What Licht had realized was that even if he combined his innate abilities to create a new reaction, the result would not always get recorded as a new skill in his interface. It only ever happened when the reaction was distinguishable enough from any one of his other skills.

He had recreated the effects of other skills many times, like creating an effect similar to [Bestowal] by siphoning the essence of a virtue from his own supply of liquid AF, which he stored within his body. But the process was too similar to the original skill, so the method hadn’t shown up in the interface.

Where Licht had been successful though, was in creating entirely new results. He found he could impart one of his own skills onto another being for a limited time if certain conditions were met.

Although it was similar in principle to [Bestowal], the skill that imparted virtues, it had an entirely different result and process, which led to it getting recorded as [Arborescent Skill Graft]. Although Licht was a little miffed he couldn’t pick his own skill’s names, he supposed the system-given one summarized it pretty well.

What Licht had found out from that was that the rating for new skills was dependent on their effects. It sounded obvious, but unlike his base innate abilities like [Wood Manipulation] or [Construct Body], these skills made by him had specialized purposes, and so were essentially a dead end beyond their use. What the rating did for him was give a more-or-less accurate idea of how useful the skill was in comparison to others. Between two skills of the same type, the rating from the system could help tremendously in determining their worth and efficiency compared to each other.

Though Licht really only had one case of skills that were similar enough to use this comparison method with, his light and wood manipulation skills. And obviously he didn’t need a higher rating to tell him his wood manipulation was more useful.

But none of that had stopped him from continuing to exercise his brain in creating new skills. For after the study of spectrals aided by the two parasite specimens, the second important thing he was doing in his workshop was creating skills.

Right now, Licht had many things he was thinking about, but was mainly pouring his energy into a project to revitalize the forest that had been withered from his past evolution. That, and he was attempting something with the light virtues since he had accumulated another one over the past couple years.

Licht turned from a hallway that was covered on all surfaces by roots and into a smaller room, although still tall enough for him to feel comfortable.

As he walked in, on either side of him laid an array of bladed instruments and devices of all kinds. Despite looking like a torture chamber minus the gore, in the center of the room was not a subject on the verge of death but quite the opposite. A protruding elevated surface of wood supported an earthy pot with a sapling inside. The young tree at the beginning of its life was quite ordinary. A regular old Imperial Delia sapling that he had nurtured quickly on his way here through remote [Biogenical Growth], but it was not the sapling itself that was important but what Licht wanted to do with it.

Licht grabbed a knife-like instrument, one of the rare metal objects found in the grove, and put its blade forth along the surface of the sprout. As he made a small incision into the sapling, he cast his skills.

Starting by exposing the young tree to his manipulation skills of both wood and light, and then an infusion of nutrients from his passive ability, he went to work on carefully exposing the sapling to the exact conditions as he had all the others in the past month.

“Aaaand…[Biogenical Growth].”

The small tree began to stitch itself back up, no sutures needed. Licht nodded, he had gotten to this stage consistently over the past week, having made significant progress in the past few days. Would today be the day he could finally reach the stage of incorporating [Construct Body]?

…

As quick as he could do so without ruffling his tunic, Hemlock wiped the sweat off of his brow. He looked up at the two who were under the shade with him. Seeing that neither Siya nor Arjun had noticed him doing it, the priest sighed in relief that he had kept face.

At first, he had expected that whatever labor the kids would push onto him would just be chores. After proving himself by doing those, he figured he would eventually be forced to ask their guardian for more responsibilities, and finally then would he be able to pay back his debt. He had been around enough trainees to know the habits of children.

And after all, what kind of work could possibly be given to a child besides cleaning, or perhaps preparing the food? Making their beds, perhaps?

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

But he had been wrong. Honestly, his first clue that his assumptions were incorrect should have been the fact that the two elven kids were credited by the master of the grove, Licht, with saving his life. A pair of children having advanced knowledge of medicine and herbs should have tipped him off that ‘chores’ around here were going to be different than normal.

So when he was brought a basket of Brown Fevilshroom and told to shuck the caps and rings from them, he had assumed they were joking. It was worth noting that his particular strain of medicinal mushroom could be described to be as hard as stone. What kind of commune, however small, would make their children do such a thing?

Two hours into the task, Hemlock with burning vascular arms didn’t even care about that anymore.

Frankly, the work was exhausting. Who knew that preparing herbs would be so strenuous, but Hemlock would be damned if he let two kids out-perform him. So he hid all possible signs of his own exhaustion whenever possible, giving the illusion of stable performance.

But internally, he still bemoaned. It reminded him of the finger-splitting tasks that he was forced to do while working up to priesthood.

He thought back to those days. Constantly having monotonous tasks being shoveled onto you by higher members of the clergy. Hmm…nowadays he could forgive and forget, but they were memories he could do without.

Hemlock looked up at the dark-haired elves and wondered if they were in a similar situation.

It didn’t seem like it. To Hemlock it was clear that they had an obvious respect for their wooden guardian, and somewhat of a familial relationship. He had gotten the impression of an almost parental relationship between the two parties from their short interaction he had seen. Plus that plant life…Muan.

The priest wondered about their history, and how this odd mixture of people had come to live in this forest.

“Watcha doing? Slackin?”

Siya, the outspoken elf girl, caught his 1000-yard stare in their direction and accused him. Hemlock’s distracted mind returned to the present..

“Oh, sorry, I suppose I got distracted.”

Hemlock didn’t feel any particular way about apologizing to the child. Though his expression changed as she threw the brown mushroom in her hands over her shoulder.

“Sis-!”

“Quiet Arjun! Hey priest, tell us something interesting!”

Ignoring the protests of Arjun at her wastage of herbs, Siya point-blank asked Hemlock to alleviate the boring atmosphere. The priest crooked his neck.

“I don’t remember introducing myself as a priest?”

The girl responded as if it was obvious.

“So what? Do you think we’re blind? You came in with all those robes and that necklace and stuff. Who wears that kind of stuff except for a priest?”

Hemlock saw even Arjun nod his head in agreement with his sister as he looked over to the priest.

“Ah, I suppose so then.”

It wasn’t as if Hemlock was trying to hide it, as his goddess was generally favorably looked upon. But usually religion was a tough opener in Hadea. Even more so in a possible isolationist commune, who would want a priest to come in when they might start evangelizing?

“Anyway, never mind that boring stuff! Tell us something about the outside!”

Hemlock noticed that Arjun had gone silent after his initial protests, as if to agree with his sister. It seems like they both want some entertainment, Hemlock thought.

“Well,” Hemlock began, “There once was…”

“No…”

Hemlock’s brow rose as the soft voice of Arjun interrupted him. The usually quiet boy expanded on what they both wanted to hear.

“Not a story! More like…what’s going on in the world nearby?”

“Yeah! Like news. You got any news, old man?”

Old man? I’m hardly thirty!

Hemlock’s face twitched from being called old from two kids who were likely even older. They were probably on the same level as the senior priests even, but he didn’t want to argue with them, as technically they were still children by the standards of elves. Hemlock thought about their request.

So they don’t want to be entertained, but want to learn more about current events. What kind of kids are these? Do they not get out enough? Perhaps that makes some sense…this grove is likely the safest spot within these woods, possibly even a better spot for children than the neighboring villages.

At least, he hadn’t witnessed any serpenti or bandit invasions during the few days he had been here.

Hemlock thought about what they’d probably find the most interesting if they didn’t get outside often.

“Perhaps you’d like to hear about the kingdoms near here, then?”

“Ooh, yes!”

“Sure.”

With the confirmation of the elves, Hemlock pondered. Honestly, he wasn’t sure if this was such a good topic for the current company, but he still continued.

“Okay…”

Hemlock opened his mouth and started to speak from what he knew. Keeping in mind that they were technically still children with the minds and developing personalities of them, however intelligent, he conscientiously filtered some things out.

So not going too far in-depth, Hemlock described the war between the Kingdoms of Mont Ryoux and Pytheonia, and the recent upwelling of beasts in the surrounding countries.