Chapter 669 — Speculation and Clues
Blade of Dawn · Page 2 of 4
"Your stealth can't fool her—didn't we already know that?" Gao Yang looked at the half-elf. "We spotted you the moment you entered the room—though I really am a little surprised that you would wait so quietly off to the side for so long."
"I was just curious what you two were talking about," Amber said, waving a hand. "And I am more or less the head of Military Intelligence, you know. I've got enough sense to know when to cut in and when to keep quiet."
As she spoke, an expression of wonder crossed the half-elf's face. "But then again... what an astonishing inside story. Their knowledge and study of the gods really is a bit frightening. In fact, halfway through listening I was almost sorry I'd eavesdropped—that Virodai doesn't mind saying these things in front of me, so it seems she sincerely wants to cooperate with us."
Gao Yang glanced at the half-elf who claimed to regret eavesdropping but actually looked utterly unconcerned, and could not help asking, "Now that you know those secrets about the gods and the truth of the Defiance Plan, do you really feel nothing? I recall you call yourself a believer of the Shadow Goddess..."
"First of all, I don't call myself anything—I really do believe. Second, I'm not an ordinary believer; I'm a god-chosen. Don't doubt it, I really am god-chosen!" Amber stressed emphatically, then pursed her lips and lowered her voice. "Honestly, it would be a lie to say I feel nothing. I don't believe the Goddess's divine realm is such a terrifying place, and I don't believe she is truly full of malice toward humanity... I've talked with her. She is a very gentle god, she even taught me to cook—how could she be as that Virodai says..."
Gao Yang had actually frozen when Amber said the Goddess taught her to cook, and had once again confirmed that this fellow's god-chosen identity was pure bluster. Yet then he recalled how long he had known this half-elf, watched her speak of these things so naturally, saw that her tone and expression showed not the slightest sign of boasting, and he began to doubt again—
Could this fellow actually be telling the truth? Or at the very least, she believed it to be true...
But how could that be? It wasn't as though the faith of the Night Goddess didn't exist in this world. Though that faith was rather special—its believers held no large-scale gatherings or churches—there were at least some divinely favored ones and high priests of the night domain, and none of them had ever mentioned that the Night Goddess was a god who taught people to cook... No matter what one said, what sort of god would do such a thing?
"I'm starting to doubt what exactly it is you believe in," Gao Yang said, frowning. "So what do you think now?"
"...I want to go ask the Goddess, to hear her explain it herself," Amber said, her expression turning serious, word by word. "The next time I come into contact with high-ranking shadow believers, I will look for clues from them as well. In any case, without solid evidence, I can never fully believe what Virodai says."
Here she hastily added, "Of course, I believe most of what she says is true, or at least well-founded—the other gods probably really are as dangerous as she says—but the Shadow Goddess certainly is not!"
Looking at the utterly certain Amber, Gao Yang finally realized something: this half-elf probably really did believe in the Shadow Goddess—and not in the casual way of believing because it came free.
Yet in this fellow's everyday words and manner, there was not the faintest hint of a believer.
This plunged Gao Yang into endless conflict.
He had to take a deep breath to settle his inner turmoil, then said gravely, "I respect your faith, but no matter what one says, our cooperation with the Defiants is necessary at this stage. In the long run, we must also be prepared against that dark future Virodai describes. I do not want division and misunderstanding to arise among us on this point."