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Qwaul reflexively grabbed the machine, and Jin slightly dodged his touch and tilted his head.
"You shouldn't snatch someone else's belongings like that."
"How did you get it?!"
"Because I acquired it from Zipple."
"Hah! Zipple, those bastards! Did they let you take it?"
"You talk as if there was a reason it belonged to Zipple."
Qwaul had been reacting violently all this time, but the fact that his face was now red and blue as if he were about to explode was truly furious.
Even his eyes reddened quickly, and his hands and feet trembled.
"These... These bastards! How dare they deceive me...?"
"Did Zipple deceive you?"
Jin narrowed his eyes.
He needed to hear more of the story, but Qwaul's resentment towards Zipple was definitely advantageous for Jin.
"It's not from Zipple, it's mine!"
"You need to learn another lesson about handling possessions."
"Give it back to me."
"You probably don't think of Runcandel as a Family that acquires something and then easily gives it away."
It wasn't just a comment to provoke Qwaul.
The mechanical device and the blueprint of the battleship, how much sacrifice had Jin made in the Sota Desert to obtain these two items?
He had acquired them with the death of the Black Knight Jane.
For Jin, it was distasteful that Qwaul dared to claim ownership of an object in front of him.
It's hard to imagine the value of Qwaul, so Jin refrained from revealing his murderous intent.
If it had been anyone else, they would have been immediately accused of a crime.
"Fine, I admit it. However, I would like to know where and how you obtained that item."
"Why should I?"
"Did you say you wanted my ability?"
"That's another matter. If you want to hear the background, this time, try telling me something that captures my interest."
Qwaul gritted his teeth. The initiative had changed in an instant.
He had never before experienced a loss of control like this.
Powerful individuals, including Zipple, who accidentally discovered his abilities, had usually resorted to senseless threats and persuasion, attempting to manipulate him with empty promises.
As long as he had the ability as an engineer, Qwaul had always been the "strong one," except for this moment.
It seemed these things were more valuable to Qwaul than he had expected.
Jin's thoughts about Qwaul's desire as an engineer to complete his masterpiece turned out to be accurate.
Therefore, the acquisition was no different from the fact that it was already half-finished.
What remained to be seen was how cooperative Qwaul would be.
"...Jin Runcandel, you said it was a teleportation device, right? That item is not a teleportation device, but an instant summoning tool. It's completely different from teleportation."
"What's the difference?"
"Teleportation has weather limitations, like transfer gates, but this device doesn't have that, and it can transcend time and space."
Hearing Qwaul's response, Jin couldn't help but widen his eyes.
'If it could transcend time and space.'
Perhaps, it could be the technology that could bring his brothers from Lafrarosa.
Of course, Jin couldn't completely trust Qwaul's words.
It could be just an absurd story or an exaggerated interpretation driven by hope.
However, until recently, space-time devices were considered impossible technology.
Jin hadn't heard of such technology even in his past life.
"Is that all?"
"Yes. For now. Now it's your turn to respond."
"It seems like a tug-of-war between lovers. I got the items in the Sota Desert. I acquired both the mechanical device and the blueprint of the vault of the Second Magic Tower. It's strange that you didn't know. Weren't you working for Zipple when the incident in the Sota Desert happened?"
"Hmph, was that why you repressed your murderous intent as soon as I claimed ownership? You must have made many sacrifices."
"That's true, but it's impressive that you noticed."
"I apologize for it. The device obviously belongs to you."
This time, Jin liked Qwaul's attitude.
Despite being somewhat eccentric and flamboyant, Qwaul at least seemed to have a basic understanding.
For a while, the two remained silent, organizing their thoughts.
Qwaul was the one who broke the silence.
"There's something you've misunderstood. To be precise, I didn't create that item."
Jin had no choice but to accept Qwaul's words as lies.
The fact that Qwaul was the creator of the machine and the blueprints had already been revealed by Valeria's Record Magic.
"So, who created it?"
"Lokia Ganesto."
"What?"
"Lokia Ganesto. The mechanical device wasn't made by me; it was created by my distant ancestor. The space-time device I created through him is nothing more than an attempt to restore objects from that era."
If what Qwaul said was true, then the space-time device was created a thousand years ago.
A thousand years ago, Runcandel and Zipple possessed much greater power than now, and it was true just by observing the fact that they often encountered relics called masterpieces with performance far superior to advanced technology.
It wasn't entirely implausible that the creator, revealed by Record Magic, was Qwaul.
Since he improved an existing object, he could also be considered a creator.
Above all, the manipulation of the history of the ten great knights, including Lokia Ganesto, had only faded slightly, but it was still in effect.
"Is the blueprint also made by Lokia Ganesto, not by you?"
"If the blueprint you have is on paper, then yes, I made it. But even that is a restoration using relics left by my ancestors. Like the space-time device, it's crude compared to the original that existed a thousand years ago."
It was the first time Jin had heard this information.
Jin pretended to know that the original was in the form of a tablet, but Qwaul burst into laughter.
"No matter how high you fly or crawl, you couldn't have stolen that. Because that item is in the First Magic Tower, the Tower of Stories."
"Is the original blueprint also originally yours?"
"No, it would have been good if it were. It belonged to Zipple long before. It's different from the parts that were always in my possession until I started investigating."
"My informant said that construction of the blueprints began in 1775 and the machine was manufactured in 1780."
"You have an impressive informant. But it's very strange. As far as I know when my research began, only Kelliark, Kadun, and Octavia were in Zipple...".
Qwaul narrowed his eyes as if guessing something.
"Now I understand. Your so-called informant, is it a survivor of Histor? Record Magic. If not, it's information you would never know. Unless Kelliark Zipple gave it to you."
Jin didn't answer and looked at Qwaul's expression.
There seemed to be a burning desire in his dark eyes.
"Furthermore, my real name. That doesn't even suppose Kelliark could know it. Unless it's Record Magic, he'll never know. That person must have seen Ganesto's name on the device through Record Magic."
The fact that there is a survivor of Histor has been known among the major forces for a long time.
And the fact that he is with Jin has been noticed to some extent by the two major clans recently.
It was perhaps natural for Qwaul to make such an analogy.
"Are you going to say it's an exaggeration?"
"It depends on the reasons you think so."
"I've lived my whole life under the name Tingen Bauer. Until recently, I didn't know my real name, Qwaul Ganesto. After the world was dyed in chaos. Unless it's Record Magic, what else could have revealed it?".
Only a month ago, there was a problem with manipulating history in the name of "Ganesto".
The weakening of Zipple's power caused by Gliek was causing a chain reaction between Jin and Qwaul.
And neither Jin nor Qwaul knows it.
It's not the first time Zipple's history manipulation has gone wrong.
Even in the era when Qwaul was born, and during the lives of his other ancestors, there were times when the manipulation weakened.
In particular, Ganesto's history manipulation was often problematic.
"It's a shame you didn't know Kelliark didn't know your name. Yes, the Histor survivor is with me."
It wasn't a situation to continue hiding.
Jin continued to observe the desire reflected in Qwaul's eyes.
Qwaul is a descendant of Lokia Ganesto, and he is the world's best engineer.
And what he desired most was not wealth, power, or personal success, but to restore and complete technology.
Therefore, the ability to use Record Magic, which only Histor could use, was more essential for Qwaul than anything else.
"The conditions I was going to mention to leave the cabin were originally these. Firstly, you must own the machine. And secondly, recruit a person who can use Record Magic and make them my assistant. So I didn't expect anything from you because both seemed impossible."
Hiss, said Qwaul, lighting a cigarette.
"The first condition is already met, and the second depends on how closely related you are to the Record Magician. Is it possible?"
"I think it's possible if you are the assistant, not them."
"Well, title doesn't matter much. Anyway, once they confirm my abilities, the question is to help each other."
Jin thought Valeria would never do that, but nodded.
Rather, Jin imagined Qwaul volunteering as Valeria's assistant.
Qwaul reached out to Jin.
"There will be no greater luck than having me in your life, in your family, and throughout your faction."
Jin responded by taking his hand.
"I will serve you diligently in my own way."
"What do you mean 'in my own way'?"
"It means I welcome you to the Vamel Alliance."
Although Qwaul protested that he wasn't officially part of it yet, Jin effortlessly subdued him and threw him into the mouth of the Mortal Toad.
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