Chapter 35: The Inquisitor of the Sun God (3)

“Aren’t you uncomfortable?” Aquaz asked.

“What do you mean?” Ketal replied.

“Our god will be watching you.” “Why would that be uncomfortable?” Ketal asked with a curious tone. “I have nothing to hide. I have no shame.”

After all, he hadn’t told a single lie. Even if bound by divine rules, it posed no disadvantage to him.

To put it simply, it’s just like a lie detector, isn’t it?

Ketal thought.

There was no need to overthink it. On the contrary, it was intriguing for him. Unlike the lie detectors of the real world where he was from, this one was flawless, free from any margin of error. It was nothing short of fascinating.

However, Aquaz felt differently. In this world, the concept of being watched by a god held profound significance. It meant being exposed entirely to a towering, transcendent being—laying bare every hidden corner of oneself. It was akin to a confessional. Those with even a sliver of shame in their lives would instinctively recoil at the idea.

However, the barbarian before her boldly claimed otherwise. He said he was unashamed. He said he had no regrets, no guilt.

Ketal’s declaration meant that he believed he had lived a life so upright that even if he were to stand before the divine, he would have no cause for shame.

Aquaz wondered how many could make such a claim. Even the most devout believers often trembled under the gaze of the gods. Aquaz was overwhelmed with awe. She began to question whether the being standing before her was truly a barbarian. His composure seemed almost saintly.

“You are... remarkable,” she said.

Of course, Ketal hadn’t thought that deeply about it. To him, the god’s gaze was merely equivalent to a lie detector. He found Aquaz’s reverent gaze puzzling.

“Then, shall we begin?” She closed her eyes, clasping her hands together in prayer. “My god, you who dwell in the highest of places, the great being who observes the radiant sun. I beseech you, with your divine gaze, expose the impurities that lie hidden here.”

It was a prayer—a plea for divine intervention. In response to the believer’s invocation, the power of the god was set into motion.

A resonating hum filled the air. A pillar of light descended. Though the church’s ceiling was supposed to block the heavens, the blinding light tore through, as though nothing could hinder its descent. It struck with violent force, enveloping them.

Startled by the sudden pillar of divine light, the people in the estate cried out. Some even knelt, overwhelmed by its sanctity.

“Oh, wow!” Ketal was moved. It felt as if the god himself had descended. The pillar of light enveloped him entirely.

Looking beyond the pillar, he saw something. There was a presence on the other side. The barbarian and the otherworldly being sensed each other and met.

“Oh,” Ketal chuckled softly.

The presence is immense. No, the word immense is not doing it justice.

This was something beyond the confines of human language, beyond human comprehension. The presence on the other side gazed at Ketal, and he felt its emotions through its gaze. He could distinctly feel the presence was confused and bewildered.

Aquaz, unaware of this silent exchange of gazes, simply stared at Ketal.

No signs of deception,

she thought. Her eyes softened, and she slowly began to speak. “Then let us proceed. Within this pillar, no lies can be spoken.”

“I understand,” Ketal replied.

Aquaz began questioning Ketal about the process of clearing the Dungeon. Ketal answered as he had before, without any variation.

As he had claimed, he had never spoken a lie. Aquaz pieced together the puzzle in her mind. Kartos had been in the midst of his resurrection, so he didn’t possess his full power.

This barbarian was extraordinarily strong. Kartos couldn’t have been an easy opponent even in that weakened state. It seemed that Kartos had overexerted himself to defeat the barbarian, only to succumb to his own overwhelming mana in the end.

How fortunate,

Aquaz thought. Had Kartos been able to use his magic properly, this barbarian would not have been standing here now. His magic, capable of dominating emotions, was incredibly powerful.

“Have your doubts been resolved?” Ketal asked.

“Yes, thank you. Please forgive my impudence.” “It’s fine. I rather enjoyed it,” he replied with a grin.

Though the matter was concluded, the pillar of light did not dissipate. Aquaz continued to gaze at Ketal, who tilted his head curiously.

“Is it over?” he asked.

“There are a few more things I’d like to confirm. These are personal questions. You are free to refuse to answer. The only thing you cannot do here is lie.”

“Hmm.” Ketal stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Then let’s make it fair. A trade, so to speak.”

“Excuse me?”

“For every question you ask, I will ask one in return. Fair, isn’t it?”

“Oh, yes. I will answer anything I’m able to.” Aquaz agreed without much hesitation. “Then my first question: Where are you from?”

“From the coldest place in the world. A place untouched by human feet,” Ketal said with a shrug. “The place you call the White Snowfield.”

“What...?” Aquaz’s eyes widened. “You’re saying you came from there?” Ketal nodded. The pillar of light remained unchanged—a testament to his honesty.

“Then, it’s my turn.”

“Ah, yes.”

Ketal began asking about the myths, legends, and historical records surrounding the Sun God. Under normal circumstances, Aquaz might have found his questions peculiar—he was interrogating her with the meticulousness of someone preparing to join a faith. Yet, she was so absorbed in his words that the thought didn’t even cross his mind.

She gave him a brief explanation in response to his questions before immediately asking her own. “What is there in that place?”

She was visibly excited. Although she was an inquisitor, she was also a seeker of knowledge. The thrill of uncovering the unknown gave her immense satisfaction.

The White Snowfield was a mysterious land shrouded in enigma. And now, standing before her was someone who had come from that very place, potentially holding the answers to those mysteries.

“Do monsters truly exist there?” Are there other barbarians like you as well?” she asked.

“Hmm,” Ketal hesitated, his words trailing off. There was a noticeable discomfort in his face. “I’m sorry, but may I refuse to answer? I’d rather not think about that place again.”

“Oh, I see...” Though deeply disappointed, Aquaz knew she couldn’t press him any further. The unease etched on Ketal’s expression was unmistakable. She chose her next words carefully. “In that case, could you at least confirm one thing? The legend of the Emperor.”

Long ago, an emperor who had once ruled the world ventured into the White Snowfield. He returned defeated and spoke of horrific monsters dwelling there.

“Do those beings truly exist?” she asked. She was talking about the White Serpents that devoured glaciers, White Bears that caused earthquakes, and Ugly Rats that polluted the sea.

Ketal nodded solemnly. “They exist. I encountered them often.”

“I see...” Aquaz was overwhelmed. She had found confirmation of the ancient legend. She wanted to ask more—how he survived, how many barbarian tribes existed there—but before she could continue, Ketal spoke first.

“Then it’s my turn to ask a question. Why have you come to this estate?”

“Oh, I had business here. It’s a personal matter,” Aquaz replied vaguely, intending to shift the conversation back to the White Snowfield.

𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

However, before she could ask her next question, Ketal interjected. “Is this personal matter perhaps to determine if I am an impure being?”

***

Aquaz’s heart stopped cold. The excitement that fueled her moments ago vanished entirely. With great difficulty, she forced her lips to move. “What do you mean by that...?”

“Hmm? Was I wrong? I thought it was a logical assumption.” Ketal leaned back leisurely against the sofa. “You introduced yourself as an inquisitor. While I don’t know the details, it’s clear you are not an ordinary priestess. And yet, here you are, personally visiting this remote estate.”

At first, Ketal had thought her objective was Kartos, but after their conversation, it became clear that wasn’t the case. Aquaz had shown little interest in Kartos.

“In other words, you came here with a purpose unrelated to the lich. And when you prayed earlier, you didn’t ask for falsehoods to be revealed, but rather for impurities to be exposed,” Ketal said. It was a subtle play on words, but one that entirely changed the meaning of the prayer. “And then there’s the gaze of the god. While I don’t fully understand, it seems to me that having a god directly look upon something isn’t a trivial event. Using such a thing merely to detect lies seems excessive. It must have been intended to uncover something deeper.”

Ketal smiled faintly then continued, “So wasn’t your purpose here in summoning me to determine if I am an impure being?”

Aquaz’s frozen heart still refused to beat. She wanted to deny it, but the god was watching. In this sacred light, no falsehoods could exist. Eventually, she opened her mouth, her words slow and reluctant. “Yes... that’s correct.”

“Oh, so I was right.” Ketal began to whistle, evidently pleased by his deduction. It had been a guess born of mere curiosity, but the fact that it was correct amused him. He felt nothing more, nothing less.

However, for Aquaz, it was a completely different story. Her lips felt dry as if all moisture had been drained from them. She had thought she had deftly fooled the barbarian, but the truth was the exact opposite. He had known her intentions from the very beginning.

What a foolish mistake...,

she thought. She had prayed to uncover impurity. She had called upon the gaze of the god just to determine if someone was lying. A moment’s thought would have revealed how absurd her actions were. Yet, she had acted without hesitation because he was just a barbarian.

She had unconsciously clung to the stereotype that barbarians were simple-minded beings who forgot everything once they were taught something new. Even though Lord Barcan had already warned her that this was no ordinary barbarian, her ingrained preconceptions had blinded her.

Now, as regret filled her, a thought surfaced.

If this barbarian had known everything, does that mean he was doing everything willingly?

“Then I’m curious,” Ketal said, his tone calm. “Was I your objective from the beginning?”

“No,” Aquaz replied, shaking her head. She could not lie, nor did it make any sense to refuse now. All she could do was try not to offend him further. “That wasn’t it. A divine oracle was delivered. My purpose was to confirm whether you were the subject of that oracle. As you can see... you’re not.”

The barbarian was not the subject of the oracle. Aquaz bowed her head. “I apologize. I concealed my intentions and deceived you.”

Under normal circumstances, Ketal would have had every right to be furious. Barbarians despised deception above all else.

“It doesn’t matter. I had my fun.”

To her surprise, Ketal only laughed. It wasn’t forgiveness—it was simply the truth that Aquaz’s actions had amused him. In that laughter, there was something transcendent, something beyond the Mortal Realm.

Aquaz couldn’t help but ask, “Are you truly human...?”

“I am human,” Ketal replied. The pillar of light surrounding them remained unchanged, affirming his words.

“Then, as a form of atonement, if I may, let me ask one more thing. What was the content of the oracle?” Ketal asked.

Under normal circumstances, revealing the content of a divine oracle to a barbarian would have been unthinkable. Oracles were to be shared only with those deemed trustworthy. However, she couldn’t refuse. She had deceived the barbarian, and now she owed him.

Could he have planned this from the beginning?

she thought.

Did he make me incur a debt so he could learn the oracle’s message?

Doubts flooded her mind, her thoughts spiraling. But eventually, she began to talk. She recited the oracle to Ketal.

As he listened, his eyes gleamed with intense curiosity.