EP.122 The Earth Mother Goddess is Beside Everyone
The Earth Mother Goddess Church, which serves Mother Earth, doesn't particularly have what you'd call a temple. They stand with their feet upon the divine body itself; kneeling and prostrating is communion, and kissing the earth is baptism.
At most, there is a grand cathedral halfway up the highest mountain, or rocks claiming to be the form of the Earth Mother. But those are merely symbols.
The Earth Mother Goddess has only believers.
That is the reason the Earth Mother Church flourished, and simultaneously the reason it declined.
Since anyone can become a believer, the church's influence spread like weeds in all directions, but those without qualification ate away at its reputation like poisonous weeds.
However. Despite the foolish acts of those without qualification, the church maintained its lineage because those brimming with qualification worked several times harder.
Some Earth Mother believers who disliked being venerated silently fulfilled their roles even while being pointed at by the world, and saved countless people within their reach.
Impressed by this, the masses called renowned Earth Mother Church believers Xianzhe.
And in this generation, the most famous Xianzhe would be—
"Jiseon! It's Jiseon!"
The moment I recognized the other's identity, I immediately ran out to welcome Jiseon.
"Really, am I actually seeing the real thing? Jiseon! You're Jiseon, right!"
As if familiar with such enthusiasm, Jiseon responded with a confident smile.
"Undeservedly, some venerable ones call me by that name."
"Wow! I never thought I'd see Jiseon in my lifetime! Um, it would be an honor, but could I perhaps get a handshake...?"
"There is no problem."
Jiseon readily extended her hand, and I humbly grasped it.
It was a hand like a silenced ancient tree, with power packed into each and every finger. I gripped that firmly wrinkled hand—no different from the growth rings of civil engineering history—and shook it up and down.
At my fawning attitude, Aji beside me tilted her head.
"Woof? Someone you know?"
"Of course I know her, you dummy. Though it's just me knowing her one-sidedly!"
How could I not know the Xianzhe of the Earth Mother Church, spoken of as legend.
25 years ago, when the Military Nation brought down the Kingdom and seized power. Many lost their lives, and those who should have lost their lives were ten times that number.
The dignitaries of the old regime, merchants who had accumulated wicked deeds, knights and retainers who had colluded with them, and even corrupt bureaucrats who watched their backs while taking scraps.
The Military Nation, struggling after the war, had to use all of them efficiently.
Furthermore, they had to create jobs for the lower classes who had groaned under their exploitation.
The Military Nation accomplished it.
An unprecedentedly large-scale civil engineering project in history. The massive project that built the Military Nation from the ground up solved numerous accumulated problems.
Those who stood out there were the Earth Mages.
Thanks to the tremendous effort and sacrifice of the Earth Mother Goddess's disciples, who had mastered the handling of earth and sand, they succeeded.
The Earth Mother Goddess faith, which until then had been treated as folk religion or heresy, came into the light after that day, and citizens revered the disciples of the Earth Mother.
The most famous among them was none other than—
"The Goddess of the Engineering Battalion, Guardian of Digging, Reverse Undertaker, Gunkunlai, Budaozhe! The owner of all these titles. That's Jiseon!"
'Wait. Budaozhe? Has even that epithet spread to the world?'
Jiseon flinched around her eyes for a moment, but I shouted without caring.
Then Aji also got excited and jumped up and down.
"Woof! Someone you know!"
"You brat. You don't even know what Jiseon is. Why are you excited. Do you know the history of the Military Nation's civil engineering?"
"Woof! Nice to meet you! Nice to meet you!"
Tch. My fault for asking a dog.
Jiseon walked to where the light reached with firm, certain steps. While she walked, Tir, who had sensed an unusual presence, was waiting sitting atop the coffin.
Tir spoke without hiding the color of wariness.
"...Hmph, an acquaintance?"
Before I could introduce her, Jiseon first brought both hands together toward Tir.
"Greetings, Ancestor. I have heard well of the Ancestor who is always close to the earth. As one who follows the Earth Mother Goddess, I offer my respects to the one who has been buried the longest."
"A disciple of the Earth Mother Goddess?"
That alone made Tir's wariness fade.
Unlike the Holy Emperor's Court, which had warred instead of shaking hands when their eyes met, the inclusive Earth Mother Goddess Church did not reject vampires.
That said, they were not allies of vampires either, but to those whose surroundings were all darkness, even gray seems bright.
"I once shared friendship with many Daoists. They were upright ones with proper manners, worthy of the name Daoist."
Tir lowered his voice and declared.
"I fought with some of them, but that happened because they attacked first. As long as you do not show hostility toward me, I too will not attack you."
"Then, there shall be no strife between us."
Jiseon said while bowing, and Tir smiled with satisfaction.
"Quite a reasonable one. It seems this visitor will not cause any particular trouble."
Haha. Well. That's yet to be seen.
Around the time I swallowed such thoughts inwardly.
"What! How did this happen? A noble person has come!"
The Immortal and Callis, who had just jumped down, also made a fuss upon seeing Jiseon. The reaction was especially pronounced in Callis, who had changed into an officer's uniform she hadn't worn once since being freed.
Callis, with her cap pressed down, saluted urgently.
"Loyalty! I am Lieutenant Colonel Callis Critz...! What brings the Brigadier General here!"
"Brigadier General?"
The Military Nation's organization is intuitive. If it goes up in the order of Major General, Lieutenant General, General, then Brigadier General means a position lower than all other general officers.
Recalling that point, the Immortal asked with pure curiosity.
"Brigadier General? Then does that mean Jiseon holds a lower position than Lieutenant General?"
"Be quiet, Rash! Brigadier General is an honorary position. It doesn't belong to the regular organization, but it's a gray star that can only be received when one's power and merit are recognized!"
Callis, who had even forgotten the fact that she was pretending to be injured, hastily scolded the Immortal. The Immortal, having been pointed out, scratched his head awkwardly.
"That she is a great person goes without saying. I was simply curious. I wondered if the Military Nation was such a great country that it had even won over Jiseon!"
Jiseon continued that answer.
"How could those who serve the will of the Earth Mother Goddess step forward to make corpses. My wearing such a position is solely for the purpose of working efficiently."
"Haha! So you're a general who doesn't fight! That's even more impressive! Nice to meet you, noble one!"
The Immortal, who laughed heartily, instead of extending his hand, clenched his fist. And with eyes full of expectation, he proposed.
"Jiseon! This too is fate. May we clash fists?"
Clashing fists doesn't mean lightly touching the tips of each other's fists.
It means swinging fists simultaneously to strike each other, a barbaric greeting that tests each other's faith and strength. It was an ancient ritual that even Earth Mother disciples hesitated to do when asked, as it put strain on the body.
It seemed the same, as Jiseon showed reluctance.
"Child of the earth. Ones who seek to resemble the Earth Mother. This meeting was presided over by the Earth Mother Goddess, but this land is not connected by veins. I do not wish to weaken your vitality in such a way."
However, the reason Jiseon was reluctant was different.
Even if the opponent was the Immortal, she didn't want to harm his body.
With overwhelming confidence in her own power and a deeply ingrained haughtiness. Jiseon said so.
"Haha! What a shame! It would have been a chance to witness strength!"
The Immortal, who was actually treated as an inferior, didn't show any displeasure either. Jiseon, who smiled at him readily letting it pass, now looked at Callis.
"And, you said you are a Lieutenant Colonel."
"Lieutenant Colonel Callis Critz. That is correct."
"Though I received a position from the Military Nation, I have not come today as a Brigadier General. I have come here strictly as a disciple following the will of the Earth Mother Goddess, so there is no need to observe the Military Nation's etiquette."
"Yes, understood...!"
Still, the military habits ingrained in her body hadn't faded yet, as Callis gave another crisp salute. Jiseon smiled faintly, and turned her head to find the one she hadn't yet exchanged greetings with.
And.
"...."
Meeting eyes with the Regressor, her soft expression stiffened hard. The Regressor likewise faced Jiseon while harboring complex hostility.
The two stood at a distance like people who could absolutely never mix.
The expression "like oil and water" is too mild. The two simply don't mix but float more peacefully than anyone else.
This was like two beasts encountering each other in their territory.
Knowing that once they clashed, it would have to end in a life-or-death struggle, neither could bring themselves to approach the other.
The first to speak was Jiseon, who had seniority. Jiseon spoke politely, but without taking her eyes off the Regressor.
"...I had heard. That there is a very, outstanding swordsman within the Abyss."
"I heard too. That there is the strongest agent of the Earth Mother Goddess."
Words were exchanged formally, and gradually the atmosphere grew heavy.
Just as one could feel the foreboding of a storm even in a clear sky, a time when all present read the unusual air and pricked up their senses.
"We've kept our guest standing too long! Lady Jiseon! Please come inside first! You must be tired from the long journey, so let's talk over a meal!"
Tearing through the veil of silence, I inserted myself into Jiseon's line of sight. With a beaming smile and a gaze full of reverence, I twisted my shoulder slightly to guide the way.
Jiseon, who soon withdrew her gaze, nodded.
"Please. The Abyss is not a welcoming land even for me, so my stomach seems tired."
"Huh? That's a big problem. I had so many things to ask about your achievements, Lady Jiseon, but if you're tired, what should we do... Should I let you rest."
At my banter, Jiseon chuckled and replied.
"You're gilding it for me. Talking is no problem. Nowadays, even boasting about myself counts as work, does it not?"
"Yay! Then! Let's quickly go so you can work! I'm warning you in advance, it'll take quite a while to finish the work!"
"Woof? Going to eat? Fooood!"
"You brat. Know when to butt in and when not to! Your intrusiveness is like an awl!"
Jiseon headed toward the building following my guidance. Aji quickly passed me, and Tir rode the coffin and stuck by my side. The Immortal and Callis also followed while looking up at Jiseon.
"Huh? By the way, Callis. Is your body completely healed? You look fine!"
Startled.
"...I pushed myself a bit. Because the Brigadier General was coming."
"Haha! For a noble person like this, it's worth pushing yourself!"
The bustling Abyss made me wonder whether this was a prison or an inn. As I led the way into the prison building—
I suddenly looked back, and the Regressor had no intention of following, just quietly watching Jiseon's back.
"Nyaaah-."
Nabi approached the solitary Regressor stealthily. Licking its front paw and standing near the Regressor, Nabi puffed up its tail and glanced sideways at where the people had disappeared.
For a while. Eventually, the two disappeared from my sight.