TL/Editor: raei
Status: 5/week mon-fri
Illustrations: none
Join the discord! Here
Despite the flood of surprising information, Ian quickly regained his composure.
It wasn't particularly strange. Ian had known Gerard for quite so ti and understood what kind of person he was.
Gerard was a space-ti wizard. Constantly concerned about contaminating the future, he had never given Ian even a fragnt of information about "the future."
Well, he hid information? That's just who Gerard was.
And all this talk of parallel worlds and world lines was, frankly speaking, information Ian didn't need to know.
What good would knowing it do?
Ian had absolutely no intention of becoming a guardian of ti like "Space-ti Wizard Ian."
Literally, it was a side story from another world.
Ian was a resident of this dieval fantasy world.
What others did in the future, their conflicts and battles, was none of his concern.
Even the story about Gerard's parents wasn't particularly important.
"I want to ask just one thing."
"What is it?"
"If by chance... sothing happened to Gerard's parents, what would happen to Gerard?"
It was a question both Ian and Gerard already knew the answer to.
Gerard answered with a smile.
"You're asking the obvious. Testing your knowledge?"
"That's right."
"Then your thinking is correct."
The answer was 'it would have no effect whatsoever.'
Among famous ti paradoxes, there's the matricide (or patricide) paradox.
The question of [what happens if a ti traveler goes back in ti and kills their parents].
Since their parents died, the ti traveler couldn't go back in ti.
But if the ti traveler couldn't go back in ti, then the parents wouldn't die!
It's quite a headache of a paradox, but in this world, the answer is very simple.
If Gerard's parents had an "accident" and couldn't give birth to Gerard...
This world would simply beco a world without Gerard.
"Because the past is fixed."
"Yes. What can you do about sothing that's already dead."
You could cross over to 'a world line where Gerard's parents are alive' and save those parents.
But what has already happened can never be undone.
Because ti is fixed.
"Space-ti magic... is the delicate work of selecting futures, isn't it?"
"It's easy if you think it's easy, and difficult if you think it's difficult."
That's why space-ti wizards lose their minds over future contamination.
Because they know events roll forward with no turning back.
"So, 'Gerard from another world.'"
"What now?"
"Don't you have anything to say to ?"
"Like what?"
"Sothing like... you respect . Or you're glad to et the famous Ian."
Ian asked with the sensibility of soone who'd consud fictional stories.
You know, the famous cliché where a ti traveler goes back in ti and ets a future historical figure!
Surely he could spare a few kind words?
But Gerard looked at Ian as if he were ntally ill...
"That's an incredibly stupid question, coming from such a smart mind."
"Isn't that a bit harsh?"
"What have you accomplished so far that I should respect you? Don't be delusional. You're not the Ian from 'that world.' You're just a green kid."
Ian chuckled and retorted.
"I'm not just so kid."
"..."
"From the northern edge to the southern tip. I've traveled across the empire. In the north, I t the goddess of ice and the underworld, and in the south, I faced monsters and black wizards."
"Is that so."
"Yes. That's right."
The novice wizard who had left the Golden Mountains was gone.
Ian had t many people and experienced many adventures while traveling this dieval fantasy world.
He had matured and grown through trials.
Gerard spoke jokingly.
"Well. A man is a child until he gets married."
Ian was slightly flabbergasted.
Even dieval people said things like that?!
n as a species! They never change, here or elsewhere!
...I like it!
Since I'm not married yet, I should act like a child~!
Ian had this ridiculous thought as he asked:
"Are you married, Gerard?"
"I'm married to my work."
"So you're a child."
"..."
Ian paused mid-sentence.
Wait, this Gerard fellow. He ca from another dinsion, right?
How did he know Teacher Eredith?
"Gerard. Are you close with my teacher?"
Gerard showed a peculiar reaction to this.
As if pondering sothing, he dragged out the ti...?
"We just happened to beco close."
"?"
What kind of answer was that?
Ian casually threw out a line.
"You know our teacher isn't married yet, right?"
"...Still not married, huh."
He doesn't know.
Ian wasn't a space-ti wizard, so he didn't know how much information one could gather using space-ti magic.
But Gerard should know a lot more than ordinary people...
"Why don't you know?"
"Because I never asked."
"..."
Gerard spoke as if making excuses.
"First. I ca to change the future, not to date."
"?"
"Second. If I, a being from another world, t Eredith, it would be impossible to predict how the future might twist."
"??? I haven't said anything yet."
Ian covered his mouth and exclaid.
"Wait, Gerard! Did you date my teacher?!"
"No!"
"Were you about to?!"
"...I'm not sure about that."
Oh my goodness! He's not denying it?!
"So Gerard was Teacher's almost-boyfriend!"
"Almost what?!"
"Sothing. It ans there was sothing between you."
In Korean terms, it would be like saying [there's... sothing... sothing... between them...]
"Sit down here! Gerard!"
"No!"
"Tell so stories from your youth! How and when did you et my teacher?!"
"I said no!"
Co here!
Ian felt his dopamine levels surging for the first ti in a while.
Popcorn! Bring the popcorn!
"There's nothing between and Eredith!"
"Ah! You're calling her by her first na!"
"..."
Gerard realized sothing.
He was having what amounted to his first casual conversation with Ian.
As a space-ti wizard, Gerard always had to watch his words. If conversations went on too long, it might contaminate the future.
So Gerard didn't know.
This Ian fellow possessed a strange verbal ability that had enchanted(?) all sorts of people during his travels.
Beware the wizard's wicked tongue!
"Stop... please stop..."
"Fine. I understand. The past is just the past."
There's nothing even a space-ti wizard can do about it.
The past that has already gone by can never return.
That's why we try our best to make the right choices in the mont.
"Gerard."
Ian stopped joking and asked seriously.
"If you leave now, will you never return?"
Gerard answered just as seriously.
"My mission is complete. The world line has definitely changed, and variables no longer exist. There's no need for an impurity like to contaminate the future."
"Do you really think of yourself as an impurity, Gerard?"
"A stranger who's strayed from the path of ti. If that's not an impurity, what is it?"
Ian smiled and said.
"Did you know that I'm also from another world?"
"...?"
"Blessed by the gods. Born with magical talent. I've heard many such things."
Ian looked straight at his guide and said:
"I'm a person who ca from another world, just like Gerard."
"...Exactly what kind of place?"
"A world completely different from here."
Ian briefly shared his past life story.
Focusing on parts Gerard would understand and sympathize with.
"You're from a peninsula nation divided between north and south?"
"Yes."
"With giant powers to the north and west, and a country to the east that's caused conflicts for hundreds of years? And you're still in a ceasefire with your brother nation, not at peace?"
"Yes."
"...You lived in a difficult place."
"???"
Was that true?
"Being reborn as an imperial citizen must be a blessing."
"Not really."
Ian answered sharply.
Though he'd grown accustod to dieval life, he still missed modern conveniences (actually quite often).
Couldn't soone open an isekai convenience store or an isekai restaurant?
He'd visit like a dog!
"Anyway. I might be from another world, but I think I'm a person of this world now."
"..."
"Gerard, you've lived here for over 20 years. Wouldn't this be like a second hotown to you?"
Though Gerard thought of himself as an impurity.
From Ian's perspective, Gerard was definitely a resident of this world.
"It's okay to part ways, Gerard. But I'd rather you didn't say it's a permanent goodbye."
Ian extended his hand to Gerard.
"I consider Gerard a friend."
"..."
"Thank you for guiding all this ti. And for introducing to my teacher, making it possible for to beco a wizard."
"That... was just my job..."
Gerard hesitated.
He was undoubtedly wondering what effect shaking hands with Ian now would have on the future.
But not Ian.
He was a wizard who believed that conveying one's heart was more important than anything.
Since Gerard was also a wizard...
He surely believed they could communicate with each other.
"..."
Ian grasped Gerard's hand.
Though awkward, Gerard shook it.
He had decided to beco Ian's friend.
"You're leaving now, right?"
"Yes."
"Then promise one thing."
"...?"
Ian patted Gerard's shoulder and said:
"Co to my wedding."
"Ah..."
"You spoiled it yourself. So you need to co see it with your own eyes."
He may have been s-p-o-i-l-e-d, but.
Ian was already planning to marry Lucy anyway.
He'd already promised to marry her in Talian after this journey ended.
How could Gerard miss being a guest at such a wedding?
"That's... the future..."
"Well~ then I won't have my wedding until Gerard cos~!"
"..."
Gerard looked at Ian as if he were insane.
Though Gerard had conversed with Ian several tis, they had never traveled together.
He didn't know that Ian was quite the madman...!
"If I postpone the wedding for a few years~ who knows how the future might change~"
"...I'll co!"
"Co on, Gerard. You already knew you'd be attending my wedding, right?"
"A space-ti wizard...! is not a god...!"
Seeing Gerard grinding his teeth, Ian slowly backed off.
There was sothing fun about teasing this man.
"Alright. Then I'll see you again on my wedding day."
"Take care, Gerard."
Gerard gave Ian a look of utter exasperation before disappearing with spatial movent magic.
A departure befitting a space-ti wizard.
Enjoy the chappy!
Please give the book a rating and a review on NovelUpdates.
It helps the website and helps people find this novel!
If you'd like to make a one-ti donation to support our translations or subscribe to read up to 15 chapters or more (depending on the novel) ahead, you can do so via Ko-fi.
Click here!
Reviews
All reviews (0)