The world controlled by dice [Western Fantasy]

There was silence for a moment.

"...I should have told you," he said at last, "that ocean used to make me feel... all sorts of emotions for a long time after my father's accident. Anything was possible. It wasn't just hate or anger or Sad, that can be summed up."

Mr. Ghost nodded cautiously.

Garrett looked expressionlessly at the blue sea in the distance, and then he cursed in a low voice, followed by more curses, and Mr. Phantom even felt that some words were not easy to translate.

After a while, Garrett's expression calmed down, and he said: "It's them... from more than 30 years ago, or even more distant past, until now, they have secretly influenced and even ruled Middleton."

"...you found out." Mr. Ghost said.

Garrett nodded, shook his head again, he showed a wry smile, and said: "I just... I just investigated the current situation of the Langxi family. They got into trouble because of the ceramics.

"...However, they have once again become a noble family in Bethune City, as if nothing happened in the past, and they have never received any guilt...As if nothing has changed."

Mr. Ghost narrowed his eyes slightly, but didn't say anything.

After a moment of silence, Garrett said irritably, "Can't they really be punished?"

"Of course, Garrett," said Mr. Ghost.

Garrett looked at him.The almost blazing sun in the dream made his eyes look extraordinarily dignified.

Mr. Ghost said, "Of course. It's just that we don't have time to focus on this right now. The reckoning can wait until later. We have to deal with it first—the evil god."

Garrett's expression changed slightly.

"After all this is resolved, we will have time and spare energy to solve other things, such as these bad humans." Mr. Phantom said slowly, "But that won't be very far away."

Garrett thought for a moment, then he laughed, and he said, "Well, Ghost, I take your word for it. The sea bears witness to it all."

Mr. Ghost smiled slightly.

"So, back to our original topic," Garrett said, "about that ... Ebenezer Coster, in Middleton. He came to Bethune about 14 years ago. Yes, you already know that.

"He helped improve the pottery technique, and then stayed in Bethune for a while. In the Basil tribe, people who fit his description and characteristics appeared 12 years ago.

"Through some...political means, as well as some shady means behind the scenes, he quickly gained a place in the top ranks of the Basil tribe. He changed a pseudonym, which you may find in some newspapers in Middleton I've seen it."

Garrett mentioned a distinctly Middleton-esque name.

Then he went on to say: "After the Basil tribe gained some power, this Ebenezer Const set out to accomplish his purpose. What really gave him the right to speak... was in May of this year, Foley About the isolated island in Ouhai."

Mr. Ghost said with some doubts: "However, that didn't bring anything to the Basil tribe. Why did it allow Ebenezer to further control the right to speak?"

Of course he still remembered what happened in May of this year.Some explorers found star dust on an isolated island in the southern part of the Sea of ​​Folio, and many explorers flocked to it, eventually causing a conflict.

But that didn't actually bring about too exaggerated consequences... Judging from Garrett's intentions, maybe Ebenezer himself was behind this matter?

"Perhaps it's because of the matter itself. Because the residents of the Basil Tribe have always been dissatisfied with the status quo." Garrett said, and sneered at the same time, but it's hard to say who the emotion is directed at, " They want to change the status quo.

"But the Basil tribe took the initiative to go to that isolated island to maintain order, but in the end they returned without success—neither brought back star dust and wealth, nor brought back fame and reverence, and even a bit disheartened, and made many The souls of the crew who went to that isolated island at that time were tainted.

"...The loss of face of the Basil tribe has made the residents of the tribe even more disappointed and unwilling. Therefore, Ebenezer Const found an opportunity. He claimed that he would deal with these things in a tougher way. Basil Tribe fights for more benefits.

"Then, as a matter of course, he got the support of many people. He secretly promoted a new bill within the tribe... about the plan to further develop the Fuliou Sea.

"The bill has been passed, but it won't come into force until next year.

"To put it simply, Middleton's development of the Folio Sea was always limited to the coast during the Middle Fog Period, and did not go deep into the far sea.

"You know, it's very dangerous there... Before that, the fog hadn't dissipated, and we've always been troubled by it, and we couldn't explore that much.

"However, as the fog cleared, things changed. People wanted to explore, but somehow, Middleton's higher-ups remained ambiguous about it.

"The bill of the Basil tribe was passed at the end of July this year. It also changed the minds of other tribes.

"In the past few months, many tribes have passed similar bills or plans to further develop the Folio Sea...for economic development.

"...these things weren't widely reported, but Middleton's top brass were known."

Having said that, Garrett stopped, showing a complex and indescribable expression.

Mr. Ghost also remained silent.

For a moment, he felt that the existence of Fuliouhai was like a tightly closed pressure cooker, a box that was about to explode... They couldn't expect the lid of the pressure cooker and the seal of the box to last forever.

Sooner or later, this will explode.

However, in the end it was in this way, which made Mr. Phantom feel a little sigh.

These bills...

Is it not good?That can indeed improve the lives of the residents of Middleton, and make this country, which seems to be a century behind the Duchy of Const, slowly or quickly catch up with the times.

But, is it really good?That clashed with the power of Amois, that blasphemed the majesty of the gods, that would obliterate the last of Amoise's existence... that would unleash an ancient god of inconceivable, malevolent intent.

Presumably in the Brotherhood of Assi, those members, those devout believers of Amois, may also have gone through lengthy discussions, mutual accusations and struggles.

Eventually, they will fall apart.

Because they will eventually realize that the most critical issue is - this day will come sooner or later.

Their persistence is like a praying man's arms, and they are not even understood by the residents of their tribe.And they can't really expect this stalemate to last into the endless future.They may not see the future at all.

People who have struggled in despair for too long feel numb.

Amoise's believers, at least some of them, understand Amoise's situation, choices and decisions.They guarded their gods and became the last line of defense like soldiers, ensuring that Amoys' resistance could be carried out in a stable environment.

But, but... They were abandoned after all, by their own tribe.

From the Age of Shadows to the Era of Silence, from the Era of Silence to the Era of Fog... This entire Era of Twilight has lasted for too long, making everyone feel exhausted.

Mr. Phantom was silent for a long time, feeling that this matter - the way Ebenezer Const finally let the "Shadow" escape successfully - seemed so understated, and it seemed unimaginable because of its simplicity.

...It's just that people are driven by ready-made interests and greedily want to develop the ocean, that's all.

He couldn't help thinking of some older stories.

That seemed to demonstrate something... eerie in human nature.It seemed to intimidate them, asking them -- "So, is your struggle worthwhile?"

That is the dark side of civilization.

"...so I want to bask in the sun," Garrett murmured suddenly, "even if it's in a dream. At least it's real... as if it's going to dispel some, cold, spoiled things."

"The world is always complicated," Mr. Ghost said.

"Yeah." Garrett sighed.

"...Humans are complicated too."

Garrett nodded sincerely: "That's true." He suddenly looked at Mr. Ghost strangely, "It seems that you are not human... Oh, you are not, you are a ghost."

For some reason, Mr. Ghost suddenly felt a little funny because of this statement.

He laughed briefly.Garrett looked at him inexplicably, then laughed too.

Afterwards, Mr. Ghost said: "Things haven't gotten that bad either."

"Oh, it's perfectly appropriate for you to say that." There was a slight sarcasm in Garrett's tone, which was not malicious.

Mr. Phantom smiled, and said: "What happened in the past has already happened, and we can't dwell on the past forever. Time is a complex of past, present and future.

"Perhaps, in the future, we can discuss the successes and failures of the past in a normal and more rational way, and then learn from them...or never learn from them.

"But the premise of everything is - we have to reach that future. And, please believe me, we will get there."