Chapter 129: The So-called Magic Is The Shackles Set By The God!
After all, the investigation to follow is not about ordinary people. Loria thought it would be better to simulate it first.
But she didn't plan to start pretending right away. She didn't trust Coleridge very much, so for safety's sake, she even prepared to immediately change her place of residence after leaving the lab.
"If you don't have any questions, you can leave now."
Coleridge started driving them away again.
Loria didn't say anything, but Miss Plump Sheep seemed unwilling. She lifted her feet multiple times, but finally put them back down.
"Then let's go outside first."
Loria leaned in and whispered in her ear.
With some pulling, Miss Plump Sheep followed Loria out of the lab.
We have to go.
She still felt confused and even thought her father was deliberately saying difficult things to make fun of her, but the problem lies here.
She couldn't understand, so she couldn't question anything and had to follow Loria outside.
As soon as they arrived in the open space, Miss Plump Sheep stamped her foot and said, "Knight Loria, why did you drag me out? I still have so much to say."
Loria couldn't help but roll her eyes.
What do you mean I forcefully dragged you out? You clearly followed me without me even exerting any force.
"Let me explain the current situation to you first."
Loria thought that Miss Plump Sheep had the right to know, and if she didn't tell her, who knows what trouble she might cause later.
Next, Loria spent five minutes telling Miss Plump Sheep about what the Church of Goddess of Madness and Indulgence was and its relation to the Treasurer and the Magic Exchange Association.
"I don't have direct evidence, but I believe there is a high possibility of cooperation between the Treasurer and the Church of Goddess of Madness and Indulgence!"
Loria had a serious expression.
Once upon a time, during a simulation, she met followers of the Church of Goddess of Madness and Indulgence. They claimed that she came to investigate the murder of the investigation team.
At that time, she suspected that the Finance Minister and the Church of Goddess of Madness and Indulgence were colluding.
One side wanted to obtain the magical power and fulfill their terrifying desires.
The other side wanted to gather more followers and achieve their hidden secrets.
Isn't it strange that they didn't come together?
Miss Plump Sheep remained silent for a while, then asked, "How should we investigate?"
Loria replied, "I have an idea. Let's start by believing what your father said."
Miss Plump Sheep immediately became excited, "No, what if he's lying? Knight Loria, you mustn't let your guard down just because he's my father. What will I do if something happens to you?"
"I understand, don't worry."
Loria is a cautious person and cannot be fooled by any gentlemanly behavior. Only something provocative can make her feel dizzy.
When she said "believe," she meant believing in Coleridge unconditionally in the simulation.
If Coleridge is really lying, then pretending to be ignorant is definitely the easiest way to fish out his true identity.
"Let's go, I'll treat you to a late-night snack, relax and don't think too much. We still have many important things to do. Don't you want to be a hero? You couldn't be a hero in Creek Town, but this time you must seize the opportunity!"
"Hmm."
Maybe stimulated by the word "hero," or perhaps tempted by the offer of a late-night snack, Miss Plump Sheep obediently followed behind Loria and arrived at a beverage shop.
Normally stingy Loria splurged and ordered two drinks, then they both sat side by side on a bench near the glass wall.
"Slurp~"
The sour and sweet taste blossomed on their taste buds.
Miss Plump Sheep, who had calmed down a bit, secretly turned her head to look at Loria beside her.
Today, Loria was wearing a very ordinary sporty outfit, completely covering her plump body, but she felt that Loria was more charming than usual.
Especially...
Miss Plump Sheep's gaze fell on the round and plump hips hanging halfway outside the chair. She held her cheeks in her hands and shook her head vigorously as her body temperature rose.
She must not think too much.
Today, Loria had been helping her. She comforted her when she had strong doubts about her father, and now she even invited her for a drink. If she still had thoughts about getting close to those perky and bouncy buttocks, was she still a decent person?
"Focus on the important matters, the important matters are... fighting against that evil cult and the finance minister!"
Miss Plump Sheep took a deep sip of her drink and then leaned on the table to start thinking of a solution.
Throughout this process, Loria kept staring at the street outside that was being washed by the rain.
Of course, for outsiders, it seemed like she was doing this, but in reality, she was staring at the virtual screen of the simulator.
In the simulation, she moved quickly. The night before, she brought Miss Plump Sheep home to stay temporarily, and the next day, she began investigating the Magic Communication Association.
The first step of the investigation was to inquire about the detailed information of the Magic Communication Association from Coleridge.
[Coleridge said that he successfully completed the experiment and passed the association's assessment. If you want to investigate the Magic Communication Association, you can pretend to be his assistant and go together to the temporary meeting location of the Magic Communication Association. You happily agreed and expressed gratitude.]
"Doesn't this make you look foolish enough?"
[You followed Coleridge to the temporary meeting location.]
On the surface, it appeared to be an extremely serious academic communication association with very strict qualification checks.
Therefore, when Loria entered the meeting location, she was questioned several times.
Luckily, Coleridge had anticipated this situation and had taught her in advance how to handle it. She safely entered the venue without any trouble.
Then, the boring time arrived.
Loria felt out of place with the people around her. While others were discussing the intricate topics of magic construction and resonance, Miss Loria, a semi-literate lady knight, could only continuously throw Insightful Perception at everyone sitting next to her.
"She's a weak maiden of E-level."
"D-level? But still not as good as me!"
"Another E-level."
After looking around, Loria noticed that most of the people at the gathering were not very skilled, including Coleridge, there were only three C-level magicians.
[You secretly asked Coleridge why, and Coleridge said there were two reasons.]
[Firstly, the Province of Claren is relatively remote within the empire, and most powerful magicians would not choose to live here.]
[Secondly, although the study of magical theory and the use of magic are not mutually exclusive, most of the time magicians are unable to balance both because human lifespan and energy are limited.]
This world doesn't lack objects that can make people live longer.
But, extending one's life is actually a very risky thing. Once the lock is broken, there's a high possibility of strange changes occurring, turning into a strange monster.
Therefore, unless one is in a desperate situation, even great wizards wouldn't take the risk to extend their own lives.
Loria, in her simulation, continued to observe.
Being somewhat illiterate, she was aware that she couldn't understand what those people were saying anyway. Instead of wasting time on those things, she thought of ways to figure out their true intentions.
So, she started to take note of their abilities, and then went on to remember their names, appearances, height, research topics, and preferences revealed in their conversations.
This allowed Loria, who was outside the screen, to gain a lot.
"With this information, investigating will become much easier."
Several minutes later, the meeting host came out.
[This was a very long meeting. They first welcomed Coleridge's participation, then they started discussing the limitations of magic on the human body. It seemed like you understood, but at the same time, it seemed like you didn't understand anything at all.]
That statement wasn't incorrect.
Loria only understood the topic they were discussing—
Magic is actually a conspiracy. It grants extraordinary power to the beings on the Ozel continent, but it also firmly sets their limits. Under the restriction of magic, the Ozel continent can never give birth to beings that can rival or even surpass gods.
That's right.
The god they were talking about is currently being worshipped all over the continent as the Goddess of Dawn, Wind, and Sky!
"？？？"
Loria was puzzled.
Is this really true?
In the simulation, she couldn't understand what these people were saying at all. She only knew that they were either quoting famous texts, making guesses, or presenting their own experimental results, and they engaged in a long debate that lasted for several hours.
If it weren't for constantly reminding herself of her mission, she would probably have fallen asleep.
"Damn it, I feel humiliated. From today on, I'm going to study... study what? Nothing."
Loria's newly ignited passion quickly faded.
With her intelligence, isn't it embarrassing for her to study magical theory?
Leave the professional matters to the professionals. Her job is to kill all those freaks!
[A few hours later, during the midpoint of the debate, a mysterious woman appeared at the conference venue. She announced that she would conduct a magical experiment that would overturn everyone's understanding.]
[After making some preparations, the experiment officially began. You were squeezed to the back because the people in front of you were too tall, so you had to climb onto the table to watch.]
The experiment was very simple.
A mysterious woman used a special magical device and a magical infusion method to infuse a large amount of magic into a cat.
Instead of being overwhelmed, the cat suddenly went crazy and started attacking people.
The people didn't harm the cat, but instead locked it up in a cage. In its madness, the cat began to scratch and bite itself. The more it scratched, the more excited it became, as if it couldn't feel any pain. Eventually, in front of everyone, it transformed, expanding and distorting, until it couldn't handle the change anymore and "crushed" itself to death.
[Everyone present was shocked by this strange scene, unable to say a word. You secretly looked at Coleridge's expression and noticed how incredibly serious he appeared.]
[In fact, the situation wasn't any better for the others. You noticed a young wizard trembling uncontrollably.]
[The mysterious woman cleaned up the cat's body and told the others that if they didn't believe, they could try it themselves when they returned. She also said that she would send an invitation to each person. If they had any insights, they could follow the instructions on the invitation to find her.]
[The meeting came to an end, and you and Coleridge left the meeting room one after the other. At the entrance, Coleridge started talking to someone familiar.]
[They both had doubts about the experiment's results, thinking it was impossible. But as they bid farewell, Coleridge suddenly asked, "What does it mean if the experiment is reproduced?"]
"It means that magic and sorcery are not a limitless treasure of possibilities, but rather the shackles created by the gods to bind all living beings on the continent."
Loria's answer was the same as the magician's answer.
It is obvious who the gods are referring to.
The magician also provided evidence that in the Ozel continent, those who try to prolong their lives will suffer "divine punishment".
The members of the meeting dispersed.
Unlike the others, Loria had some new ideas.
Because she believed that this association was involved with the Church of the Goddess of Madness and Indulgence, and she knew what kind of people the followers of this broken church were.
So when she saw the strange behavior of the cat, she suspected that the mysterious woman had secretly tampered with it.
But she didn't understand one thing.
"If she really tampered with it, she wouldn't dare to let others repeat this experiment, right? Because her lie would be exposed once someone tried it."
"Did she tell the truth, or is there something I didn't notice?"
Loria couldn't figure it out.
She waited for another day, and the outcome of her waiting was that Coleridge successfully replicated the experiment.
This outcome devastated Coleridge's passion. Not long ago, he was contemplating incorporating the spirit into magic, allowing everyone to become their own deity.
Now, someone was telling him that magic was the shackles used by gods to imprison people.
This was too ridiculous.
Loria tried to imagine herself in that situation and felt she would probably collapse.
In fact, Coleridge was also on the verge of a breakdown, but he persevered and waited for the invitation letter, taking Loria with him to attend.
This time, Loria was stopped at the door because she was only an assistant and didn't have the qualifications to access extraordinary magic.
[You can only wait outside the door.]
As time passed, Loria noticed some unusual movements in the room.
She smelled a scent of madness and indulgence, and had an irresistible impulse to seek pleasure and self-destruction.
Looking around, she saw people watching her and sensed their hidden intentions to approach her. She realized she had to make a move.
To die by waiting or to die by fighting back, it's better to fight back with a sword.
The girl took out a big sword and dashed forward, using her impressive strength to successfully reach the castle gate. However, she was eventually shattered by the incomprehensible magic of a powerful magician.
[The simulation ends here.]
[Achievement unlocked, "Drowning in the Torrent Center".]
[Congratulations, player! Achievement unlocked, "Magic Assistant". You have earned additional rewards: +1 Agility.]
[Congratulations! The player has achieved the "Unyielding" achievement and received an additional reward of +2 strength.]
[Congratulations! The player has achieved the "Keen Observer" achievement and received an additional reward of +1 intelligence.]
[Congratulations! The player has obtained a D-grade evaluation, and the reward is: Equip Enhancement Stone.]
"Although she obtained a lot of useful information, the outcome suggests that infiltration is not feasible."
Loria clenched her teeth gently.
She was too naive to understand what those wizards were saying, let alone pretend to be a skilled magic researcher. As a result, she could never enter the core circle of the Magic Exchange Association.
"I can only find another way."
Loria didn't rush to claim the reward; she still had one more chance to practice.
She calmly waited until Miss Plump Sheep finished her drink, and then led her back to her own dwelling.
It can tell that Coleridge is okay, so she doesn't need to move for now.
Originally, the small living space was suddenly crowded with five people. Loria had no choice but to sleep with the others.
Luciene was very tempted by this opportunity, but as soon as she saw the composed guildmaster in the wheelchair, she gave up on it.
It's better not to do anything inappropriate, rather than sleeping with Loria and feeling uncomfortable.
Let Yukihime sleep together with Loria.
Both of them are still young and naive, so nothing will happen even if they sleep together.
Hmm.
That's how it's done.
Nighttime.
Loria looked at Miss Plump Sheep lying beside her and said goodnight.
"I'm going to sleep."
"I'm going to sleep too."
The two of them turned off the gas lamp, and the room went dark.
