After the butler left, Kalis asked Rober: "Rober, what kind of ritual are you planning?"
Rober smiled and replied "Madam Marry, it is a rite to receive a blessing from a god. Specifically, from a god of the Vital Pantheon."
He explained "Normally, to use magic, one must know the incantation, or rather, the language of a god. One must also believe in the existence and power of that god. But, in this situation, we don't have enough time. Therefore, I will use a special rite to temporarily 'connect' the search participants to the god of the Vital Pantheon, so they can receive a small portion of His power and be able to use the 'Yin-Yang Eye' for a limited time."
He paused, observing Kalis's rapt attention for a moment, then continued:
"For example, the Lumalyn language you used to test me is the language of the Elemental Pantheon. Although you are not a follower of the Elemental Pantheon, you can still use their language to create magic because you believe in the existence of the god and trust that the power of the Lumalyn language can manifest the magic you desire."
Kalis Marry looked surprised.
"Do you mean" she asked "that the incantations we regularly use aren't just meaningless sounds and symbols we must utter to create magic? You're saying they are a type of language, a means to communicate with the gods?"
"And" she continued "our ability to use magic isn't due to some special power we possess, but because we have been 'blessed' by the gods, allowing us to use a small portion of their power?"
Rober nodded in confirmation.
"Precisely, madam. That is what I have researched, learned, and discovered. As far as I know, all forms of magic originate from the gods. And the incantations we commonly use are simply a way for us to 'communicate' with them, to 'request permission' to use a fraction of their power to achieve what we desire."
"Therefore" he went on "currently, only I believe in and know of the Vital Pantheon. And faith isn't easily built overnight. So, even though I have mentioned Him to you now, it's still uncertain if I can achieve the desired effect reliably."
Rober raised his hand and, in a reverent tone, recited an incantation:
"O, Liravan Elvoryn. Na veleth miravyn tala, Viralyn e'zan."
Kalis Marry, with her vast knowledge, immediately recognized it:
"That... that's the incantation to create fire, using the Lumal language, Lumalyn, isn't it?"
Instantly, a small flame ignited and danced upon Rober's palm like a living creature. Rober nodded in confirmation.
"Yes, madam. This is the incantation to create fire, using the Lumalyn language of the Elemental Pantheon."
He elaborated further:
"This incantation means, 'O, Elemental God. I pray for the blessing of the power to create fire, Eternal One!'"
"Incantations" he continued "are the language, the means by which we communicate with the gods, to ask them to grant us power, to achieve what we desire. And magic is the result of that communication, the manifestation of the power the gods have granted us. But the effectiveness, the intensity of the magic, depends on the individual mage's own magical energy."
"However" Rober emphasized "not everyone believes in the existence of the gods, or in the effectiveness of these incantations. And, not everyone has sufficient magical energy to sustain magic, even if they are granted the ability by the gods."
He concluded swiftly.
"That is why we need rituals. Because a ritual is a way for us to more easily 'connect' with the gods, to be able to use their magic, even if we lack the magical energy to perform it ourselves."
Kalis Marry nodded, appearing to understand clearly.
"I see" she said. "What you've just said is truly fascinating, very novel, and quite logical in a way. It explains many things about the origin and nature of magic that I had never considered, never heard of before."
Rober smiled and said "Now, I will show you a specific example of how a ritual works and how it can help us in finding the children."
He walked over to a table, took out a blank sheet of paper from a notebook, and rummaged in a drawer for a pencil. He began to write characters on the paper in the Lumalyn language, the language of the Elemental Pantheon.
Except, Rober didn't write the characters in a horizontal line as one normally would. Instead, he arranged them deliberately into a specific shape, forming the image of a burning flame, with flowing, soft, and graceful lines.
"This is a simple ritual to create fire" Rober explained. "It consists of three main parts. First, the Lumalyn language to 'communicate' with the Elemental God. Second, this paper, the object that will be affected by the magic upon activation. And third, a bit of my magical energy, infused during the writing process, to be sacrificed when 'activating' the ritual."
He pointed to the characters on the paper as he spoke:
"This incantation means, 'O, Elemental God. I pray for the blessing of the power to create fire from this paper when it is torn, Eternal One!' O, Liravan Elvoryn. Na veleth miravyn tala vey lirath valen, ven noza zeth, Viralyn e'zan."
Immediately after, Rober turned to Viscount Calos and said "My Lord Viscount, please do me a favor. Take this paper, tear it, and then toss it into the air. Don't worry, I just want to test something!"
Viscount Calos, though still deeply worried about his son and somewhat skeptical of what Rober was doing, followed his instructions. He tremblingly took the paper, tore it in half, and immediately threw the pieces into the air with a tense expression.
Instantly, flames erupted from the two pieces of paper floating in the air, incinerating them in the blink of an eye. Only a few ashes remained, drifting down to the floor like black snowflakes.
Viscount Calos stood beside them, eyes wide. He had never seen magic performed so easily, so quickly.
"Did I... did I just use magic?" Viscount Calos stammered, his voice filled with astonishment and disbelief.
Rober nodded.
"Theoretically, yes, my Lord Viscount" he replied with a gentle smile.
Kalis Marry, standing beside Rober, smiled and said "Understood, Rober. So you intend to use a similar ritual to help the search teams see souls, correct?"
An indescribable emotion surged within Kalis regarding Rober's talent and knowledge, so distinct in this era.
"This young man" she thought silently "is truly erudite. He not only possesses unique knowledge and astonishing magical abilities, but also remarkable creativity and adaptability. A truly impressive, yet highly unconventional young man. Every time he surprises me, my suspicion of him increases significantly. How very interesting!"