It seemed not to notice the arrival, or perhaps it simply did not care. The sacred hymn continued to echo through the Great Hall, but this time, Koen heard it clearly.
It was neither the language the gods used nor the simplified language humans had created after hearing divine speech. Koen had never heard such tones before—beautiful and mysterious, yet unlike any sound that could be produced by vocal cords. He felt as though he were undergoing a baptism, his soul becoming transparent and holy.
Faintly, a desire that came from the depths of his soul reached him. Unlike a yearning for beautiful things, it was more like a craving for "completeness."
Yet as a masterpiece of the gods, Koen did not know what part of him was incomplete.
"May God forgive me."
Kneeling on the ground, Koen prayed devoutly.
Although this was his first time hearing it, Koen easily understood the meaning of the song sung by the being before him. She was praising a Supreme Existence. It caused the seventh month to rise from the West Mountain and let the light of Spirituality shine through the Underworld Soil. It was a great one who stood beyond the flow of time, an eternal King.
After a while—though he did not know how long—the final syllable fell in the empty Great Hall, and silence returned once more.
Amid the silence, Koen heard footsteps approaching from far away. He raised his head and saw the mysterious being who had sung the hymn earlier.
He had never seen clothing like this before. The pure-white robe had been woven from some unknown material, and looked nothing like the stems or leaves of plants. The hood hung low, concealing the visitor's face. Although Koen did not consider himself capable of appreciating beauty, he still