016 – Intractable Problem

“The celestial bodies in the night sky, the positions of the stars, the boundless mysteries. Their positions will change bizarrely along with the passage of time, and these changes have always been considered some kind of message bestowed on humanity by God. People often believe that astrologers are only people specializing in interpreting these riddles that God set aside for humanity.

But all this, is wrong!

The stars contain boundless power. This power, compared to what we can see, compared to an immense storm, a rushing deluge, a blaze overflowing the sky, it’s even more formidable than this! Even so formidable that in the end…… it made me doubt.

Could such a vast power really be created by God?

In addition, these stars seem to have been suspended in the sky since ancient times! Since long, long ago, even further back than we know about, even to the extent that it might be further back than the creation of our world!

Then were these stars still truly created by God? According to all the books I’ve been able to find as well as religious records, wherever stars are mentioned, the ruling theory is: “When God created this world, the stars were put in place as decorations to make the night beautiful, and so that God could change their positions whenever there was a message for the world, so that these changes could enlighten humanity.”

Yes, according to these theories the stars were created along with our world as accessories for the night sky…… but, is this really true?

Six years ago, when I was thirty four, there was a change in the pattern of the stars, one night a star fell below the horizon. All the astrologers did their utmost to determine just what hint God intended for us with this phenomenon, but I began to choose another path……

According to the direction the star fell in that night, and consulting all possible materials, I decided to search for that fallen star! I spent more than three years, tracking all over the north of the continent, until at last I found it!

While speaking, Saimel raised her hand, extending her hand from within her red gown and opening her palm, lightly raising a fist sized piece of dark stone.

“This is the ‘fallen star’ I found. Look, on the surface it seems to basically be a chunk of rock! Of course, this piece in my hand is only a small chunk. What I found was as big as a house. Moreover, the terrain, when it fell it smashed a huge hole in the ground, and I could see where there had been an immense wildfire, the forest was burnt to ashes, and a ravine had been cut in level ground! Such destructive force, perhaps only the most powerful forbidden spells could rival it.”

Duwei sighed in admiration.

With Duwei’s insight, this female master astrologer called Saimel was truly extraordinary!

At least she had the courage to raise questions about the lofty words that God created everything…… and in some respects she even came close to the facts!

“It’s hard to imagine that what is called the stars, are only immense chunks of stone. Even more importantly, this piece of rock is completely different from any substance known in this world! Its solidity, and it’s even brimming with a kind of magic absorption power…… I’ve spent a lot of time inquiring with very many magic alchemists, and even some aged ironworkers, but not one of them recognized this new ‘substance’! In other words…… stars basically aren’t from our world!” Saimel’s image began to flicker a bit, clearly a sign that the magic power was running out. Duwei hurriedly roused his spirits, praying that the remaining magic power would last a bit longer.

“From then on I began to question every document that speaks of God creating the world. If you say that God created this world, gave living things to this world, gave day and night to this world, the four seasons alternating…… Then tell me who actually formulated all these laws? Was it God?

I’ve spent practically my whole life studying the stars, and finally I’ve discovered that what is called ‘the changes of the stars in the sky are riddles left for humanity by God……’ is an absurd theory! I spent ten years recording and studying the positions of a few stars, researching them every night for ten years and recording their positions.

And gradually, on some nights when the sky was dark and hidden behind black clouds, I was unable to see the stars with the naked eye. In times like these I could only search for some other method…… I thought of magic…… Since magic can be used to respond to even the tiniest changes of everything in nature, then shouldn’t I be able to feel the changes of the stars using magic when I couldn’t see them?

Finally I discovered the power of the stars! And if I could use this power, then just like magicians draw power from nature…… I could draw strength from the stars!

And after discovering I could sense the power of the stars, I found something that made me astounded!

That was…… The power of the stars couldn’t be sensed just at night!

Even when the scorching sun stood right overhead, I could use meditation to expand my spirit sensitivity and feel the existence of the stars! They’re right in the sky! Whether it’s day or night! It’s just that in the daytime their light is obscured by the intensity of the sun!

And after ten years, with my recordings of the positions of those stars over ten years I discovered that even though their positions would change a bit, the changes were actually all cyclical! All of it is a like a loop! For example a star that’s in the east in the summer, and in the winter moves to the west, in the next year it will move back to the east…… all of it seems to follow orbit to loop repeatedly, a repeating cycle!

Consequently, this absolutely isn’t any way for God to enlighten humanity! It’s even less of God’s riddle for humanity! It all repeats according to certain rules —— the rules of the stars! The law of the stars!”

Saimel’s image gradually weakened, these were the last moments before the spirit power was exhausted.

Her voice became incomparably grave: “The church tells us that the stars are a riddle and enlightenment that God set aside for humanity, my conclusion is that the stars move according to fixed rules and have no relation to any divine riddle; the church tells us that the stars are decorations God left in the night sky, my conclusion is that the they exist not only at night, that even though their light can’t be seen with the naked eye in the daytime, they still exist; the church tells us that God created this world, my conclusion is that the stars are made of a never seen before stone, not any kind of substance that exists in our world.”

This great female astrologer raised her head, speaking her final conclusion: “I have begun to doubt whether the stars were created by God…… and finally, I have begun to doubt what is called…… God!”

Looking at her image, Duwei felt his heart brimming with respect for this woman! Ever since coming to this world, this was the first person he had encountered with the courage call into question and challenge common sense and authority!

Compared to those people who set their mind on the belief that ‘God created everything’, this woman who dared question common sense and challenge authority, and who even spend her life researching it, had earned Duwei’s complete admiration and respect.

“My life’s work is all hidden in this room, I give all the things in the cabinets to you. But that door outside is a diversion I left behind, if the people coming here didn’t understand the hints about the stars, then all they could find is that door, behind it are just some worldly valuables, while here, is the true legacy of me, Saimel Zhila Rawling!”

Suddenly the light flickered and began to dim, the female astrologer’s image gradually becoming vague, her voice also starting to weaken:

“For my final advice, in that oil painting in the study is a magic creature of my devising, I sealed it in the painting for it to become your guide in learning all of this. When learning all the things in this room you will require its help and guidance. For security, I haven’t recorded any of the star magic spells I created on paper, but left them with that magic creature. You must unseal it from the painting.

My child, even if I don’t know how long it will be until you find this place, I believe that the great Rawling clan will definitely produce a genius in magic. You should understand that all my life’s work and study, by questioning the authority of God, definitely won’t be accepted by this world! Especially those in authority, they will even more ardently use any means to eliminate it. Since I am unable to hand down all of this honestly, I can only use clandestine methods like this.

I have enchanted that magic creature so that it will only come to life at night, and will lie dormant in the day…… He he, like this it’s just like the stars, invisible to the naked eye in the day. Moreover, only people with strong spirit power will be able to notice its existence. I believe that since your spirit power is strong enough to come here, you will be able to become a remarkable sorcerer. I impart all I have learned about star magic to you…… Remember this incantation, you can use it to undo the seal on the painting above. After it has been released it will unconditionally follow your every command…… And the rest, is all up to you.”

The female astrologer slowly declared her last incantation, each letter pronounced distinctly, at the same time making a few finger seals with her hands…… Duwei diligently remembered everything, and afterwards…… with a small sound the light abruptly flickered once, and faded away!

The room immediately fell into darkness, and Duwei hurriedly lit the candle. After inspecting the room, he decided there was nothing to be done and carefully returned from where he came, crawling through the secret passage.

Duwei was completely covered with dust by the time he came back to the study. Fortunately, in the study was still that pile of dusty ledgers, and so the dust wasn’t at all difficult to explain.

Closing the secret bookshelf door, Duwei finally stepped in front of that painting:

“I went inside and saw everything. Including her last words.”

The eyes in the painting seemed to relax, then seemed entreating.

Duwei clearly understood what it meant and smiled:

“You want me to unseal you? Eh, I already found the incantation she left behind. Only, clearly there was a small mistake……”

Duwei smiled wryly.

The first clue that Saimel left behind was the painting! But only a person with strong spirit power could notice it! And people with strong spirit power were almost certainly sorcerers! Even if they weren’t sorcerers, they could still learn magic!

A sorcerer was required for Saimel to pass on her star magic. As a result she left behind this kind of game.

If people didn’t notice the oil painting it was because their spirit power was insufficient, and they didn’t have the talent for magic.

And those who saw it could learn magic…… Afterwards, they could learn that incantation from Saimel and use it to undo the seal on the painting!

But perhaps even an astute person hadn’t expected that after all these years the Rawling family would produce a freak like Duwei!

He clearly possessed surpassing talent for spirit power! But from top to bottom he didn’t have the slightest bit of talent for magic sensitivity!

In other words, Duwei had no way of using that unsealing incantation Saimel left behind, no way of undoing the seal on the painting.

Without this magic creature Saimel left behind…… Perhaps he would be unable to learn Saimel’s star magic! Because all the spells were left with the creature in this painting!

It seemed to be an intractable problem, right?

Duwei couldn’t help a wry smile.

Clearly he had found a vast treasure, he had even opened the door, but he couldn’t step inside. Such a feeling was truly helpless……

Suddenly Duwei’s eyes brightened…… hadn’t he captured a magician?

That fellow who only had the ability to use the lowest level magic could use the top notch ‘instant casting’, then perhaps……