Chapter 290
Chapter 290
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 290
>Chapter Title: The Old Man of Myriad Forms
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The Old Man of Myriad Forms.
An object that appears at low probability in the Myriad Forms Library.
No one knew the old man's true identity, but the effects of encountering him were widely known. Of course, this only applied to the gods who had been enjoying the Eternal World for a long time.
Anyway.
Kang Seol was now face-to-face with someone who matched the old man's description perfectly.
'No, this is the Old Man of Myriad Forms.'
Kang Seol was convinced the moment the old man asked his question.
"Do you mean a favorite book?"
He gave a roundabout answer for now, buying time.
"Yes, didn't you hear? Do you have a favorite book by any chance?"
There was clearly a line here designed to make him say no.
And the players who squandered that golden opportunity had beaten the ground in regret.
"Of course."
"Oh... What field is it in?"
Choices appeared.
[The mysterious Old Man of Myriad Forms has spoken to you. He does nothing special, just asks you a question... What kind of books do you like?]
1. I like technical books related to engineering and manufacturing.
2. I prefer books on magic.
3. I enjoy religious texts related to divinity.
4. I read miscellaneous books filled with various knowledge.
...
There were so many choices they didn't all fit on the screen at once.
"Ugh... Who is that?"
Jin Ryeo approached at the sound of voices, then froze upon seeing the Old Man of Myriad Forms.
"Grandpa, who...?"
"Heh heh heh... You can talk to me later. Hm... Go over there."
Creak...
It was like a reading room, complete with desks and chairs prepared for reading books. Kang Seol, Jin Ryeo, and the Old Man of Myriad Forms went and sat down.
He crossed his legs.
"So, what's your answer?"
Kang Seol glanced at his notepad, pondering his response.
'The books we need are technical ones, or maybe miscellany or biographies... To get those...'
He looked at the list Hwmun had written, then suddenly recalled the earlier question.
- Do you have a favorite book by any chance?
The old man's eyes were still sparkling.
'A favorite... book.'
What was written on the notepad were the books they needed to find.
They weren't books he liked.
'Book... a book...'
Kang Seol had countless anecdotes involving books.
Ancient tomes found in monster nests, records containing unknown continental history.
He had found joy in each and every one. If asked by the old man, he could say he liked all the ones he'd collected and read over a long time.
But.
If he had to pick just one book.
The one he truly liked, just one.
'...It would probably be that book.'
Above all, he'd choose the one he'd written himself.
He'd written it himself, yet didn't know the details, so naturally he wanted to read it.
"...A book on."
"Hm?"
"I like books on magic."
"Books on magic... Items for those seeking truth. Yes... books on magic..."
As the old man kept muttering, Jin Ryeo sidled up to Kang Seol and whispered with a smiling face.
"He's definitely a library ghost. Should I tell Kunna to smash him from behind and we run?"
- The true romantic of this era, Jin Ryeo.
- Umi-gwan is mine.
Kang Seol chuckled softly and whispered back to Jin Ryeo.
"Don't do that. Try talking to him yourself, Jin Ryeo."
"Eek... I don't get along with old folks..."
"Still."
The old man looked at Jin Ryeo and said.
"You there, miss. Do you have a favorite book?"
"M-Miss...?"
"What's wrong? If you don't like the title..."
"I like miss just fine... I prefer books on sorcery related to spirits."
Jin Ryeo tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Her flushed skin was visible along her neckline.
- Umi-gwan has been auctioned off.
- Jin Ryeo! Weak to compliments!
The old man turned back to Kang Seol.
"Think of a specific book you want. The author, the value it holds, or even a snippet of its contents."
"Huh, why?"
"Jin Ryeo."
"Ah. It wasn't for me! I'll be quiet."
Kang Seol scratched his chin and replied.
"Hm... I remember a phrase."
"Oh! That's good. Any memorable phrase, or even a rare one."
Kang Seol curled up the corner of his mouth.
"Azran conveys."
Jin Ryeo, sitting beside him, tilted her head and looked at Kang Seol.
"Azran...?"
Then she asked.
"Isn't that the name of Duke of Frost?"
* * *
Quite a long time ago, in the heavens.
"Th-The Old Man of Myriad Forms..."
"No way! What? He was just with you!"
"We split into independent spaces. That's when he branched off... Anyway, it's the Old Man of Myriad Forms! What do we do?"
"Everyone come here! Eltric ran into the Old Man of Myriad Forms!"
"Oh my god!"
"Where! Where is he?"
Kang Seol didn't know it at the time, but looking back, it was comical how the gods all rushed over because of one Old Man of Myriad Forms.
"He's right in front of me now! No, in front of Eltric? Anyway... Finally, my chance has come!"
"So the Old Man of Myriad Forms really does appear..."
"I'm jealous... Such luck."
"Eltric was a blessed horse with great dice luck too. This is unfair..."
"Anyway! Jealousy later. Let's strategize first. He asked if there's a favorite book—what should we say?"
"Didn't someone compile the choices last time?"
"Just follow that flow?"
"Um... Won't it depend on the book you want?"
The gods huddled together, debating what book Eltric should get. Strangely, the other gods were more heated than the person involved.
"There's a time limit on the answer—what do we do...?"
"Choose well! The questions vary each time, and so do the desired answers!"
"So the rewards change too!"
"What exactly do you want then?"
"The strongest book, obviously? Eltric even has reading talent! Super high chance to gain enlightenment from books!"
"The strongest book? As if that exists!"
"Yeah... Sorry to pour cold water when you finally got the chance, but you can't change a horse's fundamentals with just a technical book."
Even through the mask, you could feel Eltric's owner's scowl. He thought the other gods were jealous of him.
"No... Mages can. Instead of the strongest teacher, learn from the strongest book!"
"So what is this strongest book?"
"Look, there's a limit to getting stronger just by reading. If you could absorb all enlightenments from books, Eltric would already be a grand mage. But... he's not, right? Your horse has average aptitude."
"Quiet, be quiet! Enough with the envy and jealousy..."
"Who said we're jealous! Hilarious... We offer help and you complain... Fighting over some nonexistent strongest book?"
Conversations that only hurt feelings.
Eltric's owner pondered briefly before speaking.
"No, it exists... If it's a book left by the strongest mage, what else could be the strongest book?"
"...That one."
"Right? Snowman?"
Whoosh...
Swoosh swoosh...
The gods' eyes turned to Kang Seol, who was standing a bit away.
Kang Seol gave an awkward smile and replied.
"It's not... wrong."
"Exactly! Your words! The founder of Zodiac! Right? He left enlightenments before challenging Ascension. Somewhere in Pandea!"
"He did. In the Myriad Forms Library."
The gods gasped.
He left that book in the Myriad Forms Library.
If no one had taken it first, the book wouldn't have burned or vanished.
"Myriad Forms Library!"
"See? I was right. He left it in the Myriad Forms Library, accessible from anywhere, to pass it to the next horse."
"Not exactly the intention, but... hm..."
With eyes gleaming with greed, Eltric's owner snapped at Kang Seol.
"If we get that, Eltric can become like the Duke of Frost too!"
"Um... Hey, I get the greed, but... that's Snowman's item. Not yours."
"What's yours or mine about something left in the Myriad Forms Library! Its owner already failed Ascension, and the legacy is adrift in the world—what's wrong with that! Need permission? Fine, get it from the owner, Snowman? Can I aim for that book in the Myriad Forms Library, Snowman?"
It was an item already out of his hands.
No owner was set.
Eltric's owner wasn't wrong at all. And Kang Seol had no particular attachment to it.
But that didn't mean he could hand it over.
"Of course. However..."
"However? You gonna refuse?"
"No, not that..."
"Spit it out!"
"Can Eltric recall even a part of that book's contents?"
"...Th, uh..."
Hearing Kang Seol, the gods started murmuring as something dawned on them.
"R-Right! Ultimately, the horse needs to know the book's existence and at least some contents for the old man to find it?"
"Th-That's... Snowman! You just tell him."
"Me, to Eltric? How?"
"Uh... Hm... Like this..."
Past Kang Seol.
Snowman, wearing the snowman mask, said this to Eltric's owner.
"Unless I become a horse and relay Azran's book contents... No horse can receive my book from the Old Man of Myriad Forms."
* * *
Looking back, those words became seeds.
- Unless I become a horse and relay Azran's book contents...
Kang Seol reminisced about the past, then let the memory scatter like smoke.
The Old Man of Myriad Forms's questions continued.
He kept asking what he liked about the book, other contents or themes, and only stopped after at least 10 minutes of back-and-forth.
"Ah! Come this way for a moment."
"What about me?"
"You too, miss."
"Seriously... Even if I said not to call me that..."
"Got it."
"If it's comfortable for you, no helping it."
The old man strode ahead purposefully.
Somehow he'd brought a wooden ladder too.
Standing between bookshelves, the old man smiled.
"I'm too short to reach. Can you get that book up there?"
"Of course."
"Much obliged."
As Kang Seol climbed the ladder, Jin Ryeo asked.
"Can I just stand here?"
"No, look to the left."
"To the left...? Huh?"
While Jin Ryeo turned left to check the bookshelf, Kang Seol climbed up and searched the spot the old man indicated.
"Which book should I take?"
"......"
"Sir?"
"Um... Mr. Kang Seol."
Kang Seol turned and looked down; Jin Ryeo was trembling.
"That old man... disappeared?"
"......"
"And he gave this to me..."
Kang Seol didn't know what book was in Jin Ryeo's hand, but her shocked expression suggested it wasn't ordinary.
'The Old Man of Myriad Forms triggered for Jin Ryeo. So then...'
Kang Seol quickly scanned the bookshelf with his eyes.
Soon, he spotted a book that stood out from the others.
A book with a black leather cover, no title written on it.
He let out a sigh.
This wasn't the book he wanted.
'What was I expecting... But what's this book?'
Rustle...
Kang Seol opened it from atop the ladder without coming down.
"Hm?"
"What's wrong?"
"...Nothing."
The front had no content.
Feeling something off, he flipped straight to the last page.
Rustle rustle...
Something was written at the end.
'8 - M - 901.'
Kang Seol's eyes widened.
He checked the shelf where he'd taken the book.
3 - M - 153.
The first number seemed to indicate the floor, M the first letter of the title, and the last number the shelf position.
'No way... Does this mean that book is on the 8th floor?'
[Marvelous Discovery! You have encountered the Old Man of Myriad Forms.]
[The Old Man of Myriad Forms gifts you a book.]
From the messages, the Old Man of Myriad Forms had definitely triggered.
It just seemed the value of the book Kang Seol wanted far exceeded what could be obtained on the 3rd floor.
'In that case...'
Yaksha aside, now that he knew treasure slept in the Myriad Forms Library, he couldn't ignore it.
'...I need to go up to the 8th floor.'
Perhaps there, the book containing Duke of Frost Azran's insights remained.
"Jin Ryeo."
"......"
"Jin Ryeo?"
"Ah... Ahh! Yes!"
"Did you get what you wanted?"
A smile bloomed on Jin Ryeo's face.
"Yes!"
"Then let's head up. Seems we've got everything from here."
"Okay!"
Jin Ryeo beamed, steadying Kang Seol's ladder.
Step...
Step...
The two walked toward the door leaking light.
Whoosh...
The next floor welcomed them.
A sign stood at the entrance.
"A sign...! There's one this time!"
"...And something else too."
"...Huh? Huh? Th-That's..."
Creak...
Creak...
A colossal golem was smashing bookshelves in the library's center.
Boom!
Boom!
Kang Seol and Jin Ryeo exchanged glances, wondering what was going on.
Then, a voice came from somewhere.
"Hey! You there!"
"Shh! Lower your voice. The golem will hear."
"Then how am I supposed to call you?"
"That's... Hm? That young man... He looks familiar."
"Where would you have seen him? First time in the Myriad Forms Library... Huh?"
A voice he'd heard before.
"Frannan? That one's-eyed scale guy's disciple!"
"Indeed. Who'd have thought we'd meet here."
Kang Seol nodded slightly and asked.
"Goat... Sheep?"
"Joene and Santio! Glad you recognize our faces, yes!"
Suddenly, on the 4th floor of the Myriad Forms Library, he'd run into the tower lord of Scorpio Magic Tower, Joene, and the tower lord of Aries Magic Tower, Santio.
Not to mention the golem wrecking an entire floor.
Kang Seol eyed Joene suspiciously, and he hurriedly said.
"I-I'm not a ghost!"
Then.
Kang Seol judged the sign right in front of him was the only thing that could explain this mess.
"...Oh no."
Kang Seol scowled as he read down the sign.