The Status Window's True Origin

Suddenly, the location had changed. Ian stood in the center of a vast workshop. As expected, the walls were completely covered in paintings personally drawn by Hrun Dal.

...This goddess. It feels like she poured every rotting moment of her time into painting.

"Alright, Ian. Try calling up that 'Status Window' of yours."

Ian took a slow breath and focused his mind.

"Status Window."

Plain words slipped from Ian's lips. With that familiar sensation, the status window materialized.

"..."

Ian stared at the status window, lost in thought. When he first saw it, he'd assumed it was the goddess's divine power. But to think it was just his own magical talent manifesting in the form of a status window...

'Hmm...'

Ian mulled it over, tilting his head. Come to think of it, when had he really started making proper use of the status window? It must have been right after learning the language of magic from Eredis. Before that, all it showed was some bullshit message like [You are nothing]~.

That made sense. If the status window had been a gift from the goddess as his isekai reincarnation perk, there'd have been no reason for it not to work from the start. But Ian's status window had only kicked into gear once he began learning magic. As his magical abilities grew, the window's functions strengthened alongside them.

"I've called it up... but Goddess."

"Hmm. Call me Hrun Dal instead of Goddess."

Hrun Dal scratched her cheek awkwardly.

"Goddess... sounds a bit off, y'know."

"..."

She had a surprising amount of subtle shyness for a goddess.

"Got it, Hrun Dal. One question."

"What is it?"

"About my status window. It has info viewing and skill point systems. Are those all things I created too?"

Hrun Dal answered with a serious expression.

"I don't know."

"...Pardon?"

"How would I know your way of handling magic?"

"...You don't know?"

Wait, aren't you a goddess? Some half-assed deity who doesn't even know human magic???

Indeed, Hrun Dal didn't know everything about human magic systems. Magic was akin to a mental activity, and if she understood Ian's magic, that would mean she'd peered into his mind. The gods of this world couldn't read human thoughts (which was why gods occasionally got duped by humans).

"But I can guess the basic principle."

Hrun Dal said nonchalantly.

"You're probably borrowing the power of stray thoughts drifting through the world."

"Stray thoughts?"

"Yeah. In the realm of mysteries, some exist only as fragmented information. You're likely contacting that info unconsciously."

By the time Ian heard that explanation, a slight headache was creeping in. The problem was trying to dig into the status window's operating principles in the first place. He immediately switched to engineer mode.

Ahem. If it works, who cares about the principles! It works great for some reason? Must be my ancestors looking out for me!

Ian didn't realize it, but engineers and coders were basically shamans of the STEM world. They solved most problems by groveling to the gods of tech...!

If it worked fine, best not to touch it. Messing with it might break something...!

"I've got the status window up. What's next?"

"You said you cast magic through the status window, right? Tell me exactly how it works."

Ian nodded.

"When I make contact with a new mystery, the status window notifies me that I've acquired a new skill."

"Skill?"

Ian promptly pulled up the magic window.

Ian gazed at the list scrolling up, high on magic dopamine.

Krr. Damn, I've been grinding like a beast all this time! Back in my old life, even counting all my certifications (driver's license included), I didn't hit seven! But in this medieval fantasy world, I've entered a whopping seven schools of magic!

"What's the cap on those levels?"

At Hrun Dal's question, Ian reflexively answered.

"Level 9."

If Ian was the creator of this system, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠max level had to be 9. Nine was the perfect number. No wonder they called it 9-circle archmage or 9-class grand mage. Even in roguelikes, level 9 spells were ultimate magic. Ian's magical achievements would cap at level 9 too—of course, whether he'd reach it before kicking the bucket was another story.

"Oho. So your magical attainment is around level 4..."

Hrun Dal smiled at Ian.

"You're a pretty decent mage."

Level 4. Not total trash, but not legendary either. In wuxia terms, somewhere between expert and super-expert? Of course, most wuxia "super-experts" were levels any stray mutt could sniff its way to. They set it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up as insanely hard, but why? Probably 'cause their world's population hits billions. With that many people, a truckload of "heavenly martial bodies" among the mutts, or whatever.

But Ian was a resident of a medieval fantasy world. Here, anywhere over 2,000 people qualified ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as a "decent-sized city" (not 20 million!). At his level, everyone would be dying to recruit him.

"I've still got a long way to go."

Hrun Dal smiled at his humility. She didn't dislike humble humans.

"Not anymore. I'm about to bless you."

Hrun Dal commanded.

"Choose an Arcana card."

Ian did as the goddess instructed, picking one at random and holding it out. It was number 17, the Star card.

"I've infused these twenty-two cards with the flows of the world. They reveal your fate—and sometimes alter it."

Ian nodded. The Arcana cards held power to twist destiny.

"My power usually works by altering the fates around you."

Hrun Dal extended her hand toward the card. Ian's card flashed with an eerie light.

"Combine that with your ability to wield the [Status Window], and you can produce the exact same magical result every time."

"..."

Ian was quietly stunned. Sure, he scammed people with his status window, but he was still a mage. He knew how finicky magic could be. Magic was communication between humans and mysteries. Mistakes happened constantly in that dialogue, and the mystery's mood could swing the results wildly—it was par for the course.

But according to Hrun Dal, infusing his magic into an Arcana card would let him trigger the exact same spell every time, mood be damned!

'Is that... even possible?'

Ian stood there dumbfounded, unable to believe Hrun Dal's words. He couldn't help it—he was a mage too. The idea of solving magic's inherent instability? His eyes would spin at that!

"Good. Ian, visualize one spell you want to store."

"..."

But neither was one of Ian's main schools. Water and ice magic. Neither had any standout spells?

"For now... this one."

"Hmm. Aren't you underestimating my power a bit? You could store something stronger."

Hrun Dal showed a hint of disappointment. But hey, when a goddess offers a gift, shouldn't you go big?

Ian quickly explained.

"It's... the status window..."

"...I see. Your magic system is doing its best to accept my power."

Hrun Dal shrugged.

"Fine, I'll infuse power into the other cards too."

Ian nearly teared up at her benevolence.

This is a goddess!

"Goddess! Hrun Dal Goddess!"

"I said don't call me Goddess..."

"Milky-white Hrun Dal! So pure! Hrun Dal!"

"Pft. Haha haha!"

Ian shook off his mage-like restraint with a damn-it-all vibe, and Hrun Dal burst out laughing. A human brought from "over there" by the sun spirit. Totally different vibe from this world's humans. Fun and lively, you could say.

"Hurry and pick another card."

"Yes ma'am!"

Ian drew another. Number 3, the Empress card.

"How's that?"

"Seems to have worked."

"Not sure? Then test it out."

At Hrun Dal's gesture, a monster popped out. Goat head, bat wings, trident—perfect devil material.

Ian calmly gripped the Arcana card and shouted.

"[Flame Spear!]"

Ian hurled the flame spear at the devil without hesitation.

"Kieeeek!"

The devil writhed in flames and died.

'This is...'

Ian's [Power to Call Magic] plus Hrun Dal's [Power to Alter Fate] resulted in [Manifest Magic]. This was insanely powerful magic. Intense enough to leave a profound sense of wrongness...

'This... is a skill...'

Ian swallowed hard. This was magic utterly unlike Maronius's creation. It felt just like a [skill] from games or webnovels.

Maybe Ian had just invented the world's first [Skill Card] in this medieval fantasy setting...

"Oh dear."

Hrun Dal muttered, examining Ian's card.

"Looks like it takes time to recharge after use."

Touching the High Priestess card yielded no mystery. The Flame Spear skill had a cooldown.

Ian honestly shared the odd sensation with Hrun Dal.

"Hrun Dal, about that..."

"What now?"

"My [Status Window]. Could others use it?"

Hrun Dal narrowed her eyes.

"Theoretically, yes. But how many humans could fully grasp the concept of a 'status window'?"

"..."

When humanity first invented movies, theaters were packed with people freaking out, thinking the screen was real. That's what grasping a novel concept is like. If Ian tried explaining 'status window' to medieval folk, they'd imagine a divine ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠being named Status Window—not a mechanical hologram system. Of course.

Medieval people couldn't understand 'status window' as perfectly as Ian. So even if he taught them his unique magic, none could master it properly.

...Maybe.

Ian fiddled with the Arcana card, pondering. Had the sky god foreseen Ian creating [Skill Magic] via the status window?

More questions for the sky god. Ian received more skill cards from Hrun Dal. Once the bestowal ended, she said,

"Now, let's talk about your magic sword."