A cold touch, like a 'chill thread' of water, transmitted from his finger all the way to his brain. He couldn't help but shiver a few times. As this chill entered his brain, it instantly calmed, and a brief influx of information followed.
Alka quietly closed his eyes. The room was silent in the deep night. The only sound was the faint crackling of the oil lamp burning beside the bed.
Soon, he had processed all the new information in his mind.
This Ring was the Magician's inheritance.
A true Magician... this Ring was teaching Alka how to become one. The information flooding his mind was all knowledge related to a Magician.
Besides, the Ring would also provide Alka with certain physical enhancements: improved finger dexterity, slightly enhanced memory and recall efficiency, increased physical flexibility, and better overall balance. These were collectively known as the basic qualities of a Magician.
He could clearly feel these changes.
Is this the feeling of Extraordinary Power?
He couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement; this was truly an experience of magical power.
With a thought, he took a Silver Snake out of his pocket and placed it on the back of his right hand. Drawing on the newly acquired knowledge, his fingers danced, making the Silver Snake roll back and forth across the back of his hand. It slid and jumped between each of his fingers before finally stopping between his index finger and thumb. With a flick, he sent it soaring into the air.
Quickly catching it with his right hand, he immediately opened his palm, and the Silver Snake had disappeared.
He clenched his right fist, extended his index finger, and tapped his closed left hand. When he opened his left palm, the Silver Snake lay there.
A very simple Magic trick was thus performed.
His performance just now hadn't been smooth. It was clumsy and stiff, completely lacking in entertainment value. But this was Alka's first time performing Magic.
The moment this Ring is worn, it can turn someone completely unacquainted with Magic into a Magician's apprentice. If I practice diligently with the Ring's help, it won't be long before I can truly become a Magician. Even after taking off the Ring...
At this thought, Alka treasured the Ring even more.
This is so interesting! Is this fantasy Supernatural Power? Or perhaps this power is natural... it should be called Extraordinary Power.
His former self had been just an ordinary person. In his previous world, fantasy power didn't exist outside of entertainment. There was no such thing in the memories of his current body either. In this world, discovering fantasy power had nearly cost him his life.
Yet now, this fantasy power was right before him, worn on his own hand, available for his use.
This feeling, this thrill! It made Alka overwhelmingly excited.
Just as he was growing excited, a chill flashed through his brain, as if telling him to remain calm.
...?
This thing can even help one maintain calm?
Thinking about it, a Magician indeed needs to remain calm at all times to avoid being seen through and to deliver an enjoyable performance.
With this thought, Akka removed the Ring.
The strange sensation vanished instantly, and the Magician-related knowledge that had been accessible in his mind also disappeared. Only the memory of the Magic trick he had just performed, along with the knowledge of its technique, remained.
He had memorized this knowledge, but he knew it would be forgotten if not reinforced through practice.
He picked up the Silver Snake and tried to perform the trick again, but it immediately failed. Without the finger dexterity the Ring had provided, he couldn't even make the Silver Snake roll on the back of his hand. He still needed practice.
He picked up the Ring, intending to put it on again. After a moment's thought, he tried it on his left thumb. His right hand was his dominant hand, and in neither of his lifetimes had he been accustomed to wearing rings, so it felt strange. He then moved it to his left little finger, which felt much more comfortable. It wouldn't affect his movements much there.
He tidied up everything on the bed. With the Ring on his finger, he placed the cards and manual back into the wooden box.
This stuff isn't very useful right now, but it's very precious. I must hide it well.
He found a good hiding place for these items, then turned his attention to the remaining Metal Ingots.
This doesn't look like ordinary metal, he thought. He placed it beside a table leg and wiped some dust onto it. He casually left it in the corner under the table, making it look like an ordinary piece of rubble.
The Gold Coin and two Gemstones were also hidden away securely.
After hiding them, Alka patted his hands, nodding in satisfaction. He extinguished the oil lamp beside the bed and lay down.
「The night passed quietly.」
Early the next morning, Aunt Macy dragged Alka out of bed. Carrying his mother's remains, they headed towards the center of the Island.
Siegert wanted to follow, but his mother struck him twice. Reluctantly staying with her, he managed to turn and mouth something to Alka. Although Siegert made no sound, Alka understood and nodded. He indicated that he would find him later to share the details of his treasure-hunting story.
They walked through golden wheat fields and soon arrived at the center of the Island. From a distance, Alka saw a massive stone, about twenty meters high, towering there. As they drew closer, he could see several stone buildings clustered around the giant rock. The buildings' roofs were painted wheat yellow, with various reliefs carved on them. Beside these structures lay a dense field of graves, each marked by a smooth wooden stake. There were no tombstones; instead, ears of wheat lay before many of the graves.
Alka surveyed the scene, memories surfacing in his mind. This was the Island's graveyard, where the vast majority of its deceased residents were buried. However, not everyone was permitted burial here.
The colossal, gray-black stone now stood fully revealed before Alka. A stone platform encircled the base of the rock, apparently used for some kind of rituals. He noticed a dark, door-like opening at the base of the rock.
An elderly man was standing on the stone platform. Aunt Macy led Alka over to him, and they waited.
The old man turned around slowly and approached them. Alka observed him. He had medium-length hair, streaked with gray and white. His face, though wrinkled, still looked somewhat rugged, and a messy, gray-white beard adorned his chin. His attire was not much different from that of the ordinary residents, though perhaps a little more presentable.
As the old man approached, Alka crossed his arms, placing his palms on his own shoulders. Aunt Macy did the same gesture. The Priest before them performed the same gesture.
"May the Stone Mother bless you," the Priest said.
The Priest then bent down and picked up the bag containing the remains.
"Lisha's remains?" he asked, directly identifying them.
Alka was slightly surprised and asked, "How do you know?"
Hearing Alka's question, the Priest looked at him with a peculiar expression. "Perhaps because I was also looking for you yesterday," he replied, then turned and walked straight towards the stone platform.
Alka felt somewhat awkward and gave a nervous laugh. So many people came looking for me last night, Alka thought. How was I supposed to know he was one of them?
"Haha, it was so dark last night, it's normal that you didn't see him," Aunt Macy said with a laugh, patting Alka's shoulder to ease his embarrassment.
The two of them followed Priest Parker Kqi. It was then Alka noticed that Priest Parker Kqi, still holding the remains, was heading straight for the opening at the base of the giant rock. He seemed intent on passing through the opening into its interior.
"Why is he taking the remains inside?" Alka whispered to his aunt.
In all his memory, Alka had never been inside the stone cave, nor had he ever seen anyone else go in. He had only ever come to this place for the annual rituals and for his mother's funeral. To young people, this place was far too dull and solemn.
"To lay her remains to rest, to allow your mother to find peace," Aunt Macy said, without slowing her pace.
Wait a minute, Alka suddenly thought. Back then, no one had seen Mother's remains. Why was everyone so sure she was dead and not just missing?