Once the condition was met, he would be able to raise [Scholarship] from Level 2 to Level 3 as long as he had enough Points.
And [Scholarship] Level 3 was the prerequisite for unlocking [Rationality].
[Rationality], the final piece of the Three Aspects of Wisdom puzzle.
[Scholarship] governed the input and storage of knowledge: learn quickly, retain firmly.
[Perception] governed the collection and filtering of information: see with clarity, hear with precision.
[Rationality] was likely for processing and applying knowledge: think deeply, judge accurately.
Only with all three would he have a complete cognitive loop.
He now had the first two, which made the absence of the third feel particularly pronounced.
Richard’s anticipation for [Rationality] was stronger than for any previous Skill.
With [Rationality], he would be able to deduce models, improve Techniques, and, at higher Levels, possibly even create his own.
Setting aside distant possibilities, even his current Techniques, like [Stone Armor] and [Shadow Armor], had significant room for improvement and expansion.
Richard mentally calculated the timeline.
[Scholarship] Level 2 progress bar to be filled: estimated around February of next year.
Points needed: one to raise [Scholarship] from Level 2 to Level 3, and one to unlock [Rationality]. A total of two Points.
Current Available Points: 0.13.
Shortfall: approximately 1.87.
This gap needed to be filled with Marvels.
His current channels for acquiring Marvels were Clement’s antique shop, plus whatever his aunt Isabella might bring.
If he could get his hands on one or two good-quality Marvels during his winter break internship, it was possible to make up the two-Point deficit.
He laid out the Copper Disc, the Talisman Stones, and the Gray Wax Stick one by one, then poured himself a glass of cold tea and placed it on the corner of his desk.
His half-finished notes from the day were still spread out on the desk, the tip of his pen resting at the end of the "Marvel Recovery" section.
He sat at the desk for a moment before pulling the list he had prepared during the day from his notebook.
This was his "List of Potential Contributions," which he had been compiling for the past three weeks.
Each item was marked with three metrics: rarity, verifiability, and risk of exposing his identity.
Anything with a risk level above medium had been crossed out.
What remained on the list, ranked by importance:
First, the complete Technique specifications for Stone Armor.
A general-purpose Technique. It could be used as basic protection by all three disciplines, and it wouldn’t leave any identifying marks on the user.
Offering it at the Round Table would be like presenting a valuable, untraceable piece of hard currency.
Second, the reverse-engineered theoretical model for Shadow Armor.
This item was a hook he had intentionally designed.
The model involved some of the logic for reverse-engineering a Technique.
It described the conversion path from "internal reinforcement" to "external application" and included several pages arguing the feasibility of using shadows as a medium.
But he had removed the core formulas, and the key Ether Flow parameters were replaced with placeholders.
Anyone reading the model could understand the concept and see the potential for improvement, but they would have to derive the executable Technique themselves.
Third, an operating manual for cracking a Seal and converting it into Points.
This was practical experience he had reverse-engineered from the Seal on the Sphinx Lamp.
He had stripped the manual down to a purely methodological version, replacing all details pointing to a specific Marvel with abstract descriptions.
Fourth, some intelligence on Evil Being activity in the Northern Industrial District.
The reinforcement cycle for the underground Seal in Brighton, the aftermath of the mass nightmare at the Manchester City textile mill, several public incidents recently taken over by the Brighton Branch Office...
As he finished reviewing the list, Richard’s gaze fell on the Copper Disc in the center of his desk.
He had just used the Stone Reading Technique to perform a Divination about his aunt Isabella’s visit. The result was surprisingly clear; the connections between the positions of the Talisman Stones were so tight it even surprised him.
After unlocking [Perception], the amount of feedback from his Divinations had gone up a level.
Richard’s fingertips paused on the desk for a moment.
’What if I used the Stone Reading Technique to do a divination about tomorrow night’s gathering...’
The thought had barely formed when his entire body went stiff.
The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. The Throne of the Sun in his chest suddenly constricted, and the circulation of his Ether Micro-Cycle slowed.
His inspiration was sending him a warning.
Richard sat motionless for nearly a minute.
The sluggishness in his chest slowly dissipated, and the Throne of the Sun’s operation stabilized.
He raised a hand and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
The sheer meticulousness with which Hecate constructed the Divine Hall, operated the Spirit Realm Messenger, and arranged the Perception Space all suggested she was someone extremely sensitive to "information leaks."
She would not allow a newcomer to perform a targeted Divination at a gathering she had planned.
If he really did extend his informational tentacles, he wouldn’t be touching something as benign as "tomorrow’s weather."
Richard returned the Talisman Stones to their cloth pouch one by one, his movements much slower than usual.
He tied the pouch shut and stuffed it, along with the Copper Disc, into the very back of his drawer.
He closed the drawer and turned the key until it locked.
"From now on, no Divinations on anything involving Hecate."
The clock downstairs struck ten.
Richard blew out his desk lamp and lay down in bed.
The sleep Skill slowly took effect amidst the slight warmth of his blankets.
He was distracted during his classes the next day.
Mr. Holland called on him during Latin class to translate a letter from Seneca.
Richard stood and translated it. His answer was flawless.
"Not feeling like yourself today?" Mr. Holland stopped him in the hallway after class.
"I didn’t sleep well last night."
Mr. Holland didn’t press the issue. "Get some rest early tonight."
"I will."
After school, Richard went straight home.
Dinner was the same as usual. Evelyn, as usual, used breadcrumbs to lay out a "Christmas Wishlist" for him.
The first item was a new scarf, the second was chocolate, and the third she had smeared away with her thumb.
"What’s the third one?"
"It’s nothing."
"But you wrote it down."
"Writing it down doesn’t mean I have to show you."
Mother coughed twice from the kitchen.
Richard walked to the kitchen doorway. "Mom, are you still taking your medicine tonight?"
"I’ve already taken it."
"Then you should rest early."
At 9:30 p.m., Richard returned to his room.
He bolted the door and stuffed a handkerchief into the crack at the bottom.
He sat at his desk for a moment and double-checked the items he had already inventoried earlier.
Confirming everything was in order, Richard lay down on his bed.
His consciousness floated up from the darkness.
The main hall of the Divine Hall had already taken form. The ochre Round Table, the twelve stone pillars, the reliefs on the crossbeams—everything was still in its place.
Richard walked to the spot where he had sat last time and took a seat in the stone chair.
He scanned the Round Table with his peripheral vision.
Dionysus had already arrived, slouched lazily in his chair.
Prometheus was also there, wearing his Red Gold Mask, his back ramrod straight.
Nemesis sat diagonally across from Richard, her long whip and Balance Scale floating quietly above her head.
Only Aries’s chair was empty.
After Richard had settled in, the Divine Hall fell silent for a brief half-minute.
Hecate was the first to speak.
"For tonight’s gathering, Aries has taken injury leave."
No one present said a word, but they could all guess why Aries couldn’t make it this time.
He must have actually followed through on the Lauren lead and entered the Ashen Zone north of Glasgow.
This particular Ashen Zone was the kind of place where a team of seasoned Hunters might "go in with five and come out with three."
High risk, high reward, naturally.
Logically, this gathering should have been the perfect opportunity for him to cash in on his spoils.
A new map, new intel, various materials from the Mysterious Side... these were all forms of hard currency that Aries could have legitimately laid out on the table.
Unfortunately, they would have to wait until the next gathering to see any of it.

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