Palr is a weirdo, a freak who shows exactly what he thinks and feels without any disguise. This guy always plasters on a smile, finding joy even in misfortune, as if he has no idea what sadness is.
So when the two are together, Bologue looks like an unhappy, aloof assassin, while Palr is a complete, brainless maniac.
Palr slept all through the day and only woke up in the evening, greeted by a pounding headache. The remnants of his hangover made him miserable.
Flopping around on his single bed like a fish out of water, he finally ca to a stop and soon made a hoarse wail from his throat.
"Palr, I think you should quit drinking."
Bologue, wearing high-magnification glasses, carefully polished a small object in his hand and said without looking up.
"Life’s bad enough. I need so alcohol to escape reality..." Palr lay flat on the bed.
"Reading books, watching movies... I think either is better than drinking."
Bologue put down what he was holding, took off the glasses, and looked at Palr.
"Just think of it as a little indulgence for the Vow Festival," Palr’s voice suddenly filled with energy. He sat up abruptly, grinning at Bologue, "So, what’s up, expert?"
From looking like he was on the brink of death, he suddenly burst with vitality.
Bologue figured this might be the boost Palr got after passing the triple trials; the protectorate granted to the Condenser’s body, mind, and spirit ant that a hangover, which troubled ordinary people, was sothing Palr could completely recover from with just a nap.
"No wonder it’s you, Bologue Lazarus."
Palr staggered to his feet, circled Bologue, and made strange noises from ti to ti, as if Bologue were a piece of art and he was the connoisseur, appraising him critically.
"I was away for just one night and you’ve made such rapid progress," Palr complinted, feeling like he was getting to know his partner anew, gazing at Bologue’s gloomy, disheartened face, "I really didn’t see that coming."
"What on earth are you talking about?"
Bologue was creeped out by Palr’s weird look and didn’t understand what Palr was saying. Sotis the guy spoke in gibberish even he couldn’t comprehend.
It’s sotis recognized that due to their different environnts and life experiences, there really was sothing called a "generation gap" between Bologue and Palr.
Knowing Bologue’s past, whenever Palr lost a fight with him, he’d call him an inflexible old wreck.
Being nearly a century-old relic, Bologue naturally wouldn’t fuss over petty verbal wins and losses with soone young like Palr. He’d simply quietly pull out his Sheep Horn Shock Hamr and stare at Palr with a blank expression.
"You... and that alchemy puppet, you’re the only two here for the Vow Festival. What did you do? Just look at her reaction, oh my!" Palr asked excitedly.
Bologue still couldn’t grasp Palr’s aning, but the ntion of Aimou nudged him to discuss these matters with Palr too.
"Nothing much, just got to know her better."
At this, Bologue’s expression trembled slightly.
It wasn’t just getting to know each other, they beca a fusion—an upgraded version of Bologue Lazarus.
Endowed with Ether Perception and Ethereal Concealnt, along with strong Ethereal Endurance, she was far more reliable than his drunken partner Palr.
Bologue’s mind sotis wandered off as he pondered, after parting ways with Aimou, if he really managed to recruit Aimou, during missions, should they fight in that state, would it be fitting to co up with a cool na.
Maybe sothing like "Overdrive Mode" or "Infinite Ether Mode."
"Just that?"
Evidently, Palr’s understanding of "getting to know" was vastly different from what actually happened.
"Mhmm, and I also got to know a bit about her Secret Energy."
Bologue didn’t ntion Aimou’s birthday or taking her out. He was soone who kept his promises, and since this was a secret only between them, it shouldn’t be revealed to a third party... More importantly, Bologue didn’t trust Palr’s mouth.
From what he knew about Palr, if he told him these things, Teda would co knocking furiously in no ti.
"From what I understand, Aimou’s Secret Energy is very compatible with mine, even ignoring her alchemical skills. Based on that alone, I think we could consider recruiting her to the Order Bureau."
Bologue said earnestly to Palr, whose face turned a pale, helpless shade, and this wasn’t the conversation he had in mind at all.
Giving Bologue a deep look, Palr had to admit that in so areas of understanding, the two truly were at odds.
"Even if you say so, you should first know that Aimou is not an independent individual. To be precise, she is ’property’ belonging to Teda."
Seeing his indirect hints were unsuccessful, Palr began discussing seriously with Bologue.
"Uh-huh..."
Bologue realized this was an issue, but after a brief contemplation, he said, "Isn’t there an agreent between Teda and the Order Bureau?"
"Yes, so what?"
"I’m not clear on the specific contents of the agreent, but I’m sure the Order Bureau really values these technologies, which is why they allow Teda to operate so wantonly within the Great Rift, and receive the Order Bureau’s support."
Bologue crossed his arms, a strange thought rising from the bottom of his heart, and he continued to ask.
"Actually, the way I see it, Aimou is tantamount to shared property between the Order Bureau and Teda, right?"
"If you want to think that way... it seems that’s not wrong," Palr thought for a mont and agreed with Bologue’s idea.
Since the King’s Secret Sword lost the secret war, Oubos has been completely under the control of the Order Bureau. The only lawless area, the Great Rift, and the monsters lurking there have strict treaties with the Order Bureau, restraining each other.
In this way, the Order Bureau certainly should own a part of Aimou... Aimou.
"Dismantle Aimou?"
Palr had a bad idea.
"Aimou is not human but an alchemy puppet. If one day the Order Bureau and Teda really fall out, we would need to..."
Palr made a slashing motion at his waist with his hand as if it were a knife, "Split her half for you and half for ?"
Bologue looked at him as if he were an idiot, saying, "Get your mask out."
Palr pulled out a black hood from sowhere, the fabric moist with the sll of alcohol.
"Put it on."
Palr obediently donned the black hood, with Bologue retrieving a mirror to let Palr see himself in it.
"What do you think you look like?" Bologue asked.
"A bandit."
"Yes, a bandit," Bologue started speaking in a bandit-like manner, "This is the Order Bureau’s turf; if things really go south, we might as well start looting."
Palr looked enlightened, exclaiming, "You really are the expert."
"But... isn’t this a bit improper? Teda was, after all, the forr minister of the Sublimation Furnace Core," Palr cautiously said.
"Which camp does Teda belong to now?" Bologue retorted.
"Order of Truth?"
"Exactly, he was once one of us, and we fondly rember that ti. But unfortunately, every journey has an end, and Teda was the first to break away from us. We rember his good deeds but must also defend our own interests," Bologue said, lowering his voice, while clenching his fist, exuding a sense of strength.
Palr was dumbfounded, not expecting this expert before him to justify himself so effectively, but it seed not so much justification as truth.
Yet, hearing such words from Bologue felt peculiar irrespective of anything else.
Bologue remained silent for a second or two, his gaze fixed on Palr, then turning to the door of the base’s small cottage. Both were in the Void Realm, uncertain if Teda had the ability to spy on them, even though Bologue had already examined every corner of the room beforehand.
"There’s another thing, Palr, you need to believe in completely and unconditionally," Bologue said solemnly.
"It’s a must; you are my partner," Palr nodded repeatedly.
Bologue asked, "Do you rember today’s eting content?"
"I rember..."
Dizzy, blurry mories surged towards Palr. The more he recalled, the stranger his expression beca, looking at Bologue as Bologue picked up pen and paper, hastily writing a sentence to show Palr.
"Teda is not to be trusted."
Bologue continued to write,
"If necessary, we might very likely beco enemies with him."
Palr opened his mouth, speaking silently, forcefully shaping his words, "Beco enemies with a Negative Power User? You’ve lost your mind!"
"I know, if we oppose Teda, our chances are extrely slim, but sotis it’s not rely killing the opponent that constitutes victory in a battle."
Bologue raised the paper, a sly gleam flashing in his eyes.
Palr froze montarily before quickly understanding Bologue’s intention.
"Is this considered human trafficking?" Palr whispered. The topic of their discussion was now unlikely to be overheard.
"The premise of human trafficking is that the trafficked must first be human," Bologue retorted using Palr’s words against him.
"We call this safeguarding the Order Bureau’s rightful property," Bologue asserted righteously.
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