Okay, let's recap a bit. I was in the <Hill Forest> to get revenge on some ants and discovered the origins of the book I got from a strange man, I found myself separated from my big brother and Yur1 to do this [Sign Creation Ceremony] as my [Hidden Quest], defeated a large storm bird to get materials for my new magical pens, and found myself watching the game world's past as the second part of my ceremony. Weird, huh?
Still, I can't help but keep watching the flashback scene that the tablet provided me. I read the [Prologue Lore] a few months ago and I want to see how accurate it might be and what kind of stories remain untold in public. I wish I could have watched it with Wind and Yur1, but I want to be independent and pass the ceremony with flying colors without their help. Not to mention that Origia's story seems way similar to mine back when I was still being bullied. The other messengers that are the same age as her didn't look mean to me when I saw her passing them by, but...
[Oh, blessed life of <Vita>! Are you still up from praying for the gods again?!]
I turn to see Origia yawning as she is approached by several kids who have the same hair and eye color as hers, only their hairstyles and facial shapes were the only ones I could tell the differences.
[Looks like it,] Origia chuckles nervously as I watch her rubbing the back of her head, with her face turning a bit red. [That's what I get for writing and praying late. I wish I could talk more, but Master Protego is waiting for me back at the chapel, so...]
She tries to run in the other direction. But then, one of the kids grabs one of her shoulders and said, [Hang on, Origia!]
[What is it now? We can play writing games later, Calamum!] Origia groans. I didn't see any indents around the name she mentioned, was that short-haired boy a minor character or something?
[B-But... Don't you think you've been working too hard lately? The gods haven't been responding to us messengers and Master Protegio told us to cease our prayers right now for the defense. Plus, we can't afford you to lose your mana in time for it.]
I watch her face contorted in many expressions I can't describe. He has a point there. I don't know how long she prayed, but I can see how much she was suffering for her cause.
[I-I'm fine, Calamum. It's only minor exhaustion. Besides, I already figure out how to pray to them through other means.]
Other means?
[You mean saying our prayers and offering them the harvests and life that the beings sacrificed aren't enough?]
Origia nods. [Before the [Retribution], most of us messengers sent a message with special mana runes to communicate with them. Though I heard they rarely used it because it has mainly been used during a desperate battle the beings needed to win.]
[We heard all about them. The great messengers taught us back at the chapel,] another kid said. [What about it? Are you saying you want to send a message to the gods with a letter?]
[Not just any letter. I want to replicate the mana runes our great forefathers used to send a big message to the gods. The beings' suffering has to end and they need them more than ever!]
I watch Origia sigh and turn to look at a large white building behind her where a strange statue of a star stands along with 7 humanoid statues of which I couldn't tell their genders without taking a closer look at them.
[It has been 90 years since our great <Volo> sealed the other gods for their quarrels and our enveloping <Nox> unleashed those wretched creatures as punishment for the great war. The inhabitants have already suffered enough from their ancestors' mistakes and sins and it's time for the gods to see we need them more than ever! To help the beings stand up. To give them hope to move forward. And to help them rebuild the world our great <Volo> and the blessed <Sanctus> envisioned. We can't just sit idly while the inhabitants suffer from the barren wastelands and monsters roaming about. We need to act now and tell the gods to come back!]
Wow, that's a great speech from Origia. I never knew how passionate she was about her goal to bring the gods back. But I don't know if it's enough to convince her friends.
[I get it. We need the gods back in <Volo>. But...]
Calamum looks away from Origia and says, [The gods haven't answered our prayers for so long. Not even our parents and sages got one answer from them. It's best if we listen to the Masters, Origia. I don't want to see my mother collapse from [Mana Exhaustion].]
So messengers praying to the gods requires [Mana]? I didn't know that. Then again, this whole scene is set in the past, so maybe the change has to do with Origia's actions to create the [Sign],
[Calumum's right, Origia. The older messengers still have to deal with the monsters invading nearby civilizations and it's better to have them save their Mana in time for the inevitable battle ahead. Just please, Origia... It's either the gods or losing our original roles as messengers and protectors.]
Looking at this, they don't seem like bullies like the ones I've dealt with in the past. I understand their reasonings about all of this, but watching Origia start to tear up makes me wonder if it's all for the best in this world.
[...I-I understand,] Origia answers. [I'm sorry for riling you up like that. I'm just doing what I can for the beings and the world they created. I don't want it to die either way.]
Her friends seem sad seeing Origia like this. Again, I don't think they're mean to her. Maybe they're just worried about her, that's all. Putting all of the burden of the world in her hands. As if it's her lifelong goal. Just how much does she want the gods to return to this world?
[Look, we're sad that your mother is gone from [Mana Sacrifice], but Master Prodigo said that grieving will not bring them back to light. All we can do is move on and go back to our lives.]
Wait? Origia's mother...passed away? And by skill or spell, I've never heard before?! Damn, if that's true, then there is no way I can learn it. It sounds dangerous and might hurt Wind a lot if I cast it.
[Y-Yeah. Sorry about that. You should head to the sages now. They might be worried about you.]
Calumum nods. [Alright, Origia. If you need help, we're here for you.] He and their friends then placed their hands on their hearts. [May the god, Volo bless us.]
Origia slowly nods back before she did the same gesture as her friends. [May Volo bless us.]
I then watch them split off, leaving the girl alone in the streets of this bright white street. She did accept her friends' words. Yet I can see her tears continuing to flow down her face. I have a feeling she won't give up after that. She has the same look as me when I tried crafting my staff and potions. There is a chance she might continue. And a chance for me to witness that faithful event the tablet mentioned.
-----
To my relief, this flashback allows me to fast-forward to all of the boring stuff after that talk or I might get bored to death here. Yet it doesn't change the fact I'm seeing Origia's attempts to pray to the gods one more time. She mentioned she wanted to write a letter to them using those runes. As I watch her write down everything in runes from behind like a ghost, I can see the desperation and determination in her eyes. She won't stop until her goal is fulfilled and it's a bit more extreme than my crafting binges. But one thing I have to accept from her friends' comments is that she seemed to be a bit too determined.
She kept on fainting, didn't stop for food or drink (which by the way, can the messengers eat or drink?), or even leave her light blue house. She's doing everything to finish the letter, but at what cost?
Eventually, the scene switches to dawn and I notice her exhausted, yet proud smile flash on her face while staring at her finished letter.
[I-I did it. I poured every bit of my Mana to write this letter to the gods!] Origia declares. [I'm sure they will respond to us now! They need to go back! Back to help this world rebuild and escape the nothingness they were meant to suffer for their sins!]
She starts to laugh a bit maniacally. Scary even. Just how much [Mana] did she put in that letter anyway?! Seeing Origia like this makes me wonder what happens if a messenger turned insane. That's something I rather not know.
[Now then... I should try to go to the <Great Temple> and...deliver this...to the...blessed...ones...] Before I know it, Origia suddenly collapsed on the floor, dropping the letter in the process. That answers my question and not in a good way! [N-No... I can't... I need...to go...! I-I just...wanted...to read my prayers! I-It's too...]
I watch the young girl fall into unconsciousness. I wish I could do anything to fix this. But this is set in the past and I'm nothing more than a spectator watching the whole event unfold. Thankfully, the world starts to black out around me for the next scene just as I hear her father's voice from behind the door.
-----
[...rigia! ...up, my little butterfly! Open your eyes, darling!]
I sigh in relief as I see Origia open her eyes to see that she was lying in the arms of the man, whom I assume to be her father judging by him having the same light blue hair she has.
[F-Father?] Origia weakly mutters. [H-How...]
[I saw you collapsed on the floor when I tried checking on you,] her father explained.
[I-I see.] She then gasps in realization. [Wait, the letter! I need to send the letter! Where is it?!] She quickly grabs the paper from the floor and her eyes widen to see its contents. [No, the runes! They're gone! I need it for the letter to send to the gods!]
All of a sudden, her father starts shaking his daughter by her shoulder and shouts, [Origia, listen to yourself! You almost died from Mana Exhaustion and if I didn't erase the runes and transfer the mana back to you, I was going to lose you the same way we lost your mother! Do you want her efforts in protecting you and the world she loved to be in vain?!]
It seems very extreme to see Origia like this, but I understand what her father was trying to do. My mom always gets mad at me and Hayate whenever we miss chores and do something stupid (like playing too much [Isekai Online] on a school night), but she gets that way out of concern for us. We seriously don't want to worry her and she doesn't want us to waste away and fail school because of it. For Origia's father, he was angry because of his daughter's reckless attempts and while I'm a bit frustrated with Wind's ban on me crafting alone, I knew he has the same reason as him. Now I know why nobody has tried to pray to the gods for so long and why no messenger tried to replicate Origia's attempts. If that method still exists in the present in-game, what kind of bad effects would it give us if we try writing runes on paper?
I only sigh at this as I continue watching the flashback, namely where Origia started to let go of her tears.
[I-I'm sorry, father. I just want to help the beings below. Mother loved them like her own children and the punishments our blessed <Volo> gave them lingered for far too long,] Origia explained while trying to keep a straight face. Though her tears said otherwise. [I don't want them to suffer. I don't want to see them die and die again. I don't want to ignore this tragedy you call "Retribution" for far too long! I want the gods to return and I want to end this era of punishment! Enough is enough!]
She sniffled and buried her face in her father's chest. [I just wanted to help like Mom and I don't want to be seen as useless in the other messengers' eyes. I thought writing my prayers just like our ancestors would help us get through the gods easier, but...]
But then, her father grabbed her and to my surprise, he gingerly hugged his daughter. [That's enough, dear. Your mother would have been so proud of your efforts. Yet you must remember that limits exist for a reason. You're not only the heir of this family, but also my pride and joy. It would be heartbreaking if you sacrificed yourself without considering my feelings along with your friends and mentor.]
[F-Father... I... I...]
That's all she can say before she lets out her tears. But her father never lets go of their hug for a while.
This is too hard to watch. It reminds me of my bullying days and how I revealed everything about them to my parents thanks to Hayate's encouragement. It was painful, but it was also relieving to get it off my chest and have my father act on dealing with them, while Hayate dealt with the bullies by recording them with his smartphone thanks to Damian and Zac. It's embarrassing to have them fight in my place, but I appreciate their efforts.
Now that I think about it, maybe that's why I need some magical pens for the [Signs] to work, but I need to know more about their story first.
[Still, I'm surprised you manage to create as many runes with so much Mana within you,] her father said. [I'm glad I managed to get to you in time before you were completely exhausted and died.]
[I'm sorry again. I never thought writing them would consume a lot of it so fast. I read writing one rune requires Mana to activate its magic and writing more into words would enhance it, but I never thought how much I would use.]
She has a point. I haven't seen the letter clearly, but I can see how exhausted she looks whenever she keeps writing in it. But now that I think about it, writing a word just to activate it would have consumed more [Mana] than writing one rune or character. So what if she focuses on only one rune and...
Hang on a second? One rune? Now that I think about it, that's how Kanji works, right? According to Mom, the Kanji character descends from Chinese characters and it's supposed to represent meaning, not sound, I think? So if that's true, then the same can be said with the runes Origia mentioned! If that's the case, the true origins of [Signs] are...
"That's it!]
I gasp when I hear Origia say the same words as me.
[What's it, Origia?] Her father asks, looking shocked upon seeing her stand up.
[It doesn't need to be many runes to create a prayer in written form! So how about writing one rune specifically to represent a meaning, not a whole letter?!]
Whoa! Origia has the same idea as me. That means this scene shows me how she got the idea behind [Signs] in the first place!
[Father, I know this sounds heretical and I just recovered from my near-fatal Mana Exhaustion, but I need your help. All you have to do is to trust me and let me pray to the gods one more time,] Origia begs with the best-determined face she has ever shown to her father. [If my plan works, then we can end the retribution to all beings together! All I need from you is your cooperation and trust in me. Please!]
This is a big order from Origia. I know how it would end judging from the present time in this game, but I don't know if her father would agree...
[I always trust you.]
My eyes widen as I watch the man hug his daughter all of the sudden. [However, promise me not to go overboard this time,] she adds. [I know I have no right to stop you even if I want to. You have your mother's eyes and I couldn't stop her for the sake of the world. If anything, I will lend you my Mana if it means fulfilling your selfish goals. But you have to promise you will be safe in your ventures, my blue flower.]
Dang... This is too much for my heart. Origia feels the same as I watch her tear up, except I can tell that they are happy this time.
[I will, Father. I promise I will not risk my life this time. That's my promise,] Origia declares as I watch her return the hug. [I, Origia, will make sure not to risk myself for you and my friends.]
[Please, Origia. Try not to be formal for once,] her father says. [I know you are honest, so maybe downplay your formalities for tonight.]
[...Yes, Dad.]
The rest of the scene shows both father and daughter enjoying their company for tonight. I know this is fictional, but it reminds me too much of myself, Hayate, and our parents. Once I finish this [Hidden Quest], maybe I should try seeing Mom and Dad again if I can.