Volume 2, Chapter 18: Unexpected Revelations

{133 Days Remaining}

At the insistence of my soldiers, I took up residence inside one of the town's three inns. It was, you could say, a privilege of being the commander in charge. Normally, I would have slept outside on the ground with the soldiers and other knights, but I had the Devourer woman to think off. So this time, I took up my soldiers' offer and elected not to sleep outside, though it would have promoted a sense of camaraderie and respect from the soldiers who were commoners—not noble born.

In the army I commanded, including the three hundred and eighty survivors, there were some nobles mixed among the soldiers, most of them being knights or in positions higher than that. That said, a few of the nobles were displeased by my promotion into a Gold Knight Commander. It went against what their whole upbringing and environment taught; it was almost inconceivable for some of the nobles since they had been brought up thinking that they were better and more privileged than commoners. Like everything else, there were exceptions. Some of the nobles I had met in my past human life and in my time here in Shail Kingdom were amiable.

Having taken up an empty room inside the inn, I told the Devourer woman to follow me inside. None of the my soldiers—and the townspeople—thought it strange for me to have a woman following me along. Most of them knew that I entertained visitors at the ungodly hours (the three assassins, for example).

As such, I had even gotten some ribbing and pokes from my soldiers for that. Not directly to my face, of course—they would not dare that, since I had an infamous reputation and most of them had seen me in battles.

Thus, their conclusion in seeing me bring a woman with straw-colored hair inside the inn room where I was staying at after the battle?

It was probably a harlot keeping me company for my infamous “libido,” though I think they seem to have the wrong idea. Some of the gossips I had heard among my soldiers made me think that they even entertained thoughts of me being fond of the other sex, since I had been assigning some nightly tasks for Kal, the male assassin.

Once inside the inn and after finishing the necessary tasks, I spoke with the innkeeper for a bath.

“Does this place offer a bath or at least water to clean myself?” I asked. There was just the tiniest bit of hesitation in my question, because most people, usually commoners who did not work with the earth, did not take daily baths. They figured such things to be a waste of their time and money and only took it when they became too dirty or smelly.

“For two silver coins, I can tell my helping lads to draw you a bath, sir.” The innkeeper smiled widely at me, and I could almost imagine him rubbing his hands in glee; it had been a profitable day for him with some of my soldiers and most of the knights lodging up in the free rooms of the inn.

I gave the innkeeper the two silver coins from the small purse I kept in the folds of my armor (emergency money). This money came from my own fund instead of the coins Baroness Calina had given me for our small quest.

The innkeeper quickly took the coin, not even bothering to check its authenticity, before it disappeared into his pockets. He knew that I was a genuine customer.

The slightly pudgy innkeeper leaned closer toward me after eying the female Devourer beside me. “Would you like one of my inn maid to help you with your bath, sir?” he said, raising both his eyebrows as if to say “two was better than one.”

A threesome...I believed, was what the innkeeper was hinting at. I smiled a little—it was a polite smile—and declined his offer.

The innkeeper barely batted his eyes before my words registered with him. It made me think that the slightly pudguy man was very experienced with such offers. “Very well, sir, if you will just follow me...”

I also asked the innkeeper for a change of clothes, which led me into paying the man a few more coins. It was good to keep in mind that money moves men. It was a saying I had been quite fond of back when I was a merchant. But now? Money was almost useless to me.

The innkeeper led me into the backroom of the inn after bellowing at five lads to draw the water. They brought in a large tin tub and it took only a few minutes before it was filled with water, and the necessary items were set on a table beside it. I was slightly relieved to find that the water was not used water—you never could tell with these inns.

The backroom of the inn was fairly spacious. I observed a fireplace which warmed the room a little, while the innkeeper assured me that no one would interrupt “my bath” in this room.

I frowned a little inside my mind. Just what was the innkeeper assuming I was going to do with the female Devourer, who, by the way, looked entirely similar to a human woman. The Devourer was just prettier than most women and had an angular beauty to her.

“Shall I help you with that, Araach'draakzur?” the female Devourer asked. I could not place her tone, though it seemed to be casual enough.

I thought for a moment before deciding to let the Devourer help me out of my armor. She, after all, had been given many opportunities to attack me. The armor would have been awkward to put or take off by myself, but with the female Devourer helping me, the process became quicker.

I was wary of her draining touch, of course. The instant her movement varied, I would kill the Devourer, curiosity be damned. My life was more important.

She set aside my slim breastplate, vambraces, greaves, and the other parts in a neat pile on the floor. They were, for the most parts, white colored and on my breastplate was the Serle family's wolf crest. I was wearing a quilted undergarment and a plain tunic. This, I removed myself, being cautious of the Devourer.

“What is your name?” I asked, since I had not received a chance to ask the Devourer on our way to the inn. I had been busy directing my soldiers and letting the Devourer join me casually. I set my sword aside, waiting for her reply.

“You may call me Efari. It's a shortened form of my real name and the closest I can find in this human tongue,” the female Devourer said.

“Efari,” I repeated, taking off my last piece of clothing; a black underwear called braies that reached close to half of my thighs. Then I heated the cold bath water with a bit of fire magic, and got in. I remained standing, however, since the tin tub was not wide enough for me to sit in comfortably. It only covered a little over half of my height. Truly, on second thought, it was more like a large barrel than a tub.

“You may call me Verath.”

I didn't feel vulnerable being naked in front of the female Devourer. You would not too if circumstances had forced you to fight naked multiple times in your life. Repeat and rinse, they say, is the best way to learn, though I do not recommend it. Fighting naked, that is. You do not have my characteristics, after all.

“Araach'draakzur,” she answered, closing the distance between us until we were only an arm's length apart. She leaned closer toward me, her piercing, dark eyes boring into my own eyes. “The meaning of that word, in this human tongue, would come close as being the black dragon of death—my master and my destined mate, as the soothsayer has foretold. He will be the Deathwalker, champion of our Goddess, one who traverses death, and brings ruin to those who stands in his way.”

I remained silent, waiting for Efari to continue. She wrapped her arms around my neck, until we were in a lover's embrace, our lips almost touching. She stood on the tips of her toes so that we remained level with each other.

My sense of danger, as faulty as it was, stayed silent. I did not felt threatened by her manner, and the Devourer seemed to be sincere. I was also sure that I could resist her life essence draining for a while, so I would have plenty of time to kill her if I felt threatened. My hands were readied and I could instantly transform them into natural weapons, which were much stronger than steel.

Her breath was a tingle on my lips as she whispered in a voice sweeter than blood, “I have searched many long years for you, my love. I have scoured the human lands patiently waiting for you to appear. Many Devourers, as the human hunters call us, have died and few remain. I am the sole Matriarch left.”

I fell silent, thinking hard upon her revelations. Her words did not make any sense. “Why go through such lengths for me?”

There was an almost insane glint in her eyes. It was something akin to that of excessive devotion, crossing the borders of fanaticism. She moved backward a little, her arms unwrapping themselves from my neck. “You bear the mark of our Goddess, my love. I can sense her fire and touch in you. Too long it has been since our Goddess has shown signs of her favor. Centuries, more than a millennium, in fact.”

There was a sinking feeling inside me as I thought upon her words. I realized what she was referring to, but I had to make sure. “By mark, do you mean the mark on my back?”

“Yes, it represents the cycle of death and fire, of the devouring flames.”

I felt alarmed by her words, though I did not show it. Was Efari referring to the flames of Interitum—the fire magic my counterpart had used?

And the time period she had referred to, which was more than a thousand years ago, was similar to what the eldest, Navra Bloodseeker, had hinted about; a period when the ancient beings still deigned to walk this world.

By ancient beings, had the eldest meant the gods and goddesses? Through tales from traveling bards, minstrels, and books I had read in my past life, I had heard of such an age. The texts referred to it as the Warring Ages. There was not much information on it and I had never been too curious to look such a thing up, figuring it was only myths and legends, the stuff of human imagination.

A connection was made in my mind then. Was that what the four horned woman had meant by saying that I was already marked by another? That I was marked by a Goddess? It was likely that the four horned woman was an ancient being, her power an obvious testament to it.

My thoughts were in a swirl, my mind furiously working. I remained calm though, my exterior a mask of indifference still. “Thank you for informing me of that, Efari.”

She almost purred at that. “You are welcome, my love.”

I got to washing myself with the soap set aside then, feeling a little uncomfortable due to her staring.

“Would you like some help,” Efari asked in a soft voice.

I thought at what she was proposing to do for a moment, before I realized that I had no real objection. The female Devourer had already proclaimed me her master, love, and whatever other roles she knew of. The only thing I remained unsure of was whether or not she would drain my life essence. The intense look in her eyes told me otherwise though. In the end, I only nodded, letting her move over to the tub to help me bathe.

The water turned more soapy as Efari poured a bucket of water over my head, her hands trailing along my back. I could feel her fingers tracing over the mark on my back. Lingering touches. Then her fingers went toward my head. She smoothed my long hair, softly stroking its length. I didn't stop Efari in touching me in a more intimate manner; I just let her.

When the bath was done, Efari, without me even asking her, dried my hair and body with the towel on the table. She then brushed my unnatural white-colored hair, firmly running a comb along its length, which reached toward my waist. The range of items the innkeeper had thought to put on the table for my bath was impressive; he had most likely went all out so as to not offend me. Flattering, I suppose.

This bears repeating, so I shall say it again.

Except for the hair on my head, I was entirely hairless everywhere else. My hair, by the way, was somewhat unlike my skin. It could easily be cut, but at the same time, was also somewhat resistant to fire. Its length was also getting to be a pain to take care of, and since the innkeeper had seen fit to put a pair of shears on the table, I asked Efari to cut my hair.

“Such a shame,” Efari muttered softly. “You hair is so beautiful too.”

I watched as strands and clusters of my white hair fall toward the wooden floor. Efari slowly cut the length off until my hair barely reached toward my shoulders.

I said, “Thank you, Efari.”

Then I dressed myself in the change of clothes the innkeeper had set aside. It was comfortable enough as it had cost some silvers.

“May I stay with you, my love?”

I didn't hesitate before answering—it was obvious that I could not allow her to stay anywhere else. “Yes, you may. And call me Verath when we are in public...”

“Naturally,” Efari replied. “It is good that we have the night together, my love. We have not exchanged yet.”

“Exchanged?”

“Yes. To use descriptive human words, we will partake each other until we have fucked each other into oblivion.”

“Oh...that exchanging.”

And to think I had thought she meant something else. Still, how exactly did a Devourer “partake?” I felt a little curious.

“Is that really necessary,” I said. “Us exchanging, that is?”

“Yes,” Efari replied. “We are mates, you and I. And unless you want me to kill you, I suggest we put your tool of generations to use, so that you can truly become my master and mate...not just in name. Trust me, you will not like battling me. I am far superior than those male Devourers you faced.”

From her colorful words and intense, dark black gaze, I could not tell whether the female Devourer was being serious. Still, it would not hurt me to see how our exchange would play out if I err on the side of caution—I was nothing if not practical.

When we got back into my inn room, a few of the knights who were staying in the rooms beside me gave enthusiastic grins toward me. I didn't bother to deny their knowing looks; it was the first time they were correct in regards to my nightly visitors.

The door closed behind me. Efari undressed, her cloak falling toward the floor and sprawling in a pool around her feet. Then her form-fitting long gown with a sleeveless tunic slid from her shoulders, revealing two small breasts.

Her tanned body looked soft, yet supple, like a willow tree. Though not human, Efari looked entirely similar to one. Her naked form was that of a predator, a dangerous grace which could be seen even as she walked toward me. An animal sensuality. In a way, she was similar to me. Her sex was hairless, and there was a very subtle manner to her walk. It was cold and efficient. Bestial. Only slightly different from that of a trained warrior.

I undressed and we walked toward the bed, just about wide enough for the both of us. Our breaths mingled together as her body moved atop mine. I could feel the rhythm of her form, the contractions of her wriggling body, and the beat of her heart. Then we switched, her body below mine, her hands wrapped around me, and her nails digging into my back. It was just a slight sensation—there was no pain. She could not harm me even if she tried with a steel sword.

It took a long time before I joined Efari in the apex of her pleasure. It was an effect of my dampened capacity to feel. Pain, pleasures, and other emotions were dampened. Thus, it took much longer for me to feel aroused and to join Efari in her completion.

As our bodies entwined once more for a longer while, Efari on top, I saw her arch her back out of pleasure. At the same time, I saw white mist—life essence—drawn out from my body, the denser part of it coming from my chest. The mist was absorbed into her body.

Caution instantly took over just as I was about to kill her with my transformed hands, my life essence came rushing back out from her body. My own life essence, as it entered back into my body, felt strangely foreign. I realized the strange addition—it was her own life essence which had mixed into mine.

Efari looked down at me, her dark eyes boring into mine. Her small mouth opened, and her voice hissed out a word in her tongue, “ZAKIR.” Her voice became a soft, possessive whisper as she said the word once more. It was like a velvet caress.

“Mine,” she had said.

Efari laid her head down against my chest, her arms wrapped possessively around me. Then she quickly fell asleep, having finished the exchange. I laid still with her body warm against mine, her medium length hair a sprawled mess on my chest. I wasn't sure what she had done to me. I wasn't even sure whether I should kill her for not warning me.

Strangely enough, I didn't think her exchange had been anything bad. At least, I could not feel anything negative. Instead, I felt a little more powerful. Stronger and sharper.

I looked down at Efari lying down on my chest and I thought a little in amusement. What would the offspring of a dragon and a Devourer be? I wasn't sure. I would have to ask Efari when she woke up. Unlike Lizil, the succubus I had made a “deal” with, I had not been assured that a child would not be made.

And somehow, I felt a slight attraction to her. Perhaps it was an effect of her Goddess's mark on me? Or was it because she had given a little of her life essence? And just what would this entail? The future was uncertain and there were many questions on my mind.

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{127 Days Remaining}

It took us a little more than five days to get back to Asolance. Along the way, Efari received many curious stares from my soldiers. I also heard some whispering, but it did not go further than that. They did not ask me any questions. I had been their commander during the days of turmoil, and they had seen me stand steady with Baroness Calina. All of them were loyal and orderly men of the Serle family. There was no need for them to question me, their commander.

Our return trip was longer, because we had to bury our dead and get back our horses. The extra horses also contributed to the delay.

When I had asked Efari how old she was, she answered me with a slight frown. It was rude to ask a woman her age, she had told me. Nonetheless, Efari eventually gave an answer. Her age? She was three hundred and twenty seven years old.

My face was a mask as she looked carefully at me for my reaction to her answer. From her child-like manner and pouting face, I could tell that I had come upon a sore subject.

“Am I too old for you,” she had asked with a sulky voice.

At that moment, an uneasy feeling ran through my body. I answered with a “no.”

And in truth, I did not mind the disparity in our ages. For all other people would know, she looked like a woman in her middle twenties.

Through the questions I asked Efari along the way, I had learned that ever since her Goddess had gone silent more than a thousand years ago, her people, already a small number to begin with, were slowly dying off one by one. They had been killed by powerful monsters in the Wilds—it was why her race had migrated toward the human lands. But that had only slightly decreased the killings; they were now hunted by the human adventurers, hunters, and other organizations across the human kingdoms. If she had to estimate, there were only perhaps a little over three hundred of them left with only a very few of them females, the stronger of the species.

In addition, being a long-lived race that fed off the life essences of other creatures, children were beyond rare. She was also sure that there could never be a child between the two of us. Efari had also told me that the six male Devourers that had been killed were barely past their hundredth year mark. Just mere powerless younglings.

At that, I asked her why she did not save them.

She replied with a slight shrug of her shoulders, “They were not part of my family...just strays I picked up in my search for you. My family has long died off. I have no one...except you, my love. And I have little love toward most of my race. I am only devoted to the Goddess, and now, you.”

I only remained silent and brooding, as Efari brought her mare closer toward my own horse.

<><><><><>

Alone inside a room in the First Manor House with Baroness Calina, I gave her my report. “One hundred and twenty men died, Calina, but the request for aid from the Grim Hunters was successful. We killed five Devourers, but one, a female Matriarch, escaped,” I said, purposely not adding her title.

Baroness Calina disliked formalities, especially with me, but necessity dictated she keep that pretense up, especially in the presence of other people, or in public places. But we were the only ones in the room right now, discounting the guards outside the room.

Calina walked toward me, giving me a small, but forceful hug. It was slightly awkward since I was still in my armor and since she only came up to my shoulders. A few more seconds passed before Calina finally released me, her grey eyes looking upward.

“Never leave me, Verath,” she said in a soft voice, “I command it as your baroness and request it as your...friend.” There was a slight pause before Calina said that last word, but I pretended not to notice.

“Of course, Calina,” I said, fully knowing that I was lying to her. I had told her a lie, a sweet, soft lie, which caused her to stand taller. She took support from the belief that I would never leave her, that I would stay by her side, bearing her burden as baroness to more than three hundred thousand people in the northern region of Shail Kingdom.

We spoke for some more minutes as Calina told me of her happenings and news of the other regions. To put it metaphorically, the eastern region, it seemed, was still slowly stabilizing, as shit was being shoveled out of the creek by one of the king's personal generals. The headmaster of the Mage Academy, Alzeroth, had also visited Calina via teleportation, which, by the way, was a specialty magic of the old headmaster. Along with his wind magic, the old man would have made a great mage assassin.

Most important though, King Balan had ordered another meeting of all the prominent nobles. It was a summons which none could ignore. Every noble who had received the officials messages would have to travel to the central region without fail. There was to be a court held for the election of the eastern baron.

Calina would, without exception, have to leave for the central region the day after tomorrow to arrive in time. Court meetings were unpredictable. It could take as little as one day to more than a week. It was also wise to leave early. One did not keep the king waiting if he or she wished to remain in his graces. As such, I had been told that I would jointly be in charge with the two generals, the six Grandmasters, and the two Ministers of War.

Two of the Ministers of War had been hunted down and beheaded personally by me after a thorough investigation, the third and fourth traitors being killed by General Ochram and General Lavok. One of the three generals retained by the Serle family was a secret traitor and had, likewise, also been killed by me. The six Grandmasters, however, were loyal to the Serle family. They were the closest and personal retainers of the Serle family.

I could have been made into a general by Calina, since one of the spot was open, but that would have cause unrest. I was still young and lacking experience. Thus, I was only made a Gold Knight Commander.

Our conversation over, I bid Calina a farewell and left her room, quietly exiting out the door emblazoned with the wolf tabard of the Serle family. The two guards nodded respectfully, their fists going toward their hearts, their knuckles outward. It was the gesture of respect soldiers gave toward their commanders. There were other gestures, of course, but this one was the most respectful.

It had been more than half a year since I arrived at Shail Kingdom, my birth kingdom, and over the months since I had known Calina, she had become a sort of sister to me. Perhaps this was what having a sister would have felt like? I had a green dragon sister, but she had died a few days after her birth. A blessing for me, I suppose—it would have been distasteful to kill her in the first tribulation.

I heard soft footfalls behind me as I was walking through a hallway in the First Manor House. They were purposeful, and I recognized those distinct steps. I turned around, seeing the masked face of the contracted Shinobi, the personal guard of the dead Iona Serle, the eldest of the Serle family.

“Greetings Kina,” I said to the female form clad in a black attire with hints of chain armor shirt showing underneath. Only a pair of blue eyes could be seen as the rest of her face was hidden by a black hood. As usual, she wore slightly curved twin swords with white straps behind her back. They were her twin weapons called Wakizashis.

“Verath,” she said, her voice colder than winter snow, even though it only became a soft muffle against her cowled mouth.

She was still angry since she had failed to guard Iona Serle's life from a mage assassin. The mage assassin soon died afterward, killed by the Shinobi, and Iona left parting words for Kina to guard the rest of her family. Thus, for the remaining days of her contract, Kina guarded Gustav, the youngest of the siblings, and the only son of the Serle family.

Failure for a contracted Shinbo meant death, but I had stopped Kina from killing herself when her contract was over. Some force had been used but Kina eventually relented, especially after I had quickly confiscated her weapons, including her hidden weapons, and forcefully restrained her.

This was how I came to know her real name and some of her background. A curiosity of mine satisfied, I suppose.

“I still have not forgiven you for stopping me,” Kina said. She removed the piece of clothing which covered her mouth, revealing a set of lips that slightly titled downwards. “You have forced me to go against all of my teachings.”

“Your teachings involve killing yourself after a failure?”

I could see Kina clench her gloved hands hard. “A failure,” she said bitterly, “which can never be undone. A failure which resulted in the death of my first contract owner. Now, I can never show my slighted face again to my family and clan members.” Kina put her clothing up again, covering her mouth. “I am no longer who I am,” she said in a soft, muffled voice.

The ex-Shinobi did not even wait for me to respond before she left, disappearing at the turn of the hallway.

I exited the First Manor House in silence with one more problem I needed to address added to my list.

It took most of the afternoon before I found Orik and finished seeing the states of the soldiers and knights I commanded. I had assigned Sir Rowan Valterio, the Silver Knight I had faced in the tournament, and a few other knights the task of eradicating some black elf raiders and goblins that were plaguing a few of the western towns in the region.

Dusk had fallen by then, and I proceeded toward my room in the Fifth Manor House with Efari following beside me; I had dumped her at an inn and told her not to cause any trouble while I had been doing my duties as a Knight Commander.

Along with the Sixth and Fourth Manor House, the Fifth Manor House were places where military retainers resided. The two generals, the six Grandmasters, and the two Ministers of War lived in the Sixth Manor House. The other two manors were for the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Knight Commanders. There were also some important accountants and scribes working for the ministers residing there.

Having arrived at my somewhat luxurious room, I greeted my peer who had just come out through the door from the room beside mine. “Greetings, Lana,” I said to the other Gold Knight Commander. My peer was a female of thirty years of age, though she did not look that. In fact, her appearance befitted a child, rather than that of a thirty year old woman. Her height also barely came toward my chest.

“Back already, Verath?” Lana said in her slightly child-like voice. Her small brows became furrowed as she noticed Efari beside me. “And who is that newcomer beside you?”

“Efari, meet Gold Knight Commander Lana Ashfell. Lana, meet Efari, my sister.”

Lana's extremely light, purplish eyes narrowed. It was a glare aimed at me. “Shouldn't your sister also have white hair?”

I shrugged my shoulders at her. “I think too much.”

Lana's purplish eyes narrowed even more. “I cannot tell whether you are joking or not...”

“I am Verath's mate,” Efari declared in a proud voice, letting the dragon out of the bag.

“...” Lana blinked once, twice, before looking at Efari, then back at me. “This must be another one of your inept jokes, Verath. It is not funny trying to play jokes on your elders, especially one who is twelve years older than you!”

In truth, Lana Ashfell was only a little older than me, but the sky itself would have fallen first before I would reveal that. The child-like appearance of the Gold Knight Commander was just quite amusing, so much that I frequently played jokes on her during the days of turmoil. There had been plenty of opportunities, since I had been working alongside her to control the northern region.

Interacting with Lana was also a good way to get in touch with my human side. These past months, I had felt that my emotions were becoming more dampened. It was just slightly, almost unnoticeable, in fact. But it was still somewhat alarming—it was a sign of my counterpart merging with me.

“The truth is, Lana...” My voice became softer, almost a whisper, and I gestured toward Lana to come closer. Walking a few steps, she leaned closer toward me, lending her ear. “...Efari is a stray woman I picked up on my small trip. She will be staying with me in my room for a long, long, long while.”

Moving away from me, her eyes widened noticeably, her face forming a surprised expression. There was a slight reddening of her cheeks—Lana was still “inexperienced,” and quite shy in certain regards, I had found out.

“You..you...are,” Lana sputtered.

“I am what?”

“Ugh. Forget it,” she said, turning her back toward me, before storming out of the hallway. Quite soon, her small back, upon which scarlet hair cascaded down almost toward the waist, disappeared. Known as the Red Temper, or the Small Monster, my peer was quite famous.

“You seem different with that child human,” Efari commented.

I only said, “She's amusing.”

“So are you,” Efari replied with a smile. It quickly disappeared. “You would not mind if I drain her?”

I remained silent, only opening the door and gesturing Efari to enter. Ladies (monsters, dragons, and other species also applicable) first.

“I joke, of course,” Efari said, giving a small smile that showed off her teeth. Then she entered my somewhat luxurious and spacious room.

For now, I had decided that Efari would remain with me inside the Fifth Manor House. She was too much of an unknown and dangerous factor for anything else. There would be whispered talk at her presence and I also needed to tell Calina about Efari.

All of this I would need to do tomorrow. Then I would need to give the three assassins some more vials of my blood. It was quite a waste to sleep more than an hour, as I only needed an hour of rest. But it was a facade I needed to keep up to look human. A shame, but I suppose I could practice finer control of my magic.

And Efari's already naked form would keep me busy. She was demanding another exchange.

I was not a fool though. I had already asked the effects of her life essence mixing with my own, and she had told me that it would make me a tiny bit stronger and sharper. The main thing was that it would form a bond through which we could both sense each other. Of course, I did not take her words for granted and checked for myself—I was not one to blindly trust another. The result was that I found no negative effects.

Thus, I obliged and we exchanged for a few hours.

Volume 2 (Chapter 19)