What if BOTH the stars and the runes conform to some greater truth? Think about it. If a god or whoever was doodling with the universe, those doodles should leave more than just a single imprint. In fact, it could be in anything.

  — Excerpt from Notes For Newstar

  Day 1890, 9:00 AM

  “Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Tidebreaker.” I bowed to the exalt, ready to leave for Porttown, the biggest city of the Tidebreaker kingdom.

  Hopefully, letters of introduction written by the exalt himself should open some doors and let me study under the kingdom’s greatest experts.

  Maelstrom and Shield joined me, as did the stern-eyed man who had appeared next to us when Nineeyes dropped dead in front of us. My guess was he was Maelstrom’s guardian and quite possibly a distant cousin.

  Whatever their relation, he acted respectfully, and I spent the following half a year sculpting my realm and practicing alchemy under a grandmaster alchemist.

  Then, suddenly, after years of effort, my realm was complete.

  [You have sculpted your realm beyond your kind’s ability.

  You have leveled up.

  Select a skill within sixty seconds or a random one will be assigned to you.

  Child of Mana - Your effective use and manipulation of mana grows by one realm. This is a permanent change, in effect at all future realms.

  Child of Matter - Mana reinforcing your body and sent into items you touch is exceptionally pure and potent. This is a permanent change, in effect at all future realms.]

  I had nearly forgotten that leveling up was an option. The description was clear, advance your body or magic. I preferred the latter, but with all the various bonuses I already had to my physique and weapon skills, it made sense to focus on my body.

  Besides, from what I had seen in the visions and read in the books, real experts often fought with their physical bodies alone, unwilling to waste mana. Magic was often used as a last resort, usually to save your life.

  Disgruntled, I made the logical choice and strengthened my body, then checked the next level up condition.

  [To level up, refine your realm.]

  I stared at the condition, and I had no idea what it meant.

  Refinement is the removal of impurities. Does that mean there are impurities in my realm? Am I supposed to upgrade my core’s quality?

  My core was already labeled as perfect, so it shouldn’t have been that, or perhaps I’ve gotten an impossible level up requirement? Considering that the system’s level up conditions had nothing to do with me personally, it was more than possible that I had gotten a requirement I can’t fulfill.

  Attributes hardly matter. One realm as a mageknight improves me by around fifty-four attributes, so pushing for a handful of extra levels won’t really benefit me all that much, especially considering I would have to redo to make it perfect, and I have no leeway to do that now.

  It was a difficult choice. I planned to spend a year or more crafting and perfecting my various professions. On one hand, I could expect a large number of levels. On the other, it meant giving up on a pinnacle skill granted by what was probably the world’s strongest class.

  In the end, I chose greed over practicality. I decided I would stick with the realm mageknight class. The skill I got from the previous level up was more than worth it, and the next one was bound to get better.

  As if by fate, Maelstrom called me to the tavern that evening, and I had no reason to refuse.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “I’ve been learning blacksmithing under Grandmaster Brighforge, I know Grandfather has given you a letter of introduction, so perhaps we can be fellow students.”

  I gave the smiling woman the look I was often on the receiving end of.

  “You are bothering a grandmaster blacksmith to tutor you?”

  “It’s his apprentice’s apprentice for now, actually. I’m a novice, but Grandmaster has mentioned he is curious to meet you. Said Grandmaster Mooneye is more than satisfied with you.”

  He very well should be, for the past ten weeks we’ve been working more or less as peers, seeking inspiration from each other, and not like master and apprentice.

  “And how are you doing as a blacksmith?”

  “Fine, fine. There’s this weird game they play in their spare time, and they had me making the game pieces. They call them horseshoes, and you’re supposed…”

  I stared at her.

  Throwing horseshoes has spread amongst blacksmiths this far after only five years?

  I was looking for any signs of her pulling my leg, but she went into detail about how difficult horseshoes were to shape properly, especially hammering out the edges.

  Understandable, considering she was a beginner, but given her realm and the enhancements of her body and mind, it meant she lacked the talent.

  “Why are you learning blacksmithing?” I asked.

  She was a princess; she didn’t need the income; she certainly didn’t have a family tradition to continue…

  “Grandfather said learning a bit of blacksmithing and artificing now would help with my realm sculpting later.”

  I nodded. There was a bit of that. While my realm was made up of runes and runic seals, shaping metal seals did share some facets with blacksmithing, as did shaping ice.

  Perhaps one of the reasons I can sculpt my realm so easily compared to what I’ve read about others is the expertise in various crafts? Blacksmithing required force, rhythm, and some finesse, while artificing was the opposite, requiring great precision, some appliance of strength, and next to no sense of rhythm.

  “An interesting approach. Isn’t he afraid you’re losing time?”

  “No, just getting to watch the grandmaster work is a great boon. Trying to mimic his moves later under supervision is a bit embarrassing, but I don’t doubt I’m benefitting a lot.”

  The conversation flowed nicely. It was normal, especially with her going easy on the booze. A couple of months before that, when she was in a particularly nasty mood, I had to floor her attendant, and I avoided her for weeks afterwards.

  “When are you going for the next realm?” she suddenly asked. She was already at the fourth, third layer by the feel of it.

  “I’m not in a hurry,” I said. “While every advancement doubles the time I have remaining, I don’t think I’m the kind that dies of old age, sickbed surrounded by my loving family. That said, my realm barrier should crack in a week or two, even if I don’t make a conscious push.”

  Maelstrom nodded. “Grandfather said making a strong foundation is important, and you’ve spent an awful lot of time in meditation chambers. You’re blazing your own path, aren’t you?”

  “Yup.” No reason to hide it. I was a wanderer, not a member of a noble lineage who has to hold up a tradition. “You have to mess around a bit to get the perfect result.”

  Suddenly, I smiled. I don’t know what was stranger, a guy like me making casual conversation with a princess in a tavern, her attendant watching over us, or a princess making casual conversation with a demigod in a tavern.

  “What are you smiling about?”

  “Thinking how strange life can be.” I looked at her, and I saw her bloodied dying face again. “Maelstrom, should you ever find yourself in a battle with those of higher realm than yourself, can you tell me what’s the most important thing to do?”

  She frowned, but considered the question. “To survive, to kill my enemy, to help my side win, to retreat safely if we’re losing… I don’t think there’s any single thing that’s most important.”

  “No, there is definitely something most important,” I said before she started running off on a tangent. “It’s important to keep your eyes on the prize, to stay focused on what you have to do, while keeping only a tiny wisp of your attention on what’s happening around. Not paying attention will kill you.”

  The talk weirded her out, and she changed the topic immediately. “You know I’ve been changing the speed at which I talk the whole time, and you never commented.”

  “I do, and I’m indulging you.”

  “Well, you can keep up when I go as fast as I can, and you’re a realm beneath me. You shouldn’t be able to do that.”

  “I’m a special kind of grumpy old man, there’s nothing I can’t do.”

  That got a laugh out of her.

  “How long will you stay here?”

  “Maelstrom,” I said seriously at her nervous smile. “I know you better than your grandfather. Tell me what it is you want to say.”

  She turned around to face her attendant. “Can we have some privacy?”

  The woman moved away, and I took out a privacy talisman from my spatial pouch.

  “This one doesn’t pop back,” I warned her.

  She nodded, then licked her lips.

  “Are you really not interested in me? If you’re afraid of Grandfather—”

  I raised my hand.

  “Maelstrom, you’re a beautiful, wonderful young woman, who from time to time loses control when drinking.” Saying “child,” while more accurate would’ve been like a slap. “I can assure you I’m not interested in that way. You’re like… Well, like a little sister to me.”

  Again, calling her niece or granddaughter was more accurate, but…

  She looked at me. Her disappointment and dejection were obvious. She swallowed a lump, then forced herself to smile. She was a princess; this was probably the first time she didn’t get what she really wanted, but there was no way I was getting involved with her.

  “A little sister, huh?” She nodded. “I guess I can live with that.”