Seeing the System's appraisal, Ash couldn't help but picked up the mysterious book from the table.
"What is this? It looks like a book but... Unlike any other book I've seen in my life, it radiates dark aura. Although, it's subtle but I can clearly see it because of the system's appraisal, and on top of that, an unknown rank item. How can it be?"
The book has a very dark front page, it was so black that light couldn't be reflected from it, and it has a very peculiar figure or shape inscribe in it.
Ash tried to open the book but the cover won't even budge no matter how hard he tried.
"Urgh! I never thought that opening a book would be this hard. What kind of sorcery did they put on this book?"
Giving up on opening the book, Ash walked towards the other two in the room and called out the Elven King.
"Ray. I just wanted to ask about this thing. I actually saw this book on the table and it picked my interest. Does this book also belong to Arthur?"
Ash showed Ray the book that he had found.
"Oh, right! I almost forgot about that one. Thank you, Ash. Actually, I have no idea as well whether this book belongs to Arthur or not."
Ray said taking the book from Ash's hand.
"Hey, Demittry! Stop what your doing, and come here for a second."
Ray called out Demittry who was busy inspecting Arthur's gears with his mouth drooling.
Demittry was actually a huge fan of gears even in his youth, which is why he was so focused on the items in front of him, and this opportunity only came once in a blue moon so letting it slide will be a big mistake he couldn't afford to make.
When he was called by Ray, Demittry clearly didn't hear him and just continue to inspect the items.
"Tsk! You even have your mouth drooling, you obsessed gear maniac. Hey!"
Ray raised his voice and this time Demittry turned his gaze to Ray.
"What?"
"I said come here!"
"Urgh! I'm actually busy Ray, if you haven't noticed."
Demittry turned his eyes back to the gears, clearly doesn't give a sh*t on Ray.
"That can wait, Demittry. You'll come here or we all walk out from this room and you won't be able to see those items again."
Ray threatened Demittry which made him jolted and he immediately stopped what he was doing and walked away from the gears scratching his head.
"Urgh! Damn it, Ray. What is it!?"
With a frowned face, Demittry walked towards Ray and Ash.
Raising the book from his hands, Ray showed to Demittry the Black Book.
Puzzled by the Elven King's action, Demittry scratched his head again.
"What? What is it? Do you want me to tell you a bed time story or something? Did you call for me just to read you that book?"
Demittry said jokingly as he didn't know why he was shown a book in the middle of the day.
"Really? Now is not the time for your lame jokes, Demittry. I wanted to know if you have seen this book in your entire life or not?"
Raising one of his eyebrows, Ray glared at Demittry.
"Ohh, I thought you wanted a bedtime story or something. Let me take a look at that."
Demittry took the book from Ray and started to inspect it.
"Hmm, this book look so old. I can't even see the writings in the front, and what is this? There seem like a skull in the front but I couldn't tell of it really is a skull."
Demittry said while scratching his chin.
"Nah. I'm sorry Ray, but that book doesn't look familiar to me. Why?"
Demittry handing back the Black Book to Ray.
"Tsk. It's nothing, you can return to what you're doing now. Sigh! I'm disappointed of you Demittry, I thought at least you could recognize the book."
With a grumpy face, Ray snatched the book from Demittry's hands and returned it back to Ash.
"What do you think of me? A bookworm? Of course I haven't seen that book even once. And don't be disappointed on me, Ray. It's not like I made a mistake or something."
Demittry was now confused and hurt at the same time because of Ray's words.
"I'm sorry, it's just that, it's been so long since I've had that book. I found it together with the rest of the things in this room. I asked you whether you have seen it in Arthur's possession before or not, since you two were together most of the time. Sigh."
Ray with a disappointed face sat in a chair holding his temples.
"Go on. Go back to what you guys were doing. Thinking about it, that must be just a random book from a random mage during the Great War who happens to fall too close to Arthur's items."
Ray gestures for Demittry and Ash to leave him a few moments.
Demittry walked back to the gear section stomping his feet in frustration.
"Did he really have to say that? Urgh! Now, I'm mad! Good thing the items here were great, I can forget all my frustrations by inspecting these items."
Demittry thought as he sat back on his former position.
Ash on the other hand still has a few concerns about the book. So, he asked Ray before removing himself in the King's eyes.
"Ray, I have a question about this book. Why can't it be open no matter how I try? Does this book sealed by magic or something? Or did you put a seal on it so that no one can open it unless you remove the seal?"
"No, I did not put any magic on that book. Actually, when I found that book, it was already in that state. That's actually the main problem about it, the book won't open no matter what anyone do, not even me can open it. Which is why I thought that book belongs to Arthur at first but I guess I'm wrong this time. Tsk! What a waste of space and hope."
Ray replied and then went silent. After a while, Ray resumed speaking while Demittry was busy with his business.
"Ash, you seem interested in that book. Do you want to have it? I mean, I know you can't open it, but it would only be just a waste of space in this room. So, if you want to take that book, you can have it. I'm giving that to you."
Although, Ray had never planned on giving the book to anyone if Demittry identifies the book and that it was Arthur's but he was disappointed to know that Demittry didn't recognized it. So, he thought that it would be much better to just give it to Ash than throw it away since the book couldn't be used anyway.
Ash's face lit up as soon as he heard what Ray had said.
"Are you sure you're giving this to me, Ray? I mean, this book could be something right? And giving it to me might be a mistake."
Although he was happy that Ray had given him the book, Ash didn't want to be opportunistic.
"Yes. And I wasn't just giving it to any random person. It's you, and I cannot be more at peace knowing that the book was in good hands."
Ray responded with a smile.
"I will take you on your offer, Ray. Thank you so much. I promise to cherish this book."
"Oh and before I forget, don't ever showoff that book to anyone. Although we didn't know if that wasn't Arthur's, we also didn't know who really is the owner of that book. And if it turns out that that book is from the enemies' and an important one, we can hide it from them."
Ray warned Ash, which he nodded in agreement.
"What if I open it accidentally and learn what's inside? Should I return it back to you?"
"No, as I said earlier. I cannot accept back the things that I have already given away. So, if ever you did open that book, whatever it is inside, you can have it as well, just don't show it off to the world."
Ray ordered.
"Alright, I understand. Thank you once again, Ray."
Ash bowed his head in appreciation.
Ray just waved his hand as he continue to sit on the chair, clearly wanting to have a piece of silent for a while.
"Sigh. If that book doesn't belong to Arthur, how come that it was with his other items? Sigh, thinking about it will just frustrate me, so I should just forget about it."
Ray ponders as he watch Ash with a very big smile on its face, and was holding his excitement to jump around the room.
Ash, after receiving the book was having an over the sky happiness when suddenly the system notified him.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations.]
[You have acquired the Book of Creation – Grade unknown.]
"???"
-End of Chapter-