Chapter 53: Inner Desire |
After Professor Garcia left, Shad remained slumped in the chair with his eyes closed. Several minutes passed before he cautiously squinted to survey the silent living room, ensuring the professor was truly gone. Only then did he sit up straight, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Under the glow of the gaslight, his face showed a dazed expression, like someone waking from a deep dream. Of course, that was all an act—deliberately performed. It seemed the pretense had been the right choice. From the perspective of the professors at St. Byrons, even glimpsing the abode of a god would not be a light experience.
Lowering his gaze to the water basin, Shad noticed that under the brass gaslight, the water had completely evaporated, leaving only a piece of parchment for an elective course lying silently within. The back was blank.
“What just happened?”
He muttered to himself while retrieving a key from his pocket. Sure enough, it was still the Time Key, but now its surface was covered in cracks.
“Why can this key be reused? Why was my first experience crossing time and space tied to the Father of the Infinite Tree’s task? And why is that god referred to as an Ancient God? The thirteen original entities of the Old Gods...”
[Outsider, I am you. You do not know, and neither do I.]
A woman chuckled softly.
[Every abnormality I’ve shown so far stems from your uniqueness. That knowledge of Drarian comes from fragmented memories I absorbed from a prior soul within this body. The ability to sense relics up close is due to the uniqueness of the Outsider's soul. I am you, and this is your uniqueness. You don’t know, and neither do I.]
Her explanation aligned perfectly with the thoughts Shad had during the day.
“For the first time, I’ve seen a god with my own eyes in this world.”
He sighed, and as his mind recovered, more questions surfaced:
“Thirteen Ancient Gods... why have I never heard of such a concept? The Father of the Infinite Tree... the thirteen Founder Series Rhodes Cards, the last thirteen Witch Emperors of the Fifth Epoch—how could all these things coincide? The number thirteen must have a special significance. Does it all originate from the Ancient Gods?”
[Perhaps you can guess. I think you already have an idea.]
“Yes, but I have no proof...”
He sighed again, summing up his "adventure" from the night:
“At least I didn’t lose anything this time.”
[You also gained the arcane art False Immortality.]
“But I didn’t complete the task or obtain the rewards of a mystical art and rune.”
[You still have two more chances.]
“I don’t understand the power referred to as the ‘Radiance of the Gods’ that the Ancient deity mentioned.”
[But at least you’re alive, and you still have infinite possibilities.]
Shad smiled as he sat in the chair:
“To be honest, I’m thankful you’re here, speaking to me. Even though I still don’t know what you are, having someone always by my side feels comforting. But don’t worry about consoling me—I’m not that fragile. Seeing the opportunity for power, I won’t let it slip... The Radiance of the Gods... maybe Father August will have some insight.”
His gaze shifted to the slightly ajar bedroom door. Sleepy from play, the orange tabby Mimia squeezed through the narrow opening, although cats shouldn’t fit in such a tight space.
With amber eyes, the cat stared at Shad, then took a short running leap to land on his lap. After lying down for a while without receiving a single pet, the feline grew dissatisfied and swatted his leg with its paw.
Shad chuckled and reached out to stroke Mimia’s soft fur, marveling at its warmth and silky texture, like holding a small, cozy furnace.
“Mrow~”
The cat rolled over, kicking its little legs into the air and exposing its white belly. Tilting its head, it gazed up at Shad with wide eyes. The Outsider finally felt the lingering mental strain from earlier dissipate entirely.
“Thank you, too, Mimia. Thanks for liking me so much.”
He played with the cat and glanced at the window, thickly covered by heavy drapery.
“God.”
The Outsider murmured softly.
The next day was Thursday, the fourth week of the Sunlit Month. When collecting the newspaper, milk, and goat’s milk in the morning, Shad received a letter from the “Taylor and Wanda Joint Mining Company” in the southern kingdom. Inside was a manuscript page for contacting the Academy, identical to the one Dr. Schneider used.
Over breakfast with Mimia, Shad hesitated for a long time. Although Professor Garcia offered to write the report for him, Shad ultimately drafted it himself, describing his physical condition as well. He sent it to the Academy using the manuscript page.
The response came quickly, likely handwritten by Professor Garcia. The ornate cursive script resembled unbroken vines. He advised Shad to rest, noting that the academic credits and rewards for this investigator task would be decided after the History Academy’s assembly.
This investigation, which nearly involved encountering a god, elevated the Time Key from the Fifth Epoch—1068—to Angel-grade. Shad speculated that directly witnessing a god would classify as unknowable-level 0-grade.
After handling these matters, Shad greeted the woman in his mind with a quiet “Good morning” for the first time before tucking the manuscript page into the novel Silver Knight. The cracked key was locked in the drawer of his bedroom desk. The arcane art he gained, False Immortality, could only be used in near-death situations, and Shad wasn’t willing to injure himself—or the cat—to that extent just yet. For now, it would remain unused.
At least he had acquired a new arcane art, and its name alone suggested extraordinary potential.
Uncertain of what happened last night, Shad decided to wait until the History Academy concluded its assessment before attempting to use a new Time Key. He wanted to confirm whether the events of the previous night were an anomaly.
While he was eager to claim the Fifth Epoch—1068—rewards of the mystical art Blade of Temporal Chaos and the rune Echo, the Old God, the Creator of Innocence, had stated he needed the power of the “Radiance of the Gods” to complete the task.
Until he understood what the “Radiance of the Gods” was, Shad wouldn’t risk wasting the remaining two uses of the key.
“Could this also be a consequence of my soul’s uniqueness? I’ll set it aside for now. Today’s goal is the Prophets’ Association.”
Straightening his clothes in front of the full-length mirror, Shad spoke while Mimia rolled and played on the bed behind him.
[Outsider, your soul is unique. This is yet another result of your peculiar nature. I am you; there’s no need to doubt this.]
The murmuring voice sounded cheerful. For the first time, Shad noticed such a tone—it seemed the voice was in high spirits, possibly because he had greeted it that morning.
