Chapter 141. Calm Before the Storm (2)
There was a need to put things around him in order. So, he needed about a day’s worth of time. This was the request that Ian had made to Fran.
And he has received Fran’s consent without much difficulty.
However, Ian had a different idea.
‘Every move will be made, according to my decision.’
Paying visits to his acquaintances? Organize some things? They weren’t needed. In fact, Ian has never considered about the possibility of the ‘30% failure’. The anxiety that it might be the last time has also been shaken off.
It was the result of having made the decision that he will be the main person with respect to completely resolving all the issues.
‘I should first pay the dragons a visit.’
In this current situation, he would just be accompanying Fran at Fran’s will. That meant he would just be a puppet in Fran’s play. A method to actively move out of that situation was needed. As one of those methods, he had chosen to ‘meet the dragons’.
‘It’s difficult to draw a conclusion by hearing only from one side.’
Ian wanted to control this situation with his own hands.
Without being pushed around by anyone, he wanted to be the main person making the decisions. In order to do that, he first needed the objective information and the ability to see the situation. Hence, he, purposefully, did not further ask questions with respect to the issues concerning his mother, the first sorcerer, and the last name of Page.
‘Since everything could be the bastard’s plan.’
He wasn’t going to be bothered by who the first sorcerer was, who the last name of Page first belonged to, and what his mother’s identity was.
The first sorcerer was only in the past, the last name Page was just simply a name, and mother was mother. Even if everything was true and that awesome secrets were hidden, these were problems that Ian could address only if the recent issues were under Ian’s control.
“Before then.”
Ian murmured all of a sudden. And he stretched his arm to one side. What was he up to suddenly?
“Come out.”
At the same time, he gripped the hand that he has stretched out.
With that, a dark shadow jumped out quickly.
Certainly, it did not appear on its own volition.
That was because it was being forced out.
“Well, I thought he somehow knew my every move.”
The shadow soon took on a human form. A man with the same hair as Ian, it was none other than ‘Fran Page’ who had just disappeared a few minutes ago. It could be described as a hidden ‘surveillance spirit’ of Fran Page.
“You must have had some fun all this time?”
The surveillance has been done in this fashion up until now.
As he was not strong enough, it was just that he could not recognize it before.
However, that was a different situation from now.
“Ah, it’s a misunderstanding. I was just testing you to see how well your training went…..”
“Enough.”
As Ian pulled in his stretched arm, Fran’s spirit was dragged toward Ian. It was as if he was being held by his collar.
“Get lost.”
“Come on, telling me to get lost is too extreme….”
“If you do something like this again.”
Ian’s sharp warning followed.
“Let’s just ignore what I said before.”
“Whoa! Relax. I got it.”
Fran Page disappeared once again.
It seemed like he was gone for sure this time. It might have been a different story before, but now, it was hard to deceive Ian. Furthermore, it would be even more difficult with just mere spirits.
“…….”
Quite a bit of time has passed after that. Ian was deep in his thoughts. He recited a spell.
“Puppet Play.”
Puppet play.
Puppet play.
Ian made two exact copies of himself. Simultaneously, the original body fell into a temporary sleep state. It was the same spell that he had recited in the past, in Phieric Territory, but with an incredible amount of difference in quality terms.
‘One will protect me.’
There were two total people in the puppet play. One of them would protect the original self. And be prepared for unexpected events, on top of that.
‘And the other one would be on the move.’
The remaining one would be moving along according to the plan. It was a slight visual trick and a safety net.
‘Let’s go.’
The task had to be completed in exactly one day. Ian initiated a teleportation spell. The destination was the place that he had just visited not too long ago. It was the place where he had encountered restraint and death. The place was none other than the home of the gargoyles.
It was the ‘Soffits Mountain Range’.
(You…..?)
On top of that, he headed directly towards the face of the king of the gargoyles who was inside the cave. However, a lot seemed to have changed. Now, it was possible to communicate freely, and its size was bigger than before. The purple eye, which had been torn in half, appeared to have been healed somewhat.
“We meet again.”
(Krr….! Krrrrh!)
In response to Ian’s initial pleasantry.
The bastard burst into a mad laughter.
(Okay. I’ve been waiting! Waiting for you to come back! If it wasn’t for that sealed zone, I would have found you already, and tore up your arms and legs off by now! I didn’t expect you to walk in here voluntarily!)
The king of the gargoyles spoke without even flaring his nostrils. It looked like he had been given back some of the powers from the dragon. That was apparent just by observing several changes and from his confidence?
(I’m not sure what made you dare crawl back in here, ah! You didn’t come back just thinking about what happened back then? Kraaahh! You bastard, I think you are at the end of your life line.)
The gargoyle king enlarged his body in a threatening manner. He spoke showing his heinous teeth.
(I will strike you to death right now! I’ll chew up every part of your body and bones….!)
“You talk too much.”
Ian, murmured as if listening to the gargoyle king was bothersome, lightly raised and moved his thumb and the index finger. The motion was like as if he was grabbing the gargoyle’s mouth and twisting it. Of course, it didn’t end with just the motions of the fingers.