Chapter 85: Bronze Book and Blank Paper

The bronze-colored book fell in front of Rekton and began flipping its pages on its own; the slightly yellowed sheets contained no content at all.

Rekton stared blankly at the scene, utterly unable to grasp what the bronze book—forced open a previous spirit‑realm creature and then cut in line to rush over—was trying to convey.

"Can you speak?" Rekton asked in Ancient Hekmis, a language that can manipulate natural forces.

The bronze book continued flipping its pages by itself, reaching the last page and then turning back to flip forward again, as if it completely ignored Rekton's words.

Rekton then tried Elf language and Dragon language; finally the book reacted to Dragon language. However, its reaction was merely a different way of turning pages, and Rekton still could not understand what it meant to convey.

"If I write on your pages, can I communicate with you?" Rekton asked in Dragon language.

The bronze book stopped flipping pages by itself and instead shook, seeming to indicate affirmation.

If it weren't for the book's odd arrival—seemingly tossed from somewhere high—Rekton would have already packaged it and sent it back to the spirit realm.

He picked up a feather pen from the desk beside him; the bronze book, hovering in midair, drifted of its own accord to Rekton and opened to a page.

Rekton raised an eyebrow; the book still seemed somewhat intelligent.

Rekton took the feather pen and wrote directly on it in Dragon language: "What abilities do you have?"

The sentence faded slowly after being written, as if it had never appeared, and Rekton, rather surprised, raised his eyebrow again.

I can be your messenger.

A line of Dragon language appeared on the page, the characters identical to what Rekton had just written, then it slowly vanished again.

Although it was amusing, the bronze book's reply was somewhat nonsensical, and Rekton felt he had overestimated its intelligence.

He wrote another line of Dragon language on the book: "What abilities do you possess?"

After writing, that line of Dragon language faded slowly, and rows of Dragon characters emerged: "Generate blank paper, bear spells, transmit information."

The characters lingered on the paper instead of disappearing immediately, apparently for Rekton's convenience.

"Transmit information? So it can indeed be a messenger? But it wouldn't be that people summon it and then write letters on it, would it?" Rekton was curious about the book's method of transmitting information.

The ability to bear spells reminded Rekton of the Scroll Professor of the Seeker's Path, Sequence Six, who can directly create scrolls with magical effects; this seems to be a simplified version of the Scroll Professor's power.

Rekton thought this ability would be a great help for him, still at Sequence Seven, greatly enhancing his means against opponents.

Although he was a bit put off by the bronze book's low IQ, Rekton felt the book was well suited as a messenger and could also serve as a part‑time enforcer.

Rekton wrote another line of Dragon language on the page: "How do I contract with you?"

Rekton knew the usual procedure for contracting with a messenger, but he was unsure how to contract with a book, mainly because he could not confirm whether the book was a normal spirit‑realm entity.

On the slightly yellowed page, Rekton's Dragon script faded slowly, then distinctive patterns and Dragon words appeared one by one on the page.

The bronze book immediately drafted a messenger contract. Its remuneration as a messenger required Rekton to periodically write occult knowledge for the book‑messenger.

The summoning incantation for the messenger was also written into the contract: "A spirit wandering in illusion, a benevolent upper‑realm being toward humanity, the messenger belonging solely to Al Taens."

"Al Taens" is the identity Rekton prepared to use after leaving Feinebote.

Rekton signed his newly prepared name for the new identity on the page, finalized the contract with the bronze book, and then studied the messenger's abilities in detail.

It can generate many slightly yellowed sheets of paper, which count as low‑level spirit‑realm beings; these sheets can be dispatched via the messenger‑summoning ritual, allowing the summoner to write directly on them and then retrieve the sheets to receive the information.

One can also construct spell models on these sheets using extraordinary materials, then trigger them with appropriate incantations or gestures when needed, somewhat akin to the Scroll Professor's ability.

Having learned the bronze book's abilities, Rekton straightforwardly recorded his newly mastered Hardening Technique and Watercolor Projection Type 01 onto the book.

The two spells Rekton just recorded, along with the previously signed contract, did not vanish like the earlier writings; they remained stored on the topmost page.

After recording the spells, Rekton raised his hand lightly, and the bronze book willingly followed the ritual conduit, leaving reality and returning to the spirit realm.

Rekton then tidied up the summoning ritual set up in the room, restoring the room to its original state.

"Huh~, a mysterious messenger acquired. If I hadn't happened to see how the book fell, I'd probably think it's just a peculiar spirit‑realm creature, but at least it's better than that huge, sea‑smelling spirit I attracted with my incantation," Rekton muttered.

Although the messenger's origin was unknown, its abilities were indeed useful, and Rekton could roughly guess who had tossed it down.

"Now that I have a messenger, the Knowledge Church's problem is solved; next is the Earth Church. No matter what, I must inform the Earth Church, leave the messenger's summoning method for communication, and perhaps snag a magical item," Rekton planned in his mind.

The thought of possibly freeloading a sealed artifact from the Earth Church made Rekton restless. He slipped on his coat and headed out to the Earth Church's experimental field.

The experimental field was built on the formerly polluted Huo Ke Street, where the contamination had been cleared. However, because the earlier evacuation of residents was blamed on a bioweapon leak, locals now refuse to approach the area, let alone move former residents back. The Earth Church therefore simply established two plots there for grafting experiments.

The New Year was not yet over, and the street was bustling with carriages and pedestrians; after stepping out, Rekton finally managed to find a carriage parked by the road.

"Hello, to Huo Ke Street—uh, you don't need to go there, just stop nearby," Rekton said, noticing the coachman's uneasy expression when he mentioned Huo Ke Street, and quickly rephrased.

The coachman breathed a sigh of relief; as long as he didn't enter Huo Ke Street, the fare could still be earned.

The carriage brought Rekton to the edge of Huo Ke Street and stopped immediately. After paying the fare, Rekton walked straight toward Huo Ke Street.

Seeing this, the coachman hurriedly called out to Rekton, urging him not to approach, as Huo Ke Street was still dangerous inside.

"Don't worry, I won't go in; I'm just looking for my rabbit around the outskirts," Rekton nodded.

After repeatedly confirming that Rekton would not enter Huo Ke Street, the coachman confidently drove the carriage away. Rekton, seeing the carriage depart, changed direction and headed into Huo Ke Street.

The Earth Church kept a close watch on the ongoing project; even the personnel guarding the experimental field were all Earth Church extraordinaires.

Because Rekton had been engrossed in developing new spells and rarely visited, the Earth Church's extraordinaires specifically screened him before allowing him entry.

(End of Chapter)