C775
When the two of them opened their eyes, the screens were dark, and the windows of the discs glowed blue.
Valeria couldn’t take her eyes off the disc windows, as if she were gazing at the stars.
[What do you think of my master’s world?]
"It was incredibly beautiful."
Valeria didn’t hesitate for a moment in her response to the Golem’s question.
There was a transparent moisture at the corner of her eyes.
Jin hesitated for a moment, then reached out with his right hand and placed it over Valeria’s left.
Jin’s hand, with its firm calluses, grazed the back of Valeria’s as their fingers intertwined, and she didn’t shy away from the touch.
[Were my teacher’s hands always this small?]The feeling was very different from when they held hands in their previous life.
That was because Jin had grown into a much larger person than before.
In his previous life, Jin had mostly relied on Valeria, but now, it was the other way around.
The two of them remained lying down for a while, staring at the ceiling.
[Don’t push life toward a barren, desolate place.]
Maliet’s last will was igniting a fire within Valeria, a fire she had never felt before.
In other words, a heart capable of loving the world.
Even though she bore a harsh and gloomy fate from birth, lost the people she had walked with, and continued to pursue revenge that seemed so distant and elusive.
Still, in Valeria’s heart, there was a growing sense that she needed to sometimes fill her life with something bright, a feeling transmitted to her by Maliet that she needed to reach out to someone.
Jin, too, was deeply moved by Maliet’s great life.
As Maliet said, the world needed more children who wouldn’t get dragged into fights.
"Valeria."
"Yes?"
"I’m glad to see you getting better day by day."
That was a phrase Jin often heard from Valeria in his past life. Every time Jin recovered from a crippled state, Valeria would praise him.
[Oh, what’s this? It’s pleasant to see. Ooh-ooh-ooh.]
[Hahaha, isn’t this the moment for some loving behavior?]
Appearing like third-rate villains, Zen and Teben joined them.
Jin and Valeria stood up, naturally letting go of each other’s hands.
[So, are you ready to take on the test we’ve prepared with great care?]
While Jin and Valeria had been watching Maliet’s life, five hours had passed outside.
Zen and Teben had spent that time carefully preparing the communication device test.
The Golem sighed and lowered its head.
[Zen, Teben, if they fail the test, you won’t give them the communication device. You created it, claiming it would be a legacy for your descendants, and now you’re acting strangely.]
[Hmph! We’re just running the test, as Maliet left traps behind!]
[Damn it! We don’t get this opportunity every day.]
Teben and Zen, with determined expressions, blinked rapidly (even as ghosts).
Jin and Valeria had already achieved significant accomplishments and had been deeply moved in the succession temple.
However, it was unacceptable to leave behind their main objective, which was the long-distance communication device.
If the test required physical strength like the traps in the succession temple, there was no reason to be nervous.
However, it didn’t seem like combat would be required.
"What kind of test is it?"
"It seems to be related to magic or magical engineering."
Even if it were a problem-solving test in those areas, they were confident in their abilities. Jin and Valeria were capable of scoring perfect marks in the highest-level exams of either the Vermont or Zipple Academies.
As tension and curiosity began to arise, Teben stepped forward.
[Jajaja! So now you realize the situation. Are you scared because you think the exam will be difficult?]
[Nothing in this world is easy!]
"Ancestor and Dr. Zen, what test have you prepared for us?"
[That’s the word!]
[Exactly!]
[Well, well!]
[Rock!]
[Paper!]
[Scissors!]
[Let’s go!]
Jin and Valeria were momentarily stunned, speechless, as Zen and Teben struck peculiar poses and spoke alternately.
"...Rock, paper, scissors?"
"So, all we have to do is win at rock-paper-scissors?"
[Jajaja! Yes, rock-paper-scissors! Even if you’re strong, there’s no way you can beat us.]
[Well! I’ve arrived at a fair and perfect test, and it has enriched my life’s research.]
[I swear by the name of Histor, that if you can’t beat us at rock-paper-scissors, you won’t get the communication device!]
Five hours spent contemplating, and the test turned out to be rock-paper-scissors...
Jin was speechless again, but Valeria noticed a slight hesitation in his behavior.
Valeria believed that rock-paper-scissors was a mere matter of luck.
You could easily lose if you were careless.
[By the way, we’ve been practicing rock-paper-scissors together for the past three hundred and fifty years.]
[Teben and I are practically rock-paper-scissors demons. No, we are definitely demons. Do you think amateurs like you can beat us?]
"Ancestor, you just said it was a fair test, didn’t you?"
[Who will go first? The rules are simple. The first to win twenty rounds will be the victor! Each person has ten lives. If you lose ten times, you’re out. On the other hand, you can keep battling your opponent until you’ve lost ten times.]
[Decide who goes first. Teben Histor will go first. It’s customary for the strongest to appear last, so I can only...]
[What are you talking about? Zen, clearly I’m stronger than you, so you take the lead and lift our spirits...]
[Hmm, it seems we have a mosquito here. Who will go first?]
Jin and Valeria exchanged perplexed glances.
Valeria decided to go first.
After all, Jin was the one keeping calm at the moment.
"I’ll go first, ancestor."
[Yes, it’s more exciting to see a Histor versus Histor showdown. Hehehe, let’s begin! Rock, paper, scissors!]
Suddenly, Teben shouted "rock-paper-scissors" and extended his hand, and Valeria responded with a gesture.
The result was that Teben chose paper, and Valeria chose rock.
"Ugh."
[Jajaja! This is the wisdom of your ancestors. Rock-paper-scissors is actually a psychological battle. I’ve mastered it, while you are just a beginner... People tend to throw rock when they’re nervous. That’s why you lost! Rock, paper, scissors!]
"Oh."
[Scissors? I chose rock! Another victory for me. Great, next, I’ll choose paper. If you throw scissors, you win. Hehehe, can you choose scissors? It’s not hard. Rock-paper-scissors! Oh no, you didn’t throw scissors; you threw paper? How unfortunate.]
Valeria anticipated that Teben would choose rock, so she chose paper, but Teben even predicted that and chose scissors.
"You clearly said you’d choose paper..."
[The world of competition is cruel. You’re paying the price for not trusting your ancestors! If you had followed my words and chosen scissors, we would have at least tied. Hehehe, that’s why you’re amateurs. Rock, paper, scissors!]
Surprisingly, Teben’s claim that they had been practicing rock-paper-scissors for 350 years was no exaggeration.
Teben relentlessly shook and pressured Valeria psychologically, seemingly reading her every move.
I was wrong, the professor completely threw me off track.
Valeria continued playing rock-paper-scissors, unusually nervous.
When the match ended, the score between Teben and Valeria was 9 to 1.
Valeria looked at the score written on the board and couldn’t believe it.
She had never expected such a ruthless defeat in rock-paper-scissors.
[Well done, Teben. You even allowed her to win one round. Is that because she’s your descendant and you’re showing mercy?]
[Ahem. Zen, it seems you won’t even get a chance to participate.]
[But don’t lower your guard; that guy still hasn’t lost his composure.]
[Since he’s not my descendant, I’ll defeat him as tradition demands...]
Now, Jin had to face both of them alone.
"Jin, be careful. He’s a true master. How... can this happen? It’s just rock-paper-scissors."
Nodding, Jin stepped forward.
A faint breeze passed between Jin and Teben.
[Novice Runcandel, I’ll play rock.]
"Please do."
[Oh? Acting tough, huh? Kekeke. Let’s see how long your boldness lasts. Rock, paper, scissors!]
Teben played rock, while Jin played paper.
"Oh? I’ll have to use more complicated psychology to fool you, won’t I?"
"I’ll play paper."
[Are you trying to provoke me in reverse? You need some etiquette training! Rock, paper, scissors!]
This time, Jin played scissors, and Teven played paper.
[...Scissors? There’s no reason to play scissors here.]
"Oh, really? I just decided to mix it up."
[You’re quite skilled... or perhaps just lucky?]
"Rock, paper, scissors." It’s rock. As you can see, I played paper."
[What? I lost again?]
Jin quickly deflated Teben’s momentum in this way.
Teben couldn’t win a single round out of his remaining nine lives.
Valeria looked back and forth between Jin and Teben with wide eyes.
[This can’t be! You rigged something!]
[No, no manipulation. The odds are slim, but it’s possible.]
[Step aside, Teben. He wasn’t your opponent.]
When Zen stepped forward, Teben glared at him resentfully.
[Zen, don’t act like you’re stronger than me!]
[Hmph, arguing about rigging and trying to pass off a win as luck. Disappointing, Teben. Is that all you’ve got?]
[That damn bastard! Ah, don’t hold me back!]
While the golem and Valeria held Teben back, Zen smirked with a sly grin.
[It’s exhilarating to meet a worthy opponent after so long... Jin Runcandel. If you can defeat Zen Lutberh, I’ll give you the communication device.]
"If you’re ready, let’s begin."
There was a moment of tension between the two.
In reality, Zen was the only one who felt excited and nervous.
Jin was confident he could win every round, not just ten, but a hundred or even a thousand times.
It’s a good thing it’s rock-paper-scissors. If we had done something like flipping a coin, that would have been very dangerous.
Rock-paper-scissors was a game that could never be fair against a martial artist with superhuman “insight.”
Jin, who could see and dodge even the hand movements of a fast sword infused with the aura of a 10-star knight, couldn’t afford to miss the moment when the hand shapes changed in rock-paper-scissors.
Just like Teben before, Zen had no idea about this, not even in his dreams.
[Rock-paper-scissors!]
"Rock. I won this time."
[Argh!]
"This time, I lost."
[Rock-paper-scissors! Two consecutive wins!]
Jin deliberately staged an intense match. It was better to paint a satisfying picture for Zen and then ultimately win, rather than arouse suspicion for no reason.
[Paper!]
"Scissors!"
[Results, 10:8. Jin Runcandel wins.]
Jin and Valeria clapped and smiled, while Zen briefly lowered his head and then accepted the result.
[I should have followed my initial instinct... It was a good match, Jin Runcandel.]
[You’ve got a lot to learn, Zen... Haha, well played, Jin Runcandel. Bring the communication device, Zen. It’s time for the winner to indulge.]
This time, Teben pretended to be the bigger man compared to Zen.
[Don’t get too cocky! Clearly, I’m superior to you in rock-paper-scissors!]
[Well, how does your rock-paper-scissors skill look now? That’s why I suggested flipping a coin.]
After a brief exchange of banter, the two of them brought over the communication device.
Even though some harsh words were exchanged, it seemed neither of them was genuinely upset.
[At last, I’ll be free of my duty. Thanks for winning. My descendant and Jin Runcandel.]
[Congratulations to the new successors.]
The golem clapped and congratulated Jin and Valeria.
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