Chapter 144 – Pirate Archipelago (4)
There were only two choices, but Theodore had a reason for his decision.
It was because using Transmission on Lee Yoonsung, when he had high proficiency with Battle Song, would be more efficient than using it on Satomer, whose knowledge he had just recently accepted. Of course, the existence of the Hidden Meaning technique which Randolph showed him on the cruise ship also played a role in this decision.
Gluttony’s voice responded to Theodore’s request.
–I understand.
At the same time, a notification was heard in Theodore’s head.
[Hidden feature ‘Transmission’ has been activated.]
[Confirming the request for a Quest, and calling the object name ‘Lee Yoonsung’. Reviewing the quest… Success, object name ‘Lee Yoonsung’ has approved your call.]
[He will temporarily be synchronized with the user’s consciousness.]
Theodore’s vision turned black before the system’s voice was cut off. He prepared for the usual loss of consciousness, but the situation was different this time. Everyone would be confused to see the black landscape around him, but Theodore was accustomed to this and waited calmly.
Unsurprisingly, particles of light started to gather before him. At first, the light just took the shape of a man before his distinct features appeared. He had an eastern appearance which looked different from the other people on the continent.
“It has been a while,” Lee Yoonsung greeted Theodore with a smile. He hadn’t expected to meet Theo again, so he welcomed Theodore without concealing his joy.
“Yes, it is great to see you after a long time,” Theodore also responded with a welcome expression.
When he called Alfred, the situation had been so urgent that he didn’t have a chance to say hello. However, Theodore would’ve liked to have a discussion with Alfred, who was a senior who had lived a few generations before him. Wasn’t it a situation that any magician dreamed of?
The two people chatted briefly before naturally cutting to the chase. It was quick since both sides knew of the matter. Lee Yoonsung pointed out his intentions first. “I know the current situation. You will release my unfulfilled wish, and I will give everything to you.”
“…That’s right.” Theodore was silent at the blunt words before replying.
Although ‘Lee Yoonsung’ was already dead, Gluttony’s Transmission meant the permanent disappearance of the Lee Yoonsung standing before him right now. He couldn’t even imagine what it was like to be a lingering presence when regrets weighing him down.
“If so, please ask.”
Therefore, the cool answer was unexpected in many ways.
“Are you serious?”
“Hey, I thought you wanted it. Didn’t you come here to ask me? In any case, the human ‘Lee Yoonsung’ is already dead, so there is no point in lingering,” Lee Yoonsung advised him with soft eyes, causing Theodore to smile humbly.
Lee Yoonsung’s face was tranquil even when discussing his own demise. Then he reluctantly expressed the regret that he, Lee Yoonsung, had when he died.
“I want to go back home.”
“Do you mean…”
“The Baekun Mountains, my birthplace.”
Theodore couldn’t help sighing. Going back home was a fairly simply wish, but in Lee Yoonsung’s case, the distance was the problem. According to his memories, the Baekun Mountains were located on the east side of the continent. It was too far for a sea journey, so it meant crossing half the continent.
This was a journey which would take at least a year.
Although Lee Yoonsung didn’t show his emotion on the outside, he scratched his head with a distressed expression and started talking. “I’m sorry, but this is something I can’t change. I want to make it as easy as possible, but Transmission wouldn’t work like that.”
“Ah, of course.” Theodore had guessed it, but he couldn’t help clicking his tongue at the harshness of the grimoire. If he could compromise with the contents of the quest, Lee Yoonsung would’ve passed everything over to Theodore for barely nothing.
However, Gluttony had set the quest as the real inner wishes, so Theodore was forced to do it, regardless of the difficulty.
‘Hah, it would be a simple matter if it was Alfred or Satomer.’
Then he would be able to carry out the quests on the way back to Meltor. The difficulty compared to Lee Yoonsung was like the difference between the sky and the land.
Lee Yoonsung noticed Theodore’s inner discouragement and knocked against his shoulder. “I’m sorry to have such a foolish regret. If it isn’t easy, just forget about it. A dead person shouldn’t be grabbing the ankle of a living person.”
However, a flash went through Theodore at those words. Lee Yoonsung called Theodore his benefactor, but the reality was the opposite. Without Battle Song and the increased physical abilities, Theodore would’ve died in the fight against Superbia.
The worst thing was that Lee Yoonsung was saying that his ‘Transmission’ request was too difficult. Wasn’t Theodore forgetting the kindness bestowed upon him?
Theodore reflected on his own ugly self and opened his mouth to say, “I will listen to your request.”
“Hmm?”
“I can’t be sure when, but I will surely bring you home to the Baekun Mountains.”
Lee Yoonsung was surprised by the declaration but nodded silently. He could feel the weight in Theodore’s voice. With one more bow, Lee Yoonsung thanked Theodore and then disappeared into light.
The thick darkness descended once again.
–Shall we move onto the next one? Gluttony’s voice broke the silence.
“Next?”
–There is still one person, Satomer. His quest is remaining.
“…Yes, call him.” Theodore accepted in order to check all the quests.
Then he heard the notification about asking for permission.
[Confirming the request for a Quest, and calling the object name ‘Satomer’. Reviewing the quest… Success, object name ‘Satomer’ has approved your call.]
Satomer’s emergence was no different from Lee Yoonsung’s. The light gathered in the air and the shape of a person appeared in front of Theodore. The person had disheveled long hair and messed up robes.
His appearance was exactly the same as in Synchro, and it seemed as if a cold voice would ring out at any minute. The man who looked like a wraith at first sight was the peak of the modern summoning magician, Satomer.
As always, he spoke in a cynical tone, “Calling me so quickly… I only just handed over my knowledge, and you want to know the rest already?”
“Senior.”
“I know the story, so let’s get started.”
Satomer suddenly sat down and stared at Theodore with red, bloodshot eyes.
A person with a weak heart wouldn’t be able to face his gaze. However, Theodore noticed that his gaze was different from before. The frustration, which had filled him like sharp broken glass, had disappeared.
Satomer observed Theodore for a moment. Then with a smile, Satomer opened his mouth to speak, “Che, it’s hard to focus my eyes right now. This is all because of you, cheeky young junior.”
“Yes?”
“It’s okay if you don’t know. How is Hugin? Are you using him?”
‘Hugin.’ The moment that Theodore thought the name of the crow…
Kyaack?
All of a sudden, Hugin popped out of thin air. This was Theodore’s consciousness, so any contracted beings could access it. However, Hugin wasn’t the only one called to this mental world. Mitra, the girl who had fallen asleep on Hugin’s back, raised her voice out of confusion from the sudden summoning.
[Heeeng?! Bwack sail, where? Bwack sail!]
It was okay if she just raised her voice, but the confused Mitra also tightened her legs around Hugin’s neck.
Kuwaaack!
Hugin struggled, casing Mitra to tighten her grasp on his neck. It was a vicious cycle of repetition. In the end, Mitra, whose eyes had turned into whirlpools, fell to the ground and then Hugin fell next to her. It was a comedy between an elemental and summoned being.
“…Well, he seems well.”
“…Yes, really well.”
The two men exchanged a look before looking in another direction. In an attempt to revive the broken atmosphere, Satomer coughed a few times before going back to the main point.
“Hmm, my regret… you’ve guessed it right?”
Theodore’s face sobered. The foolish and tenacious dream of the summoning magician, Satomer… He had spend his whole life trying to do one thing. Now that desperation was handed over to Theodore.
Theodore nodded heavily and revealed the wish which was difficult for Satomer to say.
“The summoning of a senior summons, correct?”
“Yes, exactly.” Satomer clapped playfully.
The starting point of this madness was the illustration in a book he’d read in his childhood. It was an image of a summoning magician who called an ice giant to deal with a lightning magician. That summoning magician was an existence who had lived in a previous age. However, it had set off a fire in Satomer’s heart, a fire intense enough to burn until it became ashes.
“It is okay if it is just once. If you can call a senior summons just once, I am fine with dying. After all, I didn’t succeed until the end, but you can do it.”
“Can I succeed?”
“Of course. You inherited my whole life’s knowledge and have a part of me in you. No, I am part of you.”
There was nothing he could do, so Satomer couldn’t help feeling bittersweet.
In the end, it was like this. He was transferring to another person something he couldn’t do himself. Satomer was really ridiculous and unsightly. However, Theodore didn’t laugh at all as he nodded firmly.
“Yes, I will succeed.”
“…Y-Yes. Thank you?” Satomer was at a loss in front of that firm determination. He wasn’t familiar with this type of atmosphere, so he changed the topic hurriedly. “By the way, you seem to be in a strange place.”
“Huh?”
“You are in someone’s ‘domain.’ If it is the middle of the sea, the viable candidates are a kraken, megalodon, or sea serpent.”
‘Domain’ was an unfamiliar word, but Theodore immediately examined all of Satomer’s knowledge.
High ranking existences which could crush this world and transcendent beings who couldn’t be compared to ordinary monsters… The beings that lived in ancient times were said to have a domain. The dragon, famous for being the strongest species, also had a ‘domain.’
Theodore felt a sense of incongruity and asked, “Sea serpent…?”
“Ah, it is a dialect. It is a title for those without wings. In other words-”
…A blue dragon, or a sea dragon.
‘…Ah!’
At that moment, the puzzle pieces scattered in Theodore’s mind merged to form a completed picture. The structure of the Pirate Archipelago couldn’t be maintained under normal circumstances. The ruler of the Pirate Archipelago, the sea god…
The existence of the dragons which have ruled since long ago…
There was a name Theo had found by chance from an old legend in the library. It was the name of an evil dragon who had taken on the guise of a mermaid to seduce sailors into shipwrecking and was capable of calling tsunamis.
“Sea dragon, Aquilo…?” Theodore spoke in a trembling voice.