The [Will] and [Core] of Magic

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Pepper Crab: black-pepper crab is one of the two most popular ways that crab is served in Singaporean cuisine. It is made with hard-shell crabs, and fried with black pepper. Unlike the other popular chilli crab dish, it is not cooked in a sauce and therefore has a dry consistency.

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*'Will, also known as Intent, is a large part of Understanding a Skill.

If Core is half, then Will is the other half.

Those who only use Will to wield a Skill may Understand [a Skill], but cannot hone it to its highest ability, and vice versa.

Will applies for finding the magic inside you. It means accepting it, feeling it, and drawing it out. Magic is usually found through meditation attempts, which are listed on the next page.

Core is the key of an element. For example, if magic is the bow, then an element (fire, air, water, earth, etc.) would be the arrow. Will would be the wielder of the bow, and the Core would be the arrowhead.

Even without the arrowhead, if the wielder (Will) is highly competent, you could still injure someone.

But to properly shoot as an expert, the arrowhead is necessary.

The Core of a Skill, is essentially, its meaning. But it doesn't mean just understanding its use. It means interpreting it to your own terms, comprehending it with every fiber of your being.

More on Core (next page).'*

Yu Yan had been staring at the first page for an hour. Even Belluse had fallen asleep.

She had meditated, kind of found Will, and sensed the magic.

But what the hell was Core?

It said 'next page,' and Yu Yan had read the next page, but it hadn't made any sense.

Even though Yu Yan had the cheat code that was "REBUILD," Yu Yan understood that the Core was different for everyone. Ye Zhao's Core for air had been 'rise.' Air would rise, and air would fall, and air would help Ye Zhao rise to the top. It was a personal meaning.

'Think more abstract.'

Air. Wind.

Yu Yan suddenly was reminded of a pop song that she had liked as an heiress.

She had been obsessed with the piano version of it. On a whim, she placed her hands on the table in front of her like she was playing a keyboard. She could almost feel the keys underneath her fingers and she played it while humming the notes, lyrics in her head.

The lyrics went well with the tune.

Back when Yu Yan had been in high school, her friends had praised her for her piano skills. All of them had backstabbed her in the end, in different ways, but Yu Yan had expected it, so she wasn't that offended.

The song was one Yu Yan had learned to play the piano for back then, in ninth grade, back when her skills were only mediocre.

She didn't want to go back home for the people.

She wanted to go for her memories, sappy as it was.

And perhaps her pepper crab.

The anime series that she followed, the pop groups that she listened to, the webnovels that she read, might seem like little things, but they had shaped her into the person she was today. There had been no mother, no father. Just music, and words, and worlds.

She was similar to Ye Zhao in the way that the author described, his trait of wanting to get lost in other worlds. His reason was that he felt the world no longer had a place for him, but Yu Yan's was different.

Yu Yan's playing sped faster over the imaginary keys.

She liked to create new worlds of thought, and stay in them. Safe hamlets that she felt comfort in. While Ye Zhao liked to fall in others' creations, she liked to shape things, learn their meanings, and interpret them in her own way.

Perhaps, in a way, she had learned 'Core' long before she knew of its existence.

'Wind.'

With the song, she associated it with time.

With goodbyes.

With an unrelenting longing that would perhaps continue forever.

An unshakeable presence.

She finally found the word for it.

'Flowing.'

She played the last note, and leaned back.

That night, Yu Yan performed magic for the very first time.

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Maevri wrinkled her nose at the mayor's unsuccessful attempt.

"Terrible."

The viscount's daughter looked to be in a bad mood, from the way she finally discarded her artificial benevolent gaze and glared at the two seated across from her.

"Mallev, you simpleton. You can't even explain things?"

The words were viciously handed out, but Alessia and the brother remained unfazed.

After Yu Yan had performed, Maevri had been shocked, as had Mallev.

To Yu Yan, her performance hadn't been that earth-shattering. She hadn't expected to become a prodigy on the first day, but after staying up all night rereading the guide a hundred times she'd expected at least something more showy. The air that had danced on her palm was the size of a tiny cockroach.

Yu Yan sighed internally.

'Never have I envied a person so much.

Man, I'm sorry I teased you in the comments for not being able to move on from your ex.

At least you were a prodigy.'

She remembered that when Ye Zhao started learning elemental skills, he had almost burnt a village to the ground and had two High Mages begging for him to be his disciple.

Yu Yan barely got a wink of sleep last night. It reminded her of her cramming days at her international high school.

The result of her eye bags and midnight epiphany? Air the size of a bread crumb.

Pah.

But, judging from the two nobles' reactions, getting at least a crumb in one day was an enviable thing.

Yu Yan watched as Maevri lashed out at Alessia, who could only take it with her head down.

'Aiyo, sorry for not standing up for you ah. Hope you understand, as a fellow self-preservationist.' Yu Yan silently apologized.

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Yu Yan's Rules for Self-Preservation:

1. Do not needlessly pick fights or look for trouble.

2. Do not associate yourself with dealings amongst those more powerful than you.

3. Keep your head down unless provoked. When provoked by someone, check their status. If they are of a more powerful status than you, refer to Rule 4.

4. When provoked by someone more powerful, do not retaliate unless the following criteria are fulfilled:

a. The provocation will get in the way of your endgame or a step to said endgame.

b. You are sure you can face the consequences of your retaliation.

c. Your retaliation does not bring consequences that will get in the way of your endgame or a step to said endgame.

5. Ensure that your plans will cause minimal damage to yourself in the long run.

6. Never start fights you can't finish by winning.

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To live a long life, her rules sounded pretty good to her.

To stand up meant going against the viscounty, which she preferred not to do. Even if the viscount's children had ulterior motives, unless they planned to harm Yu Yan or her plans, Yu Yan wouldn't move.

'Sorry again, mayor-auntie.'

Even if the mayor reminded Yu Yan of the auntie that ran the black pepper crab stall nearby her high school, albeit a more ambitious, snake-like version, Yu Yan still wouldn't move.

After Maevri finished lecturing the two, she huffed.

"The Festival is in two months," she said.

Yu Yan froze for a second, scanning her memories of "REBUILD" as well as her own of this world.

'Ah…'

She recalled the Festival of Souveraine, the First Elf King. Ye Zhao had participated in it during his search for Durendal. Apparently it had happened every end of spring; a religious holiday, for the whole of Elevyar who believed in elves.

Maevri gazed at both the mayor and Yu Yan.

"We need to move onto the next town, and we'll be back after then, to check on your work. I hope this all won't be for naught."

Dramatically getting up, Maevri dragged her brother out, their entourage of servants following behind. Yu Yan and the mayor were left blinking in confusion.

They had left as quickly as they came.

'The fu...'

Yu Yan quickly regained her composure and glanced at the mayor, who remained impassive.

"I guess they're gone," Alessia said casually. Her salt-and-pepper hair was swept up in a harsh bun, like it usually was, exposing her hawk-like features.

"Your summoning wasn't even that bad," Yu Yan commented.

After working together, they had developed a good working relationship. Not good enough for Yu Yan to sacrifice her life for her, but good enough still.

"No, they were right. It was terrible."

Alessia was frank.

Yu Yan pressed her lips together. 'Aii….bro….'

Of course, she didn't say that aloud, discreetly moving onto another topic.

"There were a lot of holes in their plan, too." Yu Yan frowned. "Do you think they have ulterior motives?"

"The one who sent them likely did," Alessia replied. "I'm sure you heard about their sibling's engagement."

'Ah. Brownie points.'

"So they're trying to get into the Duke's good graces? But aren't they already in them…" Yu Yan wondered out loud.

She had only lived in Elevyar for a month, so although she had a rough idea about the nobles here, she didn't know their specific hierarchy.

But she knew that the Delacartes were one of the Duke's most loyal vassals, and had a shit ton of power in the duchy's capital.

"Apparently, the plan was made by their sister. They probably want to show off her supposed talents to spread her reputation, so the Duke's third son doesn't divorce her after their marriage." Alessia continued. "It's a nice trap - if the third son does get named heir, and decides to divorce the viscount's daughter for a higher-ranked consort, he'll be criticized."

"The Duke has five children, doesn't he? What about the other four?"

"The first son is around your age. Nineteen, allegedly talented, but extremely mysterious so the public doesn't know much about him. I mean, he'll likely have to come out soon." Alessia lowered her voice. "It's rumored that the Duke Rella is ill."

Yu Yan's eyes widened.

For the citizens in Rook, this was an almost earth-shattering piece of information.

After all, Rook was in the Duke's territory. The presence of a new Duke could mean a lot of things - harsher reforms, heavier taxes, or the complete opposite. It would deal an impact to the noble hierarchy, and the citizens under the Rella Duchy as well.

"I'm surprised he hasn't named an heir already," Yu Yan quietly admitted. "I mean, with the Delacartes struggling, you'd think there'd already be one…"

"Mmm, but we shouldn't continue with this topic." Alessia looked around. "The walls may have ears."

Yu Yan agreed, and moved onto the topic of the festival.

"Could you explain the Souveraine Festival?" Yu Yan asked.

She needed a refresher.

Alessia obliged, filling in the gaps.

Elevyarians believed that the kingdom had formerly been inhabited by elves, the mythical creatures. Souveraine de L'air, the first Elf King, was a figure in both fairy tales and religious ceremonies. There was no Church or anything like that, but the belief was deeply ingrained in Elevyar's culture, so much so that the King of Elevyar was known as the one 'Blessed by L'air.'

L'air had been the last name of the royal Elf family, the first of whom was Souveraine, the original wielder of Durendal.

Yu Yan remembered that it, in French, his name vaguely translated to 'ruler of the air.' Apparently, the Festival celebrated Souveraine's discovery of air magic.

Alessia had always calmly explained everything Yu Yan was unsure about.

For that, Yu Yan was grateful.

But, it still felt embarrassing to ask what the hell the Festival entailed.

'Ye Zhao had entered the Festival to eat, and drink for a bit before finding Durendal… but that was it. There was the background behind the story, but it was more of a mini-arc.

It's fine, I'll ask Belluse to explain it later.'

Thanking Alessia, Yu Yan returned home to plan the Festival.