Chapter 249
The descendants of Theem'dra settled about one kilometer away from the natives.
He and Aphoom-Zhah ended up following the descendants of Theem'dra by chance.
This was because they had pleaded to be allowed to serve them.
And as soon as they found decent land, they immediately prepared a place to rest and then began preparing a small festival for them.
Of course, even though it was for "them," the main figure of the festival was Aphoom-Zhah.
"Shouldn't we tell them to stop this? Is it okay to make people who walked such a long way work so hard?"
[Just leave them be, believer. What can you do when they want to worship me? As a god, I must accept it as my duty.]
"You're saying it's force majeure while smiling..."
[Ahem.]
The fortunate thing was that Aphoom-Zhah's mood improved when they recognized and worshipped him. Thanks to this, he, who had been scheduled to become a skewer pierced by icicles, also survived.
Since the descendants of Theem'dra had moved Aphoom-Zhah and him into a temporarily built shelter,
They could have quiet conversations just between the two of them without suffering from sunlight.
"Are you planning to leave right after they finish offering their festival or whatever?"
[There's no reason I couldn't. The longer I stay, the more everything around here will freeze.]
"Are you being considerate?"
[Those who serve me would find ordinary cold laughable, but that's a different matter from having no food, isn't it? I understand that vermin die if they can't eat.]
"Then when dawn breaks tomorrow, we'll just deal with Shaguna Fan and leave. Clean and simple."
[Do so.]
He seemed to be in a good mood, thinking about enjoying a festival offered by proper believers for the first time in a while after dealing with a faithless person every day.
Beside Aphoom-Zhah, who was humming a melody that was somehow familiar to his ears but he couldn't remember where he'd heard it,
He opened the red book he always carried.
The blank pages were densely filled with his diary and records and information about Yog-Sothla's offspring, the Mi-Go race, Ig, Elder Things, Shambhala, Idra's avatars, and gray dwarfs that he had discovered.
He was grateful for the book that hadn't worn out or torn despite spending immeasurable time with him.
[What is it this time? Are you writing about the descendants of Shambhala?]
"They're descendants of Theem'dra, not Shambhala. Strictly speaking, they're different. When living places and living environments are different, ways of life also change. Shambhalans and Theem'drans are the same race, but you can't see them as completely identical. Think about it, people who live in deserts and-"
[You're talking like the Mi-Go race or Elder Things. Anyone would think you're a scientist. What does it matter if they're Shambhalans or Theem'drans?]
"How can you say that? You speak so carelessly."
Ignoring Aphoom-Zhah who was clicking his tongue, he wrote notes about the descendants of Theem'dra, the Theem'drans he had newly met.
When evening came, they seated them in front and,
After expressing gratitude for Aphoom-Zhah's abundant protection in Theem'dra, they offered him a festival.
When Aphoom-Zhah graciously nodded, the full meal began.
The people of Theem'dra relaxed and began chattering, immersed in happiness from finding sanctuary and witnessing a god.
Watching such Theem'drans, he kept thinking of people from long ago and felt a bit bitter.
Even though Shan and Tika couldn't possibly appear just because of that,
He kept staring into the darkness behind the people enjoying the festival.
*
Dawn, when the sky was just beginning to turn bluish.
Since the festival had continued late into the night, it was time for the Theem'drans to be sleeping, exhausted from fatigue.
There was no better time than this to move secretly.
Coming out of the temporary shelter the Theem'drans had prepared, the air that had turned chilly in just one day greeted him.
Since Aphoom-Zhah's mere existence greatly affected the weather,
He had rarely stayed in one place for a long time until now.
The longest he had stayed was probably right after sealing Ig.
At that time, accepting Aphoom-Zhah's descent had reached its limit, so his body began collapsing from within.
He had no choice but to recuperate in the collapsed Yoth after all the snake-people had fled,
But after a few weeks, Yoth felt like it had become an ice storage.
Even in humid places, thin ice would crunch underfoot.
After seeing that, he had continued wandering the world with Aphoom-Zhah.
It was nothing short of tearful environmental protection activity.
Anyway, coming out like this somehow felt refreshing.
Since it would soon be time to leave with Aphoom-Zhah as promised, he wanted to look around where the Theem'drans had settled before then.
Though the possibility was low, there might be offspring of Yog-Sothla around.
Since he didn't know what effect the unhatched Shaguna Fan might have on the ecosystem.
Even if he was going to leave, he judged it would be better to prevent things in advance if possible.
After all, these people were descendants of Shan and Tika.
But while thinking such thoughts and crossing between the Theem'drans' temporary tents,
He locked eyes with one person who was coming out of a tent drowsily.
"Ah."
"Oh."
A black-haired duplicate of Tika.
Wasn't this the child who had gotten lost yesterday and asked him for help?
While he watched, the child came out with an awkward face, dusted off her long clothes, and said.
"It's a secret from my brothers. You can't tell them you saw me!"
"If you talk that loudly, everyone will know even if I don't specifically say I saw you."
"Oh, right."
The strangely careless aspect also resembled Tika.
The child covered her mouth with both hands, looked around, then carefully removed her hands.
"But where are you going at this hour?"
"Mmmmm. If you promise not to tell my sisters or brothers, I'll tell you."
"I promise."
When he readily answered, the child immediately grabbed his hand and ran somewhere.
Following along while bending his waist awkwardly, they quickly left the Theem'drans' new residential area and an open field appeared.
Since it was still dark, he was worried the child might fall, but that didn't happen.
She navigated the terrain she was seeing for the first time with surprising skill, then stopped abruptly.
The child pointed to the sky embroidered with dawn stars that were gradually growing faint and said.
"I came to listen to that."
"...Stars?"
"Everyone says that at first. But to me, they're not just stars. Here, sit here and listen with me!"
He ended up sitting next to the child and listening carefully.
He could only hear the sound of insects chirping and wind brushing through the grass.
But the child was closing her eyes tightly and listening intently as if receiving some very important message.
It really seemed wrong to disturb her, but he was equally curious.
-Poke.
"You startled me! Why?"
"I was curious what you could hear."
"You can't hear it? I thought you'd be able to hear it since you're with the white god."
"I'm not sure. What do you hear?"
"Stories, words, sometimes songs. When I say things like this, everyone tells me I'm strange, but I'm absolutely not strange. Isn't it stranger not to be able to hear something that sounds so vivid? Right?"
He couldn't hear it either. There was no point in asking him such things.
"I suppose it could feel that way."
"I can hear it especially well at night. On days when I can hear it well, I feel like I could know where it's calling from. My sisters and brothers tell me not to talk about such things. They say I'm lying because they can't hear it."
"Oh dear."
"But you know, my grandmother heard it with me. My grandmother and I look very much alike. My grandmother said she kept hearing sounds from beyond too. My grandmother only told me. This is a secret just between my grandmother and me."
The child spoke earnestly.
Watching her, he suddenly became curious and asked.
"Did your grandmother also resemble you?"
"Wow, how did you know? I look most like my grandmother! They say I look most like her in our family! My grandmother was also the youngest among her siblings. So am I!"
A child who resembled Tika.
Her grandmother also resembled Tika, and going further back, there would continue to be people who had inherited Tika's genes strongly.
What were Tika's last words?
Ah, it had been so long now that he couldn't remember...
"Those sounds don't trouble you?"
"I was surprised at first, but now it's okay. Except for my sisters and brothers teasing me and calling me a liar! When I come out and listen like this, I gradually feel strange."
"Strange how?"
"Like my feet are floating. I know the stars over there are shining brightly and the sounds are coming from beyond. But who is speaking? Where exactly are these sounds coming from?"
The sky the child was pointing to was gradually turning blue.
But the stars were still in their places.
Beyond this star, somewhere past other planets and gases and astronomical beings, were stories continuously being created?
People here were born with their feet planted on this earth, so they lived with their ears closed.
Then could people who heard the voices of stars not live on this earth?
Where would those who couldn't live here go?
The place where things that had lost their reason headed, people who had no choice but to live while hearing the whispers of stars.
"Would it be okay if I asked your name?"
The child looked at him with blue eyes and answered.
"Eibon."
Eibon. Eibon.
He repeated her name in his mind.
A descendant of Shan and Tika, and the only person among the Theem'drans here who could hear the voices of stars.
Tika had feared the sounds only she could hear without ever knowing their identity,
But Eibon at least had the desire to investigate those sounds.
Even if he did this now, it wouldn't reach Shan and Tika.
"Eibon. Won't you come with me?"
"...What? With someone I met for the first time yesterday?"
"I know the identity of those sounds. I can also vaguely guess why only you can hear them."
"But even so."
"People who can hear the conversations of stars can't live ordinary lives. You know, don't you? When you listen to those sounds alone, you want to leave for somewhere other than this earth. But that would be a place we could never reach with our feet."
Eibon stood up abruptly with surprised eyes.
He extended his hand to Eibon, who was flustered as if her secret had been discovered.
"I can't hear the voices of stars like you, but I can read the language. I think you and I probably need each other's help. Don't you think? ...If you follow me, I can tell you what you're curious about."
"But."
"Of course, it's fine if you choose to stay by your siblings' side here. However, if that happens, there will be nothing you can do except listen to their voices."
If Aphoom-Zhah hadn't taken him to Dreamland, he wouldn't have realized the language of stars either.
"It's time to choose. Either live safely for life while being curious about the truth, or face unknown dangers with your own will and reveal everything."
The child was trembling.
Even though no cold wind was blowing, she couldn't control her shivering body.
Her breathing gradually quickened, and she panicked, unable to think properly before the crossroads that had suddenly appeared.
But he knew the end of this conflict.
Those who could hear the voices of stars.
Those prepared to lift the veil of the ordinary world and witness the terrible truth behind the curtain,
Unable to contain their curiosity, would drive their fate toward the end of destruction-
"-I'll go. I'll follow you!"
-These people would be called 'mages' in distant future generations.