Chapter 168 - Trigger It

"....."

Kairen's jaw dropped down.

"Y-you c-can't age? W-why?"

Alan shook his head.

"That is not what is important now. I just told it as an example to show you how time gets twisted for someone."

Kairen couldn't close his gaped mouth, nor could he control his facial expression which was the complete image of an idiot.

Alan acted in a way as if it was normal not to age and there was nothing shocking about it, but Kairen couldn't hide his shock no matter how calm Alan looked.

"Y-you can't a-age? That's why you call me a brat? Because you are older than you look?"

"Huh? Yes!"

Kairen was suddenly reminded of the information he accidentally found about Alan. Those who showed that there were different people with names and faces just like Alan.

"T-then, those people were all you????? That Alain Gill and Alain Jill and Allen Jill and... and..."

"That is right they were all me, but that wasn't the point of my-"

Kairen raised his finger and pointed at Alan, his hand slightly trembling.

"A-Alan grandpa!"

"No kid that is- Wait, what did you just call me?"

Kairen took a deep breath.

"Alan grandpa? A-Alan old man? Alan gramps?"

"....."

"How should I call you now!?!?!?!?!!?"

"....."

Alan lowered his head and closed his eyes before taking a deep breath.

"You know, brat..."

He mumbled under his lips.

"I guess now I get how you were affected by time..."

Kairen stopped talking as soon as he heard Alan say that. Alan slowly opened his eyes and rose his head.

"It must've stopped your growth at a certain age..."

"...."

"I can say it was about... 5 years old."

"...."

"That is when your growth has stopped, I mean your mental growth."

"....."

Kairen's mouth automatically closed and his hand dropped down.

Was that revenge for what Kairen said a few minutes ago?

Whatever it was, it hurt Kairen's heart so much that he forgot about the 'Alan grandpa' thing in an instant.

"I'm... listening to your words, sir."

Kairen held back his tears as he sat straight. He could see Alan scoff at him, but Kairen didn't say anything else to prevent the emotional damage he would receive in return.

"So what I am saying is that, have you sensed something strange with your body or soul that might be related to time? Just like my body?"

Kairen nodded his head with confidence.

"I have a mysterious power in my soul."

"...."

Alan shook his head.

"...I know about that. I also thought that it was the reason at first, but that guy we saw made me change my mind. I guess you should find something that is in common with that man who could play around with soil."

Kairen thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"I don't know. I don't know anything about that man, to begin with, how would I know if I had something in common with him?"

"Right... we know nothing about him, but it seems that he knows about you judging by his reaction that day."

Alan and Kairen both looked at each other in silence for a moment.

"Well, let's forget about that man for now and say that what caused your problem was that power. Then, can't you tell more about that power?"

Once again Kairen shook his head.

"I can't use it freely. I don't even know if it's my power or my previous self's."

"....."

Alan looked at Kairen with pity. 

"Seriously, what the hell have you been doing the whole time you were here when you still haven't found out about a single thing?"

"...."

Hearing those words hurt, but they were the truth. Kairen had found nothing so far and he was truly ashamed of himself.

"I get it though, having to deal with all this shit at the same time is fucking hard!"

Alan mumbled them under his lips.

"Anyway, You said you could only use that power once before, right?"

"Yeah. When we were attacked."

"You couldn't use it when you were about to get killed?"

Kairen shook his head.

"No."

Alan thought for a moment before suddenly pointing at Kairen with a finger.

"Maybe you need to trigger it?"

"Trigger?"

"Yes. Think, what made you access the power last time?"

Kairen didn't need to think long to give the answer.

"They were about to kill Reyan-"

Kairen closed his mouth midway through his sentence.

Kill Reyan.

He repeated that inside his head.

'The power didn't activate when my life was in danger, but it did when Reyan was about to get killed?'

Kairen talked out loud about the things that were in his head.

"Maybe, the trigger you mentioned has to be something related to the previous Kairen?"

Reyan was his closest friend after all. And Kairen remembers the urge he had to save him back then. But he had never felt such a thing about other things.

Alan shrugged.

"Maybe."

'So, will I be able to use it again if someone related to the previous Kairen is in great danger again?'

Kairen didn't know if that was true or not, but he didn't like that idea at all. He didn't feel good about this new thing that he had found out.

Again, Alan lowered his head as if he was hesitant to say the other words in his mind or not. Kairen waited for him to talk, but he didn't say anything no matter how much time passed.

So Kairen asked another question that was in his mind.

"Hey, why were you observing me the first time I went to Mount Fiera?"

"...."

Alan didn't answer again.

"Um... Then can I ask why you decided to work for us? Only for money?"

"....."

"You said you can't age, so how old are you actually?"

"....."

"You said that you had seen someone similar to me before. Does that mean that person also had a strange power just like mine?"

"...."

Alan looked up at Kairen again.

"Hah! Look at this kid!"

He scratched his head.

"Yeah, that person had a strange power as well. I was suspicious of you at first... and still am... because I thought your power was similar to his, but can't tell whether you have a similar power to that person or not until I witness your power. And that is one of the reasons I joined your little organization."

"....."

Alan chuckled.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Didn't expect me to answer your questions?"

Kairen honestly nodded.

"Hah! I also didn't want to tell anything to you, you know, but I can't just sit around when everything is proceeding so quickly. I'd rather share the information than stay still and watch those bastards do whatever they want."

"What do you mean by things proceeding so quickly?"

Alan had mentioned it before as well, that there was some stuff urging him.

Alan looked up at the setting sun.

"There is no need for you to know about that now, and I hope there will be no need in the future. But brat, you should hurry to grasp that power of yours."

He looked at Kairen again, his eyes turning sharp again.

"Only then I can decide on what to do with you."

"..."

Instead of being scared, Kairen started to smile.

"Why are you giving me all this information? What if I'm with Philomns?"

"Pffft!"

As he chuckled, Alan slowly stood up.

"As I said before, I'm telling you these because you are in deep shit. Also, your finding your answers will help me as well. And about the second question, I would say that I'm pretty sure such a fool can't be a big mastermind behind that terrorist group."

"Please-"

"Okay Okay!"

Alan waved his hand up and down.

"I just felt like trusting you, so don't waste your time. Whether you want to go back or do anything else, hurry up. I hate waiting for too long."

He stretched his body as he walked away from Kairen.

"Oh!"

Suddenly, he stopped and turned back.

"I recommend you not to waste your time in that library. There is nothing much to find there."

"Pardon?"

Without saying anything else, Alan smirked and walked away. 

. . . . . . .

Tap Tap Tap Tap

Alan walked into the empty hall.

"All of those brats are gone... Hmm?"

He walked to one of the doors with leisure steps. 

"I guess not all of them."

BANG

He kicked the door open.

"Fidellll!!"

And yelled.

"Cough! Wha- Cough cough!"

Team leader Dains spilled the coffee in his hand.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Not caring about the team leader, Alan walked and plopped down on a chair in front of the desk.

"I talked to that kid."

"Who? What?"

Alan looked at the team leader with a neutral face.

"That special dude."

"What?"

Team leader Dains, who hurriedly attempted to dry the coffee-soaked documents, halted and turned to Alan.

"Don't look at me like that! !e only had a friendly talk."

"And?"

Alan shrugged.

"He is safe."

He placed his chin on his palm.

"At least for now."