Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint-Chapter 379: Farmer Lady, Please.

Bringing down pieces of the sky and earth to layer them inside a building—artificial fields stacked floor by floor. It didn’t feel overwhelmingly majestic or incomprehensibly mysterious. The idea of bringing farmland indoors was novel, sure, but the soil and light were still real.

What stood out instead was the sheer obsession behind the idea.

A relentless determination to analyze and dismantle the world, bending it for human use with purely practical intent. That determination seeped into every inch of the artificial fields inside the Lightning Tower.

And it couldn’t be limited to just this. These artificial fields were important, but I was sure they’d extended their reach to other facilities too—throughout all of Claudia.

But something felt off.

I couldn’t put it into words, but a vague sense of unease gnawed at me.

“Did you build all of this yourself, Thunder Overseer?”

“Of course not. No matter how exceptional I may be, I still only have two hands.”

Fair enough. No matter how extraordinary a person is, no one can do everything alone. Based on what I read from the Thunder Overseer’s thoughts, she was telling the truth.

But the Thunder Overseer I read from was a consumer of lightning—not the one who first came up with the idea of harnessing it.

There had to be someone who originally thought of this concept.

Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com.

Why was there no clue about that person? Did the Thunder Overseer not know?

I could only read thoughts, not know everything about a person. My knowledge was limited to what the target already knew. Considering the Thunder Overseer had been raised by the previous overseer, she might not have known everything either.

Hmm. Should I dig a little deeper?

“I’m a bit confused, so let me clarify. The Lightning Thief supposedly stole lightning, and the first Thunder Overseer returned it to the heavens, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then who built this Lightning Tower? Was it the Lightning Thief or the first Thunder Overseer?”

“It was the first Thunder Overseer.”

The Thunder Overseer replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, making me feel foolish for asking.

Sure. The Lightning Tower was clearly a structure, not something a thief could build.

Someone must have constructed it.

But purely from a functional perspective, wasn’t the Lightning Tower basically a tool for stealing lightning?

The lightning we were using to grow crops—wasn’t that stolen? Or did that mean they were somehow producing it?

“The first Thunder Overseer must have been an incredible person to make such good use of the lightning stolen by the thief.”

“She was an incredible person. Just like me. But what’s your point in asking all this?”

Had I pried too much?

The Thunder Overseer seemed slightly wary now.

A stranger from another nation suddenly asking about the Lightning Thief and the first Thunder Overseer—it was suspicious enough.

Protesting that I wasn’t suspicious would only make me look more suspicious.

Instead, the smart move here was to show just enough of my intentions.

“Haha, it’s just curiosity. Isn’t this kind of technology a blessing for humanity? My profession naturally makes me curious when I come across new innovations like this.”

Fortunately, the Thunder Overseer seemed to understand and gave me a faint smile.

‘You said you were from the Military Nation, didn’t you? You’re definitely fishing for something. Not that I didn’t expect it when I brought you here.’

“It’s useless even if you understand it. Miracles like this are only possible in Claudia, where clouds and lightning flow. If it were possible anywhere else, Maximilian would have achieved it long ago after fleeing to the Military Nation.”

“Ah, Maximilian.”

No need to mention how I’d half-killed and driven him out.

Now, what to do?

There are two ways to use mind-reading.

One is to act based on the target’s thoughts, blending into their perception so they don’t even notice.

The other is to deliberately stand out, forcing their attention onto you.

It depends on the situation, but with someone as arrogant as the Thunder Overseer, the best approach is probably to get a little clingy.

“Thunder Overseer, if Shay kills the Thunder God, Claudia will become much more peaceful, right? No more violent lightning storms, which means fewer interruptions and more prosperity for the city. So...”

“You want Claudia’s knowledge as payment?”

The Thunder Overseer responded as if it were the most predictable thing in the world. I scratched my head and smiled awkwardly.

“Well, if you put it like that, I suppose so. Let’s just say that since we’re working together, maybe you could share a little of the first Thunder Overseer’s legacy.”

“No problem.”

“Really?”

“I don’t go back on my word. If you truly kill the Thunder God—if you make sure its apostles can never enter Claudia again—I’ll reward you with everything I have.”

Don’t say things that could be misunderstood.

Even if she was sincere, it sounded dangerous.

Still, I finally understood why the Regressor liked her.

If we cleared the quest to kill the Thunder God, we could gain her absolute trust. That kind of straightforwardness was exactly the sort of thing the Regressor liked.

“But that reward will only go to the one who kills the Thunder God. I have no reason to give it to you.”

“Shay is our ally.”

“Then ask him later—if he really kills the Thunder God, if he wants the reward, and if he decides to share it with you.”

In other words, no reward for me.

I clicked my tongue and pretended to be disappointed.

“I understand, Thunder Overseer. I’ll bring it up again later.”

“Good. I’m glad you understand. I wouldn’t have the patience to explain it twice.”

“Tch.”

When I showed a hint of wounded pride, the Thunder Overseer actually looked relieved.

‘The first Thunder Overseer’s legacy... It’s too obvious what he’s after, so I can relax. Not that I’ll ever reveal it.’

I was relieved too.

She dismissed me exactly as I’d expected.

And thanks to that, I figured out where it was.

The first Thunder Overseer’s legacy was buried beneath the Lightning Tower—something even the current Thunder Overseer hadn’t fully understood.

.

.

.

The Thunder God retreated after a partial combustion, but the people of Claudia remained carefree. This was the city of clouds, ruled by the Thunder Overseer. It had multiple layers of countermeasures prepared to deal with lightning. Minor disturbances were nothing they couldn’t handle.

Besides, living beings are designed not to fear things they frequently see or experience. Familiarity proves harmlessness—after all, if something were truly dangerous, it wouldn’t give you enough time to get used to it before killing you.

News spread quickly through whispers among a few informed people.

“Did you hear? There’s a rumor among the guardians that the Thunder Overseer is planning a campaign to hunt down the Thunder God.”

“Didn’t the Thunder Overseer go out personally not too long ago? Something was invading.”

“I don’t know the details, but it seems related to the Thunder God. If it’s successful, the Thunder God will be destroyed.”

“Really? That’s good news, but... feels a little sad. I’d gotten used to it.”

“Used to it? Are you insane? Do you know how many people have died from its lightning strikes?”

“Those people died because they were hanging around outside the Lightning Tower.”

“Pfft. Watch your mouth.”

“Well, the Thunder Overseer will handle it just fine! What could possibly go wrong?”

It wasn’t a leak—this was intentional. To prevent panic, the information had been quietly passed to the trainees, letting the rumors spread naturally. Knowing in advance reduced psychological impact.

It wasn’t particularly useful, though. The people’s faith in the Thunder Overseer was so unwavering that they weren’t worried in the first place. Still, the way she managed the city was fairly systematic—something to be proud of.

Passing through the carefree chatter, I returned to the inn.

The Regressor and Azi were still there. The Regressor was swinging Tianying, now whitened from absorbing clouds, back and forth. Each swing caused crackling sparks to rise from Jizan, which rested on the floor. Azi’s fur bristled in response.

“Oh, you’re back? Welcome.”

The Regressor... greeting me? He must be in a really good mood. I asked him casually,

“Shay, you look like you’re in a good mood.”

“Well, sort of?”

Not even snapping at my question? He really must be feeling good.

“The Golden Mirror is gone, and we’ve met the Thunder Overseer. Once we wrap things up, the war should stop. Everything’s going well. It’s strange, really. Usually, something unexpected would’ve messed up by now.”

‘By this point in the route, something should’ve gone wrong at least once!’

Of course, he had no idea how much effort I’d been putting in to quietly patch up the things he overlooked.

Not that I could complain. I’d benefited plenty from him too.

“Once we defeat the Thunder God, most of the problems here will be solved! We’ve got Tirkanjaka to handle the Principality, and the Military Nation is staying quiet! Nothing can go wrong now!”

Why did seeing him so happy suddenly make me feel uneasy?

Despite my worries, the Regressor laughed like a child.

“Haha! This is it—the turning point! There’s hope now!”

“Shay, don’t get too excited. From my experience in countless gambling dens, the moment you feel most confident and invincible is when you’re most likely to lose everything.”

“And you still gambled knowing that?”

“I was the guy filling the fools with confidence, pumping them up until they bet everything—and then, bam, they’d lose it all. They called me the baiter.”

“...You’re awfully proud of running gambling scams.”

“It wasn’t a scam! The gambling itself was completely fair and square.”

All I did was use mind-reading. That’s a far cry from an ordinary scam.

“Anyway, when are you planning to kill the Thunder God?”

“The sea breeze comes during the day, and the clouds from the Cloudfall move with it. Tomorrow, when the sea breeze blows in, the Thunder God will return. The Thunder Overseer will let us know the exact timing.”

“It’s a huge event—defeating the Thunder God. Claudia’s bound to get noisy, right?”

“Probably. To prevent accidents, there’ll be an emergency order throughout Claudia tomorrow. The Thunder Overseer will gather her subordinates and trainees to handle the Thunder God’s remnants.”

“You’re well-informed.”

“The Thunder Overseer told me.”

Idiot. She didn’t tell you anything in this timeline. You just say things without thinking.

But that wasn’t the important part. I brought up what I actually wanted to ask.

“I don’t have to go watch, right?”

“Huh? Watch?”

“Yes. As you know, I’m terrified of lightning. Even if you handle it well, I don’t want to take the risk.”

“It’ll be over quickly. It won’t be that dangerous.”

He looked a little disappointed when I said I wouldn’t be watching. Does he want to show off that badly?

“I wouldn’t be much help by watching anyway, would I?”

“True.”

“See?”

“Still, it’s just... hmm.”

‘Things always go unusually well when you’re around. Even if there’s something suspicious, it works out fine. Honestly, it’s more reassuring to have you nearby.’

...Wait. He knew?

I was oddly touched. I thought he never noticed and just took it all for granted. Turns out he did notice.

“Were you relying on me that much? Well, if you insist, I guess I’ll stay nearby and lend a hand.”

I thought I was being generous, but the Regressor snapped back.

“Hah? It’s not like that! Besides, you’re not helpful in fights. You’re the negotiation guy, not the combat guy!”

“Negotiation? That’s my role?”

“What else would it be? All you do is sweet-talk people and move them around. You’re useless in actual combat.”

Wow. That’s harsh.

I’ve crossed countless lines of fire for him!

The only reason I haven’t fought much is because he and Tir were around. I can still handle myself just fine by normal human standards!

“Tch. Fine, then. Go hunt the Thunder God yourself. I’ll just lie down and watch from the window.”

“Pfft. That’s what you planned from the start.”

Perfect. Now I had my alibi ready.

I stomped toward my room, but as I did, the Regressor muttered something under his breath—so quietly it was almost inaudible.

“...Still, I kind of rely on you.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing! I didn’t say anything!”

‘Damn it, how did he hear that? It was just a mumble!’

Muttering is something you do quietly—alone.