Chapter 748

Under what circumstances could one plus one fail to equal two?

Aside from making a mistake in your calculations, the answer was simple: Yog-Sothoth could make it happen whenever he pleased.

For the All-in-One, altering such a fundamental principle was trivial. The consequences, however, were anything but predictable.

At first glance, one plus one equaling two was merely a mathematical fact. But what was mathematics, really? It was a means of measurement, a method of quantification, and one of the most fundamental tools for understanding the rules governing existence.

Mathematics was a foundation of those rules. And one plus one equaling two was among its most basic principles.

What would happen if that foundation changed?

Imagine the speed of light increasing by a single meter per second. Imagine the universe’s expansion rate rising or falling by one percent. Imagine time ceasing to move in a linear direction, or space becoming capable of overlapping itself.

A change to the underlying principles would force every existing law to be revised.

Perhaps everything in existence would change along with them. That would be the best possible outcome.

The alternative was considerably worse.

Everything created according to the old rules might be rendered invalid, its very existence rejected by the new reality.

That was the power of the All-in-One. That was one of the authorities wielded by the Three Primordial Gods.

Yet Nyarlathotep’s role was even more extraordinary.

In the primordial beginning, the Blind Idiot God had instinctively created the Three Primordial Gods of Order, and from them, all existence had gradually developed.

But that creation had also been a division.

The original, complete chaos had fractured into countless components: disorder, order, wisdom, life, and everything else that could be distinguished from the whole.

Nyarlathotep’s most important responsibility was to bring those scattered fragments back together, reconcile them into a complete cycle, and return the resulting chaos to the Blind Idiot God.

If that cycle were ever broken, the Blind Idiot God would awaken from its eternal slumber.

And if it awakened, the consequences would extend far beyond the destruction of countless universes.

Even the Three Primordial Gods would cease to exist.

Once Evenson understood all this, he came to an important conclusion.

Why am I even thinking about this? What does any of it have to do with me?

He might as well start worrying about how to survive when the Sun died four billion years from now.

What good would any of this knowledge do him?

Even if he became hundreds of times more powerful than he was now, even if he somehow surpassed Sargeras himself, what could he accomplish against beings like these?

If he wanted to curry their favor, he wouldn’t even be able to get involved. If he wanted to thwart their plans, he probably couldn’t reach their ankles.

Some things were better left unknown.

Ignorance truly was bliss.

Silence settled over the group.

Nyarlathotep had said everything she intended to say. Continuing the discussion would only expose the others to truths they weren’t equipped to handle.

As for Evenson and the rest, they simply couldn’t think of anything worth saying. Whatever they came up with would sound embarrassingly insignificant after what they’d just learned.

At last, Nyarlathotep broke the silence.

"Well, I’ve enjoyed the show. Our conversation has been pleasant enough, so..."

Evenson’s heart leaped.

Judging by the expressions around him, everyone else felt the same relief. It sounded as though their guest was finally preparing to leave.

He was just about to offer some appropriately respectful words of farewell when the Eredar Twins spoke first.

"Grandmentor Nasaya, must you leave so soon?" Alythess asked eagerly. "Please give us an opportunity to show you some hospitality."

"Exactly!" Sacrolash chimed in. "This world might be small, but there’s plenty here worth experiencing. Allow us to entertain you properly."

They had finally found a patron worth clinging to. They weren’t about to let such an opportunity slip away.

Evenson stared at them.

He’d never seen the twins act so accommodating.

Had the Eredar developed some sort of cultural tradition that involved inviting catastrophe into their homes?

The last time they’d brought someone powerful into their lives, they’d welcomed Sargeras into the fold. That particular decision had ended rather badly for their people.

And now they were trying to persuade Nyarlathotep to stay?

Who knew what sort of disaster might follow?

Evenson swallowed and cautiously glanced toward Nyarlathotep. Surely she would refuse. The multiverse was vast, with countless universes beyond this one. If she enjoyed watching the great cosmic spectacle unfold, she could find something far more interesting elsewhere.

Why linger on this insignificant planet?

He hurriedly turned to the twins.

"Come on, you two. Show some consideration! She’s the messenger of the Primordial Chaos Core. I imagine she has plenty of important matters to attend to. You can’t seriously expect her to waste her time wandering around here."

The Ancient One quickly backed him up.

"Quite right. We shouldn’t allow our personal wishes to interfere with her greater responsibilities."

"You needn’t bother."

Nyarlathotep’s voice turned unexpectedly cold.

"I wasn’t planning to leave in the first place."

Click. Crack.

Every head in the room turned toward her so abruptly that Evenson could practically hear necks twisting.

They stared at her in disbelief.

Nyarlathotep’s brow furrowed.

"What? You’re not welcoming me? Or do I need to wait for you to hold a meeting and vote on whether I’m allowed to stay?"

"No! Of course not!"

Everyone immediately shook their heads.

They might have been screaming inwardly, but outwardly, they were the picture of delighted hosts welcoming an honored guest.

Evenson refused to give up just yet.

"It’s not that we don’t welcome you. It’s just that someone as extraordinary as you deserves better than spending time among ordinary mortals like us. Surely you agree?"

He looked toward the others, silently begging them to help him make his case.

"Absolutely," the Ancient One said, nodding with an expression of solemn agreement. "We can bear the hardship of not having the honor of attending to you. But if our humble company causes you any inconvenience, that would be a far greater sin."

Nyarlathotep merely smiled.

"Don’t worry about that. I’ve never cared much for status."

She leaned back comfortably.

"Consider this. For the sake of making existence more entertaining, I lowered myself to become the leader of the Great Old Ones associated with the element of Earth. And now, I’ve taken the form of an ordinary mortal so I can sit here and speak to you as an equal."

Her smile remained perfectly pleasant.

"I don’t care about my position, nor do I need meaningless ceremony to demonstrate my importance. Whatever happens, my status will never change."

Evenson’s expression crumpled.

"You really are staying?"

His voice was nearly a whimper.

"But why? What exactly are you planning to do here?"

"What am I planning to do?"

Nyarlathotep pretended to consider the question.

Then her body changed dramatically.

In an instant, she had transformed into a tall, muscular man with dark skin and a broad, cheerful smile. He looked like someone who could win a popularity contest without even trying.

In a resonant voice, he recited, "From sea to shining sea..."

Then he turned toward the others.

"Tell me, do you think I could win the American presidential election looking like this?"

"It... might work," Evenson managed.

He forced a smile.

"But are you actually planning to do that?"

Considering who stood before him, he wasn’t sure the question even mattered. If Nyarlathotep decided she wanted to become President of the United States, or even the ruler of the entire planet, who exactly was going to stop her?

The Faceless God had worn countless forms throughout her existence. Yet aside from her incarnation as the Black Pharaoh, she rarely seemed interested in assuming positions of authority among mortal civilizations.

Apparently, running for office had its limits as entertainment.

Nyarlathotep promptly returned to her previous appearance, once again a woman in a cheongsam.

"Never mind. That doesn’t sound particularly fun."

Then she smiled at the twins.

"But you two said you wanted to attend to my needs. Tell me, do you have money?"

Evenson raised an eyebrow.

Now that sounds familiar.

He’d never expected to find a cosmic entity whose priorities seemed so relatable.

The twins paused for a moment, then immediately caught on.

"Of course! Plenty of it!"

They were prepared to rob every bank on the planet if necessary. If their grandmentor wanted money, they would make certain she had more than enough.

"Excellent. First, get me a Hollywood pass. Something that gives me access to the major studios. I could use it to occupy myself when I’m bored."

"No problem at all!"

The twins nodded enthusiastically.

That would hardly cost them anything. They could arrange it without the slightest difficulty.

Nyarlathotep considered the matter a little longer.

"Actually, I’ve watched enough movies over the years, and I’ve even tried my hand at directing a few performances. What if I directed and starred in some films of my own? Would you be willing to invest?"

"Absolutely!"

Movie production might be expensive, but by the standards of the twins’ current wealth, it was a manageable expense. They had no reason to refuse.

Evenson silently rolled his eyes.

The Three Primordial Gods take Hollywood.

He could already imagine the headlines. Forget a movie. He could probably write several novels about that premise alone.

But then a different thought occurred to him.

"Since you’re staying here, why don’t you take that thing with you?"

He pointed at the Aether, which lay on the ground pretending to be harmless.

"If you don’t want to carry it around as it is, I could turn it into a bracelet. Something you can hold and fiddle with whenever you’re bored. It would be incredibly fashionable, too. Most bracelets just develop a nice patina over time. With this thing, the very substance of the jewelry would shimmer."

Evenson was determined to keep the Infinity Stone and Nyarlathotep together.

As he’d reasoned before, even if he couldn’t claim the stone for himself, he had to make sure it didn’t fall into the hands of someone who would cause trouble with it.

And what safer place could there be for an Infinity Stone than in the possession of one of the Three Primordial Gods?

He couldn’t imagine anyone being foolish enough to steal from Nyarlathotep.

And even if someone tried, could they actually succeed?

"No interest."

Nyarlathotep waved a hand, firmly rejecting the idea.

"Deal with it yourself."

She rose as though the matter had been settled.

"If there’s nothing else, I’ll head to Los Angeles and find somewhere to stay."

"Then let me recommend a place."

Evenson seized the opportunity.

"I have an old acquaintance in Los Angeles. He spends most of his time around there and happens to own a hotel. I’ve heard it’s quite good. Why not stay there for a while?"

Since he couldn’t persuade Nyarlathotep to leave, he might as well make certain she was comfortable. There was no point in offending her.

Besides, he didn’t see why he should be the only one worrying about this situation. Sharing the burden with an old acquaintance sounded rather appealing.

"How could someone as distinguished as our grandmentor settle for a mere hotel?"

Before Nyarlathotep could answer, the twins objected.

They’d finally managed to bring their mentor back into their lives. There was no way they were going to let Evenson send her somewhere else.

"How about this?" Sacrolash said brightly. "We’ll buy you a luxurious villa in Los Angeles. Something understated but elegant, with every comfort imaginable. You’ll have a wonderful place to live, and we’ll be able to visit you whenever we want to sit down and catch up."

Nyarlathotep smiled.

"I’d be happy to spend time chatting with you. But if you’re hoping to learn anything from me, don’t bother asking."

The twins’ smiles faltered.

Their intentions had been rather transparent.

"Teaching knowledge and imparting fundamental truths aren’t part of my responsibilities," Nyarlathotep continued. "If you want to pursue that sort of thing, you should try communicating with Yog-Sothoth instead."

She paused thoughtfully.

"If you don’t know how to reach him, I could help you find a way. Just be aware that seeking truth at that great cosmic bubble is extraordinarily dangerous."

Evenson felt a chill run down his spine.

Nyarlathotep’s description of the place was hardly reassuring.

"As a matter of fact, I remember someone on Earth who once sensed Yog-Sothoth entirely by accident. He managed to acquire some knowledge from him."

Her expression became slightly more serious.

"The knowledge itself wasn’t particularly profound. It was far beyond anything this world had developed on its own, of course, but it still remained constrained by the limitations of this reality. Even so, the price he paid was immense."

"What kind of price?" Evenson asked.

"Aside from his eyes, only two of his fingers retained any movement. He couldn’t even speak without the assistance of machinery."

Evenson shuddered.

"That’s horrifying. What sort of knowledge could possibly be worth that price?"

"I don’t know precisely. I’ve heard it concerned time."

Nyarlathotep shrugged.

"And apparently, he didn’t merely learn how to manipulate time without understanding the principles behind it. What he acquired was a theoretical analysis of time itself, an attempt to understand its fundamental nature."

Evenson fell silent.

Now that was impressive.

The man hadn’t necessarily gained the power to control time, but his understanding of its underlying principles might well have surpassed that of the Bronze Dragonflight.

If he’d possessed supernatural powers to match his knowledge, even a catastrophe like the End Time might have been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

Then another thought struck Evenson.

A man who could move only his eyes and two fingers. A theoretical expert in the nature of time, dependent on machinery to communicate.

That description...

Could it actually be...?

He stopped himself.

After everything he’d learned today, this revelation hardly seemed worth getting worked up over.

Nyarlathotep gave them one final warning.

"So be careful when pursuing ultimate truths. The price of knowledge can be considerable."

With that, she vanished in a burst of bright, clear laughter.

A small slip of paper appeared in the spot where she’d been standing. It fluttered gently through the air before settling into Sacrolash’s hand.

Evenson immediately leaned closer.

"What is that?"

Given Nyarlathotep’s identity, even something as seemingly trivial as a scrap of paper could hardly be dismissed without a second thought.

"Contact information," Sacrolash replied casually, tucking it away.

Evenson’s eyes widened.

"She just gave you a way to contact Yog-Sothoth?"

He immediately turned to the twins, his expression grave.

"Listen to me. Be extremely careful. Whatever you do, don’t rush into this!"

After hearing what that unfortunate scholar had suffered for a mere glimpse of cosmic knowledge, how could Evenson not be worried? The twins wanted to pursue truths far more profound than anything the man had discovered.

What price would they have to pay?

Sacrolash rolled her eyes.

"You’re getting ahead of yourself. Your concern is touching, really, but..."

She produced the slip of paper and held it up.

Evenson leaned forward.

Written on it was a simple string of numbers.

"It’s just her phone number," Sacrolash explained. "Remember? We promised to buy her a house."

Evenson stared at the paper.

Then he stared at Sacrolash.

Of course.

Naturally, one of the most incomprehensible beings in existence had left them her cellphone number.

Somehow, that was almost more unsettling than everything else she’d told them.