I knocked twice.
The door creaked..
What lay behind the door was not stone walls or halls lined with torches. Rather, I stepped into a world of green. A dense jungle stretched out to infinity, humming with the sound of cicadas and the earthy scent of damp soil. Mana and magical energy were equally dense here, curling like mist in the air, seeping into my pores with every breath.
Seris had transformed her training room into a beast realm.
I followed the winding trail, my boots soft in wet grass until a tiny cottage was before me. Plain, wood, half-hidden under overgrown vines. Seris was inside the cottage. Her hair was tied back in a loose bun, her eyes calm but piercing, as if she had been waiting for me. She stepped aside without speaking
A girl was with her, silent, watching me. I didn't bother with introductions. I saw A wooden stool on the porch, waiting, as if it had expected I would be there.
"Hi," I said , pulling the stool back and sitting down.
The air in there was oddly dense, the kind of silence that dared you to speak. Seris leaned forward slightly, her hands on her knees. The other girl glanced at me once, then looked down, though I could feel her eyes tracking me from the corner.
I had not been able to get another word out before a chattering sound came from the doorway. A small monkey leapt in, landing on Seris's shoulder before darting across the room. Its aura fluctuated just a bit, enough that I noticed it right away.
A D-Rank mana beast. With its strong bloodline, rise toward A Rank will be without much resistance.
The monkey squeaked, grabbed a fruit from the table, and stuffed it into its mouth before staring at me like I had trespassed in its home.
I ignored it. My eyes strayed to the corner where a white shape moved. A unicorn though still young, but with a mane that glowed softly in the bad light. Its horn glowed soft silver, resonating with light-element energy. The unicorn, unlike the monkey, neither fidgeted nor scowled. It held itself proudly, its aura was steady.
A third presence impinged on my senses. Not within the cottage but above. A hawk, dark-feathered, circled once in the window before vanishing into the trees.
Three beasts. And all of them bound to her.
I asked to gain my explanation.
"You brought me here, Seris. I paid a huge price to come back. Which is two days barred from Haven. Don't play games with me. Why did you call me so urgently?"
Her expression didn't change. Peaceful. Annoyingly peaceful.
"I had to," she said simply.
"That's no answer," I snapped. "You know what it cost me. If this isn't—"
"It is," she broke in. "But I don't need to tell you everything."
Her denial lingered in the air like smoke. I hated it. Every ticking moment was like she was playing a game whose rules nobody but she knew. My fist tightened, itching to slam the table, but I held back.
"You think I'll just take that?" I growled, low.
Her lips curled, almost a smirk. "You don't have to take it. You just have to trust me."
I leaned back, studying her. She didn't flinch under my scrutiny. Well, if there was something she was hiding, I would pry it out myself. Well, she is playful but not this much. Just not seeing me for a long time can't make her this unsettling can it. Did something happenned?
I called upon my [Scan]
A subtle construct whirled to life before me, a ring etched with faint light. I focused, channeling my energy through it. The air around Seris shimmered like a curtain being pulled aside. She looked startled for a moment, then resigned.
The system's voice echoed in my mind.
---
[Soul Page Unlocked]
Name: Seris Ashenford
Race: Human
Path: Magus
Rank: Early Initiate (Close to breakthrough)
Combat Affinity: Beast Taming
Combat Class Skills:
[Bond] lv.2 — Establishes a temporary spiritual connection between Seris and a target beast.
[Resonance] lv.2 — While fully bonded to a beast, Seris can temporarily assimilate one skill or attribute of the beast.
[Whisper] lv.2 — One-way telepathic communication with nearby beasts or familiars.
Magical Core: Stable — Initiate
Energy Mastery: Initiate
Scan: Available with Condition
[Message]
[Soul Link]: Single use permitted for Lucifer Ashenford
---
The page was still in my vision, clear and distinct.
I let the formation fade, but the image of her Soul Page stayed burned in my mind.
Her monkey chattered again, as if mocking me. The unicorn pawed the ground once, and the hawk's shadow swept briefly across the window.
Seris didn't say anything. She just sat there, meeting my stare, as if daring me to challenge what I'd just learned.
I slowly exhaled. The secrets I sought were not here. It's just a waste of my time to remain here since My Uncle or Father-in-laws are taking care of the political matters.
Things did not end with words, but with silence. The thick silence of secrets that I was not meant to deal with yet. I moved my head and unleashed scan toward the girl to know her overview.
[Caelyra Emberholt]
[Saintess of Vagrant Moon Tribe]