Chapter 769: Blessings Rolling In (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 769: Blessings Rolling In (3)
Jin took Luce to the secret shipyard construction site in the Land of the Sword Emperor.
Before they entered, Jin made sure to have Yuria re-examine Luce’s past and verify his background. He couldn't rule out the possibility that Luce was a Zipple spy. Bringing him to a top-secret area necessitated such a check, and Luce accepted it without resistance.
The investigation confirmed that Luce had no connection to the Zipple and had joined the Alliance with pure intentions. From the moment they arrived, he couldn't hide his excitement at being in one of the Alliance's most classified locations.
"Whoa…! To think the Barmul Alliance was hiding something like this! As expected!"
Even amidst his excitement, Luce grew solemn upon seeing the lingering light left by Ron. He composed himself and stood before it, offering a silent prayer for a long moment.
"What's this? You just left. Why are you back already? Forget something? And who’s this kid?" Quaul, who was in the middle of directing the construction, approached Jin.
"I'm not a kid, you know?" Luce retorted.
"You look like a kid to me."
"My name is Luce Fivrizo, eldest son of the Fivrizo family, and president of the official and unofficial Jin Runcandel fan clubs…"
"He is the candidate to become the contractor of Barvobo, the God of Architecture, Dr. Quaul," Jin interjected.
Quaul’s eyes widened. "What?! Is that true?"
"So your name is Quaul? Anyway, nice to meet you. I joined the Alliance today, so let’s get along."
Quaul scanned Luce from head to toe, his expression full of disbelief. Jin then took a moment to explain the trial Barvobo had demanded of Luce.
"To become the head of a construction site that even the God of Architecture would covet… Hmph, if it's a site designed by me, Quaul, it could be nothing less. Hey, kid."
Quaul puffed out his chest, radiating confidence.
"I told you, it's Luce."
"Right, boy. Go on inside and tell Barvobo to take a good look. He’ll definitely be satisfied."
As they descended into the earth, Luce continued to let out gasps of awe. Quaul opened a door barely wide enough for a single person, revealing a vast, seemingly endless underground space. It was far brighter than the surface, where the chaotic energy of Gliek still lingered.
Magic lamps studded the ceiling and walls, casting a brilliant light over the members of the Alliance who moved busily below. Even to Luce, who as of yet knew nothing about architecture, it was clear that this construction site was a monumental undertaking.
Luce suppressed his racing heart and waited for Barvobo’s voice to ring out. Jin and Quaul waited with him. If Barvobo showed no reaction even after seeing this place, they would have to reconsider their plans.
[Bah!]
Fortunately, Barvobo spoke up almost immediately. Luce jumped in surprise and fell on his backside. Jin came face-to-face with the god, who had manifested in a spiritual form above Luce’s head.
"Whoa, you scared me! Lord Barvobo, let’s make the contract now!"
[I don't like it!]
"Ah, what is it this time?!"
[There was a reason this Barvobo gave you such a trial! I wanted to watch you—immature and talentless as you are—realize your own potential through your preliminary contract with me! I wanted to see you grow step by step, putting in blood, sweat, and tears to complete the trial I set!]
"Eh? What are you talking about?"
[I intended to let your talent bloom with my authority once you truly entered the world of architecture and finally became the head of a site that even I, Barvobo, would admire… but you resort to a trick like this?!]
"Trick or not, as long as the conditions are met, isn't it fine? You must have been impressed, Lord Barvobo, since you showed up," Jin said calmly.
"My greetings are late, Lord Barvobo. I am Jin Runcandel, the 12th Flagbearer of the Runcandel family."
[Hmph… Yes, Jin Runcandel. A name I’ve heard often among the gods lately. Were you the one who encouraged this Luce fellow to use such a trick?]
"I was. Though I didn't think of it as a trick."
[A man of your caliber couldn't have failed to understand my intentions.]
"Please, calm yourself. Is it that this site is not to your liking?"
[It’s not that. But it feels as though Luce has lost the opportunity to grow on his own.]
"The human world is in great turmoil, Lord Barvobo. If Luce had started working somewhere other than the Alliance without meeting me—especially if it were the Zipple—they likely would have used mental manipulation to turn him into a slave. Or worse, they would have absorbed you into a Demon God Stone."
Surprisingly, Barvobo seemed to agree.
[That’s not wrong. If this fool had gone around blabbering about his abilities, he might have been captured by the Zipple. Then I would have been trapped in a Demon God Stone.]
"So, even if it is somewhat disappointing, please lend us your strength. Although Luce did not undergo the trial entirely on his own, he will learn much by serving in a key role at this site as a member of the Alliance."
Jin spoke in a deferential tone, but in truth, Barvobo was being overwhelmed by the subtle dignity radiating from him. The stories circulating among the low-to-mid-tier gods about Jin also played a part.
Jin sensed Barvobo's intimidation.
"If there is anything disrespectful in my words, please tell me."
[It’s not that. I was just wondering whether you are truly the person they say you are.]
"What do you mean by that?"
[Whether you are the person who can protect the gods who fear being absorbed into Demon God Stones.]
That was what the minor gods had been whispering about Jin recently. Many of them lived in fear of being absorbed. With the Demon God Stones growing more powerful, the low-to-mid-tier gods would inevitably be captured the moment the Zipple detected them.
As Barvobo explained this, Jin nodded with a firm expression.
"Defeating the Zipple is a mission I must complete, so I will naturally help the gods in the process. However, there are already quite a few gods working with our Alliance, and this is the first I’ve heard of such talk."
[Newcomers like Picon Minche haven't entered those circles yet. On the other hand, high-ranking gods like Olta rarely have a reason to associate with us, so that makes sense.]
"In any case, I have every intention of helping. I have no reason to ask for a price; preventing gods from being absorbed into Demon God Stones is, in itself, a way of preventing the Zipple from increasing their power."
[It seems you're asking me for a price, though.]
"If you decide not to help with this site, it would be a shame, of course. But I won't hold a grudge against you, Lord Barvobo."
"Lord Barvobo, can't you just help? Please, make a contract with me," Luce pleaded.
At the words of both Jin and Luce, Barvobo appeared lost in thought. A moment later, having made his decision, he nodded.
[Fine. I shall help. In exchange, protect the gods close to me. They are in a dangerous state, as their locations have been mostly exposed to the Zipple. There are three of them: Keitam, the God of Painters; Ox, the God of Frames; and Telpen, the God of Pencils. Among them, the God of Painters is also related to you…]
Barvobo started to say more but then shook his head.
[…It would be better for you to hear it directly from Keitam. In any case, find those three and protect them. I will not inform the other gods of this. It might only spur the Zipple to accelerate their hunt.]
Jin was curious about the connection to Keitam but decided to wait and hear it in person, so he didn't press for details.
"If you give me their locations, I will bring them here immediately."
[I’ll write them down for you later. I look forward to working with you. Luce, you mindless, cheerful fellow. Hurry up and kneel reverently. We shall proceed with the contract.]
"Ohhh!"
A circle of light appeared on the floor where Luce sat, flaring brightly.
[I, Barvobo, the God of Architecture, contract with Luce Fivrizo and bestow my blessing upon him. From this day forward, Luce Fivrizo shall borrow my authority as a formal contractor, not a preliminary one…]
The light seeped into Luce’s body. He trembled for a moment before his eyes snapped open.
To him, the construction site now looked entirely different. It was as if a thick fog had lifted, revealing every hidden detail. The problems scattered throughout the site became instantly clear, their solutions obvious at a single glance.
"This is insane… So this is the authority of a god."
[Ugh, finishing the contract is exhausting. I’m going to rest for a bit. Put that Luce fellow to work. There are more than a few things that need fixing.]
"Sir Jin! No, Patriarch? My Lord? Alliance Leader? I feel like I should call you something different now."
"Most people just call him 'My Lord,'" Quaul noted dryly.
"Then I'll call you Jin-hyung! Hyung! It looks like there are a lot of things I can handle here. First, that pillar joint over there will crack in about two months, and we can excavate more of the ground over that way."
"What? You can tell just by looking?"
"The materials area is in the wrong place, too. The ground there is weak. If it gets any heavier, it’ll collapse."
These were all issues Quaul had been vaguely aware of, which only made him more shocked.
"What about the hatch? See? Over there. We're working on the hatch for the ships to exit. Does it look okay?"
"Hmm, I’ll have to take a closer look to be sure. What’s the structure of the hatch?"
"If you look at this blueprint…"
Luce and Quaul huddled over the blueprints, talking intently. Quaul nodded, impressed, with each of Luce’s observations. Luce’s voice, meanwhile, was full of excitement at his newly acquired senses. What was even more surprising was that his authority was still at a beginner level. Just as Jin had refined his Spirit Energy, Luce could improve his authority by studying architecture.
"Hey, Jin," Quaul said, turning back. "Looks like construction will speed up significantly. We’ll need to recruit more workers and increase the supply of materials."
"I'll be staying here starting today, Jin-hyung! I'll write down my address, so please take care of my family. Things are about to get busy, so don't send them here. Just find them a house in a reasonably safe area. With all this work piling up, I'll introduce you to them later!"
Jin nodded, feeling a bit dazed. Luce was already rolling up his sleeves, ready to dive in.
"Understood. If you need anything, feel free to request it from Tikan through Dr. Quaul at any time."
"Yes, Hyung! Take care!"
"Doctor, work with Luce and contact me as soon as you have an estimated completion date."
"Got it. You can expect great things."
When Jin finally left the Land of the Sword Emperor and returned to Tikan, another piece of good news was waiting for him.
"Jin."
Valeria came to find him immediately, as if she had been waiting.
"You look pleased. Did something good happen, Valeria?"
Valeria pulled a piece of paper from her robe. On it were dozens of names Jin had never seen before.
"Whose names are these?"
A wide smile spread across Valeria's face.
"These are the names of magitech engineers who requested to defect after seeing my name. I told you, didn't I? Once my existence became known, people obsessed with Hister magic—like Kidad Hall—would come looking for me."
The blessings just kept rolling in.