Chapter 53: A basic understanding of truths

Following the introduction to necessary techs, they took a day to finish the preparations for the boy. During this time, they did the necessary things first.

Beth and Lily implanted the telepathic neural network inside him through a tough surgical process, Sammy tuned the gloves shaped storage space that he had chosen, and Andrew taught him how to use the Contradiction ring.

Then, they took a day to get him familiarised with a few basic truths of the world: truths about magic and energies, as well as truths about a few of the major gods and demons’ powers.

Truth, here, was a concept that one could only grasp when they had complete understanding of the complex realities of the world.

The necessary connection between different concepts and the ability to see past the different levels of reality, social norms, and unidirectional social order was very important.

And while he wasn’t quite at the level of grasping a complete understanding of these concepts, he understood how the elves were basically the backbone of the society, how the world would not function without the dwarven artistry, and how there’s a complicated social order even within the common bees.

He was able to understand many of these things because he had already thought about these things critically and while he was still young and utterly inexperienced, it did not take him more than a few hours to learn one thing.

And when he had learned one basic of these truths, he was able to understand the multidimensional reality and the connected nature of concepts.

It only took him less and less time to absorb these things. And perhaps it was because the way they taught him through almost real sensory experiences recreated in their advanced equipment, but he was able to ’earn’ more than they had expected in the little time they had.

"Next, we will need a nickname for you." On the day they were going to leave for the Armory, Andrew informed him of a very important ritual they had within Parliament.

"Each of us has a nickname and this nickname is not chosen by us." Andrew brought him to the forest of mystical creatures once again, the same forest where they had planted the branch of the world tree.

Here, in a forest filled with hundreds of different species of creatures, there was one part of the forest that was dominated by a single species: Elemental birds.

"A parliament is a group of Owls. We, as members of this group, aren’t merely a family with immense collective strength, but also a power that stands apart from the rest of the world even individually."

Each owl has a different unique ability. But, it is not the unique relics that they have which defines their code names, it is the partners that reside inside of their bodies.

"We all have our unique powers. And the nicknames we have also include that uniqueness." With Andrew and the others standing around him inside the forest, they called out to someone with a unique whistle, one that sounded different among all of them.

"Kyaaaaaaa!"

These whistles invited a few of their friends... actually, there were more than a few.

"There exists over a hundred and fifty species of elemental owls. Semi-spiritual creatures that make a bond with a person.

He was saying these creatures can be taken in as familiars. In fact, as he said that, each of them extended their hands as a living being manifested from them.

"This is Elga." Andrew summoned a One meter tall Eagle owl with eyes as red as blood, feathers of immaculate beauty and an Aura that one cannot help but admire.

It was a beast born to rule, the only one of its kind even among the hundreds that were now present all around them on trees, on the ground, and in the sky above them.

It was a unique beset even among his own kind, which strangely suited the kind of person Andrew was.

"This is Sunny!" Beth summoned a beautiful barn owl, a small creature that sat on her hand and smiled so brightly it seemed like a newborn baby smiling for the first time.

Sammy then called out her Spotted Owlet, a beast that was literally wearing glasses. A creature that seemed unusually old and wise for its size.

{ "Mmm... so the newbie is finally going to get judged." }

It wasn’t Sammy that spoke first after the wise-looking owl was out. It was the old owl itself. And its voice was so deep, so elderly that it shook the young prince’s heart.

"Shut up, Peter. He’s going to the armory right away. This isn’t where he will be judged." She scolded him as if she was much older than him, which most certainly wasn’t the case but it just seemed to be that way.

This was a fun sight to the others, even the owls who seemed to admire Peter the old spotted owl couldn’t help but giggle in their unique voices.

"Lastly, that’s Sayori." When Miss Lily called out her beast, it didn’t stay with them and quickly went under the shade of a tree.

She was as white as snow, her eyes as blue as the sky. A snow owl by the looks, she focused on taking care of herself more than whatever they were doing right now.

Grooming herself came first... which was funny since her master never cared about any of it, but for the little creature, her delicate features were more important.

"They are powerful creatures that compliment what we are. They choose us for perhaps the same reasons the relics do, because they have a unique intuition."

Andrew showed him the different species of colorful creatures with different abilities and characteristics.

He did not tell him what they can do specifically or the extent of their abilities, but they were surely powerful beings.

Once he bonds with them, they will also awaken their unique abilities. Perhaps a unique dormant power would awaken within them as well. It was surely a possibility.

"This, however, is different from the relics choosing you." Sammy made sure to present that point.

"I didn’t meet this little guy in a simple place. He’s not from here to begin with." Sammy caressed his head and the little one shook his head.

He liked it, but he won’t ever admit it.

"Look closely at them. All of them." Sammy pointed at each of their owls.

She helped him see the specific dark energy around Peter. Sayori also had a special energy around her.

When he looked closely, all of their owls were different in one way or another.

Even the owls around him were different.

Some seemed to possess elemental powers, some darker powers, some more pure powers, and the ones like Peter didn’t even seem to be of this world.

These were owls, part of the elemental beast category, and yet they were different.

"You’ll know who you’re going to pick. And they will know it as well."

Unlike the choosing of a relic, however, this bond of theirs would be more mutual, more beautiful.

"So, who wants our rookie!" Lily suddenly stepped forward and called out to each of these beasts.

And they... simply looked at the boy. Eyeing him, their heads moving, their movements judgmental.

He was a boy. A special boy. But, he was also a prince of a great lineage.

"Skyyyyyy." Half of them vanished into the forest just the way they had appeared.

The remaining half, still curious, expressed their influence to call out his innate core energy.

"Huh?" A few colorful strings of light came out of his body and moved outside, stopping just a little distance away from him.

The owls watched these strings and a lot of them went back into the forest, confirming the mismatch.

Then, among the remaining ones, there was a meeting.

"They are discussing. That’s a good sign." Beth whispered to him as they watched the pretty creatures.

However, while this was happening, Arcos’ eyes were stuck on a particular pair.

Not one, but two pretty owls of black and white feathers. Their eyes were so pretty he couldn’t believe it himself.

He felt a strange attraction towards them. He couldn’t understand what it was but he wanted to go to them and touch them. Play with them. Caress them like they do.

But he couldn’t do that. Not yet.

The owls were still chatting, and at the end, most of them gave up as the remaining bunch, no more than twelve, walked forward and stood right before the boy.

"The two? They’re twins, you know?" Lily was especially intrigued right now.

It was a unique pair of Pygmy owls, a pair they found in the deep ocean ruins of Lutherine ancient city.

They were special too.

And right now, they were looking at them just the way he was...

It was love at first sight.

They couldn’t help their delight watching the pair greet each other, and then, become one with one another.