Upon hearing these words, Salvatore’s pupils contracted sharply.
He suddenly realized just what level of big shot this "Chiron," the "centaur," truly was.
Even the title "The Tragic Playwright’s ntor" might not be his most glorious designation...
And Chiron continued to narrate:
"I planned to anchor the abilities needed for careers firmly into a grand ritual.
"I compiled the characteristics of various careers, divided the features of each career, and created clear and effective promotion pathways between them. I assigned different ’skills’ to different careers to ensure that all who seek sublimation theoretically could reach the Stigmatization rank, without exhausting their potential by taking the wrong path."
At this point, Chiron smiled. "Of course, I couldn’t do this alone.
"I consulted the Mysterious Lady, and my plan gained her support. With the help of the Mysterious Lady, I successfully integrated the ’career system’ into a grand ritual... instructing sublimators to follow this more ’orderly set of rules,’ rather than groping in the dark by instinct, allowing the ’secretive techniques’ of sublimation to be monopolized by various powers and to disappear from history with their demise.
"The Mysterious Lady once said that this could be considered my own ’work of creation.’ I also received the Book of Truth nad ’Compiled Discourses.’"
"...Really?" exclaid Salvatore, his eyes wide with astonishnt.
—He certainly knew what this ant.
Not to ntion in modern tis... the concept of "careers" had already existed since the Third Era. This ant that the entire modern Transcendent system was treading the path invented by this "Chiron."
It could even be said that the plethora of False Gods erging from the Third Era were precisely because the "careers" were defined. The possibility of going "astray" was ruled out, and many powers were stored within the careers themselves—with the acquisition of a new career ca the "enclosed knowledge" of those careers.
Of course, this was aside from the Wizard system.
The career system Chiron had established was for "non-spellcasters."
The Wizard system was established earlier than the career system... The Wizard’s Tower was likely born in the First Era, and before the Unification War, one could say that "spellcasters" were ubiquitous, each wielding a jumble of spells. At that ti, the spellcasters were, in fact, less systemized than the other sublimators.
It was not until after the Unification War that Wizards were defined into the eight major schools.
That is to say, Chiron could be considered the ntor of more than half of the Transcendents.
Those Transcendents who thought they had no ntors were actually already walking the path Chiron had paved for them.
"...But why didn’t you ascend to godhood?" Salvatore asked, politely and respectfully.
The unasked second half of his question was, "How co you’re only half here?"
Although Salvatore’s emotional intelligence was not very high,
He also knew that this question might be sowhat impolite.
Not only had Chiron completed the "work of creation" and even received the Book of Truth during the Second Era... He was at the Truth Rank, the lofty position one step away from divinity. In this situation, how exactly did his sublimation fail?
—Salvatore was genuinely curious about this matter.
So, even though he knew it was inappropriate to ask, he still brashly posed the question.
From this perspective, the shadow must have been curious too.
Otherwise, she would have stopped Salvatore from continuing to ask...
"It’s simple,"
Chiron spoke calmly, "because I gave up my chance for ascension to godhood to my students.
"Aside from Sophocles, Pericles was also one of my favorite students... His divine na is Stone Father. He and Sophocles were both wizards from the Thousand-Faced Phantom Tower, and they even knew each other.
"Apart from that, Tar, Iris Marquis, The Twin-Headed Singer, and the Guardian were also my students. None of them were wizards, but they each consulted on different techniques."
"This..."
Salvatore was left speechless.
He had heard all these nas.
Stone Father was the god of palaces and sculpture, Tar was the god of knights and steeds, Iris Marquis was the god of swords and duels, The Twin-Headed Singer was the god of minstrels, and the Guardian was the god of ransom and promises.
They were all "young gods" born in the Third and Fourth Eras.
But he had no idea that these deities were all Chiron’s students... or that they had at least learned from Chiron at so point.
That’s not right.
Salvatore quickly ca to his senses.
It should be said that it is normal for gods to have teachers—after all, not all gods are like the Paper Princess, born as a deity. It’s just that other gods’ teachers could not live as long as Chiron.
"You said, the opportunity to ascend into godhood..."
"The effect of the ’Canonical Discourse’ is to transform its Fragnts of Truth into fragnts of other books of truth—provided that another Book of Truth has already collected at least two pages."
Chiron spoke softly, "Although I am also at the Gold Rank, I actually do not wish to beco a god. Or rather, my true desire can no longer be fulfilled...so I have no desire to beco a deity.
"But it’s different for those young people filled with vitality; they really want to beco gods. If the other party really needs it and respects enough, I will break up my Book of Truth for them. That’s why I said that they are all students I love.
"And now, the ’Canonical Discourse’ does not even have a single Fragnt of Truth left. It has beco a Book of Truth that has dissipated.
"Those children who have received my gifts...all respectfully call ’Professor Bai.’ Because I always wore white clothes and held a white bow."
—That’s why the Gray Professor would have that na.
The word "Gray," if read in the language of the Centaurs, could also be understood as "shadow" or "phantom."
He was gaining power by doing the opposite of what "Professor Bai" did in the past!
"So you now..."
"It was just an accident."
"Professor Bai" Chiron explained: "It was not my students who took action against ... Sophocles’s personality is indeed not very good, but he would not harm .
"This is a backlash I suffered from rashly using a Great Calamity Curio in the last century—not that I was severed in half, but I was sealed into a painting.
"And little Henry rescued ...even though he only rescued half. But I still owe him."
Little Henry was probably Henry VIII.
Salvatore quickly guessed who this was.
No wonder "Mr. Kai" concealed his real na...and no wonder he said that he had t Henry VIII when he was young and that Henry VIII had been kind to him.
That was indeed the case.
He had indeed t a young Henry VIII—in the royal treasure house; indeed, there was a kindness—referencing the rescue of Chiron.
Even though half of Chiron’s power was still sealed, the remaining half was enough for him to create his own phantom self, "Mr. Kai," to move freely above ground.
"...Is there anything I can do to rescue you?"
Salvatore asked instinctively.
It wasn’t for any benefit.
He simply couldn’t bear to see such a great figure trapped in a painting.
And Chiron looked at Salvatore in so astonishnt.
He read Salvatore’s thoughts effortlessly.
The Centaur’s gaze softened: "There is no need for that, Lord Salvatore. I’ve gotten used to this...you see, I can indeed move around freely outside."
"No, I just want to understand how it could be done."
Salvatore said calmly, "If it would cost my life or be detrintal to Annan’s interests, I would of course not agree. I will use my wisdom to judge...but if it is a simple task, I see no reason not to do it."
"...It wouldn’t harm you, it’s just difficult," said Chiron helplessly. "It requires the power of the Great Calamity Curio ’Smoke Mirror,’ and also the ’White Lady’ to use the Smoke Mirror.
"I am already happy that you have this thought. But there is no need to...at least there’s no need to actively search for them.
"Go back to your friends. If you need my power, just co here to find ."
Chiron said kindly.
"...Okay."
Salvatore nodded slightly.
But he still committed those two nas to mory.
Chiron said to co to him if he could be of help...and Salvatore thought the sa way.
—If he could be of help, Salvatore would surely do what he could to assist this venerable elder.
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