Chapter 112

The night sea was remarkably calm, likely controlled by the Drowned King.

Facing the shining aquamarine eyes of the Drowned King beneath the calm surface, Isaac felt a shiver run down his spine. Those pale eyes reminded him of the dead bodies floating in the sea.

Isaac felt he understood why he was called the Drowned King.

"...I wish you would speak a little more respectfully."

Yenkos, standing by, cautiously spoke.

This conversation with the angelic being was not just with Isaac but also included Yenkos, Hyanis, and Eidan. Many captains and sailors wanted to join this meeting.

However, Isaac was expected to lead the conversation, and the Drowned King disliked unnecessarily noisy atmospheres. Thus, those gathered were a translator, the ship's captain, a chairperson, and Eidan, whose role was unclear but somehow ended up being involved.

When the Drowned King did not respond, Isaac spoke again.

"By now, I assume you recognize who I am. But the reason you haven't capsized our ship yet must be that you intend to converse."

Isaac thought the Drowned King recognized him as a Nephilim. Even the ancient gods and the prophet of the red flesh could identify one immediately. Being a Nephilim was enough reason for the angels to be displeased.

Finally, there was a response from the Drowned King.

A crab crawled onto the deck. Smaller than a palm, the crab bubbled foam from its mouth. As the bubbles burst, a voice emerged.

[To think there still exists a living sin. Who are your parents?]

Though the crab's tone was cheeky, it was merely conveying the Drowned King's words, so Isaac let it slide.

The Drowned King spoke in an ancient tongue. It was considerate when speaking to the other sailors.

"Living sin" was one of the terms for Nephilim. It wasn't exactly a friendly expression, but it wasn't hostile either. Not being called a mongrel or an aberration was courteous enough.

"I do not know my parents. Both of them. Do you refrain from speaking with those of unknown lineage?"

The Drowned King laughed lowly. Though the laughter was inaudible, the sea bubbled and churned noticeably.

[Conversation is good. But I didn't know you were a follower of the Salt Council.]

"I am not a follower of the Salt Council."

The Drowned King was silent for a moment. Isaac felt the King's eyes burning from beneath the water, though it could have been the reflection of the moonlight.

[Not a follower of the Salt Council?]

"However, I am aware of what you've asked the Salt Council. I don't know the exact wording, but you requested the drowned. So, the members of the Salt Council thought you were asking for human sacrifices and were terrified."

[Human sacrifices?]

A low laughter spread again, making Yenkos and Hyanis uncomfortable. The laughter ended with a long sigh.

[It feels anew that the era of separation has been long. The children find it increasingly difficult to understand me. I try to learn new languages, but it's hard even to stay awake.]

There was no twist. He had not requested human sacrifices.

Isaac mentioned what the Drowned King truly sought.

"You intended to conduct the 'Moonwell Ritual'?"

Mentioning the unfamiliar ritual, the Drowned King fell silent, as if taken aback.

[Yes. The irony that an outcast knight, moreover, a living sin, correctly understands my intention when even the councilors fail to see it. It must be difficult to find records of it even within the Salt Council now.]

The Drowned King spoke as if lamenting.

[The separation has been too long. It would be ideal if I could go myself, but there are neither mediators nor priests to assist in the ritual. And even if I went, I doubt I could return. Hence, a brave volunteer was needed.]

"Are you looking to send someone to the afterlife to ask your gods what has become of them, to see when this hardship will end?"

[Yes. There's no more delaying it.]

The Drowned King murmured slowly.

[The children have been neglected for too long, and I've grown too weak. Before it gets any later, we must find out the will of the gods. If the gods delay further...]

The Drowned King left the sentence unfinished.

Isaac could hardly imagine what it meant for an angel to watch their faith crumble away.

Perhaps it felt like a denial of his existence from the very roots.

There were those who committed apostasy or sinned and became fallen angels, but the Drowned King had silently served as an angel for a thousand years under a silent god.

In any case, to proceed, a caster of the ritual, the Drowned King, and a volunteer to be thrown into the Moonwell Ritual were needed.

Needless to say, it was a dangerous affair. The chances of failure were staggeringly high.

Isaac recalled the events that occurred when he was connected to the afterlife. If lucky, he might fall into the Salt Council's heaven, but there was also a chance of ending up at the banquet of the Red Chalice or thrown into Elil's Colosseum.

Isaac looked over the representatives from the Salt Council.

They, who were effectively only catching half of the conversation, could not hide their uneasy expressions. Isaac recalled the conversation they had before starting the negotiation with the Drowned King.

***

"I assume you are aware of the Resurrection Ritual."

Yenkos and Hyanis looked baffled. It was a rhetorical question. The Resurrection Ritual was among the most important and frequently performed rituals remaining in the Salt Council.

Yenkos and Hyanis were themselves recipients of that ritual.

"Are you referring to the ordination ritual mentioned in the Codex of Light?"

"Yes."

"Of course. We have undergone that ritual."

The procedure of the Resurrection Ritual is as follows:

First, the priest candidate is taken to the beach. They are gradually submerged in water until their head is dipped. Initially, they are quickly removed. Then, they are asked if they heard the voice of God. If they did, they are awakened as priests; if not, their head is submerged again. As time passes, the duration of submersion increases.

The original ritual ended here.

However, it changed after their god was buried beneath the salt desert.

Because the answer from God could no longer be heard.

Thus, the current Resurrection Ritual has become quite severe. The priest candidate is repeatedly submerged in the sea until the ritual succeeds or they give up. Eventually, their lungs fill with seawater, their heart stops, and their skin turns blue. Only then is the candidate pulled out of the water for CPR.

Some survive, but most do not return.

Only those who are resurrected in this way finally become priests.

Hyanis and Yenkos were those who had beaten the slim odds to become priests.

Only by dipping a foot into the afterlife could they reconnect with their god.

This miracle of connecting to the afterlife while alive was unique to the Salt Council. The Immortal Order did not have an afterlife at all.

Isaac wanted to discuss this.

"The ritual the Drowned King intends to perform is likely the 'Moonwell Ritual'."

"...What is that?"

Even Yenkos, the chairman of the Salt Council, had never heard of the ritual. Indeed, it had not been performed even once since the burial beneath the salt desert.

"It's a ritual that sends someone alive to the afterlife and then brings them back."

The Resurrection Ritual was dangerous enough, but needless to say, the Moonwell Ritual was even more perilous. It was a ritual that could endanger not only the person sent to the afterlife and the caster but also everyone involved.

It was as absurd and risky as diving into a deep well to scoop up the moon.

Yenkos asked incredulously, "Is such a thing... possible?"

"As far as I know, only the Salt Council is capable of such miracles."

"What about the Immortal Order? They are known to open the doors to the afterlife at will."

"They drag the afterlife down to earth. That's why the Immortal Order doesn't have an afterlife. For them, earth is both the beginning and the end."

"Why does the Drowned King want to perform such a ritual?"

"People who return from the Resurrection Ritual are known to become priests after hearing the voice of God in the afterlife. But does anyone remember what God said?"

Yenkos and Hyanis both nodded at Isaac's words. They had attained the status of priests but could not remember the voice of God. It was then Hyanis seemed to realize something and said, "The Drowned King... wants to send a messenger to God."

Isaac nodded. He concluded that to fully converse with God and remember the dialogue, one must send a living flesh to the afterlife and bring it back. To ask about the end of their tribulations, when the salt desert would break apart, and their temples would reemerge.

The councilors fell silent for a long while.

How Isaac knew such knowledge that even the councilors were unaware of was a mystery. However, since he was almost the only person who could converse with the Drowned King in the ancient tongue, doubting him was pointless.

Hyanis raised her hand. "Then, I was wrong, Chairperson."

"Let's not dwell on right or wrong at this moment, Hyanis. We all misunderstood the Drowned King's intention."

"No, I still must take responsibility for the blasphemy."

Hyanis stood up, fists clenched. "I volunteer for the Moonwell Ritual. I've been fortunate before; I might be again."

Yenkos frowned. "What are you saying? As the chairperson, I am equally guilty. Without knowledge of the ancient tongue, how properly can I hear God's words? I am younger and more knowledgeable; it makes sense for me to go."

"No. Then isn't it right for you to stay? You have many years ahead..."

"Wait."

Isaac stopped the bickering couple. Whether their argument was genuinely for atonement or a desire not to miss the opportunity to converse with God was unclear. But for this ritual, something other than zeal and motive was more critical.

"I've heard that there's no consistent pattern to who returns from the Resurrection Ritual."

Their argument ceased at Isaac's words. Indeed, deep faith or widespread respect did not necessarily increase the chances of surviving the Resurrection Ritual.

"Nobody knows where they will fall the moment they are sent to the afterlife. Only a very few luckily fall into the Salt Council's afterlife and return by chance. Can both of you guarantee that?"

"Having returned once, I'm surely fortunate enough..."

"What if that luck doesn't hold this time? If the Moonwell Ritual were easy, the Drowned King would have performed it several times over the last thousand years. Considering that dozens die each year just to create priests, there's no reason not to have killed thousands over a millennium to converse with and awaken God."

It was a cruel notion, but when considering the power of the gods, the number of deaths was negligible.

In essence, the Moonwell Ritual was the last resort for this grand angelic being. A thousand years was too long to wait. In a world where the afterlife was severed, such a ritual posed significant risk even for the Drowned King.

"If this ritual fails, there might not be a second chance. And if it fails, I doubt the Drowned King will just be disappointed."

Hyanis and Yenkos were left speechless again.

After a silence, Yenkos spoke again. "Then, Knight of the Grail, what conditions do you think are necessary?"

"First of all, luck, of course."

Isaac ticked off on his fingers, "A robust physique capable of facing anything in the afterlife, the ability to remain composed in any crisis, proficiency in the ancient tongue, charisma that endears to anyone. And above all, a pious faith based on God's powerful protection that can sustain in the afterlife."

Seeing Isaac unfold his fingers, people wore expressions of disbelief. But soon, Yenkos looked at him as if he had been struck, "You don't mean the person you're talking about is..."

***

Isaac opened his mouth towards the Drowned King.

"I recommend Eidan Bearverk."