Qwaul reflexively reached for the machine, and Jin, avoiding his touch, smirked lightly.
"You shouldn't just snatch someone else's belongings like that."
"How is that yours!?"
"Because I acquired it from Zipfel."
"Ha! Zipfel, those bastards! They let you take it from them?"
"You talk as if there's a reason it must belong to Zipfel."
Qwaul had reacted violently the whole time, but the fact that his face was red and blue as if it was about to burst was really angry.
Even his eyes quickly became bloodshot, and his hands and feet trembled.
"These... These bastards! How dare they deceive me...…!?"
"Zipfel deceived you?"
Jin's eyes narrowed. He needed to hear more of the story, but Qwaul having resentment towards Zipfel was definitely advantageous for Jin.
"It's not Zipfel, it's mine!"
"You have to learn another lesson on handling possessions."
"Give it back."
"You probably don't think that Runcandel is a clan that acquires something and then easily gives it away."
It wasn't just a remark to provoke Qwaul.
The mechanical device and the blueprint for the battleship—how much sacrifice had Jin made in the Sota Desert to obtain these two items? They were acquired through the death of the Black Knight Jane.
For Jin, it was unpleasant that Qwaul dared to claim ownership of an item in front of him.
It is hard to imagine the value of the Qwaul, so Jin just did not reveal his murderous intent. If it were someone else, he would have been immediately charged with crime.
"Fine, I admit it. However, I would like to know where and how you obtained that item."
"Why should I?"
"You said you wanted my ability?"
"That's a different issue. If you want to hear the background, this time, try telling me something that would catch my interest."
Qwaul gritted his teeth. The initiative had shifted in an instant.
He had never experienced losing control like this before.
Powerful individuals, including Zipfel, who accidentally discovered his abilities, had usually resorted to meaningless threats and persuasion, trying to manipulate him with empty promises.
As long as he had the ability as an engineer, Qwaul was always the "strong" one, except for this moment.
'It seems that these things were more precious to Qwaul than I expected.'
Jin's thoughts about Qwaul's desire as an engineer to complete his masterpiece turned out to be accurate.
Therefore, the acquisition is no different from the fact that it is already half-finished.
What remained was how cooperative Qwaul would be.
"... Jin Runcandel, you said it was a teleportation device, right? That item is not a teleportation device, but a tool for instantaneous summoning. It is completely different from teleportation."
"What's the difference?"
"Teleportation has climatic limitations, as is the case with transfer gates, but this device does not have that, and can transcend time and space."
That's why the name of the device was not teleportation, but 'spatial-time device'.
Jin couldn't help but widen his eyes at Qwaul's answer.
'If it could transcend time and space.'
Perhaps, it could be technology that could bring the brethren from Laprarosa.
Of course, he couldn't completely trust Qwaul's words. It might just be a absurd story or an interpretation blown out of proportion driven by hope.
However, until recently, spatial-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 is your turn to answer."
"It feels like a push and pull between lovers. I obtained the items in the Sota Desert. I acquired both the mechanical device and the blueprint from the vault of the 2nd magic Tower. It's strange that you didn't know about it. Were you not working for Zipfel when the incident in the Sota Desert happened?"
"Hmph, was that the reason you suppressed your murderous intent as soon as I claimed ownership? You must have made a lot of sacrifices."
"It's true, but it's impressive that you picked up on that."
"I apologize for that. The device obviously belongs to you."
This time, Jin liked Qwaul's attitude. Despite being somewhat eccentric and quirky, Qwaul at least seemed to have a basic understanding.
For a while, the two remained silent, organizing their thoughts.
Qwaul was the one to break the silence.
"And 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 blueprints was already revealed by Valeria's record magic.
"Then who created it?"
"Lokia Ganesto."
"What?"
"Lokia Ganesto. The mechanical device wasn't made by me; it was created by my distant ancestor. The spatial-time device I created through it is nothing more than an attempt to restore items from that era."
If what Qwaul said was true, then the Spatial-time device was created a thousand years ago.
A thousand years ago, Runcandel and Zipfel possessed much greater power than they do now, and it was true just by looking at the fact that relics called masterpieces were often found with far superior performance than advanced technology.
It wasn't entirely implausible that the creator, who was revealed by record magic, was Qwaul. Since he improved an already existing item, he could also be seen as a maker.
Above all, the history manipulation of the ten great knights, including Lokia Ganesto, had only faded a little, but it was still working.
"Is the blueprint also made by Lokia Ganesto, not you?"
"If the blueprint you have is in paper form, then yes, I made it. But even that is a restoration using relics left by my ancestors. Like the spatial-time device, it's crude compared to the original that existed a thousand years ago." A
It was the first time Jin had heard that information.
Jin pretended to know that the original was in tablet form, 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 1st 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 Zipfel long before. It's different from the parts that were always in my possession until I started researching."
"I heard from my informant that the construction of blueprints began in 1775 and machines manufactured in 1780."
"You have quite an impressive informant. But it's such a strange thing. As far as I know when my research started, there were only Kelliark, Kadun, and Octavia in Zipfel...…."
Qwaul narrowed his eyes as if he guessed something.
"I get it now. Your supposed informant, is a survivor of Hister? Record magic. Otherwise, it's information you'd never know. Unless Kelliark Zipfel 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.
"Besides, my real name. That doesn't even make the assumption that Kelliark can tell. Unless it's record magic, you'll never know. You must have seen the Ganesto name on the device through record magic."
The fact that there is a survivor of Hister has been known among the great forces for a long time. And the fact that it is with Jin has been noticed to some extent by both 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 what grounds you think so."
"I have lived my whole life under the name Tingen Bauer. It was only recently that I learned of my real name, Qwaul Ganesto. After the world was stained with chaos. Unless it's record magic, what else could have revealed that?"
It was only about a month ago that there was a problem with the manipulation of history in the name of 'Ganesto'. The weakening of Zipfel's power caused by Glyek was causing a chain reaction between Jin and Qwaul.
And neither Jin nor Qwaul know.
This isn't the first time Zipfel's manipulation of history has gone wrong. Even around the time that Qwaul was born, and during the lives of his other ancestors, there were moments when manipulation weakened. In particular, Ganesto's manipulation of history was often problematic.
"It's a shame I didn't know about Kelliark not knowing your name. Yes, the survivor of Hister is with me."
It was not a situation to keep hiding. Jin continued to observe the desire reflected in Qwaul's eyes.
Qwaul is a descendant of Lokia Ganesto, and is the world's greatest engineer. And what he most wanted was not wealth, power, or personal success, but the restoration and completion of technology.
Therefore, the ability to use record magic, which only Hister could use, was more essential to Qwaul needed more than anything else.
"The conditions I was going to mention in order to leave the cabin were originally these. First, you must own the machine. And the second is to 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, Qwaul said, lighting a cigarette.
"The first condition is already fulfilled, and the second condition depends on how closely you are connected with the record wizard. Is it possible?"
"I think it's possible if you're an assistant, not them."
"Well, the issue of titles doesn't matter much. Anyway, once they confirm my abilities, they will naturally consider themselves as an assistant.""
Jin thought that Valeria would never do that, but he nodded his head.
Rather, Jin was imagining a picture of Qwaul volunteering to be Valeria's assistant.
Qwaul held out his hand to Jin.
"There will be no greater luck than having me in your life, your family, and your entire faction."
Jin responded by holding his hand.
"I will serve you diligently in my own way."
"What do you mean by 'in my own way'?"
"It means I welcome you to the Vamel alliance."
Although Qwaul protested that he wasn't officially a part of it yet, Jin effortlessly subdued him and tossed him into the mouth of the Mort.
[T/L: Read more chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/punisher87 ]