章節 171: Chapter 330
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Jin's eyes widened.
"My enemies, who would do such a thing? And how are they going to do it?"
Neru remained silent and shook his head.
[We don't know the details. We only sensed an imminent danger as if the cave would collapse soon. The reason our species has survived without being extinct until now is because of that intuition.]
The intuition of the felinoids tribe.
Simply relying on that alone did not instill much confidence that the felinoids tribe could survive until now.
However, based on the experience just crossing from the cave to the island, they seemed to have some kind of mystical power, so Jin decided to believe in it.
"Are you concluding that these attackers who destroyed this place and massacred the small beastmen are my enemies based solely on intuition?"
[No, it's just a logical deduction. Considering various causal relationships, the only reason our territory would be attacked during this period is because of your business with the Golden Snow Tribe. The reason we cannot pinpoint the exact enemy is because you have many enemies.]
Even without the unique intuition of the felinoids tribe, it was a well-known fact that Jin had many enemies. It was evident in Zipfel and could be inferred from the fights within Runcandel.
During the Holy Kingdom incident, he was involved with Kinzelo, so even to an outsider who knew nothing, it was clear that Jin was up against three massive forces in the world.
So, who could it be?
Was it someone from his clan trying to hinder his business or warn him by attacking the small beastmen?
Did Zipfel plan an ambush after seeing Jin's bold advertisement? Or could it be that Kinzelo had some ulterior motive and was intruding upon the land of the small beastmen?
All three possibilities were valid, and it was impossible to make a hasty judgment.
"If what you say, Lord Neru, is true and the cave is attacked because of me, then I will take responsibility."
[We will spread the message to the small small beastmen, so you won't be held accountable. There are already escape routes prepared.]
"That's fortunate. However, what if there's a 'what if' scenario? It would be better to go back and warn them to escape immediately."
Jin did not want to experience the horrific event of the small beastmen being massacred.
[If we inform them in advance, it might escalate the problem due to the Golden Snow Tribe and the Watertail Tribe moving. Moreover, according to our intuition, if that happens, we won't be able to fulfill our promise with Solderet.]
"It sounds like you're willing to hold the lives of the small beastmen hostage in order to fulfill your promise with Solderet."
[That's right.]
"Why would you go to such lengths? What will you do if the small beastmen are annihilated? Once they are dead, no one can take responsibility."
Instantly, anger welled up within Jin.
Of course, everything was based on the felinoids' 'intuition.' The fact that Jin's enemies were attacking, the possibility of the small beastmen being massacred, and the potential for the problem to escalate if they warned everyone about danger in advance.
However, Jin couldn't shake off the ominous feeling.
[Jin Runcandel.]
Neru lowered its eyes, seeming bitter.
[Just like we have always done, we want to protect the small beastmen. You asked what would happen if the small beastmen die, but for us, we are more concerned about failing to fulfill our promise with Solderet. It's a promise we have waited for a thousand years.]
Jin remained silent, making eye contact with Neru.
[For the sake of the promise with Solderet, how many sacrifices do you think have been made until now? Your ancestors, my comrades, and countless humans and dragons. Five hundred years ago, there were even times when my comrades were hunted down and killed by Zipfel.]
Jin let out a sigh.
As the Contractor of Solderet, fulfilling his mission.
When he first made a contract with Solderet in his past life, he never had such thoughts. He simply embraced Solderet's words, becoming an unparalleled magic swordsman, ruling the world, and seeking small revenge against his family who abandoned him.
However, after regression, Jin gradually came to understand that Solderet's power was not an unconditional gift. Given the circumstances, the regression seemed to be caused by Solderet, and everything prepared for him carried elements that could overturn the world, so he didn't think the price was excessive.
It just felt cruel. To Jin himself and to those who sacrificed themselves for Solderet's arrangements.
Swoosh, swish...
Neru was drawing something in the sand. The pattern he drew with a branch was of a strange kind, one that Jin had never seen before.
[It may be hard to believe, but we, more than anyone else, want to protect the small beastmen.]
"What was the connection between the felinoids tribe and Solderet?"
[Friends. The God of Cat and Solderet were very close. And he has saved us, including the small beastmen, from being exterminated by Javier several times. The small beastmen, all of them, owe their lives to Solderet.]
Hwaaah...
Suddenly, the pattern that Neru drew began to glow purple.
Unlike the dark magic used by Rontelgius recently, it emitted a sacred aura, something mystical.
It was the phenomenon that occurred when the seal of the third tomb was released, a power the felinoids tribe used when creating special hiding places.
[If your enemies had reached this place before you, you would have never been able to enter the third tomb of Temar.]
"Your choice is not entirely convincing, but still..."
Jin paused for a moment as he looked at the seal.
"Thank you. I don't know what else to say."
[Don't worry too much. As I said before, since we sensed the danger in advance, once you return from the tomb, we will evacuate the small beastmen to a place where they won't be discovered.]
Hummmm!
From the purple pattern, the shadow force began to emanate, forming an elliptical door.
[Finally, we can fulfill the thousand-year-old promise. Go inside, Jin Runcandel.]
"I will return as soon as possible. So that no one gets hurt."
[Yes. And I have one request.]
"Please, go ahead."
[Please convey this message to the friend inside. Neru, on behalf of the felinoids tribe, expresses gratitude for the thousand years of loneliness and hard work. No matter how hard I try to recall, I can no longer remember who they were...]
Neru spoke with a sorrowful voice.
-Olmango, do you know who is the guardian inside the second tomb?
-I cannot answer that.
-Why not?
-All memories of them have vanished. No matter how hard I try to recall, only faint images come to mind.
Similar to when Jin met Olmango and found the second tomb, Neru seemed to have forgotten who his "friend" was, the one who had guarded the tomb for a thousand years.
It was the result of Zipfel erasing them from history.
"Understood."
Jin stepped into the door of the shadow force.
***
The third tomb, unlike the first and second, had no signs of destruction or any battle traces. The entire space was not just made of dark shadow force. It resembled the central hall of a castle. There was also a familiar feeling about it, and Jin soon realized the reason.
'It looks exactly like the interior of the Storm castle I saw in the first tomb, the central hall.'
There was no reason to be particularly surprised.
Jin had already witnessed the clone of a person through shadow force with Misha, and he had encountered guardians that perfectly replicated their appearance from a thousand years ago. So, there was no reason why the space itself couldn't be reproduced.
Although he felt the desire to examine the Storm castle's appearance from a thousand years ago closely, he quickly moved forward. He felt a sense of urgency, fearing that it might be too late for the small beastmen.
It was the first time Jin had come to Temar's tomb alone.
The first time was with Murakan, and the second was with his comrades.
Until now, whenever he found a tomb, there were formidable guardians. Sylderay Runcandel, Sarah Runcandel. Both were guardians too strong for Jin to handle.
But this time, the tomb was different.
'Lord Olmango said there won't be such guardians in this tomb, so there should be no need for battle.'
Olmango also didn't know exactly who was inside the third tomb, just like Neru. However, Olmango had slightly more memories about it than Neru.
-Inside the third tomb, I heard that there is the former Head butler of the Runcandel clan.
The Head butler.
The person who took care of various matters for the Runcandel, a clan of Magic Swordsmen, during that time.
'Even now, the clan's Head butler has more information than most members. Especially the butler, Heinz, who was my father's confidant. He may know more about the clan's secrets than Joshua.'
That was true for the Runcandel of a thousand years ago as well. In any faction, there had to be someone directly responsible for the clan's affairs, big or small.
'But the Head butler here may also have an incomplete state of mind or memories. Dame Sarah also suffered severe mental fatigue to endure a thousand years…'
Step, step.
As Jin reached the end of the central hall, a person bowed their head towards him.
[I have been waiting, Sir Jin Runcandel. It is an honor to meet you.]
"You know my name. Are you the former Head butler of the Runcandel?"
[That is correct. Solderet has mentioned the name of the thousand-year Contractor several times. I am Luet Damiro Yul, the Head butler of the Runcandel.]
Luet Damiro Yul.
The Head butler who introduced herself has the same vibrant red hair as Valeria. Luet resembled a young human woman, but she was not human.
Anyone could tell at a glance that she was not human. It was enough to see her shimmering eyes that resembled flowing galaxies and her pointed, erect ears, as well as the round gem embedded in her forehead.
She was a "Fairy."
'A Fairy as the Head butler of the ancient Runcandel... I knew that the Fairies had gone extinct a thousand years ago, and only their descendants, who make 'Drink of regal hymn' for special people on special days and times, live in the world today. They are elusive beings, even though they are not easily found.'
There were few remaining records about the Fairies, and their life span was the same as the Dragons was still considered an accepted theory.
Perhaps that was why, despite enduring a thousand years alone, Luet showed no signs of losing her sanity or crumbling.
"Luet Damiro Yul. Neru, representative of the felinoids tribe, asked me to express gratitude for your efforts. I feel the same way."
Upon hearing that, Luet smiled sadly.
[I can not remmember who Neru was... I just have a strangely nostalgic feeling.]
"...I see."
[Sir Jin Runcandel, once you leave this space, you will forget my name. You won't remember how I look or what conversations we had.]
Tick...
Luet took out a small box from her embrace and opened it. Inside was shadow force marble.
[However, you will remember what you see in this recording device.]
章節 172: Chapter 331
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The shadow force marble brought out by Luet had a slightly different appearance from what Jin had seen before.
There was a faint black light flowing through it, and it was smaller in size. As Jin looked closely, he could see people and landscapes within the marble.
Instinctively, he could tell that this was an undamaged recording device.
The landscapes visible inside the marble were records of the past it contained.
"I will no longer be able to remember Ms. Luet, what does that mean?"
[Exactly as it sounds. Zipfel, their history manipulation is still effective.]
Jin had heard a lot about Zipfel's history manipulation, but he had yet to experience it firsthand.
He had only seen issues with the memories of other people, particularly those related to the ancient Runcandel.
That's why he couldn't easily accept it. If it was so vivid, would he really forget Luet's existence once he left this subspace?
As if reading Jin's thoughts, Luet gave a bittersweet smile and took out a feather pen from her embrace.
[Give me your hand for a moment.]
Luet reached out and wrote her name on Jin's palm.
After a while, Jin had to feel a chilling sensation as he looked at her name written on the palm of his hand.
Luet Damiro Yul.
...Damiro Yul, ...Yul, ....
'The writing of Ms. Luet's name on my palm is disappearing...!'
A shiver ran down his spine.
Jin was already well aware that Zipfel possessed the ability to manipulate history.
However, experiencing it firsthand was an entirely different matter.
[The thousand-year Contractor, Sir Jin, must have visited two tombs before. You must have encountered the Guardians there.]
"Yes, I encountered the Guardians who resembled Sir Sylderay and Dame Sarah."
[Indeed, it seems that those individuals have disappeared from my memories as well. Unlike them, I am not a Guardian formed from shadow force and soul. That's why I will continue to fade away from Sir Jin's memories.]
She was not a Guardian formed from shadow force and soul, but a living person. Therefore, unlike Sylderay or Sarah who had already faced death, she was continuously being erased from history.
[It would have been nice if I could share many stories about the Runcandel from a thousand years ago, but unfortunately, I have very few memories of that time.]
The time given to the fairies is as fleeting as that of dragons, if not more so. No existence in this world would want to endure a long period of a thousand years without even complete memories.
That's why Jin found it difficult to choose his words.
[There's no need to be saddened by that, Sir Jin. The loss of history regarding me is merely a scar of the honor I gained as part of the Runcandel, as a protector of the clan and the world.]
Luet spoke calmly. She had lost most of her memories of ancient Runcandel, but her blind affection remained intact.
"...The price paid for protecting the clan was too cruel."
[But if there hadn't been such a price, the Runcandel would have been completely erased from the world. How is the Runcandel now?]
"After Zipfel, it is the second most powerful clan in the world."
Upon hearing that, Luet smiled brightly.
[See, it was a sacrifice worth the value!]
Like an excited child, Luet spoke in an enthusiastic voice.
[I told you, Temar. Surely, we can protect the clan...!]
Jin's gaze met Luet's.
Luet glanced at Jin for a moment, then lowered her head.
[Oh, I made a mistake. I'm sorry.]
"It's okay, Ms. Luet."
A moment of silence passed.
Jin felt increasingly awkward witnessing the embarrassed state of this pitiful fairy.
[In my era, the Runcandel was nearly erased from history. The most powerful magic swordsmen clan disappeared. Since we made an oath back then, the current Runcandel would be unable to use magic.]
"That's correct."
[However, Sir Jin, as Solderet's Contractor, the curse that the Runcandel received back then won't apply to you.]
Hwaaa...
Jin formed a sphere of mana on his palm. Luet stared at the sphere as if entranced.
[It's the light, the one we saved.]
"Now I am the only magic swordsman in the Runcandel."
Luet also conjured magic.
At that moment, a peculiar wave emanated from the shadow force marble, and Jin recalled that he had seen this magic in the past.
'Record magic!?'
The magic Luet was using bore a striking resemblance to Hister's record magic.
Hister had been active between 1400 and 1500. The fairies were known to have perished long before that.
Buzzzz...
The shadow force marble began to activate, producing a familiar, soft sound.
Could there be some connection between the fairies and Hister?
Just as he pondered, Luet spoke up.
[It seems you're a bit surprised, Sir Jin.]
"I've seen similar magic before."
[This is not magic but a special ability unique to our fairy tribe. My kind, born with a lifespan close to immortality, but in return…]
Wiiii...
The unstable noise of the shadow force marble gradually transformed into a gentle sound.
It was a sound that the damaged shadow force marble had never made before.
[We have the duty to observe and record.]
To observe the world and record it.
That was the purpose of the fairies' existence.
[Even though we possess sufficient power, we have rarely interfered in human affairs. Even when tyrants emerged to ravage the world or when human cultures strayed in the wrong direction, we merely observed and recorded. That's our role.]
"In that case, Ms. Luet, as a fairy, became a member of the Runcandel because Zipfel was manipulating history."
Jin understood the context and responded, prompting Luet to nod.
[That's correct. If they hadn't distorted history, I wouldn't have met Temar and become the head butler of the Runcandel.]
Luet Damiro Yul, she was originally the most noble being of the fairies.
The name "Yul" is reserved only for the king of the fairies.
[But at some point, I was influenced by Temar and began to consider myself a member of the Runcandel. This storm castle now feels more like home than the primordial forest, my original homeland. Compared to the time spent in the forest, the time spent here feels like nothing more than a dream in a midday nap…]
Now, even that feeling had been almost erased from her memories, and Jin couldn't even begin to imagine the sense of loss that Luet must be feeling.
[Hahaha, it seems it's not the time to reminisce about forgotten memories.]
"Ms. Luet."
[Yes, what is it?]
"Do you happen to know a clan called Hister?"
[It's the first time I've heard that name.]
"The members of that clan possess abilities similar to yours, record magic. They were destroyed and disappeared by Zipfel's hand, but I happen to know the last surviving member of Hister. Perhaps, I can ask that person to restore your memories, Ms. Luet."
[That's an intriguing story, humans who use similar magic as us... However, it would be impossible to restore my memories.]
"Nevertheless, we should still try."
[I cannot leave this place, and if you leave this space, you will forget everything about me. Therefore, even if you were to ask that person to restore my memories, it wouldn't be feasible. Even if that person truly possesses such abilities.]
Luet placed her hand on Jin's, resting it on the shadow force marble.
[Still, it doesn't mean that a person's existence will be completely forgotten. To my knowledge, glimpses of my appearance also appear within this recording device. I can only show it to you once, so please take a closer look.]
Oooong!
The waves of magic emanating from the shadow force marble intensified.
Simultaneously, Jin felt a sensation as if his consciousness was being drawn in, allowing him to examine the recorded memories within the marble.
***
It was a place where storms raged throughout the seasons, but that day was unusually turbulent. The expressions of the people seated in the Storm Castle's conference room were grim.
On one side of the room, stacks of blank paper, thousands of sheets, were piled up. However, the papers had already been a little crumpled, as if touched by human hands.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...
Butlers and scribes tirelessly wrote something on fresh pieces of paper.
They were recording the recent events involving the fairies.
Hundreds of individuals simultaneously transcribed the same content with different sentences and interpretations.
(On March 3rd, 797, the Runcandel recorded Zipfel's history manipulation concerning the fairies. On March 4th, the fairy Shil Damiro, Beka Tishke, Mulias Mon, Trica Tredos, and Zen Mainu were forgotten among the fairies...)
(..., on March 3rd, the Runcandel recorded Zipfel's...)
While the butlers and scribes were in the process of recording, the writings were also being erased.
It was as if pouring water into a leak jar. Nevertheless, the butlers and scribes desperately continued to transcribe the same content.
They did so out of fear that if they didn't, the fairies would be completely forgotten.
However, this fear was not imaginary. It was a fear that arose from witnessing something being erased in such a manner.
But what was even more terrifying was the fact that if the fairies were to completely vanish, there was a possibility that the Runcandel would be erased from history in the same way.
"Would Zipfel, those insane bastards, really erase the fairies, who were living and breathing... in such a manner?"
Ten Great Knight Diana exploded in anger. Everyone else in the conference room shared the same sentiment.
They all knew.
In this way, they could only delay the fairies's disappearance from history, barely postponing their extinction.
Even if they are living beings.
Once erased from history, they became non-existent from the beginning. Nobody would recognize them, and they would lose themselves as well.
Zipfel's power to manipulate history went beyond mere "distortion of truth" and delved into the realm of obliterating truth itself.
"How can mere humans wield such power, a power that even gods don't possess... If it weren't for the fairies' abilities, we would never have known that Zipfel's manipulation of history reached this level."
Ten Great Knight Padler spoke up.
As he said, if it weren't for the fairies' "record abilities," the Runcandel would have never known the truth.
But at this rate, the fairies would soon disappear.
No one would be able to record the truth for the Runcandel, no, for the world.
Creak!
The head butler, Luet Damiro Yul, entered the conference room.
"You've arrived, head butler."
Diana greeted her with a bow, and Luet opened a translucent window in the air using her magic.
"Everyone, look at this. There is hope. I have discovered that even Zipfel's manipulation of history has its limits...!"
Luet exclaimed with a triumphant voice contrasting her haggard expression.
Engraved on the translucent window were these words.
<A total of 3,026 mages, including Elona Zipfel, attempted to manipulate the history of Temar Runcandel but failed to overcome the power of an immense existence he possessed.>
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