"In simple words, this Garden is a self-aware entity capable of thought and action. It's not precisely a living being but it's not an inanimate place either… it's a bit hard to explain in words but you get what I mean, right?"

Quhea led Arthur inside the Garden of Words while briefly explaining. In fact, this mystical place wasn't that big but its appearance was pretty unique, to say the least.

The small trees were totally made of folded yellow scrolls and the grass was thin white paper, as for the ground, it was snow-white and had countless words of hundreds, if not thousands of languages.

"The will of the two guardians at the entrance isn't the same as the Garden's will. Although they refused to let you enter, there may still be a chance for your questions to be answered, it's all up to destiny."

The woman walked with Arthur for barely one minute before stopping in front of a circular area shrouded by a wall of clustered paper acting like walls.

"It's up ahead." She said while breaking into a soft smile.

"Ask what you shall and wait."

He nodded his head and marched forward, his eyes wandering from one corner to another. It only took him a couple of steps to enter this area, which quickly isolated itself and barred the only entrance. Arthur's steps halted as he gazed at a normal grey pillar on which there was a simple closed book made of brown leather. The man didn't approach and just stood there, as if he was waiting for a reaction.

"Arthur Bilgart."

A feminine yet emotionless voice echoed inside his head, sobering up the absent-minded Arthur.

"In possession of a third of his once original soul. Zodiak Veilleur now has the rest of this soul right after sealing up Sol'khin, also another personification of the whole soul.

Race; Soul-Parasite. Age; 2.397,007 years. Currently lived 8 years, 6 months, and 29 days after his first reincarnation."

Right after it finished stating a few things about Arthur, which slightly startled him, it paused for a short amount of time.

"Your entry to the Garden was unauthorized but I am aware that the nature of your question requires naught but the knowledge found here, therefore, you will be allowed three questions and no more. You may take time to think about your questions, there is no rush."

The disembodied voice returned to its silence after saying its piece, leaving Arthur a bit confused and delighted that he was given a chance. One of the main reasons he came to this place is to find a solution about his Race and how to evolve and get rid of the side-effects of the soul parasite, which are not affecting the current him as he's a clone and his current 'soul' is just an imitation. A fake, to be blunt.

"How can I evolve in a way that negates the negative side-effects of being a soul-parasite? I want to know the fastest and best way."

"Are you sure you want to ask that? You're free to know anything you want, no matter what it is. There is nothing I cannot answer."

"Yes, please answer that question."

Arthur patiently waited while the Garden processed the question and less than a time for a candle to burn, it answered.

"A soul-parasite can evolve into 22 other unique kinds of parasites, 15 of them have side-effects, another 3 grant a significant boost to stats but permanently change the appearance, and the remaining 5 are the only harmless but slightly weaker variations. To begin with, the reason you are losing the ability to feel emotions is that, a soul-parasite, in essence, is a soul race and souls aren't eligible to mortal emotions. It's not really a side-effect but a balancing issued by the soul itself. It is trying to calibrate you, the host, to a better condition that suits its environment and practicalities. Consequentially, a soul-parasite won't be able to feel anything but will be able to make more rational and better decisions which will highly improve his survivability but, as a former human, you regard emotions as a natural thing hence your inability to forsake them, which is totally understandable.

Anyway, there are two paths you can take to get rid of the 'side-effects'. As you asked, they're the best and fastest options, furthermore, they require no sacrifice or prior achievement, then again, only the original body can do it, which means that the current you can only pass on the details to 'yourself'.

"I am already aware of that." Replied Arthur as he crossed his arms and listened.

"The first option is the Plague Parasite. Your real body will still remain that spiritual soul form but the side-effects will be reversed and no longer hinder your life. To become a plague parasite, you just need to kill ten-thousand living beings at once using any poison, then the option to evolve will be automatically unlocked. The second option is The Singularity Parasite, which is a bit harder to become but still doable if we take in account your currents skills stats. To become a Singularity Parasite, you need to find a diminishing star and destroy it using solely Space Magic then, like the first option, the evolution will be unlocked too.

These two options are, as you requested, the best and fastest methods to evolve and get rid of the side-effects."

"What's the best type of parasite to evolve into?" Arthur unconsciously blurted as he wondered about the remaining 20 parasites types he can become.

"Are you sure you want to ask that?"

As he heard that, Arthur shook his head. "My mistake, I'll change my questions."

He forgot that he was eligible for only three questions and, fortunately, the Garden didn't immediately process what he asked as the second question.

The parasite thoroughly pondered before voicing the second question.

"I want to know all the methods to break out of my cycles."

"I cannot answer that answer for there are innumerable methods. Please rephrase it or change it."

Hearing this, Arthur frowned because, previously, his copy inside that mysterious world in the Red Tower, clearly told him that there only a few methods and not all are bound to succeed.

"Tell me the easiest and best methods to break out of my cycles."

*****

Arthur was unaware of this but, on the outside world, more than a month passed since he entered the Garden of Words. Radolf, Midolf, and Fariya waited for him and never left the spirit boat. They also built a friendly relationship with the master of the clan living in that small forest. Actually, it was only Midolf and Fariya who were accommodated, the red-haired youth preferred to stay aboard the floating boat.

Though the clan was by no means rich, they provided the succubus and the mythical beings with comfortable and luxurious rooms, the master didn't even hesitate to serve them the best food despite their poor living necessities. Part of this was thanks to what Midolf did half a month ago when a second-rate sect living in the Northern Lands came here and demanded payment for 'security purposes' or whatnot.

The sect sent weak individuals who were absolutely thrashed by Midolf, however, this only led to them sending even more so, in the end, the Roc changed back to his realm form and traveled North, coming back a few hours later.

Apparently, he decimated that clan and warned all the rest not to step into the forest between the Ramel Kingdom and the North.