Chapter 173

Chapter 136:  Ancient Memory (1)

‘A potion?’

An item that has materialized before Ian who was reading a book.  It was a bottle containing golden liquid.

A small note was accompanying it as well.

The message was even simpler.

[Drink up.  Unless you’re scared.  From Dad who has four names.]

It was certain to him, after having seen the note.  The note that was with the ancient dragon manifesto.  And the note that was with the notebook, containing the spell of the family.  Everything must be the work of Fran Paige for sure.

“I have been played.”

Although it has been anticipated, now that it has become a reality, agitation overtook him.

Someone has been controlling his life from the background?  If it was an ordinary person, one would have felt dejected, but Ian’s final reaction was ‘agitation’.

“Now, it’s my turn.”

Ian murmured as if to pledge it to himself.

He gulped down the golden liquid, at once.  Then the scenery has begun to change all around him.

The library that was filled with books, just a moment ago.

That has gradually changed into outdoors, wide plains under the blue sky, and blue forest.

“…..?”

It wasn’t just that the scenery has changed.

Ian, himself, has been teleported to another place.

Or, it could may well be inside a magical illusion, like the last time.

‘Mana has returned.’

The very first thing that he has felt was mana.  The mana, which has been taken away by the dragon, that mana heart has returned to his heart after having received it back from Fran.  An indescribable sense of relief overtook him.

Passaak-passaak!

It was when he was feeling the sense of relief.

The sounds of footsteps in the grass were heard.

It was a familiar one’s approach.

Fran Paige, it was him.

“What is this place, sir?”

Ian spoke formally to Fran as they met again.  Of course, it was only formal on the surface as the voice still accompanied a sense of edginess.  That was obvious.  How could words be spoken with respect at this juncture?

“…..”

However, Fran closed his mouth shut even as Ian asked.  Instead, circling around the area, he observed Ian.

As if he was ‘wary’ of a new entity, that was.  What was he up to now?

“Can you be…Is that you?”

Fran finally spoke.

The problem was with what was being said.

“What the heck are you trying to do now?”

“A prophet had promised to send a human.  I had heard that it would be a young man who had the same hair as I… Are you that person?”

“A prophet…..?”

It was certainly a nonsense that was hard to understand.

Hence, Ian could only tilt his head.

‘What nonsense is he talking about?’

It was certainly the same entity.

The Fran Paige whom Ian had seen inside the magical illusion.

It was exactly the same being as that one.

The brown hair, not so attractive face.

However, something seemed to be off somewhere.

“You must be.  The language that we speak now is the one that was endowed upon us by the prophet, himself.  Glad to meet you.  I’m Fran.”

Ian was speaking the language of Greenriver Empire.

The reason was simple.  It was because Fran was the first to speak in the language of Greenriver Empire.  Yet, what does he mean by the ‘prophet’s language’?  It became more nonsensical as the conversation continued.

“…..I’m Ian Paige.”

Ian reluctantly introduced himself.

The response to that was truly a spectacle.

“Oh!  Paige!  Were you a lineage of the tribal chief?  Let me see.  Paige tribe, Paige tribe.  Hmm, I do seem to have heard of  it before…..”

The ambience that was being emanated from Fran Paige was quite different, now.  It would not be surprising to say that he was all together a different person.  If that transformation was to be described in more direct terms.

‘…..He seemed to have become dumber.’

That’s how many deficiencies could be found in him.

It was hard to believe that it was the same person.

What the heck was going on?

“I feel like I’m hearing about the Paige tribe for the first time, but.  Hm, I suppose!  The world is a big place, right?  Or perhaps….Have you come down from that world above?  The one the prophet has personally sent down…”

“What are you trying to do?”

“To us…What?”

“I asked you what you are trying to do.”

“Trying to do…Ah!”

Ian’s pointed question.

Fran clapped his hands.

“It seemed that you have not heard the detailed explanation from the prophet!”

“…..”

“It seemed that as my request has been very sudden, the prophet must have sent you in a hurry.  Certainly, it is an urgent mater, but an explanation is in order.”

“…..”

“Please do not stare at me that way.  I could not have guessed that the prophet who is fully occupied with many matters would respond this quickly, either?”

He wasn’t someone that Ian could definitely communicate with.

Perhaps, it would be better just to hear what it was that he was about to say, at this juncture.

That’s exactly how Ian felt.

“So, You, Ian Paige, who is a noble one of the world above and lineage of the tribe, has been personally sent by the prophet…..”

“Please, just call me Ian.”

“…..Ian will from now on.”

The two have quickly shortened the names for each other.

They continued their conversation.

“I ask you for your help in systematically perfecting the power of the language, so that I may successfully put the ‘world’s chaos’ to rest.”

The world’s chaos?

Perfect the power of the language?

Ian asked in response.

“What do you mean?”

“Unlike the world above, the humans of this world has tough time just to stay alive, at the moment.  They are too busy running away from the gargoyles, the ogres, the trolls, the goblins, the imposing numbers of monsters, and other various races, just to survive.  Especially, the gargoyles are overtaking the world, utilizing their amazing reproductive capabilities.”

It was when he has heard up to this point.

Ian could make a guess.

That was, what this space ‘was’ all about.