Chapter 314: A Boring World

  "It's a pity, if only things like magic scrolls could be mechanically pressed like printing books, with each press producing a scroll... By the way, that fellow Dick is very knowledgeable about machines, I should go back to Masshumaria to find him..."

  "Do you like magic scrolls?"

  "Huh?" Lord Bolgan was a bit surprised. Not by the question itself, but by the fact that Gru would ask such a somewhat strange question.

  "Do you like magic scrolls?" Gru repeated, the same voice, the same tone, the same intonation, the same words, with no change in his expression whatsoever.

  Lord Bolgan answered honestly, "I don't think I particularly like them for their own sake. In fact, I used to be somewhat annoyed by things related to magic... but these things are good for Oufu."

  Gru asked noncommittally, "I know that in terms of work, you and Sedros are both the most important and do the most work in all of Oufu, but Oufu originally had nothing to do with you. Do you find building Oufu interesting?"

  "Interesting, yes, very interesting." Lord Bolgan nodded. This was also the truth, but he was growing more and more puzzled in his heart.

  He hadn't known Gru for a long time, but it couldn't be considered too short either. However, he had never encountered Gru asking such a seemingly "personal" question.

  At least as far as he had seen and heard, General Gru was a man of few words, all simple and clear, and all related to Oufu. There had never been any obvious signs of a private nature revealed in his words and actions. Sometimes he really suspected that this man might be a magic puppet, a puppet that existed for Oufu and for battle. Besides the obvious and dazzling characteristic of "strong," he seemed to have no hobbies, no social friends, no prominent personality, and he didn't even seem to possess the "humanity" that a normal person should have.

  "Hmm." Gru nodded slightly. "I also find it very interesting. Sedros didn't lie to me, it's really very interesting, much more interesting than in Nighon."

  "Sit down and let's have a chat, General Gru." Lord Bolgan stood up, very curious.

  "No need, I like to stand. I'm just saying a few words to you." General Gru didn't move, still standing ramrod straight. He seemed to never sit when he could stand. Rest, leisure, relaxation—these concepts were completely alien to him.

  "I also hate scrolls." Gru frowned, a rare hint of disgust appearing on his face. "Anyone can use them, anyone can kill."

  "Oh, that's true." Lord Bolgan nodded. But this was also the value of scrolls. Even Lancelot, said to be the strongest Paladin on the continent, couldn't withstand ten magic apprentices using top-tier scrolls on him at the same time. A warrior like Lancelot appears only once every few decades on the continent, while ten high-level scrolls could be produced by a group of mages in just a few days.

  "They're truly boring things, very boring. So boring that sometimes even things that were originally interesting become boring." Gru said flatly.

  "Perhaps." Lord Bolgan scratched his head. He didn't quite understand the meaning of Gru's words. Perhaps he was recalling the three knight commanders of the Judah Knight Order who were killed by the Forbidden Spell. Lord Bolgan remembered that on the day Gru returned, he had said a very short sentence, "A pity, it's boring." Perhaps he was talking about how going to the Sanderfirth mountains to mine, while for Oufu, meant producing many of these very boring scrolls.

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  It seemed this rare, fleeting expression of emotion was over. Gru turned and walked towards the door.

  "General Gru, do you know about crossbows?" Lord Bolgan suddenly said.

  "I do." Gru stopped, turned, and answered.

  "Right now in our Oufu, the lizardmen and many other orcs are equipped with crossbows, all kinds of crossbows. And there are giant crossbow carts. Crossbows are very powerful and easy to operate. But in the early days of crossbows, they were banned by many generals and even the Pope of the time, for the same reason you just gave: anyone can use them, anyone can kill. A commoner with no martial skill, as long as he has a well-made crossbow, could kill a battle-hardened knight." Lord Bolgan shrugged. "But now any army is equipped with this thing. The reason is simple: this thing is practical enough."

  Gru looked at Lord Bolgan silently for a moment, then nodded: "You mean that things like scrolls are also inevitable."

  "Things like technology and tools are originally developed to become stronger and more useful. I think those few guys who invented the crossbow, the first officer to equip his troops with crossbows, must have felt the same way I did just now when talking about scrolls—that it's very interesting."

  "Perhaps." Gru nodded.

  "In the past, it was crossbows. Now, it's scrolls. In the future, it will definitely be even more powerful things. A brother of mine who studies alchemy and mechanics once told me that maybe in the future, wars won't even rely on warriors, but on tools. With the press of a finger, dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of elite warriors could be instantly killed by a tool. And it's not just war, maybe other areas will also rely on tools..."

  "What a boring world." Gru said coldly.

  "But those who pursue these things are definitely doing it for fun. Just like you and I, who are mass-producing these boring magic scrolls for the fun of developing Oufu. Heh... what kind of logic is this..." Lord Bolgan pinched his chin and thought for a moment. "In the process of pursuing fun, the result is that we are making this world more and more boring?"

  "Boring." Gru thought for a moment, said this flatly, and turned to leave.

  "Hmm, so that's the principle..." Lord Bolgan was still pinching his wide chin, pondering the result of this reasoning he had just reached. After thinking for a long time, it seemed he still couldn't think it through clearly, so he picked up the documents beside him and started reading them, muttering the same sentence again. "Damn... what's the point of thinking about so many things I can't figure out... I should just do what I'm supposed to do..."

  In the small wooden cabin, Aunt El was sitting at the table, listening intently to Ethan.

  It wasn't uncommon for the two of them to sit and talk at the table like this, but for the past twenty years, it had always been Ethan listening carefully to Aunt El's stories and teachings. Now, it was completely reversed.

  The conversation lasted a long time; there was so much Ethan had to say. From going down into the tunnel at Valthor's, to the encounter with Lancelot, to the theft of The Black Star's hilt, then Moriel's sudden intervention, and finally Moriel's account and the truth. None of these were anything less than shocking and unimaginable. However, the look of surprise on Aunt El's face wasn't actually that strong. She was surprised, but she didn't lose her color.

  "That kid Lancelot actually had the nerve to go after Moriel, his courage is truly too great... No, it should be that fellow Magnus's courage is too great. I remember that fellow didn't seem to have this kind of personality... What a surprise." Aunt El smiled bitterly and shook her head. "But the most surprising thing is that the truth of The Black Star is actually this. His Excellency, the great Archibald, I truly admire you a bit..."

  Aunt El suddenly asked, "You haven't told Sandro this yet, have you? Guess what kind of reaction he'll have when he hears it?"

  "What kind of reaction?" Ethan thought for a moment. Fly into a rage? Curse loudly? Go to Nighon to find Moriel or return to Diya Valley? He shook his head. "I don't know, I can't guess."

  Aunt El smiled bitterly and sighed. "It's also hard for me to imagine what kind of mood he'll be in when he finds out that the thing that has plagued him for half his life is actually like this. We were all self-righteous before, all persistent, obsessed, angry, and confused, that's why we saw Archibald's last words in that way. It's ridiculous that I even scoffed at that little girl Vedenina, saying she was crazy. In fact, weren't we all using our own hearts to force an interpretation of Archibald's words? In the end, we were trapped by our own delusions for half our lives... This is probably the punishment for us straying from a clear and lofty heart."

  "Speaking of which, what are you planning to do?" Aunt El looked at Ethan and asked.

  Ethan answered, "I'm still going to Celeste for a trip."

  Aunt El shook her head and said, "If you're going to retrieve the hilt, I'd advise you not to go again. Since there's no great, unchangeable prophecy, don't get involved with this thing anymore. You've suffered a lot because of this thing, and I don't want you to take any more risks. Since Lancelot knows you're going, he must be prepared."

  "Since the hilt is that kind of thing, just let it stay in Celeste. I know that fellow Magnus, he's not interested in touching this thing."

  "I know. Since he left a message, he must be waiting for me. But I'm not afraid." Ethan smiled. The two Death Knights, Rodhart and Sylka, had fully recovered, and he also had the crystal Moriel gave him.

  Aunt El said lightly, "Don't get too cocky. Don't think that just because your current power is good, you're still no match for Lancelot in terms of experience and cunning, let alone Magnus. Moreover, The Radiant Citadel is not a place you can come and go as you please. Even back when I was to assassinate Dracon, I had to wait until he left Celeste to make my move."

  "It's fine. Their defenses are likely only around The Black Star's hilt, right? But I'm just going to drop something there for Moriel, and also... and also to find two people."