Chapter 244
Chapter 244
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 244
>Chapter Title: Belonging to Us All
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Infinite Chain.
To be honest, I hadn’t held out much hope that the Infinite Chain could track down the fragments of Yeokcheon.
Why?
‘Even if it can track something containing books or text... it wasn’t clear if that would work on the fragments of Yeokcheon.’
So, it was more of a “nice if it works, oh well if it doesn’t” kind of mindset. But then something changed that.
‘...The second fragment hidden in Baharmut.’
I’d gotten it by sheer luck, but looking back, it was a chilling thought.
What if I hadn’t gone to see the fairy dance? What if I hadn’t crossed paths with Senior Mysern?
I never would have known about the second fragment’s existence for the rest of my life.
That’s why Parun’s single remark—“Infinite Chain research complete”—carried even greater weight for me than before. For now, I took a slow, deep breath and opened my mouth.
“Can I use it right away?”
“You’re in a hurry. Sit down first.”
“Mm.”
I settled onto the reception sofa, and it wasn’t long before Parun spoke up.
“To answer your question: yes, ‘you can use it.’ There were a few things to iron out, so it took longer than expected, but it’s ready now. No issues. ...Of course, you’re not curious about the details, are you?”
“Of course not.”
“Yeah, figured as much.”
Had he gotten used to me by now?
Parun nodded without a hint of annoyance and pulled a wooden box from his pocket, placing it on the table.
Clack.
The Infinite Chain revealed itself with a soft sound.
As I admired its gleaming form, Parun slid the Infinite Chain to the center of the table and spoke.
“Alright, as requested, a quick rundown on how to use it. First up: the incantation.”
“Incantation?”
“Yeah. The spell to activate the Infinite Chain. It’s not hard. The real issue comes after.”
“...?”
I tilted my head, and Parun handed me a thick booklet.
“This is...”
“See for yourself.”
I stared at him blankly before shifting my gaze to the booklet.
Was it even right to call it a booklet?
Too thick for a sheaf of parchment, too thin in pages to call a proper ‘book.’
And the contents were downright bizarre.
- Is it an object?
- Does it contain text?
- Do you know the material?
....
It was a string of trivial questions, like a game of twenty questions. I read through the first few pages calmly before flipping through the rest in a rush.
The content didn’t vary much from start to finish.
All of it was questions.
‘What’s the point of this?’
That’s when Parun’s voice rang in my ear.
“That’s the minimum questionnaire you absolutely must answer to activate the Infinite Chain.”
“And?”
I’d half-expected something like this.
I’d heard the basic principles before, and I figured it’d be pretty complicated.
But Parun shook his head.
“It’s worse than you imagine.”
“...?”
Puzzled, I tilted my head again, and Parun pulled out another thick booklet, setting it on the table.
Thud.
“That’s...”
“I tested it on my own paper as a trial run. And that’s the answer sheet used to track it.”
How many pages was it?
Two hundred? Three?
Parun’s voice cut in right then.
“Exactly three hundred seventy-eight pages. Not a single blank margin.”
“...”
So, what was he saying?
“I don’t know what you’re trying to find, but it won’t be easy. How about it...”
Parun tapped the thick stack of papers as he posed the question to me.
“Still wanna go for it?”
“...”
I didn’t respond.
I just thought.
‘...Searching for an unidentified ruin on foot versus writing out answers that many pages long.’
Which was easier?
Some might say the latter, obviously. But it wasn’t that simple.
Why?
‘...If even the author, who knows the paper better than anyone, needs an answer sheet that long to track it...’
Who knew how many pages the fragments of Yeokcheon would require?
As I pondered, Parun spoke up.
“Of course, there are other options.”
“Other options...?”
Parun pulled out another stack of papers.
“This is the answer sheet I wrote when tracking the same paper as the ‘caster’ who knew the target.”
“You mean...”
“You don’t seem keen on telling me what you’re after. So I tested it twice for your sake. One assuming the caster doesn’t know the target...”
Tap, tap.
Parun tapped the thick answer sheet.
Then his fingertip moved to the second, thinner stack he’d brought out.
“And the other assuming the caster does know the target.”
Was it my imagination?
A smile tugged at Parun’s lips.
And that’s when I realized.
“Come on, tell me what you’re looking for. As you can see, it’s this easy if the caster knows the target.”
This guy...
He definitely remembered.
- Why are you so obsessed with the Infinite Chain? Got something you need to find? Like a grimoire or whatever...?
I’d brushed it off back then.
But it was clear now.
He’d shown me that ridiculous volume to scare me, then dangled the easy way— all a shady ploy to break down my mental walls.
‘...Did a demon possess him?’
Evelyn and now Parun.
Taken one by one, neither was a huge deal. But back-to-back like this, it felt like my head was splitting.
As I gnawed at my lip, Parun flashed a blatantly meaningful smile and spoke.
“Take your time thinking it over. But if I had my way, I’d prefer you take the easy route. I’m running out of research material these days.”
“...What about academy research?”
“My lab members are superior.”
“...”
Meaning he worked his researchers to the bone.
‘Wyvern, not working?’
[Friend said. Me staying put is helping.]
...Never mind.
* * *
Let me sum it up.
I was facing two problems right now.
First.
‘The weight of the family head.’
I had to feed two hundred dependents with nowhere else to go, sucking their thumbs and looking only to me.
That much was fine.
I had money and power.
Even if money alone couldn’t solve it, overwhelming force would carve out some path somehow.
The real problem was Parun.
‘...Should I tell him or not?’
It was tricky.
If I weighed whether I could trust Parun... yeah, he was trustworthy enough.
From what I’d seen of his character so far, if I said, “Actually, what I’m looking for are the fragments of Yeokcheon—shattered pages of a grimoire,” he’d just go, “Fascinating research subject.”
So why not tell him?
‘It’s not Parun I don’t trust.’
It was the situation around him.
What if Parun got captured by the Decullans later and tortured mercilessly? Could he really keep it secret?
Or any number of other scenarios piling up...
“Urgh.”
It seemed trivial at first glance, but digging in made it endlessly serious.
So, what to do?
“I’m done thinking.”
A voice came right then.
“What? Are you insane?”
“...?”
“You’re really gonna abandon two hundred dependents? Aster, I thought you were like that, but honestly, you’re worse than I—”
Evelyn shot me a contemptuous glare, laced with disappointment.
‘No, when did this kid even come in?’
Had I been too deep in thought?
I hadn’t even noticed something as insignificant as Evelyn entering the room.
“Don’t you know how to knock?”
“I did, but no answer.”
“Who do you take me for, an idiot?”
If she knocked, I would’ve heard.
I clicked my tongue at Evelyn’s growing shamelessness and threw a question her way.
“Whatever. Why are you here? Can’t sleep?”
“Who could sleep in this mess?”
“Mm.”
Fair point.
Painfully fair.
So, as I clenched my fist lightly, Evelyn spoke up.
“I talked to Timur. Good news—the Black-White Slums do have emergency stockpiles.”
“...And?”
“Surprised? Apparently, the 2nd Black-White Slums are special. More precisely, their godfather is.”
The godfather of the 2nd Black-White Slums...
I vaguely recalled hearing about him a few times.
‘Unlike other cartel bosses, he’s supposed to be moderate, right?’
Word was, the 2nd Black-White Slums—once called the worst—had become livable thanks to him, even decades ago.
That’s why he commanded respect from all the 2nd Black-White Slums cartels.
But that wasn’t the point right now.
“So, food problem solved?”
One of my two problems seemed on the verge of resolution, so I perked up and asked.
But hold on.
“If it was, do you think I’d be here looking for you?”
“...You only come to me when you need something?”
“What’s that make you, Aster?”
I’m different.
I don’t even seek her out when I need something.
“Sigh, anyway, that’s not the point. The godfather’s stockpile isn’t that huge. And... you know? A cartel’s still a cartel.”
“Mm.”
I got it instantly.
“So, not free.”
“Right. Price is iffy too. Not exactly fair, not outright gouging. Just right on the line.”
“Then why not? Buy it all if the price is reasonable.”
“That’s...”
Evelyn sighed in frustration, took off her mask, and plopped onto the bed.
“They won’t sell everything. It’d be unfair, they say.”
“What kind of fairness?”
“According to the godfather’s man... they’ve set sales limits per district by size. The problem? That ‘size’ is calibrated exactly to the number of organization members.”
What did that mean?
“Even buying it all... won’t cover the orphans?”
“...Yeah.”
What kind of bullshit situation was this?
No wonder Evelyn was frustrated.
The godfather selling food was hopeful, but it didn’t fix the root issue.
“So... back to square one?”
“A bit better, at least. Got any bright ideas, Aster?”
“Wait and see.”
I sorted my thoughts quietly.
Truth be told, I hadn’t grasped anything solid yet.
‘Can’t lean on Lortel right now.’
Next up was the Blandoga Family, but with vassal families to consider, they’d have more than a couple mouths to feed.
No, they’d be busy just handling their domain’s people.
Hang on.
‘...Domain?’
A sudden thought struck me, and I looked Evelyn over.
“Everyone should handle their own turf, right?”
“Yeah...?”
“Then whose domain is the 2nd Black-White Slums?”
“Well...”
Evelyn hesitated, but the answer was simple.
“No one’s. The godfather represents it, but each area’s run by big and small cartels. Right?”
“Yeah.”
So, what did that mean?
“The 2nd Black-White Slums belong to all of us. And the orphanage in the 2nd Black-White Slums?”
“Belongs to all of... us?”
“No, mine. But in times like this, we can share. Why? Because the kids growing up are our future.”
“You mean... rob the other cartels? For the orphanage?”
Who does she think I am, a thief?
I shook my head firmly.
“Not for the ‘orphanage.’”
“Then...”
“For all the slum kids in the 2nd Black-White Slums.”
Evelyn furrowed her brow and tilted her head.
Her eyes said I was spouting nonsense, but I jumped up from my seat and headed for the door.
“Tell the godfather to summon every cartel.”
“Why the other cartels...”
Why?
In this vast Black-White Slums, would not a single one of those crafty bastards—who’d cry foul if called second in shrewdness—have stockpiled food for emergencies?
I didn’t think so.
“Never mind. I’ll go myself.”
It was time for all of us to pool our strength and weather the crisis.
The 2nd Black-White Slums needed to unite.
‘In the name of the Magic Tower.’
Yeah, that’s how it was.