Chapter 594: Back to Laprarosa (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 594: Back to Laprarosa (2)
There wasn't a single member of the family in a position to simply "notify" Cyron or Rosa of their plans.
Yet, Rosa did not take offense at Jin’s declaration that he was leaving again so soon after his return. On the contrary, she felt a sense of anticipation radiating from his confident demeanor.
She saw glimpses of Luna in him.
Luna, too, had once unilaterally notified the family of her decision to renounce her claim to the patriarchate.
However, while Luna had given notice to step away, Jin was the opposite. In Rosa’s eyes, every action Jin took was driven by a singular purpose: to swallow the family whole.
"You’ve only just returned, yet you're already telling your mother such interesting stories. You can't be unaware of the chaos the family is in. It seems you lack a certain sense of responsibility for a high-ranking flagbearer."
Despite her words, her tone was not one of rebuke. Jin responded with a faint smile.
"While I was receiving intensive treatment in the Holy Kingdom, I discovered the purpose and creator of the items I obtained from the Sota Desert."
"And what are they?"
"As the Prophet said, they are indeed items capable of changing the tide of war. The machine is a core component of a teleportation device."
He deliberately used the term "teleportation device" instead of "spacetime device." Though the concepts seemed similar, they were fundamentally different, and he saw no need to share every detail with Rosa.
"You learned this from Aria Hister, I presume."
Jin was not flustered by the certainty in Rosa’s voice. The fact that Valeria was working with him was now an open secret among the world's great powers.
"That is correct."
Capturing Valeria and bringing her to the Garden of Swords was a standing mission for all flagbearers. Rosa did not reprimand him for that, either.
By orchestrating Joshua’s downfall, she had already granted Jin a certain level of autonomy. And so far, Jin had not crossed the line she had drawn.
"The creator of those items is Lokia Ganesto, one of the Ten Great Knights of the Old Runcandel."
"...Lokia Ganesto?"
"Yes. Until recently, Lokia Ganesto had been erased from history by Zipple’s manipulation. Just as the family’s curse has weakened with Zipple’s decline, the history of the Old Runcandel that they suppressed is beginning to surface."
Ganesto.
She had been aware of that name long before the power of the stories began to fade.
"If what you say is true, the technology for teleportation devices and ship construction existed a thousand years ago, and the family lost it to Zipple at some point."
"Are there truly no records of this within the family?"
"None. Even if there were, records of when we lost them would be meaningless. If there had been records explaining how to use them immediately, you would have been required to turn them over to the family this instant."
To Rosa, the discovery of lost history was secondary to immediate victory and survival. Jin believed they could never truly win without reclaiming the majesty of the Old Runcandel, but Rosa did not share that sentiment.
"The items are not yet in a functional state."
"So, how much more time do you require?"
"I cannot say for certain. I’m leaving the human world to complete these items with the help of my brothers."
Jin’s reason for returning to Laprarosa was not solely for personal gain.
A flying ship powered by a Heart of Light—Jin had dreamed of such a thing ever since he first saw Zipple’s mass-produced fleet in the Sota Desert.
‘If my teacher and Lord Quaul can complete the spacetime device and use it to summon my brothers to the human world… it won’t just be a pipe dream.’
Quaul had already guaranteed that it was theoretically possible after examining the Heart of Light in Jin’s chest.
"Even if it takes time, can you guarantee their completion with the help of the Pluto Tribe?"
"I cannot promise that."
"‘Not yet,’ ‘I don’t know,’ ‘I cannot promise.’ You keep using words that don’t suit you. I didn’t grant you autonomy for this kind of uncertainty."
"This is no different from how you, Acting Patriarch, are currently deferring judgment on whether it is better to negotiate with the Prophet or with me. In my opinion, you already rejected the Prophet’s temptation once during the Sword Emperor Holy War."
—Reinstate the 2nd Flagbearer. If you do, the Prophet will lend her strength.
—Hmph, you lot never fail to disappoint. Get out of my sight. If even one of the 12th Flagbearer’s companions is dead by the time I return to the family, you will be executed immediately.
Jin had not heard the conversation between Rosa, Myu, and Anne during the war, but he was certain the Prophet had made Rosa an offer. He was also certain she had refused it.
‘If Mother had made a deal with the Prophet then, the situation would have changed before Sir Ron reached the Realm of Creation. Joshua would have been reinstated by now.’
Joshua was still rotting in the underground prison.
The reason Rosa had flatly rejected Myu and Anne’s proposal in that desperate moment was that she knew the Prophet ultimately had no choice but to "coexist" with Runcandel.
She had calculated that if Runcandel were truly on the verge of destruction by Gliek, the Prophet would have lent her strength anyway, even if rejected. The Prophet had no other choice if she wanted to see her prophecies fulfilled.
"I have rarely disappointed you, Acting Patriarch. So, trust me."
"Youngest."
"Yes."
"Are you so afraid of me negotiating with the Prophet? Afraid enough to beg?"
Only then did Rosa realize what Jin truly wanted to say to her.
"It might look like begging. Then, this time, I shall ask you a question, Acting Patriarch."
For you… how much time do you have left?
Jin followed up with the heavy question in his mind. What he feared was Rosa’s "Demonization." He had no way of knowing how quickly the Chaos staining her was consuming her.
‘Mother was undoubtedly exposed to the most massive concentration of Chaos.’
When Ron sacrificed his life to prevent Gliek’s self-destruction, it was naturally Rosa and Kelliark who bore the brunt of the aftermath.
Kelliark could at least protect himself to some extent using the Demon God Stone as a shield, but all Rosa had was a single sword and the family members awaiting death behind her.
The reason she appeared to move about normally—unlike Kelliark, who was confined to a body maintenance device—was due to her sheer martial prowess, despite being exposed to more Chaos than him.
Demonization.
Jin had experienced the most immense Chaos imaginable within Gliek’s subspace. He knew better than anyone how that power could drive a person mad and twist them into an inner demon.
Even Ron would have eventually failed to overcome the Demonization and turned into a monster if not for Jin and Dante. Jin expected that Rosa was currently undergoing the same process he and Ron had faced.
No, he was certain of it. To Jin’s eyes, it was clear that Rosa was resisting Demonization every single moment just to maintain her composure.
"It seems you have underestimated me."
Rosa did not show anger this time, either. It was because she couldn't be sure if the surge of rage she felt was entirely her own. If even a fraction of it was influenced by the Demonization, she had to suppress it.
"Just as I have been honest with you, please be honest with me, Acting Patriarch. If you don't have much time left, I cannot leave and trust you to handle things."
Mother and son locked eyes.
Both held the gaze one would use for an enemy. Their goal of Runcandel’s survival and prosperity was the same, yet the paths they walked were so different—different enough that they were forced to be enemies even as they ran toward the same destination.
"Does that mean you will change your plans if my answer is negative?"
"My journey to Laprarosa to find my brothers is non-negotiable. It is the only way to complete the items. However, if the time you have left is shorter than I expect, I intend to sever the Prophet’s limbs before I depart."
"The Prophet’s limbs?"
"The Eighth and Ninth Flagbearers. Since Joshua’s downfall, I am certain those two have become the Prophet’s new messengers. If I kill them, the Prophet will surely need time to recover. That will naturally reduce the chances of her approaching you while I am away, Acting Patriarch."
Jin spoke with feigned conviction.
He only had a suspicion that Myu and Anne had become the Prophet’s messengers. Furthermore, he didn't know if killing them would truly deal enough damage to force the Prophet into a recovery period, and he didn't actually intend to kill them.
Even if it were proven that Myu and Anne were the Prophet’s pawns, there was too much information he needed to extract from them first.
"I see. Even if Myu and Anne have become the Prophet’s tools as you say… do you think I would just stand by and watch?"
"I will deal with them even if you and the entire family try to stop me."
In essence, Jin was bluffing Rosa based on mere suspicion.
He could do this because Rosa and Runcandel could no longer crush Jin and the Barmul Alliance with a single word as they had before the war.
"And even if the family is another matter, the Prophet likely doesn't have the power to stop me right now. If she did, she would have seized control of the family back when Joshua was still around. While it is true the Prophet wields special abilities through Chaos, she is clearly in a compromised state."
Just like the Leader of Kinzelo, the Beast Demon King Orgal, Jin thought, swallowing the words with a smile.
"Furthermore, I will use their deaths as a pretext to reveal the Prophet’s existence to the world. Now that everyone hates Chaos because of Gliek, if it is revealed—and from my mouth, no less—that our family has long been in league with a being that manipulates Chaos..."
"Enough."
Jin stopped speaking.
"So you are saying that even while you are gone, you can drag the family through the mud the moment I negotiate with the Prophet. Since your people are still here in the human world."
"That is correct."
Rosa, who had been glaring at Jin ever since he mentioned killing Myu and Anne, finally burst into laughter.
"Now you’re finally talking like yourself."
"I’ll take that as a compliment."
"I have received your 'notice' loud and clear. I shall be more prudent in my calculations, so put aside your concerns about my inner demons. However, do not forget that a threat is only valuable until it's carried out."
"Of course."
"Three years."
Rosa said, looking down at her blackened wrist.
"Assuming my Demonization progresses at its current rate, I should be able to hold out for about three years. Make sure you return within that time."