"I see…" Myrin rubbed his chin—the information Soren was translating for them was fairly accurate to what they knew about Vinua. Although it wasn't as complicated of a language compared to the more ancient Yasini and Dulval languages, Vinua was not something simple enough for foreigners to immediately pick up. In the Aellora Kingdom, only 40% of the population knew how to read and write. Although children's learning programs sponsored by the Brilliant World Church and the Church of Nature were now being offered in even the most rural of villages, it was still too early to harvest the fruits of that labor.
Myrin looked up at Soren and smiled. "It's one thing to record random trivia about our language, and another to actually be able to speak it. Would you like me to remove my hold over you with my Soul Realm to see if your ability worked the way you wanted it to?"
Soren looked over at Tina and Tyrel—their faces were brimming with curiosity, but also impatience. He looked back at Myrin and nodded.
Seeing this, Myrin snapped his fingers. Soren wasn't able to immediately tell what was happening, but a soft breeze of air brushed past him. Though he could hardly describe it as air—it felt more like a sensation.
"So… Do you understand what I'm saying?" Myrin said excitedly.
Observing his words, Soren noticed the intricacies of the language. He could differentiate the verbs, nouns and adjectives within the Vinuan sentence Myrin had spoken. He answered back, "Y-yes… I understand."
It actually worked? What the hell… Butterflies filled his stomach—he couldn't help but smile. Somehow, he had partially learned a language simply by observing the words being spoken with his [Eyes of the Fairy] ability. And what was even more interesting were the implications for the success of this experiment.
He finally had solid proof that observing things with [Eyes of the Fairy] did not just impact his ability to [Record] them in his Soul Weapon, but also in himself. The information had been converted into an inherent ability of his—he had somehow learned to speak the language on his own.
"How fascinating…" Myrin leaned back. "Your abilities are truly remarkable. It seems your Soul Weapon really is of the Abstract Class. Abilities like these are usually unique to that class."
Soren struggled to keep up with his sentences. Although he had managed to grasp Vinua, it was still not at the level of complete fluency. "I see… But what makes a Soul Weapon a part of the Abstract Class in the first place? Does it have to do with my [Eyes of the Fairy] ability?"
Tina shook her head. "That is indeed part of the equation, but it isn't what makes a Soul Weapon 'Abstract.' Yours seems to manifest itself in the form of an ancient tome, and yet, it also grants you an ability that allows for it to morph itself into a form that becomes a part of your body—allowing your eyes to see into The Beyond."
The Beyond? His eyes widened. Isn't that what Mr. Unknown mentioned?
"It is that intrinsic ability to transform into different things depending on what skill is being activated that grants it its 'Abstract' Class status… At least that's what it seems like, but you still should take a Soul Dive test just to make sure."
Myrin continued in her place. "The Beyond, you see… Is a special place. It exists all around us, but it is 'beyond' our natural grasp. In the beyond, everything is represented abstractly. From the bowl filled with fried rice Tina was eating earlier, to our very souls—all of it exists in The Beyond as a separate entity. Some Magi even believe it to be the source of all Astral Anima, though that is still an unconfirmed theory at best.
"The point is, your [Eyes of the Fairy] ability—as you like to call it—allows you to perceive the world through The Beyond. There seems to be a mystery regarding that, but from what I can see, it seems that whenever you activate that ability, the objects you envision are being conceptually read by your soul. This is a completely different ability when compared to what your Soul Weapon should look like or be utilized as."
Tina looked down at her lap and frowned. "Though it is still really unusual. Our mistress also has an Abstract Class Soul Weapon, and she can perceive The Beyond far better than him. But her method of acquiring information is a much different process than his."
Myrin looked at her and shrugged. "That's why we call them Abstract Class Soul Weapons. Their soul chain doesn't require rigid precision when merging with runes. They can essentially take on almost any route they desire when accumulating strength—with some limitations, of course."
"Indeed…" Tyrel nodded. "I still wonder though… Soren was your name, right? What constellation do you worship? Or better yet, what was your constellation?"
The question made him lean back a bit. Constellation? Does he mean God? He won't get mad at me if I say the wrong religion, right? I wonder how common zealotry is in this world…
His eyes were drawn to Myrin, who held a devious smirk on his lips. Soren sighed. There's no point in even trying to hide the truth.
"I am agnostic. I don't worship any gods."
"WHAT?!" Tina jumped out of her seat, jolting Soren in the process. He was just about to say "Fuck it," and sprint back out into the forest when he suddenly heard her say, "Wait, it's not what you think!"
"W-what do you mean?" He wanted to blame his lack of fluency for his stuttering.
His eyes trailed to Myrin, whose smirk had been completely replaced by a frown.
"Soren, there is no need for you to worry. Our Star Fate Guild has members from all walks of life. We don't discriminate against one's religion or background. The reason why Tina was startled was for a completely different reason—a much more serious one.
"I'll keep it short—how long has it been since you acquired your Soul Weapon?"
Myrin's earlier words reassured him, but the tone of his voice was extremely serious. He never expected to see the jolly Myrin this concerned over anything.
"I am not exactly sure… My perception of time has been warped since I arrived in Yarian… But I think it's been around… Half a day?"