"This phrase is written in an early, even proto-form of Hebrew script. It roughly means—"
The silver-haired knight maiden glanced at the text on the bottle's cap and began to explain.
She had been observing the bottle in Lucius's hand earlier and had naturally noticed the inscription.
Hebrew is the official language of the Jewish people, one of the world's oldest languages, with "Hebrew" meaning "native Jew."
In the 70s CE, the Romans sacked Jerusalem, the Jewish capital, forcing the Jews into exile across the world.
From then on, Jews adopted the languages of their host countries, and Hebrew became primarily a written language, preserved in religious texts and Jewish classics.
Yet this did not diminish Hebrew's significance. After all, the Bible was originally written in Hebrew.
In modern times, through Jewish efforts, Hebrew—a language unspoken for over two thousand years—was revived.
Remarkably, having been unused as a spoken language for millennia, it remained almost unchanged.
This meant that a modern Hebrew speaker, if transported to the era of King Solomon, could converse with the Jews of that time without issue.
For someone like Liliana, a prodigy of the mystical world, Hebrew was a required study, so she could naturally read the phrase.
"It seals a calamity and should be kept locked away."
"That's what it means." Lucius offered a polite smile. "Thank you for explaining."
According to the loli demon, not just anyone could unseal the bottle.
The conditions for breaking the seal were exceptionally strict.
Though Lucius knew the text on the cap was Hebrew, he hadn't understood its meaning.
But upon seeing it, a mysterious force seemed to convey the phrase directly to him.
You must remember not to open this bottle.
Undoubtedly, it was a warning.
And this warning was directed solely at those capable of opening the bottle.
In other words, if one couldn't unseal it, they might not even perceive the warning.
Inside the bottle, the loli demon observed all this, her little feet swinging faster with evident excitement.
Satisfied with the outcome, Lucius exchanged a few pleasantries and turned to leave.
He still had the power from the beast tooth artifact to absorb, and he had no time to waste on others.
The unfeeling translation tool, Liliana, stood there innocently, watching Lucius's retreating figure.
She had wanted to ask again to borrow the bottle for a closer look.
But before she could speak, he hurried off, forcing her to swallow her words.
For the inexperienced maiden, it was a novel experience.
Sigh.
"Whatever… that bottle couldn't possibly be a divine artifact, not even a replica."
"Greek mythology, Persian mythology, Biblical mythology… it can't be tied to any of them."
Huff.
Back at his temporary inn, Lucius locked the door with a click, then closed the windows and drew the curtains.
Only then did he exhale, clutching the sealed bottle and collapsing onto the floor.
"Completely useless," The loli demon remarked in his mind. "Locking doors and windows—who's that supposed to stop? You think with what you're doing, anyone who comes knocking will be an ordinary thief?"
"I know, it's just for peace of mind," Lucius said, unbothered. "People need to comfort themselves sometimes. It's useless, but it gives me a bit of security."
"You always manage to justify yourself," The demon said, her tone odd. "Alright, ready to start merging the power?"
"One question first—will it hurt?" Lucius asked before beginning.
The demon paused, her dark golden eyes widening slightly.
"You've taken such a huge risk, and now you're worried about a little pain? You're actually afraid of pain?"
"Of course I'm afraid of pain," Lucius said bluntly. "Not just pain—I'm afraid of death, of the dark, of being alone."
"It's because I'm afraid that I push myself to act. If I feared nothing, I probably wouldn't even bother moving."
"Humans… no, you're quite the hassle," The demon said, scratching her small horns with a hint of exasperation.
"Maybe."
Fear was inevitable.
Lucius believed that overcoming fear didn't mean feeling no fear—that was just numbness.
True courage was acting despite fear, doing what needed to be done.
So—
"Let's start the fusion," Lucius said calmly, without hesitation.
"Huh?" The demon blinked at his decisiveness, then smirked faintly. "Tch… you were fretting earlier, and now you're all in. Your brain's definitely wired wrong."
"By the way, I have one more question."
Before triggering the power stored in his body, Lucius's gaze fell on the brass-like sealed bottle.
He smiled, but his eyes held an unmasked possessiveness.
"Do you have a name?"
"What do you think?" The loli demon pouted. "Among the myths you know, is there a name that fits me?"
"Got it…" Lucius nodded, chuckling softly. "How about 'Mozlis'?"
"Mozlis?" The demon repeated instinctively.
Her sharp fangs glinted coldly, and her gaze turned fierce as she glared at Lucius.
Mozlis, meaning…
"My treasure."
***
If you enjoyed this story, don't forget to drop 5 stars and your power stone. And if you want to read more than 70 chapters in advance, feel free to visit: pat reon . com / KangTL