Something About a Sage?

Reilan stepped beside me, his usual easy-going demeanor replaced by wary curiosity. "Chiori? What is it?"

Asmodeus leaned in as well, eyes narrowing. "That thing giving you weird vibes, or is this just another one of your brooding moments?"

The merchant finally spoke, his voice low and measured. "Ah, you've a keen sense, young lady. That piece… it does not call to just anyone."

I barely heard him. My pulse thrummed in my ears. Something about this was familiar. Too familiar.

I swallowed, steadying my breath. "Where did you get this?"

The merchant's gaze sharpened slightly, his fingers drumming against the wooden surface of his stall. "A traveler sold it to me," he said, his voice carrying the weight of something unsaid. "Not from around here. They claimed it was unearthed from ruins beyond the borderlands. Old magic, perhaps."

Ruins. Borderlands. The words sent a strange sensation crawling down my spine, like an itch I couldn't scratch. My fingers grazed the pendant's surface, and for a fleeting moment, a warmth seeped into my fingertips—then vanished, leaving behind a deep, hollow sense of recognition I couldn't place.

Reilan shifted beside me. "Chi, you're acting weird. If that thing's cursed, we're walking away."

"It's not cursed," I murmured, though I wasn't sure how I knew that. "It's… something else."

Asmodeus frowned, his golden eyes narrowing. "Well, if it's some kind of artifact, why is he selling it in a marketplace instead of through a proper collector?"

The merchant merely smiled. "Because fate chooses who finds such things, young lord. And it seems it has chosen her."

His words sent a shiver down my spine. Chosen? I didn't like that word. It implied something beyond my control.

I hesitated. I knew I shouldn't, but the pull was undeniable. "How much?"

The merchant held my gaze, then chuckled softly. "For you, young lady… let's say, a fair exchange. Not in coin. But in promise."

Reilan tensed. "What kind of promise?"

The merchant's smile deepened. "That when the time comes, you will listen."

Reilan's hand instinctively hovered near his waist, where a blade would be if we weren't in public. "That's vague. I don't like vague."

Asmodeus scoffed. "Yeah, no offense, but that sounds sketchy as hell. What exactly is she supposed to be listening to?"

The merchant didn't answer immediately. Instead, he folded his hands over the wooden stall, his eyes gleaming with something unreadable. "Not all knowledge can be understood before its time. Some things must settle into place first."

I stared at him, searching for deception, but found none. Just a quiet certainty, like he already knew how this would end.

I exhaled slowly. "Fine. I accept."

Reilan stiffened. "Chi—"

"It's my decision," I cut in, firm but not unkind. "If it was dangerous, he wouldn't be selling it in broad daylight."

The merchant chuckled, producing a small velvet pouch. "Wise beyond your years, young lady. May it serve you when the time comes."

He placed the pendant inside and extended it toward me. The moment my fingers brushed the pendant, a voice echoed through my mind.

[Extra Skill – Sage successfully acquired]

The air around me seemed to still.

[Due to existing parameters and compatibility, evolving Extra Skill - Sage into Unique Skill - Great Sage…]

[Successful.]

A pulse of clarity rippled through my thoughts, and for a brief moment, the world around me felt sharper, more defined. The sensation was fleeting, but it left behind a certainty—I had just crossed a threshold I could never step back from.

Asmodeus scowled. "This better not come back to bite us."

"It will," Reilan muttered under his breath, rubbing his temple. "Things like this always do. Alright, Chi, you got your cryptic artifact. Can we go now?"

Asmodeus stretched his arms. "Yeah, yeah, let's get moving. We wasted enough time on your creepy rock."

I rolled my eyes but didn't argue. We left the bazaar, weaving through the city streets until we reached the familiar sight of Iron Fang Armory—one of the finest weapons shops in Esztheran.

The moment we stepped inside, the scent of oiled steel and burning embers filled the air. Rows of meticulously crafted weapons lined the walls, ranging from standard blades to enchanted weaponry humming faintly with latent magic.

A deep, gruff voice greeted us. "Well, well, look who decided to show up."

A towering man stepped out from behind the counter, arms crossed, his gaze flickering between me and Asmodeus. Master Garrik, the weaponsmith and owner of Iron Fang, had known both of us since we were children.

"Garrik," Asmodeus smirked. "Got anything new for me to break?"

Garrik snorted. "Only if you plan to pay for what you break this time."

His eyes landed on me, assessing. "And you, little lady? Didn't think I'd see you in here. Looking to arm yourself, or just making sure this one doesn't burn my shop down?"

Before I could answer, Garrik's gaze flicked to Reilan, and his lips quirked into a smirk. "And you, Reilan? Still playing glorified babysitter, or have you finally climbed your way up to a real job?"

Reilan let out a dramatic sigh, placing a hand over his heart. "You wound me, old man. I prefer the term 'trusted guardian of nobility.'"

"Fancy way of saying 'overpaid nanny,'" Garrik shot back, crossing his arms. "Didn't peg you as the type to stick around this long. Thought you'd run off to make a name for yourself by now."

Reilan shrugged. "What can I say? The pay's good, the company's… tolerable, and watching Chi verbally dismantle nobles is worth sticking around for."

Asmodeus snickered. "He means me. I'm the highlight of his career."

Garrik shook his head with a chuckle before gesturing toward the weapons racks. "Well, if you lot are here, might as well take a look. I just finished a new batch of enchanted daggers, if that's your thing, or maybe something sturdier for once?" His gaze drifted back to me. "Unless you're finally considering taking up a blade yourself, Lady Tomaszewski?"

Before I could respond, Asmodeus clapped his hands together. "Garrik, you know why I'm really here. I need another weapon. Something new, something better."

Garrik arched a brow. "Didn't you just commission a custom piece a few months ago?"

"And it served me well!" Asmodeus grinned. "But I need something that hits harder. Faster. Maybe a twin set this time? Or a blade that crackles with magic?"

Reilan sighed, rubbing his temple. "'Mode, you barely even use the weapons you have before you're already asking for new ones."

"It's called refinement, Rei. You wouldn't understand."

Garrik chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll see what I can do, but don't expect miracles. Quality work takes time."

As the two continued their back-and-forth, I let my feet carry me further into the shop, weaving through racks of weapons. The scent of oiled steel and faint traces of mana-infused metal surrounded me, grounding yet unfamiliar.

Then, a particular weapon caught my eye.

A slender, curved blade rested upon a display stand, its surface almost too smooth, too polished. The faint etchings along the metal pulsed subtly, like veins carrying energy through its structure.

Before I could reach for it, a voice echoed in my mind.

[Would you like to inspect this weapon?]

I stiffened, my breath catching in my throat. The voice was unfamiliar, yet impossibly clear, as if it had spoken directly into my mind. My body jolted involuntarily, my heart hammering against my ribs.

I whipped around instinctively, expecting someone to be behind me—but there was no one. The shop was the same, the air unchanged, yet the voice had been as real as if someone had spoken aloud.

Reilan noticed my pause. "Chi? You okay?"

I swallowed hard, my fingers curling slightly. "Yeah. Just… thinking."

I turned back to the weapon, my pulse still unsteady. The voice had come from nowhere—no, it had come from inside my head. That realization sent a fresh wave of unease crawling up my spine.

[Would you like to inspect this weapon?]

It came again, just as calm, just as certain.

I clenched my jaw. What was this? Who was speaking to me? My eyes darted around the room again, but everything remained unchanged—Reilan still arguing with Asmodeus, Garrik shaking his head at them, the quiet hum of mana-infused steel in the air. No one else had reacted.

Just me.

Slowly, I extended a hand toward the blade, hesitating only a fraction before my fingertips brushed against its hilt.

[Inspection Confirmed.]

A flood of information surged into my mind, too much, too fast—

Weapon Identified: Lunar Veil

Type: Curved Blade

Material: Steel Alloy

Enchantment: Phantom Edge—Allows the user's strikes to phase through non-living matter and materialize upon impact.

Status: Dormant

I inhaled sharply as the knowledge settled in my mind, seamlessly integrating as if it had always been there. My body tensed, but I didn't recoil this time. Instead, I analyzed the information, letting the details of the blade unfold in my mind with an almost unnatural clarity.

This wasn't normal.

My lips parted slightly. Was this… a skill? Something within me had triggered this, feeding me precise information with absolute certainty. Suspicion crept in as I considered the recent events. My mind raced, tracing back to when I had first heard that voice—when I touched the pendant at the bazaar.

Great Sage.

The name stood out like a missing puzzle piece sliding into place. I couldn't confirm it yet, but if this was the same ability that had activated before… then it had to be the culprit.

[Affirmative. This is the function of Unique Skill – Great Sage.]

I stiffened, but I didn't jump this time. Instead, my fingers tightened over the weapon's hilt. Great Sage. The name from before. My thoughts churned, curiosity overtaking apprehension.

[This skill exists to assist in cognitive processing, strategic evaluation, and information retrieval. Your distress levels indicated uncertainty, thus prompting clarification.]

My fingers twitched slightly against the hilt. So it wasn't just some passive ability—it actively responded to my thoughts and emotions? That… was unsettling. And useful.

I took a slow breath, my mind racing. Great Sage… what exactly are you?

[Designation: Unique Skill – Great Sage. A system that provides advanced thought acceleration, parallel processing, and immediate data analysis. Currently at 20% synchronization with the user.]

I frowned. Synchronization? Did that mean it could improve?

Before I could ask another question, Reilan's voice cut through the haze. "Chi, are you sure you're okay? You look like you just saw a ghost."

I exhaled slowly, steadying myself. "I'm fine," I murmured. "Just… understanding something."

Reilan narrowed his eyes. "Understanding what, exactly? You barely touched that thing, and now you look like you've reached Nirvana."

I hesitated. Explaining this would be… difficult. How was I supposed to tell him that I had just received information directly into my mind?

"It's hard to explain," I admitted. "Just a feeling."

Reilan crossed his arms, unimpressed. "A feeling? That's it?"

I exhaled through my nose. He wasn't going to drop this.

Before I could attempt an excuse, Great Sage's voice echoed again.

[Would you like assistance in formulating a response?]

I barely held back my flinch. That was not helping.

Asmodeus, now completely distracted from whatever he was pestering Garrik about earlier, grinned. "Well, whatever weird thing you were thinking about, I bet it's not as important as the fact that I just found the coolest dagger in this place."

A loud crash rang through the shop.

"What in the—?!"

We all turned just in time to see Asmodeus standing over a broken display case, a particularly nasty-looking dagger now clutched in his hand. The shards of glass glistened at his feet, and Garrik's face went from amused to murderous in half a second.

"You reckless little—! Do you know how much that case cost?!"

Asmodeus, completely unfazed, twirled the dagger between his fingers. "Not as much as this beauty is worth. Seriously, Garrik, why would you put something this well-crafted in a flimsy case?"

Reilan let out a long sigh. "You are actually incapable of going anywhere without causing destruction, aren't you?"

"I call it leaving an impression." Asmodeus grinned, clearly enjoying himself.

Garrik pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're leaving an impression on my patience, boy."

I exhaled through my nose, relieved as the attention shifted away from me. For now.

Garrik let out an exaggerated sigh, rubbing his temples before grabbing a sleek, reinforced blade from the rack.

"Alright, troublemaker. If you're so eager to break things, prove you can wield this properly first."

Asmodeus blinked, then grinned wide as Garrik tossed the blade to him. "Now we're talking."

Without missing a beat, Garrik moved toward the back of the shop, pressing his hand against a mana-infused training dummy embedded in the floor. A pulse of energy surged through it, and suddenly the dummy came to life, shifting into a combat stance.

Reilan groaned. "Oh no. This is going to escalate, isn't it?"

Garrik smirked. "Only if your boy there can keep up."

Asmodeus cracked his knuckles, eyes glinting with excitement. "Hope this thing can handle me."

Meanwhile, I turned back to the weapon I had been eyeing. I mentally tested Great Sage, asking about compatibility. The voice returned instantly, providing details beyond what I expected.

[Weapon is 87% compatible with the user's natural mana flow. Would you like an in-depth analysis?]

Before I could answer, the shop door creaked open.

A new figure entered, their presence shifting the air slightly. They were tall, wrapped in a long traveling cloak, hood drawn just enough to obscure their features. Their steps were deliberate, calculated, yet there was no arrogance—just observation.

Garrik's gaze flicked toward them briefly, but his usual casual demeanor remained. "If you're here for something specific, speak up."

The figure remained silent for a moment, then let out a soft chuckle. "Just browsing. Though I must admit, this shop has a livelier crowd than I expected."

Their voice was smooth but held an edge, like someone accustomed to being in control of a situation.

The figure's gaze, barely visible under their hood, briefly flickered toward me before moving on—too quick for anyone else to notice. But I noticed.

Instead of browsing like any normal customer, they strode straight to the center of the shop and spun a dagger off the nearest display rack, tossing it into the air as if testing its weight—before promptly discarding it onto another shelf without a second glance.

Garrik's eye twitched. "Are you planning to actually buy something, or just redecorate my store?"

The stranger chuckled, their voice smooth yet carrying an unmistakable edge of amusement. "I'll let you know if I see anything worth my time."

Reilan tensed slightly beside me, clearly noting the sheer audacity of the response. Most people knew better than to provoke Garrik in his own shop. But this person? They didn't seem to care. Or rather—they wanted a reaction.

Garrik narrowed his eyes, but before he could retort, the stranger picked up another weapon—a thin, elegantly forged rapier this time—and gave it a casual flick. The motion was too precise, too practiced for someone merely browsing. The blade hummed faintly with latent enchantment, reacting to their touch.

"This one's got a nice bite to it," they mused, rolling the weapon between their fingers. "But the balance is off by a fraction. I'd say the forging technique could use a little refinement."

Garrik let out a slow, incredulous breath. "Oh? And you'd be the expert, then?"

The figure smirked. "I dabble."

I felt Reilan shift beside me. He caught on too—this wasn't just some wandering rogue or noble playing warrior. They knew exactly what they were doing.