586
Jin smiled inwardly. Even though Qwaul started shooting from the beginning, it was the moment when it was revealed that Qwaul was not entirely incapable of conversation.
Besides, isn't it Jin's specialty to answer questions and align with the conditions the other party desires?
"Let's start with the question."
"How did you find out I was here?"
"I heard from Madame Talaris."
"Talaris...?"
Tingen showed a surprised expression upon hearing her name. It was as if he heard the name for the first time.
At first, both Jin and Syris wondered if Qwaul and the Tingen mentioned by Talaris were different people. However, after a moment, he was startled and said:
"Ah! Talaris. Yes, Talaris Kendorma!"
"Isn't it Endorma?"
"Was it Endorma? Right...There was such a woman...…."
Not only Jin, but also Syris couldn't help but be amazed by Qwaul's reaction as his eyes deepened as he remembered his old memories.
In particular, Syris was feeling a kind of fresh shock beyond discomfort. She never wanted to, but Syris saw firsthand quite a few of the many humans who had been lovers of Talaris.
They all clung to her mother to the point of being pathetic. In severe cases, they even threatened to end their lives if she didn't meet them, but Talaris never reached out to those former lovers.
Syris had even dealt with those who, in some serious cases, were determined to tarnish the image of the hidden palace by spreading excessive rumors about Talaris. Like when Jin was an intermediate cadet, Syris went to Mamit to remove the Talaris's 307th boyfriend, Alcaro Chender.
Jin and Syris first met there.
'He...… couldn't even remember my mother? What kind of human is he? No, is that even possible?'
Even if they were not lovers, once you saw Talaris, she was an unforgettable figure.
In the first place, the public wouldn't even have the chance to see her, and her unique white-silver hair and aura, characteristic of the Endorma bloodline, exuded an inexplicable mystique that no one else could feel.
But it seemed that Qwaul had really forgotten her. No matter how she looked at it, he wasn't just pretending to forget.
"... No, didn't you already know? Until now, it was the energy of myriad ice that blocked your bullets."
The energy of myriad ice gave off a completely different feeling from ordinary ice-type magic. However, Qwaul clapped his hands as if he just recalled it. There was even Mort.
"That's right. Come to think of it, that friend is using the same power as Talaris Kendorma!"
"Endorma!"
Syris shouted.
Qwaul continued to gaze with a melancholic look, whether he should say it or not.
At this point, Syris was on the verge of losing her temper.
"Oh, Mort. It's been a while, my friend. Then you must be her daughter. Nice to meet you. I am Tingen Bauer."
"Get lost."
"And you must be her son-in-law, or a future son-in-law. Come to think of it, I heard that marriage talks are going on between the 12th flagbearer of Runcandel and the lady of the hidden palace. How is Talaris doing?"
Before Jin could choose how to respond, Qwaul shook his head.
"No, well! Forget it. I'm not interested in past love affairs."
"Ha, unbelievable."
Aren't your eyes too deep for that kind of thing... Jin wanted to say that, but he stayed quiet, looking at Syris.
"Well, anyway, if Talaris told you about this place, it makes sense. She remembered this place."
Qwaul seemed to have a lot of questions about Talaris, but he held it back.
Syris moved away from them, thinking that if she watched Qwaul any longer, she might draw her sword.
Jin gave Qwaul a moment to organize his thoughts.
A few minutes later, Qwaul's eyes were tinted with caution again. However, it was much lighter than the first time.
"Next question. It was explained how you found out about this log cabin and the alias Tingen Bauer. But how did you know my real name?"
"My informants found out."
"I'll tell you in advance. If you play a joke or tell a lie, the conversation ends there."
"You're strict."
"Do you think Runcandel's intelligence is superior to Zipfel's? Moreover, you're still only a 12th flagbearer, your intelligence is not from Runcandel but from the collective abilities of the Vamel Alliance. It's hard to believe that you've figured out my real name to that extent."
Qwaul's words contained one piece of information.
'Even Zipfel didn't know Tingen Bauer's real name, Qwaul Ganesto?'
How did you know something that not even Zipfel knew? Qwaul seemed to be asking that.
"It's true that my informants found out about your real name. My clan didn't even know about your existence, let alone that I was looking for you."
Jin couldn't classify Valeria as a simple informant, but in broad terms, she could also be classified as an informant for the Vamel Alliance, so he wasn't lying.
Qwaul stared at Jin for a while without saying a word.
"Hmm, I don't think you're lying."
That long eye contact was Qwaul's way of detecting lies. There seemed to be no evidence, but since they moved past it, it was fine for Jin.
"I also have a few things I want to ask."
"Do it after I finish my question."
"Why is Zipfel's engineer, especially a figure crucial to the development of teleportation devices and mass-production battleships, stuck in a place like this? Moreover, why aren't there any mages coming to escort you, even to this extent?"
Qwaul didn't really hate Jin's behavior, ignoring his words and asking questions.
He thought that this side was better than the powerful people of Zipfel, who used to show a servile appearance by carefully looking at himself.
Perhaps this small favor was the price for helping him remember a long-forgotten past love, but Qwaul vehemently denied that fact.
"Even those rods you made, they seem to have the ability to interfere with the concentration of martial artists' aura. No matter how I think about it, it's strange that an engineer of your caliber is left neglected in a place like this."
"Neglected? Did you say I was neglected? Hah! You don't know me well. No one can restrain me."
For some reason, at that moment, Jin thought of the black dragon he knew well.
'It reminds me of Murakan....'
These kinds of individuals, whether described positively as simple and unique or negatively as somewhat foolish and arrogant, sometimes showed signs of being obsessed with something.
Jin hoped that Qwaul would also have that kind of element.
"Zipfel released you, is that what you're saying?"
"I was trying to be nice, but you keep talking about things that scratch my pride. Zipfel? They were just interested in my abilities and were accommodating me for a while. I've never been affiliated with them."
Jin had a rough idea.
'Zipfel is probably unable to deal with this eccentric individual recklessly. This person seems to be someone who, even if slightly offended, would never cooperate. So, they had no choice but to go along with his wishes.'
Nothing was known about this arrogant genius engineer, Tingen Bauer.
If Jin didn't get some of the mechanical device and battleship blueprints from Sota Desert, and if Valeria hadn't been there, and if he had no connection with Talaris, he probably wouldn't have found this place.
Even if he had found it, it would have been at a much later time.
In addition, Qwaul had the ability to hold his own against quite a few people, and Zipfel was suffering from severe power shortages after the Sword Emperor Castle War.
'But even so, it's insufficient to explain why Qwaul Ganesto is neglected. Maybe it's because the name Ganesto is not yet known to Zipfel.'
Mind manipulation.
Suddenly, one of Zipfel's spells came to Jin's mind. At least from what he had seen so far, Qwaul seemed unaffected by mind manipulation.
'Their mind control is not yet perfect, so if we exclude that, things somewhat fall into place. And, why was Qwaul working with Zipfel in the first place?'
Even though he wasn't from an academy, and his fame wasn't widespread, it was evident that Qwaul Ganesto was a genius engineer of a different caliber.
Therefore, it was quite possible that Zipfel noticed him due to his exceptional abilities.
'He's not just someone to be recruited easily. If he just needed advanced engineering equipment or resource support, he probably would have used the academy first.'
Zipfel must have made an attractive offer to Qwaul.
To redeem himself, he's going to put an enemy on the Zipfel for a while.
Jin came to that conclusion.
"Perhaps you were working with Zipfel because there was something appealing to you? The desire as a pure scholar worked on things like teleportation devices or the development of mass-production battleships."
"Think whatever you want about that part."
Jin thought it meant yes.
Originally, upon hearing Qwaul's answer, Jin would have felt a bit stuck.
Because the Runcandel and Vamel Alliance did not have any alternative offers against teleportation devices and mass production battleships.
But now, the situation is different.
There is a mana suction spray all-purpose mana spraying cannon, something that Amela affirmed to be a masterpiece of ancient artifacts, and they also have some of the battleship blueprints and parts of the teleportation device.
Particularly, the parts and blueprints were clearly a masterpiece among the masterpieces even to Qwaul.
"Let me ask you directly, Qwaul Ganesto. If I could make you an offer as attractive as Zipfel, would you consider working with me?"
"That's not possible."
"Do you want to hear my proposition? You said you would consider leaving the cabin if I had your questions and met the conditions?"
"Even though I said so, I don't really have any expectations. If you're thinking of moving me through torture or something like that, feel free to do it. However, by doing so, you will become the villain, setting back the progress of this world by centuries."
Jin didn't respond to that and instead pulled out a mechanical device from his pocket, presenting it to Qwaul.
"I thought you might want to complete this thing, but it seems I was mistaken."
Then, Qwaul's eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.
"What, what! Why do you have it!?"
Jin couldn't help but smile once more.
587
Qwaul reflexively reached for the machine, and Jin, avoiding his touch, smirked lightly.
"You shouldn't just snatch someone else's belongings like that."
"How is that yours!?"
"Because I acquired it from Zipfel."
"Ha! Zipfel, those bastards! They let you take it from them?"
"You talk as if there's a reason it must belong to Zipfel."
Qwaul had reacted violently the whole time, but the fact that his face was red and blue as if it was about to burst was really angry.
Even his eyes quickly became bloodshot, and his hands and feet trembled.
"These... These bastards! How dare they deceive me...…!?"
"Zipfel deceived you?"
Jin's eyes narrowed. He needed to hear more of the story, but Qwaul having resentment towards Zipfel was definitely advantageous for Jin.
"It's not Zipfel, it's mine!"
"You have to learn another lesson on handling possessions."
"Give it back."
"You probably don't think that Runcandel is a clan that acquires something and then easily gives it away."
It wasn't just a remark to provoke Qwaul.
The mechanical device and the blueprint for the battleship—how much sacrifice had Jin made in the Sota Desert to obtain these two items? They were acquired through the death of the Black Knight Jane.
For Jin, it was unpleasant that Qwaul dared to claim ownership of an item in front of him.
It is hard to imagine the value of the Qwaul, so Jin just did not reveal his murderous intent. If it were someone else, he would have been immediately charged with crime.
"Fine, I admit it. However, I would like to know where and how you obtained that item."
"Why should I?"
"You said you wanted my ability?"
"That's a different issue. If you want to hear the background, this time, try telling me something that would catch my interest."
Qwaul gritted his teeth. The initiative had shifted in an instant.
He had never experienced losing control like this before.
Powerful individuals, including Zipfel, who accidentally discovered his abilities, had usually resorted to meaningless threats and persuasion, trying to manipulate him with empty promises.
As long as he had the ability as an engineer, Qwaul was always the "strong" one, except for this moment.
'It seems that these things were more precious to Qwaul than I expected.'
Jin's thoughts about Qwaul's desire as an engineer to complete his masterpiece turned out to be accurate.
Therefore, the acquisition is no different from the fact that it is already half-finished.
What remained was how cooperative Qwaul would be.
"... Jin Runcandel, you said it was a teleportation device, right? That item is not a teleportation device, but a tool for instantaneous summoning. It is completely different from teleportation."
"What's the difference?"
"Teleportation has climatic limitations, as is the case with transfer gates, but this device does not have that, and can transcend time and space."
That's why the name of the device was not teleportation, but 'spatial-time device'.
Jin couldn't help but widen his eyes at Qwaul's answer.
'If it could transcend time and space.'
Perhaps, it could be technology that could bring the brethren from Laprarosa.
Of course, he couldn't completely trust Qwaul's words. It might just be a absurd story or an interpretation blown out of proportion driven by hope.
However, until recently, spatial-time devices were considered impossible technology. Jin hadn't heard of such technology even in his past life.
"Is that all?"
"Yes. For now. Now it is your turn to answer."
"It feels like a push and pull between lovers. I obtained the items in the Sota Desert. I acquired both the mechanical device and the blueprint from the vault of the 2nd magic Tower. It's strange that you didn't know about it. Were you not working for Zipfel when the incident in the Sota Desert happened?"
"Hmph, was that the reason you suppressed your murderous intent as soon as I claimed ownership? You must have made a lot of sacrifices."
"It's true, but it's impressive that you picked up on that."
"I apologize for that. The device obviously belongs to you."
This time, Jin liked Qwaul's attitude. Despite being somewhat eccentric and quirky, Qwaul at least seemed to have a basic understanding.
For a while, the two remained silent, organizing their thoughts.
Qwaul was the one to break the silence.
"And there's something you've misunderstood. To be precise, I didn't create that item."
Jin had no choice but to accept Qwaul's words as lies.
The fact that Qwaul was the creator of the machine and blueprints was already revealed by Valeria's record magic.
"Then who created it?"
"Lokia Ganesto."
"What?"
"Lokia Ganesto. The mechanical device wasn't made by me; it was created by my distant ancestor. The spatial-time device I created through it is nothing more than an attempt to restore items from that era."
If what Qwaul said was true, then the Spatial-time device was created a thousand years ago.
A thousand years ago, Runcandel and Zipfel possessed much greater power than they do now, and it was true just by looking at the fact that relics called masterpieces were often found with far superior performance than advanced technology.
It wasn't entirely implausible that the creator, who was revealed by record magic, was Qwaul. Since he improved an already existing item, he could also be seen as a maker.
Above all, the history manipulation of the ten great knights, including Lokia Ganesto, had only faded a little, but it was still working.
"Is the blueprint also made by Lokia Ganesto, not you?"
"If the blueprint you have is in paper form, then yes, I made it. But even that is a restoration using relics left by my ancestors. Like the spatial-time device, it's crude compared to the original that existed a thousand years ago." A
It was the first time Jin had heard that information.
Jin pretended to know that the original was in tablet form, but Qwaul burst into laughter.
"No matter how high you fly or crawl, you couldn't have stolen that. Because that item is in the 1st magic Tower, the Tower of Stories."
"Is the original blueprint also originally yours?"
"No, it would have been good if it were. It belonged to Zipfel long before. It's different from the parts that were always in my possession until I started researching."
"I heard from my informant that the construction of blueprints began in 1775 and machines manufactured in 1780."
"You have quite an impressive informant. But it's such a strange thing. As far as I know when my research started, there were only Kelliark, Kadun, and Octavia in Zipfel...…."
Qwaul narrowed his eyes as if he guessed something.
"I get it now. Your supposed informant, is a survivor of Hister? Record magic. Otherwise, it's information you'd never know. Unless Kelliark Zipfel gave it to you!"
Jin didn't answer and looked at Qwaul's expression. There seemed to be a burning desire in his dark eyes.
"Besides, my real name. That doesn't even make the assumption that Kelliark can tell. Unless it's record magic, you'll never know. You must have seen the Ganesto name on the device through record magic."
The fact that there is a survivor of Hister has been known among the great forces for a long time. And the fact that it is with Jin has been noticed to some extent by both major clans recently.
It was perhaps natural for Qwaul to make such an analogy.
"Are you going to say it's an exaggeration?"
"It depends on what grounds you think so."
"I have lived my whole life under the name Tingen Bauer. It was only recently that I learned of my real name, Qwaul Ganesto. After the world was stained with chaos. Unless it's record magic, what else could have revealed that?"
It was only about a month ago that there was a problem with the manipulation of history in the name of 'Ganesto'. The weakening of Zipfel's power caused by Glyek was causing a chain reaction between Jin and Qwaul.
And neither Jin nor Qwaul know.
This isn't the first time Zipfel's manipulation of history has gone wrong. Even around the time that Qwaul was born, and during the lives of his other ancestors, there were moments when manipulation weakened. In particular, Ganesto's manipulation of history was often problematic.
"It's a shame I didn't know about Kelliark not knowing your name. Yes, the survivor of Hister is with me."
It was not a situation to keep hiding. Jin continued to observe the desire reflected in Qwaul's eyes.
Qwaul is a descendant of Lokia Ganesto, and is the world's greatest engineer. And what he most wanted was not wealth, power, or personal success, but the restoration and completion of technology.
Therefore, the ability to use record magic, which only Hister could use, was more essential to Qwaul needed more than anything else.
"The conditions I was going to mention in order to leave the cabin were originally these. First, you must own the machine. And the second is to recruit a person who can use record magic and make them my assistant. So, I didn't expect anything from you because both seemed impossible."
Hiss, Qwaul said, lighting a cigarette.
"The first condition is already fulfilled, and the second condition depends on how closely you are connected with the record wizard. Is it possible?"
"I think it's possible if you're an assistant, not them."
"Well, the issue of titles doesn't matter much. Anyway, once they confirm my abilities, they will naturally consider themselves as an assistant.""
Jin thought that Valeria would never do that, but he nodded his head.
Rather, Jin was imagining a picture of Qwaul volunteering to be Valeria's assistant.
Qwaul held out his hand to Jin.
"There will be no greater luck than having me in your life, your family, and your entire faction."
Jin responded by holding his hand.
"I will serve you diligently in my own way."
"What do you mean by 'in my own way'?"
"It means I welcome you to the Vamel alliance."
Although Qwaul protested that he wasn't officially a part of it yet, Jin effortlessly subdued him and tossed him into the mouth of the Mort.
588
Jin was a little worried because Qwaul had a rather snarky personality, but surprisingly, as soon as he arrived, he seemed to get along well with Jin's companions.
Of course, Qwaul had a feisty side, but Jin's companions quickly accepted him because he showed a rugged yet affectionate side to the children.
"Young Master, it seems everyone misses Lord Murakan."
Gilly spoke as she sat next to Jin. She and Jin were observing the children teasing Qwaul for being a bandit or a bandit leader.
"Murakan?"
"When Lord Murakan was around, Tikan always felt lively. He's actually taking care of everything and playing with the kids. I should say that Dr. Qwaul seems to be taking over the role."
"While he does seem to get along well with the kids, hasn't he taken care of other companions yet? It was only three hours ago that Qwaul came here."
Gilly's eyes widened at those words. Come to think of it, it was as Jin said.
In the past three hours, all Qwaul had done with his colleagues was appoint Amela as his assistant, propose the same role to Veris, only to be flatly rejected, and exchange a few words with others.
Qwaul even got a slap from Cuicantelle for teasing her, but it didn't seem to faze him
"Oh, well, that's right."
I guess you miss Murakan, Gilly...… Jin understood it that way.
'It makes me feel a little weird when I think about the fact that these two people could be lovers....'
The two were practically like parents to Jin, so whenever there was a strange atmosphere between them, it made Jin feel uneasy.
"Um, well then. I'll go take care of the overdue tasks, Young Master."
When Gilly disappeared, Jin let out a wry smile.
'I wonder if Murakan is doing well.'
Murakan was currently absent to fill the role of Misha. He was performing Solderet's duties in his place.
Jin had no idea exactly what he was doing. Given that it was a task of god, he assumed it involved maintaining the balance and order of the world.
Even Misha didn't fully understand everything she was handling. It was beyond the perception of mortals.
"Dame Amela."
This time, Amelia, dressed in a round bush, rolled over to Jin.
"Say it, lord."
"You had a long talk with Qwaul earlier. What do you think?"
"About his abilities?"
"Yes."
"Even if there were ten of me, I wouldn't be able to keep up with Dr. Qwaul's little toe."
"Is it that much?"
"Technically, he's ahead by at least a few hundred years. We've decided to study the Black King Cannon No. 1 together, and he's already solved some problems I couldn't figure out. It will take some time to perfect it, though. It won't be long before it surpasses Kozec's main cannon."
"Oh...."
Indeed, Qwaul's assurance that meeting him was the greatest fortune was not an exaggeration.
Amela, formerly a researcher, even before becoming a mercenary, seemed to show respect for Qwaul's abilities.
"It's really crazy that Zipfel just threw that old man away. It's their biggest mistake."
There was one more reason why Qwaul was left neglected in the remote area.
Zipfel mistakenly believed that they had utilized most of his abilities.
'It wasn't entirely wrong until recently.'
It was true that Qwaul was a genius among geniuses from the start. However, his engineering skills were increasing in real-time.
Just as he now realized he was a descendant of 'Ganesto,' some of the sealed 'inherited memories' were being released, weakening the power of the story after the Sword Emperor Castle War.
'The great knight Lokia Ganesto has arranged a mechanism to ensure that the memory continues to be passed on to its descendants... Is it like this?'
Memory inheritance.
Jin had already experienced firsthand the fact that it was possible thanks to the help of the brethren of the Plutonian tribe. Hister was also leaving magic, mana, records, and memories to its descendants through the 'succession temple'.
In a similar way, Ganesto was achieving memory transmission through some method. Zipfel was completely unaware of that fact.
Even so, Zipfel should have killed Qwaul or taken special care of him. Zipfel would have done so if it hadn't taken a huge hit in the Sword Emperor Castle War.
"It won't be long before they come looking for Qwaul again. So Dame Amela, keep an eye on Qwaul. You should absolutely refrain him from going outside Tikan."
"Are you telling me to keep him confined for research?"
"Something like that."
"Don't worry about that. He's the type to be locked up in the research lab even if told to go out. I'll make sure to pay more attention."
There was a lot of work to be done through Qwaul. And all of that will have better results than when Rosa chose 'The Prophet'.
-Originally, I planned to use them through the Prophet. However, I changed my mind this time by suspending Joshua from the flagbearer position. I will postpone negotiations with the prophet. During that time, prove that you have a method superior to the Prophet.
-If I fail, you...… will hand them over to the Prophet. You're saying this, acting matriarch.
The machine and the battleship's blueprints, Rosa still insisted on handing them over to the Prophet at any time.
'If Zipfel hadn't suffered such a significant blow during the Sword Emperor Castle War, my mother would have immediately taken those things away from me.'
Although Rosa never told Jin, she actually wanted to negotiate with the Prophet right now to complete the machine and fleet of battleships. She had an internal change after the war like Qwaul.
Still, there was only one reason Rosa was delaying the negotiations. This was because the clan's power weakened, if any variables arose in negotiations with the prophet, she had fewer means to deal with them.
It is not yet known how much power the Prophet possesses. Only by inferring from the fact that she has not directly exerted influence on the Garden of the Swords can it be deduced that she cannot overturn the clan as she wishes.
"But for now, please disguise Qwaul with Golden Snow products. Dame Amela, get ready to go out."
"Hmm, where are we going?"
"There are people who have to pay for their sins. If they try to scam me again, I won't have the means to investigate, so I need the help of both of you."
* * *
Kinzelo Main Headquarters.
As always, Kinzelo's executives watched Ainas and Bubare running around with distraught eyes.
"Ron Hairan... I never thought he would become a genesis knight."
Even on the always cheerful face of Margiella, a depth of concern was evident.
She had foreseen Dante's death long before the Sword emperor castle war began. Not only that, but she also knew how the world's balance would shift after Glyek awakened from the White Stone.
However, every future Margiella foresaw had all turned out to be completely wrong. All because Ron reached the Genesis knight at the last moment.
"I don't feel good. Making Sir Jin join us seems like something that will never happen in the future."
"Did you confirm the future with your ability?"
Zephyrin asked, and Margiella shook her head.
"Sir Jin's fate is completely invisible to me. However, now that things have turned out like this, it seems like Sir Jin has taken another step away from us."
"That devil is already very far from us."
"That is not wrong either."
"And even if the fate you saw had gone according to plan, wouldn't Sir Jin have become more distant from us?"
"He may have lost his mind, but he must have been in a situation where he needed our help."
A Red tiger tribesman found the executives in a hurry.
"What's going on?"
Berakt said while glaring at the red tiger who rushed carelessly.
"Jin Runcandel has come to the Land of the Beastmen! Huk, huk. He said "I am here for the negotiations that I mentioned last time...…."
The red tiger tribesmen were out of breath after running for so long. And the reason he ran was no different.
"Well, if you don't come to Yukayuka market by noon, I'll consider the negotiation nonexistent and leave!"
The gazes of the executives reached the clock hanging on the wall at the same time.
There were only two minutes left until noon. Even if Zephyrin immediately transformed into her true form and flew through the headquarters ceiling at full speed, it was impossible to get there in time.
"Ha! Is that arrogant guy trying to humiliate us again like this? No, Sir Berakt. Let's send a letter to Tikan. If Jin Runcandel doesn't come back to the land of the beastmen by the end of today, we will attack Tikan right away!"
For some reason, Berakt tried to respond positively to Joe's shout.
But the moment Margiella shook her head, Berakt scolded Joe.
"Shut up, Joe."
"Right, mister Joe. Sir Jin never speaks empty words. If it's not now, we won't be able to see the machine and blueprints again."
Battleship blueprints and machine were also very important to Kinzelo. In the first place, they also took considerable damage in the Sota Desert and tried to win them.
Margiella soon made a decision.
"I will open the door. I'm sorry, leader!"
As she waved her hand in the air, a huge steel door suddenly formed in the middle of the meeting room, and at that moment, the leader of Kinzelo, who was lying in the inner room of the headquarters, had no choice but to vomit blood once again.
"If I get involved with that devil, my master's recovery will be delayed...…."
"Let's go together!"
All the executives passed through the steel door that Margiella had opened. As soon as they arrived at Yuka Yuka Market, they could see Jin holding a pocket watch.
"11:59:57 am. That's too bad, if you were just 4 seconds late, there wouldn't have been any conversation between you and me. It seems the items we acquired in the Sota Desert are quite necessary for you as well."
"Um, it's been a while. Sir Jin! How have you been?"
Margiella forced a smile.
"I don't think we're close enough to inquire about each other's well-being, Margiella."
"I think so too, Sir Jin. We were in a hurry and couldn't come with the engineers, so I'm sure you'll understand. Otherwise, it wouldn't be fun for both parties."
When Zephyrin gritted her teeth, Jin snorted.
"Alright, fine. I can understand that part. But you guys are charged with the crime. Did you know that Glyek could wake up?"
"Even if we knew, what's the problem? It's just that our intelligence outpaced yours. We're not close enough to exchange greetings, let alone allies, so there was no need to share that information."
"You are right. Since we're not allies, I'd rather just blame you for the crimes. In fact, I didn't need to share the items we acquired in the Sota Desert with you. Therefore, there's one more condition for this negotiation. If you want to see the items..."
Explain how Vermont found Temar's body.
Jin finished his sentence with a stern expression.
589
"Ha, hahaha! Wh- What are you talking about? The Vermont Imperial Family found the body of the first patriarch of the Runcandel?"
Margiella turned her eyes to the side and said.
"Don't pretend you don't know. You guys surely had that information."
"Well, on what basis are you making such a statement?"
In the past, Margiella visited the Garden of Swords with Berakt and informed Jin that the imperial family was looking for Temar's tomb.
At that time, Margiella said that if Jin joins Kinzelo, she would tell him why they are looking for Temar's tomb.
Naturally, Jin flatly refused, and later, he figured out the Imperial Family's purpose and the fact that they already possessed part of Temar's body without Kinzelo's help.
"Intuition."
At Jin's succinct response, the expressions of Kinzelo's executives crumpled.
"I thought Sir Jin was a very rational, pragmatic, and impressive person. Just like my older brother. But an intuition, it's a word that does not suit you, Sir Jin, right?"
"Miss Margiella, this devil is originally that kind of person. Do you know how much trouble I went through because of his hot temper?" Bubare said.
"This guy is the Jin Runcandel that our friend Bubare cursed so much. I am Ainas Kaligo! the princess of the Kaligo family and loves sweet potato croquettes. I challenge you! How many can you eat?"
"What?"
"How many sweet potato croquettes can you eat at one time? Probably five at most. I can eat a whopping five hundred... hehehe! It will be a massacre."
"Ha, stop it, Ainaz..."
"Listen carefully, you inferior human. If my unnie hadn't stopped me, you would be dead!"
Suddenly, Jin remembered that Amela could have been among those idiots. His head throbbed for some reason when he thought that if it were Amela, she would have fit in well with them.
"You've got more interesting friends since the last time I saw you."
At Jin's sarcastic answer, Bishkel's face seemed to get redder, almost as if he might explode.
"And did you say that it is not like me to put forward based on intuition? I guess you misunderstood me. Whether it's my intuition or anything else, it doesn't matter. What's important is that if you don't spill information about the Imperial Family, you can't examine the items I bought."
"Ha! You're pushing it again! How would we know by what means you obtained Temar's body!?"
"If you don't know, you should find out, Bubare. I think you're the one who wants to analyze the blueprints and the machine the most among the Kinzelo. Since we shouldn't waste time, it would be good if you tell me later if you really don't know. I'll come back immediately then."
Saying so, Jin took out a machine and blueprint from his pocket and waved it in front of the Kinzelo's executives.
'Lord Murakan often said that lord had a very nasty side, but I think he was referring to the same case right now....'
'This guy, whether in the cabin or now. There seems to be something inhuman about roasting people.'
As Jin smiled brightly, his companions thought about such things. Kinzelo's executives struggled to contain their boiling emotions.
"Zephyrin? It looks like you and Margiella are the commanders, except for the leader."
"Our vice-leader is Bishkel Ivelianos."
Berakt said with a twisted expression. After Zephyrin arrived, Berakt felt a slight sense of crisis in his position.
"Is that so? Whoever the leader is, decide quickly. Time is money, haven't you heard that saying?"
"Wow, today's Sir Jin is somewhat unfavorable."
"I don't need to favor you."
"Why are you doing this? Have you forgotten how me and my good friend helped you, Sir Jin?"
"I forgot all of that, but I remember everything you guys did to the Holy Kingdom and Sword Emperor Castle…."
Margiella's eyes were smiling, but there was malice in them. After a moment of contemplation, she finally decided to accept Jin's proposal.
"Sir Jin. First of all, we really don't know how they got the body of the first patriarch of Runcandel."
"Then goodbye."
"Instead, we know what part of Temar's body is in their possession. If I tell you this, will you share information about the items?"
"Tell me at once."
"Bullying at its finest. Damn it. Miss Margiella, do you have any reason to listen? Sir Jin, I don't know what you believe in and mess around like this again? This is Kinzelo's land. Even if we just entertain the thought of having ill intentions, wiping you out would be a piece of cake..."
"Of course there is something I believe in. Mort!"
[Boong!]
As Jin shouted, Mort and Syris, who had been hiding near them, appeared. In the first place, Jin and his companions rode Mort to find the land of the beastmen.
"Thank you, Lady Syris. And Mort. I wouldn't have come here without some safety measures, Zephyrin."
"Tch."
"And this is just a safety measure. You think you can wipe us out if you set your mind to it? It's an exaggeration."
Jin erased his smile and began to reveal her energy. As he did, vibrations occurred in the area, and blue lightning bolts spread in all directions.
The members of the Red Tiger Tribe and White Wolf Tribe, who were patrolling or waiting near the market, sank to the ground, hesitating.
'You've grown...….'
Of course, Berakt did not shrink at all from the aura of the Plutonian tribe spread by Jin, but he was shocked by the fact that Jin possessed an aura that was different from the one in his memory.
The growth rate was too fast. Even though he was only twenty years old, Jin was spreading an aura close to 10-star.
'Even the flow of energy is unusual. The chaos energy is also mixed, and with the right opportunity, it is in a state where he can become explosively stronger at any time. Did he transcend during the Sword Emperor Castle war?'
Jin glared at Zephyrin.
"Besides, you're in a situation where you can't use your strength properly. That's why you got beaten up by Madame Talaris unilaterally in Tikan. Seeing that the leader hasn't come out now, he won't be able to use his power either. Am I wrong?"
"Oh! Lady Zephyrin, he is right...… Oops."
"Then the one who made the Grand Duchess's chin at that time or! Ugh!"
Bishkel covered Bubare's mouth, and Bianca covered Ainas's mouth.
"So, if you want to fight, I'll accept it."
"You're too arrogant, Sir Jin...… How are you going to deal with the aftermath later?"
"And I guess you forgot, this land of the beastmen is very close to the kingdom of Zhan. The kingdom of Zhan is the territory of Runcandel. So if a fight breaks out here, we'll just have to hold out until my clan support comes. It seems that Sir Stam has something stored for you guys."
Of course, since they just used the leader's power again, they can't really attack. In the end, as always, Zephyrin had no choice but to give up.
"Now that you seem to understand the situation a bit, let's get into the details, Miss Margiella."
"The body part of Temar possessed by the imperial family is an arm."
Valeria's record magic only knew that 'part' of Temar's body was used. Jin felt his heart choke after hearing the direct name 'arm' rather than such an ambiguous expression.
It means that even after he dies, his body was torn apart and utilized in various ways.
"Arm?"
"Yes, his left arm. As you may already know, the imperial family is trying to complete the Majin transformation through it."
"How did you know they had a left arm?"
"Because we made a deal with the imperial family."
In fact, it was recognized by the leader's ability. Jin didn't bother to point out that part.
"From what we've seen, Temar Runcandel's body itself is no different from a collection of Ancient Magic information from its prime days. Because the deal went wrong, we didn't have a chance to properly analyze it."
Valeria had also expected that Temar's body was a collection of ancient magic information.
"You are not going to ask how to prove this, right?"
At Zephyrin's words, Jin nodded his head.
"I'm not that far off a person."
"How did you know that the imperial family had Temar's body, Sir Jin? I don't think you even tortured the Emperor...… After all, is it because the record mage is with you?"
Jin didn't answer and put the items he had taken out back into his pocket.
"Why are you putting them away like that? Now that you have heard your information, don't think you can escape. If that's the case, it won't end just with words. No matter what damage we suffer, we will fight."
"Ah, don't get me wrong, I just put them away because it's uncomfortable to hold. The conversation window is still open. Originally, I was planning to only listen to the information about Temar's body, but just now, another annoying crime was added. You are going to wipe us out. What can I do? I don't feel good after hearing that."
"Hey, Runcandel's 12th flagbearer. Calm down. I can't tolerate this any longer."
Berakt spoke while taking out the greatsword hanging from his back. Margiella smiled as she grabbed his arm.
"Uncle Berakt, it's okay. Let's hear him out. It seems that today is the day when Sir Jin has a lot of questions for us. And Sir Jin, it would be nice if you could remember my appearance again today. This pathetic effort to resolve things through conversation, let's try to make the most of it."
"Let's try to make an effort, shall we? Alright, this is the last question. Kinzelo, what is your ultimate goal?"
In his previous life, Jin never had curiosity about Kinzelo's goal. He only thought of them as a third-rate terrorist organization that started causing some trouble globally shortly before his death in the past life.
However, the current Kinzelo is on a different level.
'To be precise, Kinzelo had this power back then, but they were probably hiding it. So many things have changed because of my regression.'
Margiella and Jin's eyes met.
"As far as I know, your goal is to elevate your leader as the world's only king. But I feel like that's not the whole story."
"That is all."
"It's all about making your leader the only king in the world. So, is world domination your purpose?"
Then Margiella smiled and replied:
"I mentioned it once before, didn't I? We just want to create a better world. So, rather than the word 'conquest,' I think 'purification' suits us better."
590
Jin and his companions momentarily doubted whether they had heard correctly, questioning their own ears.
Until just a short while ago, the word "purification" was not something that could casually come out of the mouths of the notorious group known for various acts of terrorism and espionage.
Didn't Kinzelo even stand by knowing that Glyek would be awakened?
As a result, the world had been contaminated by chaos, and chaos was spreading among living beings like an epidemic.
Jin was so stunned that he was speechless when he heard word purification.
"... Purification?"
"Yes, purification! Our Kinzelo's goal is to make the world more beautiful."
Margiella spoke with a confident and vibrant voice, regardless of whether Jin and his companions were shocked or silent.
Beside her, Ainas and Bubare nodded as if confirming that it was indeed the case.
'I knew they were crazy, but I never expected them to go this far as a group.'
Everyone seemed to be serious.
Margiella even went so far as to imagine a world made beautiful by their actions, her eyes sparkling.
"It seems the meaning of the purification that we know and the meaning of purification that you think are a bit different."
"It's probably the same. Hasn't Sir Jin ever thought of that? This world is filled with unnecessary pain and contradictions."
"I often think about it. You guys are contributing quite a bit to that kind of environment."
"Right now, you might see it that way."
"For fundamental purification, isn't a certain amount of sacrifice and destruction absolutely necessary?"
"Exactly!"
"Setting aside whether it's right or wrong, I'm skeptical about how you guys plan to achieve such an idealistic utopia."
"The method is not that difficult. We will annihilate all the gods in the world."
"It's getting more and more absurd."
"Once we eliminate all the gods as planned, our leader will become the sole king of the world."
Jin's eyes narrowed.
Kill all the gods...… Perhaps that was not an impossible task for Kinzelo.
As Jin knew, the first maker of the Demon God's orb was Bubare Gaston. Although they collaborated with Zipfel, the key personnel was Bubare.
The reason why the alliance between Kinzelo and Zipfel was broken was because Zipfel used the Demon God's orb 'without permission' and damaged it in the first place.
And the Demon God's orb had the function of sealing the gods and replicating some of their divine powers.
'All the Demon God's orb I've seen so far have been incomplete. If it's completed, there's a good chance that it'll go beyond sealing the gods and annihilate them.'
Jin shrugged his shoulders.
"Do you and your leader believe that all the wrongs and contradictions in the world are the gods' responsibility?"
"Not necessarily, but most of the responsibility lies with them. To describe our grand cause in a more splendid and concise manner, it's like a revolution against the gods."
Jin felt a headache coming on.
'Zipfel and Kinzelo. One wants to become the sole victor in the world through the power of the gods, and the other wants to kill all the gods and purify the world... They're both insane.'
A bitter laugh escaped him at the realization that such beings were in charge of a major axis of global power.
'Well, when you think about it, even Runcandel doesn't want to kill or use the gods. In the end, it's not that different; they just want to defeat Zipfel and become the world's conqueror.'
Perhaps the goal of the great factions is more of a cliché, rather than a strange one.
It doesn't really matter who wants what. The crucial point is whether they have the power to achieve it.
"I heard your goals well. The reason people, dragons, and demons gathered in Kinzelo even after hearing such an empty dream. Maybe it's not just because they are stupid...…."
Jin paused for a moment.
"Hehehe, it tickles, heehee! Miss Ainas!"
"Hehehe!"
In the meantime, when Jin saw Bubare and Ainas laughing and talking, he just thought that stupid people might have gathered in Kinzelo.
"... Kinzelo's power must be extraordinary for them to believe in the idea of eliminating the gods and purifying the world."
At the time of the Sword Emperor castle terrorist attack, Kinzelo's leader showed transcendental power. He possesses divine abilities, such as teleportation through a steel door and repairing half-destroyed Grenil at once, as well as brute force. Moreover, the leader accomplished all these feats in an 'imperfect' state.
"What is the identity of your leader?"
A demon, a demon king, or an existence equivalent to that. Jin's companions assumed the identity of the leader like that.
Currently, not only the Vamel Alliance, but the whole world was curious about the identity of Kinzelo's leader.
After Kinzelo emerged as a third faction, many people inferred the identity of the leader, but he was still under a veil.
In particular, the number of people tracking the leader's identity has rapidly increased recently.
Jin suddenly felt strange about that fact.
'The fact that Kinzelo had the means to subdue Glyek was not disclosed to the public after the Sword Emperor Castle War. But why have people suddenly started looking for the leader's identity after the war ended...'
As his thoughts reached that point, Jin's eyes widened.
'Is it because Zipfel's manipulation of history has weakened since the Sword Emperor Castle war…!'
The fact that Kinzelo's leader was also a person affected by the power of the story was already expected at the time of the Sword Emperor castle terrorist attack.
-That demon...… looks familiar.
-Are you talking about Kinzelo's leader?
-I'm sure... I've encountered him... with brethren.
- Who is it? Are you saying he has ever fought with Plutonian brethren?
- That's...… I do not know. But... I'm sure. What I encountered...…
Linpa, who was summoned at the time, was also convinced that she had met the leader of Kinzelo, but she could not remember exactly who he was.
Not only Linpa, but also Murakan.
From the recorded video left by Solderet, Murakan and the leader seemed to know each other well, but he did not recognize the leader.
Margiella smiled.
"Sir Jin, you may not know, but in reality, you have a deep connection with our leader. You've received the leader's help several times. There were instances when you used the leader's belongings to save your life."
"The leader's belongings?"
"White whale Luna Runcandel, a long time ago. She would have given you a present, Sir Jin."
Instantly, a chill ran down Jin's spine.
-Oh. Kid, that thing around your neck! Could it be that it's from Orgal, the Demon Beast King? That's right! Hey, you got a precious birthday present. A thousand years ago, there were dozens of kings who gave up their lives to get it.
-Who is Orgal, the Demon Beast King?
-Yeah, he is a great demon who was active in my era. I can recognise it at a glance. It must have been given by the owner of that powerful energy earlier, so it is like gaining a life. Congratulations, kid.
"The pendant of Demon Beast King, Orgal...."
"Yes, the owner of that pendant is our leader."
Demon Beast King, Orgal.
He is the leader of Kinzelo.
Orgal was the original owner of the pendant that Jin used, and was the lover of witch, Helluram, and the one who gifted her ruby cat, Shuri.
And in the recorded video that Jin saw, he was also the person who showed up when Murakan tried to kill the insane Temar.
Contrary to the recorded video, in the present time, when Murakan first met him, he mentioned that he was the one who stopped the 'insane Murakan from killing Temar.'
The contradiction between what he said and the recorded video, the fact that Murakan didn't recognize him, and the fact that even Murakan and Cuicantelle, who were constantly aware of the existence of 'Orgal', couldn't relate him to Kinzelo's leader.
Jin intuitively knew that Orgal's history was manipulated in a very complex way.
Or, perhaps the contradictions in Orgal's history were a result of his resistance against Zipfel's manipulation. In fact, Orgal was constantly resisting the manipulation of history even before their power was weakened by Glyek.
That's why Murakan and Cuicantelle remember Orgal even though they don't recognize him.
"Lady Luna cut down one of the demons to get the leader's pendant, and gave it to you. This is what people often call fate. If the leader hadn't entrusted the pendant to someone else at that time, it wouldn't have come to you."
Jin didn't answer that.
"Then you probably would not have received help from Lady Luna, and would have been killed by Andrei Zipfel on the remote island of Vermont, Sir Jin. There wouldn't have been any chance for us to meet and have this conversation!"
Jin's mind was filled with complicated thoughts.
"So, maybe you could feel a little grateful to our leader? It's fate, created by the leader."
"Let's say that the Demon Beast King Orgal is a great being who can decide fate. Even if I managed to survive from Andrei on that island thanks to him, it was ultimately for your sake, not mine."
"Why do you always think in such convoluted ways?"
"If I had been absorbed by the Demon God's orb at that time, Zipfel would have finished that dog-like object before you."
"Well… That's right."
"No matter what anyone says, the one who saved me that day was my elder sister Luna, not Orgal. She decided my fate, so I hope you don't put your name on it as you write a novel. It's very unpleasant...."
Margiella clapped her hands.
"Did another crime be added?"
Without a word, Jin took out the machine and blueprints again.
Bubare, who had been acting mischievously with Ainas the entire time, suddenly focused on the items.
"Zephyrin, do you remember what I said in Tikan last time? The discussions about analyzing the items should be conducted with both parties present, and all the information Kinzelo has obtained should be shared with us."
Jin was consistently demanding and irritating towards Kinzelo until the very end.
"Huh, Grand Duchess! Did he catch any of your weaknesses? Even if we fall below, I think we fall below too much!"
"Huh, I remember."
"Go ahead. I will give you the opportunity to analyze for three hours. Bubare Gaston, only you come forward. The rest stay away and wait."
Excited Bubare snorted and approached Jin's group.
Amela and the disguised Qwaul unfolded the prepared workstation, and immediately the three of them began analyzing together.
Kinzelo's executive had faith in Bubare. They believed that no engineer, no matter who it was, could surpass Bubare's abilities.
But as soon as Qwaul saw Bubare's analysis, he cleared his throat once, classifying Bubare's engineering knowledge far below his own.
The cough was a sign.
Before coming to the territory of the beastmen, Qwaul had pre-installed engineering traps on the items, and Kinzelo's side had completely failed to recognize them.