Chapter 586: Quaul Ganesto (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 586: Quaul Ganesto (1)
Jin smiled to himself. Although the man had started things off by unleashing a heavy barrage without warning, it was now clear that Quaul wasn't entirely unreasonable.
Besides, answering questions and meeting an opponent's conditions happened to be Jin’s specialty.
“Let’s hear the questions first.”
“How did you find out I was here?”
“I heard it from Lady Talaris.”
“Talaris…?”
Quaul tilted his head at the mention of her name, looking as if he were hearing it for the first time.
For a split second, Jin and Siris wondered if this was a different Quaul from the one Talaris had mentioned. But a moment later, the man jumped in surprise.
“Ah! Talaris. Right, Talaris Kendorma!”
“Isn’t it Endorma?”
“Was it Endorma? Right… there was a woman like that…”
Jin, and especially Siris, could only stare in disbelief at Quaul’s reaction as his eyes grew distant, lost in old memories.
Siris, in particular, felt a new kind of shock that transcended mere disgust.
Though she had never asked for it, Siris had personally seen many of the countless men who had been Talaris’s lovers. Every single one of them had clung to her mother in a way that was almost pitiful. In extreme cases, they would even threaten to take their own lives if she didn't see them—though, of course, Talaris never once reached out to those former lovers.
In the most severe cases, Siris had even personally dealt with those who spread malicious rumors about Talaris or tried to tarnish the Secret Palace’s reputation.
Back when Jin was an intermediate cadet in Mamit, Siris had gone there to eliminate Talaris’s 307th boyfriend, Alcaro Chendler. That was where Jin and Siris had first met.
He… didn’t even remember Mother? What kind of man is this? No, is that even possible?
Even if they hadn't been lovers, Talaris was the kind of person who was hard to forget once you’d met her. To begin with, ordinary people rarely had the chance to lay eyes on her, and the unique silver hair and aura of the Endorma bloodline possessed a mystique that couldn't be found in anyone else.
Yet, Quaul seemed to have truly forgotten her. No matter how they looked at it, he wasn't just pretending.
“…Wait, didn’t you already know? The power blocking your shells just now was the Energy of Ten Thousand Ice.”
The Energy of Ten Thousand Ice gave off a completely different feel from ordinary ice-type magic. Quaul clapped his hands as if he had only just realized that. On top of that, there was the Snow Toad, Mort.
“Right, now that I think about it, that fellow uses the same power as Talaris Kendorma!”
“It’s Endorma!” Siris barked.
Regardless of her outburst, Quaul simply continued to gaze at her with wistful eyes. At this point, Siris wasn't even angry anymore.
“Oh, Mort. It’s been a while for that fellow, too. Then you must be her daughter. Nice to meet you. I am Tingen Bauer.”
“Piss off.”
“And you must be her son-in-law, or perhaps a prospective one. Come to think of it, I believe I heard something about marriage talks between the Runcandel 12th Flagbearer and the Young Lady of the Secret Palace. How is Talaris doing?”
As Jin was choosing his words, Quaul shook his head.
“No, hmph! Forget it. I’m not interested in past loves.”
“Ha, what a nutcase,” Siris muttered.
For someone who says that, your eyes look far too full of longing, Jin wanted to say, but he kept quiet, mindful of Siris’s temper.
“Ahem, anyway, if Talaris told you about this place, it makes sense. So she remembered this spot.”
Quaul seemed to have many questions about Talaris, but he appeared to be suppressing them. Siris stepped aside, feeling as if she might draw her sword if she had to watch Quaul any longer.
Jin gave the man a few moments to organize his thoughts.
After a minute, Quaul’s eyes were once again tinged with wariness, though it was much fainter than before.
“Next question. You’ve explained how you found this log cabin and the alias Tingen Bauer. But how did you know my real name?”
“My informants found out.”
“Let me warn you now. If you play games or lie, this conversation ends immediately.”
“You’re quite prickly.”
“Do you think Runcandel’s intelligence is superior to Zipple’s? Even if it were, you’re only the 12th Flagbearer. Your intelligence network belongs to the Barmul Alliance, not Runcandel. I cannot accept that you found my real name through that alone.”
Quaul’s words contained a crucial piece of information.
So Zipple doesn't know that Tingen Bauer’s real name is Quaul Ganesto either?
Quaul was asking how Jin knew something that even Zipple didn't.
“It was indeed my informant who discovered your real name. The clan doesn't know of your existence, nor do they know that I am looking for you.”
While Valeria couldn't be classified as a simple informant, she could be considered an informant for the Barmul Alliance in the broadest sense, so it wasn't a lie.
Quaul stared intensely at Jin for a long time without saying a word.
“Hmm, it doesn't seem like a lie.”
That long, searching gaze was Quaul’s own way of detecting falsehoods. There seemed to be no particular basis for his conclusion, but since he accepted it, Jin had no reason to complain.
“I have a few things I’d like to ask as well.”
“Ask after my questions are finished.”
“Why is a Zipple engineer—and a key figure in the development of teleportation devices and mass-produced ship blueprints, at that—stuck in the middle of nowhere like this? I don't even see a single mage coming out to guard you, even in a situation like this.”
Quaul didn't particularly dislike Jin for ignoring his command and throwing out a question. He found it preferable to the Zipple higher-ups who used to act subserviently while constantly watching his every move.
Perhaps this small bit of goodwill was payment for Jin reminding him of a forgotten love, but Quaul vehemently denied that thought to himself.
“Furthermore, those rods that seem to be your creation possess the ability to disrupt a warrior’s Aura. No matter how I think about it, it’s strange for an engineer of your caliber to be left abandoned in a place like this.”
“Abandoned? Did you say abandoned? Hmph! You don't know me at all. No one can bind me.”
For some reason, a certain Black Dragon came to Jin’s mind.
He reminds me of Murakan…
To put it nicely, they were free-spirited and one-of-a-kind. To put it bluntly, they were the type who were somewhat foolish and arrogant, occasionally becoming so obsessed with one thing that they lost all reason.
Jin hoped that Quaul shared that obsessive streak.
“Are you saying Zipple just let you go?”
“I was just starting to like you, but you keep saying things that wound my pride. Zipple? Those bastards were just hosting me for a while because they craved my talent. I was never one of them.”
Jin was beginning to understand.
It seems Zipple couldn't control this eccentric man. Since he’s the type who would never cooperate if his pride was even slightly hurt, they must have had no choice but to cater to his whims.
Nothing was known to the world about Tingen Bauer, the arrogant genius engineer. If Jin hadn't obtained the mechanical device and part of the ship blueprints in the Sota Desert, if Valeria hadn't been there, and if he hadn't been connected to Talaris, he probably would have never found this place. Even if he had, it would have been much, much later.
Furthermore, Quaul possessed the ability to protect himself against most threats, and Zipple had been suffering from a severe shortage of manpower since the Sword Emperor Holy War.
But still, that doesn't fully explain why Quaul Ganesto is left all alone. It might be because Zipple hasn't learned his true surname, Ganesto, yet.
Mind control.
Suddenly, one of Zipple’s dark magics crossed Jin’s mind. From what he had seen so far, Quaul didn't seem to have fallen victim to it.
Their mind control isn't perfect yet, so if I discount that possibility, the pieces start to fall into place. But why was Quaul working with Zipple in the first place?
Although he wasn't from the Academy and wasn't famous, it was clear that Quaul Ganesto was a genius engineer on another level entirely. It was entirely possible that he had caught Zipple’s eye while demonstrating his abilities and was recruited.
But he’s not someone who would be recruited easily. If he just needed advanced engineering equipment or resources, he likely would have approached the Academy first.
Zipple must have offered Quaul something incredibly attractive—something that could convince a man who loathed restraint to stay with them for a while. Jin arrived at that conclusion.
“Was it because Zipple had something that piqued your interest? Perhaps a pure scholarly desire to develop teleportation devices or mass-produced ships?”
“Think what you will.”
It seemed that was the case.
Normally, Quaul’s answer would have left Jin feeling stuck. Runcandel and the Barmul Alliance had no projects that could rival the development of teleportation devices and mass-produced ships.
But now, things were different.
He had the Mana-Injection Spray-Type All-Weather Crushing Cannon, an item Amela had confirmed was a masterpiece among ancient relics. He also possessed part of the ship blueprints and a component of the teleportation device.
The component and blueprints, in particular, were surely unparalleled masterpieces, even to someone like Quaul.
“I’ll ask you straight, Quaul Ganesto. If I could make an offer as attractive as Zipple’s, would you work with me?”
“There’s no way that’s possible.”
“Why not hear me out? Didn't you say you’d consider leaving this hut if I answered your questions and met your conditions?”
“I did say that, but honestly, I have no expectations. If you’re thinking of using torture or something to persuade me, go ahead. If you do, you’ll be the greatest sinners in the world for setting back the progress of this era by hundreds of years.”
Jin didn't answer. Instead, he reached into his robe, pulled out a mechanical device, and held it out to Quaul.
“I thought you’d want to complete this, but it seems I was mistaken.”
At that, Quaul’s eyes bulged as if they were about to pop out of their sockets.
“Wh-What! Why do you have that?!”
Jin couldn't help but let out another triumphant smile.