February 1st is the sacred day of the Mysterious Lady, and thus the ti when rituals are most potent.
The Mysterious Lady’s disciples are accustod to performing various rituals on this day... Those who are not followers of the Ritualist, however, will go out to purchase books.
From February 1st to the 7th, known as the Book Festival—during these seven days, book rchants will sell as many books as possible, often at prices that are only seventy, fifty percent, or even less of the usual price, but with the condition that the buyer must truly read these books.
For on February 8th, the Mysterious Lady will bestow a certain amount of sacred light marks as festival rewards, based on the effectiveness of the dissemination of knowledge over these seven days, regardless of whether the recipient is one of her priests.
It’s not just book rchants who can receive rewards; teachers, tutors, or instructors, anyone who imparts knowledge they hold, which is unknown to others, during this week, can receive so rewards. So weighty mystical knowledge is also usually available during this week and can be obtained through relatively simple ans.
These sacred light marks can be used to purchase various mystical knowledge and rituals, whether they’re for extending life, healing diseases, or strengthening the body, one can obtain them this way.
By accumulating a certain number of sacred light marks, one can even purchase various inscriptions.
"I never thought that Noah also celebrated a Book Festival,"
Annan remarked offhandedly, holding the books he had just purchased.
Last week, after resolving the issue with the Spirit-Bearing Monk, Annan’s injuries had not fully healed yet.
Due to the side effects of Salvatore’s potions, his body was weaker than ever before.
Although after leaning towards Silver Baron’s preferences, Annan did not plan to offer Kafney unnecessary help and intended to stay away for a while... but after all, the king’s selection wouldn’t start until May.
Currently, Annan planned to leave after his attributes were fully restored.
Unexpectedly, he caught the Book Festival and hurriedly urged the players to buy more books.
In this era, books had beco quite affordable—an observation evident from newspaper prices.
The Elves possessed rather intricate papermaking techniques, which the Forefather further optimized. Now in this world, paper was not expensive. More than two hundred years ago, moveable type printing technology had also been completely perfected.
This significantly reduced the selling price of books, and even commoners could buy so if they gritted their teeth. It also greatly promoted the developnt of the arts—whether it was poetry or novels, it was only after the printing technology was established that they truly began to flourish.
However, so valuable books... such as those containing "weighty knowledge," could still only be disseminated through handwritten copies. There were only two ways to properly record knowledge that carried weight.
One was to fully comprehend the "complete picture" of such knowledge. Only with a completely correct understanding, could it be smoothly recorded; the other was if one was a Gold-tier Transcendent, with a Stigmatized soul, one could forcibly create books that recorded Transcendent knowledge. However, the latter could also lead to partial errors or biases in the description due to personal understanding or malice.
—For instance, the ritual of the Bone Lord.
Mystical knowledge is "chunky" by nature. It exists as secrets preserved in the realm of light after reason has completely dissolved.
If one only knows a fragnt and lacks the power to sever it, one naturally cannot replicate the whole. Put another way, it is like "copying a shortcut to a USB drive."
Essentially, this is a form of "secrecy."
But secrecy may not necessarily involve a living individual; it could also be a book.
As long as the keeper of secrets still exists—that is, the original entity corresponding to the shortcut exists—even knowing but a single phrase allows one to "automatically associate" and call upon that part’s power from the realm of light.
However, if only fragnts are known, it is impossible to record them. If used, that’s all there is.
Yet, besides these two thods, there is another forceful way to write down Transcendent knowledge.
That is to heavily incorporate one’s understanding, using so taphor to replace the original reference, and completely jumbling the order of the original sentences, to write down the mysterious and babbling "mystical tos."
This is what’s known as "apocrypha."
The value of apocrypha depends entirely on the trustworthiness of the author. Indeed, there are conscientious authors who, after creating apocrypha, also produce a corresponding "key."
But there are also those who ramble on daily, capable of translating a couple of sentences into two hundred thousand words of powerful storytelling.
The mysterious knowledge that can be bought is mostly from apocrypha or "fragntary sacred texts."
Last ti Annan managed to find the book that recorded Mr. Radiance’s real na, he suspected that Silver Baron might have been involved... This ti, during the Book Reading Day, Annan and Paper Princess searched through many bookstores and couldn’t find a single original text.
However, they did purchase many valuable apocrypha and fragntary sacred texts.
"This translation of ’The Song Sung by the Irises’ by Affect is quite good."
Annan, holding the book, clicked his tongue in wonder, "They even have a ’Key to Affect’ for sale."
"Affect is quite a renowned occultist—he really has the skills."
Paper Princess comnted casually, "The Mysterious Lady thinks highly of him. He might be turned into one of her monsters after his death."
"You’ve heard of his na too?"
Annan looked at Paper Princess with so surprise.
It was rare for the na of a mystic—rather than a painter of the corresponding field—to be rembered by a deity.
"And part of the reason is that Iris Marquis isn’t considered a taboo in Noah."
Paper Princess glanced at Annan, implying sothing, "He also wrote a translated version called ’On Pallor.’ But none of the bookstores dared to sell it."
"...About the Pale Princess?"
"Yes. Anything too close or too contrary to Silver Baron won’t be sold there. But down south, you can buy Silver Baron’s books. It’s sort of an unspoken rule."
As Paper Princess spoke, she glanced at Annan’s bag with a hint of dissatisfaction in her tone, "Didn’t you buy that book...?"
Annan just coughed lightly and said nothing more.
’Dragons, Snowstorms, and Magic Paintings’
This was an apocryphon.
It told the story of Paper Princess’s origin in the tone of a fairy tale. Most people would probably read it and think it’s just a fairy tale with a rather tragic ending. Only those who understood Paper Princess could perceive what was being taphorically implied.
But the truly aningful book was an apocryphon nad ’The Last Elegy Duke.’
It seed like a biography, but it concealed many secrets.
Many secrets about "The Last Elegy Duke," or rather... the Skeleton Duke.
"You’re quite interested in the Skeleton Duke?"
"His position is too peculiar. I prefer to investigate anyone who might beco my enemy thoroughly."
Annan nodded, a rational voice erging, "Just to be safe, I must study the Skeleton Duke and the Rotting Husband."
"Is that so..."
Upon hearing Annan’s words, Paper Princess nodded thoughtfully.
She spoke slowly, "There’s sothing I wasn’t sure whether to tell you. But if you’re accustod to this... then I must let you know."
"What is it?"
"Nicholas has escaped."
Paper Princess answered calmly, "Stone Father intentionally let him go."
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