Sorry for the late upload.
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The last ripple of interest from the tarot reading faded, and Professor Barinous dusted the chalk from his hands.
"Any other questions, or should I start with another topic?" he asked, voice calm, eyes sweeping the rows.
For a moment, silence hung in the air.
Then Orin glanced at me.
I met his gaze. No surprise, just curiosity.
He raised his hand.
Barinous nodded for him to speak. "Yes?"
"What is known about the Three Gods?" Orin asked.
That got the room's attention.
I turned to look at him fully now, not because I was shocked — we are dealing with a god right now — but because I wanted to see how he'd phrase it.
Barinous, however, actually looked taken aback. His brows lifted, and he regarded Orin for a long moment before speaking.
"…Why do you want to know about them?"
Orin hesitated. "…Just curious."
The professor studied him a second longer, a faintly suspicious glint in his eyes, before finally nodding. "Very well."
He stepped away from the lectern, his tone shifting. "First, a warning — under no circumstances will the name of the Sun God be spoken in my presence. In fact…" His gaze sharpened. "…don't say it on school grounds at all."
Confusion rippled through the students.
A boy near the back frowned. "Why can't we say So—"
*Snap*
A piece of chalk hovered above Barinous's finger, spinning slowly in the air.
The boy's eyes went wide, his mouth snapping shut before the final syllable. "S-sorry! I mean… why can't we say the name of the Sun God?"
Barinous's glare didn't fade immediately. Then he sighed.
"Because gods," he said evenly, "are not omnipotent — no matter what their priests would have you believe. If they were, they would have smited every heretic and dissenter centuries ago. But…" His eyes swept the room. "…when you speak a god's name, you create a tether. They can sense you — and those near you. If you catch their interest, they can watch you. And they can send their followers after you."
Shock froze across the faces of most of the class.
I didn't react. My expression stayed blank.
'Old news.'
I'd already found a countermeasure years ago in [The Library].
Barinous's eyes flicked toward me — just a moment's curiosity — but he didn't comment.
"Now," he went on, "before you panic… most people say the names of gods every day. They are ignored. But…" He raised a finger. "…if you possess an unusual artifact, wield strange or rare powers, or you are simply... abnormal... then they may take notice."
Slowly, Orin, Zek, Ark, and Araki turned to look at me.
I didn't move.
'Yes, yes. I've said the names before, and I'm still here. I have defences up that shield me, and I showed you guys one. [Null Invocation].' I thought to myself, remembering to tell them later.
Orin muttered something under his breath. I caught the name 'Cottonflower?', but let it pass without reaction.
Barinous leaned against the desk, a half-smile ghosting his face. "I, for example, used to employ an ancient and distinct form of magic. If a God's senses ever brushed against it, they'd take note. Combine that with the fact that I've opposed the Sun God for decades and… well… let's say I am technically in hiding."
Then he grinned — a mischievous flash in his otherwise composed expression — and winked at the class.
"So… don't say anything."
A few students chuckled nervously.
-
The professor's grin softened into something more academic. "Now… let's begin properly. The Three known Gods — or at least, what is known about them."
He clasped his hands behind his back as he paced. "The most well-known, of course, is the Sun God, worshipped by the Holy Church and the Holy Kingdom. Second, less widely revered but still known, is the Dwarven God. And the third…" His tone dipped, almost reverent. "…is the Ocean God."
He turned toward the blackboard but didn't write — just let the words hang.
"As a matter of history, we know very little about the Ocean God. The Atlanteans and other aquatic races in Primus claim to worship the 'God of the Deep'. They give it titles — The Abyssal Monarch. The Tide bringer. The Sleeper Below. The Wrath of the Abyss. The Storm Beneath the Waves. But as far as surface dwellers are aware… it has no name. Or at least, no one has ever learned it."
A couple of students shifted uneasily.
"It is said to slumber in the deepest reaches of the ocean, stirring only to command the seas, to call storms, to unleash the ocean's fury. These are stories, of course… but they are persistent. Aside from that, almost nothing is known."
He moved on smoothly. "The Dwarven God, however, was once a Primogenitor — the Primogenitor of the dwarves, to be exact."
A low murmur spread through the room.
"In this world," Barinous said, "Primogenitors are the first of their kind — the original ancestor from which all others of their race descend. Some races have one, some have multiple, and others do not have any, at least none that are known. And yes… many fear them. Some Primogenitors have been evil, or simply… chaotic. Their actions have levelled cities and blackened continents. Because of this, most Primogenitors are hunted down before they can awaken their full power."
He paused, then smiled faintly. "But the Dwarven Primogenitor was different. In his early years, he was a Master Smith and Craftsman, capable of forging legendary items and was sought out by people across the continent. Even after awakening his powers, he was loved by many, and warriors from all nations would come to request his work."
A student raised a hand. "Why would people ask a Primogenitor for help? They're all evil beings that want to destroy the world."
I glanced at the boy, noting how many students nodded in agreement. Ark looked uneasy, Zek even more so — though his discomfort had a different edge to it.
'Ark, I get. The werewolf Primogenitor's likely a protector in his eyes. But Zek? Hm. Maybe his master taught him the truth about them.'
Barinous chuckled. "The Dwarven Primogenitor was born centuries before such fears existed. People didn't see Primogenitors as monsters then."
Those who'd been nodding before now stared in confusion.
"They are like people," Barinous said, voice firm. "Some good. Some bad. The only difference is their power. Fear came later — when certain Primogenitors began fighting each other, and entire cities fell in the crossfire."
He stepped back, letting the weight of that sink in.
"The Dwarven God knew things were turning against them. And so, he ascended to godhood. How he did so, no one knows — only that he did. After that, he became a symbol of peace and prosperity, ending the persecution of dwarves. At the time, many dwarves were enslaved or treated little better than animals… much as beastmen are now in certain kingdoms."
Silence followed. Students glanced at each other, processing.
After a minute, Barinous cleared his throat. "Shall I continue?"
A ripple of nods passed through the room.
"As for the Sun God," he said, "he is both the most commonly known and likely the most powerful. He appeared roughly a thousand years ago, founding the kingdom of Solaria. Through the holy magic granted to his priests, the kingdom flourished."
Barinous waved one hand. "I won't go into the full history — it's too long for one class. Instead, I'll keep to what matters."
He looked out across the room. "Very little is known about the Sun God himself. His past, his true nature… even his motives are unclear. But judging by the actions of his Church, one can make certain guesses. He favours humans and high elves above all. Every other race is, at best, ignored… at worst, treated with open hostility."
A student raised a hand. "How did the kingdom grow so fast? Even if he's a god, people wouldn't just follow anyone claiming to be one."
Barinous's mouth quirked upward. "They would, actually. Show them power, and most will follow. That is how cults are formed — or how commoners react when seeing a powerful mage cast spells. Prove yourself capable of miracles, and they'll believe anything."
The student frowned. "Still… there must have been something else. Something that made them love him."
Barinous nodded. "You're right. He did do something… something that changed everything."
A few pens hovered over parchment.
"Does anyone here," Barinous asked, "know of the Sunless Year?"