Nol had once thought that after he achieved financial freedom and finished his work, he would meet someone he liked. He could invite them to travel through magnificent landscapes, forgetting the agony of all those years of overtime.
He would buy a good camera, capturing beautiful scenery and the face of the person he'd unexpectedly fallen for. He would change his profile picture on his social media, sharing travel insights daily… Probably living in this kind of free yet ordinary state.
Who could have imagined that this wish would be realized in such a twisted manner?
Nol formed a rectangular frame with his hands, aiming at Teest, who was biting into roasted cheese. At the intersection of the night and the lights, the Mad Monk was intently trying to kill a cheese ball.
"Hm?"
Teest, sharp as always, noticed Nol's action and turned his face. A bit of sugar from the cheese ball still clung to the corner of his mouth, giving him the appearance of a typical good guy you'd see anywhere.
Click. Nol thought in his heart.
Unfortunately, he couldn't really capture this moment.
Swallowing his cheese, Teest looked toward the framing eye. "What's up?"
"I was just thinking, you seem very confident."
Nol lowered his hands and took a roasted cheese stick from Teest's paper bag—the roasted cheese here was a cheese ball mounted on the tip of a wooden stick, looking like an oversized lollipop.
Recently, the two had been on a deep tour in Grape Collar.
Being close by, Nol occasionally checked on the situation in "Paradise". There was no issue on the side of the Lost Tower. Everything was going well—
Lynn's workshop was initially open, and she was busy manufacturing the first batch of daily tools. With the efforts of the Armored Bear and the Centaur, tomatoes and eggplants were ready to be harvested, while Uncle Ma was considering pickling some sauerkraut… Rosen and the others brought back two neighbors, both of whom were injured a bit and were temporarily under the care of Dr. Zhu.
The person Nol was particularly concerned about, Granny Meng, hadn't caused any trouble.
Thankfully, the old lady no longer scolded people early in the morning. She just squatted on the central statue decoration on the first floor, silently watching everyone. When the neighbors prepared meals, she would strut over to eat, and after eating, fly back to her original position—besides the occasional weird snickers, the old lady still didn't talk to anyone.
However, since the succubi couldn't detect any surveillance or control magic on anyone, everyone just let her be.
It seemed that even if he left the Tower for a long time, the impact wouldn't be significant, and Nol felt much relieved.
...
Finally, time meandered to tonight. Today was the legendary auction day.
Grape Collar was a large city, and recently many merchant caravans had come to join the bustle, making the streets even livelier than usual. In comparison, the night in Whitebird City was as dull as a small town night market.
Amidst the bustling tourists and hidden by the "A Midsummer Night's Dream" concealment, Nol and Teest blended in just right. They seemed like two utterly ordinary tourists, simply enjoying a lovely personal time.
"You don't have to worry about the potion. I can roughly guess who she'd commission." Teest continued munching on his cheese, casually placing the cheese bag between them. "There aren't many who can perfectly handle this job, and given her unnecessary curiosity about 'Paradise', she would only commission that guy."
"You have more friends than I imagined," Nol commented.
Teest chuckled. "What, honey, are you curious about me?"
"Yes," Nol said matter-of-factly.
Teest: "..."
Teest smiled and adjusted his black hair. "No, he's definitely not a friend. In fact, we can't even be considered acquaintances. We're just two wanted individuals. My opinion of him is just slightly better than that of a cockroach. However, I must admit, that guy is quite powerful."
Just as Nol was all ears, eager to continue listening, Teest pointed ahead with the leftover stick from his snack. "There, that guy."
Instinctively, Nol adjusted the brim of his hood, looking in the direction Teest pointed to.
A man in a loose-fitting cloth shirt was approaching them.
The man seemed to be in his forties, not much different in age from "Golden Sword" Billy. Unlike Billy's neat appearance with a hint of rogueness, this man had a different kind of eccentricity—
He was about 1.9 meters tall, slim yet muscular. He had shoulder-length, deep wine-red curly hair, so rich it almost looked reddish-brown. His light green eyes, reminiscent of freshly peeled grapes, were filled with a wine-soaked mirth.
While he wasn't extraordinarily handsome, his features were indeed well-proportioned and pleasing to the eye. Clean and tidy, he would look like the kind of well-liked upright priest.
On the other hand, his current attire made him look just like a street thief. The man stood barefoot on the street, his clothes ragged at the edges.
Nol noticed the only two valuable items on him—one was a regular short sword at his waist, and the other was a faceless silver figure hanging from his chest.
The silver figure looked incredibly rough, without any facial features, and was overall oxidized and dark, with the face being slightly brighter and even cruder in craft. Nol couldn't recognize it from the game, nor could he detect any magical fluctuations from it.
As Nol was sizing the man up, the latter was also blatantly sizing up Nol.
"Good evening, both of you!"
After pausing briefly in front of Nol, the man greeted them warmly. "My name is Painter. I'm delighted to serve the two of you."
With that, he casually flicked a tiny tin flask, which gracefully landed in Nol's arms.
"All right, mission accomplished!" he announced with a sing-song tone.
Just after Painter's words, a group of guards rushed from behind him. They pushed through the screaming crowd, scanning the area vigilantly—they appeared to be private guards, probably discovering the theft of the "Time Reversion".
With the flask in his grasp, Nol was stunned.
…Just like that? Is this what it feels like to throw money and get things done?
…Was it this seemingly homeless guy in front of him who broke into one of the three major capitals' underground auction and took out their most valuable item?
…What exactly is this guy's profession?
Lost in his thoughts, Nol took another look at the stranger, trying to spot any clues he might have missed. But no matter how he looked, the man didn't have any recognizable items from the game.
"Don't leave yet. The commission details aren't just this, right?" With chaos all around, Teest's smile diminished, and it seemed he genuinely didn't like this strange guest.
"Oh, you mean the method of use." Painter rubbed his hands, stepped closer, and flashed a bright smile at Nol. "I see, I see. I'll need to explain it to both of you personally."
"If it's convenient for you," Nol replied, sounding slightly stiff. He wasn't too fond of such overly familiar individuals.
"It's convenient, of course. Our Drifting Mercenary Group always provides impeccable service," Painter exclaimed with wide-open eyes and a firm nod. "But it's too noisy here. We need to find another place!"
Nol's gaze had just drifted towards the dark alley when he heard a snapping sound next to his ear. Everything went dark before his eyes, and all surrounding noises instantly faded away.
The chaotic, bustling street vanished, and the night sky adorned with four moons disappeared.
Underneath him was a flawless white marble floor, spanning around 50 to 60 square meters with damaged edges and suspended at an angle in midair.
Above them, around them, and below them, large chunks of ruins resembling those of a cathedral floated, with tiny fragments dancing near the debris, reminiscent of stars at first glance.
Beyond the ruins was an abyss of utter darkness, deep as the universe itself.
The game skill [Mercy Countdown], a unique skill of the rare profession "Sage".
Recognizing this skill instantly raised all the hairs on Nol's back.
It was an incredibly potent divine skill, allowing the caster to pull a specified target into an alternate space. Half an hour later, this space would self-destruct, taking both parties with it.
Nol quickly reached for his magic staff, but Teest pressed down on his hand first.
[It's okay,] Teest reassured. [Relax. He's not quite right in the head.]
Huh?
Nol paused, unsure how to respond. Even Teest, the Mad Monk, was commenting on someone else's sanity…
[What's this man's background?] After a few seconds of regaining his composure, Nol decided to get straight to the point.
[Oh, I mentioned him to you once before.] Teest's own hand was also dangling next to the "Betrayer" and there was a hint of mockery creeping into his thoughts. [The apostate and former Pope of the Temple of Life is him, Painter—Lord Godfrey Painter.]
Nol looked at the small tin flask in his hand. [...]
'Oh, so it's the former Pope. No wonder he could steal it,' Nol thought numbly.
It makes sense for the former Pope of the Temple of Life to cause trouble for the Eternal Church. But considering that it was Teest who hired him, the whole situation felt a bit delicate—what was really wrong with this Painter guy?
"Don't be scared. This place is my magical space," Painter said, sitting down cross-legged on the ground. "It's very private. As long as we leave within thirty minutes, we'll be fine."
Indeed, after thirty minutes, the place would explode. Most people use [Mercy Countdown] as a sacrificial technique, but this man was using it as a soundproof room.
'He's truly insane,' Nol thought without uttering a word.
"Alright, let's get started," Painter said nonchalantly, picking at his toenails. "The legendary Mad Monk, the Master of Paradise… Turns out neither of you know how it works!"
"We have 27 minutes left," Nol said dryly.
"Alright, alright, I'll get straight to it—'Time Reversion' is taken orally. I heard it tastes awful, so I suggest you mix it with other liquids before drinking, like wine, juice, milk, anything," Painter explained with a smile, sounding like a street vendor pitching his wares. "After drinking it, you'll be able to go back in time temporarily. This dosage… let me think… should let you go back about a week within the last fifty years."
"Do you mean 'observe the past' or truly 'return to the past'?"
Nol immediately asked the question he was most concerned about. Ever since hearing the name "Time Reversion", he had been pondering this.
Simply observing the past would be fine. But if they genuinely returned to the past, they would face issues like the grandfather paradox, butterfly effect, and parallel universes. Their actions might have significant consequences.
Painter stared at Nol with his emerald eyes for a moment, his smile deepening. "Wow, sir, that's an excellent question. Strictly speaking, they're the same."
He pulled out a wand resembling a paintbrush from his pocket, spun it in his hand, and a crooked human figure appeared in the air.
"Fate has its flow, sir. A little interference from the future can't change much—changing a vendor's breakfast from bread to sweet porridge won't alter the course of events," Painter added, drawing some red on the figure. "In other words, you can imagine 'fate' as a robust young man, and your arrival would only inflict minor scratches, which are insignificant and will heal on their own."
"What if we choose to 'kill' this 'fate'?" Teest asked nonchalantly.
"Ha ha ha!" Painter laughed out loud. "Don't underestimate fate, Mad Monk. What you can't do, no one can truly change the past."
"When you return to the past, the only people you can influence are those who aren't important in the first place—those who, in the grand scheme of the world, whether they live or die, are but insignificant dust. Regardless of their laughter or cries, whether they die in the heat of summer or the cold of winter, they cannot leave any 'scuffs' on that grand flow."
Nol couldn't help but frown, instinctively disliking this assertion.
Painter paused for a long moment before continuing, "As for those significant beings, your instincts will tell you not to approach or take action against them. It feels like standing on the edge of a precipice. You won't mistake it."
Teest raised an eyebrow. "What if I must take action?"
"The instant before you act, you'll be obliterated by the laws of the universe. In the end, you won't have changed anything. Just like a fruit will fall from a height, the moon revolves around the world. Sirs, the will of nature cannot be resisted."
Painter gestured meaningfully, and the little human drawing in front of him exploded like fireworks. "Even if a dragon were to fall off a grand cliff, it would still die."
'I see.' Nol gazed at the small bottle in his hand.
There was no such thing as the butterfly effect. Drinking this suspicious substance, they would truly return to the past, but they couldn't change any "major events", even if they risked their lives.
That was fine. It sounded like there wouldn't be too much psychological pressure and moral dilemma.
Nol sighed in relief. "Is there anything else we need to know?"
"Oh…"
Painter put away his magic wand, grinning, his tone rising towards the end. "Well, it's like this. To minimize the impact on the past, after users return to the past, cough, there will be a slight change in their body… It's okay! It's not important! It won't affect your abilities—just a minor appearance change…"
Nol's heart jumped. "What change?"
The corners of Painter's mouth kept rising, his face filled with a barely suppressed smile. "Well, actually, it's quite fun when you think about it. I suggest keeping this little suspense…"
...
The long night was full of dreams. After leaving the illusion, Teest ordered two glasses of grape juice. They entered the alley and drank the "Time Reversion" that very day, not forgetting to let Shadow Wolf Ben have a lick.
Nol poured some on the candle, praying it would take effect smoothly.
However, according to Painter, once the "Time Reversion" ended, they would automatically return to the second after they drank the potion. So, even if the candle was left behind, in theory, there shouldn't be any danger.
Before drinking the potion, Teest filled his waist bag with food and cast about a dozen detection spells on that potion bottle. It turned out Painter was a trustworthy counterpart. Everything he said was accurate—including the part about the potion tasting terribly.
Even Nol, who had tasted all sorts of strange things, felt like he was tasting the soup from a garbage can in midsummer.
The moment the potion entered his throat, Nol choked and opened his eyes.
Just a moment ago, he hadn't felt any change, but now he saw the midday sun.
Night turned to day. They seemed to still be on the same street, but the scenery outside the alley had subtly shifted. The world had silently reset, and Nol stared in shock at everything in front of him.
After a few seconds, Nol slowly turned to look at Teest beside him.
Forget the "slight change in appearance"… At this moment, everything around them seemed massive. No, to be precise, they had shrunk.
A leaf flew by, nearly knocking Nol over. He struggled to regain his balance and compared the size of the leaf to himself.
The good news was that they hadn't shrunk to the size of Thumbelina*. Their belongings, including the "Betrayer" and Kando, had been proportionally scaled down, so they weren't left bare.
*A tiny young girl in the literary novel fairy tale of the same name written by Hans Christian Andersen.
The bad news was that they were just a little longer than a middle finger…
The two stood silently in the alley, watching the feet of pedestrians stomping outside. Those soiled soles lifted and fell, like some chaotic dodging game.
After a glance around, Teest broke the silence. "Hey, honey, I think we're quite lucky."
"What?" Nol doubted if their definitions of "lucky" matched.
"According to Painter, I thought we might become insects or dolls." Teest stretched and began to limber up. "Just shrinking is much better than I imagined."
Nol looked at the shadows on the ground and swallowed. "Are you sure?"
Behind them, silently, a large shadow appeared. The shadow had a round head and two pointed ears.
Nol smelled a cat.
He used to bury his face in the soft belly of a cat and deliberately inhale this scent. But when one became smaller than a mouse, this scent was… not so attractive anymore.
Teest didn't turn around but called directly, "Ben!"
The shadow wolf jumped out of Nol's shadow in an instant, with its fur standing on end. Though the action was supposed to be imposing, it seemed weak now that the wolf had become a mini-version—like a little black puffball, barely bigger than a Pomeranian.
Before Ben could even snarl, it was smacked by a cat's paw. With a whimper, it zoomed back into Teest's shadow, all within five seconds.
Teest: "…"
Nol: "…"
Well, theoretically, its power should still be intact, but it seemed it didn't dare to try. Indeed, worthy of a creature whose defining characteristic was cherishing its life.
Teest drew the "Betrayer", but Nol held back his hand.
In the end, they used a luxury combination of spells: aura elimination, invisibility, and presence elimination, until the white fluffy-tailed cat finally looked up and hopped back onto the wall.
Even the Lord of Whitebird City didn't receive such treatment. Nol gravely deactivated the magic.
"Mama!" The next second, a childish voice echoed from the alley entrance. "Mama, look! There are fairies here!"
Forget it. Nol adjusted the effect of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" again.
The Time Reversion was indeed dangerous, but the danger was… well, not quite what he had expected.
The author has something to say:
The great adventure of our two mini protagonists (…
All the characters of the supporting cast are finally assembled!