"That damned Wizard..."
As Roy approached again, Planche's half-lidded eyes snapped open, her crimson pupils flashing with exhaustion.
Yet she only dared to mutter under her breath.
Her current state radiated extreme hunger and thirst, as if she might collapse at any moment.
Her legs and torso were encased in thick chunks of flesh, resembling a half-devoured victim of a Man-eating Flower.
Her arms were suspended, forced into an awkward, hunched posture with hands raised high.
This left her standing in an unnatural position, severely disrupting her blood circulation.
Roy stopped before her. "Planche, you were one of the masterminds behind this attack—responsible for the deaths of my Centaur Guards and the companions I brought from my homeland..."
"By all rights, I should make you suffer a fate worse than death."
"But as it happens, I value talent."
"If you can prove your worth and pledge loyalty to me, I might just spare you!"
"However, you must demonstrate your value. Understood?"
A strange glint flickered in Planche's eyes.
At first, she had assumed that falling into the hands of an evil Wizard would mean torture, torment, and humiliation.
Yet Roy had surpassed even those horrors.
He had restrained her with a Flesh Torture Device, injecting her with a special potion.
Within days, she was wracked with unbearable hunger.
Thirst and exhaustion gnawed at her relentlessly.
But she was denied even a drop of water or a crumb of food, while her mind remained unnaturally alert—unable to sleep, unable to rest.
Her thoughts grew hazy, her willpower crumbling.
Now, an instinct told her...
Whatever Roy demanded, she had to obey. Without question.
Otherwise, this master of interrogation would ensure her suffering knew no end.
After a tense silence, Planche rasped out a request: "Could I... have some water? And have my arms lowered? Let me sleep... just once."
"After I've rested... I'll give you my answer."
"Of course."
Roy nodded, then signaled to Atedia.
...
"Lord Roy... you intend to recruit that Dark Elf?"
Once they left the dungeon, Atedia hesitated before voicing her question.
Roy nodded.
"Dark Elves—also called Drow Elves—are denizens of the Underdark who worship the Spider Goddess."
"They inherit some of the Elven racial traits, but also possess Shadow Mastery..."
"Making them natural-born rogues and infiltration experts."
"If we can secure her loyalty, she'd be a valuable asset."
Atedia lowered her head slightly, guilt creeping into her voice. "If only I were more capable... if I had those skills too."
Roy shook his head. "Don't blame yourself. Every person—every tool—has their strengths and purpose."
"As my follower, you've already served me well."
Atedia's spirits lifted.
"Really?"
"Of course."
Roy didn't hold back his praise.
Atedia's gaze softened. "Lord Roy..."
...
Not long after, in the quarry's backyard.
Roy paid a brief visit to Celine, only to find her sitting blankly at a table.
He sighed. "Your injuries just healed. Shouldn't you be resting?"
Truly, the resilience of a Grand Knight's body was astounding.
And the effects of Healing Potions—Magical Potions—were nothing short of miraculous.
She had been stabbed several times by Planche and was severely injured.
But after drinking the potion, she became lively and energetic again.
If not for the Bloodline Disease, which had nearly shattered her genetic chains, she might have been able to survive in this state for a long time.
Yet, it was an undeniable fact that her vitality was being rapidly devoured by the abnormal cells.
Planche's attack had still drained her vitality.
Roy could tell she was forcing herself to hold on, his tone carrying a hint of reproach.
Upon closer inspection,
Celine's lips had already begun to dry and crack.
Dead skin clung to them, and traces of blood lingered between her teeth.
But she merely shook her head and said calmly, "There will be plenty of time to rest after death. Why rush it now?"
Roy was momentarily left speechless.
"By the way, after the Body Swap, do you feel any differences?"
Celine turned her head, her bloodshot eyes filled with concern.
"It seems to be some kind of material influence…
The difference in physiological structure has altered some of my habits and needs."
Roy pondered briefly before sharing his experiences over the past few days.
"This appears to be the drawback of Body Swap mentioned in the records.
In ancient times, it was considered an ominous sign—a conflict between soul and consciousness…
But in truth, when viewed through the lens of Arcane or science, it can still be understood as 'material determines consciousness.'
By fully acknowledging these needs and distinguishing between the material and the spiritual, we can handle it properly!"
Celine said, "Actually, when I first swapped into my senior's body, I faced similar troubles.
But you seem to have adapted much faster than I did!"
Perhaps because I'm a soul from another world!
I've even experienced complete mental consciousness transfer, abandoning the brain entirely—how could this level of brain transplantation compare?
Once you've seen the ocean, a puddle holds no allure…
This is child's play in the truest sense!
Roy silently mused to himself.
...
After chatting with Celine a while longer about related topics and giving her a few reminders, Roy returned to the Alchemy Room and resumed his work.
This time, it was to digest his recent gains and fully master this body.
"These past few days, I haven't had the chance to properly meditate…
Nor to brew another batch of Clarity Potion!
Fortunately, the teacher provided another batch of similar materials…
The effect might be slightly inferior to the previous Dreamy Magnolia, but overall, it's about the same!"
Once again, relying on the Magical alchemy tool, Roy extracted, distilled, and purified the ingredients before drinking the potion in one gulp.
Then, as the Magical Potion took effect, he sat cross-legged and began meditating.
Sure enough, he once again entered the state of seeing his Fate Chart—this time even more vividly than before.
"Huh?"
The moment he entered deep concentration, he noticed a stark difference from last time.
The massive nautilus-shaped nebula, along with the golden scales and swirling constellations, remained.
The faint, shadowy silhouette of his soul, shrouded in darkness, was still there.
But beyond that, nearby…
Or perhaps deeper within another layer of the dark void…
A new shadow had appeared!
Roy observed carefully and discovered it was a constellation-like phantom resembling a roaring bear.
Two bright stars shone where its eyes should be.
When Roy focused his Mental Strength on it, mysterious messages surged into his mind.
"Innate ability… [Bloodline Awakening]… [Ferocious state]…"
Huh?
Like viewing flowers through a mist—always one layer removed.
Different from Alchemy Talent, yet similar to an innate ability, it revealed itself within!
In a daze, Roy suddenly realized with a start.
"This is a new Fate Chart...
My soul's foundation has truly increased!"