Cognentia Ward

Watching the documentary Kaijin was bedazzled by the knowledge it provided, including images of other craftsmen working with the material and the techniques used it the process. He also stopped it several times to ask what the technologies that were being used. His elation at the new information was striking as he seemed like a little kid watching anime for the first time after he had spent most of his childhood playing make-believe. 

"This is very useful! We should use this to teach people in apprenticeships!" His excitement I understood but that would be going too far for the short term. I also agreed with sharing the knowledge but doing so without systems in place to monitor or make people adhere to standards was dangerous. 

It was the same with scientific knowledge. Some of the knowledge was massively useful to a civilisation and could bring one from poverty to wealth. This knowledge was also a massive cognitive hazard for people of religious natures or those that see magic as a prevailing all powerful force. Science would make them question the superiority of what they perceive, people don't like change.

"Unfortunately we can only slowly reveal this knowledge Kaijin, too much at once would completely destroy the work we have already accomplished. Think, many machines taking people's jobs making them unable to get money or advance in society. Machines that reduce a craftsmen's skills down to the equivalent of a child's scribbles." He looked at me as if I was mad with what I was speaking on, but, when he saw me he saw no hilarity or laughing.

"Are you serious?"

"Is death serious? Yes? Then I am serious." He was held in place there for several moments until he exhaled in frustration and looked at the paused documentary.

"You know best as someone from a world such as this... But please, allow some of this knowledge to be passed down at least...?" I chuckled.

"Don't worry Kaijin, I plan to share it all. I won't horde it to myself, you will be one of the few that will be able to learn some of the more exclusive knowledge I have access to. Keep in mind, I only watched and saw so much in my life. Even if I was the best mercenary in the northern hemisphere of my planet i couldn't see everything." The knowledge about my past didn't surprise him i the least and he just listened. Acknowledging everything I said he soon tapped my shoulder and looked back at the video.

"We can only learn so much in our short lives, be glad that you have this chance to learn things also." I didn't even respond and started the documentary up again, his attention now glued to the projection in mid-air. For the next hour we stayed watching it, his only movements being to send some blacksmiths away in a flurry of loud words and frustrated curses.

...

Kaijin had wanted to watch a second documentary but I needed to do something else. Naturally he was unhappy with the interruption to his learning but soon resolved on working with the Cobalt, beginning his practice when I left.

Stepping down the inner stairs I smelt the burning forge air as heat waves fluttered in the forge building of the Artisan District. My senses were still rather imbalanced but it was slowly smoothing out as time carried on. Moving through the building I noticed hundreds of apprentices working on the bottom floor, many hurriedly rushing up to the second layer where the regular blacksmiths usually worked. This was the mentor system at work, they were not officially under a master or dedicated to a familial relationship with said teacher... No, it was essentially a college-like process with students and professors. 

Stepping out from the first floor, past all of the customers and Apprentices I started to slowly stroll towards the outskirts of the city. My goal for today was to imprint a magical formation or ward around the city in case of the death of citizens due to Falmuth's plans. My journey was rather short as the mid-day hustle and bustle was small, many people at work, training or busy doing domestic chores. Some people had spare money to walk around the city and sit in at restaurants and other such establishments. The majority of those people though were officers in the military, the police captains and the few people who didn't work during the day.

Speaking of the police, this was an idea that Rimuru put through yesterday or the day before. He disliked the idea of not having a protective force other than the military and thus added the police, who were chosen from the military and had their job descriptions and requirements changed. I supported the change as it would make the judicial system easier to implement in future and would also speed up the process of making an official charter of rights and Constitution. 

My mind began wandering past those thoughts however as I entered into the forest near to the city, most of it perfectly intact as the city was building upwards instead of outwards. A decision that was disliked by a few people in the Government but would ultimately save our relationship with the Dryads. They tolerated our harvesting of the forest and some trees, due to out sustainable methods, but, if we were to suddenly chop down ancient trees just due to our need for space, it would anger them. I had seen this plot too many times in fantasy and in DND especially. Digressing yet again from a tangent I traced my finger along the trees and sent out a small signal to Treyni, the dryad who was an ambassador of sorts between the Forest Spirits and the nation we were leading.

"You called Silviana-sama?"

"Yes, I have a favour to ask of you." 

I spun my head to the side and saw Treyni standing there, her green glow a dark green this time and her eyes a rather verdant sap colouration. The change was intriguing but I decided to skip the questions on her appearance, especially considering the fact that I was going to be hiding the ward I was going to make within the trees themselves.

"What do you wish to ask of us Silviana-sama?"

"I am going to place a ward around the city and wish to use the trees as a cloak of sorts for my magic. This will require complete secrecy, even from Rimuru and Shuna."

Her eyes widened somewhat from the tone of my voice which had become harder with every passing second and from her hearing of the level of secrecy needed.

"If this matter needed such secrecy why did you not just do it?"

"One should never overestimate their influence on other people's homes or lives. For the Dryads the trees are like the lungs of your existence, would it not be utterly barbaric of me to enforce my foreign magics upon such an organ?"

She had nothing to say but chose to sigh in understanding as she stepped up to the trees and slowly communicated with the lifeforms. The process was unique and I had seen nothing ever like it, her form melding with the trees for a split second before parting again.

"They have agreed. So long as they can grow healthily and steadily then they are in support of your actions. As for the secrecy... Never mind, I was never here and we never met in such a way." 

Before I could even respond she vanished, a vague dark green glow fading away onto the wind as the trees swayed calmly in the wind.

'Fortunately I have allies like her...'

Stepping forwards I drew on the picture of the spell I had within my mind, an image emerging and soon intertwining with words that flowed from my mouth like water from a faucet.

"Cognentia Ward." 

At the same moment I cut my finger with a small bit of magic, the blood curdling and then flowing out into the space before me, being enchanted with my magic and given an advanced purpose. This was a use I had thought up of the abjuration ward spell I had gotten... And, it was working.

My blood pierced into the tree before setting in the middle, protected by a new layer of wooden bark and other natural elements. Then, with my eyes I watched as the entirety of this area was covered by a translucent and imperceptible barrier that had a draw to it that was miniscule. With one singular ward the process would be foiled, but, given the hundreds that I was about to place... The ward would last for as long as I do and would be able to attract the souls of every civilian within Tempest if the need arose. 

'Step one, complete. Now to finish its implementation.'

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