Vol.3 Ch.175 Preparations in the Laboratory


    <span ss="editText">Rya, Dalia, and Nieren were walking down the hallways of the pce corridor towards the stairs that lead to the basement.


    <span ss="editText">"Ow! Ow! Ow! Please! Alpha, I''m sorry!"<span ss="aiText"> Dalia said as Rya pulled her ear again.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Are you<span ss="aiText"> going to <span ss="editText">beh<span ss="aiText">ave you<span ss="editText">rself<span ss="aiText">? Or do I have to drag you around again?" Rya questioned as she walked beside Dalia.


    <span ss="aiText">"I''m sorry, Alpha<span ss="editText">! I promise to behave<span ss="aiText">," Dalia replied as she <span ss="userText">stared up at Rya with her pathetic, sad, puppy dog<span ss="aiText"> eyes.


    <span ss="editText">Nieren smirked while Rya finally relented<span ss="aiText"> with a sigh.


    <span ss="aiText">"Ok, <span ss="editText">but don''t make me regret this," said Rya as she let go of Dalia''s ear<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="editText">"Geez! Why are you so aggressiv<span ss="aiText">e to<span ss="editText">day?<span ss="aiText">" Dalia asked as she rubbed her sore ear.


    <span ss="editText">Rya stopped and turned to Dalia <span ss="editText">abruptly stopping her in her tracks<span ss="aiText">. "<span ss="editText">...2E, she found the God''s Tear,<span ss="aiText">" She <span ss="editText">sai<span ss="aiText">d with a <span ss="editText">coy<span ss="aiText"> tone<span ss="editText"> while try<span ss="aiText">ing<span ss="editText"> to hide her excitement<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="aiText">"What?! <span ss="editText">So you are saying?<span ss="aiText">" asked Dalia as she quickly <span ss="editText">moved in closer to Rya to hear her whisper<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="editText">Rya broke into a lopsided smile, "We''re making that damn stone<span ss="userText">. And I need one of my best friends to watch my back.<span ss="aiText"> So you will being with us."


    <span ss="editText">"So, y<span ss="aiText">ou t<span ss="editText">hink you can assemble the artifact? <span ss="userText">I thought you needed a<span ss="editText">n<span ss="userText"> Artificer<span ss="aiText"> to <span ss="editText">create<span ss="aiText"> it?" Nieren inquired curiously.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Turns out you just need three differ<span ss="aiText">en<span ss="editText">t<span ss="aiText"> s<span ss="editText">ources of mana to start the process of making the artifact. The Artificer just does the focusing and makes sure that all the mana interacts with all the correct materials in the right order and BAM! Brand new artifact. So, I have you and Nieren. <span ss="userText">And the demonic tome has all the information on going through the process."<span ss="aiText"> Rya answered with a confident smirk.


    <span ss="aiText">"Well, <span ss="editText">if you say so Alpha... But that demonic tome gives me the creeps!... The stench of demons is all over it<span ss="aiText">." <span ss="editText">Dalia<span ss="aiText"> said nervously.


    ''It sucks that they can''t read the old tome like I can. <span ss="aiText">Lord Grazon has a good sense of humor in his writing... Hehe... Should I spook Dalia and Nieren?'' Thought Rya as the urge to tease her friends for fun started to take hold.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">It''s just a book written by some dead old demonic sage. What''s the worst that could happen?<span ss="aiText">" Rya shrugged as if it wasn''t that big of a deal while she made her way to the basement.


    <span ss="aiText">Nieren <span ss="userText">looked <span ss="editText">anxious<span ss="userText"> and quickly interjected, "I-I wouldn''t say thatst part out loud, Rya... A lot of people have been cursed by these old demonic tomes. But I choose to believe in you<span ss="aiText">.<span ss="editText">"


    <span ss="editText">"Oh? Oh, yeah! I was wondering why there was some weird page in the tome... There was something about getting turned into a frog or something if you do thebinations wrong. I''ll just double-check before <span ss="userText">starting the incantation<span ss="aiText">." Rya said <span ss="editText">as she recalled the passage<span ss="aiText"> in the book while holding herself back from smirking.


    <span ss="editText">"H-How about you triple-check<span ss="aiText"> it<span ss="editText">!<span ss="aiText">?" Nieren suggested with a panicked look.


    <span ss="editText">"Y-Yeah! I agree with Woody... I don''t want to be a frog!"<span ss="aiText"> Dalia added with a scared expression.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Ladies!... Ladies..." Rya <span ss="userText">said while putting her arms around the shoulders of Nieren and Dalia as she pulled them into a reassuring hug. "I promise to<span ss="aiText"> you two that <span ss="editText">nothing will go wrong<span ss="aiText">. Besides, <span ss="editText">don''t you two want to know what type of mana vein you have?... Come on... Have some faith in me. I''m not going at this half-assed. You have my word."


    <span ss="editText">"..."


    <span ss="editText">"..."


    <span ss="editText">"..."


    <span ss="userText">Nieren and Dalia were starting to get ufortable<span ss="aiText"> as Rya continued to squeeze them, but they both slowly nodded their heads.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">You know what, forget I mentioned anything!" Nieren blurted out looking down at the floor.


    <span ss="editText">"Don''t worry, nothing bad is going to happen," Rya said reassuringly as she released<span ss="aiText"> Dalia and Nieren.


    <span ss="editText">But before they continue to the stairwell. Rya noticed Dalia''s bloated stomach. It wasn''t obvious at first but being so close to her<span ss="aiText"> body made it more apparent. "Wait<span ss="editText">... Dalia? Can I check your stomach?" Rya asked as she looked at her friend<span ss="aiText"> worryingly.


    <span ss="aiText">"Huh? <span ss="editText">What for? AH! Alpha?<span ss="aiText">" Dalia replied nervously as she felt <span ss="editText">Rya''s hand start to rub her belly. "Oh! Ha ha... I know<span ss="aiText"> I''ve <span ss="editText">b<span ss="aiText">een <span ss="editText">eating a little more than usual but I can stop and burn this off<span ss="aiText"> anytime I want!"


    <span ss="editText">Rya met Dalia''s eyes with<span ss="aiText"> a <span ss="aiText">sk<span ss="editText">eptical gaze.


    <span ss="editText">"This isn''t fat Dalia... I think<span ss="aiText"> you<span ss="editText">''re<span ss="aiText"> pregnan<span ss="editText">t<span ss="aiText">."


    <span ss="aiText">"Pregnant!?<span ss="editText"> Pfft!...<span ss="aiText"> No way... I haven''t <span ss="editText">made it to mating season yet, Alpha!<span ss="aiText">" Dalia retorted back.


    <span ss="userText">''Mating season<span ss="editText">?... That might be a myth<span ss="userText">, Dalia<span ss="aiText">. But I''d still like to confirm this.'' Rya thought to herself.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">I<span ss="userText">-I''m not sure, Dalia... I<span ss="editText">s<span ss="userText"> there a way to double<span ss="editText">-<span ss="userText">check to see if she''s pregnant?<span ss="aiText"> Like... a test or something?" Rya asked curiously.


    <span ss="aiText">"Umm... Well<span ss="editText">,<span ss="aiText"> there is a way to find out if you''re carrying a child but it requires <span ss="editText">an <span ss="aiText">a<span ss="editText">rtifact call<span ss="aiText">ed<span ss="userText"> Lifebloom Relic. Buuut it''s something that Royalty and maybe some nobles would have?" Nieren said<span ss="aiText"> as <span ss="editText">s<span ss="aiText">he thought it over.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Alpha!? I''m not pregnant... Geez! First, Gamma, now you two<span ss="aiText">... I''m just getting fat from eating too much <span ss="editText">sweets! And I can stop anytime...<span ss="aiText">" Dalia blurted out frustratedly.


    <span ss="aiText">"...Hm... It''s possible.<span ss="editText">.. I wonder if Quin''s family has one?<span ss="aiText"> We should ask him when we get back." Rya said as she turned around and walked down the stairwell.


    <span ss="aiText">Before Rya could go any further, Dalia grabbed her arm.


    <span ss="userText">"You don''t need to go th<span ss="editText">r<span ss="userText">ough such lengths<span ss="aiText"> just because I''m fat... And I am NOT pregnant!" Dalia yelled out indignantly.


    <span ss="aiText">Rya looked at Dalia with a slight smirk. "<span ss="editText">Hey... I thought you would like to know, but if you want to live in denial<span ss="aiText">. Go ahead."


    <span ss="aiText">Dalia sighed in relief.


    <span ss="aiText">"And... I''ll eat less sweets... I promise... I''m sorry..." Dalia said apologetically.


    <span ss="aiText">"No need to apologize, Dalia.<span ss="userText"> Alright<span ss="editText">,<span ss="userText"> we messed around long enough. Let''s make a artifact<span ss="editText">." Rya said as she started to saunter over to the stairwell.


    <span ss="editText">"Yeah, just don''t curse us, please," Nieren<span ss="aiText"> added.


    <span ss="editText">"You know I was teasing you, right?<span ss="aiText">" Ryaughed.


    <span ss="aiText">"...<span ss="editText"> it''s not a good joke,<span ss="aiText">" Dalia muttered as she followed behind Rya.


    <span ss="editText">Nieren nodded in agreement.


    <span ss="editText">''Damn! When did t<span ss="aiText">he<span ss="editText">s<span ss="aiText">e t<span ss="editText">wo lose their sense of humor?<span ss="aiText"> I swear I <span ss="editText">ca<span ss="aiText">n''t <span ss="editText">joke around with these two anymore<span ss="aiText">!'' Rya thought to herself. She felt like they were <span ss="editText">ready to me her<span ss="aiText"> for anything bad that happened in the future.


    <span ss="aiText">***


    <span ss="editText">While walking down the stairs, Rya couldn''t help but smile when she saw Arathar working in the forge<span ss="userText">.


    <span ss="userText">"Oye! Wasn''t expecting you threesses to be down here! I know getting a new magical de is enticing but I need a couple more days until it''s ready, myss<span ss="aiText">. Just one more day, I promise. Come back tomorrow, okay?" Arathar chuckled to himself as he continued to work.


    <span ss="aiText">"Heh... <span ss="editText">Really? I didn''t know you were that close to finishing... We came down here to use theboratory<span ss="aiText">. The royalboratory, I mean, to do research for a few artifacts..." Rya <span ss="editText">sai<span ss="aiText">d.


    <span ss="aiText">Arathar smirked and patted his beard with a thumb.


    <span ss="userText">"I see! I thought I saw one of your doubles running about<span ss="aiText"> here today. So you''re doing research, eh? Well, I''m d to hear it!<span ss="editText"> Artifacts aren''t my thing! They''re too brittle for my liking but still d to see you three interested in creating something! That''s more than I can say about my son!" He said with a chuckle.


    <span ss="editText">''Geez! There he goes about his son again... He needs to give Zellin a break<span ss="aiText"> already. <span ss="editText">He<span ss="aiText">''s <span ss="editText">just not a smith and that''s fine<span ss="aiText">,'' Rya thought to herself.


    <span ss="aiText">"So<span ss="editText">,<span ss="aiText"> are you <span ss="editText">making anything else or are you just making my sword?" Rya asked.


    <span ss="editText">Arathar grinned.


    <span ss="editText">"Aye! I had enough leftover liquid ether to forge a pair of gauntlets for the Prince. It will have some anti-magic properties<span ss="aiText">, should he need them. It''s going to take another week before I''m done. I reckon the Royal Guard would love to get their hands on a set of these gauntlets. Oh! And I ha<span ss="editText">ve been wanting to create a couple of maces made out of that white obsidian that knight gave me."


    <span ss="editText">"A knight? Are you talking about Sir George?" Rya questioned.


    <span ss="editText">"Yeah! He said he grabbed the ore back when you cleared out the dungeon core<span ss="aiText">. I just don''t know how to make it into a usable weapon yet. I think I''ll need to find some diamond dust or simr materials to mix in with it. I haven''t seen any in the market though so I might need to go mining myself...<span ss="editText"> Plus if I heat the white obsidian with standard coal it will neutralize the properties that make it special and then it''s just your average obsidian that ain''t worth crap! Oh! Sorry, mysses! I was never good with the polite stuff! I should get back to your sword! Ain''t going to Smith it''self now!<span ss="aiText">" Arathar chuckled and walked away from the group<span ss="editText"> towards the extreme heating out of the furnace of the forge<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="editText">"I don''t know how Baron Zellin is rted to that man," Nieren<span ss="aiText"> muttered.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">What!? That''s simple Woody! He just mated with—" Dalia<span ss="aiText"> said before she was interrupted by <span ss="editText">Nieren.


    <span ss="editText">"I KNOW HOW BABIES ARE MADE, DOG!" Nieren<span ss="aiText"> snapped at the wolfkin. "<span ss="editText">I was talking about how different those two are! Personality wise!"


    <span ss="editText">"Whoa there, girl! Calm down! You wood elves get so touchy sometimes?<span ss="aiText">" <span ss="editText">Dalia said while rubbing her ear<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Dalia, stop ying dumb and Nieren, you need to not let her get under your skin... She finds it fun when you get mad so easily<span ss="aiText">..." Rya said trying to help settle the situation.


    <span ss="aiText">"I''m not ying dumb! I''m being nice! <span ss="editText">Woody seemed confused<span ss="aiText"> so I tried to exin things to h<span ss="editText">er." Dalia said with a smile while wagging her tail.


    <span ss="editText">"I WASN''T— Fine! Fine... It was my fault that I expected better from you, Dog!"<span ss="aiText"> Nieren said with a sigh.


    <span ss="aiText">"Okay, okay! Just calm down! We''re all here to get what we came here for! Right?" Rya said with a chuckle.


    <span ss="userText">Nieren wanted to<span ss="aiText"> protest her statement, but knowing Rya was right she decided to keep her mouth shut.


    <span ss="editText">"Come on! 2E should be waiting for us in theboratory<span ss="aiText">!" <span ss="editText">Rya<span ss="aiText"> eximed<span ss="editText"> as she pulled out the key and unlocked the door to theb.


    <span ss="editText">Rya turned the key as therge oak door<span ss="aiText"> opened revealing the room beyond. The magical torches were lit. Several wooden tables and chairs littered the main floor of theb. There was a counter that ran along the wall to the left of the entrance. Behind the counter was <span ss="editText">2E<span ss="aiText">. <span ss="editText"> She was waiting patiently<span ss="aiText"> beside a long table covered in various tools and devices.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">C<span ss="aiText">re<span ss="editText">ator..." 2E said with a smile.


    <span ss="editText">"Sorry for taking so long 2E. We had to deal with some distractions<span ss="aiText">," Rya apologized.


    <span ss="editText">2E smile disappeared and she looked at Dalia.


    <span ss="editText">"Oh, not you too!... I didn''t know that you found the crystal thing, Cloney!" Dalia said<span ss="aiText"> while tapping her head.


    <span ss="aiText">2E snorted and shook her head.


    <span ss="editText">Rya closed the door behind them<span ss="aiText"> and walked up to the counter.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Okay, show us the God''s Tear, 2E<span ss="aiText">," Rya ordered.


    <span ss="aiText">2E<span ss="editText">''s skin around her stomach started to turn into dirt and rocks as it opened up to the light emitting from the crystal that was in the shape of an egg. It shined brightly<span ss="aiText"> as the dust flew off into the air.


    <span ss="editText">Dalia and Nieren stared in awe at the beautiful<span ss="aiText"> sight.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Yeah, it''s prettier than I could have imagined<span ss="aiText">," Dalia said with a giggle.


    <span ss="aiText">2E nodded happily.


    <span ss="aiText">"This is the first time I''ve seen this thing. <span ss="editText">I remember as a child, seeing one fall to Tertius back in the Wood Elf Kingdom, but I wasn''t allowed to go look for it. Can I touch it, Rya?" Nieren asked nervously.


    <span ss="editText">"Sure thing... Just don''t expose it to sunlight<span ss="aiText">. If you do <span ss="editText">it<span ss="aiText"> will <span ss="editText">disintegrat<span ss="aiText">e," Rya warned.


    <span ss="aiText">Nieren stepped forward and reached out to the crystal. Her hands glowed white as she touched the God''s Tear.<span ss="editText"> As she pulled it out of 2E. The golem reformed her stomach just like it was skin.


    <span ss="editText">"Wow!<span ss="aiText"> Is that supposed to happen?" Nieren asked surprised.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">Hmm...? <span ss="editText">Don''t know if that''s normal or not<span ss="userText">... Anyway just hold on to it, while I pull out the rest materials for creating the Seer Stone,"<span ss="aiText"> Rya exined.


    <span ss="aiText">Rya <span ss="editText">went to the wooden cab on the side of<span ss="aiText"> the counter and pulled out the ingredients and tools needed to create the stone. <span ss="aiText">She <span ss="editText">had stored the seven other materials she needed<span ss="aiText"> in a bag.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Okay, let''s get everything organized first," Rya said as she carried the bag over to a square oak table in the middle of the room.


    <span ss="editText">The table wasn''t anything special<span ss="aiText">. It was made of simple wood and was about 3 feet wide by 4 feet long.


    <span ss="editText">"Hey, Dalia... 2E... can you <span ss="userText">clear off this table, please<span ss="aiText">?" Rya asked.


    <span ss="aiText">"Yup!" Dalia replied as she jumped up.


    <span ss="aiText">2E followed and cleared the surface of the table as well.


    <span ss="aiText">"... <span ss="editText">Perfect<span ss="aiText">," Rya said as she <span ss="editText">ced the bag on the table.


    <span ss="editText">She then pulled out the Demonic Tome and opened it while flipping through a few pages until she found <span ss="userText">the page she was looking for which had <span ss="editText">the list of all the materials needed<span ss="aiText"> to create The Seer Stone.


    <span ss="aiText">She then pulled out the seven materials from the bag andid them down on the table next to the Demonic Tome.


    <span ss="aiText">"Okay, now we need to start by <span ss="editText">making a salt circle," Rya exined as she pulled out a tool that looked like a Chak-pur that Budai Monks would use to make sand <span ss="userText">mands.


    <span ss="userText">"Hey 2E<span ss="editText">,<span ss="userText"> can you make a perfect salt circle on the table? Just a two<span ss="editText">-<span ss="userText">foot radius, please<span ss="aiText">," Rya requested.


    <span ss="aiText">2E nodded and did so<span ss="editText"> slowly. While she was doing that Rya pulled out the next item which was pieces of the dungeon core from the Tomb of the Hord<span ss="aiText">e.


    <span ss="userText">"Oookay... So now we need to crush the dungeon core fragments into a powder<span ss="aiText">," Rya said as she dug her fingers into the bag that contained the Dungeon Core Fragments.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">O<span ss="aiText">h! I <span ss="editText">can crush things good, Alpha! Can I please!" Dalia asked eagerly<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Umm... Sure just use the mortar and pestl<span ss="userText">e to break it down evenly okay<span ss="aiText">?" Rya replied.


    <span ss="aiText">Dalia nodded and ran over to the mortar and began crushing the chunks of dungeon core.


    <span ss="aiText">"Perfect! <span ss="editText">Now what else do we have?" Rya praised the wolfkin before she went back to the bag to pull <span ss="userText">five pieces of silver coins,<span ss="aiText"> some copper ore, and five gold coins.


    <span ss="aiText">Dalia was still working on breaking down the Dungeon Core Fragments when Rya started pulling out items from her bag. She pulled out a small bottle filled with <span ss="editText">monster blood<span ss="aiText">, a second one filled with a liquid that looked like oil, and finally<span ss="editText">,<span ss="aiText"> thest item<span ss="userText">was five candles.


    <span ss="userText">"Done! I crushed them up nice and fine, Alpha!" <span ss="editText">Dalia<span ss="aiText"> said proudly.


    <span ss="aiText">"Good job!" Rya replied. "Now, Dalia... put the Dungeon Core power into the liquid."


    <span ss="editText">Dalia came over<span ss="aiText"> and poured the Dungeon Core <span ss="editText">powder<span ss="aiText"> into the vial of Monster Blood<span ss="editText"> causing it to turn purple in color.


    <span ss="aiText">She then added the liquid from the second vial into the first and then mixed it until there was a thick sticky substance left in the container.


    <span ss="aiText">"And now <span ss="editText">we add the copper. And it should liquify<span ss="aiText">..." Rya said as she took the <span ss="userText">copper ore<span ss="aiText"> in hand and <span ss="editText">dropped<span ss="aiText"> it into the mix.


    <span ss="aiText">"Hoooooooly! Gah! This stuff stinks! It hurts my noise!" Dalia eximed as she watched the copper ore turn into a green liquid.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Yeah! It''s not too pleasant of a smell. But that''s what is<span ss="aiText"> supposed to happen," Rya said.


    <span ss="editText">"Umm...? Do you need me to do anything, Rya?" Nieren asked as she was still holding the God''s Tear <span ss="editText">crystal<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="aiText">"No, no. <span ss="editText">Just hold that crystal until we draw the pentagram first<span ss="aiText">. We don''t want to be careless with these," Rya replied.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Pentagram!? O-Okay... I''ll hold this crystal for now,<span ss="aiText">" Nieren said nervously.


    <span ss="aiText">Rya picked up <span ss="editText">the container with the thick green liquid.


    <span ss="editText">2E jus<span ss="aiText">t <span ss="editText">f<span ss="aiText">in<span ss="editText">ished making a perfect salt circle right when Rya was holding the green liquid.


    <span ss="editText">"Alright 2E... I need a pentagram drawn inside the salt circle<span ss="aiText">. Make it so that <span ss="editText">one of the points of the pentagram is pointing true north<span ss="aiText">," Rya ordered.


    <span ss="aiText">2E did as she was told and drew a simple pentagram inside the salt circle<span ss="editText"> with one end of the star pointing north.


    <span ss="editText">"<span ss="userText">Now we need to put the five gold in the smaller areas of the pentagram while cing the silver in the fiverger areas<span ss="editText">...<span ss="userText">"<span ss="aiText"> Rya exined.


    <span ss="aiText">As she was exining, 2E ced the five gold coins in the five <span ss="editText">small<span ss="aiText"> areas of the pentagram while cing the silver coins in the five <span ss="editText"rger<span ss="aiText"> areas.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Okay, Nieren. ce the God''s Tear in the middle of the circle<span ss="aiText">, please!" Rya said.


    <span ss="aiText">"Sure thing, Lady Rya. I''ll ce it here," Nieren replied.


    <span ss="aiText">Nieren ced the blue <span ss="editText">crystal<span ss="aiText"> in the center of the circle.<span ss="userText"> And when it touched the table it started to light up the pentagram with a dazzling array of rainbow colors<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="aiText">"W<span ss="editText">hoa! It''s lighting up the pentagram<span ss="aiText">!" <span ss="editText">Nieren<span ss="aiText"> eximed.


    <span ss="aiText">"Yeah!" Rya shouted. "This is what we were looking for! This will allow us to activate the rune <span ss="editText">when we add our mana to candles...<span ss="aiText">"


    <span ss="editText">"Wow! This is amazing!" Dalia eximed.


    <span ss="aiText">"So once we''ve channeled our mana, the runes will start glowing?" Nieren asked.


    <span ss="aiText">"Yes... But <span ss="editText">I want to give you two a heads-up. It says the candles will burn with a ck me when we get things started and don''t disturb the salt circ<span ss="aiText">le," Rya said.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">W<span ss="aiText">hat<span ss="editText">''s<span ss="aiText"> so<span ss="editText"> important about this measly little salt circle, Alpha?" Dalia asked as she brought her face closer to the salt circle to sniff it.


    <span ss="editText">"Dalia!?" Nieren<span ss="aiText"> voiced with a hint of annoyance when she saw the wolfkin was about to do something stupid.


    <span ss="aiText">"I''m just curious," Dalia replied.


    <span ss="aiText">Nieren was taken <span ss="editText">a<span ss="aiText">back by her behavior.


    <span ss="editText">"The salt circle keeps all the <span ss="userText">mana contained inside <span ss="editText">for <span ss="userText">the pentagram.<span ss="editText">..<span ss="userText"> So, don''t touch it unless you want to get cursed<span ss="aiText">," Rya warned.


    <span ss="editText">Nieren''s face became pale, "BACK UP, DOG!!!<span ss="aiText">!"


    <span ss="editText">Sh<span ss="aiText">e yelled in anger.


    <span ss="aiText">"O<span ss="editText">w! You need to rx Woody. I''ve done nothing wrong<span ss="aiText">," Dalia replied.


    <span ss="aiText">"You alright, Nieren? You look like you''re gonna puke." Rya asked.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">I-I''m fine! I just don''t want to get cursed because of Dalia,"<span ss="aiText"> Nieren said.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">I know, I was watching her, Nieren. That''s the one thing the tome stresses<span ss="aiText"> over and over again. <span ss="editText">That the circle needs to be perfect.<span ss="userText">.. I think that''s why no one has tried to make this artifact<span ss="aiText"> before," Rya said.


    ''And no one knows how to read old demonic tongue. That''s probably the real reason why there aren''t more of these things.'' Rya thought to herself.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Ugh... Can you stop being a baby, Nieren?! We know the risks of getting cursed," Dalia sai<span ss="aiText">d while wagging her pointer finger at the wood elf.


    <span ss="editText">Nieren<span ss="aiText"> sighed in exasperation.


    <span ss="aiText">"I wasn''t the one that was going to mess up the salt circle you dumb dog!" Nieren muttered under her breath.


    "What was that?" asked Dalia as she tilted her head in confusion.


    "N-Nothing!" Nieren responded hastily.


    <span ss="aiText">"Ahem!!! Now! All <span ss="editText">we need to do is ce the five candles down at the ends of the pentagram and we can start the rune and create our artifact<span ss="aiText">," Rya said with a smile.