NOVPUB"Unless it’s a dire situation where you absolutely must intervene, you should consider what changes your interference might bring, especially since you are no longer the person who first entered the academy a year ago."
Professor Bolao leaned back in his chair, gazing at the metal and mechanical god statues carved into the workshop’s ceiling, and said to Lanci.
"Professor Bolao, aren’t you overestimating me?"
Lanci murmured, puzzled.
In his eyes, Professor Bolao, at this moment, seemed more like an observer.
"Regardless of what you do, Loren will be the first person responsible."
Professor Bolao sipped his tea, smiling indifferently.
He had said all he needed to say.
What remained was only to respect Loren’s destiny.
After briefly instructing Lanci on what to pay attention to, Professor Bolao started assigning the laboratory tasks for Lanci and Talia for the next few days.
Lanci’s tasks were still much the same as usual, only Professor Bolao had reduced his workload, seemingly wanting him to finish work early.
Tata, on the other hand, had more freedom, only needing to cooperate with Lanci to complete the tasks.
"How about it, Tata, do you mind studying in this laboratory for a few days?"
Professor Bolao resumed his own work and asked.
"I guess it’s fine. Lan Fu’s skills are imprinted in my mind like memories. I probably can do whatever she can."
Talia muttered to herself.
"That’s very good, it’s not even ten o’clock yet, so work hard this morning, and you can leave around three or four in the afternoon."
Professor Bolao glanced at his watch and said.
"..."
Neither of them said anything.
Professor Bolao’s intent to hurry them to leave early seemed as if he was urging them to hurry up and go on a date after school.
In reality, the idea of them considering going on a date in Ichrite for the next few days was improbable, as running into acquaintances would probably be awkward.
"Then we’ll get to work."
Both rose from the chairs in front of the desk and said to Professor Bolao.
"Wait a moment, here’s a document you both should read."
Professor Bolao opened a mechanically encapsulated document box on the desk and pulled out a half-transparent document with a silver cover.
"What is this?"
Lanci took the document to peruse, while Talia also leaned in to take a look.
"A royal commission from the Poseen Kingdom, classified information. I shouldn’t let anyone know, but since you are my students and will soon be going to the Poseen Kingdom, I feel it’s necessary for you to be informed."
Professor Bolao put on his glasses and proceeded with the work at hand while speaking.
Lanci and Talia hesitated before nodding.
Professor Bolao’s implication was to let them have a rough idea, but not to publicize this information.
What they saw in the document was all about a book shrouded in black mist.
It was even hard to describe it as a book; beneath the black mist, there seemed to be teeth and eyes, and only its outline made it resemble a thick Magic Guide Book.
"A hundred years ago, when Poseen Kingdom thrived on contracts and accepted the Demon Race, it was also the period with the most contradictions and turmoil. There were often humans or members of the Demon Race who did not abide by the rules, and many irreversible incidents happened. This led to the emergence of a grand wizard, Parlony, who harbored extreme hatred towards the Demon Race. He devoted his life’s talent, rage, and that terrifying hatred to, it is said, creating a forbidden Magic Device specifically designed to attack the Demon Race."
"Later, because of this Magic Device and the related spell principles, an even greater disaster was caused, and that grand wizard, Parlony, was arrested, tried, and executed. Because the circumstances in Poseen at the time were to quell the anger of the Demon Race and to gain their trust, the historical records of Parlony’s case are somewhat ambiguous, with many details deliberately destroyed. Considering the past hundred years of coexistence and development between humans and the Demon Race in Poseen, this Magic Device should be a fabricated existence that is sensationalized. Even if it did exist, it certainly would have been destroyed."
While they were looking at it, Professor Bolao was explaining.
"Therefore, it has become an ancient legend in the Poseen Kingdom, a ’Dominator’s Book’ that enslaves the Demon Race, capable of rewriting the Demon Race’s contracts, making friendly demons instantly lose their sanity, go berserk and mutate, and begin slaughtering indiscriminately without distinguishing between friend or foe. And recently, consecutive signs of Demon Race members going out of control in the Poseen Kingdom have led the news media to suspect that this forbidden book has re-emerged."
What Professor Bolao is currently studying is the literature about the grand wizard Parlony and replicas of the Magic Device artifacts sent from the Poseen royal house, hoping that he can help determine the authenticity of the legend.
In recent months, incidents of the Demon Race in Poseen Kingdom going on rampages and losing control have been suppressed by the media. Neither the Poseen royal house nor the Demon Race side have investigated the results, only knowing that the contradiction between the two is intensifying.
This country’s military force relies heavily on the Demon Race. If the humans and demons in this country were to split, it would have an unforeseeable impact on the nation’s power. Hence, out of the friendship of allied nations, Professor Bolao naturally did not shun the duty to provide assistance.
"Such a powerful Magic Device, could it be of the Eighth-order Epic-level?"
Lanci and Talia subconsciously glanced at each other.
The soul contract between them should also count as a contract.
"If it really is an item of resentment created by the grand wizard Parlony, pouring all his life’s legendary colors into it... it’s hard to say."
Professor Bolao explained the principles of the Magic Device,
"However, spells and magic products involving compulsive contract types must have corresponding restrictions. The higher the rank of the Demon Race involved in the contract, the more difficult it is to rewrite, and the more complex the conditions required to do so."
Greater ability comes with greater cost and limitations; that’s an unchanging rule. Alternatively, it could be a one-time tool, shattering after use.
If this Dominator’s Book exists and since it can be used repeatedly, it must be one with enormous costs and restrictions.
"But what if it involves a contract with the Demon King?"
Talia asked, suppressing the anxiety in her heart.
She was terrified that if such a Magic Device truly existed in the Poseen Kingdom, it would cause her to lose control, and she did not want to harm Lanci.
"First of all, it’s already very difficult for Seventh-order and Eighth-order members of the Demon Race to be affected, not to mention the Great Demon Clan. Secondly, when it comes to the Demon King, even if one were to hand over the contract for alteration, it would be very difficult to change."
Professor Bolao shook his head and patiently explained,
"Of course, to this day, there has been no record of a Demon King forming a contract with a human. Those who can become a Demon King would never do something so shameful."
He then added with a snort of derision,
"Hmph, hmph..."
Lanci pursed his lips, his back molars quivering as it seemed difficult for him to hold back.
"...!!"
Talia, hiding her hands behind her back, pinched his waist violently.
She felt there was no need for the Dominator’s Book at all; she already wanted to kill Lanci right then and there!
