Chapter 559 ·The Weaver’s Cage

“Refining ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍steps of 【The Weaver’s Cage】: Step one, weave the 【Desire Wick】. In a zero-gravity or anti-magic field environment, use three strands of the refiner’s own hair to interlace them in a triple-helix structure——”

Staring ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍at the content on the magic scroll written in Mykethan and filled with obscure, almost incomprehensible phrasing, Janna, who had originally planned to speed-read it using 【Reading Magic】, eventually abandoned the idea and began studying the text word by word.

“When ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍weaving this 【Desire Wick】, it even requires chanting an emotion-related melody in Mykethan. What a headache.”

After ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍finishing the section detailing the process of creating the 【Desire Wick】, Janna pinched the bridge of her nose before continuing to read onward.

“Casting ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the 【Starlight Lamp】: The starlight fragments must be smelted under high temperature, and before the liquified starlight solidifies, the refiner should coat a Mithril Short Knife with 【Siren’s Tear】 to engrave the sealing rune.”

“Nerve ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍thread grafting: Coil the neural strands of the Void Jellyfish around the base of the wick, allowing the ends to pierce into the 【Starlight Lamp】, forming a complete circuit—”

Because Hephis–Stellar had some urgent matters to attend to, Janna’s only class for the day, 《Law and Plane Studies》, was canceled.

As a result, aside from mealtime, Janna spent all her remaining hours researching the scroll that recorded the refining method of 【The Weaver’s Cage】.

“Although the materials required for refining 【The Weaver’s Cage】 are rare, it shouldn’t be too difficult for the White Tower to procure them.”

—D—

At seven in the evening, Janna returned from the 【Resource Exchange Hall】. Gazing at the fully prepared refining materials on her workbench, the fatigue on her face gave way to a trace of satisfaction.

After all, aside from 【Siren’s Tear】, the fragments of the starlight vessel and the neural strands of the Void Jellyfish—both needed for refining 【The Weaver’s Cage】—were extremely rare. Even Janna, who was well-read, only learned of their existence through reading this scroll.

Fortunately, as one of the strongest Second-Tier Wizard organizations in the Western Continent, the White Tower maintained reserves of such rare materials.

Therefore, it hadn’t taken Janna long to gather everything necessary for the refining process of 【The Weaver’s Cage】.

“Next comes the actual operation.”

Originally planning to rest and begin refining tomorrow, Janna’s overwhelming curiosity toward 【The Land of Desire】 ultimately made her decide to start right away while her enthusiasm burned bright.

Of course, it wasn’t an impulsive act. Having carefully read through the entire scroll, Janna didn’t think the refining process of 【The Weaver’s Cage】 was particularly difficult.

Though the operation was highly intricate, under her dual talents of 【Muscle Control】 and 【Precise Control】, Janna was confident she could refine 【The Weaver’s Cage】 successfully in one go.

“Hu—” She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. After steadying her mood, Janna followed the detailed steps recorded in the scroll to begin crafting 【The Weaver’s Cage】.

“Whumm—”

As Janna activated the Anti-Magic Stone on the workbench, rippling waves of energy spread outward, forming an anti-magic field barrier around her.

“La la—— la la la—”

As the barrier took shape, a pure and ethereal chant flowed from Janna’s lips. Soon, long verses of sorrowful Mykethan lyrics followed in a low hum.

At the same time, Janna picked up three strands of hair she had cut earlier and, continuing her chant, carefully wove them together following the pattern illustrated in the scroll, completing the triple-helix structure precisely.

“This so-called triple-helix structure may look complicated, but compared to the delicate task of using magical threads to purge toxins from a body, it’s not much.”

With her 【Precise Control】 talent, Janna completed the weaving of the 【Desire Wick】 in less than two minutes using 【Wizard’s Hand】.

The only troublesome part was chanting a Mykethan melody tied to emotions.

After all, none of the popular songs on the Wizard Continent used the mystical Mykethan script for lyrics, so Janna had to improvise her own tune on the spot.

“Next comes the crafting of the 【Starlight Lamp】.”

After finishing the weaving of the 【Desire Wick】, Janna put away the Anti-Magic Stone and lit the alchemy-grade alcohol lamp on her table. She then suspended a small crucible—about the size of a teacup—containing fragments of starlight above the flame.

“The melting point of starlight fragments is relatively low, so the heating time shouldn’t be too long, otherwise the liquified fragments may evaporate.”

Zzz— As the melting sound of the fragments echoed from the crucible, Janna quickly picked up the Mithril Short Knife coated with 【Siren’s Tear】 and used 【Wizard’s Hand】 to engrave sealing runes onto the molten starlight.

“The next step is shaping the lamp.”

After the runes were engraved, Janna swiftly extinguished the alcohol flame and used 【Wizard’s Hand】 to pour out the liquified starlight, beginning the molding process.

“This should be about right.”

After roughly fifteen minutes, a 25-centimeter-tall lotus-shaped lamp with a gentle, starlike radiance throughout its surface took form in Janna’s hands—the completed 【Starlight Lamp】.

“Although I didn’t come up with a better design earlier, this appearance isn’t half bad.”

Lacking any talent for sculpture, Janna ultimately borrowed the form of the Witch Tool 【Hidden Nook】 as a reference for her 【Starlight Lamp】.

Though the details differed slightly, the overall design still matched Janna’s sense of aesthetics.

“The final step is to graft the wick and lamp base using the neural strands of the Void Jellyfish——”

The Void Jellyfish, a communal creature existing solely within the 【Dream Realm】, was plentiful in number but extremely difficult to capture.

The hardest part, however, lay in extracting the neural strands—their nerve fibers—from such Dream Realm creatures.

This surgical operation was difficult even for necromancer surgeons like Anthony–Rook who specialized in “anatomical procedures”—

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