"Can't sleep?"
A voice awoke her, only then did she realize that she was staring for so long that there are already stars in the sky being reflected on the calm ocean.
"Yes"
Daphne gave a response not speaking much.
"It's your first time, isn't it? Seeing such gruesome horror"
Cael sat beside her on the deck. After the entire fiasco, they booked a yacht just for the two of them. They lost a lot, especially Daphne.
Cael already experienced horrors in the apocalypse. He felt like he returned to his world. Nothing much.
"Yes"
Her voice is dull, after all, she's someone who has never seen much of the outside world and thought everything is within her range.
"Do you think whatever we are doing is worth it in the end?"
Daphne's words have complex emotions.
"You mean reaching the realm of magic?"
"Yes"
"It depends, everyone has their dreams. They are worth a lot for some while some just want to live. You can loathe or like someone for their views and dreams but that doesn't change what they are and what they desire."
"So, we can't really call reaching the root worth it or not. It's just a goal we mages created for ourselves. It's not like anyone achieved it anyway even after all this time except for two and they also can't use it as they like due to consequences"
His answer is ambiguous but that didn't matter to her, those were words she want to hear.
"Back then.... I didn't understand why Father never chose me as the successor even though I'm more suitable with my magic circuits.... but I got the answer now. I'm not cut out for this"
She trembled thinking about the horrors she just experienced.
"I...I can't even stare at it ..I...I ran away"
Cael knew it, he didn't sense her during the fight. He didn't mind it, he saw a few people who just shot themselves not wanting to go through the nuclear apocalypse.
"Cael...even if it's just a political marriage, I...I really loved him...He..*hic...is no more ..."
Tears streamed down Daphne's cheeks, as her voice broke down completely. Like a damn burst open, she held on to his chest and cried like the little girl she is, a girl who lost someone dear to her.
It's the first time seeing Daphne like that for him, her words are like a reminder
'I'm not like them anymore huh? The Value of life, it lost its meaning to me'
....
After returning to his cottage in Scotland, Cael did a full body scan because, after his revival, he felt different from before.
"Do I have to go to Japan? Is it like the Japanese system to begin with? Doesn't that mean I reached root technically?"
Looking at the reports, he couldn't help but grumble.
His brain is something that is not 'brain' anymore.
Essentially, it's a 'mystery' that does not belong to the Age of Man.
Magecraft is the enactment of mysteries and there are various ways and systems. There is no defined way.
Magic circuits are not the only ways to enact mystery as most believed. If anything, it is the easiest and most convenient way among other systems.
Most European mages use magic circuits.
Chinese magecraft uses something called philosophy key which is an entirely detailed and different magic system.
America's shamanism is another system where one contracts spirits to enact magecraft as they draw the spirit's power.
Japan, because the Age of Gods lasted longer than other places, its system is similar to the one from age of Gods. They form a connection with gods, drawing power from root indirectly.
Japanese magecraft is enacted by connecting to fragments of Gods called divine bodies which are fully-formed organs of Gods.
However, due to mana degradation, this system is lost now and only a few divine bodies are left in Japan.
They also stopped caring about it since they can't connect to gods unless they have a really long lineage that is connected to gods. Also, the organs demand a tremendous amount of mana.
So, he's not sure if he really has a divine organ.
"Let's see, how much I improved. Is it enough to cover the losses?"
Cael dived into experimentation.
He took note of new things he found
1)His Magecraft is as easy as breathing now, his circuits are naturally attuned to his body like Natural circuits.
2)Alchemy doesn't need to sacrifice a lot of materials anymore
3)His Water element affinity is so ridiculously high that he could create water now with his magecraft and all water element spells gained a big buff. This also passively strengthened his Alchemy.
4)His Alchemy has surpassed the Age of Man. Creating a perfect homunculus which is nigh-impossible for others except for Einzbern's due to their extensive knowledge is as easy as crafting a vase for him and at his peak, he could potentially create philosopher stone of myths.
5) He doesn't need a thaumaturgical foundation anymore.
6) He's closer to his Origin, hence he could create spells that can implement low-level 'Logic' on the world.
7)His spirit is abnormally strong.
8)He could eventually create a magecraft that is a combination of marble phantasm and reality marble.
9) His Alchemy spells of Memory partition and Thougth Acceleration has gained a tremendous boost. He created 30 rooms now and divided them into 3 sets of 10. Allowing for 3 completely different thoughts, each can be processed in 10 million different ways each that can come up with a solution. His speed of thought is instantaneous. This doesn't make his body weak or need ridiculous energy like it normally does.
10) His Mind's eye strengthened a lot allowing him to read emotions and even allow future sight
"Overall, I gained a lot, The losses are worth it. With this, I can cross the gap I initially had with those ancient families. And then, this..."
He looked up at the Halo.
"Even though, It cannot increase my lifespan. I can revive as long as I have a predetermined lifespan left"
The Halo is a divine Mystic code so, he can't do anything about it, tampering with it is impossible. It is already an amazing mystic code to recreate life and flesh without any drawbacks. It even has other auxiliary abilities.
"I can also experiment with myself, even if I die, this thing will revive me"
As much as he hates dying, what he gained now is a great chance no ever man gets in the Age of Man.
"I understand why I'm the 'Damned of the order' but the 'fallen heiress' is not Daphne, it's Ms. White. When I meet her again, I need to be prepared"
From what he has shown to the world, he's labeled as a first-class magus. But He's above that, Cael is aware of it. If he's not wrong, now Ms. White is also aware of it.
Possessing so many Mystic codes in the first place is a dead giveaway, not to mention their effectiveness of them.
She belongs to the Association that protects humans and he's not sure if she would recruit him but he's sure, she will come for him for 'help'.
Before this trip, if she met him, he would obediently obey her while scheming behind her back but now, things are different.
"Now then, for the first order of business"
He took out a withered-away material and began to work with it.
He continued his research and started creating Homunculous for his protection and other daily use.
"Ca-Cael, how long has it been?"
Nixie asked looking around the new surroundings, she teleported to Cael's shoulders. She could still remember the monster and the weakness she felt in front of it.
"It's been 20 months since you have 'died'. Your exposure to pollution is particularly severe due to your status as a natural spirit."
"What happened to others?"
"Ms. White purified the rest of us. So, we are okay"
Cael has done some research on spirits to help Nixie. After all, his lifespan will be increased by 50 more years with her.
"What happened to you? You don't feel human and your affinity to me is so high, I want to be of use to you"
"Side effect of the pollution"
Cael didn't elaborate. Nixie didn't enquire either since he helped her and restored her spirit.
However, since Cael is not human anymore. It made her feel more affection towards him, for spirits of nature, humanity is an enemy due to Gaia's natural repulsion towards humanity. She liked Cael as a non-human more.
"Um...Cael..."
"What?" He asked curiously. With his Mind's eye, he could tell she was extremely happy after knowing Cael is non-human which didn't surprise him.
Nixie is a nature spirit first. The shy feelings she's displaying are what made him feel curious.
"Can we make a pact?"
"Oh and why is that?"
"I..I, I want to be with you, make me your only contracted spirit. Of course, there will be benefits, with this new pact, you can live for 200-300 years. After your death, I will be with you even in the afterlife" Nixie said shyly.
Now, if it is a spirit of another universe like Naruto or some straightforward world like Isekai smartphone, Cael wouldn't think much and would agree.
However, Nixie's declaration made his warning bells ring in his head.
'Does Gaia want to observe me, did I somehow peaque her interest!'
Natural spirits, aside from planetary-level spirits are an extension of the world. Everything they touch, see and hear. Gaia will naturally experience them. Their free will is dependent on their power.
Nixie is above human level but she can't even compete with Heroic spirits. So, he's not sure if it is Nixie's decision or Gaia's influence.
'I can't escape this either. I already have a pact with Nixie for the next 130 years. If I didn't agree, this may damage the relationship between us which is not good considering all factors. Shall I agree to her?'
Millions of thoughts and possible scenario's flashed through his mind. Finally, he decided
'Since the Earth could still crush me with counterforce. It's best to submit for now. I will take my time to see how far Gaia has control over Nixie'
"Alright, tell me the new rules of this pact"
"Oh they are simple, you should not make contracts with other spirits"
"Okay, what are the benefits?"
'That's easy'
"As I said, you will easily live for 200-300 years, I say with your strength you could live beyond 250 years. Then, the number of spells you could use with my help will also increase, they range from directly creating water and control rains. Water will not harm you from now on in any way or form. Lastly, this pact make us eternally bonded. Cael Arsya, Do you agree to pact with me, High water spirit?"
'These abilities are ridiculous but it's not a bad deal'
"I agree"