Chapter 13: Morta Script

Though Merlin found old man Aita somewhat enigmatic, Kellis had assured him of Aita's exceptional expertise in Morta Empire relics. With his concerns allayed, Merlin gave a respectful bow to Aita and replied, "I'm willing to learn under your guidance, teacher!"

"Excellent."

Aita's initially stern expression softened into a smile. "Merlin, come back this afternoon, and we'll begin with some basic knowledge on relic identification."

Unsure of Aita's temperament, Merlin simply nodded in agreement, promising to return. Aita then saw Merlin and Kellis to the door.

"Miss Kellis, who exactly is Mr. Aita?" Merlin couldn't resist asking.

Kellis hesitated a moment before answering quietly, "Mr. Aita seems to have come to Blackwater City from elsewhere. He lives alone, with no family, and keeps mostly to himself, only collecting relics. I met him by chance and sought his advice on relics from time to time. He's helped me understand a lot of things I was unsure of. But beyond that, I don't really know much more about him."

Merlin nodded thoughtfully, then parted ways with Kellis and returned to the castle by carriage.

---

That afternoon, Merlin arrived once more at Aita's little wooden house.

The sky had finally cleared after a full day of snow, though the air remained frigid. Wrapped in his coat, Merlin climbed the stairs and knocked on Aita's door.

The door soon opened, and Aita regarded Merlin with a neutral expression. "You're on time, good."

Without further comment, Aita allowed Merlin inside.

As Merlin took his usual place by the fireplace, he noticed a thick book lying nearby. Aita, sitting comfortably beside the flames, glanced at Merlin and began, "Relics are a distillation of history. Each one may carry the mark of a specific period. To understand relics, one must be well-read and aware of their historical context. Take the artifacts from the Morta Empire that interest you; to identify them accurately, you must first understand Morta history. Do you know the most significant element of the Morta Empire?"

Merlin shook his head; his knowledge of the Morta Empire was sparse.

"Their script. For an empire that unified its land, a written language is essential. Through their script, we learn much about the Morta Empire. Furthermore, their writing system is one of the best ways to authenticate Morta relics."

Aita picked up a booklet from the table and handed it to Merlin.

As Merlin flipped through it, he found page after page filled with strange symbols, none of which he recognized. Aita explained, "This is the Morta script, the written language of the Morta Empire."

"Morta script?"

Merlin's eyes lit up. Morta script differed greatly from the Bright Kingdom's script, which resembled Latin letters from Merlin's past world, forming thousands of words through letter combinations. Morta script, however, looked more like tadpole-like glyphs to Merlin, making it impossible for him to distinguish one from another.

"Merlin, to identify Morta relics, you must begin by learning the Morta script."

And so, Merlin's lessons under Aita started with this complex script.

Learning a new language was tedious, yet Merlin's enthusiasm for Morta script kept him engaged. Perhaps it was this body's natural sensitivity to languages, for Merlin picked it up with surprising speed. By the end of the afternoon, he had already memorized a dozen words.

However, it would take months or even years of consistent study to master a language entirely.

As evening fell, Aita noticed the dimming light outside and said curtly, "That's enough for today. Go home and review what you've learned of the Morta words."

"Of course, teacher. I'll make sure to practice."

With a respectful bow, Merlin left the house.

Outside, the freezing air hit him, clearing his mind. Spotting Moss waiting with the carriage, he called out, "Moss, let's head back to the castle."

Inside the carriage, Merlin stretched his legs and leaned back, massaging his temples. Despite feeling drained, today had been the most fulfilling day since he'd arrived in this world.

---

Days passed, and Merlin's life settled into a steady rhythm, shuttling between Aita's house and the castle, contentedly absorbed in his studies.

"Is something the matter, Butler?"

Merlin noticed the butler seemed unsettled as he finished his breakfast.

After a moment's hesitation, the butler spoke up. "Master Merlin, Miss May Snow has been gone from the castle for nine days now. She was supposed to be back days ago. Should we send someone to Gran City to check on her?"

Merlin paused, realizing he'd become so absorbed in studying Morta script that he'd nearly forgotten about May Snow's absence.

"Don't worry just yet. I'll find Anson later and see if he's heard any news."

Relieved, the butler ordered the servants to clear the table.

---

Stepping outside the castle, Merlin shivered in the cold wind. Though the sky had been clear and the snow had stopped days ago, the chill lingered in the air.

"Moss, to Mr. Aita's place."

Normally, he visited Aita in the afternoons, but since he needed to find Anson today, he decided to notify Aita first.

---

At Aita's door, Merlin called out, "Teacher Aita."

Receiving no response, he knocked. To his surprise, the door swung open with just a light touch.

Merlin hesitated but stepped inside, glancing around. There was no sign of Aita.

"Leaving the door unlocked… doesn't he worry about thieves?" Merlin muttered. Recently, Blackwater City's security had deteriorated. Though he had spent almost ten days here, he still knew little about Aita's life, suspecting the eccentric man had come to the city alone.

With Aita nowhere in sight, Merlin settled by the fireplace to review his Morta script notes. After an hour, the room's temperature dropped. Merlin added firewood to the fireplace, then heard footsteps outside.

"Bang!" The door slammed shut, and Aita, looking slightly startled to find Merlin inside, asked, "Merlin, what are you doing here?"

Merlin noticed Aita's long boots were muddy, his coat damp with dew, and his face pale, looking fatigued.

"Teacher, I came to request leave this afternoon to attend to some family matters."

To Merlin's surprise, Aita remained calm. After a long pause, he nodded. "I'll be away myself for the next few days, so your lessons will have to pause for a while."

Curious, Merlin wondered what could occupy the usually free-spirited Aita. "When will you be back?"

"It's hard to say—three or five days, maybe longer. But remember, even in my absence, continue practicing Morta script. Here are some notes I made over the years on Morta script and its translation with Bright Kingdom script. They should help deepen your understanding."

Aita handed Merlin a stack of well-organized notes, a rare treasure that served as a dictionary, written in meticulous detail by Aita himself. His normally strict teacher seemed to have invested a great deal in Merlin's learning.

"Rest assured, teacher, I'll continue to practice diligently."

Merlin took the notes and turned to leave.

"Wait…"

Aita hesitated, finally reaching into his coat to pull out a black ring, which he tossed to Merlin. "Consider this a gift—your teacher's little token."

"Teacher, I…" Merlin began, but Aita waved him off impatiently. "Go on, go do what you need to. I'm tired and need rest."

With no further ceremony, Aita shooed him out the door.

Merlin climbed into the carriage, setting the notes beside him. Reflecting on Aita's unusually generous gesture, he couldn't help feeling something was off about his teacher's behavior that day.

"Such a mysterious old man," Merlin mused, turning his attention to the ring.

The black ring felt weightless and seemed old, carved with a grotesque, three-headed creature that appeared disturbingly lifelike.

An unusual choice, Merlin thought, admiring the ring's design before tucking it away in his pocket.

"Let's go, Moss. Today, we're off to etiquette class."

With that, the carriage rolled away from Aita's home.