’s words, Dorft was momentarily stunned. However, that surprise quickly gave way to visible delight.

“If it is under Your Grace Evé’s assistance, then there will certainly be no issue. Your aid is more than we could have hoped for.”

Evé responded with a gentle nod and a calm smile.

“It is merely part of my duty to uphold the balance within Seigües. As the goddess of nature, ensuring the proper functioning of the world is one of my responsibilities. Now that the Abyss threatens to disturb that order, I am compelled to act.”

“I will dispatch my Chosen Ones to the southern mountains. They shall assist the Dwarven Kingdom in sealing off the Abyssal forces that have begun to emerge there.”

Dorft’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Do you mean… Your Elven Chosen Ones?”

Evé blinked.

“You’ve heard of them?”

The God of Forging nodded with a knowing look. “Indeed. I have a small number of dark dwarf followers who dwell deep underground. Through them, I’ve learned much about your Chosen Ones. Additionally, I’ve seen glimpses of their strength through visions granted by returning believers who witnessed their battles firsthand. They are truly remarkable warriors,” he said, his tone filled with admiration.

After expressing his gratitude, Dorft’s tone shifted subtly, becoming more serious as he added, “That said, Barolte is no ordinary adversary. He is an exceptionally powerful fallen god. When the time comes, we may require strength beyond what even the Chosen Ones can offer…”

Evé’s expression grew solemn.

She gave a firm nod. “I understand. If Barolte personally intervenes, then I will take action myself.”

Dorft finally exhaled, visibly relieved. “Then I must trouble you with this burden, Your Grace Evé. I will issue a divine oracle at once, instructing my followers to send envoys and establish communication with yours. The Last Dwarven Kingdom can endure for perhaps another month at most. Time is of the essence—the sooner we act, the better.”

With their mutual understanding reached, the next step was clear: both deities would issue divine oracles to relay their instructions. Through these sacred messages, their followers would receive precise guidance on how to cooperate and execute the operation.

Thanks to these oracles, which streamlined coordination, there would be no delays or miscommunication, only swift and orderly preparation.

Without further delay, Evé and Dorft settled on a concrete timetable. Then, before the eyes of the assembled gods within the Pantheon, the two formally signed a divine covenant that sealed their shared commitment to the mission ahead.

Both parties were satisfied, and the atmosphere was one of mutual joy.

After Dorft finished with his matters, the other gods have also began to take the floor one after another.

Not all deities who operated beyond the realm of Seigües resided in the lofty expanse of the Heavenly Realm, and even those who did rarely had the opportunity to meet in person. Divine communication was often conducted through oracles or intermediaries, making face-to-face gatherings like this one exceptionally rare.

As a result, this assembly provided a precious opportunity for many of these powerful beings to exchange news, share insights, and strengthen diplomatic ties.

Much of the discussion, however, centered on matters unrelated to Seigües. Most gods spoke of distant domains, of conflicts brewing in the Heavenly Realm, and of material worlds that had recently succumbed to the pull of the endless void. These were topics far beyond Evé’s current sphere of influence, and she refrained from participating directly.

Instead, she remained quiet and observant, carefully listening and absorbing every detail. Though she spoke little, she gained valuable insight into their personalities and the subtle power dynamics that governed their interactions.

Through these, Evé came to understand the broader divine landscape far better than before.

While listening, Evé also took the opportunity to examine the newly acquired map of the Universe.

Compared to the vast and ever-expanding cosmos she had known in her former life on Earth, the Universe of Seigües appeared more compact and self-contained. Yet, what it lacked in sheer scale, it made up for in density.

Realms dotted the map like constellations in a night sky, countless and tightly packed. To Evé, it resembled a brilliant sea of stars, each one shimmering with potential and mystery. The sight was both mesmerizing and overwhelming.

However, as she studied the details more closely, she realized that most of these realms were barren and devoid of life. Lifeless voids, empty dimensions, or unstable pockets of chaos made up the vast majority.

Realms like the Seigües World wherein matter and energy existed in a delicate, sustainable balance were exceedingly rare. Such realms were the only places suitable for nurturing life and supporting divine intervention.

Moreover, most material worlds had already been claimed as it is, each already marked as territory belonging to a particular god. Evé noted that the majority were under the jurisdiction of the Divine Human Coalition or the League of War faction.

Aside from material realms, there was a relatively large number of elemental realms, in which matter and energy were not in balance. These realms certainly also hosted life, but it was often in the form of bizarre energy-based or high-magic entities.

All the realms across the universe formed a nebula-like network surrounding the Heavenly realm established by the gods. The realm of Seigües was located just beneath it, slightly below the central axis of the Universe.

Evé also noticed that many major material realms were linked to the Seigües World by illusory threads, signifying direct spatial passageways.

Of course, these spatial portals are currently sealed.

As Evé gazed at the glowing lines that represented spatial connections, she could easily imagine the former glory of the Seigües World.

As the previous central realm of the universe, it had once been connected to countless other realms. All sentient beings could travel freely between worlds. Civilizations flourished, and prosperity reigned supreme…

“In that case,” Evé mused aloud, “the Elves ought to have had a presence in other realms as well. Yet, ever since my reawakening, I have sensed no faith directed toward me from beyond Seigües. This suggests that Elves likely no longer exist in those realms, or they have completely abandoned their faith.”

She sighed softly.

The divine assembly did not last long.

Roughly two hours later, it began drawing to a close.

When all the gods had fallen into a satisfied silence, the Eternal Lord Etriōu surveyed the grand hall and said, “That concludes our discussions for the time being. If anyone wishes to continue exchanging ideas, then you may do so afterward. Please also remember the upcoming Holy Crusade, which will occur one year from now. We shall reconvene here for it.”

He then glanced toward the seats of the ancient gods and added, “Also, Your Grace Urinos, please remember to inform the other ancient gods of the matters regarding the crusade against the demons as well.”

“I know, I know,” came the irritated response from the young girl seated beside the Platinum Dragon King Reinhardt. She waved her hand dismissively and complained, “Geez, this is so pointless… As if the Abyss could ever be fully cleansed anyway.” She even yawned mid-sentence.

The Eternal Lord furrowed his brow slightly but said nothing more.

He withdrew his gaze and solemnly declared,

“That will be all. This session of the divine assembly is hereby concluded. You may all now depart.”

Golden light shimmered around him as he slowly vanished from the Pantheon.

Following his departure, the thirty-some gods with similar divine auras within the Human Coalition also began to leave. One by one, the remaining gods departed as well.

The God of War and Destruction, Lóðurr, and the Lord of Darkness and Shadow, Hodür, both gave Evé a long look before departing with their subordinate deities as well.

Only the Guardian of the Stars, Rigdal, offered Evé a friendly smile before slowly dissipating his incarnation.

As for the Goddess of Death, Hela—well, she and Evé were already in frequent contact. Their relationship had grown through past cooperation, so there was little need for formalities. After exchanging a brief but knowing nod with Evé, Hela turned and departed the Pantheon, accompanied by several of her loyal subordinates from the Netherworld.

Their casual interaction did not escape the notice of the other gods. On the contrary, the ease and familiarity between the two stood out amidst the otherwise tense and formal atmosphere. To many observers, it confirmed what had already been speculated: the Goddess of Death and the new Goddess of Life were not merely acquainted, but close allies.

This alone was enough to silence the lingering rumor that Evé was nothing more than a subordinate of Hela. That notion had now been thoroughly disproven. It was clear that Evé acted of her own volition and stood as an independent body.

Following the conclusion of the assembly, Evé began receiving a stream of divine messages.

Most of them were friendly in tone, extending formal invitations for her to visit various divine kingdoms in her incarnate form.

Such gestures were customary in divine diplomacy. Now that Evé had been officially recognized as a member of the Pantheon, it was only natural that others would seek to establish ties whether out of genuine goodwill or strategic interest.

However, Evé noticed that these invitations came mostly from independent deities. Very few, if any, originated from those belonging to a faction, especially the Human Coalition or the League of War.

This, in a sense, was a statement of intent.

Interestingly, most of the invitations were not for immediate visits. Instead, they were set for four years in the future, which coincided with the projected time when Seigües would be fully unsealed and reopened to the wider divine realms.

Evé quickly grasped the reasoning behind this. For true gods, time did not pass as it did for mortals. A span of four years was but a brief moment in their eyes. More importantly, once the seal on Seigües was lifted, divine communication and travel would become far less restricted, making such visits much more practical.

Still, the future remained uncertain. What exactly would unfold in four years was anyone’s guess. For now, Evé chose to respond to the invitations with grace and acceptance, committing herself to nothing beyond the goodwill they represented, while leaving the details to be addressed when the time came.

As the assembly drew to a close, the gods began to withdraw their incarnations one by one.

Before long, only a handful of mythical beings remained within the vast halls of the Pantheon.

After replying to the last divine message, Evé suddenly heard a crisp and youthful voice behind her:

“Your Grace Evé! I’ve long wanted to finally meet you. I’ve taken a great interest in those little games your believers have created. I must visit the Elven Forest sometime and play a few rounds of chess with you!”

Startled, Evé turned to see the one speaking—and it was none other than Urinos, the Ancestral Dragon.

Also Platinum Dragon King Reinhardt followed behind the blond girl with a helpless expression, whilst shrugging toward Evé.

Raising an eyebrow, Evé nodded slightly in greeting.

“Greetings, Your Grace Urinos.”

“Oh, don’t bother with these silly formalities,” Urinos said casually, waving a hand with a grin. Then she added, “Also, I thank you for your assistance to my fellow Dragonkin over the past two years. You have no idea how troubling the reproduction issue has been for our younger generations. There are some things that even I, despite all my power, cannot change… I had no choice but to seek external help.”

As she spoke, a hint of regret passed over her face.

Evé was moved. She seemed to understand what was troubling her. The declining birth rate among dragonkind was an unavoidable truth.

This was not due to any flaw in the dragons themselves per se, but rather a natural consequence of being a mythical race. It was almost as if the fundamental laws of the universe itself had set a ceiling upon their growth.

Although dragons were now regarded as a race with golden lineage, they had once been a pure mythical species long before they earned that distinguished title.

Unless the entire Universe underwent some monumental upheaval, the decline of dragonkind was inevitable, just as it had been for the ancient gods.

Evé considered offering words of comfort, but Urinos raised a hand and said, “Tsk, let’s not talk about such depressing topics on our first meeting. They only give me headaches.”

She then paused and gave Evé a sly look, smiling mischievously.

“Speaking of which, Your Grace, you still owe me a favor, don’t you?”

Evé blinked in surprise.

“Hm, a favor you say?”

Seeing the puzzled look on Evé’s face, Urinos chuckled softly and elaborated, “Well, it’s nothing serious, actually. I’ve just been feeling a bit bored lately and decided to challenge Lóðurr to a game of chess. As it happened, our match also coincided with a rather intense battle that erupted during a holy war somewhere not too long ago…”

At that subtle hint, realization dawned on Evé.

So it had been because of her…

She had long harbored doubts about why the League of War had seemingly turned a blind eye after she killed Uller. No retaliation had followed, nor had Lóðurr, their faction’s leader, had personally attempted to reclaim the Crown of Nature.

Now, the answer was clear. Urinos had stepped in, intervening at a crucial moment and blocking any immediate response from the League of War.

That… was no ordinary gesture.

It was a favor of immense significance.

After all, the Crown of Nature had had a tremendous impact on Evé. Not only did it allow her to better wield her divinity of nature, but it also significantly improved her efficiency in converting divine power.

More importantly, it provided the opportunity for her to claim Uller’s divinity and ascend to an intermediate divine.

With this in mind, Evé spoke with sincere appreciation, “So it was your doing Your Grace. May I ask, what would you like for me to do in return?”

The dragons had always treated her with goodwill.

In fact, Evé suspected that these two dragon deities might have already guessed her true identity.

However, favors were never mentioned without purpose. Since Urinos had brought it up, it likely meant she would eventually seek something in return.

Urinos gave a soft impish smile.

“Hmm… I haven’t decided yet. But, I believe there will come a day when I will need your help.”

“Of course, it won’t be anything that places you in a difficult position. By then, you probably will have become strong enough.”

“Additionally, if you are willing, the Dragonkin shall remain your steadfast allies.”

These words were not spoken aloud. Instead, Urinos transmitted them directly into Evé’s mind through divine telepathy.

Evé was struck by her message and mentally asked in return,

“Why?”

She truly was curious.

Why was this mighty Ancestral Dragon offering her goodwill to her so easily? Why did she speak with such certainty about her growth? Why did she trust in her potential?

And what exactly did the dragons know?

Had they already confirmed that she was the World Tree?

And if so, did they also know about her relationship with her predecessor?

Urinos did not answer directly. She simply let out a deep sigh.

Whilst lifting her head slightly, she gazed upward before sighing again. Then she continued, using the same mental transmission:

“I… cannot say for now. But, Your Grace Evé, once you reach the level of a greater divine, you may begin to sense certain truths.”

“Oh, and one more thing: be cautious of Etriōu. Also, do not place your trust in Rigdal as well.”

Her voice grew solemn as she delivered this warning.

Evé’s heart skipped a beat.

She wanted to ask more, but Urinos’s expression suddenly shifted into a bright, cheerful smile.

Cutting off her unspoken question, she enthusiastically said out loud, “Well, that’s enough for today, Your Grace Evé. When I get the chance, I’ll visit the Elven Forest and challenge you to a game of chess.”

With that, she smiled at her, then dissipated her incarnation, accompanied by Reinhardt.

Evé remained standing, replaying Urinos’s words in her mind.

She also recalled some of the Eternal Lord’s earlier vague remarks. Her expression gradually turned serious.

“Could it be… the fall of my predecessor wasn’t as simple as Ouros memories made it seem? Judging from Urinos’s tone, there may be things in the Universe so dangerous that she dares not even speak of them.”

“And leaving the Eternal Lord aside, why did Urinos warn me about Rigdal too?”

Evé was filled with doubt.

Nonetheless, she believed Urinos’s goodwill was genuine.

If she had guessed correctly, the Ancestral Dragon likely already knew her true identity.

If she meant harm, she could have exposed her at any time. More than that, she had mentioned that she might need her help in the future…

With that thought, Evé lifted her head, looking toward the direction where Urinos had gazed just moments before.

It was the celestial dome above the Pantheon which was the same sky that loomed over the realm of Seigües.

There, the stars shone brightly.

Yet beneath the brilliance, there was an unfathomable darkness.

“Greater Divine, is it…”

Evé’s gaze grew resolute.

“One step at a time, one bite at a time. First, I must complete the God of Dwarves and Forging’s request. Before the realm of Seigües is fully unsealed, I must reach the rank of a Greater Divine.”

Whilst shaking her head, Evé finally dismissed her incarnation and returned to her divine kingdom.

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