“Godswords which were destroyed for some reason or another. It makes you wonder about the force able to destroy such a powerful artifact.”
Cherubim, Fanatic, Judgment, and Meltdown were gone. I didn’t expect Godswords to be so readily destructible.
“This scroll was written over five hundred years ago. More Godswords might have been made since then,” said Lumina.
“I see.”
“Now, see this Godsword called Explorer?” Lumina pointed to a portion of the scroll.
“The Searching Godsword?”
“Yes. There is a skill like Oracle of the Gods called Encyclopedic Index. It can tell you everything there is to know about an object, as long as you know its name. At the cost of mana, of course.”
I’m getting bad vibes from this… Lumina had mentioned trading mana for information.
“It is as you suspect. Explorer’s wielder wanted to know more about their sword. They cast Encyclopedic Index to learn about it, and lost their life in the process.”
I knew it!
“They did manage to learn a few things about the blade before they expired, however. The Godsword Explorer grants its user investigative and sensory skills while possessing less-than-impressive combat prowess. It is only as strong as an average enchanted sword.”
Seriously?
“Indeed. There are Godswords that can destroy continents, but also Godswords that are not fit for battle.”
Wait, does that mean—
“Although, I do not think it applies in your case.”
Dang it!
“You said you did not come with a name. Having a name is a prerequisite for a Godsword.”
That’s what I thought when I first looked at the list. Still, I’d grown fond of Fran’s name for me, even proud of it. I would not accept another.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. Intelligent Weapons are as legendary as Godswords. You are very impressive by yourself.”
“Hm. Teacher’s the best,” Fran agreed.
The compliment would have made me blush if not for my lack of cheeks. Any chance you know about the one who made me?
“Unfortunately, no. This is my first time encountering an Intelligent Weapon. I don’t know much about the Haunt called the Demon Wolf’s Garden, either. But one thing is for certain.”
And that is?
“Only a Godsmith could’ve brought you into existence.”
But I’m not a Godsword.
“Godswords aren’t the only products a Godsmith can make, you know,” Lumina said, as if reading my mind.
Godsmiths might be known for creating legendary Godswords, but their trade allowed them to craft other tools and equipment. Who knows? Maybe one of them even made kitchen knives. Although, a kitchen knife crafted by a Godsmith… Now there was a utensil that could make ingredients taste better with every cut.
“Also, only twenty-six of these superweapons are ever allowed to exist at the same time. They are not things you make in your spare time. Rumor has it that crafting a single Godsword can take up to ten years, and that’s only in preparation.”
Ten years? What are you supposed to do in all that time?
“Who knows? These are rumors, to be sure. I do not know the details.”
I see. So you think a Godsmith crafted me to occupy time between Godswords?
“A possibility, yes.”
I didn’t know whether to be proud of the fact that I was made by a Godsmith or ashamed that I wasn’t a Godsword. Still, finding out more about these Godsmiths might give me a lead on my origins. Before that, though, I wanted to address something that had been bothering me.
You’re radiating a lot of malice, Lumina. What’s up with that?
“Hm. Your skin’s turning black.”
“Oh, this…I can’t say. But give me a few days and I’ll be back to normal. In fact, I’ll be stronger for it, so you have nothing to worry about.”
Lumina was still in control. I didn’t quite understand what she was saying, but Fran massaged her chest in relief at hearing she would eventually be back to normal. Lumina was still herself, despite looking like a Fiend, but I couldn’t shake off that last bit of discomfort.
Did the gods punish the Black Cats by taking away their ability to evolve?
“Yes.”
Why’d they do it?
“That…I cannot say.”
I thought so. But at least we’d confirmed Aurel’s hypothesis of divine punishment.
I heard about the Ten Ancestors the other day. Are the Black Cats among them?
“Can’t say.”
Lumina’s unique circumstance turned her denial into a confirmation, and I was just getting started.
I saw a piece of equipment called the Black Sky Tiger Cloak once. Does that have anything to do with the Black Cat tribe?
The cloak had belonged to Salut, a Raydossian spy and personal bodyguard to the Phyllian twins Fult and Satya. Was the cloak produced by doing unspeakable things to an evolved Black Cat? Skinning a person and wearing their hide as armor was an inhuman act by any standard, but considering the lengths Raydoss went to in search of power, I assumed the worst.
“Allow me to explain it in terms of the White Snow Wolves. There is a monster called the White Snow Wolf, quite separate from the White Snow Wolf of the Ten Ancestors. They are both children of the White Snow Wolf Godbeast. It is said that when the Godbeasts procreated with people, they produced the White Snow Wolf Beast Tribe. When they procreated with animals, they produced the White Snow Wolf monster.”
Legends of gods mating with beasts and man had existed back on Earth, and apparently they did here, too.
“Though they have the same origins, they are completely different now. One is human, the other beast. The White Snow Wolf monsters of today only vaguely resemble their ancestors. They are certainly more beast than man, and no longer deserve to be worshipped. Although these monsters are occasionally hunted down and killed, they are not the natural enemies of the White Dog Tribe. The same applies to the other Ten Tribes. You have nothing to worry about.”
Well, that was a relief. I guess it was like if a human were to kill a monkey—even though we had a common ancestor, it wouldn’t amount to murder. So the Black Sky Tiger Cloak Salut wore had come from a monster.
“I hear that the Beast King has arrived in
