Chapter 343: Crossing Paths (1)
Chapter 343: Crossing Paths (1)
I spent about an hour listening to my disciples recount their lives over the past week, but most of it was utterly meaningless.
It wasn't that their week had actually been dull, though.
It was more likely because Baek Si-hyun’s way of speaking was a complete disaster.
“…On the third day, I caught a faint radio signal. It wasn't enough to send any meaningful data, so communication was impossible, but based on my predictions, it seems the blockade isn't perfect; there are certain conditions for what gets filtered. I mean, sunlight is making it through the barrier just fine, right? Because of that, I got permission to analyze it on the fifth day, and it was confirmed to be normal sunlight! Isn't that fascinating? It feels like it violates the law of conservation of energy! For starters, the energy from the sunlight reaching us should have decreased due to the time acceleration, but there’s no sign of that. Hmm, is there some external influence? Or is it due to the unique properties of light? It’s so interesting! I could probably write a thesis on this, don't you think? Oh, and how did I find out about the time distortion? Well, that happened on the second day. I became friends with someone who wrote a thesis related to you, Master, and their specialty was time-manipulation magic. On the fourth day, I went to the boundary with that mage and some equipment to catch as many radio waves as possible. We barely managed to receive some time-related data, and when I synchronized the devices, the results were—oh, the tentacle was acting a bit strange then. Wait, I haven't told you about meeting the tentacle yet. That was around 11 AM on the second day….”
Jabber, jabber, jabber.
What on earth is she even saying?
To be honest, I managed to maintain my focus for the first two minutes or so.
After that, I had no idea what she was talking about.
I’ve had plenty of experiences where colleagues rambled using so much jargon that I couldn't understand a word, but at least those people usually adjusted their stories for the listener’s sake.
Baek Si-hyun, on the other hand, was jumping back and forth across the timeline.
One moment she was talking about the first day, then suddenly she was on the last day.
She’d start one story, suddenly pivot to a related side-story, and then, as soon as that finished, pick up the original thread right where she’d cut it off.
Even if I were to transcribe her words exactly into a document, I’d probably find myself constantly scrolling back, wondering if I’d accidentally skipped a paragraph.
Though, I suppose I’d eventually realize I was reading it correctly. I’d realize it wasn't me who was wrong, but the document itself.
Her memory—remembering all those details—and her linguistic ability to speak without pausing were impressive, but frankly, it felt like she was just vomiting out whatever popped into her head without any filter.
The content itself was detailed, so it might be useful for something.
But if I ever wanted to use this as actual data, I’d need a data analysis major to sit down with her, sort the events chronologically, and re-map how everything connected.
It wasn't that I was listening to this nonsense without a thought; I did try to interrupt and steer the conversation back a few times.
But the flow would shift again within a minute, so I eventually gave up and just listened blankly.
As a result, I didn't catch much important information from Si-hyun’s chatter.
The truly vital details were provided by Han A-bin’s supplementary explanations whenever they were needed.
“About that tentacle. It didn't run away; it approached us on its own.”
“…Ah! You mean Tant! I also obtained information about the tentacle….”
Let’s ignore Baek Si-hyun’s long-winded lecture for now.
“Who’s Tant?”
“The tentacle’s name. Si-hyun gave it to him. It’s a nickname; the formal name is Tanzanite. …Yes, I know exactly what you want to say.”
When I made an incredulous face, A-bin saw my expression and spoke with the resigned, peaceful smile of a Buddha.
“…Moving on. What do you mean it approached you on its own?”
“Exactly what I said. The tentacle looked at us, tilted its head, and then slowly crawled over and started wiggling at our feet.”
“Did you think about capturing it?”
“We did. But even when we touched it, it didn't show any sign of running away; it just kept wiggling. We were wondering what was up when suddenly, Un-ho….”
“Did someone call me-yo-ng?”
Suddenly, the voice of that useless pig drifted over.
“No, I didn't call you, so go back to sleep.”
“Got it-yo-ng.”
“…Anyway, he suddenly started translating for us. Uh… I don't remember it perfectly. Adversary? Scent? Take me! …Uh, and….”
Just as Han A-bin was trying to recall the memory.
“Oh? That? It was: Adversary. Smell. Take me with you. Me. Branch. Root. Hate. Bad. Greedy. Mommy. That was it!”
Baek Si-hyun suddenly chimed in.
“…Right, thanks.”
Her memory really is top-notch.
“No problem! Oh, speaking of which, I found something fascinating about the language. The rest of it is just simple word structures like a child would use, but the word 'Adversary' is….”
“So, because you could communicate like that, Baek Si-hyun just started taking it around?”
“No, I was the one looking after it at first…. Because, well, Si-hyun. You know. No matter how you look at it, she doesn't seem like the type to take good care of anything….”
As A-bin said that, she glanced over toward Baek Si-hyun’s spot.
My gaze naturally followed hers, and I understood exactly what A-bin meant.
On a messy bed, a tentacle was wriggling while eating food.
If that were a child or a pet instead of a monster tentacle, I might have commented on how well she was raising it.
“…Anyway, so I was the one keeping it, but strangely, the tentacle started clinging to Si-hyun more.”
“And after that, they ended up in that kind of relationship?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm.”
After gathering my thoughts for a moment, I called out to the person who would likely know more about this.
“Un-ho.”
“Zzzzz.”
Un-ho replied to my call with a snore.
“Un-ho?”
“Five more minutes-yo-ng.”
“….”
Hearing that answer, I stood up and walked over to Un-ho.
My partner was curled up in a ball on a white mat, deep in sleep. I grabbed him with one hand and hoisted him up.
“Wake up, you brat!”
I put some strength into it and hurled him against The Wall.
“Squeak? Gack? What is this? Why is everything spinning? A dream? Is this a dream?”
Un-ho bounced around the room like a rubber ball, still seemingly out of it, letting out a long scream and babbling nonsense.
After about fifteen seconds.
Thwack.
I reached out and snatched Un-ho as he flew toward me.
“Now, are you awake?”
“Ugh. I’m dizzy-yo-ng.”
He was awake.
“So, Un-ho. What’s your judgment? You should be able to tell at a glance.”
“Uh…. About what-yo-ng?”
…This guy really wasn't listening to anything.
“About the danger of that tentacle over there. It’s eating something right now, but since you’re leaving it alone, I assume it’s not that dangerous, or the amount it’s consuming is negligible?”
I asked a detailed question for the benefit of the newly awakened Un-ho.
Un-ho blankly turned his head toward the tentacle, stared for a moment, and then spoke.
“It’s not eating anything-yo-ng.”
…Huh?
“Wait, that is a tentacle from my enemy, right?”
“It is-yo-ng. Even the alarm magic rings saying it’s The Enemy from Ha-ram’s story.”
“Then it must be eating something, right?”
“It’s not eating anything? I don't know what it would eat, but I can at least perceive when a tentacle is eating something-yo-ng.”
Hey, you failed to perceive it and just died during The Hole Tentacle incident, remember?
Fine, let’s assume that one was a special case.
In fact, excluding that one, Un-ho usually recognized at a glance if an enemy was doing something.
He had instantly realized that the giant tentacle from the past ate emotions the moment he faced it.
Hadn't he said he noticed something massive being drained from me?
But this was strange.
“Is it really not eating anything? Is it not just another special case where it makes you unable to perceive that it’s eating?”
Like The Hole Tentacle.
That thing ate the very fact that it had changed by eating something.
“I can’t account for a special case of that magnitude-yo-ng. But from what I’ve seen, that Tant guy isn't eating anything. I haven't felt any flow of power being sent anywhere or any growth since we met him. Oh. He does eat regular food, though.”
Un-ho’s words made my head spin.
The new information gave me plenty to think about.
I put Un-ho back on the bed and sat down to think, with Baek Si-hyun’s continuous rambling as background noise.
It doesn't eat anything.
It doesn't grow.
The hypotheses I could draw from this were:
One, there is no prey around here for it to eat.
Two, it can eat, but it’s doing nothing for the sake of some plan.
And if it’s neither of those…
If. Just purely if.
What if that purple tentacle has no hostility toward us?
What if it can eat, but chooses not to because it lacks malice?
The sentences were fragmented, so nothing was certain, but…
It referred to itself as a 'Branch.'
And it referred to another entity as The Root.'
Then, what if this branch-like purple tentacle truly hates The Root—likely the Main Body—and wants to help us?
It was a hopeful prediction in its own way.
But there was one problem.
The possibility that it was all an act.
Stories can be filled with malice.
There was a chance that even that innocent appearance was part of a play.
A 'child' is a convenient persona.
By acting like a child, the mere existence of the entity lowers suspicion. Even if one tries to converse to gain detailed information, if their linguistic ability is limited to that level, they can just feign ignorance.
Hadn't I used this very appearance to do similar things many times myself?
And yet, this was a disguise as an even younger being.
…This is a real headache.
There’s too little information.
Un-ho, Baek Si-hyun, and Han A-bin were acting friendly toward the tentacle.
But what if that was actually the result of brainwashing via mental manipulation?
What if Baek Si-hyun’s entire memory of her grand speech was a fabrication?
I pondered this unstable foundation for a moment.
But soon, I reached a conclusion in my heart.
I would leave the tentacle be.
However, I would not trust it.
I would keep this thought to myself, not sharing it with my disciples.
I would never let my guard down, so that if the moment came—if the tentacle revealed its true colors—I could act immediately.
Having finished that thought, I opened my senses.
I made sure not to miss even the smallest flow of power.
My main target was the tentacle, which had finished its food and was now dancing on the bed to the rhythm of Baek Si-hyun’s nonsensical chatter.
As Un-ho said, I could feel the power within the tentacle only moving within the bounds of natural biological activity.
But I didn't know when that flow might change.
Having established a foundation of suspicion, I cut off Baek Si-hyun, who was still rambling.
“Si-hyun. That’s enough about your research records for the week. You said this in the Dining Hall, didn't you? That the tentacle would be helpful in defeating the Public Enemy.”
“Yes! I did!”
As soon as I gave the command, she ended her long speech and answered immediately.
“Then, do you have anything else to support that opinion? Other than what the tentacle said. Something else. Oh, right. Did you say you had meeting minutes?”
“Yes! Of course I have them ready! Please wait a moment!”
Leaving only those words, Baek Si-hyun dashed to the corner of the room.
Un-ho was sprawled out asleep on the bed behind me, and Han A-bin was sighing behind me.
All that remained in my field of vision was a single purple tentacle that had been dancing its heart out, but now seemed unable to keep up with the sudden change in atmosphere, twisting its body into the shape of a question mark.
When I made eye contact with it, the tentacle stopped being a question mark, vibrated its body, and then quickly wrapped itself in a blanket.
It was like a frightened wild animal hiding in a burrow.
However, the action was largely meaningless.
…I can see your whole body and tail.
The only thing covered by the blanket was the part presumed to be its head.
The rest of its body and tail were twitching outside, completely exposed.
…What on earth is that thing?
While I was lost in thought, Si-hyun returned.
“Master! Here it is! A summary of the Mage Council meeting minutes! I organized it in advance to give to you!”
Si-hyun returned to the bed holding four sheets of A4 paper.
Baek Si-hyun, whose footsteps were heavy enough to make the floor vibrate, arrived in front of me and politely held out the papers with both hands.
The moment I took them, she slowly retreated to her bed.
“Huh? Tant, what’s wrong?”
She must have noticed the tentacle trembling on her bed, as she spoke to it softly.
…I didn't do anything wrong.
It wasn't like I threatened it; it just started shaking the moment it saw me, so what was I supposed to do?
Thinking that, I looked away from the tentacle and Si-hyun and focused on the minutes in my hand.
The papers contained meeting minutes that were so neatly organized it was hard to believe Baek Si-hyun had done it.
I read through the incredibly legible text in one go and was able to extract the necessary information.
‘The nature of what the tentacle consumes has been roughly identified. Contrary to expectations, it is not overly complex. Fortunately or unfortunately, the Geneva Branch is currently a location capable of controlling said food.’
‘However, to avoid the proliferation of the food, information control and crowd control are indispensable. We shall maintain a facade of daily life as much as possible.’
‘Upon confirming the characteristics of the Public Enemy entity, the capture of small tentacles is prioritized.’
‘A plan for the extermination of said Public Enemy has been drafted, but the fewer people who know about it, the better. Therefore, those involved in the plan must minimize contact with others….’
‘Cooperation from a small tentacle is expected to be necessary, but small tentacles are merely not hostile to humans; they are not necessarily friendly. Most captured tentacles are uncooperative and have short lifespans. they die and vanish within half a day. Therefore, the capture of a tentacle exhibiting friendly tendencies is the top priority.’
‘To facilitate the capture of small tentacles, parts of the plan will be shared with trustworthy individuals. However, they are limited to those who can keep secrets. While this significantly increases the risk as more people become aware of the Public Enemy, it is judged to be within controllable limits. This operation….’
These are some quite interesting details.
I can get the gist of it from this.
“Si-hyun, are there no materials regarding this plan or what the tentacle eats?”
“Yes! I couldn't find those. As written in the minutes, it seems like problems arise if that information spreads too widely. To prevent any potential accidents, they didn't even mention it during the meeting and didn't record it on the intranet!”
Is it the type of enemy where information about it is the problem itself?
I’ve seen enemies of that information-contamination Type A few times, so it’s not a particularly unique case.
And if I look at it in light of this story, it explains why some of the mages acted the way they did.
However, there was one question.
“Si-hyun.”
“Yes?”
Responding to my call, Si-hyun was playing with the tentacle, moving a piece of bread up and down at the tentacle’s height.
“You said you met the tentacle on the second day, right?”
“Yes!”
“But the report here says their lifespan is only half a day.”
“I thought that was strange too. Maybe it’s because they didn't take proper care of them?”
It sounded like a stupid remark on the surface, but it was surprisingly persuasive.
After all, that tentacle always looked happy, except for when it was facing me directly.
Anyway, putting the strangely long lifespan aside…
The friendly tentacle The Council members are looking for, which also happens to have a long lifespan, is currently in our hands.
And that is The Core of the Public Enemy extermination method the mages have planned.
…It’ll be worth talking to them.
“Si-hyun, do you happen to know where The Council members are?”
“No, that information is also controlled, so I’m not sure. But it seems hard for them to live like they don't exist at all, as records of them pop up occasionally….”
Good. Our Dr. Baek Si-hyun is truly all-purpose.
“Then, let me know as soon as you find a clue.”
“Yes!”
With a loud shout, Baek Si-hyun dove back into her laptop.
I lay down on the empty bed and began to organize the thoughts floating in my head.
The puzzle pieces were clicking into place.
Now, all I had to do was meet a Council-level mage and talk to them.
They would likely have the missing pieces of this puzzle.
They want a friendly tentacle.
And I want information to exterminate the Public Enemy.
By bringing those together and completing the puzzle, we will defeat the Public Enemy.
Just like we always do.