Records of Rebirth

Chapter 279 - The Unfathomable Ring

«Keep that box out of sight!» Sensei shouted.

And I frowned. Why was he suddenly like this?

"Stop yelling. It's not what you think." I replied.

«Do you want to kill all of your nestlings and everyone within a thousand metres?» Sensei asked. «Because opening that box is the fastest way to do so.»

A thousand metres? That's scary!

"Calm down. I'm not going to open it." I grumbled.

In truth, rather than the thing inside, I was more interested in the construction of the box itself.

«Then why is it outside?» Sensei asked.

"I just want to take a look at  it, that's all." I tried to explain. "Aren't you curious, how a simple box  like this can keep that powerful relic's petrification contained inside?" 

However, Sensei remained adamant. « No, I'm not. Some things are better left unknown.» 

Tch. I pouted.

Wasn't he being too cautious?

I looked down at the two most interesting objects I'd found so far.

The box was very unassuming, and the ring was very beautiful. Both held untold secrets.

If he thought I would let them go without  learning about them, he was sorely mistaken!

First, I stroked the box, careful not to stab through the wood grains. 

How bumpy it felt! And delicate too, like it would fall apart at the slightest pressure.

Nonetheless, I was hesitant to use [Mind's Eye] on it.

There was a possibility it would negate the protective properties of the box, petrifying me for gazing at its contents. I wasn't that curious yet, so I resorted to safely examining the wood.

The lid could be raised rather easily and was plain so I twisted the box around to take a look at all four sides. Still, I found no hidden power sources, patterns or text that could give me any context or clues, which made me annoyed.

How tricky this was proving to be!

Upon closer inspection, I noticed a clear substance similar to resin coating the wood, its outside encased in a waterproof layer, and I leaned closer to sniff it, confused at the sweet, yet sulphuric smell.

Every inch of wood was covered, which made me wonder if this substance was the secret?

Perhaps [Appraisal] would work now since the box was closed.

I'd been hesitant to use it before, because of what happened, but at the time, I'd been focused on appraising the jewel itself, not even considering appraising the box containing it.

Still, although I was convinced of its safety, I took the sleeping dark fae with me, retreating as far away as I could, just in case, before using [Appraisal] on the box's lid. 

And I got a result.

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Name: Nectar of Yirael

Specie: Primum Lignum

The crystallised resin of the largest tree on Aeon. This nectar is sought after for its many properties. When used in enchantments, it amplifies the capabilities of any known magic. Its samples are exceedingly rare and spread across several continents, and even harder to acquire because they appear predominantly in the lower Stratums of Labyrinths.

[Rarity: S]

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Cool!

I was so ecstatic that I dropped the dark fae before rushing over.

[OWw! What are you doing?!] The tiny girl protested as she awoke with a start, but I ignored her.

[Appraisal] actually worked!

However it seemed I could only appraise the resin. Still, I was making progress!

«Aurelia.» Sensei spoke up. «Are you listening to me?»

"Hmm...oh yeah. Yes I am!"

«Then, what did I just say?» Sensei simmered in anger.

"Uh... Don't eat the box?" I muttered, and reluctantly put down the box I was about to taste.

«Don't open it, don't touch it, just hide somewhere far away and forget about it.» Sensei said in annoyance and I scoffed at his insistence.  What a spoil sport!

Okay, maybe I was going too far in thinking the strange resin would increase my power, but he didn't have to be so mean about it! 

The dark fae also came over to berate me, but after giving her another piece of honeycomb, she settled back down to eat it, giving me a moment to think.

Perhaps he was right in that I should let it go. It was way too dangerous to probe the box here.

I would only understand more by opening the box somewhere far away, and so I just glared at it in hopes that more of its secrets would be revealed.

«Will you put it away now?» Sensei eventually asked and I sighed in defeat, eventually returning it to [Dimensional Box]. 

Instead, I focused on the weaker alternative to satiate my curiosity – the elf's ring.

«Put that away too.» Sensei grumbled discontentedly.

"There could be things inside that can help me." I refuted him.

Apart from the Journal, I mean.

The elf carried this with her, so everything she used while in the Labyrinth must be inside. I could imagine it contained food, weapons, as well as other supplies, perhaps a number of scrolls I could now read, as well as some magical items.

«That ring won't open because it doesn't belong to you.» Sensei said without a care. «And you will fail the quest if you don't destroy it.»

I scoffed at his words.

As if a mere [500XP] reward was enough to tempt me away from its contents.

If he made it [10,000XP] I might reconsider.

"I should at least try!" I stubbornly replied, and I stopped hearing Sensei's voice.

Under [Mind's Eye] the ring's core consisted of sixteen Ether crystals while the surface of the ring was riddled with intricate text that crept across the silver, all written in Sidrian.

After reading them, I understood what each one did on a surface level, but there were some whose functions overlapped, the inscriptions blending into each other to fulfil their function, complicating them even further.

Some were even blanks that made no sense! 

One of these was used to register the mana signature of the ring's owner, but it was also linked to another that was rigged to destroy every Ether crystal the ring contained, as soon as it detected a pulse. 

The ring creator was quite insidious - I realized it was likely meant to destroy itself after maiming the thief, or even killing them. It was a good thing I didn't have an arm to put it on!

Separating these two interlinked functions was proving difficult, I would need more than a basic understanding of elf magic.

"Why is this ring so complex?" I cried out in frustration.

I'd been motionless for so long trying to decipher each inscription that the dark fae was now asleep on my curls – the brat was even snoring, and seeing her made me realise just how mentally drained I felt.

«It was made by a Grandmaster.» Sensei spoke up. «It has countless safeguards to protect its contents from thieves and to make sure it is returned to him. What makes you think you can break it open without any knowledge?»

While my magic was more instinctive, the magic of elves functioned very differently as I was beginning to find out. It had a lot of rules that seemed more like a math problem than anything and I hated that he was right.

"Then help me open it!" I shot back. "Since you know so much!"

«That ring should be destroyed as part of the quest.» Sensei flatly replied. 

"Would it kill you to do something I want for a change?!" I yelled at him.

«I should ask you the same question.» Sensei replied. «I already told you nothing inside will benefit you, you'll only be risking your life, yet you insist on disobeying me. What exactly are you trying to prove?»

"I'd rather find that out myself!" I frowned. I didn't need him telling me what to do.

«Then don't ask me to help you.» Sensei replied, his voice fading away.

This annoying, unhelpful bastard!

I was so upset I couldn't stand to look at the ring any longer, and I launched it at the wall in frustration.

Yet, Sensei didn't speak, and I got even more determined to open it.

I retrieved the ring and continued working on it for a while longer, but when I looked up, several hours had passed.

The dark fae was nowhere to be found, instead it was Ophelia who had snuck in to curl up on my bed, her numerous flexible wings fanning out everywhere as she muttered in her sleep.

And I scowled.

Who was next? Arsinoe?

However, I didn't have the heart to wake her up and when her feathers brushed against me, I felt noticeably calmer. 

But after more attempts at bypassing the ring with Ophelia looking over my curls, nothing still worked, and I grew frustrated again. 

As time passed, Ophelia eventually left, but she was quickly replaced by Typhon who came in to check on me. I had been holed up inside for quite some time, so he was understandably concerned.

[What are you doing here?] Typhon asked exasperatedly.

I realised the room was in disarray with all sorts of symbols carved into every surface I could find. I was sure I looked quite insane. 

|[Er…]| How was I to explain?

I didn't want to hide anything, but I wasn't sure exactly how to start.

Should I tell him about the system that was currently driving me insane? 

The Grandmaster's journal?

Or the relic that could kill us all as soon as I opened it?