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IBP 55
“The reason why Lord Belief can’t speak is because there are so many corpses of magic-cursed animals buried here in the mine!”
“.......”
“That’s why even a human can become assimilated with animals. And Lord Belief has lived in this territory for over ten years! That’s why he was just heavily influenced by it.”
“.......”
“Because the entire area around this cabin has become a mana sphere. Lord Belief is the only person who has lived in the cabin right below the Loki Mine for several years!”
“.......”
“Lord Belief sleeps here and eats the vegetables and meat grown here. That’s why he was affected; it’s not a curse!”
“.......”
I worked hard, heaving the stones out of my pocket one by one.
[Those who speak the language of animals in this world are either those who have had direct contact with God, or those who have received .......]
The ...... could be interpreted as ‘being strongly influenced by animals.’
I don’t know why the translation was written that way, but it was definitely an error.
I held up the pebbles I had received from the animals.
“You know, these pebbles look like nothing! But if you touch this, you can speak human language now!”
“.......”
“Are you asking if it’s the legendary power-nullifying stone? Yes! The animals call it a power-nullifying stone.”
The power-nullifying stone was a pebble not yet known to humans.
However, stray dogs—who roam the streets and shove anything they find into their mouths when hungry—know about it.
The <power-nullifying stone> that stray dogs occasionally ate and got stomachaches from.
It was a mana crystal that forcibly removed all buffs and debuffs.
“Actually, you could just eat this. But it would be weird for a human to eat a stone.”
“.......”
“So, according to what the big mountain hare friend told me earlier, if you touch this and put mana into it, the mana will bounce back and erase the bad influence!”
Choco had told me this, saying that humans were fools who didn't even know such things.
However, he only glared at me and did not readily accept the stone I offered.
“Why? You wanted to speak.”
People in the world spoke lightly of Belief.
“Lord Belief originally hates people.”
“He just likes staying in the cabin.”
“My youngest uncle has always hated talking. Just give up.”
“You have no idea how much Lord Belief loathes children. To think you were kicked out for approaching him so foolishly.”
......But, if only they had shown him a little bit of interest.
“I heard you leave the cabin for a few days every year to stay at the Duke’s residence. Even if you hardly met anyone.”
“.......”
“You tried to educate others in different ways because you couldn't speak human language. You're someone who is even kind to the tiny animals in the mountains.”
So, the reason was.......
“......It’s because you didn't want to live alone in a lonely place.”
If they had watched him just a little, they would have easily known that he had tried to communicate with the world.
‘Because I am a puppy.’
Because my eye level was different from that of a large human.
That’s why.......
‘I could tell.’
He was used to preparing meals alone every day.
[Uncle originally hates people. You shouldn't get too close. Come play with me.]
At Ruth's words, Belief had put the box of cookies he brought back into his pocket.
‘That’s why I remembered how people in the future remember Belief.’
When this mine explodes in the future, Belief dies.
His life ended miserably for the reason that he ‘stayed with the cursed mine.’
Although Duke Ardos held a funeral for him.......
Simply because Belief was said to have hated humans during his life, even the funeral was held modestly.
‘It was a death full of wounds.’
But after he died, many things were revealed.
That he had used his own money to help the hungry people of ‘Solar Village.’
That he provided scholarships to a few intelligent children among the poor village kids.
That he meticulously took care of the sick animals living near the mine.
Such heartwarming stories were occasionally shared only among the people of this village.
And.......
‘After Belief dies, Lucrezia takes over this mine.’
Ownership of the Loki Mine passes from Belief to Duke Ardos, but Duke Ardos neglects the mine in his grief over losing his brother.
And Lucrezia secretly swallows that mine.
Later, it is revealed that a massive amount of mana crystals are buried here.
And so, this land is forcibly excavated.
‘But....... that’s too sad.’
They didn't even carefully dig out the mana crystals.......
They just ripped everything out at once.
And so the mountain hares, the stray cats, the puppies, and even the migratory bird friends.
Everyone was swept away.
It was heartbreaking.
“Listen.”
“.......”
“Let’s go eat dinner together!”
I smiled brightly and reached out my hand, waving it toward him.
He looked at me as if he had made a decision, and then he took the pebble.
I looked at Belief with sparkling eyes.
I watched as he absorbed mana into the stone.
Finally, his lips opened.
“......So this is how it feels.”
“Wow! You're speaking human language now! Right?”
“......Yes.”
“I'm so excited!”
“The curse....... was not a curse.”
I watched as the corners of Belief's mouth trembled and slowly lifted.
“Now you know I didn't cheat, right?”
“Yes.”
“My ability is recognized, right?”
“Of course.”
“Then!”
I shouted loudly the reason I had come here.
“Please take me as your disciple!”
He smirked and gestured with his chin.
“Come inside the cabin, disciple.”
* * *
Inside the cabin, I was able to hear a brief account of Belief's past.
The reason he left the Ardos territory to live beneath the Loki Mine was as follows.
In his childhood, Belief was immature and arrogant.
Driven by a desire to show off his supernatural ability, he had stirred up the children of other noble families under the guise of providing education.
The previous Duke had to settle things with money several times.
Before he died.
The previous Duke Ardos worried about how to transform Belief, who acted arrogantly with his great supernatural ability, into someone who would be helpful to the family.
“Your ability is too powerful, so it must be suppressed by a land with powerful energy.”
“Father.......”
“Loki Mine. Live there for exactly two years and then return.”
However, one year later, his father passed away in a tragic accident.
Not wanting to betray his father's last wish and missing him dearly, Belief continued to live at the Loki Mine.
......The problem was that, at some point, he lost his speech and people could no longer understand what he was saying.
Because he had acted arrogantly using his supernatural ability, Belief believed he had been cursed and began building the cabin with a repentant heart.
He had lived hidden in this place for about ten years.
People who didn't know that Belief had reflected still thought he was arrogant and were intimidated in advance.
“So, you see. Coco, you are the first disciple I've taken since I became mature.”
“Wow!”
“Tell me if there is anything you want to learn.”
“I have so-many supernatural abilities! I want to learn how to handle them well!”
“Supernatural abilities, huh.......”
He placed his hand on my head.
“Even if I don't know exactly what your abilities are, I will help you exercise them so you can raise your rank.”
Before I knew it, a cluster of sparkling stars enveloped me.
I flicked my hand forward.
Finally.......
A cluster of pure white light flew up from my fingertips in the shape of a small butterfly.
‘It’s a buff-type spell!’
And his buff-type was ‘Bident’ grade, the highest except for legendary abilities.
The moment I confirmed the butterfly shape, I realized.
I had just entered ‘Stage 3’ of the light ability.
‘If that happens, I can stop Big Sister's berserk state.’
I looked at Belief with a beaming smile.
“Wow! Master! Let’s do more, more!”
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