Gawain's voice fell, and the courtyard of disobedience fell silent again.

Amon suddenly felt that the number of cold scenes in his small courtyard today seemed to be a bit much.

But this cold scene didn't last long, and Amone quickly understood something deeper from Gawain's words, and he gradually reacted, the holy light that enveloped his whole body flowed like water, and his tone sighed lightly: "Ah, yes, she doesn't believe in me, that's right......"

The former god of nature muttered to himself, and then suddenly asked, "When was the original upper Druid church reorganized?" ”

"Almost a thousand years ago—maybe even earlier," Gawain nodded, recounting the history he had heard from Beersea, "It's a gradual process, in the Silver Empire, the upper Druid Church first lifted the privileges of a series of marginal dioceses, and then gradually moved closer to secular imperial power, and found a new self-support with the Elven Court and the Upper Elven Council as the core, and about a thousand years ago, the Elven royal family was in. The role of the 'High Druid' was more symbolic than it actually was, but before that, the upper Druid Church had actually existed in name only. ”

Amon pondered in a brief silence, no one knew what the god of nature was thinking at this moment, and he only sighed at the end: "I was born in the hearts of mortals, and I should die in the hearts of mortals." ”

"But not all mortals have chosen the 'Age of Godlessness'," Gawain looked at Amone's crystal-like eyes, "You should know that three thousand years...... It's not enough for the elves to complete a complete transition between life and age, there are still a few elves who have believed in you to live in this world, especially ...... Those who have been blessed by you to live longer. They are still alive now. ”

Amone looked at Gawain quietly, and after a moment said softly, "That Silver Empress is here to solve this problem, right?" ”

Gawain didn't answer, but affirmed in silence - although he hadn't mentioned Belsetia's intentions yet, the former god had already guessed the answer, so he didn't need to say anything more.

"I see," the glow flowing around Amorn gradually calmed down, and there was a sudden relaxation in his tone, "and that's a good thing. Let the Silver Empress come, I'm ready to meet her. By the way, where is she now? ”

"She's in the city of Cecil," Gawain said with a smile, "waiting with trepidation and nervousness for me to arrange a meeting between her and you." ”

"Looks like you'd have thought I'd say yes," Amone said half-jokingly with a slight smile in his tone. "How can you be so confident? Have you ever wondered what if I don't agree to meet? ”

"You'll definitely agree," Gawain said calmly, and his smile was indeed as confident as the other party said? "You went three thousand years ago to hit the Voyager's space station? But not just to lie here for 3,000 years? Isn't it? ”

Amon's eyes narrowed and he stopped making a sound, and Gawain looked at the two gods with a smile? Then he took a step back: "Then let me go first—I'll have to make arrangements." ”

After Gawain leaves? Mirmina looked at the giant deer Amon, who was still lying quietly on the ground without saying a word, and suddenly broke the silence for a long time: "What are you thinking?" ”

"I just suddenly remembered the Silver Empress three thousand years ago...... That must be the grandmother of 'Belsetia,'" Ammon whispered? "She used to talk to me a lot by the altar in the Holy Land – though most of the time I couldn't respond directly to her voice? She also often offered fruit from the garden on the altar...... Until the day I left suddenly. Now that you think about it? I didn't even say goodbye to her at the time. ”

Mirmina lowered her eyelids: "Feeling regretful? ”

"Just feeling sorry? " Ammon closed his eyes? "My unauthorized departure has changed the fate of too many mortals? I only wish she was ...... when she left this world There is not much obsession in my heart. ”

Mirmina did not speak for a moment, she pondered her own affairs in silence, and for some time she suddenly said: "You have many believers that make you remember deeply, those who are pious, who have been whispering in your ears all day long...... I didn't. ”

"Envy? But that's not a good thing. ”

"Certainly not a good thing? So I'm not envious at all? Mirmina said casually? At the same time, he glanced at the magic network terminal that was on standby not far away? "By the way, do you mind if I sit on the sidelines?"

"You're free - I can't get rid of you."

……

In the early morning of the next day, Belsetia woke up early? She went to the living room next to the dormitory, and saw that the first rays of sunlight were shining diagonally on the opposite wall through the crystal glass window not far away.

A high-ranking elf maid stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, she walked out of the sun, holding a silver cup in her hand, with a certain extremely solemn gesture, this high-ranking maid presented the cup in her hand to the silver empress - the fine vessel made of sterling silver rippled with a thin liquid of pale gold, the mellow smell slowly drifted in the air, Belsetia took it with a solemn expression, and drank it all.

In accordance with the ancient rites, the sacramental deacons should awaken with the sun on holy days and drink the mead, which symbolizes "natural pure blood", in order to cleanse their souls.

Elaine, the personal maid, came from the side and served the silver queen into a classical and exquisite priestess dress, which was intricate and delicate, with a pure white base, because the legendary god of nature was pure white, and there were exquisite green patterns on it, symbolizing the lush verdant forest and the "life" link in the natural cycle, and there were black lines near the hem of the skirt and collar, which symbolized the "death" part of the natural cycle.

After changing into the fine clothes, there is a series of rituals of incense, combing, and anointing holy oil, all of which have ancient symbolism and strict norms, and the high-ranking maids—who also have the status of druid's assistants—help the Silver Empress with great skill in these sacred preparations, while Belsetia, the centerpiece of the ceremony, stands quietly among the busy maids, waiting for the process to end.

What kind of mood did the priests of 3,000 years ago have when they perform these sacred ceremonies? Visceral piety? Really touched? Or both? Belsetia, who lived in the age of godlessness, was in a reverie, but she could not experience the emotions of her ancestors from her heart...... Because for her, all this is only her duty as the Silver Empress, it is her job, it is the "decoration" that is necessary for her to maintain the royal majesty, after all, she has been growing up like this.

It's just that today she still has a different feeling in her heart after all, this feeling stems from what she wants to do today - in three thousand years, she will be the first silver elf to talk to the gods again, these sacred things seem to suddenly have some meaning, but before she realizes these meanings, the biggest feeling in her heart ...... Still apprehensive and uneasy.

When all the preparations were over, Belsetia exhaled softly, she reached out and rubbed her cheeks, which was not solemn enough to break the heavy oppression that the priestly garb brought her, and then the door not far away opened, and an elven maid appeared in front of her: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty Gawain Cecil is already waiting outside." ”

"I see," Belsetia nodded, then glanced at Elaine, who barely left her side, "Elaine, I have to go alone—you wait here for me to come back." ”

"Yes, Your Majesty."

In the corridor, the silver empress dressed in a gorgeous costume came to Gawain, and this gorgeous dress in the style of elves made Gawain blink a little unexpectedly: "It's the first time I've seen the most orthodox religious costume of the classical druids - it's better than I thought." ”

"The highest priestly robes are only allowed to be worn in the grandest and most special 'sacraments', and things like this are almost not open to outsiders, it's normal that you haven't seen them," Belsetia smiled, and the tension she had accumulated seemed to ease a little after seeing Gawain, but at the same time she looked a little worried, "Shouldn't I make these ritualized preparations?" According to you, we should avoid connecting with the gods, especially today......"

"Don't worry, since I agree to do this, I'm prepared - the anti-divine barrier has already started, and everything you've done today is itself part of the experimental project," Gawain said, his expression slightly solemn, "and on the other hand, these rituals are not as effective as you think, and if there is no mental 'direction', no matter how solemn the ritual itself is, it is just a ritual." It is said that the most intelligent monkeys in the forest of ancestors know how to imitate the movements of the priests in the sacrificial grounds, and even baptize themselves with holy water like humans - but have you ever heard of a monkey that has received divine grace and mastered divine powers? ”

Belsetia thought for a moment and suddenly laughed: "...... That's just as well. But Uncle Gawain, the example you gave is really not good. ”

……

In the deepest part of the fortress of disobedience, footsteps sounded in the corridor leading to the gate of the inner court, a quiet stream of light flowed from the magic web runes and prefabricated rune substrates, and the modern magic crystal lamps were embedded in the walls built by ancient Gondor technology, emitting a light that dispelled the darkness that should have enveloped the place for a long time, and allowed visitors who went deep into it to settle down in the light.

With three parts apprehension and seven points of curiosity in her heart, Belsetia walked forward beside Gawain as she looked at the rooms around her from time to time - the ancient facility had been remodeled and renovated to a certain extent by modern means, but most of its area still remained ancient, and the words and remnants of the magic devices from the Gondoran era seemed to her to be somewhat out of place.

Others that piqued her interest were the "staff" she occasionally saw on the road.

She had seen many humans coming and going in the corridors and rooms in the physical world, and the entire mountain fortress was a large and busy base, with people shuttling as frequently as factories and research institutes in the city, but she didn't expect to see staff stationed in this fortress of disobedience in the shadow realm - although there were many fewer of them, she still saw some rooms brightly lit and researchers in white uniforms busy insideSomeone else hurried through the outer corridor, holding folders or crystal plates for storing images.

The Silver Empress's face was filled with surprise.

Such a change in expression did not hide from Gao Wen's eyes, he looked sideways at the blonde woman who was looking around beside him, who was already a little less solemn, and a smile appeared on his face: "It seems that you are a little surprised by the 'popularity' here?" ”

"I thought it was going to be a more ...... Dead place," Belsetia thought for a moment and said her thoughts very frankly, "after all, I heard that not long ago this was a 'forbidden area', and even most of the disobedient fortress outside was under lockdown...... But now it seems that this has been developed into a formal research facility by you? ”

"Actually, it wasn't that long ago," Gawain nodded, "and we've restarted a lot of research projects from the Gondor Age Disobedience Project, and the Fort of Disobedience and the Bastion of Disobedience are the most suitable research facilities, because they have a unique 'geographical advantage' and some protective equipment that is still in operation today, so we moved in with personnel and equipment." ”

"Is this what is called 'parsing the gods'?" Belsetia couldn't help but whisper, "Such a large-scale participation, such a natural action...... It's not the same as I had guessed. ”

Gawain couldn't help but ask with some curiosity, "What was your original guess?" ”

“…… As my father once did, in an extremely secret place, where a very small number of people conduct extremely secret research, all the results are not made public, all the processes are eventually destroyed, and only unexplained orders and ambiguous answers are transmitted. ”

"What's the point of doing that?" Gawain paused and looked at Belsetia with a smirk, "It's not even comparable to the disobedient plans of the Gondor era. ”

He shook his head, looked back at the end of the hallway, and continued, as if talking to himself, "No point...... But many people are doing similar things to you, like the dark cults, like the royal family of Typhon...... There is nothing wrong with being cautious, but it is not enough.

"You should not maintain the fear of God while analyzing the gods, and in this bold and reckless path, we can only get closer to the truth of God when we take God instead of God.

"Belsetia, here we are—this is the last gate, and behind the gate is the 'courtyard' of the former god."

Belsetia was only now surprised to realize that the corridor had come to an end, an alloy gate inscribed with ancient runes was blocking her, and there were no technicians walking around, and on the walls on either side could be seen eye-catching, illuminated warning signs, which reminded visitors in large letters:

There is a god in front of you, so please do not approach.

As Gawain's voice fell, the alloy gates creaked open with a series of mechanical propulsions, but the corridor was not directly exposed to the outside space: a translucent energy barrier appeared there as the last safe barrier between the "mortal world" and the "gods", and through this barrier, Belsetia's vision saw the light of a mountain rising in the darkness in the distance.

It was the mythical age of the elves lost for 3,000 years.