«You know. A kind of jury system». Starting like this, Auril Gavis spoke as if excusing himself. «Of course, I don't like this approach either, nor do I think it is a very good option. I'm just suggesting it since you can't believe me, so you can reject it if you don't like it.» Watching him tiptoe around me even as I said this, it seemed like he was taking my look in disapproval.
«Round table, huh?» To be honest, it wasn't a bad suggestion for me. However, if we were going to do it, it would require some modifications, such as having everyone sit at a round table instead of imitating a jury. Playing roundtable with those members, including the head of Orcules and the Fallen Scholar, was sure to give us useful information. But...
«i refuse. I don't feel like catechizing the details in front of others». For now, Auril's limited information was the top priority. Moving on to the Round Table rules came later.
«A negative... Actually, I thought you would say that. From your perspective, it might seem like I'm colluding with that group». Auril sighed and asked: «So what will you do now?».
I chuckled. What else could we do? We had to go back to the beginning. «One question for three».
«Hmm, I guess my end of the deal has improved by more than five».
«Since you did this article».
When I said that with my eyes on the jewel, Auril smiled satisfied. «Thank you for acknowledging my efforts, but isn't it more reasonable to each take a turn in that case?».
True, it might seem unfair to him. As long as the lie detector worked, the conditions of both could be considered the same. «Think of it as the price of faith». Since I saw that jewel in the past in isolation, I could not be sure that the old man would not manipulate the discernment of the jewel's authenticity. That was because he was its creator. It wouldn't be strange if he had a hidden deception key.
«How contradictory». Auril laughed in disbelief. «Don't you already know? If I were cheating on you, there would be no point in asking you more questions no matter how many you asked».
Of course I knew it. And? «So you refuse?»
«Haha, of course not. Strangely, although it may seem contradictory, it makes sense. At least you are throwing yourself into an uncertain situation anyway». It was a colder acceptance than I expected. I thought the negotiations would go more disorderly than this. «In exchange, can I take the first shift? You asked me my age before».
«Good.» This time, I took a step. He was sure he had a motive, but it was also true that he had been very considerate. Accepting a question was not necessarily a bad thing, since that question could also serve to understand the other person's intentions.
«So let me ask». This is how the game of true or false began. Soon, Auril parted his lips. «How many people have cleaned the original in twenty years?».
Was that your first question? This was the thought that came to mind, but it was too early to rest easy. Since this question was asked at the cost of an unfavorable exchange rate of three questions for one, this would not be a simple curiosity.
The reason you are curious...
I must have been curious to know if there was anyone to replace me in the future. So I answered honestly. «The only person who came after beating the original game was me. At least, as far as I know». It was an answer that presented me as the only superior in this relationship, but that left room for him not to become obsessed with just me.
«Hmm, I see.» When the jewel lit up green, Auril only nodded slightly with an enigmatic face.
Then it was my turn to ask the questions. I had already compiled a list of questions beforehand, so there was no need to contemplate. Of course, it would require adjustments while this gem was in front of me.
«Have you used the Records Stone Fragment before?». I intentionally asked this in a way that could only be answered with a yes or no. Of course, this method reduced the amount of information that could be obtained, but at least it could verify the facts correctly. If the facts were in order, he could deduce the rest. To me, that was more reliable than anything a third party said.
«I didn't know they would ask me that from the beginning... You're really not easy».
«Your answer?»
«I've used it before».
That's how it was. Confirming that the green light was on after a brief pause, I calmly selected the next question.
That's when Auril asked, almost fascinated: «But how the hell did you know?».
The answer was simple: because there were small hints of it in our last conversation. To be honest, I just tried it to see if I was right. But in the world of competition, nothing was free. «If you're curious, ask me later».
«Ejem ... »
«So let me ask the second question.»
«Forward.»
I took a moment to catch my breath before moving on to the second information I needed to check. «Did you create this spiritual world?».
Auril shuddered slightly before looking at me strangely. «...I can't get an idea of your intentions at all».
«What do you mean by that?»
«It's hard for me to understand why you would want to know. If you asked out of curiosity, I would understand. But you don't seem like the kind of person who acts so emotionally».
I thought I understood what he meant. In this old man's eyes, that question would not have seemed profitable. Although I didn't get a definitive answer, the circumstances were clear. It would have seemed like a waste to bother checking it out.
These types of things must be treated clearly.
This space to which I was summoned on the fifteenth of each month was unique. Since the palace and the magical tower knew of its existence, much research had been done on it, but no one was able to discover the principles by which this world had been created. Until today, magicians could only assume that a magician much larger than their imagination had created this place. So could this old man really be such a great wizard?
«So, your answer?»
Before long, Auril gave an answer. «It's how you think. I created this place».
«Is red». The jewel judged that this was false. As much as Auril shuddered, I was perplexed too. I didn't expect a lie to appear here. «How did this happen?»
When I asked with half-closed eyes, Auril hesitated. «Well... I guess the gem considered it a little vague».
Lazy, huh? Since I already knew that gem, I had a general idea of how it had happened. Since that jewel was based on the mentality of the speaker, if the speaker felt uncomfortable, the light would not be green.
When I looked at him with demanding eyes, Auril gave me an answer similar to a Zen riddle. «I have created and have not created this space».
What play on words was that? «You mean?
«...The light is green now, right?».
«Speak clearly. What do you mean by that? Does it mean you have a collaborator?».
auril responded after a brief pause. «I guess I could see it that way».
How could I see it?
Even though it was scandalous, the green light appeared.
So I guess I can interpret it as wanting to hide that there was a collaborator. The first red light must have been because he felt remorse for trying to halfway through the curve.
It was a windfall.
«So it's the third. Go ahead», Auril urged me with a somewhat exhausted voice.
Don't rush me.
«The witch...» I smiled satisfied and corrected myself. It was better to be clear in this case. The correct thing would be to refer to it precisely. «Is the Earth Witch really dead?».
Although it was not an urgent question right now, it was something that had to be addressed at least once. Even if you weren't particularly interested in the story, Earth Witch was a name you couldn't help but hear countless times while living in this world. Now that he thought about it, he had always been curious to know how many of the stories about the witch that were in the public domain were true.
«...From the first question to the last, there is no easy one, right?»
«Your answer?»
Auril smiled bitterly at my insistence and answered: «She is alive».
Wow, really...?
Suddenly, I had a lot to think about.
If that was the case, it didn't just mean that the palace was intentionally hiding this fact... There was also no Easter egg to hint at it in the game.
This old man was the creator of the game, but he didn't include that information despite knowing it? The same man who introduced all kinds of unnecessary information and adjustments and ended it with a «Full Tutorial» at the end? This, again, was not natural. It would be more credible to say that he intentionally hid it in the hope that it would not reach the players' ears.
So why did he want to keep it a secret?
I took a moment to guess, but I still wasn't sure. The clues were too few, but he sensed that, by investigating this, he could know what the ultimate objectives of this old man and the palace were. Simply put, this question provided me with the basic guidelines.
Just when I was organizing my thoughts like this, after a long period of perseverance, the old man let out a loud laugh. «Haha, then it's finally my turn».
Gosh, what kind of question are you planning to ask?
As I began to get restless, the old man opened his mouth. «Do you want to return to Earth?»
The intention of this question was clear. Although he put it euphemistically, he was sure there was something else he was really curious about. Whether I was willing to open the Gate to the Abyss was probably what I really wanted to ask.
«I don't know», I said as if letting out a sigh I had been holding back, and soon the jewel gave off a green light.
«You don't know, huh?». Auril laughed as if he was experiencing complicated emotions, then changed his expression as if nothing had happened. Then he gave me advice, which was not his own. «I hope you make your decision quickly».
"¿Por qué?"
«Because it will be the best for both of us». I asked him what he meant by that, but he just responded like an old fox: «Is that your question?», and that's where the topic ended.
It was my turn again. Without wasting time, I asked directly: «Does the witch's poison really exist?».
«...Are you always so curious about her?».
Well, not really. The thing is, the more we talked, the more it occurred to me that the witch could be the key to all this.
«Phew...» Auril took a sip of his tea and answered as if he were telling a story from the distant past. «That's not made up. This world was almost destroyed once because of him. If it weren't for the existence of the labyrinth, it would have definitively come to an end».
The light on the jewel was green. Hmm, so the outside world had really become normal due to the passage of time? Thinking that, I moved on to the next question. «If the witch is alive, where is she now?» This was the only subjective question among those I had asked today. Since I didn't know anything, I judged that I couldn't get an answer to this with a multiple choice question.
However, Auril was prepared. «She is where everyone's hopes go».
Ugh, that damn way of talking about riddles. I sighed and checked the jewel. Seeing that the green light was on, I didn't think he would give me an answer even if I got picky.
«Are you really going to act like this?». I decided to at least try and glared at him.
Auril put his hand on the jewel and said: «But there really is no more appropriate explanation than this». The green light came back on. Seeing that haughty expression, I didn't think he would change his attitude even if he insisted more, so I gave up.
Well, let alone confirm a thing.
Auril knew the witch's location and didn't want to tell me where she was. Simply put, what I could learn about the witch had the potential to contrast with Auril's goals.
«With this one there are already three». The old man laughed calmly as if this round of questions were not so difficult.
What a bummer.
Maybe it was time to check that out, which could be much more important than the questions about the witch he had asked so far.
«Now, go ahead».
After thinking about it for a moment, I said, «Are you at least sorry?».
There was a momentary silence. He knew that Auril was a magician. He also seemed knowledgeable about the secrets of this world, including information about the witch. He was the creator of the game, and he also knew that he had a hostile relationship with the palace. So it was time to check it out. What kind of person was Auril Gavis?
«Haha, you ask a difficult question again». The old man's frank and sincere laughter signaled the end of the brief silence. «You answered my question if you want to return to Earth with a 'I don't know', correct? That would mean your life here hasn't been so bad».
This was not an answer to my question. Without needing a long explanation, I just stared at him without saying a word.
«What does that look mean? You should know. To achieve a goal, there are times when you must give up emotions».
Although I agreed, it wasn't an answer to my question either. «If answering this question is that difficult, I will change it».
Auril expressed his consent to my concession. «Oh, will you?»
I nodded and changed the question, since the original seemed difficult to answer. I made it a little more specific. «Auril Gavis, do you feel the slightest remorse for the deaths of countless 'evil spirits' who were brought here as a result of your greed?».
Again, there was no response, just awkward laughter, but that was enough response for me. «Hahaha! Hahahahaha!» Auril laughed out loud. As someone watching this, it was a very strange sight, so much so that chills ran through me. «You make it very difficult to see each other in a friendly way». He looked at me with eyes devoid of all laughter. At this moment, the air around us sank heavily.
Grifo.
Then Auril put his hand on the jewel in the center of the table and spoke with the same friendly voice he had used until now. «How could I be calm? Of course, I feel sorry for you. I also feel responsible. I will probably live with it and atone for it for the rest of my life». Saying this, Auril smiled. «Was it enough response?»
«...More than enough», I responded briefly and reviewed the jewel.
¡Shaaaaaaa!
The light emanating from the jewel was a very bright red.