Ch.5757. Gears

The Grinding Tool was a kind of instrument used by Sacred Engravers to accelerate their growth, but it wasn’t something just anyone could obtain if they wanted it.

Only a select few master craftsmen among Sacred Engravers blessed by the Blacksmith God could create them, making them rare even among nobles.

Berger’s possession of five Grinding Tools was entirely thanks to his master’s help.

“It took me five years.”

Berger stroked his chin as he spoke.

Five years. That was how long it took him to graduate from all the Grinding Tools.

The breastplate—the Divine Seal Armor took one year, and the four Soul-Binding Shackles in the form of handcuffs took one year each, totaling five years. Since very few people wore Grinding Tools, it was impossible to calculate an average, but Berger prided himself on being relatively fast.

“Do you know what a Grinding Tool is?”

“Isn’t it something that restricts divine power but increases growth speed?”

Rex answered without much thought. He had been wearing the Divine Seal Armor since the day he received it. Even now, his body felt heavy, as if constrained by heavy iron chains. Though he kept reciting the Celestial Strengthening Incantation, as the pattern’s energy diminished, controlling his divine power became increasingly difficult.

He wore it as instructed, but he still didn’t understand how it accelerated growth.

“Half right, half wrong.”

Berger raised a finger with a curious smile.

“Strictly speaking, the Grinding Tool doesn’t restrict divine power. That’s just the contract it establishes.”

“Pardon?”

“A Grinding Tool is an artifact that artificially implements a covenant, or Geas.”

Rex tilted his head in confusion at the unfamiliar term, though he didn’t voice his question aloud.

Berger continued his explanation immediately.

“To put it simply, a Geas is a contract with a god. You offer something in exchange for what you desire. For instance, accelerating your growth as a Sacred Engraver.”

While transactions between people require physical records like documents, Geas is different. The soul itself acts as the medium forming the contract.

When dealing with people, what you need to be particularly wary of is fraud. Humans are creatures that deceive one another.

But with Geas, there’s no need for such concern. Gods are honest. The more you offer, the greater the reward.

If you ask what must be offered, nobody knows. The prohibition is determined by the god, and you won’t know until it’s taken.

“Then…”

Rex didn’t ask questions like “Isn’t it unconditionally beneficial?”

“There must be drawbacks.”

Berger’s explanation sounded too sweet. That made Rex certain there had to be a catch.

As expected, Berger nodded readily.

“Yes. Geas is a double-edged sword.”

The statement that gods are honest meant they would invariably take something of equivalent value to what they give.

“It’s a difficult and painful path.”

Nevertheless, if one could grasp the sweet fruit, there would be an abundance of Sacred Engravers willing to form a Geas. Yet in reality, few Sacred Engravers have sworn to a Geas. Even Berger had only heard about it from his master but had never formed one himself.

Geas requires certain qualifications—specifically, reaching the realm of ‘Radiance’ and having a relationship with the god one serves.

“The Grinding Tool is an item that mitigates the restrictions of Geas, allowing anyone to use it. Naturally, its effect is less than a direct contract, but the burden you must bear is also lighter.”

In the end, the most important thing was ‘balance.’ The primary condition was to appropriately adjust the restrictions to what one could endure.

The purpose of engraving prohibitions is typically to seek one’s own growth. But if you break before you even grow, it defeats the purpose.

In Berger’s opinion, the prohibitions applied to the Divine Seal Armor and Soul-Binding Shackles were at a level that anyone with decent talent could endure.

The restriction placed on the Divine Seal Armor reduces divine power. The reward for this is amplifying the amount of energy gained when practicing sacred techniques. The effect of the Soul-Binding Shackles is similar.

“And I have modified these restrictions.”

He had made the Geas imitated by the Grinding Tool more severe. The enhanced prohibition would drive Rex solely toward growth.

“If you’re reluctant, you can stop. I won’t force you.”

Rex is a genius. Berger was also called a genius, but Rex’s talent is on a different level. Compared to Rex, Berger was merely a firefly before the sun. Inwardly, he was convinced that no talent surpassing Rex’s could be found across the entire continent.

“You could reach Radiance soon enough without resorting to such shortcuts.”

Rex stared at the Soul-Binding Shackles with calm eyes before bluntly asking:

“How soon is ‘soon’?”

“As quick as three years, seven at most.”

Considering that countless people never reach Radiance or even come close to Sacred Flame in their lifetime, this was a very generous assessment. If a knight who didn’t know Rex well heard Berger’s words, they would certainly scoff at what seemed like an unfunny joke.

But Berger was sincere. Even conservatively speaking, Rex would reach Radiance in seven years. Rex is currently fifteen, so that would make him twenty-two at most.

Among all the apostles active across the continent, and even the various heroes of legend, could any of them have achieved such accomplishments at Rex’s age?

Berger thought not.

Naturally, by utilizing Geas, Rex would become a Radiance even sooner.

Nevertheless, Berger had deliberated many times before attempting this training method. Even he didn’t know how the more severe prohibition would affect Rex—it was uncharted territory.

What if Rex couldn’t endure the prohibition? What if something went wrong and left permanent damage to his body? Perhaps it would be better to build a foundation step by step like others, rather than pushing unnecessarily.

Initially, Berger had no intention of telling Rex about this method.

However, after seeing the duel with Brandon, his resolve wavered. Of course, if Rex decided to give up now, Berger would immediately withdraw the plan and guide his training in the conventional way.

“What will you do?”

And Rex answered with a resolute tone.

“I’ll use the Geas.”

Seven years is too long.

Berger said it could be as quick as three years, but in such matters, one should always prepare for the worst. In truth, even if it really would take only three years to reach Radiance, Rex’s choice wouldn’t have changed.

When there’s a faster path, why take the long way around?

“If you can’t handle it, tell me immediately.”

Berger said with a concerned voice as he held out one of the Soul-Binding Shackles. The shackle resembled a thin handcuff, but being made of solid iron, it was heavier than it looked.

Rex was about to put the shackle on his right arm when he hesitated.

“By the way, if the original Geas restricted divine power, what has it changed to now?”

“That, I don’t know.”

Berger replied with a troubled expression.

“To adjust Geas in a desired direction, you need to find a master craftsman blessed by the Blacksmith God. There’s no one in Lindveil capable of handling Grinding Tools. All I could do was increase the intensity of the prohibition.”

“So… my arm might suddenly stop moving, or my legs might become paralyzed?”

“That’s an extreme example, but… well, surely that won’t happen.”

As Berger’s voice trailed off awkwardly, Rex’s expression soured.

“Will you give up?”

“Of course not.”

Rex shook his head. Though the conversation had made him quite uneasy, he couldn’t back out now. He couldn’t abandon everything just because it was a bit dangerous.

Sometimes there comes a moment when you must willingly throw yourself into danger, knowing the risks. This was one such moment.

Rex quickly forced the Soul-Binding Shackle onto his right hand.

“…Do you feel any difference?”

Berger asked with an anxious expression. Rex blinked and tilted his head.

“No?”

Just as he was thinking that he didn’t feel anything special—Boom! His thoughts were cut off by a sudden impact that struck his entire body. Rex’s eyes widened. Instinctively, he understood the prohibition of the Geas placed upon him.

“…Dreams?”

The first Soul-Binding Shackle’s Geas takes away dreams. This didn’t refer to the ultimate ideals people aspire to achieve in life, but literally the ‘dreams’ that appear during sleep.

“Dreams, you say?”

“Yes.”

The prohibition was engraved in a completely unexpected direction. He had thought it would at most make his body heavier or deprive him of one of his senses.

Berger also seemed not to have anticipated this outcome. He furrowed his brow and spoke with a puzzled voice.

“Do you have any idea how it might affect you?”

“No. I have no clue.”

Rex glanced at the Soul-Binding Shackle clinging tightly to his right wrist. The cold metal sensation felt truly unsettling.

Berger narrowed his eyes, looking Rex up and down, and muttered:

“Hmm… If a physical prohibition had been placed, you would know immediately, but since it’s abstract, it’s ambiguous. Still, it seems like a not-so-bad restriction compared to what I was thinking.”

“Is that so?”

“Ultimately, Geas must return rewards proportional to what it takes. I don’t know how the dream prohibition will affect you, but now that you’re wearing the Soul-Binding Shackle, your achievements will grow rapidly. Since it’s not a physical restriction, it shouldn’t hinder your training.”

Rex nodded blankly. Though neither of them had experienced Geas before, Berger was a knight who had been active as a Sacred Engraver longer than Rex. When such a man spoke in a reassuring tone, Rex’s anxiety subsided considerably.

Berger shrugged with a faint smile.

“Let’s wait and see. It’s better than losing the use of your arms or legs, isn’t it?”

“That’s true.”

As he continued listening, Rex’s confidence grew inexplicably.

‘At worst, I’ll just have nightmares.’

Rex grinned as he drew his zweihander.

“Please check my form.”

“Sure.”

As Berger said, the specific effects of the Geas would only be known when night fell. Until then, Rex intended to practice swordsmanship as usual.

Berger was wrong.

That night.

Rex saw hell.