Chapter 68: Ghost Sword Casimir (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 68: Ghost Sword Casimir (3)
Bloodshot veins webbed across Casimir’s eyes. No parent could remain composed after hearing their five-year-old daughter was destined to become a broken shell of a person.
“Murakan, what in the world do you mean? She’ll become an invalid? Explain yourself. In detail.”
A heavy weight settled in Jin’s chest. The mere thought of such a cruel fate befalling an innocent child made him feel sick to his stomach.
“Humans think seeing the future is some transcendent, mystical blessing, but they only ever look at the bright side,” Murakan began. “The moment one becomes a Contractor of Az Mil, they lose the freedom to determine their own future.”
Murakan’s subsequent explanation centered on a concept called ‘Causality.’
“One who sees the future must follow that future. They must follow it, no matter what. The moment they defy it, Az Mil’s condemnation begins.”
Even if seeing a glimpse of what was to come caused a change in their psychology or behavior—even if it made them want to choose a different path—it was the fate of Az Mil’s contractors to conform to the future they had witnessed.
If they foresaw their brother’s assassination tomorrow, they could neither speak of it nor act to prevent it.
This rule also applied to anyone who learned of the future indirectly through the contractor. However, even if they were the ones to violate causality, Az Mil’s condemnation would still fall upon the contractor.
“A contractor who damages causality earns nothing but ruin. That’s why your daughter is essentially living in a different world from us. She is living a life that has already been decided.”
“I… I can’t believe it. I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“Of course you haven’t. It’s a story that not many even among the dragons know.”
“Murakan,” Jin interjected, “what did you mean when you said Yuria seeing you was likely part of the future?”
“It’s a hunch. What are the odds of us running into a Contractor of Az Mil the moment we arrive here? Az Mil likely paid a price for the sake of a young contractor who lost her guardian dragon. In a way, Az Mil was asking for help.”
“A god asking humans for help?”
“Asking one dragon and two humans, to be precise. Az Mil’s intervention isn't certain, but it’s the most likely explanation. The probability of this meeting being a mere coincidence is far too low.”
Casimir could only shake his head, lost for words, while Jin’s thoughts turned to Yuria.
The Precognitive Eye that could see the future, and the Absolute Eye—the ability to perceive all things and phenomena in the world ‘exactly’ as they were.
The reason she called me ‘Mister’… was it because she saw me as I was before my regression?
The thought sent a sudden, sharp chill down his spine.
“Regardless, we need to find a guardian dragon and place it by the kid’s side as soon as possible,” Murakan said.
“……O Great Dragon. It is not widely known, but I am the leader of an intelligence agency called the ‘Seven-Colored Bird.’ I have many capable subordinates. Yet, for the past year, I haven't been able to find a single trace of my daughter’s guardian dragon.”
“The Seven-Colored Bird was yours? That makes me even more certain of Az Mil’s intervention. The reason we came to this country was to use the Seven-Colored Bird’s information network.”
To Casimir, Murakan’s words were a ray of light in the darkness. It was far more likely he could secure a dragon’s help by offering something of value rather than simply begging.
Thud!
Suddenly, Casimir dropped to his knees and bowed his head low.
“O Great Dragon, please help me. I will do anything if it means saving my daughter. I will give you the entirety of the Seven-Colored Bird.”
Normally, Casimir was a prudent man. Though exiled, he was of the Viment Imperial bloodline, and his pride was immense. But things were different when his young daughter’s life was on the line. Although nothing Murakan said had been proven, Casimir couldn't bring himself to believe it was a lie.
His counterparts were a dragon and a Runcandel. What reason would they have to deceive him?
Gilly blinked in surprise, and Jin was equally taken aback.
“I want to help,” Murakan said, “but the final decision isn't mine.”
“Pardon?”
“The one you should be pleading with is this kid. He’s the one who decides everything we do. Hey, kid, what’s the plan?”
Usually, a dragon accompanying a god’s contractor exists in a relationship of equals, or at the very least holds a slight advantage. This meant they possessed full autonomy. No matter how close they were to their contractor, no dragon would ever throw away their independence. Casimir knew this well, and he suddenly realized that Jin was not simply ‘a Runcandel.’
“Please… help me, Young Master Jin.”
“Please stand up, Sir Casimir.” Jin moved forward and helped the man to his feet. “Though our acquaintance is brief, a child’s life is at stake. This isn't a matter of whether I should help or not.”
As Casimir stood, tears welled in his bloodshot eyes. His suffocating desperation and heartache were palpable.
“Sir Casimir, I understand your anxiety, but it would be best to regain your composure for now. Starting today, let’s search for Yuria’s guardian dragon together. There must be a way.”
“I will never forget this debt, Young Master.”
Things had gone much smoother than expected. He hadn't even needed to show the Masterpiece or mention the ‘Well of Mana’ he didn't yet possess to win over Casimir and the Seven-Colored Bird.
However, Jin didn't feel the slightest bit of joy. No one could be happy when a child’s life hung in the balance.
If even the Seven-Colored Bird couldn't find any leads, it means we’ll have to rely on the intelligence networks of the Runcandels or the Zipples.
But as a Reserve Flagbearer, he couldn't borrow the clan’s power. He was tempted to break the rules, but even if he did, the clan would never provide aid for something like this.
“Sir Casimir, what did you mean when you said you suspected the Zipples or Viment kidnapped the guardian dragon? You said you had a hunch.”
“Because if the guardian dragon had died, Yuria would have known. And I believed that only those two powers could kidnap a dragon without leaving a single trace.”
He wasn't wrong. Kidnapping a dragon required various types of magic. While it wasn't impossible for a family of pure martial might like the Runcandels, they would inevitably leave behind evidence of a battle.
“Furthermore, the guardian dragon disappeared on August 2, 1794. According to my subordinates’ investigations, several prominent mages from both the Zipples and Viment were unaccounted for around that date.”
“The Zipples and Viment.”
If those two groups were the opponents, then even having solid evidence—let alone just a hunch—would make things difficult. No, ‘difficult’ was an understatement; reclaiming the guardian dragon would be considered impossible. Along with the Runcandels, they were one of the world’s three great powers, and the Zipple Clan stood at the very top.
“To be honest, I had half-given up on finding my daughter’s guardian dragon. If I hadn't known her life depended on it, I probably would have remained that way…”
“Don't blame yourself,” Jin said. “I also only just learned that Az Mil’s contractors faced such a fate.”
“Yeah, human. Blaming yourself won't help,” Murakan added. “Hmm, the Zipples and the Empire! Hey, kid. This Tikan Free City. Does it belong to the Lutero Magic Federation?”
“No, Tikan is just a city, like Mamit. It falls short of the criteria for a ‘state’ and doesn't belong to anyone.”
The difference, however, was that unlike Mamit, Tikan was a land everyone coveted. The Zipples, Viment, and other powerful nations—even the Runcandels—secretly desired it. Viment, in particular, viewed it as a thorn in their side, as the city was led by their deposed prince.
The negotiation skills of Casimir and the Seven-Colored Bird, who overcame such an environment to eventually establish the ‘Tikan Free State’ ten years later, were truly remarkable.
He established a nation, but in my past life, he probably failed to save his daughter… I’ve never heard of the King of the Tikan Free State, Casimir, having any children.
Therefore, saving Yuria could be an event that significantly altered history.
“Then it doesn't matter if I transform here?” Murakan asked.
“Why all of a sudden?”
“I’m going to fly toward Viment and ask some dragons I know. Most of the dragons staying with the Zipples are my enemies, so I can't ask them.”
Currently, eighty percent of active dragons were aligned with the Zipple Clan. The remaining twenty percent were mostly with Viment, with a tiny fraction serving mages of other families or reclusive masters.
“Even Viment has barriers. A dragon can't just fly in recklessly. It would be better to get a forged ID and use a teleport gate.”
“Ah, I don't care about barriers. If I go while releasing a massive amount of energy, a few of them might pop out on their own. I’ll fly just close enough so I don't actually trip the barrier.”
“What? How?”
“I might have just woken up after a thousand years, but quite a few of those bastards owe me from my prime. I’m just going to go and hope at least one of them is in Viment. If not, well, nothing I can do.”
It wasn't rare for a dragon to remain active for over a thousand years. As long as their divine contract continued to be inherited, it was entirely possible.
“O Great Dragon!” Casimir shouted, as if remembering something.
“Ah, just call me by my name. Stop calling me that. It’s embarrassing. What am I, some cult leader?”
“Lord Murakan! In that case, before you go, I can provide you with a list of dragons currently in Viment. It’s information the Seven-Colored Bird has already identified!”
“Oh, really? Then run as fast as your legs can carry you and bring it. Let’s hope neither of us wastes our time. I’m looking forward to seeing a familiar name.”
“Yes, please wait just a moment!”
“Hey, hey, wait,” Murakan called out as Casimir turned to leave. “I’ll tell you two things before you go. First, starting today, your daughter needs to have a very busy schedule. Every day, make her play until she collapses from exhaustion. The moment she opens her eyes, keep her playing. Keep her sleeping.”
“U-Until when should I do that?”
“Until we find the guardian dragon. Hire clowns, hire professional playmates, whatever. You have to make the kid so excited she loses track of everything. When her physical strength is drained, the activation of Az Mil’s authority naturally weakens.”
The weaker the authority, the safer Yuria would be. It reduced the chances of her defying the future. At her current age, she couldn't properly distinguish between the future and the present, or dreams and reality. However, if she were to see a ‘shocking future,’ her behavior would inevitably change, putting her in grave danger. Even if she mistakenly thought it was just a dream.
“Ah.”
“There’s also the method of feeding her sleeping pills every day or using mental magic to force her to sleep. But you wouldn't like that, right? Neither would I. Our kid, Strawberry Pie, your wife, and the girl herself would all hate it. Right?”
“I understand. I will make sure she plays until she’s exhausted every single day, no matter what. Then, what is the second thing?”
“Call back the chefs you evacuated and tell them to make some shrimp dishes. Plenty of them.”
Nodding, Casimir rushed out of the room.
Gilly then approached with a small smile. “Lord Murakan, you are quite kind.”
“Haha, Strawberry Pie. I just remembered you couldn't eat earlier when you were about to order shrimp.”
“No, not just that. It seemed like you were intentionally talking a lot just now to help ease Sir Casimir’s tension.”
Murakan cleared his throat, looking away.
“Why would I care about the feelings of such a lowly creature?”