The circular space was not empty when Eryon arrived. He knew it the instant he crossed the threshold.
The temperature had dropped—not sharply, not aggressively, but the air felt contained. It was as if every particle had been ordered to remain in its exact place. 「Arcana Customize」 reacted immediately, not to interfere, but to adjust the surrounding flow and prevent a conceptual rupture.
『Elem of Saga』 presented paths in rapid succession:
Recurring Presence.
Consolidated Concept.
Dominant Archetype.
The center of the circle began to define itself. It was no longer a distortion, but a shape. First came the biting cold, then the silhouette. Finally, as if the world had decided the conditions were sufficient, the mana condensed into physical reality.
A woman appeared.
Long, flowing light-blue hair. A sharp white and blue uniform, far too structured to be casual. Her posture was absolute, radiating an innate authority. When her eyes opened, they were blue—sharp, piercing, and devoid of confusion.
"Hm..." she murmured, surveying the forest. "So this is the world that answered."
Eryon stood perfectly still. "You... exist."
She smiled. It wasn't warm; it was the smile of a predator finding something worth hunting. "Existence is a strong word." Her eyes locked onto him. "But for now... yes."
Saga presented new insights:
Complete Archetype.
Functional Consciousness.
Weak Environmental Bond.
The cold intensified. The mana around the figure reacted with a form of controlled violence. Frost began to spread across the soil—not chaotically, but obediently. Then, the Voice of the World spoke.
[Recognition confirmed.] [Conceptual entity stabilized.] [Unique Skill acquired: 『Ice Devil Slayer』.] [Classification: Demon Slayer Magic.] [Status: Unique to this world.]
The atmospheric pressure was immediate. The air trembled. Eryon felt the impact ripple through him—not as physical pain, but as existential weight.
The woman tilted her head. "Interesting..." she said, her voice like cracking ice. "A power that devours that which it should fear."
Subtle ice blades began to manifest, floating around her with surgical precision. "Were you responsible for this?" she asked, her gaze pinned to Eryon.
"I prepared the place," he replied calmly. "The rest... was the world's choice."
She laughed—a low, satisfied sound. "So you didn't create me."
"No."
"Good." She took a step forward, the ground freezing instantly beneath her boots. "I wouldn't accept anything less."
Saga reacted violently, flashing warnings of risk:
Unstable bond.
Dominant entity.
Potential rejection.
Eryon didn't budge. "You can leave," he said. "If you wish."
She stopped. The smile returned. "No."
Silence stretched between them.
"This place..." she looked around, her eyes calculating. "It's interesting. Weak. But full of potential." She stepped closer, until the cold radiating from her was almost unbearable. "And you... you don't tremble."
Eryon held her gaze. "I don't force that which responds of its own will."
For a moment, something shifted in her expression. It didn't soften, but it recognized a peer. "Then I shall stay," she declared. "Until this world bores me."
The frost receded slightly. The crushing pressure eased. Saga presented the final path:
Inhabitant confirmed.
Partial domain.
Inevitable future consequences.
Eryon breathed out, his breath misting in the air. The first inhabitant had arrived. Not docile. Not safe. But absolutely real.
For the first time since he arrived in the forest, he was no longer alone.
Esdeath didn't ask for permission to stay. She simply occupied the space.
In the first few days, she rarely left the circular clearing. She would sit upon a throne of ice she molded herself, observing the forest like a general analyzing enemy territory. Eryon respected her space. He didn't impose rules or try to guide her. He simply continued his work.
He reinforced the shelter. He adjusted the stream. He smoothed the soil. Esdeath watched it all.
"You modify without dominating," she commented once. "Strange."
"I don't want the world to obey me," Eryon answered. "I want it to cooperate."
She smirked. "A subtle difference... but a weak one."
Eryon didn't take offense. "Perhaps."
Soon, Esdeath began to venture further. First a few steps, then short walks. Every time she touched something new, the frost reacted instinctively—precise and lethal. She observed these effects with a quiet curiosity.
"My power..." she murmured. "It doesn't come from learning. It simply is."
Saga presented vague connections:
Complete archetype → Continuous adaptation.
Absent memory → Gradual construction.
"You don't have past memories," Eryon explained. "Only your structure."
She stared at him. "So everything I am... begins now?"
"Yes."
Her smile widened. "Interesting."
Eryon began to explain the world to her—not myths or legends, but simple rules. Monsters. Mana. Territories. She absorbed the information with an unsettling speed.
"Humans are weak," she concluded.
"Some are," Eryon replied.
"Goblins?"
"Weak, but adaptable."
"Dragons?"
"Dangerous."
She seemed satisfied. "An honest world, then."
Their coexistence wasn't comfortable. Esdeath tested his limits constantly. She would freeze the air around him just to see if he'd flinch. She created ice blades that hovered inches from the shelter. Eryon never met her with force. He only customized the environment to neutralize the excesses. He didn't block her; he adjusted.
After one such test, she looked at him for a long time. "You don't try to control me."
"I can't," he replied. "And even if I could, I wouldn't."
"Then you trust me?"
Eryon thought for a moment. "No," he said honestly. "But I accept the risk."
She laughed—loud and clear. "Good! I loathe empty obedience."
As the days passed, something changed. Esdeath began to ask questions. Not many, but enough to show her mind was turning.
"Will this place grow?"
"Perhaps."
"Do you intend to lead?"
"Not exactly."
"Then why prepare all this?"
Eryon answered without hesitation. "Because when someone arrives... I want the world to be ready to receive them."
She fell silent. That night, the frost didn't advance beyond the clearing. Saga presented a new path:
Prolonged coexistence → Conceptual bond.
Bond → Definition of roles.
Eryon realized then that Esdeath wasn't just an inhabitant. She was positioning herself—not as a subject, and not as a creation, but as a force that would choose, of her own will, if this place was worth her time.
It was a dangerous dynamic. But it was also more promising than any forced loyalty could ever be.