Chapter 176.1: The Last Knot (5)
176 Part 1
Chapter 176 The Last Knot (5)
[……?]
The boy opened his eyes, and he now faced Ian.
[Ah…!]
The boy escaped in surprise, but the problem was that there was no place to run away. The boy could only hide behind the pink mucous pillar that had fixated the position.
[Go, go away…!]
The boy only let his head out behind the pillar, and it was almost embarrassing for Ian since the boy was so wary of him.
“You don’t need to be scared. You saw that while I’m not nice, I’m not a bad person.”
The souls that are asleep in the mind world see the soul that controls the body they are sleeping in through dreams, and the boy would have seen Ian.
[But…you killed people…broke fingers…]
“You liked the breaking fingers part, right?”
[I…I…]
‘The boy Ian’ had tried to refute that answer, but it was difficult to do so. He did not know much about what the man was saying…
[I might have…]
The boy thought he may know about the tingling sensations and the indescribable satisfaction that came after. Was the man talking about that?
“Hey, you and I are not that different.”
[……]
“I knew how to look that innocent around your age.”
[……]
“I think I looked better when I was young. I miss that time.”
[……]
They were different people, but the same being. Ian Page’s temper would have not gone far, and that meant they shared similar characteristics.
“Well, boy. Now’s the time for you to go back to your place. Mother will become healthy soon, so try to live out your life on your own.”
It was a good thing that her illness had been cured, as the boy’s expression brightened up at those words even if he had already known.
[B, but…]
The problem was after that since taking revenge on Lambao was not the end. He was a member of one of the biggest gangs in the city, and since they would gather together for revenge, the boy would not be able to handle the situation alone.
“I know what you’re worried about.”
Ian spoke as he had to know about that. He only had a good plan.
“However, you do not need to do that.”
[Yes…?]
“You do not need to worry.”
Ian rumpled the boy’s hair roughly and whispered.
“What you have seen up to now will be erased forever in your mind.”
He was talking about the things the boy had seen after entering Ian’s mind world.
“However…”
Ian continued talking since he still had an important thing to tell the boy.
[……?]
Ian opened his palm and made a blue orb. It was a magic missile, which was one of the basic attack spells.
“I will leave this spell in your memory. Then you won’t be beaten by those mere ruffians, and someone from the tower will naturally come to you.”
Ian was planning to erase all relevant memories but leave behind the magic missile spell and its activating conditions.
“Of course, you’ll be interrogated by magic, but since you don’t have the memories, it won’t work. Just say magic awakened because you were beaten all day, and things will proceed without problems. It’s the truth, anyway.”
Ian had already experienced it once and knew mages well. Since they blindly believed in magic, they would not suspect their interrogation magic, like what had happened in Ian’s past life.
“You will be hailed as a genius, and they will tire you out. However, it’s better than being beaten, right? You will be able to take better care of Mother.”
[……]
The boy had not understood all of what Ian was saying, but he knew somethings. He was satisfied that he would not be beaten and take care of his mother better.
[I haven’t understood well, but I’ll do what you say. Actually no, please do so! I ask of you!]
Ian felt strange at the young boy who was himself looking up to him as an elder.
“Well, good things are good.”
Ian reached out with both hands and started lightly rubbing the boy’s hair. As promised, now was the time to say goodbye.
“It’s goodbye, kid.”
[Umm…]
The boy hesitated as Ian said goodbye like he wanted to say something.
[Hey.]
“Yes?”
[I don’t know yet.]
“What?”
[Whether this is a dream or reality.]
It would have been too unreal and vast for a thirteen-year-old kid to accept the situation and would seem like a dream.
[However…since this might be real, I thank you for curing mother.]
The boy’s tone was sincere, and Ian was being Ian, as they were the same son to their mothers.
“It’s enough, you know. Take care of her.”
[Leave it up to me!]
“All right.”
It was the real goodbye, as Ian’s spirit form melted, and the pink space became whirling down and disappear. The boy Ian also closed his eyes amidst the chaos, as he was becoming sleepy.
“……”
How much time had passed? The boy opened his eyes in the wreck his mother stayed at.
“Umm…”
His head hurt, and he felt confused. However, that had only been a moment, and everything returned to normal with the appropriate memories deleted.
“Mother…”
Mother was sleeping, and she looked well with her breath stable.