Chapter 259: The Pursuers (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 259: The Pursuers (1)
"M-Memory manipulation? What on earth do you mean by that?"
Dante’s eyes widened in shock.
For a moment, Jin felt a chill run down his spine as well.
"Exactly what it sounds like. The family has been rummaging through my head as they please for a while now. Theoretically, memory manipulation isn't impossible with magic…"
As Veradin said, it was theoretically possible.
While there were rumors that the Viment Special Task Force secretly performed memory manipulation, the Zipple Clan was the only group known to be truly capable of it.
Realizing that Veradin wasn't joking, a look of utter devastation crossed Dante’s face.
"…I can’t believe it. Why? What could they possibly hope to gain by manipulating your memories?"
"I'm not entirely sure myself. This is the first time I've caught it happening since my uncle died, so it was likely on the orders of the elders or…"
Veradin furrowed his brow and paused.
"…It must have been done on my father's orders. But I have no idea what the intention is. Especially in this case, I haven't the slightest clue. It’s not like I saw something I shouldn’t have, and the whole world already knows the family tried to cover up the Holy Kingdom incident with money."
"It might be because the memory manipulation wasn't perfect," Jin said calmly.
Veradin’s eyes grew wide.
"Oh, that sounds plausible. They might have accidentally altered memories of that day while trying to erase something else. Even for my family, performing such a task perfectly would be difficult."
"Is that something to be so cheerful about?" Dante asked.
"But I feel like I've found a lead. Thinking of it that way makes a twisted kind of sense. But then, what memory were they originally trying to erase? There was nothing special in my recent diary entries."
"It's just a guess," Jin said.
"And I’m saying it because I think your guess is probably right."
"Even so, you would know better than I would what your family was trying to wipe from your head."
"Ugh, trying to think about it is giving me a headache."
Jin was recalling the day Latri had returned to Tikan.
—Young Master Jin, there is something I must tell you first. About three hours ago, my daughter's guardian dragon returned.
—Latri has returned?
—Yes, but there is something strange. It seems he has no memory whatsoever of the period he was missing. For now, he is staying by my daughter's side, but he himself seemed unable to understand it. Was it not a kidnapping?
—That's not it. Quicantel personally extracted a confession from Buretta.
Even back then, Jin had found it strange that Latri’s memories had vanished.
‘In Latri’s case, I suspected the Zipples had removed his memories, but to think they would even manipulate Veradin’s…’
Perhaps Veradin was lying. Or perhaps he was mistaken.
However, Jin decided to set those assumptions aside for now.
‘Latri’s memories were undoubtedly erased because of the Demon God Stone. They wiped every trace of his kidnapping. Using the cumbersome method of memory manipulation instead of killing him must have been a measure to ensure no problems arose with the Contractor of Az Mil.’
If so, Veradin’s memory manipulation might also be related to the Demon God Stone.
‘The reason this guy risked his life to set fire to the gold bullion might not have been solely out of anger over the Holy Kingdom incident.’
Before setting fire to the gold, Veradin must have witnessed the Demon God Stone or some other atrocity committed by the Zipples.
And while he was reeling from that, the full truth of the Holy Kingdom incident came to light, leading him to impulsively rebel against his family…
As his thoughts reached this point, Jin swallowed a sigh.
‘The headache he’s complaining of now, and his unstable state during the Holy Kingdom incident—those might be side effects of the memory manipulation.’
However, it was not a good idea to ask if he knew about the Demon God Stone. Now that he knew Veradin’s memories were incomplete, he needed to be careful.
If Veradin had been enraged because of the Demon God Stone, bringing up those words might trigger another violent outburst. Until Jin was certain Veradin could act rationally, it was better for him to know nothing.
"Veradin."
"Yeah?"
"In my opinion, there is only one reason the Zipples are manipulating your memories: to raise you into an heir suited to their tastes. And at the center of it all aren't the elders, but Kelliark Zipple—your father."
Jin was now certain.
The Veradin of his previous life had been nothing more than a perfectly groomed successor. Even then, contrary to public knowledge, Veradin had contracted with two gods. But no matter what power he possessed, that strength would have been used only for the Zipples, not for himself.
Back then, when the anomaly known as the regressor Jin did not exist, Veradin had no reason to resist his family. He had reached the age of thirty without ever knowing what deeds his family committed or what was being done to him.
"I suppose that's it, right? Damn, I thought I was a pretty exemplary heir, but I guess I didn't meet my father's expectations. Even though I've contracted with two gods and my magic is nearly at 9-star."
Tuyan and Pinia remained silent. They had finished cleaning and were sitting by the window, drinking tea.
A human contracted with two gods had never before existed in history. Veradin was the first of his kind, but Dante was so preoccupied with the shocking reality of memory manipulation that he couldn't even register that fact.
When Jin’s gaze briefly landed on the dragons, Veradin smirked.
"By the way, you're not going to ask?"
"What?"
"How I contracted with two gods."
"It's probably because your potential is just that great. Besides, do I look like I'm in the mood to ask about that right now?"
"I guess… Still, the fact that you're a magic swordsman is more surprising than me contracting with two gods. But thinking about it just makes me feel slighted again. Look at you—you insisted you didn't kill Kidad Hall, but you killed him and even took Heaven Reversal."
Just as Jin was about to reply, Veradin continued.
"Furthermore, you were the one who impersonated me in the Akin Kingdom! Hey, Dante. What do you think? I find it more shocking that this guy has been deceiving us all this time than the fact that my memories are being manipulated. Isn't he a total con artist? I should report him."
He’s just running his mouth again, Jin thought with a mental shrug.
Dante simply nodded awkwardly.
"Lord Veradin, you don't need to push yourself."
"Push myself how?"
"You're putting on a brave face."
Jin felt goosebumps prickle his skin at Dante’s words. It seemed Veradin felt the same, as he blinked and shook his head.
"I'm not. I'm perfectly fine right now."
"How can a person be fine after suffering something like memory manipulation? And by the family you trusted, no less! You can be honest with us. We are friends, are we not?"
"Uh, I really don't feel anything…"
An awkward silence followed. Dante had no choice but to clear his throat, his ears turning red.
"But it seems they don't touch your diary even while manipulating your memories," Jin noted.
"These friends take care of it." Veradin gestured toward the dragons.
"Do your guardian dragons know about the memory manipulation too?"
"They know. In fact, almost no one in the family knows that I'm the contractor and that I have two guardian dragons."
"Then why don't they do anything?"
"Because Itelmion and Rikta haven't said much. I suppose the two gods judged that the memory manipulation isn't particularly harmful to me. If anything, they seem to want me to be tamed so I can become the Patriarch as soon as possible."
Becoming the Patriarch of the Zipple Clan meant becoming the most powerful person in the world.
For the two gods who had chosen Veradin, it was naturally the best possible outcome. Not only would their own status rise, but they would also be able to command the other contractors within the family.
Though he couldn't read the gods' true intentions, Jin felt a sense of disgust. The strangely polite attitude of the guardian dragons also bothered him.
A puppet.
The word suddenly came to mind.
Veradin was not living his own life but one dictated by the will of others—a will steeped in conspiracy and vice.
"You just thought I was like a puppet, didn't you?"
"That's insane."
"How did you know!?"
Jin and Dante looked at each other in horror. Dante had been thinking the exact same thing.
"So, what are you going to do?" Jin asked, his expression turning serious.
"About what?"
"About leaving the Zipples."
"Ah, that… it's difficult, honestly. The most realistic way would be for you to capture me as a prisoner after you become a Flagbearer. But that move could easily trigger an all-out war. Plus, I don't know how much your siblings would torment me."
"Runcandel and Zipple will fight regardless of you."
"That's true, but Jin, I have a sense of responsibility. If the family is going down the wrong path, shouldn't I be the one to set it right? I will fix everything. I'll return the Zipples to the proud family I once knew."
"That is what's truly unrealistic."
"I feel like I could do it if you guys helped me."
"Friendship aside, wrong is wrong. It's impossible for Runcandel to help the Zipples."
"You're so blunt. I'm starting to feel slighted again."
"Of course, I could help you personally. But what then? Helping you means creating a rift within the Zipples. If we succeed, it will be a massive rift, unlike any seen before. Do you think Runcandel and the other powers will just stand by and watch?"
There was no way.
The moment a rift formed within the Zipples because of Veradin, all sorts of forces would rush in to tear the family apart.
Above all, Veradin’s premise was flawed from the start.
"And will you even be the same person then as you are now? Your memories will keep being manipulated—do you think you can maintain your sanity? In my view, that's not something that can be handled by mere will or conviction. You have to leave the Zipples, Veradin."
"You're saying that if I don't leave the family, I'll eventually become corrupt?"
"Yes."
"That might happen. I can't deny it. But Jin, if you were me, you would make the same choice. I'm not leaving the family."
"No. If it were me, I would have left Runcandel. If I realized I was being forced to live a life where my own will was slowly disappearing without me even knowing it."
"Jin."
Veradin smiled as he continued.
"I'm not an incredible person like you."
At those calm words, Jin could no longer say anything.
Veradin was no fool. He knew better than anyone how terrifying it was to have one's very self distorted as memories were manipulated. The discrepancy between his diary and reality, the terrifying confusion arising from it—these were problems he had been grappling with for years.
"Jin, I understand Lord Veradin," Dante said. "I wish to respect his opinion."
"It's a bit embarrassing to say, but as long as you guys don't let go of me… I think I can change our family. I don't mind if the family's power diminishes… Huh?"
The moment Veradin spoke, a bright light suddenly flared from the teleport gate outside the villa.
Someone had arrived. And the only people who would visit this place now were members of the Zipple Clan.
Simultaneously, the two guardian dragons, who had been sipping tea, lunged forward like lightning to shield Veradin.
"Tuyan, Pinia?"
Unlike their polite demeanor from before, the two dragons didn't answer. Their expressions were cold as they gathered their energy.
A group of mages emerged from the teleport gate. They wore gray robes with no insignia. They were not White Night, not elites, and not special forces—their robes did not even announce them as Zipples.
Jin didn't know who they were.
However, the speed with which they manipulated mana—instantly preparing barriers and Chain Magic the moment they arrived—told him one thing.
‘They’re surely the equivalent of Runcandel’s Black Knights…!’
It was self-evident they hadn't come for a simple capture.
"Jin, I didn't call them!" Veradin shouted frantically.
Jin nodded. "Veradin."
"It wasn't me, it really wasn't…!"
"I know. I won't misunderstand, so don't panic. Order your guardian dragons to protect Dante as well. It looks like those guys intend to wipe this entire place off the map."
Outside the window, the entire sky was already dyed crimson by the Chain Magic unleashed by the gray-robed mages.