I sigh in exhaustion after I put my tools down on the altar. It took me a while to break these [Mana Stones] to dust with a hammer first, then a mortar and pestle. But after a while of mixing, the products are finished and are shining right in front of me.
> [Sparking Mana Ink]
>
> [A magic ink made of crushed [Sparking Gemstones] that was enchanted by magic. Writing with this ink will give off a jolting recoil from the sparks of the ink.
>
> Quality: 14]
>
> ----------------------------------------
>
> [Gale Mana Ink]
>
> [A magic ink made of crushed [Gale Gemstones] that was enchanted by magic. Writing with this ink will create a small breeze from the ink.
>
> Quality: 15]
I have to admit, the inkwells look very cool shining like the stones they were made from. Though the quality needs some improving. Regardless, I'm happy with the results and it should be enough for the [Sign Creation Ceremony]. Best of all, neither of them exploded in my face during my crafts! I did everything I can with my pens and hopefully, I can ace this [Hidden Quest] with no problem!
[Well, it seems that you have made quite a bundle of items we never expect you to make, young Kazu.]
My eyes widen and I turn around as soon as I hear that familiar voice. "Sentio! Ah, is that time already? Sorry, I kinda got too focused on my crafts lately."
[No worries, young mage. We've been observing your progress lately and honestly, the other [Sign Sages] were shocked to see such a young child like you managed to make these magical stationary tools in a few hours.]
Huh? Do they already know these items I crafted? "Uh, thanks? Honestly, I have zero experience with making these magical items you've spoken of and I never read any books about it. I just came up with them on the fly."
[Ah, a self-taught magic crafter and scribe. You really do possess a lot of talents, young child.] I watch the older [Sign Sage] walk to the altar and stare at the quills and inks I made so far. [And you did it all using everything you have in person along with the materials you gathered from the book's worlds. You are a special child. You never cease to amaze us with your wits and creativity alone.]
"Really?" I ask in confusion while rubbing the back of my head. I’ve never thought my crazy experiments and builds were enough to impress the [Sign Sages] here.
[Yes. In fact, you are on par with Yur1 in vying for the second phase of the ceremony. While he did follow the instructions and gathered the necessary items and recipes he learned from his studies, he still amazed us with how he created his tools just like you,] Sentio explains. [However, none compared to your greatest achievement of defeating the great [Tempest Frigate] alone.]
Wait, seriously?! Is that really a big deal here?! "But I just defeated it in the book's world. It's not like I defeated it because it was on a rampage near the town or something."
[That is true. But your strength alone proves that you have the potential to become the strongest mage of
"Master...of Magicians?"
Sentio just responds with a chuckle and says, [You will find out in due time. Right now, you should focus on the ceremony first. Since you already made your quill, or rather, two of them, I consider the first phase of your ceremony completed!]
I smile at the news before I jump for joy. "Alright! Oh yeah! What about Yur1?"
[As you might have guessed by now, he also passed the first phase and is on his way to completing the next one. As for the phase itself, your next objective is to head deeper into this temple you're in right now.]
He taps the end of his staff and before I notice, a door suddenly appears at the end of the room and opens by itself.
[There, you will find the [Rune Tablets] where the [Signs] from our ancient ancestors left them for the world to remember. You will observe them for a while, which should serve as an inspiration for your own [Signs]. Once you're done, you will move on to the last phase of the ceremony. Any questions, young Kazu?]
I hum in thought once I hear what the next phase is. "Yeah, what if I make the [Sign] without seeing those [Rune Tablets] you've mentioned?"
[Some tried to make one without seeing one themselves, but all of them ended in failure, most of which made their would-be [Signs] nothing but scribbles. If you truly want to make your own [Sign], you must observe the past first. That's why we have to conduct the second phase of the ceremony, a close-guarded secret to the rest of the world. Otherwise...]
"Other people, who might have evil intentions might abuse the [Signs] and cause total chaos around
[Your imagination never ceases to amaze us, young Kazu,] Sentio says as he smiles at me. [Of course, this phase also acts as a contract. This contract stipulates that you promise never to reveal the source of the [Signs] to anyone but others who are also bound by the same contract as you.]
"If that's the case, I'll make sure to keep that promise no matter what, Master Sentio," I proudly declare while placing my hand on my chest.
[I hope you will. Now be off, young Kazu. The knowledge of the past awaits.]
I bow down to Sentio before packing everything into my inventory. As he said, I want to learn how to make [Signs] right now and there is no time for me to ask more questions. It's time for me to start the second phase of the [Sign Creation Ceremony]!
----------------------------------------
A figure wearing a white hooded robe hums to himself as he fiddles a silver coin around his pale skin fingers. He is sitting on the table right in front of several glowing crystals that were placed on the table. One of them shows a moving image of a certain young boy with white hair walking through the long concrete hallway as the figure watches it with great interest. Then, one crystal flickers as a female voice echoed from it.
[Still interested in that young boy's talents, Dux?]
"You can say that," the figure answers as he smiles underneath his hood. "But that doesn't mean I'm hyperfocused on him too much. How are the other candidates?"
[Along with young Kazu and Yur1 moving into the second phase, two more managed to pass the first phase. The others, on the other hand, were still stuck on gathering the materials and some of them were unable to make quills that are strong enough to create [Signs] as our [Mana Papers] shown to us after their crafts.]
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
The figure named Dux sighs after hearing the latest results. "At least that eases my worries a bit. If those two only passed this year's ceremonies, then you might blame me for favoritism."
[Speaking of favoritism, I want to mention a half-[Insignis] boy's progress in his [Test of Courage]. It seems that he lost a fight against General Veritates recently.]
Dux sighs again, only in a tone of dismay. "As expected. I knew his overconfidence would be his downfall sooner than later."
[Were you expecting that half-[Insignis] boy to lose from the start of his trial? Don't tell me you favor more to his younger brother more than him.]
Dux chuckles and says, "Not likely. That boy is more proactive and more hands-on than his brother. However, what he lacks from him are his resolution and motivation. He can't rely on his old mindset forever. If he truly wants to pass the test, he needs to find the resolution that will help him stand on his own two feet."
[That is true. We know humans find success after failure and that is the same for us [Insignis].]
"That is true. However, it's not because we have to learn from our failures to move forward." The figure stands up and suddenly tosses his coin up in the air. "Whether if we are [Humans], [Elves], [Beastfolk], or [Insignis], we have flaws to overcome. As long as we fail, we get more aware of them. However, if we remove them, it will make our lives much more difficult to proceed. The only way to overcome them is to recognize our flaws and acknowledge than to push them away. This way..."
Before he can finish, he catches the coin before it lands on the ground, causing his hood to fall off, revealing his white short hair and green eyes.
"They will able to learn that underneath all the mana we possess, we are perfect in any way."
He then hears applause from the crystal.
[Quite a speech there, Dux. Is it one of those metaphorical theories one of those sages came up with?]
Dux smiles. "No. It's a psychological study from a man named Jung."
----------------------------------------
I'm a bit nervous as I walk through the torch-lit hallway stretched out from me. After hearing all of that from Sentio, there's a lot of pressure on me right now. Not only do I have to pass this ceremony, but the method to learn how to make [Signs] is a secret that would harm
I quickly shake my head at that scary thought. For now, I have to get to the next room to start the next phase.
----------------------------------------
Once I reached the door, I push it open and see that there is a large stone tablet standing in a near-empty room. As soon as I step inside, the torches suddenly light themselves, allowing me to see what is written (or carved) on the tablet. This might be the "past" that I'm supposed to observe, huh? Seems easy enough.
I slowly approach the tablet while storing my staff back in my inventory. Taking a closer look, I see drawings of several people writing something on some kind of canvases and a lone person offering someone that it wasn't drawn. There is a strange rune written on a tablet along with some runic characters written below them. At first, I can't understand what it says, but then...
> [Do you want to read the [Symbol Speech] text on the stone tablet?]
>
> [YES] [NO]
[Symbol Speech]? The very same language Bai Hu gave me that let me read and discover the [Sign Creation Ceremony]. If this allows me to pass the second phase, might as well tap [YES] and read what it says.
> [Translating...]
----------------------------------------
> [The Conception of the First Sign]
>
> [In the final days of the
>
> But on that very day, a young messenger broke the logic that the gods gave her and a new era came...]
----------------------------------------
Huh... This sounds very familiar... But I can't quite place it where...
> [NOTICE]
>
> [You have unlocked a special cutscene. Please standby.]
A special cutscene? Wait, does that mean...
Before I made that realization, the stone tablet suddenly flashes a bright white light and before I know it, the whole world around me turns white.
----------------------------------------
[My liege! Please reconsider this!]
Ugh... What was that? Who said that?
[I have made my decision,
Couriers?! I slowly open my eyes and to my shock, I'm not in the stone tablet room anymore. Instead, I'm in some kind of a small room that seems too bright and white with blue highlights and several tablets lined up on the wall. And it seems like I'm not the only one. Right in front of me is a young woman who seemed to be my age and has long blue hair, aqua blue eyes that seem like they are glowing, a white dress with a light blue sash belt on her waist, golden bracelets on her wrists, and blue boots. Another is an older man with gray short hair, his eyes kept shut, a long white robe with the same light blue sash belt, and brown leather sandals. From the looks on their faces, it seems like I’ve crashed into an uncomfortable situation.
[But
[But with the monsters now aiming at our sanctuary, we can't afford to lose more of our couriers from exhaustion and we need to focus our energy to defend ourselves and the beings below us,] the man named Protego counters in the strictest tone I’d ever heard. [If that is all you can discuss with me right now, then that's that. This matter is closed and there is nothing you can do to change that. Do you understand?]
I can see the woman struggle to open her mouth. Yet I can see her lips trembling and she is about to break into tears. I wish I could step in to help her. But when I try to place my hand on her shoulder, it just phases through it instead. Even calling them out seems useless, too.
[...I understand.]
I frown at her answer as I watch the older, but rude man leave the room. Is this the "special cutscene" the game mentioned for me interacting with the stone tablet? If so, what is it showing me anyway? I just see her clutching some kind of a necklace around her neck and watch her stare at one tablet right in front of her. I’m hoping the cutscene would end here since it's too heartbreaking to watch. But then, she says those words.
[If you think giving up here will solve anything, then I, Origia, will not.]
I look closer at the tablet she was staring at. And to my shock, I see that the tablet has a carved drawing of a star. The same star I’d seen from that lore story on the official website!
[If our prayers won't reach the gods, then the gifts they left us will. This will be my resolution for
I see. So the creation of the first [Sign]... Why did I forget about it?
This cutscene is showing me the origins of it. More specifically, how she ended the
----------------------------------------
> Current Quest: Sign Creation Ceremony ***
>
> Type: [Hidden]
>
> Status: In Progress
>
> Party Members:
>
> [Kazu]
----------------------------------------
Kazu's Masteries
[Arcana] Level 21
[Thunder] Level 18
[Wind] Level 15
[Alchemy] Level 18
[Magecrafting] Level 16
[Magical Affinity] Level 20
[Scribe] Level 21
[Earth] Level 10