Chapter 273:

Chapter 273:

As the lights above flickered violently, Bashul and Isaac felt a slight dizziness. In the strobe-like effect, everything seemed to stop and move again.

Between existence and nonexistence. Motion and stillness, observation and concealment.

Flash.

It suddenly appeared.

Snap.

Between Bashul and Isaac appeared an old man in priestly robes, holding a staff. Bashul flinched in surprise and stepped back. However, the old man, seemingly indifferent to Bashul, crouched down and began to fumble with the box that Isaac had thrown.

‘Is he blind?’

Bashul was ready to draw his sword at any moment, but Isaac shook his head.

The blind old man opened the box to check its contents. However, the shattered dish inside was beyond repair.

He sighed deeply and then suddenly swung his staff at Isaac’s head.

“You rascal!”

Whack. Bashul, startled, half-drew his sword, but stopped when he saw that Isaac, who could have easily dodged, stood still and took the blow to his head.

Isaac only bowed his head after being struck a couple more times.

“How could you break an item with a green seal? Are you out of your mind or not!”

“I apologize, Master. I made a mistake.”

“You!”

The old man turned his head to look at Bashul.

As soon as Bashul felt the old man’s gaze, the staff struck his head with incredible speed. Bashul was shocked to find he couldn’t see or react to it.

It felt as if his getting hit was predetermined, with the intervening process skipped entirely.

It was completely different from what he had observed.

“You can’t even manage your subordinate, what kind of person are you!”

“I’m... I’m sorry.”

Only then did Bashul realize the situation.

Whatever this being called the Master was, human or not, Isaac had deliberately summoned him. With his tall stature and the aged appearance visible through his hood’s gap, the old man seemed to have mistaken Bashul and Isaac as superior and subordinate.

Isaac then spoke to the old man.

“Master, there’s actually something I’m looking for.”

“Something you’re looking for?”

“Yes.”

Isaac glanced at Bashul before asking the old man.

“I’m searching for information about the Nameless Chaos. Where can I find it?”

Bashul looked at Isaac in surprise. He hadn’t expected that the material Isaac sought would be related to the Nameless Chaos. Moreover, he couldn’t believe that this stubborn old man would simply tell them if they asked.

“Information on the Nameless Chaos?”

The old man mumbled to himself and touched the area around his eyes.

Contrary to Bashul’s worries, the old man answered straightforwardly.

“All materials on the Nameless Chaos are stored at a minimum of the purple level. Follow me.”

***

“What is that, exactly?”

Bashul asked, looking perplexed as he followed the old man.

Isaac replied nonchalantly.

“That’s the head librarian of the secret archives, Barteo Dolomus. He knows the location of every piece of information in the archives. You can’t find anything here without him.”

“You know him?”

“The one inside this coffin knows. This coffin is called the ‘Undying Coffin,’ but in reality, it was created by a mad ancient god who wished to preserve his mortal lover. However, it turned out to be a holy relic that stops time, and the ancient god’s lover inside the coffin also came to a halt. Coincidentally, that lover is a priest of the Nameless Chaos. Naturally, they would know the name.”

Bashul nodded, thinking, ‘So this is how knowledge is preserved here.’

Isaac cautiously asked,

“Won’t we die from the White Sand Disease as soon as we open the coffin?”

“It should be fine for a while. The progression of the White Sand Disease varies for each individual... But yes, the disease will progress. In other words, the moment we open the coffin, the document is considered destroyed.”

The librarian said while tilting his head.

“For the reasons stated above, the viewing level for this knowledge requires Cardinal level or higher. Additionally, a knowledge filter of level 5 or higher is required. Regrettably, you don’t seem to be at the Cardinal level.”

It seemed the librarian’s kindness extended only to finding the documents. Just like in a library, finding a book is free, but borrowing it requires qualifications.

But if he were to give up here, he wouldn’t have come this far in the first place.

“In fact, I’m here on an errand for Cardinal Juan.”

“Cardinal Juan?”

“Yes. He said he’s too old and fat to retrieve it himself, so he asked me to check and let him know. By the way, I’m a Holy Grail Knight and have been given the title of the Saint of Resurrection...”

As Isaac’s unexpected boasting and chatter poured out, Bashul looked at him with a face that said, ‘Who would believe such a pathetic lie?’ Of course, Isaac didn’t expect him to believe it either.

What he was doing now was more like turning the key in a lock rather than deceiving.

In his past life, Isaac had conversed with the librarian in the game.

The librarian was equipped with a high-level A.I. By entering keywords and persuading him, one could find the desired documents. Of course, the developers set up filters to prevent absurdly overpowered skills or abilities from being found, but naturally, there were ways to bypass them.

It was a trick known as ‘Grandmother’s Inherited Skillbook.’

If you said, ‘I want to know the location of the overpowered skill book called <Split in Half and Die>,’ the filter would catch it, and the librarian would naturally refuse.

However, if you said, ‘A long time ago, when I couldn’t sleep at night, my grandmother would read me a storybook by my bedside. Although she has passed away now, I still sometimes think of the fairy tale she used to read to me. But I don’t know where that storybook is. That fairy tale is in the skill book called <Split in Half and Die>...,’ the librarian’s reaction would change.

In other words, ’emotional appeal’ could bypass the world’s best security.

Naturally, this trick was blocked not long after. But being a seasoned player, Isaac knew of a complex trick that wasn’t blocked at least until he cleared the game.

He wasn’t sure if it would work, but it was worth trying rather than killing the librarian.

“...That’s why I’ve come all this way to find the name of the Nameless Chaos.”

Clap, clap, clap. Bashul inadvertently clapped his hands while listening intently to the story, but he stopped immediately upon receiving a sharp look. The librarian remained silent. His wrinkled face made it difficult to discern any expression.

Soon, his mouth opened.

“Utter nonsense.”

“...”

“Did you really tell such a long story just to explain that? Young people these days are such chatterboxes. Hurry up and finish your business and return to Cardinal Juan.”

It worked. Isaac smiled with delight as he watched the librarian open the sarcophagus lid.

However, his face soon contorted.

Rustle... As soon as the sarcophagus opened, white sand poured out from inside. The librarian, Isaac, and Bashul all froze, staring at the sand pouring down.

It was immediately clear what the symptom was.

The White Sand Disease.

The meaning was obvious. Someone had come before Isaac and opened the coffin.

Without the librarian knowing.

The librarian let out a roar of anger.

“Who dared to sneak in and damage this precious document!!”

_____________

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