Murai looked at the book in front of him with an uncertain glance. Then, he gave Iris a simple nod, accepting this sort of idea to be better than nods or shakes of his beak. Though his beak wouldn't get the writing down.

Handling this quill will involve something else than the beak that won't touch a thing. But can he manage it ~ mana, that is? It was stable enough, his mind but his insides? Murai decided to give it a chance regardless.

Conjuring a small amount of nana out of his body, Iris flickered her eyes upon it. Seeing and feeling the mana coming from inside Murai's body, she was both startled and impressed. It was a wild, semi-chaotic mana that had a tinge of a demonic beast but it also meant he had the mana core.

After some time, it was more than obvious that it wasn't anything dangerous since Murai wasn't dangerous. It may be just a dangerous feeling, but that was it ~ like an angry-looking dock that would be a good boy inside.

Murai Conjured just an amount of mana under his care. It was almost negligible and appeared like a few strands some rough, flickering lines. Yet, this jolted Iris because she feared alerting Lazar but it was small, so hopefully, it won't be enough to alert him.

She remained calm to wait and see what will happen.

It was a case of careful Shaping but Iris was thinking it would... Well. It was questionable what she was thinking since from the very beginning when she discovered something went with this duck, she was uncertain if she was making a mistake or not.

Using her Lady's gift to get a better idea was the bare minimum of what she had and whatever will come out of it later, will happen or not.

What if people discover that she has this demonic beast in her possession? She didn't dare to think the villagers would be that happy about it, even though she was a priestess of the Vermillion Church. If worse would come, perhaps her position as a priestess would help but it was a doubtful claim indeed when Centralis Kingdom was the ruler.

Iris looked at the shimmering strands of mana and how they grabbed quill with thin threads. It was weirdly natural as if a human hand was grabbing the quill, but it was wobbly.

Murai wasn't one to be afraid of trying hard things, but Iris could recognize he was doing this for the first time. Perhaps even this slip of mana would alert her uncle, but he shouldn't be worried too much. Iris always had a perfect mind to make some excuse for things but in this situation? She doubted that.

“Alright. I would expect nothing else from a Blessed. You are really extraordinary, even though you are a duck. Duck with a mana core, in fact. How peculiar” Iris said.

In a few swipes of the quill, Murai wrote a few words on the paper, albeit they were unreadable, causing him to stomp the table with his feet. This was his first time Shaping something this precise and intimate with this peculiar Beast Core. It was hard as if he was writing with his non-dominant hand and a dozen dogs were barking right behind his head.

He managed to work with what he had. Controlling the quill from dozens of points to make writing motions was easier said than that, as it was one of the more advanced types of fundamentals of Shaping.

The only setting that this could be used in, was in many mage schools to properly teach Shaping to new mages. Although, this sort of method was quite useless in actual use since it had no real-life values in advanced magic or spells.

The only good it would do was the improvement the control of the mana and improve the Shaping to control certain objects with some efficiency and power. Or certain Paths, or spells would need this, but those may be very specific.

Murai was Conjuring strands of mana in the shape of thin fingers. Then those strands will have to be Shaped and controlled into fine motions to move the quill which was the hardest part. They need to move the quill to make words on the paper, and that was harder than it looked.

Using mana in small doses wouldn't do much to anything in magic, or power. Now, Murai was using it in a laughable manner since he had no options.

He wasn't new to this sort of thing, but doing so in this life was... not ideal. He spend years mastering this sort of exercise but he was a duck. The unkept mana of his Beast Core was yet something he controlled with ease.

In a bit, what was before Iris was simple, although barely readable words in her notebook.

Name Murai

“Murai? Your name... Nice to meet you, sir Murai.” Iris said, understanding that this shouldn't be an easy thing to do. She would never be able to Shape something so intricate as writing without her own hands.

In fact, why she would do that if she had her own hands? She gave him a customary bow as if she was a newcomer in front of the elder and watched how Murai didn't glare at all and rather focused on his writing as if he was looking at his worst enemy.

It wasn't a wrong assumption, and Iris wasn't stupid. She was feeling the mana of her surroundings while clutching her necklace that was swaying from her neck. She would never be able to achieve this level of control over the mana on the first try.

Even when would her lady blessed her with some luck or blessing, it wouldn't make such a difference. What she already had was an achievement for her present self.

Without any other meaningful writings next, Iris was the one who started this so she continued.

“Well, mister Murai. What will it be? I want to help you so what's your view on this? You are still injured, so what can I do for you apart from involving the Church?” Iris asked with a different kind of tone and feelings in mind.

There wasn't much she could do about his internal injuries, but involve the church. She had limited power, and getting help from the church was not a bad idea in her book.

Having this method of written communication was different now, so her tone changed when one can have a proper way of talking.

Murai thought for an answer, but those weren't the kinds that would come all of a sudden. Instead, he asked a question in return.

The help of a church?

That may be troublesome since she is a priestess of Lady Vermillion, and by this extension, Murai pretty much understood where this would go.

He wrote more words this time, trying to not butcher them, so he took his time. He was hoping to get his idea across this barrier which was his inability to properly hold a discussion.

Why do you want to help me? Is there something for you by doing this?

Those simple words and questions revealed a pessimistic view of what Murai thought of Iris and her offer. What she was doing wasn't making much sense. As a demonic beast, Murai already figured out the fear and anxiety that she had, which changed because she discovered him to be Blessed.

It changed her fear quite a lot, which may be suspicious, even.

It also shouldn't change the fact that he was dangerous in the eyes of many. Especially in the Centralis Kingdom, albeit he didn't know much about the politics or inner structure of this world.

Maybe the reason for everything would be completely different if he wasn't that pessimistic. But here he was, having his own feelings over something that wasn't his fault. Perhaps he won't have a choice and take this offer instead. It may not be that bad.

Murai also had a small hesitation about Iris, who wasn't anything special at first glance, yet held the power to call a god.

A gift or a blessing from a god can cause all kinds of strange things to occur, so perhaps she held more secrets?

That necklace close to her was one of them for sure.

“Why help? Why not?” Iris asked as if the matter of this question made total sense to her. “I don't see why I shouldn't do that for a Blessed. It's part of the doctrine of my Lady, and it's not like I am afraid of you. It's not like Blessed is anything common, so maybe this karma will get to me one day. Though, it depends on your morality, sir Murai. Are you a bad pers... I mean, duck? Wait... This is getting confusing.” She sighed, shaking her head in frustration.

Murai did so as well, albeit in his mind. This girl is indeed what I assumed. A naive tool, or a fool. Exactly not something I need, but who knows? Murai thought, figuring that any kind of help wouldn't hurt his insides. He only hoped there will be nothing bad that will come from this since there was an option for a lot of potential problems.

He wrote the next message, which took quite some time.

I see your sincerity. Depending on what you seek and view, it may be a good thing in disguise or a disaster in good. I, myself am a neutral evil, or chaotic neutral if I feel like it.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Though, if you feel nervous, I don't seek to destroy your family or do anything to you. You saved me, and that is a fact that I am extremely grateful for.

I am not an ungrateful person or a duck.

Iris read the message and sighed in relief. “That is good. I hoped to read something like this,” she said, not involving her real reasons why she wanted to help him at all. She was a curious girl, and meeting a Blessed in such a situation may be a good fortune for her and not a disaster in the appearance of a demonic duck.

Whether he was a demonic beast, or not, didn't matter to her and her view of the world.

She grabbed Murai without much regard, lifted him up, and give him the rarest kind of thing she could give him. A small smile.

“Although, I hope for something in return, sir Murai.” She asked, and Murai no longer sensed the flow of mana according to his Shaping intent. He was a bit too far from the book, and being lifted didn't help with that either. “I will give you a week to get into a better shape. That's for you to recover completely, but that is an assessment of a small, insignificant priestess, so at the end of the day, it depends on what you want. Do you want me to treat you better? If so, the Church may be the best choice, and I swear nothing bad will come from this. I give you my word or I will leave the church forever.” Iris stated, staring at Murai, whose expression was unmoved by her offer.

Iris was expecting the return of a nod, which came, but after a fierce battle of stares.

Murai didn't know what good will come with this girl or what kind of intentions she even had. It was a strange turn of events but maybe it wasn't that terrible. Having this kind of help was needed since he was in a hostile place and having a week should be enough to get back to his health.

Perhaps?

He was still doubtful about his broken and limp limbs since they were broken like a stick of wood at their base. At least it didn't hurt any longer, but having his tiny legs sway below him like a broken branch wasn't what he liked.

The question was, what was he supposed to do after a week? Follow some safety? Get recourses and try to make some sort of living? Murai had no time to figure out what sort of life he will have since the world was already pestering him with a Task to do.

For now, or forwards, he wasn't sure what to think of his living. He can't live like a mage and move some politics, right? Become a member of some guild, or teach others magic at some academy as he did numerous times? Impossible... Not now.

He knew the Task that Battlewolrd gave him was just an excuse in the form of some motives that God of Battle wanted to stir. It was another course of lofty people, working with weird ideas to stir their own Egos and put forth some grudges over their Divinity.

Murai knew he was a tool in place to make something happen, or it was a situation that was inevitable because of him? He had all intentions to stir some troubles as well, but not now where they aimed at him instead.

He was too early in his path to do a thing, but then, he remembered he already stirred enough troubles with some of his involvement.

It was quite a big problem in his opinion and not the kind he wished for.

Stirring a war and problems between the gods wasn't good. Involvement in godly motives and war should have incredible differences and heights because gods were those kinds of beings~messed up and unreasonable.

It would be to his liking at most times, yet he needed to be very careful about that prospect at this point of his early living. Otherwise, he would have no other chance but think of regrets.

With the simple, yet better then usual discussion, Iris was satisfied with helping Murai out for a week. It wasn't a lot, not little. She didn't want anything in return which further put some suspicions in Murai's mind. He could live with that for now.

If worse will happen, he could always use his mana to push himself away and escape. Where? How? That wasn't under his plan. It was a hopeful claim that he would rather forget. He wasn't sure about Lazar's ideas, nor if he would be able to do much in the outside world that would no longer stop from bearing its fangs at him.

It wasn't probably a good idea to think too pessimistically.

Considering his wounds, unless he had a helper, which he had, it would be a terrible mistake. Iris had no intention of anything else but getting him back to a healthy state, and that was it. After a week, Murai will be back on his own journey, and that was all to it.

After having this simple confirmation, Iris gave him some corner of her room which was well hidden from the door. Piling many pillows to make a bed, she put Murai in a resting place.

At that corner, Murai sighed, feeling that his simple agreement came too quickly.

Well... this has been something. Injuries in this body weren't a good thing to have at all but not like it was something I could've stopped, was it? Razmund did it, so screw my luck, I suppose. He complained inside his mind, laying in his little cozy corner.

That was a good thing but a week was a long time for him. After all, there was a big issue. He was supposed to have enough prowess to go against God's Trial in 99 days, and there was also an issue with the Punishment Acts along with his Major Task, and the other one with the 10 Demonic foes.

He feared the punishment to some extent, thinking it was created to stir further problems and make Blessed's life worse.

Yet, there was something more pressing to him than that. He lost his bag filled with treasures and injuries littered his body. Only one of these things truly bothered him at the moment.

His rewards! Those that he shed blood for and fought for? His spatial bag included absolutely everything from the Somalis Dungeon that he worked hard for.

Having it stolen from him was of utmost disgrace for him and he cursed Razmund more at that fact than his beating. It was enough that he was quite angry at himself, and not much at his unlucky circumstance of ending up in the Centralis Kingdom.

He didn't even think much of his own injuries, which were a terrible thing to consider.

Murai's first thoughts in this position were simple.

How to regain the strength which he needed for the future? He needed to shoot past the limits and ignore the injuries that will need time to heal.

Murai realized that even with that healing, it wasn't infinite nor was it an encompassing ability to end up resurrecting the dead.

His case wasn't good, so 1 week to get his bones intact already sounded way too good. Now, the real problem was, how to get powerful in such a situation where he can't walk, or do anything.

Mana? He thought of asking Iris if he may practice something, but he feared being discovered by anyone involved with the Falconers. Lazar was the prime example of that.

Murai had an idea of getting more progress over his magic since it was easiest, and something that was possible. Figuring more Shaping was a perfect choice to do in his circumstances since he didn't have to move a finger for this sort of training. #

Considering the issues of the Battleworld's system, the magic was something that acted within it too, but to a lesser degree. Mana was encompassing energy, so one can handle it without involving oneself with the Battleworld itself.

Though, if the world decided to involve oneself with the one willing the mana? That was precisely Murai's situation and the situation of many others.

One can improve magic, and in return, the World will give it meaningful values or potential rewards. That was the general view of how magic and the Will of the Battleworld acted.

He needed some time to get accustomed to his affinities, create, or come up with any spells on his own. That may change at any time unless he wouldn't have too pressing issues, which he hopefully won't have.

In this way, Mana Tomes would help, but they weren't almighty. One can create their own feelings over the spells themselves, and Murai wielded countless variants and spells in his head. If anything, his Cursed living made him average of countless of them, along with many Paths.

Well, there seemed to be some things to take care of firsts.

Things like mana javelins, or that sun that Murai used against the 1st Trial of the Somalis Dungeon were good examples of simply constructing the nature of the Shaping into a distinct appearance of spells. They did require proper imagination and Shaping and did seem like a spell already.

That was the example of Shaping the mana without Battleworld's interventions into the appearance of a spell, and how a mage would form magic outside of this World. It was from within, rather than using something outside Factror like this Will of the Battleworld.

He used them because he was well familiar with them and his Shaping was more than enough for them.

As for the more complex things to do, he needed training, comprehension, and gain control over his Beast Core.

Unfortunately, everything involved time, and time was a peculiar thing that the World may not gift him.