บท 23: Apprenticeship

After being shooed away by the eccentric Matriarch, Hugo went directly to his room in the attic.

Hugo sat down on his small bed and gazed absent-mindedly at the books hung on the shelves. They were so close, yet so far away. The Matriarch had taken the time to enclose the shelves within a mystic barrier to keep the books out of Hugo's reach.

He started running the morning's events through his mind and fished the mysterious token out of his pocket.

Hugo scrutinized the token, but it still looked like an ordinary metallic coin, decorated with mysterious symbols. Had he not used it before, he would have thought that it was just an ordinary medallion.

[Why would two powerful old mystics be so worked up over a mere residence-token?] Hugo wondered.

He stuffed the token under his pillow and lay back on the bed, gazing at the trussed wooden ceiling.

[What now?] Hugo wondered…

His soul training was at a standstill, he was limited to a few children's books, and worse, his outings had been discovered.

[I can't stay lounging around here like I've done for the past six years.] Hugo pondered and once again pulled out the mysterious token.

[The Matriarch was more preoccupied with the token than by my escapades… That means I was probably discovered because of the token… It's probably some kind of rare treasure that I can't use yet.]

In the past six years, Hugo had hardly seen the Matriarch show interest in anything other than the books and scrolls in her study.

Hugo's curiosity was piqued. He felt a burning need to uncover what was so special about the token.

"Hold on: What's the mechanism employed by the token to resonate with the barrier and bypass it? … I'm so lousy… Why didn't I consider this before?" Hugo muttered as he reflected on the process involved in using the token to bypass the barrier.

[Whenever I'm close to the barrier, I'm able to use the token… A gap is created in the barrier, allowing my physical body to bypass it without any hindrance.]

"Maybe… the token siphons energy from the barrier, lighting up the mysterious engravings. The energy is then drawn into the inscription probably leaving behind a gap in the energy field. If the principle of energy conversion works in this world, then this hypothesis may be the most likely one. … But I can't be sure…]

[I will try to calculate the gravitational constant here tomorrow. If it is similar to Earth's, then my theory might just be correct.]

"All in all, the token must require some form of energy to work," Hugo muttered as he continued examining the token.

[The only way I can unravel the mysteries of this token is by first training my mana. … Damn! This leads me back to the problem of not possessing any mystic powers…]

"I have to find a way to gain mystic powers," Hugo muttered as he started to doze off. He was deeply exhausted since he had had to jog back and forth from a mountain 4 kilometers away.

After a few hours, Hugo was woken up by a heavy knock on his door.

"Hugo! Are you fine? … Why aren't you replying?" Tracy's distinctive voice questioned from behind the door.

After Hugo had been allocated a room in the attic, he maintained the healthy habit of locking his door from the inside. This was to prevent the 'other residents', especially his aunt, from barging into his room whenever they wished.

He quickly opened the door…

His aunt, dressed in her formal religious attire, awaited him on the threshold.

Every time Hugo saw Tracy's get-up, he was reminded of the nuns back in Smiljan on Earth. [Why on Earth does she like this outfit?] Hugo wondered as he waved Tracy into his room.

"Hugo, we need to discuss a few things…" Tracy's tone was solemn.

Hugo waited patiently for his aunt to continue. His instincts were warning him that this conversation could radically change his life. The situation reminded him of the day, in his previous life when his mother offered to teach him the art of making home-crafted tools and mechanical appliances.

Demonstrations of the 'mystic powers' made him want to know more about this wonderful but abnormal force. How is it possible for a person to become so powerful? Where is all the energy stored in a mystic's body?

There were more and more questions that Hugo wanted to solve. So, he was a bit expectant and excited when he saw his aunt's solemn expression.

[I do hope that this is about mystic-powers… even some bits of simple knowledge should enlighten me on how to move forward.] Hugo contemplated.

"Hugo! You are going to be starting an apprenticeship with the blacksmith from before."

The next phrase out of Tracy's mouth directly diminished his excited mood. He was already beginning to daydream about the prospects of finally having access to knowledge about mystic powers, however, he was instead being told that he'd been recruited as a blacksmith's apprentice? Should that make him happy?

"Does this apprenticeship have something to do with me possessing the mysterious residence-token?" Hugo inquired with a frown slowly forming on his face.

"Yes and No."

[How could the discovery of the token lead me to become a blacksmith's apprentice? … This is not logical.] Hugo couldn't relate the token to the workmanship of a blacksmith.

"Can you tell me the token's purpose?"

"No."

"Will becoming a blacksmith help me unravel the mysteries of the token?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

"Then why should I become an apprentice to a blacksmith? Can't you just allow me to start using the library? The clergy shouldn't be so strict about denying 'young men' entry…"

"Hugo! These are the rules of the Dark Church, which have to be respected. Children have to wait until they are nine before having access to knowledge about mystic powers…"

Hugo's mood dampened further…

Was he to join the mediocre profession of people who are always hammering hot iron without understanding its basic chemistry? This was a great 'No' for the young Hugo, who was filled with boundless aspirations.

Seeing the disappointment that was projected by Hugo's expression, Tracy was neither surprised nor angry, however… a mischievous smile with a twist to it was slowly planted on her face.

"My dear Hugo! … Do you find that being a mere blacksmith's apprentice is demeaning for a great intelligent being like you?" Tracy inquired, raising her arms, her voice becoming tinged with sarcasm at the very end.

Hugo looked up at Tracy, his face clearly expressing his stand.

"Haven't you always been interested in mystic-artifacts like fluorescent-lamps and energy-barriers?" Tracy's tone was spirited.

"Hmm!? … Are you implying that those lamps are fabricated by blacksmiths like Elder Constantine?" Hugo inquired, his expression showing his doubt.

"Hee hee. … The 'blacksmith' profession is the foundation required if one wants to learn the science and art of making those magical lamps…" Tracy paused while looking at Hugo who was now very attentive.

"Go on…" Hugo implored, his face clearly expressing his interest.

"I am very envious of the blacksmiths in Gaia… They never lack money or resources if they are skilled to a certain extent." Tracy sighed as she organized her words.

Tracy needed to induce Hugo's interest in the craft.

"A 'modern blacksmith' like Constantine has the know-how of how to shape metal in any size or form. He is proficient in hot working techniques like hot rolling, forging, and welding."

"He can directly craft artifacts like swords and knives, he can even forge the high precision parts required for machines like the lamps and stoves you see around this house."

"If a blacksmith progresses further in his profession, he can master the higher-level techniques required to embed crystals and other precious materials into metals. He can even go additional-step and learn how to 'design' and 'process' runes and arrays, and then 'engrave' them onto metals or crystals."

"Hee hee… That is why most of the experienced blacksmiths are called 'mystic-engineers'. Their skills are much more advanced compared to their counterparts from the pre-colonial era." Tracy added.

"Is that elder Constantine a mystic-engineer?" Hugo hurriedly asked, wanting to hear more about the mysterious blacksmiths in Gaia. The topic of mystic-engineers was right up his alley.

"I heard from Grandma Bianca that Constantine is a rank-2 mystic-engineer. But he prefers the 'professional' and 'sacred' title – the 'blacksmith'. He is a very old-fashioned fellow."

Seeing the clear excitement and expectation in Hugo's eyes, Tracy decided to strike while the iron was hot…

"Hugo! Do you know what this implies…?" Tracy added, her tone jubilant.

Hugo shook his head to express his confusion.

"This means that you may get a chance to learn some knowledge about mystic powers before you're 9 years of age," Tracy added in a whisper.

"Ahh… You mean it!."

"Hush… hush… the Matriarch is below us." Tracy whispered as if she could keep it secret from the powerful mystic below.

[Does it even matter whether you shout or whisper? The Matriarch always knows what you speak of, as long as she wishes.]

Hugo took a few moments to calm down before inquiring…

"When do I start?"

"You can start tomorrow if you wish."

"Okay, Aunt Tracy. I will start tomorrow." Hugo's voice was a little too enthusiastic.

"Do I need to prepare anything?"

A genuine smile lit up Tracy's face.

Since Hugo's birth, he always gave the impression of being in a state of daydreaming. He was most times detached from his surroundings. This was the first time he had showed a sincere interest in anything other than the library or the books kept in the house.

"No. Just try to get a good rest today… Oh… That reminds me…" Tracy paused while fishing out a small red pouch from one of her gown's pockets.

"Here is a ring that your mom left for you before her untimely departure…" Tracy sighed as she tossed the small pouch into Hugo's waiting hands.

"Aunt Tracy! Have you heard from my mom yet?" Hugo asked as he fished out a ring attached to a slender chain from the pouch.

"Not yet! …But I know that she will be back." Tracy curtly replied with a poker-smile planted on her face.

"Oh." Hugo didn't push for more answers as he knew the topic would be saddening for Tracy.

"How do I use the ring?" Hugo inquired while scrutinizing it.

It was a signet ring of simple but beautiful design. Sunburst engravings and a silver band surrounded a sapphire stone set in its center. To Hugo, the engraving looked like a compass of sorts. On its inner-side, very tiny runes and mysterious symbols glittered.

Seeing clear signs of confusion on Hugo's face, the left side of Tracy's faint red lips tugged upwards into a mischievous smirk.

"You think you're so clever, don't you? …You can find out on your own." Tracy answered as she began to excuse herself from the small room.

"Just a reminder… That ring is very precious. Many would be willing to kill to obtain it. So, never take the risk of showing it to another soul… You can wear it around your neck using the chain." Tracy instructed.

"You having that ring was your mom's departing wish. So, treasure it." She added, her tone solemn.

Hugo was perplexed…

If he could not ask anyone about the ring, how was he to use it?