After more than ten hours of uninterrupted meditation and experimentation, Joffrey's mind swam with nausea.
For what seemed an eternity afterward, myriad patterns and chaotic, disordered twisting lines haunted his thoughts like persistent specters, refusing to grant him peace.
Fortunately, his ordeal had not been in vain; the results proved most satisfactory.
Rune Energy could indeed be utilized universally. Though the patterns adorning the glass candle had initially scorned his meager accumulation of four days' worth of Rune Power, he had finally managed to purchase—at great cost—a new Rune.
What powers does this new Rune possess?
He burned to know the answer immediately, but having exhausted his Rune Power so completely, and with the new Rune's special magical energy yet unreplenished, he had no choice but to wait with whatever patience he could muster for the new Rune to mature.
During the two days of waiting, he received an unexpected boon—the rate at which both the new Rune and the Recovery Rune accumulated Rune Power showed no signs of diminishing despite their shared connection.
Put plainly, if the Rune Power generated by a single Rune each day was measured as one unit, then previously he had acquired one unit of Rune Power daily. Now he could obtain two units each day—a complete doubling of his magical reserves.
I wonder if there exists an upper limit to this growth, he mused, both exhilarated and concerned by the implications.
With a heart balanced between jubilation and trepidation, today, after consuming the silver magical energy accumulated by the new Rune over two days—along with approximately three units of Rune Power—he had finally activated the new Rune successfully.
"Hanna," Joffrey inquired of the dazed girl before him, "how do you feel?"
Hanna blinked rapidly, unable to conceal the shock and excitement etched across her features.
She had never imagined that her life would soar skyward like a hunting eagle in the span of mere days, as though blessed by the Seven themselves.
First, she had been chosen by the Crown Prince to serve at his side, then she had earned his favor, and now she actually...
Hanna closed her eyes again uneasily, and once more felt it clearly within her. What a magnificent, what a wondrous presence.
"Hanna," Joffrey waved his right hand before her eyes, "are you well?"
The girl finally returned to her senses. "Your Highness, I am quite well, though I've never experienced such a feeling before. It's truly... remarkable."
She gazed at the Crown Prince with anxious eyes.
"Your Highness, Hanna is but a simple handmaid. Such a precious gift..."
Joffrey placed a gentle hand upon her head and offered a reassuring smile. "Among all who surround me, you are the one I trust most deeply. Do not think yourself unworthy."
"Just one task remains."
"Have no fear," Joffrey said, taking the girl's smooth, small hand in his own. "Make but a shallow cut—the merest scratch will suffice."
Using the new Rune, he had successfully transplanted the Recovery Rune into Hanna's very soul.
And now to witness its effect.
The sharp dagger flashed in the candlelight as it passed across her palm, leaving a bright ribbon of crimson in its wake.
Hanna bit her lip fiercely, refusing to cry out.
After several heartbeats, the wound on her palm seemed to swallow the blood that had begun to seep forth, before vanishing without so much as a trace.
Joffrey felt no burden or expenditure of power. He then activated some manner of indescribable command within his consciousness.
Hanna's eyes widened instantly, her cherry lips trembling slightly.
It's gone!
Joffrey pinched the girl's cheek playfully. "I shall replenish it for you in two days' time."
The results were most satisfactory indeed.
With the aid of the new Rune, he could bestow upon others the Runes he already possessed, forge a special connection with them, and even control or destroy the gifted Runes at will.
He pondered an appropriate name—Mirror Image.
The Mirror Image Rune.
Copying a Rune into a mirror image to bestow upon others, while retaining absolute control. Like a physical form and its reflection—one a tangible entity, the other merely light and shadow dependent upon the original for its very existence.
This, then, was the first Rune harvested from the glass candle.
The Fates smile upon me, he thought.
Joffrey had attempted this previously; the Recovery Rune itself could not be transferred directly to a human body or other living creature.
He could thus surmise that most Runes likely could not be freely shared with others, but could only be employed to cast magic or craft magical artifacts.
This would certainly guarantee his monopoly on such power, but it would prove quite detrimental to the future proliferation of magic throughout the realm.
The function of the glass candle had illuminated his path forward. Creating his own magical network from nothing, building a true "World of His Own," becoming a veritable God of Magic!
Yet one man's strength is ultimately finite.
Knowledge must be disseminated to maximize its potential, and meaningful societal transformation requires a new class of vested interests to champion its cause.
Now, with the Mirror Image Rune, magic could be propagated without relinquishing control—a perfect balance of sharing and dominance.
Joffrey recalled the Night King from tales of the far North. When the Night King perished, all the White Walkers under his command were likewise destroyed. The ability of his Mirror Image Rune seemed eerily similar.
Exquisite, truly exquisite.
The dawn of the magical network had broken upon the horizon.
Mirror images of various Runes could serve as the core products of magical network communication. The Mirror Image Rune was equivalent to a central node, the cost of system operation borne by the user, with the risk of banishment from the magical network—or from life itself—sufficient to ensure compliance.
The framework had already taken form in his mind.
Let us call it "Magic Network 0.1 Beta System," he thought.
Abbreviated as MN 0.1 Beta.
These terms, so alien to this world, reminded him suddenly of the tyranny of countless software protocols that had dominated his previous existence.
The magnanimous part of his nature immediately resolved to share this wondrous gift with the world—albeit on his terms.
"Hanna, fetch me parchment!"
The parchment lay flat upon the table as he took up a quill and inscribed a commanding title at its crown—Magic Network System User Notice and Related Agreement.
Article 1: Users shall not disclose the private information of the Magic Network and related personnel by any means whatsoever.
Article 2: Users shall not harm the interests of the Magic Network and related personnel protected by this agreement in any fashion.
Article 3: Users must bear all costs associated with using the Magic Network.
Article 4: Upon signing this agreement, users accept the responsibility and obligation to actively safeguard the various interests of the Magic Network.
Article 5: To represent the collective interests of all users and ensure the sustainable development of the Magic Network, users have the responsibility and obligation to actively cooperate with the Magic Network in collecting personal information and providing both human and material assistance as required.
Article 6: In exchange for enjoying the services and conveniences of the Magic Network, users must diligently complete various tasks assigned by the Magic Network, whether compensated or uncompensated.
Article 7: For users who violate this agreement, the Magic Network reserves the right to implement various necessary measures, including but not limited to: warnings, penalties, detainment, punitive task assignments, limited restrictions, and permanent banishment.
Related personnel include but are not limited to Magic Network users, Magic Network service personnel, the Master of the Magic Network, and designated individuals.
The interests protected by this agreement include but are not limited to: life, health, property, personal freedom, privacy, mental wellbeing, public image, and influence over popular opinion.
Note: The final interpretation of the above terms rests solely with the Master of the Magic Network.
After inscribing the full text, Joffrey dusted the parchment carefully and examined his handiwork with critical eyes. Each character seemed to pulse with purpose.
The meaning is sound enough, he thought. The finer points can be polished later.
He felt profound satisfaction, tinged with a certain regret.
This approach was discordant with the current age.
In the present environment, simply demanding oaths of fealty would prove not only more straightforward but more effective as well.
Yet considering the world he envisioned—one with tens of thousands of Magic Network users—such users could hardly be controlled through mere oaths of allegiance. Only a comprehensive and stringent system of rules would suffice.
Setting aside this agreement that might not see implementation for many years to come, Joffrey allowed himself to fully relax.
The research phase had concluded.
For days, his mind had been consumed by these investigations, unable to break free from their gravitational pull.
Now, at last, the Rune magic system had found its proper course.
Collecting Runes, developing the capabilities of existing Runes, and accumulating Rune Power—this virtuous cycle would be sufficient to fuel his progress indefinitely.
The future gleams bright indeed.
He no longer resisted the mental exhaustion that pressed upon him like a leaden cloak. Collapsing upon his bed, he surrendered to slumber, and soon found himself adrift in dreams...
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