Prologue 3.1

"Ayanokouji Kiyotaka" POV.

It's been a few days since I've found "that". I will most probably reshape it, later on, to be more practical in combat. Right now, I'm following Hana to the Free guild made by Yuuki Kagurazaka. Apparently, these 2 are good friends.

This increased my image of Hana in my mind because Yuuki would be something akin to a world power.

From what I gathered, during my travels, while Hana was fixing her sword is that the Free Guild is an international organization founded by Yuuki Kagurazaka, formerly known as the Adventurer's Association. It was founded to promote collaboration and protect the interest of guild members and is funded by the Council of the West.

The guild member's freedom lays in the fact that they were outside of any country's system. One million people are living in Blumund of that number, seven thousand are guild members, their families are not included in the count. An adventurer is a Freedom Guild member who either goes foraging, subjugating, or hunting on request. Some take on different types of tasks, but most people still refer to them by the generic

term, adventurer. Furthermore, an adventurer is someone who has to have some basic combat ability.

There are merits to becoming an adventurer. While every Free Guild Branch is affiliated with a specific country, its members can change countries easily. If adventures are going to hunt for B+ ranked monsters, multiple adventurers of the same rank are needed (At least 3 or more people). Normally, there are not many rank B+ adventurers who stay at

the frontier; the problem being that monsters appear there quite frequently.

B rank adventures aren't famous enough to be known outside their borders.

The Free Guild's headquarters is located in the Kingdom of Ingrassia, the royal capital.

It's a pretty large gaudy building, that can be seen from far away. The entryway to the guild is covered in glass. The doors opened by themselves, using a sensor that detects human presence and opens the door, however, only adventurers of B rank and above can enter. The entrance scans your

guild card, so people without proper identification cannot enter.

Those below B rank, C+ and below, have to use the building near the entrance to the city.

Even though the library is located in the Royal Capital, it is not the Royal Library, which is located inside the castle. As those are in the royal family's possession, only court magicians can access them. There is a restriction to enter the room with magic books.

When one presents their adventurer identification card, one can enter the room without any problems. This library exhibits the secret arts that the adventurers had collected. The ancient magicthat the adventurers found is also collected in this place. It can be said, that this library may have a worth that is equal to the other countries' royal library.

It is located at the end of the road leading out of the commercial district where the magic store is. It is a stately building made of stone and is 5 stories high. They regulate the temperature, keeping the temperature constant with magic. The test to give one a rank is held in a building as large as a gymnasium. The test to move unto the

next rank is also held here. One cannot take on requests without the appropriate rank, so the test can be taken at any time. For that purpose, a proctor from every guild is always present.

But since proctors are sometimes relied upon in times of need, they are mostly hired from among A-rank adventurers retired from military service. If one passes, one becomes E rank, and are allowed to subsequently challenge D and C rank, and above. However, if one fails, one has to first earn 100 F- points before testing again. F-points are obtained from F-rank requests.

Rewards and points differ between different levels of requests. In short, you get rewarded for your skill. The test is conducted within a twenty-meter in diameter magic circle, a dome-like barrier is erected. One must defeat the opponent before them. The proctor pours magic energy into the circle, to perform summoning magic.

E → Hunter Hound

D → Dark Goblin

C → Giant Bats

B → Lesser Demon

A lesser demon is usually challenged as a team. Defeating it alone is impossible, almost like a B+ rank test. One can only test up to B rank in a branch guild; B+ rank and above are conducted at headquarters only.

This can sum up all I've learned about the Guild. Whenever I think about it, I can't help but feel amused. Yuuki seems like an individual that has monopolized political relations. His influence has stretched out so far that most city's know and implement the system he has made.

The best part is the job creation in the form of adventuring. While it is flawed, there are very

obvious solutions that he most likely left on purpose. He most likely wants the rulers of their respective domains to willingly ask for assistance. This would most likely solidify the guild's presence in the council.

"-Nothing much. I would say it's so and so." Hana was currently talking to the guild master. Behind him stood a beautiful elf that is most likely his subordinate.

"I see, hopefully, you don't end living me by my lonesome." Taking a look at the 2, I couldn't help but feel amusement.

Name: Yuuki Kagurazaka [ E.P.: 1,105,789]

Title: N/A

Magic: <Element magic>, -body strengthening-

Ultimate skill: N/A

Unique skill: Creator.

Resistance: Resist magic, resist Melee attack, etc.

...

Name: Kagali( Kazaream) [E.P.: 1, 204, 892]

Title: demon lord(former)

Magic: <Curse, healing, barrier, golem magic>

Unique skill: Planner.

...

These people are interesting-no. It would be better to say this world is interesting. There are so many fascinating things that I continue to find the more I am here. It is honestly amazing.

A delusional strategist trapped in his own failures and a tyrannical genius that can easily be a martyr if he is pushed too far. Hana is honestly quite the person, to be friends with these sorts of people.

And to some extent, even I have changed. This world caused a change that I can only attribute to being a daemon. It's slight, 0 + 1 is just 1, but that's infinitely better than 0.

Simply put, I am more susceptible to emotion. No, I can't feel it or understand, but I'm no longer completely ignorant to emotion.

I could say it is due to who I am now. I am "Ayanokouji Kiyotaka" but he is not me. I am built using the very essence of the White

Room's masterpiece as a base. In this way, we can not exist on a conceptual level because Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is required to build "Ayanokouji Kiyotaka".

"-Thanks for having me." It seems the conversation is over.

"Come on Kiyo, let's go home, you are cooking today." All I did was reprimand her attitude like a parent would a child.

Currently, my mind was still at the guild. Yuuki, please prove to me you are useful because that will make "it" all the more easier.

..

.

Arriving back home was a quick ordeal. I sat on the porch looking into the beautiful forest. Soon after Hana followed, she sat next to me.

Our clothing was simple black shorts and white tops. It was something akin to an extreme coincidence that brought about these circumstances.

"Now that we are settled, I need you to reiterate what you've been working on. You've only ever given me bits and pieces of information." She looked at me in excitement waiting for me to talk.

"The first project is the one you are most familiar with," she nodded, "But to explain it, I'll have to give a basic lesson to you. What do you know about aether?"

Hana tilted her head innocently as she tried to think up an answer, "While I haven't heard that

phrase, I assume it's some form of energy, maybe it's an element?" She looked defeated not knowing a thing about it.

I don't blame her though if it wasn't for the fact that I had research material in the White Room, I doubt I would know about it.

"You are correct in the assumption that aether is an element," she pumped her fist in victory,

"Before I explain it, what are the four basic elements?"

She looked at me like I was stupid but played along regardless, "I would normally be offended, but it's you, so I'll play along," my brow shot up in amusement, "The basic elements are fire, water, earth, and wind but sometimes wind is interpreted as sky due to mythology painting the birth of the world as a natural phenomenon." I was impressed, she knew more than most would, I guess she is smart.

"Good job, as expected of master I guess," she tried to hide it but I could see she was happy about the compliment, "What if I told you that there was a fifth element?" She just looked at me as I explained.

"Deemed so by the medieval science era, aether is titled as the quintessence, the heavenly element." She looked interested enough so I continued my explanation, "Aether fills the region of the "universe" that is beyond the terrestrial sphere."

She looked confused but remained silent, "In Greek astronomy and the physics conducted by the Greek philosopher Aristotle, the terrestrial sphere lesser form is referred to as the sublunary sphere."

"This sphere is the region of the geocentric cosmos(universe or space residing between heavenly bodies. Egocentric, similar to the belief that the earth is the center of the universe) below the moon. It is within the sublunary sphere that the four elements reside, allowing the law of physics to hold

sway over the physical universe."

"When you reach beyond this sphere, going beyond the edge of the universe, you are within the terrestrial sphere. It is there that heavenly bodies(planet) are born, that is where aether is deferred from the four elements."

"You see, aether is incapable of motion over quantity and motion of quality. This element is only capable of local motion within the terrestrial plane." She was completely engrossed into my words.

"Aether has been noted to move in a circular motion, allowing for celestial spheres to be born. It's been speculated that these celestial spheres that are made of aether contain stars and planets. This led Greek astrologists to believe that this was the cause of orbit between planets."

"It should also be mentioned that at one point in time, there was another substance that held the title of quintessence. Dark energy, the energy that, when mixed with dark matter, makes up about 95% of the universe's total mass energy. Do you understand what I am insinuating," Hana who was completely still could only shake her head in denial.

"I am saying that aether is an element whose authority is equivalent to that of an energy that supports the very universe and produces and helps the cause of natural phenomena."

My master looked dumbfounded at the info dump that I had given her, "So, in summary, aether is the quintessence that essentially creates and directly attributes to natural phenomena in the universe."

"Ever since I became a daemon, I have been able to see and manipulate this element. So I'm trying to crystallize the manipulation of aether, making it a "magic" of sorts, since magic in lamens terms is just crystallized knowledge actualized into the world."

Hana's mouth opened and closed so many times that I worried for her jaw. She eventually stopped and looked at me, "That's... That's just broken, on so many levels... Now I don't want to know about the second project of yours."

A dangerous expression made its way onto my face, "And the second project," Hana scrambled trying to stop me but was stopped as I put a finger on her lips to shush her, "Is me trying to validate my existence in this world. Currently, I am not seen as an individual who has their own conscience. The world classifies me as a familiar, so my presence is greatly diminished."

"My second project is a form of soul manipulation. By materializing my soul and turning it into a perpetual motion machine, I'll be able to anchor my existence into this realm permanently." Hana took it in for a moment.

She looked at me with relief... I think? "I see, your second project is not as crazy as what you are doing with aether." She stood up at started stretching.

She seemed to have understood everything I had told her, that's good. She doesn't need to know the

actual applications of my first and second projects. That will be a little white lie that only I know the truth to.

.

.

.

"Anyway! Now that's done, read me a story."

What?

"Don't look at me like that." She frowned as I most likely looked at her like she was an idiot.

"No offense, but you do realize who you are asking to read a story to you, right?" I pointed at myself to further push my point, "I know, I like the sound of your voice."

What? Me? My voice? The guy that sounds like a robot?

"Your thinking too much," her voice cut my musingsshort, "Your master asked you to do something, just do it."

Was she-?

"Umm, sure, I guess?" When I looked at her, I realized what she was doing, "What do you want me to read?" She just wanted to see me trip up because of my social skills.

A shit-eating grinning adorned her features, "What about reading Romeo and Juliet. I bet you can read it with a passion." She posed theatrically to further dig me in a whole.

A phrase that I never thought would be spoken by me left my mouth, "... Fuck...you..." My voice had never sounded so monotone before this moment.

Her grin just widened and she bit her lip, "Your welcome to." I just closed my mouth and complied with her "reading" wishes.

Thats when I halted, her words only now registered in my head.

'Wait, she said I'm welcome to what?"

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