A cold touch, like a stream of water, traveled from his fingers all the way to his brain. Ed's whole body trembled several times, as if he were having an orgasm.
As this trace of coldness poured into his mind, it instantly calmed him, and a brief message flooded in.
Ed closed his eyes quietly. The room was silent in the middle of the night, save for the subtle crackling of the flame burning in the oil lamp beside his bed. Soon, the extra information in his brain was fully received.
This ring, called Magicina, was the true inheritance of Jake. It was teaching Ed how to become a magician. The information pouring into his mind included foundational knowledge related to magic.
In addition, the ring granted Ed certain physical enhancements: improved finger flexibility, enhanced memory and recall, increased body flexibility, slightly improved agility, and better overall balance. These were collectively referred to as the basic qualities of a magician, and he could feel the difference clearly.
"Is this the feeling of having extraordinary power?" Ed muttered, unable to suppress his excitement. This was a real taste of magical ability, and it was intoxicating, addictive even.
After a moment of reflection, Ed took out a silver snake from his inventory and placed it on the back of his right hand. Drawing on the knowledge that had just appeared in his mind, he flipped his fingers, and the silver coin rolled left and right across the back of his hand.
It jumped and slid between each finger, finally settling at the junction of his index finger and thumb. With a flick, he sent it spinning into the air. He caught it swiftly with his right hand, then immediately opened his palm, the silver snake had vanished.
He clenched his fist, extended his index finger, and tapped it against his left fist. When he opened his left hand, the silver snake lay perfectly in the center of his palm.
It was a very simple magic trick, and his performance was far from smooth. He was clearly unfamiliar with the motions, and his movements were stiff and awkward to watch.
Yet, this was Ed's first time performing magic. To an observer, it would have seemed as though he had practiced for years.
"The moment this ring is put on, someone who has never been exposed to magic can become a magic apprentice. With diligent practice and the ring's help, it won't take long to become a real magician. Eventually, the ring may not even be necessary. If I'd had this in my previous life, I could have become a world-class magician."
Thinking this, Ed treasured the ring even more. Just as his excitement began to swell, a chill flashed through his mind, urging him to stay calm and not get carried away by something so trivial.
"Does this thing also help keep the wearer calm? That's awesome… Hehehe. But I'd better take it off during sex, otherwise my little brother might never get up again. All jokes aside, it makes sense—a magician must always remain calm to avoid being exposed and to deliver a pleasing performance. Otherwise, the audience wouldn't hesitate to pelt him with their shoes."
With that in mind, Ed removed the ring. The strange sensation vanished instantly, and the knowledge related to magic tricks that had been at his fingertips disappeared. Only the memory of the coin disappearance trick remained, as he had just performed it. He knew he would forget it if he didn't practice and reinforce the skill.
When he picked up the silver coin to try again, he failed immediately, like a novice who'd only read about a trick in a book, unable to execute it.
Without the finger flexibility provided by the ring, he couldn't even roll the coin across the back of his hand, let alone maneuver it like a snake. To perform without the ring's help, he would need extensive practice.
Ed flipped the ring in his palm, considering whether to put it back on. After a moment's thought, he placed it on the little finger of his left hand.
As his right hand was dominant, and he had never worn rings in either of his lives, it felt strange. But the little finger of his left hand was more comfortable; this way, it wouldn't interfere when Raila pleasured him.
Ed then gathered all the items on his bed, returned the card and manual to the wooden box, and stored them in his Inventory.
"These things are useless now, but they're still precious. I might need them later. I hope I won't have to wait too long."
After tidying his bed, Ed turned his attention to the remaining metal block. This living metal was clearly not ordinary, so after some thought, he stored it in his inventory as well, deciding to investigate it when the opportunity arose.
With everything done, Ed clapped his hands in satisfaction. He glanced at the moons in the sky and headed to the kitchen to eat dinner while waiting for his lovely lady to join him. She didn't keep him waiting long; halfway through his meal, she knocked on his door, carrying a variety of delicious foods.
However, unlike Ed's good mood, she looked gloomy. As soon as she saw him, she hugged him tightly, coaxing him not to worry about his mother and promising to accompany him to the cemetery tomorrow, even if their relationship was exposed.
Only after hearing the full story while being held by his older girlfriend did Ed remember that he had found his mother's skeleton. He should have been crying in sadness, not laughing with joy from time to time, or eating like a starving man.
So, with great difficulty, he put on a sad face and took advantage of the situation, letting Raila take care of him. She fed him while sharing funny stories from her youth, showered with him, washed his body, and gave him a wonderful blowjob. Then, at bedtime, she gave him full permission to play with her as much as he wanted. To cheer him up, she even let him f*ck her anal again in the final round.
All in all, that night was the luckiest of Ed's life. Not only had he found treasure and his previous body's mother's skeleton, earning sympathy from everyone in town, but he'd also received premium service from his girlfriend. What more could he ask for?
...
Early the next morning, Aunt Marcy pulled Ed out of bed. He carried his mother's remains (a bag of bones), and they walked toward the center of the island. Raila was with them, but how she had convinced Aunt Marcy, Ed had no idea. But when he stepped out of the house, ready to go, Raila was standing outside with Aunt Marcy, a sad expression on her face.
Sigurd had wanted to follow, but after being hit twice by his mother, he could only call out to Ed as his mother led him away. Though he didn't say much, Ed still nodded. Sigurd had said, "I'll come to you later to talk in detail about your treasure-hunting story."
Ed walked through the golden wheat fields and arrived at the center of the island. From a distance, he saw a massive stone, about 20 meters high, standing there.
As he drew closer, he could make out several stone buildings surrounding the huge rock. The roofs of these structures were painted wheat-yellow, and various reliefs were carved into their walls.
Beside them stood densely packed graves. Round wooden stakes marked each burial site, one after another, with no tombstones in sight. Many of the graves had wheat ears placed in front of them.
Ed observed the surroundings, recalling his memories. This was the island's cemetery, where most residents were buried. Some could be interred here, but not all.
As he walked further, a massive gray-black boulder came fully into view. A stone platform had been built around it, seemingly for some kind of ritual.
At the base of the boulder was a gap resembling a doorway.
An old man stood on the stone platform, and Aunt Marcy and Raila led Ed over.
The three of them stood there in silence.
The old man turned and slowly approached. Ed studied him carefully.
His medium-length hair was gray and white, and though his face was wrinkled, it still held a certain toughness. The long, gray beard on his chin was messy; clearly, he preferred the wizardly look and had no intention of trimming it. His clothing was similar to that of ordinary residents, though slightly more decent.
As he approached, Ed crossed his hands and placed his palms on his shoulders. Aunt Marcy and Raila did the same.
The priest in front of them mirrored the gesture, a special greeting necessary when meeting members of the church.
"May the Stone Mother bless you all."
Then the priest squatted down and picked up the bag of bones.
"Lisha's bones?"
He identified the remains without even a close inspection.
Ed was slightly surprised and raised an eyebrow in confusion. "How did you know?"
Hearing Ed's question, the priest's eyes held a hint of amusement, and he replied with a mocking smile.
"Perhaps it's because I was among those searching the entire island for you yesterday."
With that, he walked directly toward the stone platform, leaving Ed stretching his neck in embarrassment. Thankfully, the two women with him were the closest people in his life, and he didn't mind being mocked for something so childish. Besides, it wasn't his fault; there had been too many people looking for him last night. How could he have recognized everyone?
"Hahaha, it was so dark last night, it's no wonder you didn't see me."
"Even if it had been bright, with Marcy dragging you off as though we were going to eat you alive, it would've been impossible for you to notice anyone else. You looked like a toddler surrounded by adults, completely clueless. Your expression was truly a sight to behold," Raila chimed in, not letting Aunt Marcy have all the fun. She let out a giggle, making both Marcy and the priest chuckle as well.
Ed was thick-skinned enough not to take his girlfriend's words seriously. Instead of feeling embarrassed, he chuckled along. As Aunt Marcy urged him forward, he intentionally slowed his pace, pinching Raila's butt hard to teach her a lesson, then hurried closer to Aunt Marcy to avoid retaliation.
Raila rubbed her sore butt with a pained expression, vowing revenge that night. And so, the three of them quickly followed the priest.
As they walked, Ed realized the priest was heading straight for the hole beneath the boulder. It seemed he intended to enter the cave.
"Why are you taking the bones inside?" Ed whispered into his aunt's ear. As far as he could recall from his memories, the original owner had never entered the cave, nor had he seen anyone else do so.
After all, aside from annual sacrificial ceremonies and his mother's funeral, he had rarely visited the cemetery at all.
For children, this place was boring and old-fashioned; for teenagers, it was creepy; and for adults, it brought nothing but sad memories of lost loved ones. If there was one place almost universally disliked on the island, it was undoubtedly the cemetery.
"To bury the bones and let your mother rest in peace," Aunt Marcy replied without stopping.
Wait, what?! They haven't even seen my mother's bones. How can they be so sure she's dead and not just missing?