The Sea of Light

Mr. Wilson received Edward's reply around teatime.

After all, the sun rose five hours earlier in Middle Earth than in the New Continent. He was sitting in an elegant carved armchair, holding a cup of black tea and chatting merrily with a beautiful woman. The sunset streamed through the floor-to-ceiling window behind him, tinting the curtains and walls a soft orange-red. It also cast a charming glow over the lovely face gazing at him so "sincerely."

Whether that gaze was truly "sincere" or not was anyone's guess. Who cared? He had earned his family's respect, acquired a manor and a fortune, and now had a charming companion. Once a man passed fifty, he had to learn to take certain things in stride. He couldn't stay as "naive" as he'd been in his youth.

Professionals lived longer than ordinary people, but he had entered the supernatural world late, and Casters were far more physically frail than warriors. So, now that he was past fifty, he was beginning to feel his age. Still, he was an Alchemist, and ever since he'd become an "alternate committee member," visitors had been coming to see him nonstop. Some of them brought rather special Alchemy Potions. The little blue bottle someone-or-other had brought him had been especially effective. He'd heard that if he became a full committee member, the association would use an expensive ritual to forcibly raise his level once. Supposedly, it could not only extend his life but restore his youth as well...

As he was imagining how to spend a night of bliss, the butler walked in, knocking on the door with a tray in hand. Wilson raised an eyebrow, set down his teacup, and gave the butler a puzzled look.

"Your letter, sir. It came from the Magic Tower in the White Hawk Duchy. As you instructed, they sent it to you as soon as they received it." The butler bowed and presented the letter, which had been rolled into a thin tube.

Wilson immediately sat up straight and took the letter. At the same time, he turned to his companion and said, "Sorry."

The lovely woman smiled and tactfully followed the butler out of the room.

Only then did Mr. Wilson unfold the letter. The envelope read: "For Mentor Wilson's Eyes Only." Inside were a sheet of paper and a thin illustrated booklet.

He unfolded the letter first. It read:

Dear Mentor Wilson,

I was overwhelmed with excitement when I received your letter. I thought that, with such great distances between us, we would never hear from each other again. I never imagined that, even after becoming such a respected gentleman, you would still remember an unsuccessful student like me. I'm deeply grateful.

First, congratulations on being nominated for the Philosopher's Stone Award. I hope you'll soon lift that golden trophy. It will be an honor not only for you but for our alma mater and all your students.

I also hope you'll advance further, drop the word "alternate," and become an honored member of the Royal Alchemist Association. Then all of us students will proudly be able to put "Sir" before your name whenever we speak of you.

You mentioned the problem you encountered in your experiment. In accordance with supplementary clauses 25 and 27 of the contract we signed, I recommend that you look up Patent Technology No. 55 after the patent for "cement" at the Patent Office. You'll find a patent called "concrete." I've included an illustrated manual for your reference.

One more thing: your disappointing student—me—became a Full Alchemist a few days ago. I'm sure you'll be happy for me. I'm writing to ask for your help, hoping to receive the next Meditation Method and the knowledge appropriate to my new level. I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,

Your student,

Edward Smith

Wilson picked up the illustrated booklet. Its cover bore a hand-drawn picture of a bizarre-looking mixing barrel. The title was scrawled across it in crooked handwriting: The Wonderful World of Concrete.

After Wilson had flipped through a few pages, he hurled the booklet and letter to the floor. The veins bulged across his smooth forehead as he growled:

"I knew it... I knew that hateful country bumpkin had another trick up his sleeve. How did I not think of something so simple... How?" He swept his hand across the coffee table, smashing the tea set to pieces.

The clatter made the butler standing outside the door shrink back.

After a few heavy breaths, Mentor Wilson gradually calmed down and fell into deep thought...

Meanwhile, Edward had been sitting astride his "sidecar," growing impatient. To begin with, he didn't want anything more to do with the young Mage or her princess cousin. It didn't fit his "keep a low profile" persona. But outwardly, he had to welcome them to his home as guests. After all, he owed them a "tremendous" favor. The fourteen gold coins he'd saved would probably have taken his Alchemy Shop more than a decade to earn.

At the same time, he felt a faint, inexplicable sense of anticipation. His heart was oddly restless.

The two beauties had insisted on dressing up before they went out. After all, an Incognito Tour meant they had to "avoid attracting attention." But half an hour had already passed, and there was still no sign of them. Based on his experience in his previous life, he might have to wait just as long again.

He had nothing better to do, so he propped up the rear wheel of the "sidecar," took some materials from his Spatial Ring, and began modifying the exhaust pipe. Once he was done, he tested it. Since he wasn't using a clutch or a gearbox, all he could do was let the rear wheel spin in the air. It sounded pretty good: no more pfft-pfft farting noises. It finally had the feel of a motorcycle from his previous life.

By the time Edward finished the modifications, the two beauties had come out as well. Alice wore a pink princess dress much like the one Edward had seen in his previous life, along with a parasol of the same color. A matching soft-brimmed hat sat on her head, its ribbons tied beneath her chin in a pink bow. She was utterly adorable. After all, at her young age, with a built-in landing strip, she could only pull off a cute look. Still, it was winter, Miss Alice. Weren't you dressed a little too lightly?

Alice noticed Edward's confusion. She pulled a glittering red pendant from her neckline and dangled it in front of him. Though Edward didn't know exactly what it was called, he could tell it was an expensive fire Magic Trinket. So he'd been worrying for nothing. Rich people could do whatever they wanted.

The Knight Princess, on the other hand, had been very inconspicuous today. She hadn't said a word since she first saw Edward. She had changed into knee-high brown leather boots, well-fitted jeans, and a brown cotton jacket. A bright red bandanna was tied around her neck, and a cowboy hat sat atop her head. Her golden hair was tied into a ponytail that hung down her back. The long strings beneath her hat brim dangled loosely, untied. It was the cowboy outfit currently in fashion in the New Continent. But when she held down the brim of her hat and smiled shyly at Edward, the light in her emerald-green eyes struck him like a force that had crossed worlds.

"Hey, what are you two waiting for? Get on!" Alice was already sitting in the most comfortable spot on the sidecar—the carriage bed—and had opened her pink parasol. The two beauties had seen the vehicle before they changed. Magic-powered carriages were common in this world, though scarce and not yet widespread. But a "flashy" vehicle like this was still rare.

The two who had been frozen in place quickly came to their senses. Edward climbed on first and took the front seat. The Knight Princess naturally sat behind him, and quite naturally wrapped her arms around his waist. It was much like riding a horse together, she thought, leaning forward slightly.

"Gasp..." The fleeting, springy sensation against his back was something Edward had never experienced before. He drew in a sharp breath without thinking and twisted the throttle. The "sidecar" shot forward like a streak of lightning.

"Boss, slow down! I'm going to get thrown out!" Alice shouted from the carriage bed, gripping the handle with one hand and holding tight to her parasol with the other.

Edward realized he'd lost control and immediately slowed down. They drew even more stares as they went. Alice sat in the carriage bed, basking smugly in everyone's attention. The princess behind Edward hid her face beneath her hat brim, too embarrassed to show herself.

After the "sidecar" crossed Fountain Square, passed Holy Light Church, went by Flower Cross Street, and entered the City Gate District, Alice called for a stop even though they hadn't been going very fast.

"Boss, back up, back up! It was that alley back there!" Alice yelled. "I saw Elwin!"

Edward slowly backed the vehicle up to the alley and stopped, turning his head to look. There was a bakery in the alley, with a long line outside. There were plenty of people, but he couldn't see the silver-haired, Baby-faced Pastor. Alice had already tossed her parasol into the carriage bed and hopped over, saying, "That guy's sneaking looks at people again. I'm going to scare him."

Edward took off his goggles, pulled a pair of glasses covered in magic runes from his Spatial Ring, and put them on. They were an Alchemy item he'd made himself: the Eye of Truth Glasses.

Andrea turned her head to look as well and asked,

"What's she doing?"

"She's gone to find Pastor Elwin."

"Where? I can't see him."

"He's invisible. Of course you can't see him. But Alice's Magic Power sense is ridiculous. How did she even notice him?"

Edward suddenly had an idea and said,

"Your Highness, please take off your sword and draw the blade about an inch."

Andrea took the sword from her back and did as Edward asked.

"Now listen to me. Calm your mind and close your eyes. Don't channel your Battle Qi; just focus your mind. You're a Great Knight, so your Mental Power should be no weaker than any Junior Mage's. Now try to sense what's around you. Open your eyes in your mind, and imagine you're looking at the world through that sword..."

Andrea trusted him and did as he said. A knight's Battle Qi and mind were closely intertwined. Separating them like this felt extremely awkward, but suddenly, light appeared before her tightly shut eyes—a sea of light. Shadows floated up and down, left and right, within it, but she couldn't make them out.

"This sword has exceptionally high magical conductivity. Once your Mental Power connects to it, it's like attaching a highly sensitive antenna to your mind. Through it, you can see the 'real' world reflected by Magic Power." Edward continued his rambling explanation beside her.

"There's light, but I can't make anything out," she said excitedly.

"Welcome to the 'inner' world, where Magic Power and the mind take form. First you have to learn how to focus, like looking at a fingerprint right in front of you and then at a distant mountain."

"It still isn't working." The princess grew impatient.

"Then let me help you."

Suddenly, a gentle hand took hold of hers. Both their hands trembled slightly. A soft thread of Mental Power flowed into the Sword Hilt as well.

Everything before her began to sharpen. The distant Sea of Light stretched endlessly, like the shimmering ocean under the moon. Nearby was the familiar back of the young pastor. He stood with his back to Andrea, gazing at the rippling sea of light. His shoulders were drawn in, and his body trembled over and over.

"He's crying... He looks so sad..." The Knight Princess felt a pang of sympathy.

"That guy saw something he shouldn't have. Did it scare him? Are kids these days really that powerful? Did I just run into a Child of the Plane?" Edward grumbled inwardly.

"What did he see? And what's a Child of the Plane?" The Knight Princess's voice came from beside his ear.

Edward was startled. Only then did he realize that he and the princess were connected through the sword by their Mental Power. She'd heard his emphatic grumbling.

"It's nothing, it's nothing. You asked about the Sea of Light he saw. How should I put it? In Primordial Chaos, it's called the Human Path. In Buddhism, it's called the Alaya. In the scientific world, it's called the Pan-Human Collective Consciousness. In this world..." Edward searched desperately for the right words.

"What is it?" the princess pressed. She didn't seem to notice how intimate their positions were. People nearby were already beginning to gather and watch.

"God!" Edward found the right term for this world.

"Ah..." The princess cried out. She'd taken everything he'd said before that as incomprehensible babble about seeing God. After all, she hadn't understood a single word apart from "God."

"Congratulations. Your city is about to gain a Prophet, maybe even a Great Sage." Edward discreetly changed the subject.

At that moment, a figure in a princess dress entered the scene and patted the pastor on the back. The silver-haired pastor turned around, bowing and trembling even harder. He was obviously crying even more bitterly. The girl reached out and stroked his head, as if comforting him.

"Well, congratulations. You might have a Great Magister cousin soon."

Before Edward could finish, the Baby-faced Pastor pulled the girl tightly into his arms. The boy wrapped both arms around her and buried his face in her shoulder, weeping. She let her arms hang limply at her sides, staring blankly upward.

Their overlapping silhouettes, set against the rippling Sea of Light behind them, formed a heartbreaking scene no one would ever forget.

"If only there were a camera. I could show them the photo later," Edward thought.

"I can't watch this. How dare he take advantage of my sister in broad daylight! This is outrageous!"

The Knight Princess abruptly left the mental world, knocked Edward's hand aside, jumped off the vehicle, and charged at them with her sword...

"Hey, don't go over there! They're invisible right now..." Edward reacted half a beat too late to stop her. He hurried after her.