Chapter 32 Harold: No One Can Fight
After walking into the classroom and sitting down, "The Complete Collection of Xumi Ancient Characters" fell lightly into Harold's hands. Harold leisurely turned a page and began to read it by himself.
After a while, there was a knock on the door.
Harold: "Come in."
“Question: Among sheep, tiger and lion, who has the highest education?”
...
"Don't know? The answer is of course sheep, because 'Dr. Skinny Sheep', next."
"Question: My miracle boy - guess an idiom."
...
"Don't you know? The answer is buy the king and get the sheep, because 'my, wonder, young'"
"What language? You don't even know Mondish? You're hopeless. Next one."
“Question: When can sheep and wolves live together?”
...
"Don't you know? The answer is when we were in the temple, because the sheep and the wolf were feeding together (in the temple), next one."
...
"Want a more philosophical question? Okay, I'll satisfy you. Question: Is it a kind of NTR to make NTR fans like pure love?"
...
"next."
"Want a question that is more in line with the research direction of the Zhilun School? Okay, I'll meet your requirements. Question: Is yearning for the past like carving a boat in the long river of time to find a sword?"
...
"next."
"You want a question that fits the research direction of the causal theory school? This is easy. Ask: If a person commits suicide, does this mean there is one more suicide or one less suicide in the world?"
...
"next."
"You are good at philosophy, so you want a question that can test your dialectical thinking? No problem, the question is: After defeating myself, do I win or lose?"
...
"next."
...
...
After dealing with fifteen scholars who came for the interview in succession, Harold took a sip of water to moisten his throat, and sighed that the scholars in the Academy of Teachings nowadays had such good tempers. Even though they were so irritated by the crappy interview questions, not a single one of them fought with him.
He had made preparations for self-defense and even brought "The Complete Collection of Xumi Ancient Characters". It seemed that his knowledge was of no use today.
He underestimated the magnanimity of the scholars in the Academy of Eminence.
At this moment, outside the classroom of Ami Rido College.
Selema stood outside the door pacing anxiously. She had clearly thought of how to answer the question "How many legs do ten sheep have?" yesterday. In order to ensure that there were no mistakes, she even consulted a senior who graduated from the School of the Church. However, Haroldt did not ask this question today, and there was no clue to his dozen questions.
Selema would lean against the door and eavesdrop after every scholar entered. The interview questions made her break out in cold sweats. If she were in his place, she would not be able to say a word.
How to do?
Selema took two deep breaths to calm herself down.
The interview time is 1 o'clock, and it's already 2:30. Those who should have come have already arrived, right? If Harold has eliminated everyone else, can I join the society directly without an interview?
When she thought of this possibility, hope rekindled in Selema's heart, and she decided to continue waiting until Harold was ready to leave.
"The society's interview will be held here, right? Hey, aren't you going in?" a young scholar with slicked-back hair came over and asked.
"Yes, I want to wait, I'm not ready yet," said Selema.
"...Well, you are so nervous. The interview questions must be difficult, right? I heard many classmates complain about it," the scholar with slicked back hair scratched his head. "I don't know if I can pass it. I am really interested in Senior Kavi's research. If you are not ready yet, can I go in first?"
"Okay," Selema made way and continued to wait by the door after he entered the classroom.
...
"No sense of time, next," Harold said without looking up.
"Please wait a moment! I have been busy with the tasks assigned to me by my tutor these days. I just heard from other students that there is an interview. It's not that I don't have a sense of time. If I knew it was today, I would have arrived half an hour earlier. Please, give me another chance!" the young scholar begged with his hands clasped together.
Harold then raised his head and looked at him.
It’s Abatoi. I thought he wasn’t going to come.
In fact, Abatoi has a very good personality, and his persistence in his research is worthy of respect, but his research on mechanical life forms... well, if possible, Harold doesn't really want to deal with him because it's a bit troublesome.
A mechanical life form like Kakata is fine if it's just one case, but what if it's a group? Kakata is gentle and sensible, but in Tinari's words, it is an unrepeatable miracle. To be honest, if Abatoi left behind more than just one mechanical life form, this story would not have ended with a warm ending.
Not to mention in the House of Ordinances, even in his previous life, similar research was absolutely prohibited. Intelligent robots, human cloning, human-animal hybrids, these topics were called Pandora's Box by the people of Blue Star. They were the bottom line for all mankind, and no country dared to research them openly.
But Abatoi himself is not a bad person, and he does not cause trouble to others in his research. Haroldt doesn't know whether he has started his research on mechanical life forms. If he hasn't started yet, letting Abatoi join is indeed a good choice.
Harold: "Okay, I'll give you another chance."
Abatoi was overjoyed. He put the materials he had prepared on the table and said to himself without waiting for Harold to ask questions: "This is my research on machinery. Look at these photos.
When I went to the desert with my mentor to investigate, I found these very interesting things. They can operate without being driven by people. It's amazing! After looking up the information, I think they may have used the words of the Red King. Look at the words on them. "
Abatoi pointed to a part of the mechanism that could be magnified in the photo.
"This should be the Word Spirit," Abatoi said, "I have read relevant records in ancient books. It said that the Red King used the Word Spirit to make the mechanism work. Now hundreds of years have passed, and these mechanisms are still able to work! It's amazing!
I think deciphering the Red King's words is a very good research direction. It just so happens that Senior Kavi is planning to study the Red King, and Senior Alhaisen is also in this society. Words are a kind of text, and many buildings in ancient Xumi also have the words left by the Red King. I think Senior Kavi and Senior Alhaisen will be interested in words, and I really want to join this society and study with everyone.
Ah... I've said so much, but I forgot about you. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to exclude you. It's just that I don't know you well enough to know whether your research direction overlaps with mine. I can't say anything nonsense. "
Abatoi touched his nose awkwardly.
"It's okay, I don't care about that," Harold said, "but how do you know that the Red King uses the Word Spirit to make the machine operate?"
None of these ancient relics on the continent of Teyvat are so simple. According to some researchers in previous lives, these mechanisms are either made of forbidden knowledge + human technology, or made of forbidden knowledge + Sky Island knowledge.
Some are driven by special power (fuel), some are driven by the power of the abyss, and some are driven by the power of the human world (people's dreams and wishes).
Anyway, it sounds very high-end and dangerous, not something that ordinary people like them can touch casually.
"Well... this is actually just a preliminary guess. I know that many records about the Red King in ancient books are inaccurate. But I will study it carefully. I have been studying it these days and have made some new discoveries!
The power of words is called differently in different places. In Liyue, it is called talismans. I know from books that the Liyue immortals can use talismans to control inanimate objects. Talismans are one of the three unrevealed secrets of the immortals.
There is also Inazuma. The words of Inazuma come from Yin-Yang magic. Inazuma people use Yin-Yang magic to seal some dangerous creatures. The original Yin-Yang master Korekami Harunosuke once learned magical powers from Tengu, so this Yin-Yang magic actually comes from [Tengu], a creature that is born to use elemental power...
The power of the Word Spirit is too strong. The words on the mechanism left by the Red King cannot be unrelated to the mechanism itself. The Red King can't just use those words as decoration, right?" Abatoi said optimistically.
"I'm sorry, I think this research is a bit too advanced. The research direction of our society has been finalized. The main directions are ancient architecture, ancient runes and linguistics. Word spirits are not within our research scope. We currently need companions who can help us complete the grammatical logic in ancient books or find out the facts by comparing similar records," said Harold after listening silently.
Harold could tell that Abatoi had made a lot of preparations and his research attitude was worthy of respect.
But, the Word Spirit... this is something that is in the hands of a few people. The immortals of Liyue, the Onmyoji of Inazuma, and the Red King, they may have the means to control the Word Spirit, but for ordinary people, what Abatoi wants to study is too dangerous and unnecessary.
Harold felt that the elemental-powered mechanisms currently on the market were sufficient and there was no need to use words.
Harold didn't want to get himself, Kavi, and Elhaisen into such trouble.
"Is that so... Is it still not working?" Abatoi was a little disappointed, but he quickly cheered up and bowed to Harold. "Okay, sorry to bother you, I can only do the research on my own then."
When Abatoi walked out of the classroom, Selema hurried over to him and asked nervously, "What was the result?"
Abatoi was the person who stayed in there the longest during this hour and a half. He must have talked a lot with Harold, right?
"Failed," Abatoi sighed, then smiled and said to Selema, "It's not as terrible as everyone says. We can still talk quite well, but our topics are not related. What a pity! I thought I could find some companions to study the Red King together. Don't be nervous, come on, you can do it!"
Still failed...
Selema clenched the corner of her clothes. Although Abatoi said so, she was still more nervous!
"Oh, you just mentioned 'topic'? Has senior Kavi's society's research direction been decided?" Selema suddenly realized this, her heart pounding. She felt that this might be an opportunity?
"Ah? Don't you know? It's about ancient architecture, ancient runes and linguistics, but I was going to study the word spirits, what a pity," Abatoi revealed the information to Selema without reservation.
...ancient architecture, runes, linguistics?
Oops, my major is alchemy, so I can't be of any help at all.
Selema panicked.
Should she prepare now? But it's almost three o'clock...
“Is the interview over?”
A young boy's voice suddenly appeared.
“Not yet,” Abatoi replied.
"It seems that I have caught up. It turns out that as long as I come right away, I will come right away," said the silver-haired boy.
"what?"
Selema and Abatoi were confused.
"Hmm? Don't you understand? This sentence means right away and correctly..."
"What language is this?" Selema couldn't help asking.
"It's Monde," the boy said. "You're here for an interview, too? Do you want to go in?"
Selema: "No, I want to wait a little longer..."
After hearing that Kavi's research topic had nothing to do with her major, Selema could only hope that Harold could eliminate all the others.
"Then I'll go in first?"
"Okay," Selema nodded vigorously.
"Good luck to you, bye," Abatoi waved to the boy.
"Thank you for your blessing, I will, absolutely no problem, because I will go in right away," the boy nodded at him.
"Hmm? Didn't you understand? That is, 'completely' and 'immediately' are pronounced the same..." the boy said while pulling the door handle.
“We understand, come on!”, Selema said quickly.
She's going to freeze to death!
Walking into the classroom, he said to Haroldt: "Excuse me, I have never submitted an application form for the society before. Am I eligible for an interview?"
Harold took a look at the boy. He had red eyes, silver hair, and was wearing the uniform of a school student. He did not look like an ordinary person.
"Okay," Harold said. "What's your specialty?"
"Elementalism, ley lines, and telling jokes."
tell a joke?
So is this a joke now? Harold thought.
Harold: "Why do you want to join our society?"
"I am quite concerned about everything related to the Scarlet King, including the research societies related to the Scarlet King. I have joined many of them over the years. The specific reason... is related to some of my personal affairs. Sorry, I can't reveal too much."
Harold nodded: "Question: Is taking money from the donation box considered stealing?"
"No, it counts as 'taking money out' because you have to reach into the box to 'take' the money out."
Harold:!
He actually caught it!!
Harold began to doubt the identity of the boy in front of him. He could even follow this kind of joke. He was a bit like that...
Harold opened the void terminal and scanned the boy in front of him.
[Seno, Sipandama Academy Diriyahi]
It’s you, Seno. You were wearing so many clothes that I couldn’t recognize you at first glance.
Moreover, Seno's hairstyle now is not the same as in the game illustration. He has combed his long silver hair into a ponytail behind his back. The hairstyle and clothes don't match. In addition, his face is three times, so Harold couldn't recognize him at first glance.
As for Seno, there was absolutely no problem in terms of ability and character. He actually waited for Seno. Fortunately, he did not leave immediately. He really made the right decision.
Harold gave himself a thumbs up.
Seno: "...Isn't that right?"
"You are right," said Harold.
"Do you mean I can join?", Seno asked happily.
"Yes, you're welcome, Seno."
The personnel problem was finally solved. Harold was very satisfied.