Chapter 587
Episode 152. Quaul Ganesto (2)
Quaul instinctively reached out toward the machine, but Jin lightly dodged his hand and tilted his head in curiosity.
“You can’t just snatch other people’s things like that.”
“Why do you think it belongs to you!?”
“Because I took it from Jiple.”
“Hah! Those idiots at Jiple! You actually stole it from them?”
“You say it like that thing has to belong to Jiple.”
Quaul’s reaction was fierce throughout, his face flushing red and blue as if about to burst with rage.
His eyes quickly bloodshot, and even his hands and feet trembled uncontrollably.
“You… you bastards! How dare you deceive me…!?”
“Jiple deceived you?”
Jin furrowed his brows. He needed to hear more, but any grudge Quaul held against Jiple was automatically to his advantage.
“That’s not Jiple’s—it’s mine!”
“Well, here’s another lesson: you’ve got to guard your possessions better.”
“Give it back.”
“You don’t think the Runcandel family would just hand over something they won by force just because you say so, do you?”
Jin wasn’t just trying to provoke Quaul.
The machine and the ship’s blueprints—how many sacrifices had been made in the Sota Desert to obtain those? They were won at the cost of the Black Knight Jane’s life.
For Jin, it was infuriating that Quaul dared claim ownership right in front of him.
Quaul’s usefulness was beyond imagination, and Jin restrained his murderous intent only barely. If it had been anyone else, he would have punished them immediately.
“Fine, I admit it. But I want to know where and how you got that thing.”
“Why should I tell you?”
“You want my abilities, don’t you?”
“That’s a different matter. If you want the background, then this time, tell me a story that actually interests me.”
Quaul gritted his teeth. The initiative had shifted in an instant.
He had never before lost control like this.
Those in power who had accidentally learned of his abilities, including Jiple, had only ever resorted to meaningless threats and bribes, ultimately just blowing hot air.
As an engineer, Quaul had always been the one in charge—except for this moment.
‘Looks like this thing means more to them than I expected.’
Jin’s assumption was spot on: Quaul’s desire as an engineer to complete his masterpiece was very real.
So, the recruitment was already halfway done.
What remained was how cooperative Quaul would become.
“…Jin Runcandel, you said earlier that thing was a teleportation device, right? It’s not teleportation—it’s a tool for super-speed summoning. It’s fundamentally different.”
“What’s the difference?”
“Teleportation, like a portal, has limitations based on weather and conditions, but this device doesn’t. It transcends space and time.”
That’s why the device was called a ‘space-time device,’ not teleportation.
Jin’s eyes snapped open at Quaul’s explanation.
‘If it can transcend space and time…’
Maybe it was the technology to bring his brothers from Laprarosa.
Of course, Jin couldn’t fully trust Quaul’s words. It might be nonsense, but he wanted to hope and interpret it optimistically.
Still, space-time devices had been considered impossible until recently. Even in his previous life, Jin had never heard of such technology.
“Is that all?”
“For now, yes. Now it’s your turn.”
“Feels like a game of push and pull between lovers. I got the items in the Sota Desert. I took both the machine and the blueprints from the warehouse in Tower Two. It’s strange you didn’t know. Were you not working for Jiple when the Sota Desert incident happened?”
“Hmph. So that’s why I held back my murderous intent when you claimed ownership. Must have cost a lot.”
“Not without reason, but I’m impressed you figured that out.”
“I apologize for that part. The device is clearly yours.”
This time, Jin liked Quaul’s attitude. He was a bit rough and irritable, but at least he wasn’t ignorant of the basics.
For a while, the two silently sorted through their thoughts.
Quaul spoke first.
“And you’re mistaken about something. To be precise, I didn’t make that device.”
Jin couldn’t help but think Quaul was lying.
Valeria’s record magic had already revealed that Quaul was the creator of the machine and blueprints.
“Then who made it?”
“Rokia.”
“What?”
“Rokia Ganesto. The machine wasn’t made by me, but by my distant ancestor. The space-time device I made is just a restoration attempt based on that ancient artifact.”
If Quaul was telling the truth, the space-time device was created a thousand years ago.
A thousand years ago, Runcandel and Jiple wielded far greater power, and it wasn’t uncommon for relics called masterpieces to outperform advanced technology.
It wasn’t impossible that the record magic had identified Quaul as the creator because he had improved an existing artifact.
Moreover, the historical manipulation surrounding the Ten Knights, including Rokia Ganesto, had only slightly weakened but was still ongoing.
“Did Rokia Ganesto also make the blueprints, not you?”
“If the blueprints you have are on paper, then yes, I made those. But even those are restorations based on relics left by my ancestor. Compared to the original from a thousand years ago, they’re crude.”
That was new information.
Jin knew the original was on stone tablets but kept quiet, and Quaul chuckled.
“No matter how skilled you are, you couldn’t have stolen that. It’s in Tower One, the Tower of Stories.”
“So the original blueprints were yours?”
“No, I wish. They belonged to Jiple long ago. They’re different from the parts that were always in my possession before I started my research.”
“My informant told me the blueprints were made in 1775, and the parts in 1780.”
“You have an impressive informant. But that’s strange. Only Keliak, Kadun, and Octavia in Jiple know when I started my research…”
Quaul narrowed his eyes, as if suspecting something.
“Now I get it. Your informant is a survivor of Hister? Record magic. Otherwise, there’s no way to know. Unless Keliak Jiple told you directly!”
Jin said nothing, watching Quaul’s expression. There was a burning desire in his dark eyes.
“Also, my real name. Keliak couldn’t have known that. Without record magic, it’s impossible. He must have confirmed the device through record magic. You must have seen the Ganesto name there.”
The existence of a Hister survivor had long been known among the great powers. And the fact she was with Jin was something both major families had recently caught on to.
It was only natural for Quaul to make such deductions.
“Call it a leap of logic?”
“That depends on your reasons for thinking so.”
“I lived my whole life as Tingen Bauer. I only recently learned my real name, Quaul Ganesto. After the world descended into chaos. What else but record magic could have revealed it?”
The historical manipulation tied to the Ganesto name had only faltered about a month ago. The weakening of Jiple’s power due to Gliek was now causing butterfly effects between Jin and Quaul.
And neither Jin nor Quaul knew this was not the first time the manipulation had faltered.
There had been moments of weakness when Quaul was born and during his ancestors’ times.
Especially the Ganesto family’s historical manipulation often ran into trouble.
“Not knowing that Keliak didn’t know your real name was a fatal mistake. Yes, the Hister survivor is with me.”
There was no point hiding it any longer. Jin kept watching the desire burning in Quaul’s eyes.
Quaul was a descendant of Rokia Ganesto, the world’s greatest engineer. What he wanted most wasn’t wealth, power, or personal glory, but the restoration and completion of technology.
So, record magic—usable only by Hister—was the most vital ability for Quaul.
“The conditions I wanted to propose before leaving the cabin were originally these: first, you must possess that machine. Second, you must recruit someone who can use record magic as my assistant. That’s why I had no expectations for you. Both seemed impossible.”
Quaul lit a cigarette and said,
“The first condition is already met, and the second depends on how close you are with a record magician. Is that possible?”
“Not as an assistant, but as a collaborator, I think it’s possible.”
“Names don’t matter. Once you see my abilities, you’ll consider yourself my assistant anyway.”
Jin doubted Valeria would ever agree to that, but he nodded.
In fact, Jin pictured Quaul volunteering to be Valeria’s assistant.
Quaul extended his hand.
“Having me on your side will be the greatest fortune for your life, your family, and your entire faction.”
Jin clasped his hand and replied,
“I’ll treat you with all due respect.”
“What do you mean by ‘all due’?”
“I mean welcome to the Balmur Alliance.”
Kwauul threw a tantrum, insisting he wasn’t officially part of the group yet, but Jin easily overpowered him and tossed him straight into Mot’s mouth.