Chapter 41: Advancing Is as Easy as Drinking Water đ
Reflections on Time and Purpose
Even in her slumber, Wenger could clearly sense her consciousness, though time passed too quickly. The idea of amnesia was too far-fetched. It didnât fit her natureâback then, hiding away, how could she have gone out casually? Lately, going out was driving her up the wall.
It all boiled down to one thing: she was too weak. With world-shattering strength, sheâd have cleared the game long ago to find a way home. This world was wonderful, but she didnât belong here. She hadnât planned to live this long. Obsession had dragged her this far, yet the path ahead demanded her to ponder. How unfair.
Overthinking was pointless. Sometimes, she felt people needed to step outside. Embracing nature was as vital as meditation. When she couldnât walk anymore, sheâd sit in the mountains. When sitting grew boring, sheâd return to the treehouse. After writing the letter, Wenger chatted a bit more with Rhine before leaving.
She didnât forget to list the materials needed for the ritual in the letter. The village might have them, but buying extra wouldnât hurt. She had a touch of hoarding syndrome.
Avoiding the Church
After reading Rellaâs letter, Wenger was reluctant to return to the church. Even if gods ignored her, the idea of two deities existing was unnerving. She climbed the side stairs to the storage room, rummaging through items. Shelves held holy water and the likeâWenger couldnât sense any divine blessing in them.
But potion-making did involve similar steps. Enchanting herbs with intent could enhance their potency. At first, she found it fantastical and fun. Later, she figuredâwhatâs impossible in this world? If it worked, that was enough. Now, her ritual would actually need these. Thankfully, there was still stock. Rellaâs meticulousness paid off.
Stuffing what she needed into her inventory, the rest should be in the treehouseâs warehouse. Wenger dusted her hands and left the church, taking a field path back. Corn harvest was coming, but it was a bit early to think about. Back home, she dove into the warehouse, delighted to find all the materials neededâno waiting required.
Sorting everything, she headed to the potion garden âempty-handed.â At the edge of the rose patch, she laid out the items, starting preparations. The scroll said altering celestial phenomena was impossible. People long ago believed so, and tampering with such thoughts was often deemed blasphemous. Over countless years and generations, a breakthrough was found. The completed scroll was hidden in a mage tower.
Wenger had heard of mage towers being built in recent decades, but earlier research must have been grueling. Even so, replicating the ritual with the scroll in hand was daunting. The key was a puzzling phrase at the scrollâs end: âWhat does âfinal interpretation belongs to Zoteâ mean?â It sounded like a designed special item, which didnât sit well with her.
Following the scrollâs steps, she hauled large stones from the mountains, arranging them in a circle on the clearing. Lily bonfire, holy water, a circular base made from fire iron ore⌠Sheâd carved the base herself. Luckily, some ore was available near the mines. She toiled until the moon rose, only half-done with preparations.
Wiping sweat from her brow, Wenger surveyed her work with a hint of helplessness. She was exhausted. And she still had to confirm the moonâs phase, as it affected the moon, not the sun. That made sense⌠She had to admit influencing the moon was simpler than the sun, but were either simple? Was this reliable?
Part of her baseless confidence came from the scrollâs final note. Confirming the moonâs phase was like pinpointing its orbital positionâchecking a calendar might suffice. It required a new or full moon, closest to the ecliptic plane. Now was⌠near a new moon. Perfect. Sheâd need half a day to induce a solar eclipse. It felt like pure âbrute forceâ⌠How was it done? Wenger studied the scroll, unable to grasp the principle. But it roughly aligned with her imagination.
Whateverâif it worked, fine. If not, sheâd find another way. The scrollâs end featured an intricate drawing, with text instructing the ritualist to mimic specific movements without error. A dance? Wenger practiced all night, thankful for the seclusion. If anyone saw her bizarre moves, sheâd die of embarrassment. Though⌠the sequence wasnât bad.
She shook off the odd thoughts as the sky brightened, a ray of light hitting her feet. A new day seemed to arrive at that moment. Rousing her spirits, she prepared everything, starting the long chant of incantations and a series of peculiar steps. Once the ritual began, Wenger focused intensely, losing track of time until it concluded.
Fearing mishaps, she quietly stepped back. The sky darkened, but looking up, it was just clouds. A faint disappointment draped her heart like a veil. Suddenly, she turned, scanning her surroundings. She thought she heard her name called, so soft it could be missed. A hallucination? No. She heard it again.
The clouds parted unnoticed, but the sun was slowly swallowed by a shadow. As if sensing something, Wenger instinctively looked up. A solar eclipse was happening. The subtle âpossibilityâ of the ritual was unfolding before her. She rushed to the garden, and as the moon perfectly obscured the sun, leaving a glowing ring, she hurriedly collected all blooming Sun-Moon Roses into her inventory.
The notification sounded as expected. Success. In the shadow, her silver hair fluttered in the wind, the crystal-like roses in her hand blooming proudly. [Advancement ¡ Agility, Current Progress: 100%]
It was a natural culminationâshe could step into the next stage whenever she wished. Wenger didnât hesitate. Her mental energy flooded outward, boundless magic surging from within, sweeping through the village, over the dragonspine mountains, to the fabled peak closest to the heavens!
In the next moment, her magic nearly solidified, an unconscious spiritual pressure as heavy as mountains, trembling the space for an instant. In the moment of transformation, her mental energy swiftly withdrew. She sensed something, and her magic receded like a tide. Her consciousness sharpened, memories surfacing vividly.
Brushing them aside, Wenger felt the restrained yet surging power. With just the pressure of her magic, she was sure she could crush the strange beast from Karin Village. Decades of advancingâwhat a long journey⌠As she reflected, another sound rang in her ears. She thought it was a level-up notification.
[Fourth-Tier Blessing ¡ Shared Bond: Grants the same status to a unit as yourself, while gaining a portion of each designated unitâs attributes.