Chapter 337: A Universal Chat

[ Universal Chat Server Sixty-Nine ]

Human (Han): Hey, @LightElf, @ShadowElf, @Tiefling. Are you guys still around the area? It'd be nice if the three of you could drop by for a visit again, there's something I need to tell you

Dwarf (???): Oh, if you look at that! These lads and lassies are all getting along now. Makes me jealous' eh?

Wood Elf (Faeran): Why are you only asking them? @Human (Han) I was there too, just in case you forgot. Is this supposed to be some kind of get-together again? Hey, @Mermaid you should join us, dear

Mermaid (Odele): If we all go there together again… wouldn't that be catastrophic again?

Demon Lord (Jilanya): At least some of you have the capacity for thinking. Albeit, actually—why not all visit there together? Let's see what the Creators can cook up as a 'challenge' for all of you guys to overcome. I'll gather the scorched remains and take the spoils for myself

High Elf (???): This is why it's terrible to situate yourself in bad company. You spoil yourself among these Races @Wood Elf

Wood Elf (Faeran): Wait, when were we in a talking relationship again?

Light Elf (Lucia): We'd be delighted to see you again @Human, most importantly… @Tiefling is the one most excited for us to return. Isn't that right?

Tiefling (Tierra): What the actual fuck are you talking about?

High Elf (???): As I said before, good company makes for good people

Dwarf (???): Stick up your arse in some kind of gigantic stone—you need to loosen up that crack

Human (Han): That's great, uh, thanks guys. Let me know when you'll be able to come over? Inform me so I can prepare and make excuses better. We got off the wrong foot and all, right? @Light Elf

Light Elf (Lucia): There's no wrong foot at all—we're all capable of walking. You need not to worry, there's no need for parades or warm welcomes. We just want to see you again.

Tiefling (Tierra): Hey, you're reading this @Shadow Elf, right? Say something!

Human (Han): Well, I'm still captured by my Professor so I'll see you guys later. Bye

[ Human Has Disconnected From The Chat ]

Demon Lord (Jilanya): What did he say about being captured? 

Wood Elf (Faeran): Eh, it's probably just another human slang we can't understand. No need to worry about it.

Demon Lord (Jilanya): I'm burning that Enchanted Forest, I swear

[ Demon Lord Has Disconnected From The Chat ]

Han didn't exactly tell the Blacksmith Student and the Professor that he contacted the other Races via a System beyond their limits, but instead he gave them a grin. "You don't have to worry about them not coming along, I got this all covered."

"That confidence is worrisome. Maybe you are a confidante?" Professor Owen rubbed his chin and glanced at Han. Was this guy able to communicate with them beyond normal means? He blinked and then stared at Han. "Your Psionic Class."

"His what?" Sybeth blinked.

"My what…?" Han tried to trail off and pretend like he was dumb, but Han on auto-pilot revealed this piece of information earlier. So instead, Han quickly sighed and scratched his head. "What about it, Professor?"

"I failed to take into account that Class and its skillset—now I finally understand why you can communicate with them."

"Huh… I mean, yeah. Sure—I'm definitely a high-leveled one that can talk with them over great distances." Han shrugged in reply and tried to grin. Oh, how he wished that he could actually even read a person's mind via Telepathy but all he's got so far is talking to a Wyvern, cat and maybe just some stray thoughts from Dai Song Lang's family gathering.

"You're not that particularly high-leveled… maybe a tad above average." 

"Wait, you can see my Classes?"

Professor Owen Liddell stared at him, but then eventually nodded. "It shouldn't be that much of a surprise—it's my profession to get to know and understand the people that I meet. That's what I do in order to serve them better."

"So you mean all teachers—er, professors know how to read levels?"

"No. Just me… but I could be lying about this."

"Great. I gave you the truth but all I get are tiny seeds of lies." Han grumbled and sat up. "Can I get going now and have my name cleared from being some kind of anarchist or insurgent of this city?" 

Professor Owen crossed his arms. "We'll take a look at it. It's not easy to convince people that you're guileless. I've encountered people who can be so convinced with their own lies that they've made it the truth—so even if someone were to test you on a truth test, I'm bound to still have my reservations." 

"So if you think I'm guilty, I still go to jail?"

"Pretty much."

"Then everyone's just a lying criminal if you look at it." Han eventually pulled himself up to his feet. "Will I get detained now or something? Can I get locked in a tower all by myself? I don't actually mind being in a place like that if it's for the safety of everyone."

… It was more so he could take a break as 'Han' and be ensured that he wouldn't do anything stupid while he was gone. But the Professor may have bought it, if it weren't for the Blacksmith Sybeth.

"We can't let you go off that easily," Sybeth frowned at him. "What are you gonna do locked in a tower? Cozy yourself up there like some Princess and expect a Prince to save you? You still deserve punishment for lying about your involvement."

"Hey, nobody asked—"

"That's essentially lying. I think you can agree with me on this one, Professor Owen." Sybeth looked at the man and waited for his reply.

Han raised a hand in protest and frowned. "Come on now, it's not like Sybeth here is a Judge or something. She's not part of some council that makes rules to govern—"

"What do you suggest as punishment, Miss Sybeth?"

The Blacksmith pursed her lips and ran her fingers through her cropped hair. "Me? Well, I'd just have his fingernails—"

"A lighter sentence perhaps, since he seems willing to cooperate with us now. Don't you, Han?" Professor Owen Liddell gave Han a chilling smile. There was something about it that gave him the creeps, despite the man not looking as imposing as Swordmaster Uriel or mean as the Battle Mage Carnus.

Why was it always the nice ones that kind of had loose screws in the head?

Han quickly nodded his head. "Yeah, I'm good—definitely on your side. Although that makes me sound more suspicious now that I think of it." 

"You're not really helping yourself at all." Professor Owen agreed.

Sybeth just frowned. "If this guy can communicate with them, then who knows if he just warned them that we're about to bring them to justice? What if he rats us out and sells our information? We need some assurance that you won't betray us or we have someone guard you. "

Han laughed weakly. "You sound like you could be some kind of Detective—er, some other class besides being a Blacksmith."

"This Class is stable work. We've already discussed that, haven't we?" Sybeth smiled at him.

How she was able to bring up that conversation with a smile besides totally hating his guts right now was amazing. Maybe it was just women who could do that—Han wasn't sure, but he cleared his throat. "Right, right."

"You know, since the two of you can get along—why not have the two of you be put up together? Sybeth, if he seems sketchy at any given moment in time, you can whack him with a hammer or mallet. Anything that you have on your hand, really."

"What?" 

"You can't be serious, Professor!"

Both Han and Sybeth spoke at the same time.

"I can't be stuck with him—"

"She'd hurt me at the first chance she gets!"

Professor Owen Liddell rubbed his chin and eventually nodded. "Yes, that's actually quite an unfair task to be given to Miss Sybeth. Instead, I've thought about a better punishment to keep Han on his best behavior… but I need to ask you something. Do you actually have any friends here?"

"What kind of question is that?" Han blinked and frowned at him. "Of course I have—wait, you can't do something like that. Could you?"

"Just a small dose of poison that can put any of your friends to sleep." Professor Owen Liddell smiled. 

"What?" Han heard static in his ears.

The man who didn't seem much older than Han Jing nodded. "It's actually a lot easier to find a weakness when the person has a heart. If you held no attachment whatsoever to the people you claim as 'friends' then we might have gone with the locking in the tower plan."

Han stared at the man's smile and hoped he wasn't serious.

"This is some kind of cruel joke, right?" Han blustered and then waved a hand. "You can't actually be serious. Not you."

"Why can't I be serious?" The smile disappeared and Owen's tone shifted into a more serious one. "I may have done some research and tried to understand what exactly is happening recently—but if there are no failsafes, then why bother trying to fight those three again? It's a small price to pay for security. I may not even have to do it if you're cooperative."

And yet the Professor didn't falter at all.

"You can't do that—that's hurting other people not involved in this!" Sybeth voiced it out before Han could even speak up. 

The Blacksmith stared at the Professor with a bothered expression on her face. While she was already disappointed to learn that Han was colluding with other Races… the Professor's decision was something she couldn't agree with.