CHAPTER 625

【 DORFT’S GRATITUDE 】

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Seeing the brief look of surprise flash in Eve’s eyes, Dorft said cheerfully,

“Your Grace Eve, you must have expended a great deal of divine power while opposing Barolte, and you have not held your divinity for very long. I think this vial of divine blood will be of considerable use to you.”

Eve listened and nodded slightly.

Indeed, this vial of divine blood would be very useful to her at present.

What she most lacked now was divine power and this vial which contain 3,000 points of divine power was not a trivial amount. It would bring her significantly closer to being a Greater Divine Power.

At present, she faced no bottleneck regarding her divine-power rank. With a sufficient reservoir of divine power, advancing to a Greater Divine Power would be virtually assured for her. This was the greatest advantage her predecessor had left Evé, and it was the fundamental reason she had been able to grow so quickly.

As for deepening her understanding of her governing divinities, though Eve felt that four years of practice had already brought her mastery of the three principal divinities to a commendable height, attaining flawless perfection in their control would be an unexpected boon.

A deeper comprehension of one’s own divinity, coupled with a large increase in divine power, would be an immensely potent effect to have. Especially for a newly ascended deity like her, such an item would be extraordinarily attractive.

Only a mythical being like Dorft, who had lived for thousands of years, would offer such a thing.

After all, for beings of their stature, such items could be considered somewhat redundant.

Considering that he had been enthroned as a god since the early Silver Era, his control over his divinity by now would almost certainly be perfect. Coupled with a millennium’s worth of accumulated faith, this would have already enabled him to amass an impressive reservoir of divine power within his divine kingdom.

Thus, for veteran true gods like him, divine power was never in short supply. What limited them was their inherent capacity to contain it, as well as the scale and efficiency with which they could marshal that power in battle—factors determined by their divine-power rank.

At most, this vial of divine blood could serve as a portable reserve of divine power for Dorft.

Evé, however, was curious, and she asked,

“Your Majesty Dorft, since you suspect the divine blood in that vial came from Neo, should you not be able to analyze it and obtain information about the King of the Gods’ divinity from it?”

Typically, the blood of a god contains the divine laws that deity governs, thereby allowing other mythical beings to analyze and decipher the corresponding laws imbued within it.

But, judging from Dorft’s current state, it did not appear that he had successfully deciphered it yet. Otherwise, his rank would not still be merely at the peak of Lesser Divine Power.

That is unless, of course, that vial did not actually contain the King of God’s blood and belonged to someone else, or perhaps some other mystery unknown to Evé.

Dorft’s aged face revealed a trace of helplessness at Eve’s question, accompanied only by a rueful smile.

“Your Grace Eve, I did indeed attempt to analyze it, but alas, I could not decipher the corresponding laws it contains at all. In fact, the very act of attempting to analyze it served to perfect my control over my own divinity.”

“This is also why I clarified it at the beginning. Analyzing it does not uncover new divine laws nor confer any additional power, but it does facilitate a more refined control over one’s existing divinity.”

“No one knows what the divinity of Neo, King of the Gods, actually is.”

“However, based on the various mythological texts I have collected, I strongly suspect that upon reaching the rank beyond Greater Divine Power, a true god’s power undergoes some form of metamorphosis. It is highly probable that divinities, incarnations, and even structures such as the network of faith we presently employ at the lesser rank will vanish—or, in other words, be rendered obsolete once we advance to such rank.”

As Dorft spoke, his expression grew increasingly serious.

Evé focused all her attention, listening with unwavering concentration.

After all, these were matters concerning Greater Divine Power—matters that were entirely absent even from the inheritance she had received from the World Tree.

It was strange in a way:

Her predecessor had been much older and even more powerful than Dorft, yet the inheritance contained no entries regarding the rank of Greater Divine Power at all, as if such records had been deliberately erased.

Nonetheless, Evé was not overly surprised that the other party knew so many hidden truths, because the World Tree’s inheritance had mentioned that the God of Dwarves loved excavating ruins and archaeology above all else.

If not for the fact that the laws of archaeology lacked sufficient means to catalyze a divinity, then perhaps Dorft might already have become the God of Dwarves, Forging, and Archaeology by this point.

“So you mean that after a deity advanced into a Greater Divine Power, they would still be able to transcend further, and at that rank, they are no longer constrained by the divinity they control, and even be able to completely break free from the need for faith?” Evé asked.

“Transcend?” Dorft was slightly taken aback. He stroked his red, bushy beard, and with a look of interest added,

“Indeed… ‘transcend’ is an apt word for it. Yes, I do suspect something of that nature.”

“Of course, in the end, these are only my conjectures. After all, very few beings in the universe have attained Greater Divine Power, and those who transcend beyond that rank exist only in myths and legends. In fact, from ancient times to the present, only Neo, the King of Gods, was known to have achieved such feats. Alas, he has since gone missing.”

Dorft shrugged his shoulders.

Missing, huh…

Evé folded her arms.

Perhaps, rather than being missing, maybe he had achieved “Transcendence,” so to speak.

This otherworldly universe was small, and its age was less than a tenth that of Earth’s universe, making it evident that vaster realms must exist beyond it.

Moreover, various ancient mythological records describe the dragons’ origins as “extradimensional,” and even the legends surrounding the World Tree itself hint that it may not have originated within this universe at all.

Recollecting the secrets she had learned through the World Tree’s inheritance and her conversations with Hela and Reinhardt, Evé fell into thoughtful reflection.

At that moment, recalling the fragment of information about the World Tree she had received when she had just escaped her near-death state, Evé formed further conjectures.

When she had fully recovered, her profile included the following description:

[World Tree – Primary Form]

Now that she had acquired more knowledge, uncovered deeper secrets, and had grown much stronger, Evé began to form some theories about this so-called “form.”

If her judgment was correct, once she advanced to Greater Divine Power, this “Primary Form” should also undergo some form of transformation.

And if one day she were to ascend beyond Greater Divine Power, her form would likely evolve even further.

The potential of the “World Tree” was immense, perhaps even the most unique amongst all the Ancient Gods.

This was evident in her innate resistance to abyssal power, and even more so in her ability to absorb it into herself, which was truly unique in the universe.

In terms of her current abilities, Evé felt that her present form resembled that of someone still in the midst of growth. Her skill [Absorption], for instance, was essentially a self-evolving ability.

From this perspective, Evé had reason to believe that she belonged to a higher order of existence than the so-called Gods of Faith, though she had not fully matured yet.

“Perhaps… in the future, I may have the opportunity to grow into a truly transcendent being. Perhaps… once I reach that rank, I might even break free from this universe, and maybe even visit Earth once again.”

So thought Evé silently.

“Your Grace Evé, among these three items I showed you, which one would you like to choose?”

Dorft’s kind voice pulled Evé back from her thoughts.

She looked at the three objects floating in midair and fell into contemplation.

Only children make choices.

Honestly, aside from the first item, which held little value to her, she desired other two, the book and the vial.

Yet Evé did not voice this verbally, nor did she rush her decision. Instead, her expression grew solemn as she said, “Your Majesty Dorft, before I choose from these items, there is something else I must entrust to you.”

“Hmm?” Dorft was slightly surprised.

Evé gave no further explanation and only extended her hand instead.

With a radiant burst of light, two beautiful crystals which shimmered with misty brilliance appeared in her palm.

The crystals rotated constantly, encircled by lines of mysterious runes that revolved around them.

The moment Dorft laid eyes on them, his expression immediately froze. His eyes widened in disbelief, and his thick red beard trembled ever so slightly.

He nearly lost his composure as he stammered,

“T-These crystals are… the divinities of Construction and Craftsmanship!”

“Were they not destroyed when Barolte fell? How… how did you recover them?!”

His voice quivered, and even his sturdy frame seemed to falter.

Realizing his lapse in composure, Dorft quickly drew a deep breath and addressed Evé apologetically.

“Forgive me, Your Grace… I was overly agitated just now. Could you tell me how you came by those crystals? To see them once more like this is simply too astonishing…”

Evé nodded.

Without hesitation, she recounted everything she knew.

“Your Majesty Dorft, the one who betrayed you was not Lord Barolte. In truth, he merely fell victim to the schemes of Samael, the Second Demon Lord, who seized control of his body.”

“The ‘Barolte’ who appeared in the Sealed Lands was, in fact, Samael in disguise. That demon’s true purpose was to open a passageway between the Abyss and Seigües in order to bring destruction upon this realm.”

“After slaying Samael’s incarnation, I found the message Lord Barolte had left behind. It was there that I recovered these crystallized divinities, which he entrusted me to deliver to you.”

“Oh, and this is the exact message he left for you. I recorded it myself…”

As she finished speaking, Evé extended her hand once more, summoning a glowing sphere of divine power imbued with sound.

It was not Barolte’s original message, but rather a recording Evé had created while hearing it.

After hearing this, Dorft was left dumbfounded.

“This… this cannot be!” he muttered, his voice low and unsteady as disbelief clouded his expression.

His gaze lingered on the glowing sphere in Evé’s hand, its gentle light casting faint reflections across the chamber. For several long seconds he remained still, the weight of her words sinking into him, before finally extending his hand.

The God of Dwarves grasped the sphere with deliberate care, as though it were both a burden and a treasure. Closing his eyes, he allowed his divine senses to probe the power within it, seeking the truth that had been preserved there.

Evé did not interrupt, choosing instead to wait quietly at his side.

As time passed, she noticed Dorft’s hands begin to tremble ever so slightly.

A moment later, he opened his eyes again, and a spark of fury flashed within them.

“This vile, accursed Abyssal Demon Lord!” he growled.

Then came a long sigh, heavy with sorrow and regret.

“Barolte… I never thought that, in the end, you still would not heed my counsel…”

With a faint, bitter smile, he murmured,

“To warn the Divine All-Mother Yggdrasill? Alas, my friend, it is far too late. Her Majesty has already fallen…”

Evé did not interrupt Dorft’s soliloquy.

She could clearly sense the weight of the message she had brought back and the impact it had made upon the elderly deity.

When he finally calmed himself, Dorft suddenly bowed deeply before her, leaving Evé momentarily taken aback.

“Your Grace Evé, I offer you my deepest thanks! Thank you for bringing back Barolte’s divinities, and thank you for the truth you have revealed to me! Your sincerity and righteousness command my utmost respect!”

“These crystals you have returned are of immeasurable importance to the dwarves. Please accept my most heartfelt gratitude! As a token of thanks, you need not trouble yourself to choose among these three items—I shall grant them all to you as a mark of my appreciation!”

Dorft’s words carried genuine and unwavering conviction.

Evé shook her head.

“No, that won’t do. This was part of my agreement with Lord Barolte. He has already given his ‘payment,’ and you know what it was.”

“That being said, I must admit I am interested in more than one of these items. Specifically, the latter two you have offered both hold great appeal to me.”

“As for the first item, resistance against the Abyss is something you yourself also require. After all, you too must also take part in the upcoming Demon Crusade. I will not deprive you of what you need. Besides, I already possess unique means of resisting abyssal corruption.”

“Regarding the other two items, to be frank, I would like to obtain them both. If necessary, I am willing to offer other items of equal value in exchange.”

For Evé, the Chain of the Mind held little personal use—so better to leave it in Dorft’s care and earn herself some goodwill in the process.

Even though Dorft had been willing to give her everything, she judged it wiser to secure the foundation of their long-term relationship instead.

Hearing her response, Dorft’s respect for Evé deepened further.

“Your Grace Evé… you truly are a just and benevolent deity. You are much like the Divine All-Mother once was. From this day forth, you shall be not only my eternal friend but also a friend to all dwarves.”

With that, he waved his hand gently, sending the vial of golden divine blood and the half-parchment scroll floating toward Evé.

“There is no need for an exchange. Please, I insist you do not refuse. Accept these as token of our friendship. In truth, if you are willing to acknowledge me, it is I who stands to gain the most from forging ties with an Intermediate Divine Power such as yourself.”

By this point, Dorft had already discerned Evé’s true rank.

After all, to defeat the incarnation of the Second Demon Lord with such ease was a feat far beyond the capability of any ordinary lesser divine power could achieve.

Hearing Dorft’s earnest words, Evé no longer hesitated.

She accepted both the Book of Titans and the vial of golden divine blood without reservation, her lips curving into a gentle smile.

“In that case, I shall accept them with gratitude, Your Majesty Dorft. It is an honor to call you my friend.”

After a moment’s pause, Evé added,

“In truth… I have two further questions.”

“Please ask. I will tell you everything without reserve if I know the answers,” Dorft replied readily.

Encouraged by his promise, Evé paused in thought for a brief moment before speaking.

“My first question is this: what is the Cradle of Origin? My second concerns Her Majesty, the Divine All-Mother Yggdrasill. What do you know of her demise a thousand years ago?”

At these words, Dorft’s expression grew solemn.

He remained silent for a time before finally replying,

“The Cradle of Origin is a site mentioned within certain Titan ruins. It is said to be the source of all power within the universe, in which where the Divine Creator began the Genesis, and within it lies the very secrets of creation itself.”

“I have never entered it myself, nor do I know how to reach it. However, from various inscriptions I uncovered within the ruins I have explored, I learned that certain special artifacts are capable of establishing a connection to it.”

He paused, his voice lowering.

“Yet every record concerning the Cradle of Origin carries the same warning. According to the accounts left by the Titans, none who entered that place ever returned with their minds intact. That is why I cautioned Barolte not to venture there so recklessly.”

“There is no benefit to be gained at such place—only death. And yet, time after time, those who discovered a path to it could not resist the lure. They were drawn to it as moths to a flame, believing they would succeed where all others failed. Some legends even proclaim that it was within the Cradle that His Supreme Highness Neo, King of the Gods, vanished without a trace, never to be seen again.”

Dorft sighed, his tone heavy with both reverence and dread.

“That is all I know about the Cradle of Origin.”

He then fell silent for a moment, as though weighing the weight of the memories he was about to share, before continuing.

“As for the matter regarding the All-Mother’s demise… in truth, I know little of the exact circumstances. What I carry within me is not knowledge, but gratitude. For it was Her Majesty who once extended Her hand to me, guiding me along the path to godhood…”

“Alas, when the dwarves and I learned of the assault launched by both the Coalition of Human Gods and the League of War a thousand years ago, fear gripped my heart. Their combined strength was overwhelming, and I… I did not dare to act rashly. I was the last god of my people and if I too had fallen, the dwarves would have been left utterly by themselves.”

His voice wavered with bitterness.

“I placed all my hopes in His Majesty Rigdal, Guardian of the Stars, believing he might intervene and halt those two divine factions. Yet, in the end, he too chose only to stand idly by.”

“He did not make a stand at all… and that has remained my greatest regret, a source of enduring shame each time I recall it.”

Dorft spoke with deep remorse.

“For a true god, weakness itself is the greatest sin.”

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