EP.196 Tantalos Alumni Association
What is the fastest way for a poison, which must do its utmost to ravage the body, to spread?
It is to hitch a ride on the fastest spreading medium. The vast majority of poisons spread through the blood vessels, and blocking the bloodstream or drawing out contaminated blood has long been renowned as the most effective treatment.
However, what if the poison is already flowing through the blood vessels?
Gods were invented for precisely that moment. Since people went through the trouble of creating them, you'd better pray hard.
"Gunguk. You too should pray that we are excreted quietly. We are already on the tracks!"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
The Meta Conveyor Belt is Gunguk's aorta, and we have already boarded it. In other words, it means we are flowing through Gunguk's body.
Thanks to unauthorized use of Gunguk's largest logistics facility, we were able to enjoy a comfortable and cozy journey.
"Wow. I proposed it, but isn't it a truly brilliant plan! Riding on Gunguk's main road to escape. On this land where you normally wouldn't even be caught, we only need to watch our front and back!"
Just as she said, the Meta Conveyor Belt was a very safe means of transportation.
First of all, there's no worry of being surrounded. For an enemy to appear, they had to block us from the front or chase us from behind, and thanks to that, the only directions we had to watch were the front and the back.
Well, once we arrive at the terminal, Gunguk's troops will block our path, but until then, it's safe, right?
The Regressor alternated looking back and forth before answering.
"Right. It worked out well. Since there don't seem to be any pursuers right now, I need to finish some pending business. Sit here."
"Huh? Sit here? That's something a school teacher would say before scolding you."
"Just sit down."
At her chilling demeanor, I quietly sat on the floor. The floor of the Meta Conveyor Belt, which I felt for the first time in a while, was cold.
Standing in front of me with her arms crossed, the Regressor spoke with a quite confident momentum.
"Now. Aren't you going to share some information, Mr. Pied Piper of Hameln?"
"Share? Honestly, I feel a bit unjustly treated."
However, while my body may follow orders, my spirit remains unbowed. I picked my ear with a thoroughly delinquent posture and replied.
"In the first place, isn't Shay the more secretive person than me? Carrying a legendary sword like Cheon-aeng or whatever, dropping into Tantalos herself for who knows what purpose. Young, yet strong and knowledgeable. I wonder if you're some legendary being, but nothing really clicks."
...Saying that while subtly flattering her was the work of my survival instinct. Anyway, having slipped in a bit of flattery that wasn't quite flattery, I shifted the responsibility.
"How can sharing start when you won't disclose anything?"
That's the 'you started it first' rhetoric!
However, perhaps gaining some confidence after coming out into the world, the Regressor shamelessly replied.
"Hmph. Even though you never asked me anything. You acted skillfully as if you knew everything from the start."
"You know it well. Since neither of us asked, we're even."
"Exactly. I won't say much about the past either. But I helped you when you were being chased by Gunguk, shouldn't I at least know roughly what it's about? I can't possibly help you without any explanation or trust, can I?"
The Regressor said up to there and scanned me with sharp eyes.
"Especially if you're the culprit of the Hameln incident. How could we travel with such a vicious person whose identity and intentions are unknown?"
Ugh, a solid argument. Never in my life did I expect to be attacked with a solid argument by the Regressor. Is this a reversal of hierarchy, a revolution?
With nothing to say, I had no choice but to concede.
"Now that I hear it, you're right. I can't argue. To survive, I have to make an effort to survive."
"You know it well. Now, spill everything about your identity."
I didn't think I could hide it forever. Already exposed to Gunguk, hiding it further would only increase suspicion.
As I was making up my mind, Tir, who had been quietly listening under the parasol, suddenly spoke.
"Sigh. Regardless of your identity, regardless of what you have done, I would have saved you. The only thing I was upset about was you leaving without a word."
However, if I have an ally, the story is different. I immediately changed my attitude and shouted.
"But there is also such a thing as unconditional goodwill! What moves a person's heart is a warm sun rather than a harsh north wind! Shay, look at Tir and reflect!"
"However, I worry you might get hurt where I cannot see. Would you not become a vampire so you don't have to worry about that?"
"Shay. I will spill everything about my identity, so please forget what you just said."
The Regressor snorted and gestured with her chin. Tir, rejected in a single stroke, muttered sullenly.
"Is it that unpleasant? The life of an Elder shouldn't be that bad..."
The very coexistence of vampires and life is a contradiction. On top of that, if I regained my life and became Tir's servant, where the boundary between myself and the world was clearly drawn, it would undoubtedly cause problems in many ways.
It was when I was about to confess honestly, ignoring Tir who was trailing off.
Aji, who had been circling around me since earlier, lit up her eyes, picked up a can of meat in her mouth, and dropped it in front of me. Aji pushed the can forward with her front paw and spoke.
"Woof! Eat your food!"
"Uh, sure. I'll eat it later. Thanks."
"Woof woof!"
Aji, yielding? What's going on all of a sudden?
Anyway, holding the can, I began my explanation.
"I am actually from Hameln."
"That's it?"
"As I've emphasized several times, I was ranked first in the entire school back then. That batch included the current Sixth Star General Historia... and in the past, the youngest Magic Officer and the one called the successor of the Demon Commander, Lankart."
At the mention of Historia and Lankart, the Regressor frowned briefly. As expected, you. You encountered those two in a previous iteration.
I haven't read everything about what happened yet, but seeing the complicated emotions I feel, it seems they had an ambiguous relationship, neither enemies nor allies.
'Sixth Star General Historia and Lankart of the Demon God Temple? Why are they all names of heavyweights... Furthermore, you were first, beating both of them?'
It seemed my classmates were big enough shots to have faced the Regressor in the past. There were three classmates left, and among them, I, who was first, ended up as a petty criminal. This is why you never know what kids will grow up to be.
Decided. I'm skipping alumni gatherings from now on.
'...I don't know the whole story, but what's certain is that those two are already national-level powerhouses. If so, perhaps you too.'
No, no, no. Please don't overestimate me. We're going to fight Gunguk soon, right? If I receive those kinds of expectations now, I might get driven to the front lines and die.
I said hastily.
"If Historia was qi arts and martial arts, and Lankart was magic and technology. I took first place with just my head. If Historia was unrivaled in qi arts and martial arts, and Lankart in magic, I achieved first or near-second place in most other subjects encompassing those."
Of course, it was all thanks to telepathy. Thank you, telepathy. It would have been impossible without you.
"You were?"
"Yes. Not as a joke, I was truly a promising talent of Gunguk. I wasn't strong, but whatever I learned, I could quickly master up to a proficient level. Magic, qi arts, alchemy, I did them all easily, and I was also capable in strategy and tactics. Above all, my comprehension was outstanding, so I easily grasped powers of other natures as well."
However, skills that could be pierced through with telepathy were limited to the user's level, so my true abilities were exposed around my second year.
Anyway, that too was a talent, and first place was first place.
"So I was called Hameln's Jack-of-all-trades."
"...Hmm."
'Learns everything easily... Suddenly my mood is completely ruined.'
Wow! Oh my. The Regressor is saying something about me! Even though she herself finally rose to the ranks of the strong by repeating regressions!!
They say the grass is greener on the other side. Was regression, a cheat power, not enough for you! Awaken!
"Anyway, the three of us took first, second, and third place in Hameln side by side. Gunguk provides equal education, but that is only to excavate rough diamonds that might exist. In a world where one strong person can face a thousand alone, equal education isn't very valuable."
An investment in one person often yields better results than an investment in a hundred.
Because it was actually efficient, it was no exaggeration to say that Hameln's educational resources were almost entirely used for the top few percent.
"Historia, who defeated a field-grade officer in a duel at that age, and Lankart, who awakened his inherent magic and built his mental image, received special treatment and went through a different curriculum from the regular classes. Perhaps because of that, the other students of Hameln..."
"Don't divert the conversation in a weird direction. What about you?"
Against me trying to slip by, the Regressor sharply interrupted.
"If you were first, you probably had a special curriculum too."
"Ahaha. You're sharp."
She's gotten quite sharp after coming out of the Abyss. I said with an awkward smile.
"I was on the ambiguous side. Mostly proficient in everything, but not quite outstanding, yet it was a waste to leave such talent alone. Perhaps because of that, I was noted in a slightly different area."
"Where. The Intelligence Department?"
"Similar but a bit different. Gunguk Special Duty Bureau's direct Mysticism Dismantling Department. I wasn't a Mysticism Dismantler, but I was scheduled to become one."
As if that explained quite a lot, the Regressor sighed and nodded slightly.
Tir, who couldn't follow the conversation, raised her parasol slightly and interjected.
"Wait a moment. What is a Mysticism Dismantler?"
I answered that question.
"Mysticism Dismantlers are archaeologists of a slightly different kind, who uncover the mysteries hidden in the world and try to use their power."
There are many mysteries in the world.
The lightning cavalry descending the cliffs of clouds, or the island of swirling driftwood. A peach blossom spring encountered by chance while walking aimlessly, or a dense jungle where all sorts of bizarre creatures live. The elephant's graveyard and the mountain of the mountain ruler, and so on.
An organization that excavates such mysteries and traditions purely for practical purposes. Gunguk's Mysticism Dismantling Department.
Having finished my explanation, I briefly summarized it tailored for Tir.
"They were the ones who devised the operation to 'store' Tir or Aji in the Abyss. Because while the Progenitor Tirkanjak or the King of Dogs, Puppy, are huge threats, keeping them underneath and taking them out when needed brings profit."
Hearing her name called, Aji quickly ran over and shouted.
"Woof! Did you call me?"
"Not yet."
"Woof! Got it! Call me later!"
Aji stepped back a few paces and began observing me with sparkling eyes.
She must have some business with me. Does she want me to play with her? Well, Tir and the Regressor aren't the type to play well with Aji.
Alright. I'll relieve your frustration later.
Anyway.
"Ho. Then. Sigh, you knew about me even before you came down to the Abyss."
"I knew, yes. But the knowledge in this case was closer to knowledge as information. It was purely learned at a desk, so I had no idea what kind of person Tir was."
"I see..."
'I'm curious. How does the country called Gunguk view me.'
It probably isn't very good content.
Tirkanjak as knowledge was, objectively speaking, not a very nice character. Even excluding the records written from the Holy Emperor's Court's perspective, her history was splendid.
She participated in numerous wars, and the number of people she personally beheaded reaches five digits. After the battle, she took blood from the corpses, so on the battlefields swept by vampires, no blood, screams, or light remained...
At the time, I only wrote bad things about Tirkanjak. But when I actually met her, it felt a bit different.
The story digressed a bit, but what I mean is, I didn't achieve as good a result as I thought.
If it were dealing with people, that's one thing, but purely drawing information from books wasn't my specialty.
"That's why. You looked strangely familiar with Tantalos and the people inside it. Especially Aji."
"Right. Especially for the Mysticism Dismantlers, the King of Beasts is a being they must know about."
"There must be quite a few Lords of Creation among the Mysticism Dismantlers."
"There were signs, but neither they nor I showed our hands. I was just a student back then. Why would they reach out to a clueless kid when they had nothing to gain?"
The story clicked perfectly. The Regressor accepted a significant part of my story.
"Then, what about unsealing Jizan, the Grandmaster's weapon? Was that also the power of a Mysticism Dismantler?"
This part would have been hard to explain without telepathy, so I feigned ignorance, widening my eyes and asking back.
"Huh? It was unsealed?"
"You unsealed it and you don't know?"
"How would I know. Artifacts only grant their power if you pass their test. I just held it and swung it around."
'Just holding it means you passed part of the test?'
"...What answer did you give to that test?"
"I told it to stop testing me when it's just a corpse, and to try calming down Lord Jiseon. It seems it listened to me well. I mean, if you listen, you can hear it, right?"
"Isn't it just angry at you?"
Anyway, my explanation was perfect and well-structured. As it magically interlocked with the Regressor's shallow background knowledge, she couldn't continue her suspicion and just let it go.
"And in the process, you became the Pied Piper of Hameln?"
"That's really unfair. I was framed!"
I protested sincerely this time. The Regressor narrowed her eyes and answered.
"Then why are you called the Pied Piper and pursued by Gunguk?"
"I'm pursued because I was framed! No, think about it logically! What would I gain by killing all my peers? Because of that incident, I, who had a bright future ahead, became a petty criminal! Shay, do I look like a madman who would give up everything I had just to kill people?"
As I beat my chest as if I were going to die from the injustice, the Regressor looked at me as if measuring me up, then conceded.
"You seem like a madman, but not that kind of madman."
'In the first place, that incident in Hameln was a suicide. I used that incident usefully later when bringing down Gunguk.'
Wow. It wasn't a useless effort after all. There's a worldline where Gunguk falls thanks to Hameln. Suddenly I feel a sense of accomplishment.
Anyway, I appealed to the fact that I was harmless now.
"I also got caught up in that incident and barely escaped, so I don't know much. The one certain thing is that Gunguk framed me."
"Gunguk framed a mere student? That's suspicious."
"How would someone who was framed know anything? It's either Gunguk or that bastard Lankart. I'm telling you I barely escaped from a life-or-death crisis. Otherwise, would I have lived as a criminal after receiving that kind of evaluation at Hameln?"
That's a valid point. It's true I was a petty criminal, and it's true I was unjustly captured. Hidden within that was the cunning truth that I was a telepath.
Therefore, the Regressor couldn't find a single strange point in my words.
'If he's the last graduate of Hameln... Yeah. That's possible. It's easy to explain his actions and abilities. Now my doubts are clearing up a bit...'
It can't be helped. People are both rational and emotional. When an explanation that fits perfectly into the part they want to believe enters like a puzzle, they feel something close to pleasure.
Actually, it's not a story too far from the truth, either.
As I was hiding such sentiments within my expression.
'Wait. Don't take it at face value. I still can't accept it.'
Why again?
Are you really human? Your suspicion is a severe illness at this point!
'It makes sense. But still, still something is off. If he's a Mysticism Dismantler, he might know this and that method, but... something, something shouldn't just be let go like this. My instinct is telling me so.'
This is exactly why I hate guys with good instincts, really.
However, trust isn't of only one kind. Separate from doubting me, the Regressor also trusted me.
'Separate from that, Tirkanjak is right. If I consider whether he's an enemy or an ally... he's clearly an ally. I shouldn't interrogate him further.'
A small murmur from her heart reached me. It was the moment my fate was decided.