Chapter 699: Script
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 699: Script
"Venting his anger? Speaking of which, why did Grand Duke Divine Will seek to exterminate the Ratman race?"
Teacher Ariel drifted through the space a few times. However, this area was as barren as her ancient memories, offering nothing of value. She decided to ask directly:
"I’m quite curious about this. Divine Will doesn't seem like the type to randomly turn on his own kind among the Demon Race. Among the various Grand Dukes, he’s usually considered one of the rare, moderate ones."
"You know him?"
"Not intimately. But from the memories I still possess, I traveled to the Abyss several times. I have a fair understanding of this place."
"Heh, understanding and knowing are two different things. That man might look the part of a civilized gentleman, but he isn't nearly as benevolent as the rumors suggest. When it’s time to be cold, he is more ruthless and heartless than anyone. As for the reason... it’s likely because those fellows still refuse to accept their fate, while we accepted ours long ago."
The Ratman sat cross-legged on the ground, his withered hands resting on his knees. His sigh was dry and weathered, sounding as if it had traveled across centuries.
"It sounds like they’re the ones acting out of desperation?" Teacher Ariel arched an eyebrow.
"Are they not?"
The Ratman stared at his stick-thin feet. His gaze was unfocused, as if he were staring into the void itself.
"If they hadn't reached a state of absolute madness, they wouldn't have come this far. The entire Demon Race has been pushed to the edge of a precipice. If they fail, they will fall into eternal perdition, without even a chance to try again."
"You seem to know a lot of inside information."
"Don't overthink it. I’m just a rat living at the very bottom of the Abyss. What use is a rat other than scurrying through the gutters?"
The Ratman hooked his finger.
With a few squeaks, a tiny rat suddenly emerged from the shadows. It sniffed its way along until it climbed into the Ratman’s palm.
The Ratman stroked its dull gray fur while feeding it bits of hard dried meat. At the same time, he made clicking and squeaking sounds, seemingly communicating with the creature.
"I see. I think I have a general idea of what you're trying to do."
After a moment, the Ratman gave the tiny rat a gentle pat, and it vanished back into the darkness with a whoosh.
Bracing his hands on his knees, the Ratman stood up with great difficulty. His legs were so emaciated it was hard to imagine they could support his weight.
Nevertheless, he stood, wobbling as he made his way to the other side of the underground chamber. He reached into a clay jar and rummaged around.
Soon, he pulled out half a bottle of ink and a sheet of paper.
These were incredibly rare finds in a place like the Abyss. Even high-class demons rarely used pen and paper to write.
The Ratman plucked one of his own whiskers, expertly dipped it in the ink, and began writing rapidly on the paper.
Ariel leaned in curiously to watch...
"Ancient Script?!"
Ariel blurted out instinctively, "You actually know the Ancient Script?"
"An...cient?"
The Ratman chewed on the word. "Do the humans of today no longer use this script?"
"Of course not. This writing was lost long ago. Now, it can only be found in ancient texts and ruins."
"Is that so? Well, I can tell you that in this Abyss, the Demon Race was still using this script at least three hundred years ago. It’s just that, over time, fewer and fewer demons had the capacity to use it. Now, aside from a few rare high-class demons who use a simplified version, writing has almost gone extinct in this civilization."
The Ratman sighed and handed the paper to Ariel.
"Since you are her..."
"Disciple."
"Oh, right. Disciple. Since you are her disciple, reading this script shouldn't be a problem for you."
"It’s not a problem, but..."
Ariel took the paper. "So, what is this?"
"The thing you wanted. A bit of insignificant intelligence. That's all."
The Ratman straightened his hunched back. "In my current state, this is all I can manage."
"Intelligence..."
Ariel’s brain stalled for a moment. She was used to seeing Ancient Script as something to be painstakingly deciphered from dusty relics, not as a medium for something as mundane as a status report.
"Oh, right. That is why we came here."
"And the payment?"
Teacher Ariel asked from the side, "As a demon, you’ve helped us. What reward do you seek?"
"Reward?"
The Ratman pondered for a moment. "Under normal circumstances, I would naturally extort a heavy price. After all, I am one of the few demon merchants left in this Abyss. But now... forget it. Consider it a gift."
"Why?"
"Because... you are going to cause trouble for that old bastard. I like that idea very much."
The Ratman chuckled. From his aged, strange rat-like face, one could actually discern a hint of genuine satisfaction.
"Little girl over there."
"Ah... yes?"
"Can you do me a small favor?"
"What kind of favor?" Ariel tucked the intelligence report away, looking confused. "I thought you didn't want a reward?"
"It’s not a reward. It really is just a tiny favor."
The Ratman held out his whisker-pen and another piece of yellowed paper to Ariel.
"Could you write something? The script humans use now."
"Huh?"
Ariel was even more bewildered. "What’s the point of writing that?"
"Just write something."
"...Fine."
Since she had received a favor for free, it felt wrong to refuse.
However, Ariel couldn't bring herself to use a rat whisker to write. She pulled out an exquisite fountain pen of her own and looked at the Ratman.
"What do you want me to write?"
"Whatever."
"How am I supposed to write 'whatever'?"
"Then just write 'Whatever'."
"...Fine. 'Whatever' it is."
Ariel gripped her pen and, with a few quick strokes, scrawled a string of characters on the paper.
"There. Your 'Whatever'."
Due to the circumstances and her confusion over his intent, Ariel’s handwriting was a bit messy.
Yet, the Ratman leaned in, observing it intently.
"What a beautiful script," the Ratman remarked after a while.
"Beau... beautiful?"
"Indeed. It is much more concise and elegant than the ancient version."
"...Well, I suppose I agree with that."
Ariel finally realized that the "beauty" he referred to wasn't her handwriting, but the modern script itself.
With the passage of a thousand years and the near-total collapse of that once-brilliant civilization, modern writing had almost no connection to the Ancient Script. This was why so many scholars suffered such headaches trying to decipher the old tongue.
Even Ariel, whose appreciation for beauty usually stopped at fair skin, pretty faces, and long legs, could tell that compared to those dizzying, tadpole-like ancient characters, modern writing was indeed much simpler and more aesthetic.
"Even though it’s something that should have vanished entirely into the river of time, it managed to bear new, completely different fruit in such a short period."
The Ratman held the paper over the candle flame, letting it burn to ash. In his dim red pupils, the drifting embers were reflected.
"Humans... they truly are an excessively clever species."
"Is that a compliment?" Teacher Ariel asked. "A compliment for the current enemy of the Demon Race?"
"No, it is irony."
The Ratman blew out the candle with a sharp huff.
"Lest you forget... the Demon Race was once human, too."