Chapter 31
At her worktable, Grand Mage Yulia began walking Elise through the transcendent items she had prepared.
For each one, she offered a targeted analysis—materials, crafting techniques, actual function—explaining everything in detail.
The items were all representative examples. Once Elise learned to appraise them, she would have the fundamental techniques needed to identify most transcendent items.
After covering their material structures, Yulia finally arrived at the heart of the matter.
The spell itself.
[Appraisal] did more than verify and judge an item's material structure. More importantly, it examined the spiritual structure of transcendent items and identified their functions within the transcendent domain.
"The spell structure of [Appraisal]..."
Yulia taught Elise the simplest structure first, then motioned for her to try it.
Elise had spent the past few days adapting to her Second-tier strength and hadn't yet found time to learn any new spells.
This was her first contact with [Appraisal].
But after Grand Mage Yulia's explanation, she already had a working grasp of it.
Following Yulia's guidance, Elise stirred her mana.
A ripple spread outward, and a spiritual wave washed over the item awaiting appraisal.
[Congratulations. You have acquired the skill Appraisal. Current level: LV1.]
[Appraisal Skill Experience +4.]
[Congratulations. Your Appraisal level has increased to LV2.]
Three system prompts in a row.
Elise went quiet for a moment.
Level 2 already?
She looked back at the item on the worktable—and somehow "saw" new information.
[Mithril: Common First-tier item. Material used to craft transcendent equipment.]
A data display?
Elise's heart jolted.
The casting itself had already returned spiritual feedback; she'd understood this was a piece of mithril. But the system's data readout was a welcome surprise on top of it.
She quickly checked her skill list.
[Appraisal: LV2: 1/1,000]
[Appraisal: General spell.]
(LV2 Effect: Increased casting speed.]
[Appraisal] had just hit Level 2, and its first modifier was exactly what she'd expected.
All spell skills gained [Increased Casting Speed] at Level 2.
"High Cleric Elise, did you receive feedback from the God of Wisdom?" Yulia asked, assuming the attempt had failed.
"Yes. Spiritual feedback. It's fascinating, truly." Elise turned the sensation over in her mind.
It had been a kind of pure spiritual communication, as though some unseen current of information had told her: this is mithril, a common First-tier item.
But that understanding rested on the caster already knowing something about the item.
Using [Appraisal] well would take a great deal of reading and practice.
"Good. Now let us appraise another material." Yulia knew the kind of feedback a first casting of [Appraisal] produced, so she carried on with the lesson.
Elise nodded.
Then, with a thought, she actively linked her spirit energy to Tymis.
As Tymis's contractor, that was her right.
Mew.
Tymis, still invisible and floating above her head, gave a soft cry.
[Appraisal Skill Experience +6.]
Elise cast [Appraisal] again.
This time the system awarded 6 points.
Level 3 should come quickly, she thought.
She looked at the appraised item with anticipation.
[Aurumite: Common First-tier item. Material used to craft transcendent equipment. Purity: 99.99%.]
"An extra line of data?"
Elise's pulse quickened.
She severed the spirit-energy link with Tymis and cast [Appraisal] on a different piece of aurumite.
[Appraisal Skill Experience +3.]
[Aurumite: Common First-tier item. Material used to craft transcendent equipment.]
Then she reconnected with Tymis and cast [Appraisal] on the mithril from before.
[Appraisal Skill Experience +5.]
[Mithril: Common First-tier item. Material used to craft transcendent equipment. Purity: 99.99%.]
More experience, and a clearer appraisal result.
System plus Tymis equals data-enhanced Appraisal?
Elise understood at once.
The system handled the data display, while Tymis—beloved by the God of Wisdom—supplied richer spiritual feedback.
Together, they strengthened [Appraisal].
Her gaze toward Tymis softened.
She genuinely hadn't expected the little creature to help her this way.
Mew.
Sensing the shift in Elise's attitude, Tymis grew even happier, flapping its tiny wings in open delight.
Hurry up and advance to Second-tier already.
Elise reached up and gave Tymis's catlike head a vigorous rub.
Tch.
Tymis protested.
It wanted to advance too, but Elise had only ever fed it First-tier spirit energy. How was it supposed to advance before its own contractor?
Now that Elise could feed it Second-tier spirit energy, Tymis felt its prospects had finally turned around.
No. I have spells to practice, and I need to earn money to cover my shortfall. You get three meals a day... diet portions.
Elise settled in to haggle.
Her daily spirit energy was already stretched thin, and feeding Tymis on top of that strained her resources badly.
Tch...
No means no.
Mew...
That, I'll allow. You may go mooch.
Mew...
After conferring with Tymis for a while right in front of Grand Mage Yulia, Elise explained with some embarrassment, "Tymis helped me. I was thanking it."
"So this is Tymis, beloved by the God of Wisdom?" Yulia had sensed the creature's presence long ago, but since it had deliberately concealed itself, she hadn't mentioned it.
Now that Tymis had shown itself, Yulia found herself very curious about this legendary darling of two gods.
Permission to "mooch" granted, Tymis put its natural talents to work at once.
It waved its long ears, fluttered its tiny wings, and alighted on Grand Mage Yulia's shoulder.
The cool, jelly-like touch made the Senior Grand Mage beam.
She was about to ask Elise something when Tymis gave a soft mew.
The little creature was begging through spirit energy.
"Hahaha!"
Grand Mage Yulia was thoroughly charmed.
She raised a hand, and a cluster of spirit energy gathered above her palm.
"Mew..."
Tymis swallowed it without a shred of ceremony.
In truth, it merely used its body to digest and contain the spiritual energy. The "eating" motion was pure theater for its sponsors' benefit.
"It really is adorable. And extraordinary." Yulia looked at Elise with open envy.
Here was a creature beloved by both the God of Space and the God of Wisdom—an energy lifeform that appeared in Aurelia only during the Convergence of Planes.
"Yes. It's also a bottomless pit," Elise said dryly.
"It has found itself a way to cultivate, hasn't it?" Yulia understood exactly why Tymis had revealed itself and turned on the charm.
The little thing was working for its supper.
She didn't mind in the least. If anything, she held Tymis and taught Elise [Appraisal] with even greater care.
Elise kept her spirit-energy link with Tymis open and cast the spell again and again.
[Appraisal Skill Experience +5.]
[Appraisal Skill Experience +6.]
The prompts kept coming.
Bit by bit, Elise worked through most of the transcendent materials Yulia had prepared—at least the ones she could already halfway understand.
[Congratulations. Your Appraisal level has increased to LV3.]
The newly learned [Appraisal] climbed to Level 3.
Part of that was Tymis's assistance. Part was the power of the Level 2 modifier. Most of all, it was because Elise was now a Second-tier Awakened.
Going forward, new spells she learned might start out near Level 3, and pushing them to Level 4 should be quick as well.
So the leveling speed didn't surprise her.
She opened her skill list and checked the new modifier.
[Appraisal: General spell.]
(LV3 Effect: Increased casting speed. Spell Enhancement.]
As expected, the Level 3 modifier for spell skills was [Spell Enhancement].
But [Appraisal] wasn't like other spells.
With its effect strengthened, and the added boost from her contract with Tymis, what would it become?
Elise couldn't resist opening her spatial item and drawing out the staff she had received not long ago.
Beside her, Yulia's eyes lit at once.
Her gaze locked onto the staff in Elise's hand.