Choosing the talent "Knowledge of Runes" as a skill from the Stela of Divine Inspiration, I gained an understanding of one Rune, as I had planned. Namely, Des Rune, the symbol of destruction. Of course, the simple word "destruction" did not fully convey the essence of this Sign. That's always the case with Runes - they can denote something completely opposite to their basic meaning in different contexts.

In the past Cycle, we long considered Rune Magic useful only in artifact crafting because it's hard to draw a Rune on an enemy in battle. To put it mildly, few opponents would allow it. Later, we realized how great our misconception was.

The most effective in my current situation was to draw a Rune on my palm and activate the Sign when touching an enemy. Of course, even a primitive zombie wouldn't be destroyed from such use of it at my level of mental core development, but it would still break a few bones.

Usually, mana is needed to activate Runes, access to which is closed for all of us until the initial tests are completed. But there is an exception: the first skill or the first spell at the initial power level does not consume mana - such are the rules of Ain. For this reason, the first skill can be used even without an active mental core. Yes, without mana, the effect will be significantly weaker than with it, but there will still be an effect, which is good in my situation!

The bad thing is that I didn't have a pen or a brush with ink at hand to draw a Rune. Of course, I could look for charcoal or chalk in the cave, but I don't think my calligraphy skills are enough to correctly depict a Sign of Divine Speech on my palm with charcoal. And the slightest mistake in drawing a Rune would turn it into a useless, meaningless symbol. That's why I came to the difficult conclusion that I would have to carve the Rune on my palm. Difficult because it still hurts to cut oneself without anesthesia! I consoled myself with the fact that blood has always been the best ink, if it comes to magic or rituals.

The blade of the baselard moved slowly; I didn't want to ruin everything by rushing. This made it even more painful. My plan was to depict the Rune on a fully open, skin-stretched palm. In this case, as long as the hand is relaxed or clenched in a fist, the lines of the Sign do not align, and the Rune is not formed. But as soon as I tense my palm, fully opening it, the skin will stretch, and all the lines will fall into their places, forming the Image of Des. And, even when the blood dries, a scar in the form of the Rune will remain, and the Sign will work. Of course, this is a temporary solution. Once I get into the big world, I will quickly heal this wound because living with the Rune of destruction on my palm would be, to put it mildly, inconvenient.

The "past me" did this many times, but the difference in those cases was that it was done under magical anesthesia, or rather under the spell "Shadow Detachment," which significantly increased the pain threshold.

Carefully, slowly, controlling not just the movement of the blade but even my breathing, I almost finished the sign. I only had to make the last stroke, to draw a small loop. One cut - and the Rune would be completed. I even stuck out my tongue from exertion, momentarily forgetting about the pain, when... A faint, barely visible blue glow appeared over my shoulder. A wave of pleasant, relaxing warmth washed over my arm, reached my palm, and the wound I had inflicted on myself, the incomplete Des Rune, disappeared. It disappeared, healed!

Healing Magic?!

"What the hell!?" I jump to my feet in fury.

My right hand clutches the bare dagger. I'm ready to kill!

"Oops!" Lan Lin immediately backs away from me, her eyes wide.

"What have you done?!" Staying composed to make a good impression on others? To hell with all that; right now, the only thing I want is to cut this unreasonable girl's ears off!

"Me?!" The black-haired girl protests while still retreating from me. "You were bleeding! I healed you!"

"Did. I. Ask. You?!" Her back hits a stalagmite, and there's nowhere else for her to retreat from me.

"He was healed! And instead of saying thank you he!.." She's almost choking with outrage, which is completely sincere. "Hey, put away the knife!"

We stand close to each other. The baselard in my hand quivers slightly and slowly rises to the level of the girl's eyes. All the pain I endured. I've been cutting myself for almost five minutes. And all this is now in vain! Because this crazy girl decided to try the skill she received from the Stela of Divine Inspiration on me?!! I was not irritated, not angry - I was furious!

"You're not going to..." Lan Lin squeaked quietly, like a mouse, when the blade of the baselard touched her skin.

The girl looked around frantically, but we were in a small nook, and the others couldn't see us. But to shout for help when the blade was so close to her face, she didn't dare. I don't know if my fury would have been enough to actually hurt her. Probably, still, "yes," because I had little control over myself. But at the last moment, my gaze fell on the object she was clutching to her chest.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

What? At first, I didn't understand, not believing my eyes. I took a closer look.

What?!!

It can't be!

The baselard fell and hung limp in my hand.

"Where did you get that?" I ask, taking a step back and pointing to the wand in the girl's hand.

No, I understand that she, having chosen Life Magic as a skill, picked a wand that enhances it from the Arsenal. That's logical. I was surprised by the exact item she got.

Ishia's Touch Wand! Artifact of the fifth circle!

Made from Tal wood, just like my spear shaft, and inscribed with silver runes. This item doubled the power of the base skills of Life Magic! Increased not by ten percent, not by a third, not even by half, but twice! In the big world, such an item would cost a hundred gold! A hundred! "Past me" could only gather such a sum during the fourth month after completing the initial trials! Four months! And she got something like this here? For free! Right at the beginning?!!

My gaze drops to the girl's wrist.

What?! How did this happen?! As a second item, the Arsenal gave her Ishia's Touch Bracelet?!

My left eye starts twitching in a mild nervous tic. Not only is the bracelet of the same circle as the wand and costs no less, but this pair constitutes a Minor Set! A complete artifact set of two items!

"Five hundred gold in total," - my "future" memory promptly informed me.

In her hands, Lan Lin was holding the equivalent of a kilogram of pure gold!

I take another step back. Thoughts in my head are fluttering like a flock of crazed birds. I simply don't believe what my eyes are seeing. I can't believe it.

"Huh?" Realizing that the threat has passed, Lan Lin relaxes and, extending her hand, examines her Wand. "This?"

"Just tell me how you got this item. It's clearly magical," I struggle to find words so as not to reveal too much.

"Ah..." She waves off my words as if they are of little significance. Then she ponders for a second, sighs heavily, and whispers as if sharing a terrible secret, "To be honest. I felt lost in the Arsenal. Like a little girl, I stared at these rows of weapons, and... my mind was a blank slate! And when there were only ten seconds left, I just asked..." She finishes speaking very quietly.

"Asked who?" I didn't understand.

"The Arsenal." She whispers back as if embarrassed.

"And?"

"I asked for something that suits my skill best!" She pattered. "I understand that I behaved strangely, talking to the void like a fool, but…"

Lan Lin keeps talking, but in my head, there's a ringing: "Wait, you could do that?!" Not choosing for yourself, hoping you'll get something worthwhile, but "just ask"? Even my "past" memory doesn't know of a case where someone acted as she just did.

My left eye started twitching a little harder.

The question is... Is she just lucky? Or are we all, including me, with my memory of the future, fools? Could we have asked CORRECTLY and actually received an optimal set of items? I look at the fifth-circle artifact set in the girl's hands, and I'm increasingly inclined to think that the second option is more likely, as much as it pains me to admit. No one thought to ask for the best. She did. She has an artifact set. No one else does. Logical? Logical.

Nevertheless, I made a huge note in my memory after the black-haired girl's name. A note in one word with a question mark. Lan Lin - Shard?

The fact that I "didn't remember" her meant nothing. Given her character, she probably didn't take the life rod last time and failed the first group trial. This time I intervened, and she wasn't erased. Moreover, I "know" that there were Shards who failed the initial tasks in the past Cycle. Everything seems to add up, but it can't be definitively stated yet. Hence, the question mark.

I already have a second such note in my memory, and I haven't even made it to the big world yet! The first note read: Scully - Shard?

Because I couldn't believe that an ordinary girl, even being a martial arts master, could so easily handle someone like Skorzeny. Yes, the thug was clearly taken by surprise, excited, with his pants down. But still... Scully scared me. And that alone was enough for such a note.

Maybe I'm wrong in both cases. Maybe. But I'll keep these notes anyway.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm down, and when I managed to do so, I raised my hand, halting the stream of words that was inexorably pouring from Lan Lin's lips, and said:

"Don't do that anymore."

"But I healed you..."

Most problems and tragedies between people occur due to misunderstandings. Therefore, if possible, any such conflict, especially with Shards, is better for me to nip in the bud. Of course, without revealing my knowledge of the "future," because I do not want to test how questers will react to such revelations, and I want to live.

"Please don't interrupt me," she obediently falls silent mid-sentence. "My talent is Runes," I continue. "Signs of the ancient language. As a skill, I received the knowledge of one of the Runes. Since we don't have any paints or inks, and we don't know what lies ahead, I decided to carve the Rune with a dagger on my palm. I'm not a masochist, and it did hurt!" The girl's eyes widen as she begins to understand. "I almost finished, but then you intervened and healed the wound. Thereby ruining everything. And the fact that I endured pain when I cut myself turned out to be in vain."

"Oh... I'm sorry... Honestly, I didn't know! I noticed you were missing, went looking, and saw you in this corner. Saw you from the back. Noticed blood on your palm and a dagger in your other hand. I thought you had cut yourself badly and hurried to help!"

"You thought?" I ask dubiously.

"I saw the blood and immediately..." she confesses, turning a deep shade of red.

"So you didn't think."

"Yes," the black-haired girl nods and nevertheless admits, "I didn't think."

"Don't do that anymore," I firmly repeat, looking her straight in the eye.

"I'll try," Lan Lin quietly replies, turning away, unable to bear my gaze.

I don't understand her: she behaves like a ten-year-old, with all her "my fingers were crossed," then admits her mistakes like a wise person.

"I..." the black-haired girl starts, but a loud noise and surprised shouts make her fall silent.

"Let's go. Something's happening," I nod, nudging the girl forward.

It didn't work out with the Rune because of the interference of this unfortunate healer, and I just won't have time to reapply the Sign.

Well, I should be able to handle it as is…