Parmash was a worldly beastkin who had lived as a merchant for a long time.
But that didn’t mean he lacked reverence for their god, the Dragon.
On the contrary, during the Mega Sandworm subjugation campaign, he had been so quickly swayed by the Saintess’s appearance that it was clear his faith in the divine was unwavering.
“What utter nonsense! Are you suggesting we deceive our god? It doesn’t matter if you’re an outsider; there are lines that must not be crossed!3
Given that, it was only natural for Parmash to erupt in anger at Shane’s suggestion.
“I understand.”
Of course, Shane was well aware of Parmash’s disposition.
“But what if that were truly a revelation granted by your god? What then?”
“This man dares—!”
As the tension rose, the nearby orcs who had been diligently moving supplies turned their attention toward the commotion.
But only briefly. They soon returned to their labor.
“Aren’t they remarkable? The faith they show.”
“……?”
Just then, Shane’s unexpected use of formal speech made Parmash raise an eyebrow in confusion.
It was at that moment, upon hearing a voice from behind, that Parmash realized Shane hadn’t been speaking to him.
“Well now… what should I say? Should I thank you? Or say this is a bit much? Honestly, it’s a little overwhelming.”
Though the voice sounded gruff at first, the weight it carried was immeasurable.
Even to an ordinary person, it would have sounded profound. But to Parmash, it felt like the voice of an absolute being that resonated deep within his soul.
Just like when Shane had unleashed the Dragon’s reverse scale and the power of the Mountain King.
No, this time, the trembling in his soul was even greater, throwing Parmash into confusion.
“Still… the Saintess, huh? That really is a bit much.”
Hearing the voice again, Parmash instinctively turned his head, seeking the source.
A woman with fiery red hair, from which crimson magic particles seemed to flow like flames, stood there.
Her eyes, glowing like embers infused with fire, held an indescribable spiritual weight. And at the same time, they seemed to reflect the nature of her soul.
“Wh-Who… are you…?”
Parmash could only utter the words with extreme caution.
And understandably so. Because the being before him was a descendant of the god his ancestors had long worshiped.
“Raviata. Or, as you’d say, a descendant of the Dragon.”
“…Kuhhhoooaagh!”
***
“I mean, isn’t fainting the moment you see someone’s face a bit much?”
“In the Nakar Desert, that’s how much the Dragon race means to them. It’s absolute.”
“Seriously, this is just ridiculous. I’d heard stories, but I didn’t expect it to be this extreme.”
After Parmash who had already had a day full of surprises fainted, Shane was left alone with Raviata.
“More importantly…how was the Sanctuary?”
“Well, I haven’t made it to the center yet. But I did make some progress.”
While Shane and Dilaila were making their way across the Nakar Desert, Raviata had arrived ahead of them and entered the heart of the Sanctuary.
“It definitely gave me the creeps. How should I put it… kind of like a different version of the Cradle?”
To Shane, her impression was spot on.
“That’s right. The Sanctuary is, in essence, a place created to trap the souls of dead dragons and their descendants.”
“Hmm… Go on, explain.”
“As you probably guessed, the Sanctuary is where the souls of dragons and their descendants are sealed. But as you know, a soul cannot be bound by normal means. That’s why the key to binding them is the memories from their lifetime.”
“……”
“The Sanctuary is the dragons’ memories. More precisely, it’s their memories that have captured time itself. That’s why it’s the only place that retains its green, living appearance.”
“Captured time, huh…”
“Yes. And because of that, the dragons’ souls still believe the Sanctuary is where they belong.”
At that, Raviata’s expression shifted into one of doubt.
“Then why didn’t you just tell me that earlier?”
“I believed it would only have meaning if you saw it for yourself. And considering it was just the outer edge, I figured it wouldn’t pose much danger to you, Lady Raviata.”
“Hmm…”
Indeed, after seeing it firsthand and hearing the explanation, it was much easier to understand what kind of place it was.
“Of course, for anyone other than you, Lady Raviata, entering that place would be extremely dangerous. Since time is frozen there, a misstep could result in their soul being trapped.”
That would be no different from becoming a wandering spirit in the desert.
“I see.”
“Unless they possess a strong enough mind like myself or the Saintess of Nameless, it would be dangerous.”
“And just who the hell is this so-called Saintess?”
“Lucid Rem of Lust. Commander of the Sixth Legion.”
“Lust, huh. What a name…”
Raviata’s blunt reaction made Shane nod in agreement.
“Lust, after all, represents the most fundamental desires of existence. Lucid Rem grants her targets utter satisfaction…through dreams.”
“So basically, illusions?”
“It’s a bit different. Illusions replay specific scenes or fragments of memory. But Lucid Rem’s power is far more dangerous.”
She shows people dreams they can’t help but fall into.
Because she fulfills their most primal desires, anyone who experiences her dream even once ends up wishing to live in that dream forever.
That’s why, in the Nakar Desert where religion holds such power, Lucid Rem’s abilities were all the more dangerous.
“Pain can be resisted with endurance and willpower. But there is no resistance to happiness. Only addiction. And that’s what makes it so dangerous.”
“Hmm… when you put it that way, it makes sense.”
“But dreams have weaknesses, too. All it takes is making someone feel the disconnect between the dream and reality.”
“And that’s where another Saintess comes in?”
“Yes.”
If Raviata were to step forward under the identity of a “Saintess”, then Nameless would inevitably become aware of Shane’s involvement.
After all, it was Shane who had been constantly interfering with their plans.
At this point, the appearance of another Saintess becomes the most poisonous blow to Nameless.
If that happens, the situation will unfold completely differently from how it did a month ago.
What kind of outcome would occur if, the moment another Saintess appears, she immediately denies the existing one?
Nameless would, in effect, be throwing away their greatest advantage, the religion they possess, straight into the trash.
In that case, even knowing that Shane is on this side, Nameless won’t be able to easily mobilize their forces.
Because attacking the new Saintess would mean directly denying the faith that the tribes of the Nakar Desert hold dear.
“Hah, I never thought I’d end up playing the role of a Saintess in my lifetime.”
“Well, that’s just how life is, isn’t it?”
“Easy for you to say.”
That’s what Raviata said, but for Shane who had experienced regression those words were nothing short of the truth.
“So, what do you plan to do now?”
“They were the ones who started with propaganda and fabrication. That doesn’t mean they have a monopoly on it.”
Shane’s face was expressionless as he said this, but to Raviata, that expression somehow felt insidious.
***
Surprisingly, proving Raviata’s identity to Parmash wasn’t all that difficult.
That was because the faith toward the dragon, engraved in the soul, required no explanation.
By that point, Parmash had no choice but to treat Shane with far more caution.
After all, he had brought none other than a descendant of the dragon.
“I feel the same. Taking a cautious approach at first is the right move.”
Upon hearing Shane’s plan, Parmash nodded in agreement.
Before meeting Raviata, Parmash had shown extreme anger. But now, he was more prepared than anyone to take the lead in the operation involving the new Saintess.
“When the fake Saintess first appeared, each tribe’s first reaction was to deny her. Now that the fake Saintess’s status has only grown stronger, the emergence of a new true Saintess will no doubt cause even greater discord.”
Currently, the believers’ faith in the false Saintess Lucid Rem was blind and absolute.
To make their eyes truly open it meant one thing. There needed to be an equally powerful impact.
As a countermeasure, Shane chose a slow, simmering approach.
“Hey, did you hear the rumor?”
“What rumor?”
“They say there’s another Saintess.”
“What? What the hell are you talking about?”
Naturally, at first, these rumors only built up a negative image.
But that image didn’t last very long.
“I heard she’s the current Saintess’s sister.”
“What are you talking about now? Tell me more.”
Given how favorable public opinion was toward Lucid Rem, Shane decided to ride that wave.
Ironically, the ones who first got swept up in these rumors were none other than the most fervent followers of the Saintess.
“I heard she’s a descendant of the dragon and that she was outside the desert.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“Apparently from a tribe that recently settled in the south.”
“What? There aren’t even any water sources in the south, so there shouldn’t be any tribes living there.”
“That’s exactly why the chief of the Myo tribe is planning to go see for himself with the other tribal representatives.”
“I’m actually more curious about the rumors about that tribe. Tell me everything you know.”
At the same time, talk about the orcs also began to spread among them.
Meanwhile, since settling in the desert, the orcs had been regularly venturing out to hunt and adapt to their new environment.
One day, some desert tribes happened to spot them. And upon seeing the orcs’ pig-like appearance, they raised a commotion.
“The Don tribe is back! The Don tribe that became desert spirits has returned!”
“What kind of nonsense is that now?”
The Don tribe was a group that, long ago, couldn’t adapt when the Nakar region became desert and ended up becoming so-called desert spirits.
As word spread that the Don tribe had returned and staked out territory again, it was only natural that the attention of the other tribes turned in that direction.
“If they really are the Don tribe, wouldn’t they know something about the matters concerning the dragon?”
“I’m worried whether the chief will be able to handle this one too!”
Thus, representatives from each tribe, led by Parmash, gathered at the Argato Oasis.
Escorted by their respective tribal guards, they soon set off southward with Parmash.
“Chief of the Myo tribe, are you certain they are truly the Don tribe?”
To this question, asked by a member of the Horse Beastkin with a sturdy build and a long mane running down his head, Parmash responded with a hesitant expression.
Of course, Parmash already knew that the orcs who had settled in the south were an entirely different race from the Don tribe. But there was no need to offer up that information right away.
“I do not yet know their true identity. What I do know is that they are not hostile. In fact, they appear interested in trade. I’ve heard they wish to cross the desert.”
“Is that so? Then what kind of goods do they deal in?”
“A variety. Since they clearly came from outside, they have many curious items. Just to name a few….they have high-quality weapons and salted, preserved meat.”
“Nothing especially remarkable, then. Hmm…”
As the Horse Beastkin nodded and stepped back, the other Beastkin from various tribes who had been listening quietly fell into contemplation.
They were all well aware that the relationships between the tribes were far from harmonious.
Under such circumstances, the appearance of an unknown external force whose numbers couldn’t even be estimated wasn’t something to be welcomed.
But their cautious attitude didn’t last long.
The moment they arrived at the orcs’ base and saw streams of water pouring down from the ceiling, they froze in disbelief.
“Th-That’s…!”
“Isn’t that… a water source stone?!”
“How can there be so many of those precious things?!”
From the ceiling of the vast underground cave where the orcs had made their home, water flowed freely.
The beastkin from each tribe were left speechless at the sight before them. A waterfall of water gushing down from countless water stones embedded in the ceiling, glittering like stars in the night sky.
“Welcome! Glad to have you!”
“We orcs. We love peace.”
“Take a good look around! Wasn’t it hot on the way here?”
“There’s plenty of water here. Take as much as you want.”
Whether it mattered to them or not.
The orcs, completely unaware that they had already seized the upper hand, greeted the beastkin with bright innocent smiles.
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