While inside the small boat, Arthur looked down at the water. It was very dark, which suggested the lake was deep.
Staring at those waters made his mind wander. Arthur imagined a creature rising from below and devouring the boat they were in.
The ferryman seemed to notice Arthur's uneasiness while they were rowing.
"You can relax," the ferryman said. "At most, there are just a few fish in these waters. We fish a lot to feed everyone in the village."
Since the ferryman mentioned the village, Arthur took the opportunity to ask more about the island.
"You said you've lived in that village for a long time. Why do you stay there?" he asked.
"Why would we leave?" the ferryman replied. "Have you been out there? Strong winds, terrible weather, and creatures lurking beneath the ground. We have none of that on the island. It's the safest place of all."
Arthur grew curious about why none of those dangers existed on the island. What exactly made that place so different from everywhere else?
Out of curiosity, he asked—expecting that the ferryman either wouldn't know the answer or wouldn't tell him.
To his surprise, the ferryman answered.
"Ha, it's simple. Everyone in the village trusts the Serpent God. With the temple's protection, we have nothing to fear," the ferryman said.
That wasn't exactly the answer Arthur had been expecting. Of course, he had seen the stone structure with the serpent statue, but he had never imagined it was a cult devoted to the serpent.
"And how did you come to know the Serpent God?" Arthur asked.
The ferryman seemed proud—and even excited—to tell the story.
"From what we're told, some of our ancestors arrived on this island and found a man living here. He had built the temple and taught them the ways of the Serpent God. Everyone began to follow the serpent—and they continued to do so even after the mysterious man eventually left."
There was no need for much thought to realize that the mysterious man who once lived on the island was likely the first Sovereign—or at least the Sovereign who had come into contact with Arthur. He wasn't completely certain whether that man truly was the first or not.
"Why did the Sovereign build all of this in this place?" Arthur wondered. "Was it after he received the serpent's mark, or did he build it during the test itself?"
If it was the latter… that wasn't exactly a good sign.
If that man had built everything and spent such a long time inside the serpent while undergoing the test to receive the mark, then what was stopping Arthur from meeting the same fate?
What if he ended up trapped in this place for a long time?
That was entirely possible.
Arthur tried to stop himself from dwelling on those thoughts, knowing they would only make him anxious.
As soon as they reached the island, Arthur and the ferryman got off the boat and walked together along a stone path.
The island was rich with vegetation. Some areas were wild and untouched, while others had clearly been cleared, with stone paths marking where it was safe to walk.
It didn't take long for them to reach the village. Arthur looked around, carefully observing the place.
It looked like an ordinary village. Stone houses scattered around, people planting crops and tending to animals. There was even a well near the serpent's temple.
The moment the villagers noticed a stranger arriving, they stopped what they were doing and stared at Arthur from a distance.
Their gazes were unsettling. For some reason, Arthur felt a chill run down his spine.
The ferryman led him straight to the temple. The large wooden doors slowly opened, and a woman wearing a robe stepped outside.
She had white hair, and her eyes resembled those of a serpent. Her skin was pale as snow—flawless. Arthur couldn't notice a single imperfection on her face.
With a warm smile, she spoke.
"And who might this guest be?" she said. "It's rare for us to have visitors on the island."
That piece of information was important. It meant that, although rare, outsiders still appeared on the island from time to time.
Arthur tried to be as respectful as possible.
"My name is Arthur, and I ended up here after being swallowed by the primordial serpent."
The moment he said that, everything went completely silent.
The silence was so absolute that it made him uncomfortable.
The woman—who seemed to be a priestess—spoke calmly.
"You are aware that saying something like that is considered blasphemy to those of the Serpent Cult," she said. "Such words are punishable by death."
Arthur frowned.
"Wait—what?"
At that moment, the ferryman stepped in.
"That's exactly why I brought him here," he said. "He told me the same story, and I knew you would be pleased to sacrifice a false messiah."
The way the ferryman had been so quick to bring Arthur to the island suddenly made sense. It was as if he had ulterior motives from the very beginning—and now Arthur knew why.
"I'm telling the truth," Arthur shot back. "Why would I lie about something like that?"
The priestess didn't believe him in the slightest.
"Or perhaps you are simply someone from another village," she replied. "There are other settlements scattered around, some with their own beliefs. You could be an infiltrator sent to harm us."
Then she added coldly,
"Guards. Take him."
Four people stepped out from inside the temple.
Arthur could see their levels.
Level 12.
They were far stronger than him. There was no chance for him to fight back.
The guards bound his hands with chains and dragged him inside the temple.
The interior housed a stone altar, with the head of a serpent carved into the wall behind it. In front of the altar were several benches where the villagers gathered for worship.
At the far right side of the temple, near the back, there was a door.
That door could not be opened by just anyone. Only members of the cult's clergy were allowed access.
The guards took Arthur straight to that door. From there, they descended a staircase and led him into a dungeon, locking him behind iron bars.
Inside the cell, there was already someone else.
An old man—bearded, extremely thin, and filthy. The stench coming from him was unbearable… though, in truth, the entire dungeon reeked.
As soon as Arthur stepped inside, he realized something.
That old man was not ordinary.