Chapter 152
Chapter 152
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 152
>Chapter Title: Nine Goblins
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There are actually a ton of things that could be called books or "something that contains letters."
From tombstones with inscriptions to identity plaques, or even the shop signs we see everywhere.
It's harder to find objects without letters on them, but even so, the reason I suspected it was a grimoire was simple.
'Something that evaded Absolute Tracking for ages without being discovered.'
There are countless artifacts with letters, but only one kind could plausibly dodge Absolute Tracking.
Of course, that's just based on what I know.
But as if he'd read my mind, Parun shook his head knowingly and spoke up.
"I get what you're thinking, but the odds of it being a grimoire are slim."
"Slim?"
"Yeah, I already asked about that. The director of magical studies said he'd run several experiments."
"Experiments?"
Parun nodded at my question.
"I didn't get the details, but... after a few tests, Lortel's conclusion was that 'it's not a grimoire.'"
His definitive tone made me tilt my head.
"What kind of experiments?"
"You're skeptical about the experiments themselves, huh."
I nodded.
The first method that came to mind wasn't all that complicated.
Procure a grimoire and use Infinite Chain to track it.
But grimoires aren't like the neighbor's dog, are they?
'From what I heard earlier... designating a target requires a ridiculous amount of information.'
A renowned magical family like Lortel wouldn't hand over grimoire intel easily.
The fact that they'd even experimented was suspicious.
But.
"I didn't hear about that part. For some reason, they kept the experiment details under wraps."
"Under wraps?"
"Yeah, the simplest test would be designating a grimoire as the tracking target..."
"Hmm."
"Think about it. If Infinite Chain is tracking a grimoire, it'd either belong to someone or be an unclaimed one no one knows about yet. The first case is pointless, and in the second, would Lortel just give up?"
"...No, they wouldn't."
Circumstantially, the evidence leaned toward it not being a grimoire.
Sure, there could be a case where Infinite Chain tracked an owned grimoire that Lortel was after...
'If they say it's not a grimoire, then it's not.'
If it were, Lortel wouldn't have bothered stating it so flatly.
Still, even if it wasn't a grimoire, it piqued my interest.
Not for academic reasons like Parun's "Absolute Tracking countermeasure."
More like...
Yeah, greed.
The kind where you boast, "Our library has this priceless tome." A bit of showing off.
Of course, that's only if we found it, but the possibility itself was exciting.
'I should ask Teheman senior about this later.'
He's got a lot up here, so he might know something. He even mastered ancient magic.
Oh, that thought sparked my curiosity.
"So, is it possible to track a grimoire with Infinite Chain?"
"...?"
Was the question too out of left field?
Parun tilted his head, then narrowed his eyes and stared at me.
"What, do you know of some unclaimed grimoire no one’s heard of?"
"No, nothing like that."
It's because of owned grimoires.
"So, possible or not?"
Parun pondered for a moment before answering.
"I haven't fully mastered its use yet... but theoretically, it's not impossible. Actually, I'd say it's possible."
Good news midway through.
That meant finding the Shards of Reverse Heaven might get easier.
Ah, but the catch: to track those shards, I'd have to explain them to Parun, the caster.
'Whatever, cross that bridge when we come to it.'
Not an immediate concern.
I was wrapping up the Infinite Chain topic when Parun's suspicious gaze lingered.
"Really nothing?"
"...If I did, wouldn't I have said so?"
"You? That's the funniest thing I've heard lately."
His spot-on jab shut me up.
Even if I knew of an unclaimed grimoire, I'd never spill.
But not out of greed.
More like...
Fellowship among comrades.
You know, "out of sight, out of mind," but seeing treasure stirs greed that sours bonds.
Friends fighting over "you take it, no you."
Even if they team up to find it, disputes over ownership could turn bloody.
Of course, I'm the exception.
I'm always transparently greedy, heart racing for treasure whether it's there or not.
Seeing it won't change me.
Full to the brim, seeming empty. Soaked in materialism I'm detached from it. That's me.
Anyway.
"That's all on Infinite Chain, I suppose. Its principles or magical theory... you wouldn't care anyway, right?"
"Of course not."
"Then get lost. I've got a lot to study to master its use."
He seemed urgent about Infinite Chain, and understandably so.
His desk was piled with obscure papers. Mastering them all to use it? I'd be antsy too.
But I ignored his dismissal and stayed put.
I still had my real point to raise.
"Deaf? I said scram—"
"Ah, actually, I had something to ask. About magical studies? Or something like that?"
"...Magical studies?"
Surprised by the question?
Parun frowned like I'd said something bizarre, but sat back on the sofa, intrigued. I seized the moment.
No time for beating around the bush, or I'd get booted.
"Know anything about core splitting?"
"Core splitting... what exactly? Dividing rooms within a core? Or literally splitting it?"
Dividing rooms in a core meant sectioning off areas inside to avoid clashes.
Mostly used by multi-attribute mages to store conflicting mana safely.
Sure, there are secrets like Heavenly Origin Art that handle multiples without it, but this is standard.
But I meant the obvious latter.
"Taking one core and making it two, two into three."
"...Why?"
Parun tilted his head, baffled.
No wonder.
'Who'd split their core on purpose?'
Splitting into two, three...
More is better, one hit hurts less than two, but cores don't work that way.
Splitting's hard enough...
'And even split, efficiency drops.'
(Note: Riheim senior's split core was different—an accident, not intentional.)
So why split mine?
It came down to the circle.
After Patriarch Muhard's advice, I pondered deeply.
What separated my circle from Dae Surim's.
No quick answers, obviously.
But examining it yielded a clue: size.
'...My circle is pathetically tiny compared to Dae Surim's.'
That was the issue.
Even a perfect gear needs size and durability to handle power. Mine was too frail.
Prioritizing stability stunted growth, ironically harming stability.
'Just make it bigger, right?'
Nope, impossible.
Circles form from gathered natural mana—a second core, qualitatively different from mana-formed ones.
Once fixed in size and shape, injecting natural mana does nothing.
So, what now?
Destroy and remake?
'Absurd.'
We Black-White Slums brats have a saying.
One goblin's easy to chop, two are too. Three's tricky, nine impossible.
Meaning, what one can't do, gang up for.
Some might say, "Still just goblins?"
That's the subtlety.
'No matter the numbers, don't forget we're goblins.'
Anyway.
That sparked the solution.
'If one won't work... make two?'
If two fails, three. Four. Nine. Still no? More.
But here's the problem.
'I managed one circle with Dae Surim's experience...'
Doubling to two? Impossible.
Attempts like the first just got absorbed or dispersed by the existing one.
Hence, split the existing core.
But that's uncharted for me.
So, time to use a lifeline.
No more Troubleshooter-era solo suffering.
Still, spilling all this to Parun? Tricky.
"Just say it's tied to a secret art I learned."
"...Hmm, trying something new?"
"You could say that."
Parun's eyes lit up with interest, but he reined it in.
Tied to a secret art? Asking more would be rude.
Anyway, waiting for his answer.
"But for core splitting... wrong address. My specialty's attribute mana, and while I know some on cores, it's attribute-magic related."
His disappointing response left me mildly crestfallen.
'...Sigh, no easy path, huh?'
Hoped Parun knew something.
Then he spoke.
"Go see Hazen instead."
"...Hazen?"
A name I hadn't heard in ages.
My first encounter in this life: natural-born madman Hazen.
Why him?
I tilted my head at the surprise, and Parun followed up curiously.
"You don't know?"
"...?"
"Thought you'd know. Not that close with him?"
His question hit a nerve; I clamped my mouth shut. Parun continued regardless.
"I guarantee, no one's more versed in cores than Hazen—at least not that I know. Oh, perfect timing."
As if just remembering, he added.
Unexpected facts kept coming, and this was welcome.
"Heavenly Origin Art research bore some fruit. You wanted results too... Deliver the paper to Hazen while you're at it."
Then...
"You'll get some solid results."