Chapter 84
It was clear that Albert wasn't familiar with the process of this ritual, so Betty quickly began explaining what he was supposed to do during the ceremony.
Once Betty finished, Albert learned that the offering had to be prepared by himself, and that the process of obtaining it must not involve any improper behavior.
Everyone could only place a single offering on the table, so it was important to choose carefully.
It all seemed surprisingly simple. Albert was a little taken aback—he couldn't quite understand why something so significant to the Riders could have such a straightforward procedure. Betty noticed his confusion and explained that people here respected nature, and therefore opposed unnecessary bureaucracy. Nowadays, these ceremonies had grown far too large and complicated for the Riders' liking.
Of course, different races had different values, and only through mutual understanding could deeper connections be made. It was much like how the Rider tribe had come to know Albert through direct contact—step by step, and eventually fighting side by side. The bloated bureaucracy of something like the Ministry of Magic was, in their eyes, a perfect example of how not to communicate.
Once his doubts were resolved, Albert began thinking about what he would choose as an offering. After a few minutes' thought, he opened his spatial pouch and began searching through it. Eventually, after some careful consideration, he pulled out what he had in mind: a gallbladder the size of a pouch.
It was from the basilisk. After much thought, Albert decided that the finest trophy he had ever obtained in this world was indeed from that creature.
When he produced the serpent's gallbladder, Aunt Betty, who had been standing nearby, suddenly flinched. Then, in an uncertain tone, she asked,
"Is that… a basilisk gallbladder?"
Albert replied proudly, "Yes. A thousand-year-old basilisk gallbladder. I went through a lot to take it down."
"At the very least, we Riders haven't seen such a grand offering in the past hundred years. I must say, you're stronger than I expected. Very well—since you have your tribute, let's begin the ceremony."
She gestured for the proceedings to start.
Albert followed the ritual steps, bringing the basilisk gallbladder to Betty. She took it, passed it through the archway, and set it upon the table before beginning her chant.
When the first small section of the incantation was complete, Albert stepped up to the arch, bowed his head, pressed his fists to his forehead, and connected with the natural consciousness of the Emerald Dream as the ritual required.
As Betty reached the most critical part of the chant, the Emerald Dream opened. The basilisk gallbladder on the altar began to change—unlike ordinary offerings, which merely gave off a faint green light, this one glowed bright green, like a fluorescent lamp. Slowly, the gallbladder shrank until it finally vanished from the altar.
At that moment, the green light covering the altar also enveloped Albert. A gentle energy flowed into his body, and certain fragments of knowledge seeped into his mind.
This, he realized, must be the "advanced natural baptism" Betty had mentioned earlier—something only a handful of lucky people could experience. Betty had explained before that such a baptism could bestow valuable abilities, so Albert focused intently on the process.
After what felt like a long while, the green light finally faded. This marked the end of the coming-of-age ceremony. Under the moonlight, the Riders danced to the beat of rapid drums in celebration. Albert stepped down from the altar and found a quiet corner to examine the changes in himself.
A careful inspection revealed that he had gained a great deal. His magical power now pooled around the center of consciousness in his head, while his spiritual energy was stored in the dantian in his lower abdomen.
Previously, this sort of energy separation had worried him—different types of power could easily cause internal conflict. But the natural baptism had formed a stable energy cycle between his magic and his dantian, allowing them to convert into one another. This balance was only possible because the two forces Albert had mastered were fundamentally in harmony with nature. Had he been practicing powers tied to death or destruction, the ceremony could have caused him to explode on the spot.
Besides creating this internal energy circuit, the baptism had also strengthened his physical and magical abilities. However, since so much energy had been spent building the cycle itself, the improvements to his body and spellcasting were modest—perhaps only half the boost other Riders might have gained.
Still, since Albert had already mastered nearly all spells and possessed far greater magical reserves than his peers, this was hardly a drawback.
Lastly, during the ritual, Albert's spirit had faced the natural will of the Emerald Dream itself. This had deepened his affinity with nature, allowing him to better attune to the world around him and mimic the magic of all living things.
Of course, there was a cost—such affinity could make it far harder for him to learn certain transformative magics or dark arts in the future. For example, he would never be able to master Voldemort's method of creating Horcruxes, and casting Avada Kedavra would drain him far more than it would a dark wizard.
By now, it was getting late. Albert told Betty that he would head back to the castle. She offered to have Wolf escort him, but Albert noticed Wolf enjoying himself and insisted there was no need—after all, the ceremony had strengthened his bond with nature, and the Forbidden Forest now felt as safe as home.
Leaving the village of Maren, he returned to the forest. Gradually, he realized the effects of his new affinity—he felt comfortable, and any fear of walking alone in the forest at night had completely vanished. Even in the dark, he instinctively knew where to go and could sense obstacles underfoot.
He also found that moving through the forest was effortless. After a while, he even hooked an arm over a branch and swung himself up into the treetops, tearing off a twig as he went.
Before long, he reached the path near the edge of the Forbidden Forest. When he stepped out and checked his pocket watch, he was surprised to find that he had taken only half the usual time to cross.
Clearly, this natural affinity held more secrets than he had imagined. If he had the time, he would need to study it further—perhaps he could
discover entirely new ways to use it.
To be continued…