The Erudite Herbal Shop Owner

"When dealing with natural elements, Pentagram or Hexagram magic formations are generally used." Because the person Queen Mystic had sent had such a poor foundation, Odys had no choice but to start with the basics.

"A Pentagram magic formation is used because, before the Third Epoch, Beyonders believed the world was made up of earth, air, water, fire, and aether.

"A Hexagram magic formation is used because by the Fourth Epoch, Beyonder scholars believed that the fundamental elements making up the world should also include metal.

"Or rather, metal should have differentiated from the original earth. During the same period, Pentagram magic formations were also said to occasionally summon Devils, so Hexagram magic formations came into widespread use."

The lady who had come to learn no longer showed any hint of disdain. "I heard that the Beria Family in the Blood Sanctify Sect has Pentagram elements in its family crest."

Odys nodded. "I've seen similar records. The shift from Pentagram to Hexagram magic formations should have had something to do with them."

As he spoke, he drew two isosceles triangles on the paper with the same center but different orientations. This was a Hexagram.

Odys then drew a small circle at the center of the triangles. "The symbol within this circle is extremely important. In the magic formation I'm about to explain, you can't use the common symbol representing flames. You must use this one instead."

He first drew a trapezoid, then drew a layered, curled indicator symbol along each of its four sides.

The lady paused slightly. "I've never seen this symbol before, but judging from its shape, it resembles the symbol representing flames."

"This is a symbol I derived from the six applications of the symbol representing flames," Odys said.

"Occult Symbols can be derived?"

Odys did not answer directly. Instead, he asked, "Have you heard the legends about the origins of Occult Symbols?"

The lady nodded. "According to legend, these symbols were a system of Occult Symbols created by ancient people imitating some of the symbols on the Blasphemy Slate."

Odys said, "That legend has fabricated elements. The symbols on the Blasphemy Slate could never be so crude.

"Don't ask how I know. Even if you ask, I won't tell you."

He knew that the writing on the Blasphemy Slate consisted of characters that could only be understood intuitively. They probably did not even have fixed forms. How could anyone imitate such things?

"These should have been a batch of symbols that ancient people discovered by accident, symbols capable of triggering certain reactions in Beyonder Characteristics," Odys said. "Based on my research over the years, this symbol system is highly incomplete.

"So I derived a batch of new symbols. After verification, they proved more useful than the original Occult Symbols."

Only then did the lady realize something. "Why do Occult Symbols react to Beyonder characteristics at all?"

"That involves the question of the essence of spirituality."

"The essence of spirituality?"

Odys smiled. "As a Beyonder of a scholar-type Pathway, surely you've considered what spirituality actually is?"

The lady immediately felt like an ignorant elementary school student. "Spirituality... isn't it just spirituality?"

Odys said, "That question is not part of this transaction. We can discuss it another time."

The lady was immediately somewhat disappointed.

"Let's continue. Outside the small circle are indicator symbols for the four directions..." Odys continued explaining the magic formation used in the weapon.

From the indicator symbols outside the small circle, to the symbols within the hexagram, then to the ring of Occult Symbols outside the large circle, the formation he drew resembled a classic Hexagram magic formation, but differed in many details.

As Odys explained each part, it was as though he had opened a new door for the lady. Magic formations, which had never been taken seriously before, actually held so many mysteries and applications!

At last, Odys began explaining the paint used for the magic formation within the weapon.

The entire formation required dark red paint, while the central symbol required bright red paint.

In addition, the six symbols within the Hexagram had to be bright yellow, while the outer ring of Occult Symbols had to be black.

Each of these paints had to contain specific proportions of Magma Pyroxene powder and Red-Crowned Immortal Grass powder. These two Spiritual Materials were supplementary materials for a Hunter Pathway Beyonder advancing to Sequence 7 Pyromaniac, and were not common Spiritual Materials.

Therefore, each maintenance session for the weapon cost 80 pounds.

Once the magic formation had been drawn, the lady still had many things she did not understand. However, Odys had only explained some basic principles and had not gone into excessive detail.

As he had said before, those matters were not part of this transaction.

At five in the afternoon, Odys announced that the day's lesson was over. She could return the morning after tomorrow to learn how to disassemble and assemble the weapon.

The lady stood. "Teacher Gal, my name is Aria. I hope that, when there is an opportunity, I can ask you more questions about Occult Symbols."

She realized that the knowledge Odys possessed was extremely important to a Scroll Professor. It might even bring a qualitative change to her abilities.

Odys smiled. "Sure. We can talk about it when there's a chance."

Aria asked again, "Does this weapon have a name?"

Odys scratched his head. "I hate the naming part the most, so I only gave it a code name."

"A weapon this inventive should have a resounding name!" Aria thought for a moment. "How about Arrow of Flames?"

Odys nodded. "That works."

He had always been easygoing when it came to naming things.

After Aria bid him farewell once more, she left Gall Herbal Shop and took a carriage to a small villa in Cherwood Borough.

The servants in the villa had kept the fireplace tended. The burning flames drove away the city's dampness and bitter cold. Aria hurried to her study and first wrote down everything she had learned that day in her notebook.

As she pondered the question of the essence of spirituality that Odys had raised, the flames in the fireplace suddenly turned emerald green and icy cold, even spilling out of the hearth.

Aria knew that Queen Mystic's messenger had arrived, and she immediately rose to her feet.

Whoosh—

After a violent burst of flames, Aria sensed that someone had suddenly appeared in the study. The fire in the fireplace returned to its normal color, yet there was only empty air before her, without even the shadow of a person.

"How did today's lesson go?" Queen Mystic's voice came from the air, as though the queen were standing right before her.

Aria bowed slightly toward the empty air. "I only learned the principles of that magic formation. Odys did not explain the underlying theory in detail."

At the same time, she realized that the Queen was paying close attention to what she was doing.

"Did he explain those unfamiliar Occult Symbols clearly?"

Aria roughly understood. The Queen had already noticed the most crucial part of the magic formation: those derived Occult Symbols.

When Bernadette herself, elsewhere in the city, learned that those unfamiliar Occult Symbols had actually been derived by Odys, she thought, Are the requirements for opening an herbal shop this high now? You even need to derive Occult Symbols?