SSS-Knight in a Hero World-Chapter 123: Information paradox

To him, essence is a semi-constant in the universe, just like life and death. People can change them to their wishes, but their existence is so vast that it might as well be constant.

If such an existence had the capability to change things around it by themselves.

Then essence is the closest to being an actual God.

. . .

Or I might be wrong.

Ferris smacked his heating forehead, he was never good at coming up with new ideas, only following what he learned from other people.

To clear his mind of all things unnecessary, he continued his meditation by focusing on his breathing, and his circulation of essence.

The 7th layer was now his top priority and he was in a hurry to work his body out in combat if possible.

His sheer focus hastened the passage of time around him, and the few hours trip passed by in an instant.

As he alighted with Magpie, he felt that his body became exceedingly sluggish.

I know that essence meditation is rather taxing, and it can be avoided with good control of one’s essence...

But this is simply too much, this hasn’t happened before.

Did I meditate too much these past days? Ferris began to doubt himself with a sweat forming on his forehead.

Trying to calm himself down, the two went to another part of the metro station and took the slower trains that connected the less populated zones of each cities.

This time, Ferris decided on not meditating to pass his time.

However, because of that, he found himself bored and wanted to strike up a long overdue conversation with Magpie.

"Miss Magpie, how was the breakfast we ate together?" Ferris said, he knew very well that it was so late of him to bring that up but he assumed that she wouldn’t mind it.

"...I did not feel anything." she replied bluntly and more importantly, honestly.

Not wanting to back down, Ferris continued with more pressure. "Then why do you eat?"

"...I do not need to eat"

Ferris frowned. "Then why did you accept to eat breakfast with me, even though you didn’t need to?"

This time, Magpie took her time to think about what to reply with.

"I have noticed an increase in anxiety from Dame Prin whenever I watch her eat her meals.

Then, she asked me if I wanted what she was having. I said yes.

After eating along with her, her anxiety levels dropped considerably."

"That is why, I now eat"

Ferris twitched the corners of his mouth, he knew that Magpie didn’t know how to connect those two variables on the emotional level. "Maybe she felt bad?

Some people feel a certain level of sympathy when they see others that lack what you have."

Magpie struggled to control her facial muscles, after a few seconds she somewhat mimicked a thinking gesture by pushing her index finger on her chin.

"If Dame Prin thinks that I lack food, she is wrong.

I can simply receive wireless energy from the generators inside her house and gain ’food’ that way.

So how can she feel sympathy, for something that I have in great abundance?"

"..." Ferris almost wanted to bury his face on his palm but he still had some respect to not do it in front of her.

"N-no... I don’t think that’s it..." Ferris answered. He wanted to explain it to her, but he didn’t manage to formulate an answer that Magpie could understand.

After some struggle, he gave up.

I’m such a terrible conversation partner!

Despite a bit of struggle between the two, they somehow managed to talk throughout the entire trip. They also failed to notice the people giving them strange stares throughout their strange topics.

After the ride, they took one last rail to the remote town near Prin’s house. After that, they walked all the way up the mountain, using the paved single stretch of road that led to it.

By the time they rang the doorbell, it was quite early in the afternoon.

There’s still half the day left, praise Henosis railway! Ferris cheered as he waited for the door to be opened by the owner.

To Ferris’ surprise, Prin personally greeted them.

...She looks disheveled again, don’t tell me she just woke up?

It’s the afternoon already. Ferris made a silent comment.

Regardless, Ferris bowed slightly to his benefactor. "Thank you for taking care of my inconvenience."

Prin’s blue eyes suddenly became clearer after hearing him, "T-thanks, um... you don’t need to ring the doorbell next time, just enter like it’s your own home."

Ferris chuckled. "Sure"

After some bits of uncomfortable exchanges, Prin led him to the room he first woke up in.

Compared to the hotel he stayed at, the room before him was exceedingly better in all regards.

Since there was nothing he brought with him from his apartment, other than the family portrait he kept inside his domain, there wasn’t much things needed to do, other than obtaining basic amenities like extra towels and clothing.

Thankfully, Prin’s house, which felt more like a bunker, had a huge stock of disaster relief supplies in the event of a catastrophe. It included things such as tents, non-perishables and most importantly, the basic amenities he needed.

But, taking them goes against my creed.

It doesn’t matter if she has warehouses upon warehouses of these...

Nevermind, she probably has that much. Ferris suddenly thought.

These supplies aren’t for me.

With that in mind, Ferris first decided to meet up with Prin so that he could ask for more financial help.

By now, Ferris was a little familiar with the bunker-like house.

The living areas were conveniently close to each other and they were close to the outside entrance that had a private road that connected to the public highway.

Deeper inside the mountain were the factory-like rooms that housed Prin’s sensitive property.

I’m sure what I’ve seen doesn’t even reach 10% of the total rooms here. Ferris feared such expensive structures that made him feel inadequate.

On the way to the kitchen, Ferris saw Prin eating her breakfast which was composed of instant coffee and instant noodles. In front of her was her phone.

Ferris frowned in anguish, That’s not even breakfast... it isn’t even breakfast right now, it’s lunch!

A bit past lunch!

He sat himself on the table she was eating on, but he didn’t sit directly beside her, more like one seat away from her. That way, he wouldn’t put her into shock. "Did you sleep well last night?" he smiled.

Prin almost choked on her meal before slightly nodding.

Mr. Anvil, or should I say Yaromech, I almost killed your kid by talking... Ferris sighed inside.

There was still some stubborn ice between them.

After mustering up some courage, Prin finally spoke. "...What, do you need?"

Ferris leaned back on his chair. "Let’s talk about that after you finish eating."

After saying that, there was another round of silence and Ferris took this time to reply to his commissioner.

But first, he read through the document again.

The trip will be carried out by a rented van, and it advised the heroes to send where they would be picked up.

There was also list of cities available for her to pick up the heroes, City 16–18. This was rather convenient for Ferris as he didn’t need to travel anymore, for a moment he thought that losing his home was a good thing since he now lives in City 17.

The final destination was the far borders of City 19, very close to the villain-controlled City 20.

Although many cities were labeled as villain-controlled, it didn’t mean that they were completely devoid of order and law.

Unless it was City 23 to 26, cities above 20 were just cities that lacked the presence of the official governmental figure of Henosis or the Hero Association, but they still had a relatively large population in the tens of millions to hundreds of millions, depending on its proximity to the truly lawless cities.

So much for the unified supercontinent. Ferris shook his head, he understood that the problem of this division also extends to the government of Henosis and not just the villains.

Nevertheless, Ferris placed his pick-up location on the town near Prin’s house.

Surprisingly, the reply from Marie appeared instantly.

[That’s great!]

[I’ll pick you up as early as 7:30 am]

ShiningKnight*_01

[Alright]

Ferris almost slumped in his chair like Prin as he imagined a long trip with three strangers.

Marie sounds nice, but no one should judge people from faceless texts...

After thinking about the road trip in the future, he suddenly locked his gaze onto Prin’s.

As Prodigy Prince, who is an expert in technologies, Prin has access to vast amounts of user information. Including mine...

Ferris thought about obtaining information about Marie Trenst from Prin.

...No, that kind of access should only be available to Prin, who’s a certified S-class hero.

But... I’m sure I can make a request if I really need it. Ferris secretly smiled, but it felt as if Prin had noticed his thoughts judging from her, fidgeting a little from his gaze.

After finishing her bowl and cup, Prin stretched her arms out and expressed herself with a yawn before suddenly sitting straight up when she remembered Ferris’ presence.

She awkwardly looked at him with her deep blue eyes and disheveled hair without saying a word.

"Are you curious of your father?" Ferris asked suddenly.

"?" Prin tilted her head.

"Your ’other’ father" Ferris emphasized the other as he rested his chin above his palm.

Suddenly, her deep blue eyes became shallower and lighter as she leaned towards Ferris in interest. "Y-you’ll really tell me?"

Ferris nodded. "It’s your right to know, and it’s about time anyway."

Prin shook her head up and down relatively fast, even Magpie who was spying behind the scenes in a dark corner since the beginning, appeared into the light.

The room was tense and filled with anticipation, especially for Prin, who remembered more of her other father’s personality compared to the deadbeat last one.

Ferris opened his mouth.

"But you should go take a shower before we start."

. . . 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"..."