The next eight days passed in the blink of an eye.

Ferrudion tried several activities that these mortals considered fun, among them various games involving cards and dice, as well as peculiar riddles:

“I saw one man cheat another and steal from him by force;

But in this case might was right, so everybody thought.

What did I see?” (1)

Ferrudion did not understand this riddle. Was might not always right?

Unfortunately, the other mortal riddles were just as strange.

“It is not mortal nor yet immortal; rather, it has a nature so mixed that its life is neither in man's estate nor in a god's, but its substance ever grows fresh and then dies again; it may not be seen by the eye, yet it is known of all.” (2)

Ferrudion considered this riddle the result of imperfect mortal communication. If immortality and mortality had not been properly 『concepted』, how could it even be contemplated?

And as far as he knew, everything could be inside a god's estate. It might not be, but it certainly could be!

On the bright side, all this riddling and debating had greatly boosted Ferrudion's language abilities. Not only did he now speak the dominant language of the Ironforest Kingdom fluently, he was also conversational in the lingua franca of the Palevine Empire.

He still did not quite understand why these mortals had so many different languages, though.

Lemme om Apox, the pahipiti that could process idea-level soul speech, had first raised the issue. Ferrudion frowned while recalling their initial conversation:

“Pelou Dean-agam, if you are going to the Palevine Empire, do you speak Pakpak?”

“Pakpak? Is that the language you spoke earlier, before I ordered you to speak the language of these people?”

“No. That would be Arxas. Though it influenced Pakpak, its influence is nowhere near as significant as that of Silusian or Bokka.”

Ferrudion had sighed in annoyance and asked,

“Are all those different languages?”

“Yes, Silusian is the word for the two common languages in the northern Empire, and Bokka used to be the dominant language of the southern region. Before the Palevine Kingdom became the Palevine Empire.”

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They had gotten sidetracked for a while as Lemme om Apox and Kalou Dan had tried to explain the difference between an empire and a kingdom to him. Ferrudion still did not understand the concept, but he had a vague idea:

The most important difference seemed to be size. Empires were bigger.

“Back to this Pakpak, why did you ask me if I speak it?”

“While some people in the coastal areas might speak I!onian - that is the language we are speaking right now, they are a minority.”

“Then do you expect me to learn… What, four more languages?!”

At that, both Kalou Dan and Lemme om Apox had looked very uncomfortable.

“What?!”

“It is not uncommon to know three or four languages. Still, most people in the Palevine Empire know at least some Pakpak. Just learning that should be sufficient.”

That was something he still could not quite believe. From what he had gathered, these mortals barely lived a century or two, how could they waste so much of it studying vague languages?

“How many do you two know?” he had asked the mortals.

“I am also fluent in Pakpak and Bokka. Right now, I am trying to learn the Eastern Silusian dialect. My uncle said it might be helpful for the shapalemu.”

“Shapalemme... It is a place for our youths to study together. The Shapalemme in the Palevine Empire is renowned throughout the world. Is that not also where you were going, Pelou Dean-agam?”

As far as Ferrudion, there was no equivalent place for greater gods. Nascent greater gods were simply too rare. But lesser gods and deities...

‘It must be the mortal equivalent of those academies. What was that place father's secretary wanted to send me? Benevolence? Fie, as if lesser gods could teach a greater god!’

“Is it fun?”

Kalou Dan had affirmed this enthusiastically, but ever since he had recommended reading, Ferrudion mistrusted his sense of fun. Thus, he had looked at Lemme om Apox.

“It can be,” she had said after shrugging noncommittally.

“What kind of studying? Reading?”

“Beyond that,” Kalou Dan had assured him, “It is renowned for its magic and swordsmanship schools. The Palevine Shapalemu (academy) even has a pulepounu and a holepounu school.”

“Appeleppemma study the gods and how mortals may worship them while Aholeppemma concern themselves with plants, especially managy-rich ones.”

“It is apulepouma and aholepouma...”

In the end, Ferrudion had decided to study Pakpak. And it turned out that learning a second mortal language was far easier than the first.

Kalou Dan had called him a genius for his impeccable recall and ability to learn grammar on the fly.

But as he looked at the shoreline on the horizon, he felt lost.

‘Do I really want to go to this Empire? Kalou Dan said there will be thousands upon thousands of souls…. I cannot even imagine it. Showing these puny mortals my power is fun though…’

Ferrudion grinned and turned around to find Lemme om Apox waiting for him.

“Have you come to a decision, Pelou Dean-agam?”

“I am going to the academy.”

The woman shook her fist twice, but he felt her protecting hesitation at him through their soul link.

“What?”

“I was wondering what you intend to do with me. Adults are not allowed at the academy.”

Ferrudion frowned.

‘I need to find another translator?!'

“That is too bad. Do you know any young mortals with your soul strength?”

“I am certain there will be some among those who attend the academy.”

“Good.”

Suddenly, the woman bowed to him.

“I am eternally grateful that you spared my life after I offended you.”

Ferguson pondered her non-sequitur statement.

“I did not care either way. It was your strength that saved you.”

“Will you allow me to continue to serve you? I want to atone for my actions.”

Ferrudion frowned.

‘Mortals are confusing.’