“You want to learn magic?” Lin Shu sat cross-legged on the carpet, looking up at Leah.
“No, I told you before, these are books I don’t read,” Leah replied.
She snorted, as if recalling something unpleasant.
“After you ran away, Father thought I was unhappy because I lost my healing magic, so he specifically brought Mother’s magic books to me.”
“He said there was magic that could replace that skill and hoped I would cheer up as soon as possible.”
“But I don’t care about having it or not…” Leah muttered. “The only thing I cared about was you running away with someone else, Lin Shu.”
Lin Shu pretended not to hear the last sentence as she flipped through the book. “So you didn’t learn it?”
“I’m not learning it. It’s enough that Mother knows magic in our family. Learning magic is too much trouble, and there are so many restrictions.”
Lin Shu lowered her head, deep in thought.
Magic did indeed exist in this world. During the battle in Drago, Lin Shu could see that the fire skills Leah’s mother used originated from the power of magic.
It was just as Leah said: using magic came with many restrictions.
To cast magic, incantations and casting materials — both were indispensable.
Few demons were willing to learn magic, as they all possessed their own racial powers.
Leah, for example, had superior combat abilities, so there was no need for her to develop another skill tree.
The groups that knew magic were mostly concentrated in the nations of the Holy Race. Most of them were members of the Holy Race, with only a small portion being humans. Aside from relying on the gods of the Holy Race, these people were willing to learn magic as a means of self-preservation.
“You’re not actually interested, are you?” Leah frowned.
Lin Shu flipped through it casually. “I’m just browsing. I’m bored anyway.”
“It’s all incantations. It’s very dull.”
Lin Shu flipped through a few more pages. Every page was densely packed with incantations and lists of required materials.
She closed the book, pretending to be uninterested, and glanced at the word “Introductory” on the cover.
‘Even though I can’t use my familiar skills now, if it’s magic… is there a chance?’
After all, the source of magical power was legendary to be related to the gods worshiped by the elves.
“If you’re bored, I’ve collected a lot of human trinkets. I can give them all to you.” Leah sat on the edge of the bed, her hands propped against the mattress.
To avoid exposing her true goal, Lin Shu put the book back where it belonged.
“Then I want to read some other storybooks.”
“Fine. Tomorrow, I’ll have someone bring you all the storybooks in the house.” Leah nodded with a smile, appearing happy that Lin Shu had proactively made a request.
*Knock, knock.*
Two knocks sounded at the door.
“Who is it?” Leah shouted impatiently.
“Eldest Miss, the Family Head wants you in the front hall. He has something to discuss with you.”
Leah let out a *tch* and replied loudly, “I understand.”
In order to deal with Lin Shu’s matters, Leah had not handled family business for a long time.
Lin Shu guessed that as the most promising heir of the family, Leah’s father would never allow her to spend all her time on one person.
Leah put on her formal attire and said to Lin Shu, “Go to sleep first. If you need anything, you can find the maid outside the door.”
“Mhm,” Lin Shu replied.
After Leah closed the door, Lin Shu quickly lay down, pulled out the magic book again, and spread it out to read.
‘Hmm… I can understand the characters in the book.’ Fortunately, she had a bit of a background in memorizing things for the liberal arts exams in high school, and she hadn’t completely lost that skill in college.
But without materials, memorizing no matter how many incantations would be in vain.
Lin Shu remembered the red stone Leah’s mother had held when she used fire magic.
If she knew magic, she must have a place where she stored her materials.
‘But I’m wearing shackles now. Not only is my movement conspicuous, but if any other vampires see me trying to get materials, they’ll know exactly what I’m doing.’
‘Could I get them through Leah?’
‘Pretend I want to see her perform magic, and then have her go to her mother’s storehouse to get some materials?’
‘…Forget it. I absolutely cannot let Leah learn water magic.’
‘Is there really no other way?’
Lin Shu sighed, feeling a bit dejected as she flipped to the preface of the book.
The preface explained that magic originated from a goddess named Hecate. She was the protector of all mages, and it was originally through her blessing that the life forms of this world discovered the existence of magic.
‘Blessing?’
Lin Shu stared at those two words, lost in thought.
‘Wait, Sefina once said that the pattern on that key symbolized the blessing of a god.’
She stood up abruptly, ran to find her discarded clothes, tore open the stitching of the pocket, and took out the key.
‘If it’s a blessing, can it be reversed? Can a wish be transmitted to the deity?’
She was at a dead end now. Even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance, she had to try.
Lin Shu squeezed the key in her palm, placed her hands in front of her chest, and assumed a prayer-like posture.
“Please… just give me one chance to use magic…”
Lin Shu closed her eyes and prayed fervently.
As soon as she spoke, heat radiated from her palm. The key actually began to grow warm.
“?!” Lin Shu hurried to open her palm and found the key emitting a dazzling white light.
‘It’s not an illusion. This white light is the same as the one in the underground jungle when I faced the Scarlet Flower!’
‘It actually works?’
A female figure gradually emerged from the intense white light. She had no physical form, her body surrounded by a faint glow that was both holy and majestic.
The air in the room seemed to freeze, and the speed of the floating dust slowed within the pure white light.
Lin Shu stared at the phantom before her in shock.
Was this the goddess who had heard her prayer?
“Are you… Goddess Hecate?” Lin Shu tried to ask.
The female phantom did not speak. She cupped Lin Shu’s face with both hands.
Even though her hands were just phantoms, Lin Shu could still feel a cold sensation.
She leaned in and kissed Lin Shu’s forehead, right where the familiar mark was located.
Lin Shu held her breath, not daring to move.
The moment the cold touch hit her forehead, a warm power simultaneously surged into Lin Shu’s body, slowly flowing toward her limbs.
After the female phantom’s lips pulled away, she gave Lin Shu a single look and offered a faint smile.
Her figure then drifted away into the air. The room returned to its original state, as if nothing had ever happened.
‘What… just happened?’
Lin Shu raised her hand and touched the spot where her mark was.
It wasn’t an illusion. That power remained in her body, and it felt very familiar!
‘That’s right. When I fought Leah’s mother and used vines to drain her magic power, it felt exactly like the energy surging into my body.’
It was mana.
‘Although I don’t know how to use it, can I try reciting an incantation first?’
Lin Shu’s heart pounded wildly. She hurriedly reached out to open the book, searching for the most basic magic.
—
Meanwhile, somewhere in the territory of the Holy Race.
The chanting of nuns echoed within a candlelit cathedral.
The cathedral doors were pushed open, and a Saintess hurried toward the group of chanting nuns, grabbing a winged nun and pulling her away.
“What is it? What is it?” The nun stumbled to keep up with her. “You’re hurting my hand!”
The Saintess did not let go and continued toward the back of the cathedral. “There’s movement from the item the Bishop wants. There are urgent orders. Come with me.”
“The Bishop? You mean that key?”
“Yes. The location is much more precise this time.”
The Saintess pulled the nun into a sealed room and took out a map, pointing to a spot marked with a red “X.”
“Quick, send word to Captain Hati!”