Chapter 857: The Faith of the Fool's Dreams, Pure and Flawless
Chapter 857: The Faith of the Fool's Dreams, Pure and Flawless
“Sage…”
Mei Linde had similarly learned from the mouths of those witches who returned from Fool's Village that those Fool's Dreams addressed Little Han as the Sage.
“Little Han, how long do you intend to play this role-playing game? Although I really don't want to discourage you, all of this you are saying sounds… more like a childish game of playing house to us, very boring and meaningless…”
“So…”
Mei Linde continued from what she just said, not giving me a chance to interject, “Exactly what did you see in the Fool's Dreams that made you make this kind of choice?”
Actually, Mei Linde had one sentence she didn't state clearly, which was that Little Han never does anything meaningless.
Even regarding the technique of Self-generating Magic Power, she had learned a thing or two from her communications with Bai Yu.
If Little Han truly did those things selflessly, she would never have subsequently let Yi Rui and the others take over all the work while she ran off to do other things.
Regarding the transition of this process, Little Han must have “obtained” something from within it.
After the experiment was no longer helpful to her, she handed it over entirely to Yi Rui; one could say her arrangement of time and energy was extremely tight, and Yi Rui and the others were happy to do it, just like before.
As for what Little Han obtained in that experiment, no one knew, but Mei Linde guessed it was with high probability a concept related to Self-generating Magic Power.
However, Mei Linde truly wasn't clear on what exactly those were.
But the “Prototype Self-generating Magic Power” concept and the “Unlimited Magic Power” conjecture were indeed products born after deep research into Self-generating Magic Power, and they were also the greatest harvests of that experiment.
At this moment, facing Academy Head Mei Linde's inquiry, I was similarly thinking about how to respond.
What did I see in the Fool's Dreams myself?
It was a feeling that language could not describe.
The connection between me and the Fool's Dreams, the most direct and profound relationship, was a kind of downward tolerance on my part, and similarly a kind of appreciation, the most genuine expression when facing cute and beautiful things.
Perhaps even I myself hadn't realized that my longing for beautiful things would be so genuine.
Perhaps the previous me would have been like many more ordinary people: facing beautiful things with shame, avoidance, refusing to look directly at them, timid and afraid, and then transforming into annoyance, shame-filled anger… in the end, even going as far as to destroy them…
That is one's most incompetent moment, the helplessness when encountering the thing one craves the most; the only thing one can do by raising one's hands is destruction, and then comfortably enjoying a moment of ease in the gutter.
Therefore, for me, the Fool's Dreams are a kind of compensation for a desire originating from the heart.
When I reached out my hand, I actually discovered… that I could give them comfort.
More importantly… they call me Sage Sis!
I feel like they are now like a group of innocent little angels living in my heart.
Of course, these definitely aren't those bird-men from the Holy Angel Academy; they aren't worthy.
A person's strength is the strength of their inner self; this was also my previous pursuit.
I said goodbye to my original family and walked out of the shadows of the past, but I still lacked healing after the damage all of that caused me.
Since I want to pursue higher heights, then I need a strong heart.
A strong person's so-called personality is called cowardice and affectation in a weak person.
No one can give me a redemption except myself.
The Fool's Dreams are more like a repository for my beauty, the innocence I lacked in this life.
“Big Sis Mei, before enrolling, I was once a mental patient; even I thought so. It's just that I happened to be able to take care of myself. After I gradually came into contact with the Fool's Dreams, I saw many things in them that I envied.”
“Those were the things missing from my childhood: innocence, frankness, sincerity, trust, optimism, curiosity… They are the repository for everything I desire. In reality, there is no space that can accommodate them, but I can.”
“Now, all the Fool's Dreams have established the Fool's Village of their hearts within my Soul Dream State. They have built countless dwelling places beneath my Great Tree of Knowledge, roaming within the ocean woven from Knowledge Power.”
“Playing house is not childish, and the status of the Sage is similarly not just a title. This is the acknowledgment of all the Fool's Dreams for me, and also a responsibility I have proactively taken up.”
Speaking to this point, a wisp of pale gold thread wound around my fingertip.
This was an anchor of every Fool's Dream for me within the dream state, and also the acknowledgment of every Fool's Dream for me.
I didn't know what this illusory power was.
It was very weak, so weak that it could do nothing at this moment, not even comparing to a Lesser Fireball.
But at this moment, this acknowledgment from the Fool's Dreams was something I valued far more than its actual utility.
“Power of Faith?!”
These four words spoken by Academy Head Mei Linde as her eyes widened instantly made the office fall into silence.
“What?”
I was slightly dazed and looked at Academy Head Mei with some surprise.
What did she mean… Power of Faith?
This thing in my hand… is Power of Faith?
My thoughts returned in an instant to the scene when Academy Head Mei Linde mentioned to me how to arrange the Fool's Dreams back then.
Regarding the concept of the Power of Faith, I hadn't had much contact.
After all, I still held very deep stereotypes about this concept, such as faith being poisonous, or faith exploitation, harvesting believers, and so on.
These ideas were extremely inconsistent with my cognition, and I didn't want to apply these concepts to the Fool's Dreams.
But now, the Academy Head said this power was Power of Faith?
“You've harvested the Power of Faith from the Fool's Dreams?”
“……”
I looked at the Academy Head in silence.
I didn't much like the word “harvest.”
Nor did I like this behavior of mine being described as such a lowly matter.
“Apologies, my choice of words was wrong.”
Seeing this look of mine, Mei Linde also immediately realized her way of speaking was incorrect, though her cognition of faith and gods similarly held very deep stereotypes.
“Many faith systems within the Void are in harvest mode, but Little Han, you also need to understand that harvesting is merely a subjective definition of this behavior by life. That is the relationship between a god and believers, but a faith system is not limited to just gods and believers.”
After Mei Linde saw the Little Han before her displaying Power of Faith, there was no need to explain many things, and she also roughly understood the relationship between Little Han and the Fool's Dreams.
A faith system truly is a very subjective and undefinable system.
People who view it as power treat it as a path for promotion.
People who view it as an agreement treat it as being more important than life.
People who view it as a contract treat it as a promise practiced in life…
“I know how you're going to do it now, Little Han. I didn't expect you to have unintentionally stepped onto this path. Since you've given your answer, then I won't pursue it further.”
“What?”
I looked at the Academy Head in confusion, somewhat surprised.
So after I spoke for so long, it wasn't as persuasive as this single wisp of Power of Faith?
“Wait… the Fool's Dreams and I don't have that kind of relationship! I'm just with the Fool's Dreams…”
“I understand, of course I understand. Exchanging a Grand Spellbook for the faith of a rising race carrying [Transcendent Knowledge]—this is not a loss. Furthermore, you will ultimately completely bestow them with true life. I must say, regarding this thought of yours, Little Han… I can only evaluate it as average.”
Mei Linde spoke to me with a smile.
Did Mei Linde not know the relationship between Little Han and the Fool's Dreams?
After she heard that long account just now, she naturally understood.
Now she was merely giving her a staircase to step down.
This conversation was primarily to “give a reasonable explanation,” and she wouldn't pursue it.
In the final analysis, she didn't care about this explanation either, but the process still had to be gone through.
She was also doing it for Little Han's sake.
After all… if a Grand Spellbook was dismantled for no reason, what would the other Transcendent Witches think?
One must know they hadn't even touched a Grand Spellbook!
At most they had touched the Seed of Great Knowledge, which could be considered barely touching it.
“The Fool's Dreams and I really don't have that kind of relat—”
“Little Han, it's fine…”
At this moment, Bai Yu stepped forward and stopped my posture of wanting to explain further.
Bai Yu naturally understood what Mei Linde meant.
I understood too, but… I just wanted to explain clearly!
Pretending to be confused while being fully aware—I suspected the Academy Head was just remembering that I dismantled her Grand Spellbook.
“Alright, alright… apologies, Academy Head. Since the matter has ended, then I'll take Little Han and leave first.”
“Mhm, take care. I won't see you out.”
Mei Linde also waved her hand and directly saw the guests off.
She truly didn't know what else Little Han might blurt out if she stayed here longer.
After all, Little Han even talked about how she used to be a mental patient; what else wouldn't she dare to say?
But speaking of being a mental patient… Mei Linde similarly attached a bit of importance to it.
The main reason she ended this topic so quickly was because she had tested it out—it was impossible for Little Han to turn back on this matter.
If those Fool's Dreams were Little Han's own psychological construction, or even a kind of self-redemption, then she knew there truly was no way around it.
It was just like how you can't snatch the cat from the arms of a depressed patient, can you?
At the very beginning, she was still afraid that Little Han had too many good things and thus wouldn't cherish them.
The value of a Grand Spellbook, even for the relatively closed Main World, was an extremely scarce resource.
***
“Little Han, don't blame Academy Head Mei. She actually knows it all.”
Bai Yu was currently comforting the Little Han beside her.
She really liked Little Han emitting such intense emotions like this, because such a Little Han was the more real her in her eyes.
No matter when it was, Little Han's emotions were always suppressed within her heart; happiness, anger, and grief would not be released, and she could even feel resistant emotions toward external praise.
And this reunion this time…
Although she followed Little Han's lead, she felt this was incorrect.
Even if it was just the anxiety and defense displayed because of a small misunderstanding this time, for Bai Yu, who possessed Heart Sense, only then could she feel a more vivid Little Han in this instant.
From the moment Little Han started recounting and arguing with the Academy Head, she had felt those extremely intense emotional fluctuations in Little Han's heart.
From that moment on, she knew that this thing Little Han had done could no longer be defined by so-called objective right and wrong.
“Of course I know she knows!”
I instinctively bit my lower lip and also gradually calmed down.
Moreover, I knew this matter could be considered glossed over.
It was just that this single conversation had brought me more trouble again.
For example… Power of Faith.
I had never thought this would be Power of Faith.
Perhaps I should reshape my cognition regarding faith; it turned out faith could also be so pure…
I wouldn't view it as a portion of power; that would defile the purity between me and the Fool's Dreams, and moreover, it would remind me of the indescribable relationship between faith, gods, and believers.
Because the birth of faith in gods originated from the ignorance of believers and the deception of gods.
That was a stereotype I had regarding faith systems, and I didn't wish for the Fool's Dreams to be such existences.
But looking at it now, faith itself is extremely pure, but the people who utilize it might not necessarily be so.
Big Sis Bai comforted me by my side for a good while.
Although I had long ago figured it out, I still tirelessly felt Big Sis Bai's comfort over and over again.
As we chatted, we also talked about the topic of where to go next.
“Speaking of which, Little Han, do you have plans next?”
“Um… yes, many. I'll finally be busy next. Wait… I should have applied for another laboratory from Academy Head Mei just now!”
I suddenly remembered this matter and somewhat regretted leaving so quickly just now.
After all, the original laboratory over in the experimental area was still conducting the Self-generating Magic Power project, and the other laboratories were the same.
If truth be told… I had a modified private laboratory beneath my villa.
But things couldn't quite be spread out there.
And the main reason I wanted a laboratory… was mainly so that if any uncontrollable factor occurred in the laboratory, it could be resolved quickly without affecting others.
And as for that laboratory in my villa, other people lived right next to it.
“How about we go back now?”
“Forget it, forget it, no need. There's no need to turn back for this. I haven't thought of how to face Academy Head Mei yet anyway. Let's wait a while until this matter fades.”
“Actually, I can go find the Academy Head on your behalf.”
“No! You have to accompany me!”
I immediately rejected this proposal from Big Sis Bai.
During these days without Big Sis Bai by my side, it was truly a bit hard.
Now I have to properly replenish my Big Sis Bai energy!
“Alright.”
Big Sis Bai gave a slight smile, appearing very happy with this answer.
“Then you've also technically returned to the same mode as before, haven't you? Experiments and such every day?”
“Um…”
Being told this by Big Sis Bai, I also realized this problem.
Was this what my daily routine looked like in Big Sis Bai's eyes?
“Not anymore… I'll accompany Big Sis Bai, and… the Fool's Dreams. You have no idea, the current Fool's Dreams have already settled down within my Soul Dream State. They are truly cute! I also really want to let them come to reality…”
“Since you want to, then go do it. Big Sis Bai will support you!”
“This counts as a massive project, I suppose… After all, the number of Fool's Dreams is too many, and…”
And the Great Wisdom Enlightenment Spell was also dismantled by me.
Currently, I haven't had time to scout out a method to utilize it.
Having lost the platform of the “spellbook,” its usage can no longer be understood through the mode of a spellbook; I need to use time to adapt to it.
“Forget it, let's not chat about this for now. When I came just now, I heard the Academy Head mention the matter of Self-generating Magic Power. No matter what is said, I am still a member of the experimental team. Having been offline for so long suddenly, I should go see them.”