The World Controlled By Dice Chapter 3

Translator: Endless Veil                  

Editor/Proofreader: NONE, so comment section

 

Chapter 3: Historical Society

 

Professor Bright was Siles Noël's mentor during his two-year mentorship.

He was an old man nearing his sixties with messy brown and gray hair, sloven and unkempt. He was a widower without a wife or children, and he was always very secretive about his past.

Nevertheless, he was a strict but kind mentor. His amber eyes always flashed in a wise and cunning light. In terms of academics, this professor gave Siles a lot of help.

Yesterday afternoon, when Siles arrived at the university for an interview, Professor Bright also secretly reminded him not to be nervous, as if the position had already been reserved for Siles. He didn't know how much Professor Bright helped with that.

Siles took two steps forward to greet Professor Bright.

Professor Bright was wearing a warm brown robe that covered his short and sturdy body. He was a short man with a ruddy complexion that looked very healthy and strong. After a short while, he hurried over in front of Siles. 

Before he could say anything, he glanced around the office and immediately exclaimed, "What is the matter with this!"

Siles said: "I haven't had the time to sort it out yet."

Professor Bright grumbled, trying to stand up for his former student. The contents of what he was saying was that the university's attitude towards the young professor, Siles, was a little too dismissive.

Siles said, "They might be worried that there's some important information in there and need professionals to sort it out."

"That crazy old man Cabell?!" Professor Bright yelled, "What important information could he have?"

Siles revealed a slightly surprised expression and asked, "Professor Cabell?"

Professor Bright's expression froze for a moment, and then realized that he had spilled the beans. He said awkwardly, "Yes... this office, as well as your position, once belonged to Professor Cabell."

Siles nodded slowly, thoughtfully.

Professor Bright said, "Let's talk inside. Have you eaten yet?"

Siles thought of the small piece of white bread he had in the morning, hesitated, and shook his head.

Professor Bright looked at his former student with a little dissatisfaction and said to himself, "Young graduates... Then let's go to the cafeteria later."

They sorted out most of the documents and papers in the office. They couldn't do anything about the dust and dirt for the time being. Not long after, Siles selected a few manuscripts on the course contents, planning to take them back to study and examine.

After doing all of this, he asked Professor Bright: "Professor, has Professor Cabell resigned?"

"Of course," said Professor Bright. "He's old, and he said he couldn't continue teaching. But he looked very healthy, so no one knew what the problem with him was."

Bright seemed very displeased with Cabell's attitude.

Professor Cabell was very famous in the School of Literature and History. There were several professors in the school who studied literary history, but Professor Cabell was the most antisocial one. He was a strange white-haired old man who always kept to himself.

When Siles was still in school, he often heard his classmates talking about this professor behind his back, and the tone and contents of their conversations were very... contemptuous.

The past Siles' only interaction with Professor Cabell was in a professional elective course, and he had never taken any other courses taught by Professor Cabell. He didn't seem to take in mentees, nor did he communicate much with the other professors in the school. Instead, he immersed himself in his own research.

Moreover, the attitude of the school was ambiguous. It seemed to support it, but at the same time, it had allowed the rumors to spread.

Siles asked another question, "Then why choose me?"

Professor Bright wavered for a moment, but finally replied frankly: "I originally planned to let Cabell's assistant take this position. Do you still remember that gloomy young man?" Seeing Siles nod, he continued, "But, that child couldn't be contacted."

Siles asked with some surprise: "Couldn't be contacted?"

"That's right," Professor Bright said, "The semester was about to start, and he still hadn't sent his lesson plans, so the dean contacted him, but the result was that he couldn't be found, nor could anyone close to him be found."

"In the end, I had to find a last minute replacement. But don't worry, since you're here now, you won't be driven away. I'm here after all."

Siles smiled sincerely and said, "Thank you."

Professor Bright clapped his hands with satisfaction and said, "Siles, you're indeed a good kid. You'll accomplish something great, that's what I say." He stood up and said, "Well, let's go eat. Look how starved you look." 

This friendly and slightly mischievous elder took Siles to the university cafeteria for a meal.

In Siles' memories, he had eaten here countless times. The food in the cafeteria tasted ok and was reasonably cheap, but the dishes were not what He Jiayin, a former Earthling, was familiar with.

...Yet he had to familiarize himself with this world in the end, didn't he?

After their meal, Siles and Professor Bright walked around the campus and talked about the problems and issues of their courses. Siles asked for advice on some headache questions, and Professor Bright gave some pointers with a notion of watching the fun.

Finally, he concluded: "You need to have some confidence in yourself, Siles. You are my best student. In two years, I will retire, and then..."

He didn't say anything as he insinuated to Siles with a look of his eyes.

Older professors with prolific experience were, of course, treated much better than young professors like Siles—much better.

Siles wasn't clear about Professor Bright's actual income, but when he recalled how lavishly he had spent in the past, he felt a little motivated for a moment there.

But he thought again, how long could he really stay in this position as a professor anyways? 

Siles thanked Professor Bright for his good intentions.

Soon after, Professor Bright said he had other things to do and had to go back to his office. His office was also on the fourth floor. Previously, he had probably ran into Siles on his way to the office.

Siles said farewell to Professor Bright.

He couldn't think of how he should deal with the slightly dirty and messy office for the time being. Perhaps after he moved into the dormitories of Lamifa University, he could take some time to tidy it up and clean it. 

He had neither the time nor the tools right now.

Shortly, Siles boarded the returning stagecoach with the manuscripts he found.

The return route was slightly different. The route of the stagecoach he took ran in a clockwise loop, like that of a circle. He had taken the upper half of the circular route when he came, and now, he was taking the lower half.

This allowed him to see more of the prosperous scenes of the eastern side of the city: the huge and spacious central square, the majestic and tall statue of the founder of the country, the magnificent and towering cathedral, the crowded commercial districts, the quiet and elegant residential districts...

Suddenly, the driver shouted in reminder, "We've arrived at the Historical Society!"

The stagecoach slowly came to a stop.

Siles froze. In this brief time, he wavered for a moment, thinking of the business card that Grenfell had handed to him, and then decided to squeeze through the other passengers and get off the carriage, looking at the small but exquisite building in front of him.

He couldn't tell what style of building it was for it was incomparable to the architectural style on Earth.

There were spires, a bell tower, gothic lancet windows and stained glass, as well as Roman-style semicircular arched roofs. The large mix of styles seemed to blend the histories of the past together.

However, when Siles thought of how this was the home of the Historical Society, he felt that this was quite normal.

Currently, Siles was wearing a casual black suit, with a pile of documents under his arm and a long-handled umbrella in his hand, looking very inconvenienced. But in the end, he still walked towards the building of the Historical Society.

Some information about the Historical Society flashed through his mind, but not much.

As a scholar who had just graduated from the academic system, he wasn't very familiar with the social organizations in the city such as the Historical Society. He roughly knew that the Historical Society provided a platform of communication for history enthusiasts.

The only currently existing god in this world was Antinum, the God of the Past and History, who is known as the "Keeper of the Crevices of Time and Space."

The "Church of Yesterday" which took Antinium as its pillar of faith was the only legitimate religious organization in this world.

…So was that why Grenfell said the Historical Society was a semi-official organization?

Soon, Siles spotted a lady in the empty lobby on the first floor of the Historical Society. She was sitting on the lobby sofa, as if she was waiting for something.

She was around twenty years old, wearing a suitable blue dress, holding a wide-brimmed hat and a small beaded purse in her hands. She looked more like a pampered aristocratic young miss.

But the eagerness and excitement on her face destroyed her elegant temperament. She was like a little girl who had discovered an adult's secret. Anxious and fearful but also keen and enthusiastic. 

Siles had a hunch that she might be able to bring him some of the information he needed.

As he walked toward her, Siles waited for the sound of the die, but he didn't hear the rolling sound even when he was in front of the lady.

…So this lady won’t trigger a skill check?

Why was that? Because he already had the vice president's business card, so he didn't need anyone else to trigger the relevant information?

As a former secret keeper, Siles habitually analyzed things in his mind.

Unfortunately, he was unable to communicate with his own host, didn't know what his character card looked like, and even more so, had no idea what kind of script he was going through.

This truly made life difficult.

The lady had already noticed him by the time he walked in front of her. As the lady saw Siles walking towards her, she looked like she had found a fellow comrade, and immediately stood up and asked him, "Are you here for the Revelator's matter as well?"

Siles couldn't help but be slightly startled.

Revelator? What Revelator?

Before Siles could answer, the young lady continued to talk on her own without pause: "I've heard my friends talk about those extraordinary powers, but I don't know if I would be able to master them."

"In any case, the Historical Society would be my best choice. I won't go to a church with too many rules, nor will I go to those evil and strange sects."

"...I received a business card, what about you?"

The young lady took out a business card from her purse and showed it to Siles.

Siles kept a polite distance as he glanced towards it, and said in a low voice, "Yes, I've received that card, too."

That was the business card of Joseph Morton, vice president of the Historical Society.

"That's great!" the young lady cheered. "Now, I finally found a fellow acquaintance!"

Siles smiled but thought in his heart, he might not know as much as this lady did.