Something strange happens... I feel... Aelynthi? I close my eyes and feel on whole other level where she is located and I find another stream of emotions that is not through the mana link. Concentrating on both I feel her overwhelming happiness. This confirms she has bonded to me via the soul.

"Is it my turn now? What do I have to say? Is it same as you?"

"Humans can not do such a thing."

My mind goes blank. Did she just bind herself to me? While I am in my unresponsive state I get hugged. I feel her fully press into me even though I am on all fours, she has wrapped herself around me.

"Now I am yours, even though you can not be mine, I do not regret, I shall follow you till death and follow you to death." Fuck, she just gave away more than 800 years of her lifespan.

"By the way your paranoia was not misplaced as soul magic is very rare but can be used to enslave, I even know how to do so, but I have used up my ability as this soul magic is a one time thing."

"Now you are just making me feel like an bastard." Wait, she can only do this once? I suspected that this is a one way thing but I am the kind of person who does not believe in the impossible especially so when taking into account me being on another world if not universe. Anyway, this only confirms her pure feelings towards me.

"You are a bastard, my bastard. As my mother said to me, first give yourself to a man, then tame the man and make the man yours."

"Somehow I feel like you used that soul enslaving magic on me"

Aelynthi ignores me and continues: "At first I wanted to follow my mother's advice and give myself to you just because it is what I was taught to do when I found a man I love, but then I felt your fear, loneliness and distrust. At that moment I understood how to help you, so I followed my mother's advice for a different reason."

"Now you will not be alone, I will always be with you."

I can no longer bottle up my emotions. My heart pangs, my breath shallow, my eyes grow unfocused and my muscles go weak. I fall onto Aelynthi. Aelynthi does not notice and continues to hug me as I cry and lose control of myself. My mind is in chaos as all the stress since waking up in that cave, killing humans, worrying about my future, safety and my home comes up to the surface to escape my body...

*Undetermined amount of minutes pass.*

I sober up and Aelynthi is still hugging me, is the ground not hard? I am still on you silly girl. I get up and pick up my princess with me or better said she just hangs onto me.

"Silly girl, how is your back? Why did you not move me?"

All I get is the emotion of contentment as a response, via the soul bond and mana interaction, I can not help but smile.

"Are you trying to brainwash me with happiness? I can not take this much happiness, you sending it to me via soul bond, mana interaction and just knowing that you are mine is going to overwhelm me soon."

Aelynthi giggles: "Good."

"I am fine, no need to overwhelm me with happiness, my stress levels will be fine for the next few months if not years." I hug her back and caress her back. No change.

"Are you following your mother's script? Is there a guideline on how to tame a man?"

Aelynthi laughs again, god I love her laughter, and says playfully: "Yes, she used the same method on my father, so I know it works."

"There is no escape for me?"

"Only through death."

"Didn't you say you will follow me to death? So there is no escape."

Aelynthi smiles up at me but does seem to plan to get off me anytime soon. I pack up my AMR with difficulty and with a little coercion of Aelynthi I put on my backpack while the front position is taken up by my container of happiness.

"Hey, that mana emotion thing, after a few minutes of pummeling me, you read me like an open book didn't you?"

"Yes I did, I am happy you made me angry enough for me to hit you that long."

"I am happy that I made you angry too." I get bitten on the ear. Movement is progress I suppose.

After another few hours of walking, and not getting anywhere, it starts getting dark.

"It is almost nightfall, let's set up camp" My passenger does not move. I sigh, next I go about setting up the security system then we shape the shelter and I go to sleep on my back with my princess still on me but she unwraps her legs for comfort. I promptly fall asleep.

In the middle of the night the alarm goes off.