Mage Manual
Chapter 336 - Chapter 336 Chapter 285 Youre Not Even Willing to Call Me Dad

Chapter 336: Chapter 285: You’re Not Even Willing to Call Me Dad Chapter 336: Chapter 285: You’re Not Even Willing to Call Me Dad “Liss, stop fidgeting, or we’re all going to hit the pavement!” Ash shouted.

On the outskirts of Azura, the staff of the Funeral Service Office were engaged in a heart-healthy nocturnal cycling activity.

Yes, they were riding bicycles.

After leaving the edge of the city’s second tier–what’s considered the core of Azura–Hanna instructed everyone to dismount and set the floating car free to make its own escape in another direction.

“Don’t get caught by those evil humans again,” Ash thought as he watched the floating car disappear into the distance.

Without explicit mention, even Ash understood what this signified: continuing to drive would only expose their exact position, and for all they knew, the car might explode on its own.

Even though the Gospel Book’s confidentiality protocols meant others couldn’t directly pinpoint Ash and the others’ location, it was possible to track their mode of transport. And all transportation with automatic systems relied on the Gospel Book’s data analysis. In the face of the Family Reunion Office–those NTR enthusiasts who loved to control others’ beloved vehicles–it was only a matter of time before they became victims.

Switching transport was inevitable, but it was the 17th century now. Not just in the Kingdom of Gospel, but even the Kingdom of Blood Moon was pushing for transport automation. So, as they prepared to flee Azura, the only safe mode of transportation they could find was–bicycles.

Besides single-rider bikes, there were also two-seater and three-seater models. The light screens mounted on the bike sheds played images of Beastman Elf families on outings, clearly indicating these bikes were intended for suburban excursions rather than escape.

Speaking of which, were the Beastman Elf couple recognized as the model couple by the Kingdom of Gospel…?

The scene thus turned ironically comical: everyone on bicycles, fleeing from the Red Hats and the pursuit of the Office, with Hanna in her pajamas and Ash in his slippers…

Luckily, the highways outside the central city area were empty at night, otherwise, onlookers might think they were some weirdly reconstituted family.

Ash was responsible for carrying Liss. There were children’s bicycles, but first, they were slow and second… Liss couldn’t ride.

So, Liss had no choice but to sit on the back seat of Ash’s bike, but she appeared to think of this as a spur-of-the-moment outing and fidgeted restlessly. After scolding her, Ash felt relieved as the little girl finally settled down, and he sighed, enjoying the brisk night wind while contemplating their current predicament.

There was no doubt that their predicament, their sudden shift from the quiet life of day jobs to a narrative of escape, was all because of him.

Even though he hadn’t done anything, his existence had already been stamped by the Gospel Book as a violation of public morality.

To this moment, Ash still couldn’t fathom why he had ended up on the art ranking, and as a subject of art, no less–he could only be thankful that the creator was Hanna and not Harvey. Although the Gospel Book had praised his portrait as number one, seemingly like a fervent fan, the reality seemed more like a mixed blessing.

Even if the Gospel Book hadn’t written a single word about what Ash had done, the first nine pieces clearly indicated disasters befalling the Kingdom of Gospel, and the top-ranked work was a personal portrait. Anyone with a bit of imagination wouldn’t consider Ash an innocent tourist just passing by.

He was either the Savior Angel or the root of all evil; there were no other options.

Obviously, the Imperial Central believed the latter, and in fact, Ash himself leaned towards that assessment–he didn’t believe he had what it took to save the world.

However, he didn’t truly think he would go down in history for notoriously appalling deeds; he just felt that his resume had been contaminated by Hanna and Eternal Damnation.

Right, Eternal Damnation–the memory of that colleague who didn’t even know how to wipe after doing her business lingered. The new profession she left behind for him, ‘Eternal Damnation Walker’, was still in effect. Ash strongly suspected that his appearance on the art ranking was probably due to Eternal Damnation Walker finally taking effect, triggering a ‘critical moment luck check -50’, leading the Gospel Book to label him as the calamity of this world.

It was like when a project was going so badly it was breaking apart, and the furious big boss wanted to make a random layoff to blow off steam, so they pointed at Ash on a whim.

Hanna was also a prime suspect. She claimed she had been embellishing Ash’s resume and those of his companions to disrupt the future weaving of the Gospel Book. Although the Gospel Book most likely wouldn’t believe it, what if it did?

Now was that ‘what if’.

Who knew if Hanna had added something like, “This is a genius Mage who never accepts defeat, is full of passion, excels at uniting comrades, and whose ideal is a peaceful world where everyone understands each other” to his profile? If that was the characterization, then Ash being wronged by the Gospel Book was indeed not so wrong.

But now, Ash needed to consider a more pressing issue.

That was whether Hanna would give him up to secure her own safety.

Despite Hanna’s swift flight, in truth, she had no need to run. If she agreed to collaborate with the Family Reunion Office on developing Igula and the others, the Office would immediately become her protector.

She had a way out.

But Ash had nowhere to turn; the Imperial Central had bought into the Gospel Book’s slander and actually believed that Ash, a 0-star nobody, could truly bring disaster to the land. Once caught by the Red Hats, death was his only outcome, regardless of how much the Kingdom of Gospel valued human rights.

Imprison him? After a few years, he would surely harbor resentment and bring disaster!

Exile him? After being sent away, he would definitely harbor anger and seek revenge on society!

If it was confirmed that Ash’s future would only bring disasters, then every path leading to the future would be seen as nourishment. The only way to save Ash was to ensure he had no future.