Rowan burst into giggles, laughter as light as wind chimes: "Don't overthink, Theo. Knowledge is something that needs exchanging, especially with trustworthy teammates. Moreover..."

  She tilted her head, mischievous eyes shining under firelight, "...a delicious meal can relax the spirit, increase wisdom—isn't that also wonderful?" Green eyes blinked, full of cunning, exactly like an orange tabby cat... stealing fish: "If it has value, next time there can be continued exchange, right?"

  Theo silently looked at the notebook in hand then looked back at her. Rowan's explanation was straightforward and sharp, not at all hiding ambition about delicious meals and spiritual value she hoped for in the future, but everything wrapped in a generous gesture and brilliant smile.

  He smiled faintly, initial incomprehension dissolving, replaced by high appreciation for this girl's subtlety and cleverness.

  Reading the handwritten lines carefully, Theo told G to scan the content into the data repository while reading. There was a very interesting thing—Theo noticed Rowan's grammar and word usage somewhat differed from what he learned from Pastor Bartholomew. Though both were using The Aetheric High-Cant to write, the difference—could it be implicit reference to different schools or regions? Theo wondered.

  Theo looked up. At this moment, Rowan had settled into a position at an oak log section, she used Sable's back to lean comfortably against—an unexpected image of intimacy. On her eyes she wore round blue-colored glasses, and in her hand was a black-covered leather book. As for Sable, eyes still unfocused looking at campfire, gaze somewhat soulless, lips tightly closed, back straight.

  Theo's action of reading and scanning the book attracted Rowan's attention—anyway they sat very close. She pulled glasses lightly down nose bridge like an old professor curious about student questions.

  Theo wasn't at all embarrassed requesting teaching from someone more skilled. He asked about doubts regarding the method he'd finished reading with G's help—he only understood 70% due to grammatical differences, but G's summarizing and citation ability made knowledge more consolidated and certain.

  Rowan with round blue glasses on nose bridge explained incomprehensible things thoroughly yet very understandably, exactly like a knowledgeable respectable professor. Her demeanor now was truly different from normal—not mischievous, not playful, but also not dignified. She was just like a wise friend sharing sweet cakes during afternoon tea—gentle but open.

  Finally Theo asked tangential questions. He asked about doubts regarding grammatical differences in Rowan's written notebook, and...

  "Rowan, do your eyes have problems?" Theo glanced at the round blue glasses.

  Rowan smiled lightly, removed the glasses handing them to Theo, gesturing him to wear them. Theo also didn't hesitate; sometimes contacting private items would also advance relationships. Rowan's value in Theo's eyes had risen higher than any team member—this was an abundant knowledge source he could exploit in the future.

  Theo wore the blue glasses—nothing different, only a light blue color enveloping vision. Rowan's voice rang out, returning to normal mischievous tone: "Try looking at the notebook."

  Theo obeyed looking at the notebook. So it helped reading books. Yes, it only helped reading books, not seeing in darkness. Removing glasses returning to Rowan, Theo understood this was a magical tool.

  Receiving glasses, she didn't wear them again but hung them in front of her chest, where a light dark red leather corset hugged her bust obviously and prominently. Her fingers wrapped around teasing hair locks, speaking. Voice still kept mischievous tone but lowered slightly, carrying mystery:

  "As for language, let me tell you a legend:

  According to the best mages and astrologers who ever researched, about a thousand years ago, a great disaster occurred—the event of The Great Shift. This was the appearance of a new magical beast species along with new powerful divine spirits on the the continent of TERRA MYSTICA."

  She paused a bit for Theo to ponder, then no longer mischievous but more serious:

  "How did this event impact? It caused chaos in world civilization, widespread crisis, wars over territory of new and old species. Meanwhile, new species had divine spirits with terrifying power helping, this caused dissatisfaction of native divine spirits.

  Ancient divine spirits descended to the mortal realm—this was the only and first time in history. This appearance was also an explosion of new contradictions: division, pursuit, loyalty, war. After five hundred years of continuous war and destruction, it ended with The Grand War of Finality."

  "At this point, only seven old powers remained," Rowan said, gaze distant looking into flames.

  Seven divine spirits.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  She began counting on fingertips, tone becoming solemn:

  "First power, most believed by humanity is precisely Sol Invictus – the Unconquered Sun God. He represents light, courage and steel discipline. Opposing that warmth, in the barbaric Northern lands is All-Winter's domain, the brutal Snowstorm God, where absolute power and death battles are the only law."

  She pointed toward the West, voice suddenly becoming gentler: "The West belongs to The Mariner, God of Ocean and Commerce. He brings winds of fortune and profit to sailors and merchants. In the scorching South, Sand Shah – the Sand God – uses harsh laws and wealth to rule desert kingdoms."

  Theo attentively listened—G also silently recorded every keyword.

  "Not only humanity," Rowan continued, "Beast-People in the South worship Greatfang, the Hunting God, living by instinct and survival. Spirits in the Northeast entrust souls to Wildheart, balance of nature and primal magic. And finally..."

  She lightly tapped the book cover: "...is Forge Father, the Forge God, Earth God. He is the faith in labor and promise of Dwarf races in the Southeast."

  Rowan paused, fingers still gently curling rosy-red hair locks, waiting for Theo to finish processing the massive information block just revealed.

  "After that war was an extremely difficult period for intelligent races," Rowan continued with deeper narrative voice. "The loss of large portions of the population, civilization regression caused the seven Powers—they unified, calling themselves the Powers—to make unified decisions to reestablish order."

  She raised the notebook in hand:

  "First and most important, they unified language. They created The Aetheric High-Cant as the main language of all races—of course there will be regional differences due to old language influence, even some areas still keep original speech. The grammatical differences you see in the notebook are precisely regional and school differences after over five hundred years of development from the same root language."

  Rowan spread two more fingers:

  "Second, they unified measurement and mass units (in Chapter 12) so commerce could flow smoothly. And third, they reestablished accurate time systems (in Chapter 38) for the entire continent."

  Rowan winked, lightly tapping fingers on her black-covered book, voice full of pride:

  "Everything necessary to maintain a civilization was established by these gods. That's why I, Rowan Trimeri, student of The Aethelgard College of Sorcery, use the most standard language of all orthodox academies on this continent."

  Just with one legendary story, with voice tone sometimes serious, sometimes deep, sometimes brave, proud—Rowan had extremely vividly portrayed the thousand-year history of TERRA MYSTICA continent, helping Theo tremendously.

  He affirmed: that new magical beast species was precisely Pokémon, and those new divine spirits were Legendary/Mythical Pokémon. Theo recalled G had introduced (Chapter 2) that it came here because of The Great Shift event and had slept soundly a thousand years—completely coinciding. A war between magic and Pokémon. Theo shook his head—even in his past life world, this topic never existed.

  Suddenly, Theo realized surroundings seemed to fall completely silent. Boris and Torvin's talking sounds, Ronan's regular spear grinding sounds, Liam's cloth rustling sounds wiping oil on Zaravand short spear, Finn and Vesper's discussion voices all gone.

  Awakening from contemplation, he turned and looked around. Turned out, everyone was listening to Rowan's storytelling. Even Sable, who was blankly staring at flames, her gaze also no longer soulless but attentively listening.

  Clearly, a small history story also made the silent night more relaxed, more interesting, and everyone didn't hesitate to stop all rushing to listen or imagine that chaotic yet magnificent time period.

  An appreciative sound rang out, breaking the silent atmosphere.

  Boris, with deep turbid voice as if reliving that moment: "That was the era when Ragnar Winterfang wielded axes with comrades organizing the legendary Winterfang army."

  Torvin proudly patted chest: "That was the sharpest axe blade blessed by the great Sol Invictus!"

  Finn nodded, gaze distant: "A chaotic era, full of fresh blood and bones, but also full of legends and heroes."

  Vesper's gaze contemplative, voice still calm, clear but carrying a warrior's inherent longing: "An era making people aspire toward."

  Ronan, voice still slow as if biting each word, presented a cold reality: "The period with most wars—not only confronting magical beasts but also humanity, dwarves and spirits."

  Sable remained silent, only slightly moved lips, gaze returning to soulless appearance like the beginning: "...."

  Liam, who usually liked fighting, but this time shook his head, showing fear before history's scale: "A period too terrifying, too deadly."

  Ryel suddenly spoke up, voice hoarse, tone lazy, peculiar: "It's really boring."

  Ryel's unexpected voice made everyone sober from thought streams. Vesper glanced at him then looked up at sky. He knew the time had come to change shifts—Ryel needed rest after reconnaissance watch. Nimbly standing up, neat and decisive without one superfluous movement:

  "Finn, our turn."

  Vesper and Finn's departure announced sleep time had arrived—members returned to their own camp tents resting to recover strength. Theo looked at Rowan's book she carried away with some attachment—he wanted to copy it.

  Liam smiled strangely, nudging close friend's shoulder, eyes implying Rowan, saying softly: "She's really beautiful, right?"

  Theo said nothing, only glanced at Liam, then stepped toward his camp. Liam hastily chased after, voice full of regret: "Ow, I was just joking a bit, Theo!"

  The two returned to camp amid Liam's continuous apologies. Tonight they needed rest. Sleep was a necessary condition for both to develop strength—of course couldn't lack mana absorption exercise before sinking into deep sleep.