The Shepherds Are Dense – Chapter 1317

Chapter 1315
Will you become a God?
Undoubtedly, it was a true miracle.
No, it could even be called a divine miracle—
Even saying it was a divine miracle made it so unbelievable… because even true gods had never bestowed such a gift upon them!
As the sun rose tomorrow, many Anxi people would still believe they were dreaming, and that everything they heard and saw last night was merely a ridiculously absurd dream.
Or perhaps they had already died when the Abyss Heavenly Envoy descended, and what they were seeing now… was merely a hallucination before death?
The reality now was even more bizarre than a dream!
Many Anxi people had never left their Oasis City-state from birth until death.
this was not only because of the man-eating quicksand and sandstorms, and the man-eating beasts and Slave Knights roaming the wilds… but also because the Lords of the Good treated both Free People and slaves as their assets. Therefore, if one attempted to leave the city-state of their birth, it meant facing the malice of at least two Lords of the Good simultaneously.
For this reason, most Anxi people had never seen anything beyond the desert and oases in their entire lives.
How could they have imagined that after just one night’s sleep, the swirling sand whirlwinds and the incessantly roaring sandstorms… would have transformed into the mountains and clear springs they had never seen before?
Many people had been sleepless since the miracle descended last night.
They cautiously ventured outside the city, using their cheeks and tongues to repeatedly feel the moist soil, confirming that what they saw was not an illusion.
Many people simply chewed on the wild grass, like they were tasting a delicacy, and tears flowed uncontrollably.
Others, under the faint starlight, stumbled and rushed to the mountaintop, cautiously tasting the sweet spring water—it was a taste completely different from the water summoned by the Lords of the Good, like it had aloe added, or like it had honey added.
The water summoned by the Lords of the Good always had a slight fishy smell. Like purified seawater.
It was just that people had never drunk normal water, so they thought that was the normal taste.
And stealing water was a grave offense in Anxi, punishable by salt-etching. These foolish actions were enough to prove how profoundly their minds were shaken.
People sobbed, people cried, people danced wildly, people prostrated themselves.
“God…”
the old man knelt on the ground tremblingly, touching the moist soil with his forehead, thanking them for the miracle before him with a heart of utmost sincerity.
“Mother… can I eat these grasses?”
the young child, looking at the tender green plants, stared intently and drooled.
And more people… gathered from afar, heading towards that giant tree.
Yes, the giant tree—
there was no such giant tree here yesterday.
It was the “True God” who performed the divine miracle last night, who planted a giant divine tree in the ground after performing the great miracle of changing the sky and the earth. Let alone Holy Spring City, even other city-states could see this giant tree from afar.
Although its scale was not comparable to the Kingdom of Giant Trees, its height had already surpassed the original fourth Ring.
The sturdy trunk alone was so large that a hundred people could not encircle it.
This giant tree exuded an extremely comforting sense of divinity.
Even just basking in the shade cast by its enormous canopy could heal injuries and illnesses.
What was most astonishing was that the giant tree was alive, intelligent, and capable of speech!
“Come, come, let me tell you about the miracle that happened last night, and the name of the person who performed the miracle…”
the giant tree repeatedly and enthusiastically told the Anxi people, who came to worship or beg for healing divine miracles.
—She was Anastasia, who was left here by Eivass last night!
[Enchantment: Treant · Moon Spirit (The Fool)]
[Level: 40]
[Path of Devotion, Attribute Wind]
[Requirement: Wind 3]
[Action, Recitation, Summon, Immediate Effect]
[Effect: Transforms a tree into Treant · Anastasia. The Treant is considered a summoned creature. While the Treant is present, it continuously heals all allies within range and controls enemies within range periodically through plants.]
[Effect: Used again, while Treant · Anastasia is present, summon Moon Spirit · Anastasia. The Moon Spirit is considered a summoned creature and can exist for ten minutes. When the Moon Spirit is present, the Treant’s effect changes to “Gain a persistent protective barrier centered on the Treant.” The barrier is considered a force field, ritual, and shield, resistant to all types of damage except ‘divinity,’ ‘fire,’ and ‘evil tendrils.’]
Although all Anxi people had heard Eivass’s voice in their hearts when the sky and earth were changed last night. And as long as Eivass appeared before them, they would recognize him immediately.
However, Eivass could not stay in Anxi for long.
And he did not want the “thirst curse” brought by the sin thorns he had painstakingly eradicated, nor the desolate desert he had cleared, bringing fertile land and hope of life to the people… to be usurped by a group of people who would continue to deceive them.
Therefore, Eivass left Anastasia as proof of his divine miracle.
Miracles need traces, and they also need witnesses.
Undoubtedly, the desert, once riddled with sin thorns underground, could not have supported the existence of such a massive plant. Its roots would have been corroded and dried up by the sin thorns, so this giant tree could only be a great existence born overnight from the “new generation.”
And by chance…
Anastasia, the meaning of this name is “resurrection” or “rebirth.”
Just like the Fool card she used—
The Fool symbolizes new beginnings, free adventurous spirit, and infinite possibilities.
It is the beginning of all miracles, and also symbolizes the guidance and help of noble people.
It was the most fitting descriptor for the current state of Anxi.
At this time, Eivass had already returned to Heaven City.
As mentioned before, Eivass had come to pick up Sherlock and take him back.
“…I really didn’t expect you could achieve this much.”
Sherlock looked at Eivass, who was sitting in front of him, with an extremely complex expression.
So many things had happened yesterday that he couldn’t have gone to bed early—rather, ever since he acquired the meditation technique, Sherlock had barely slept a full night. His nights were also precious time, and making good use of sleep was, in a sense, equivalent to extending his lifespan.
Who would have thought that this “Winged One” sitting in front of him, leisurely drinking tea, was the man who had completely changed the Ancient Kingdom of Anxi, and thus further changed the history books of the world… and also his close friend, whom he had watched transform step by step from a mortal to this?
From this perspective, I might also be a witness to a divine miracle…
Sherlock chuckled self-deprecatingly, feeling no sense of loss, but rather a sense of absurdity.
It was truly unimaginable…
Once upon a time, he still thought about how to surpass Eivass.
Now, thinking about it…
Surpassing a god walking on earth?
“I’ve wanted to do this for a long time, or rather… only I can do this, and I must do it.”
Eivass raised his teacup and replied seriously, “Because, ultimately, the source of the Anxi people’s suffering comes from the sin thorns, and these sin thorns are remnants of the Candlemaster operations, which in turn came from the invasion of the Void… you could say that the Anxi people’s suffering is originating from the whispers of the Void.
“—But the problem is, even if I defeat the Void, the Anxi people’s suffering will not diminish in the slightest. The twisted society born from the existence of the Void will not improve even after the Void is defeated… don’t you find that absurd?
“If a hero defeats a demon king, but the villagers remain in their same suffering, and are not even aware that the demon king has been defeated—was the demon king truly a demon king?”
“…I can understand your thoughts, Eivass.”
Sherlock said with a sigh, “Indeed… In this way, the Anxi people will not need to leave this land.
“Their lives will indeed improve, and they will become prosperous and peaceful because of it. Those who would have died will no longer have to die; those who would have suffered will no longer have to suffer. Before ‘that’ is defeated, they can enjoy the warmth of the fire of civilization; and after ‘that’ is defeated, this twisted land will gradually recover its health.”
Sherlock said with a sigh, “But honestly, I don’t think this twisted society will return to normal anytime soon. I believe that the slaves here will still be slaves, and the slave owners will still be slave owners, just with different names and identities.
“They might not be called Lords of the Good, but perhaps Lords of Grace, Lords of Saints… and the slaves will no longer have to labor for the water they need to survive, but will exchange it for food, clothing, and even money…”
“Up to this point, at least it’s progress, isn’t it?”
Eivass retorted.
But the detective, who was no longer as young as he used to be after his advancement, just shook his head seriously.
“I don’t think it’s enough.”
His wise eyes looked at Eivass, and he asked the question that both of them knew the answer to: “You came to discuss this with me now, don’t you think so too?”
Hearing this, Eivass smiled happily.
Sherlock’s lips curved slightly. He also wanted to smile, but he forcibly suppressed it.
“Indeed.”
After smiling, Eivass nodded readily, “I want to appoint you as the Grand Vizier of Anxi and rule this country.”
“Grand Vizier… Prime Minister?”
Sherlock was somewhat surprised, but he nodded, as it was within his expectations. “I thought you would give me the position of King of Anxi.”
“I originally intended to do so.”
Eivass replied, “But before seeing you, I went to see Isabel—she is somewhat interested in this position.”
“…Her Majesty the Queen?”
Sherlock was startled. “But I remember she wasn’t…”
Isabel had grown tired of power back then, which was why she so smoothly handed over her power to Yulia. Otherwise, no one could have taken the position of monarch from her… the Avalonians’ admiration and respect for Isabel had reached or even surpassed that of her grandmother.
“Isabel also has a special sense of responsibility towards the people of Avalon, a responsibility stemming from the guilt of her parents, the education of the royal family… and more importantly, from the corruption of the Round Table Hall.”
Eivass said seriously.
The founding family, as the successors of the original Knights of the Round Table, should have guarded this country personally, keeping it pure and orderly. But now, the founding families had all fallen…
When people saw knights on the street, their respect and admiration gradually turned into fear and apprehension.
—It was as early as this point, not long after Prince Lloyd’s Lloyd Society was founded, that the Knight Kingdom had actually perished.
“…Indeed.”
Sherlock mused, “From this perspective, it was indeed correct for Her Majesty to give up the title of Queen of Avalon.”
If even the noble royal family had given up their arrogance, then the other founding families and knight families had nothing to be proud of.
Isabel’s relinquishing of power was equivalent to pulling the “knight lords” who were feared and avoided by the people back into the mortal realm.
Because they were all equal, and the protector was not nobler than the protected… However, it was almost impossible to achieve this through education and subtle influence.
Power concentrates spontaneously. This would lead to knights, if they were to be the main body maintaining order, necessarily obtaining the power to change the destiny of others, which would inevitably lead to the separation of the two groups… In any case, this power could be inherited through bloodline.
—But if the royal family voluntarily gave up all power, the situation would be different.
This meant completely breaking the monopoly of inheritance—although knight families would still have access to better educational resources and could receive training in extraordinary skills earlier, it did not mean that ordinary people could not become knights.
Because no knight family would dare to be “more enduring or more majestic than the royal family.”
The royal family of Avalon had not lost their authority at all; rather, their “authority” had reached an unprecedented peak. As long as Isabel wished, she could reclaim her power in its entirety at any time.
Because of this, the “relinquishment” appeared so solemn and unassailable.
…In this regard, Isabel’s relinquishing of the royal family’s power to continue ruling Avalon, instead, allowed the Avalonians to become self-reliant and self-governing, allowed the knights to re-examine their original aspirations, and allowed the increasingly divided two groups to merge and unite once more.
“However, the situation in Anxi is completely the opposite; the power here is not in surplus, but in a vacuum.”
Eivass replied seriously, “A power vacuum will lead to ‘people unworthy of this power’ also being qualified to wield this power. The people of Anxi do not need respect, but guidance—to learn how to be a person, not a dog, a commodity, a toy, or a food source. And Isabel is quite interested in this endeavor.
“After all, this is the land where I performed divine miracles. In a sense, this is the country I created. The current relationship between Anxi and me is even closer than that between Avalon and me… Isabel would not want the country to which I have devoted so much effort to be ruled by mediocre people, and for the miracle to be in vain.
“Moreover, after I transformed this land, it has become easier to survive. So Isabel gave up leaving Anxi… She plans to return with those Anxi refugees. Of course, those who do not wish to return can remain in the new Hrasal, and the outcome will be the same.”
“…So you want me to work for you, right? After all, Her Majesty is inconveniently tired right now.”
Sherlock said somewhat helplessly, “Alright, that’s fine… it’s still Her Majesty the Queen.”
His outward reluctance belied an unexpected hint of happiness.
Because after interacting with the commoners and slaves in Heaven City, he had developed genuine sympathy for them. However, he had restrained his sympathy with reason, knowing that he could not ultimately change anything for them…
If people were shown a glimmer of hope, only to fall back into darkness, it would be even more painful.
And now…
“Will you become a god in the future, Eivass?”
Sherlock asked, somewhat wistfully and seriously, “I mean… after defeating your nemesis? Far, far in the future?”
If in the past, Eivass would have shamefully denied it and said something like “I am human,” which no one would believe, and which even he himself did not believe.
But now, Eivass just nodded solemnly.
“I will eventually become a god, a god who brings miracles and dawn. My shrines will eventually connect on the earth, and my followers and apostles will sing my name. I will eventually pierce the darkness and light the dawn…”
The White-winged Pioneer said, “I only hope… that my future self will not become an ‘aloof god’.”
“Of course.”
Sherlock smiled faintly. “After all, you are such a gentle god.”
(End of this chapter)