I've chosen to ignore where this Magic Tool came from for the moment. It's still my only reference for what a completed product can look like.

What’s aggravating, though, is that this is not a bit like what I read about! There’s no insulating material, and the conductive material is on the outside of the Spell Pattern. Not to mention, I don't see anything resembling a circuit. What gives?!

“How exactly did they carve this hollow in the middle?” I asked Runa.

“Um,” she shrunk, “I'm not a member of the Enchanting Guild, so I don't know.”

I sighed and handed her back the magic core. “Thanks for letting me see it.”

The Ranger reached out and eagerly took her Magic Tool back. I think she was nervous the whole time someone else was holding it.

Of course, I used on the Spell Pattern while I had the chance. Runa left, I think, and I tested out that spell.

[[Conditions met. acquired.]]

[[ allows the user to flawlessly save visual information for future reference. The duration can be adjusted with additional Magic Power. It is listed as a basic spell.]]

is actually a little difficult to cast. The Spell Pattern isn't simple. I thought all basic spells would be easy, but I suppose the classification is more to do with the lack of element than the ease of use.

And since there’s that…

I created a tablet and made a note of the spell. Then I started playing with the spirits again.

Spirits, can I learn ?

[[Request is valid. acquired.]]

’s description was almost identical to . I noted it down and tried again.

I failed at trying to find similar skills for the other senses. But I figured there should be a similar skill to store the results of . I know can access previous results by asking the spirits, but there should be a skill for it, right? I tried combining the common “Record” aspect of the previous two skills and substitute in the data type gathered by .

[[Conditions met. acquired.]]

[[ allows the user to keep a record of learned facts for future reference. Additional Magic Power may occasionally be necessary in order to increase the amount of information to be stored.]]

Good. I managed to get it.

I look up from what I was doing. Seems like Fiara went back to researching Magic Tools. I set the few tablets I’d written on in a corner and jumped when Fiara suddenly cried out.

I whipped around to see what was wrong, and she was sitting there, a simple spell hovering over the tablet she’d been working on.

What? She did it?

Is my pride hurt? I feel more suspicious than I do happy for my best friend. I shake off that unloyal feeling and sit down beside her.

“What did you do?” I asked, leaning over to see her work.

She had used my blood to fill in a circle surrounding the basic Spell Pattern and touching all of its edges. She had also carved and filled several circuits coming off the sides, which she connected to the edge of the tablet.

“Chief,” she smiled happily at me and looked down at the tablet. “I drew this circle so the Magic Power that goes in keeps propagating. For it to work this way, I built some circuits so the Magic Power can come from the sides. It would work perpendicular if I put a solid circle of conductive material underneath the Spell Pattern and connected them with some circuits, but that’s more wasteful, and you would still have to put your hand where the spell will activate.”

How does she know that?

Fiara is very smart, and I don't usually question where she learns things. But that was when I was still a kid. She had a whole month when I wasn't alive to gather information. But just a minute ago, she didn't know a single thing about this subject.

Am I thinking too much? This is strange, isn't it?

But she looks so happy right now.

“Yeah, good work, Fiara.” I reached up and ruffled her short brown hair, smiling supportively. “You're a genius as always. It would have taken me a long time without your help.”

Fiara blushed and started muttering about ways she could improve the structure. I sat quietly and pretended to listen.

I'm sorry for doubting you, I prayed to myself. .

I requested a full overview from my OP investigation skill--something I never go so far to do--and the information flowed cleanly into my mind.

Name: Fiara

Age: 154 days

Gender: Cisgender Female

Race: Wisdom Orc; Monster

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Skills (Embedded): 3/3 skill slots.

{, , , , }, {, , , , }, {, , , , }

Skills (Learned):

, , , ,

Blessings:

Gift of Tongues (Orc)

Perfect Omnivore (Orc)

Pursuit of Knowledge (Lesser)

Curses:

Unending Hunger (Negated: Wisdom Orc)

Starving Mind (Lesser)

Status:

Body: Healthy

Heart: Happy

Mind: Stimulated

Soul: Infected (Assimilating with Indigo Mind Seed: 13%)

***

She has . Unlucky.

Runa pouted while sitting up in a tree, kicking her feet.

Just a little closer and I could have touched them.

“Hey, Runa!” Samael called out to the Ranger. “Armin and I were going to eat some leftovers we saved from last night. Did you want to join us?”

Runa hopped down from her perch, landing like a cat. “Food? Yes.”

They sat together in front of the house Vyra had made for them. Armin unwrapped a thick cloth, creating something like a tiny picnic blanket, only big enough to hold the food. They all dug in without reservation.

“So, Runa,” Samael swallowed and smiled, “it looks like you're coming to like this place.”

“Does it?” she muttered, continuing to eat without looking at him.

Samael frowned. “Am I wrong? You were a little too harsh when we first got here. To me it looks like you’ve loosened up considerably.”

“What about you?” She turned his questioning back on him without hesitation. “Weren't you looking to worship a monster chosen by the Gods? Was the chief not good enough?”

Samael smiled bitterly. “I came because I was curious. I never had any intentions to worship an Orc.”

“That's how it should be,” Armin nodded, thinking back to the overly obsessed Elianora.

“It turned out she’s just a normal person. What else can I say? Well, maybe that’s already going above and beyond for an Orc.”

Runa chewed quietly for a while before swallowing. “I used to live with my aunt and uncle. Did I ever mention that?”

Armin and Samael shook their heads.

“They lived on a farm. My parents were killed when a Kobold King was born and rampaged around the nearby villages. My aunt didn't like me, and she didn't like having to take me in. She made me look after the pigs on the farm.”

“My uncle broke his leg one year, and my aunt’s work was doubled. She took it out on me. She said it was a waste to make me dinner because I was weak, and made me eat pig feed instead. At night, she told me scary stories about Orcs, like how they eat little girls. And then I had to go back and take care of the pigs every day.”

Armin and Samael made uncomfortable faces as Runa tore off another chunk of meat with her teeth.

“I hate pigs, and I hate Orcs too. Just because their chief turned out to be fine, doesn't mean I'll ever get comfortable in a place like this.”

Samael gave his most sincere expression, “I'm sorry that happened to you, Runa.”

“You're too squishy, Samael,” she said flatly.

“Why?!” he cried out.

Runa swallowed and looked at him with her rich brown eyes. “It's not like the bottom class wants the top class to be unhappy. Just share it when you're in a good mood. Maybe adopt a skinny orphan brat or two if you've got a big house.”

“I guess that philosophy is fine, but I still feel bad about it,” Samael muttered, to which Armin rested a hand on his shoulder. “You're reading too much into it. Does she look like she’s suffering right now?”

Samael glanced at Runa, who was cramming the remaining meat down her throat.

“No,” he said flatly.

“So relax,” Armin advised him, and Samael sighed.

Well, yeah. Pitying her isn't the right thing to do either. The cleric let out a small chuckle.