CHAPTER 24

Most of my time in the Dragon Sage Library is focused on translating, transcribing, recording notes, and copying information from another thesis to help me develop my very own spell and finish my Dragon Sage Thesis. It’s mostly boring, but I’m happy that my Dragonoid Contractors are here to liven up my day.

“Here are the calculus books volume five and six, and the geometric quasar astronomy almanac you requested, Lord Corasell!” Odette happily said as she laid out three books on my desk.

“Thanks.” I smiled upon receiving the books but frowned after I saw her face. She’s full of sweat and catching her breath. “Wait, why do you look that tired? What took you so long anyway?”

“Eh? Oh, um, I took the stairs, rode the elevator to the third floor, then went to the spiral stairs downwards, then went to the northern economics section, went right until I reached the math bookshelves. After getting the books, I traced my way back here using the same route. Um, I’m sorry if I took so long!” Odette apologized.

“These books are just three bookshelves away from here! You explored two floors of the library for one hour just to go in complete circles!” I cried.

“Eh?” Odette leaned backward to check. She saw the Math Section three aisle away from our study table. Realizing this mistake, she blushed and bowed. “I-I’m sorry! I’ll do my best next time.”

I held my aching forehead. “Please don’t overwork yourself.”

“R-Roger!” Odette happily saluted.

I pulled out an index card and wrote another title for the book I needed next. Then, I gave it to Odette’s delicate hands. “Magical Trigonometry. Same aisle as the three books. Math Section, just north of here.”

“Will do!” Odette saluted again.

Then she started marching south.

“Hey, hey, hey!” I cried as I chased the dumb priestess. “Where are you going?”

“To the Math Section!”

I grabbed her shoulders and turned her around to face towards the north. “The Math Section is over there!”

“Oh, sorry! I will go there now!” Odette said as she finally went in the right direction.

I uttered a long sigh as I sat back at my table. There, I saw Yehanna resting her chin on a pile of notes. She has this hopeful smirk on her face.

“Odette is a cute girl, isn’t she? She’s a klutz that makes her more adorable, and it seems to charm you as well.”

“Her lack of sense of direction and hardworking personality doesn’t mix well and only does more harm to her,” I muttered.

“Well, all Dragonoid Contractors are like that to their Dragon Sages. They will do all the mountainous clerical work they had on their hands to help their boss.” Yehanna sat down and stretched out her arms.

“I know, that’s why I’m worried about her,” I said as I rested my chin on the table. “Hanna, can you look out for her? I have a feeling that she might get lost again in this library.”

“Okay, sweetheart. I’ll look for your adorable priestess.” Yehanna waved her hand and then winked before exiting the scene.

I let out a deep sigh again. Now that I’m alone and at peace, I can finally focus and relax my mind.

I am planning to have a dry run on my Timeline Prediction spell, and I don’t want to see anyone watching me. I’m quite a loner hermit after all, and I don’t want to embarrass myself if I mess up.

Inhale. Exhale. I focused my mana to flow on the veins of my head.

And then, with a quick chant-

“With the power of steel and lightning, I command thee, to overclock my brain tenfold!”

A continuous jolt of electricity circulated inside my skull. With small iron rods on my nerves, I can keep overclocking my brain for a little bit longer. Now that my IQ is more than a thousand, I can use my Timeline Prediction spell.

“Activate cause and effect analysis algorithms. Scan future timelines across the multiverse. Cut the threads of fate and let me see the future. Activate Timeline Prediction.”

[Timeline Prediction Activated]

[Searching for alternate cause and effect timelines]

[Search Complete. Result: 118 Timelines Predicted]

My vision shattered like glass, divided into 118 perceptions. It became a kaleidoscope that gives me 118 possibilities in the future.

“It works!” I smiled.

From only seeing five timelines, now I can see over a hundred. It’s a big leap towards my goal of creating an omniscient spell that can see all possible futures. Though the timelines are infinite, a hundred is just a small number. Anyways, it’s a complete success.

“Predict the probability of me finishing the Timeline Prediction Thesis.”

[Calculating]

[Calculation Complete. Result: Average Probability is 95%]

[112 Future Timelines suggest that Ulysses Corasell will finish the Timeline Prediction Thesis in three months]

[6 Future timelines suggest that Ulysses Corasell will not finish Timeline Prediction Thesis in three months. The main cause would be procrastination, quitting Dragon Sage duties, and going back to being a shut-in]

[Future Remains Intact]

“That’s good. I have no plans on doing those three anyway. I can go back to being a shut-in after I become rich.” I laughed to myself.

So far, the Timeline Prediction is going well. Maybe I should try analyzing some events from the future. Though I do not want to overload my brain by analyzing too far. I should only analyze considerable future dates.

“Analyze my future in six months.”

[Calculating]

[Calculation Error]

[Ulysses Corasell has no future]

“Huh?”

A chill went all over my body. My sweat became cold as ice. Even the humid air made me cold. I even think my toes are suffering from frostbite.

“What do you mean I have no future?!” I cried. “Do it again! Analyze my future in six months.”

[Calculation Error]

[Ulysses Corasell has no future in all 118 Timelines]

[The future remains intact]

“What the-“ I started to panic and hyperventilate. “What does that mean?”

[Ulysses Corasell Status after six months: Deceased]

[Ulysses Corasell will not reach six months in the future with all the observable Timelines]

“What are the causes of my death?” I spoke with my trembling lips. At this point, I’m trying hard not to cry.

[Error]

[Not enough data for the cause to analyze effect]

[Warning: Timeline Prediction can only analyze data that you have perceived by any of your senses. It cannot analyze data that does not exist or is not discovered yet.]

“Shit,” I muttered to myself as I held my aching head. “I know that I will die, but I don’t know the cause. How the hell am I supposed to avoid it?”

[Correction. You cannot avoid it]

[Even if the data is not complete, all 118 Timelines suggest that you are going to die in six months with the probability of 100%]

[Ulysses Corasell has no future]

[The Future Remains Intact]

I stared at my trembling hands. My eyes are wide open, refusing to blink. I breathe heavily, without pause. My heart aches. My skin became pale.

[Deactivating Timeline Prediction]

Having my stress levels reach their peak, my overclocking ability disabled itself. My kaleidoscopic vision merged into a single blurry sight of my eyes.

My chest felt like it was going to explode. My vision flickers. I feel like I’m suffocating.

I held my chest. My lungs wouldn’t absorb the oxygen I inhale because I’m hyperventilating. My brain is going haywire.

“Ugh.”

I fell to the ground and curled like an armadillo to suppress the bursting pain. I lost all the strength in my body.

My sight started to darken. I’m passing out.

I heard inaudible voices of other Dragon Sages and Dragonoid Contractors who started to flock around me.

After a few seconds, I heard familiar feminine voices calling out my name.

“Uly!”, “Lord Corasell!” Yehanna and Odette cried.

And then everything went black.