I took a step towards the fire and took a quick, careful sniff.
_Ah, it's really not here._
_How neat._
I practically ran from the purple miasma that formed after scattering the dust.
_At least the coat of moisture on the stone was enough to activate the effects on its own, which saved me some trouble._
Running my gaze around, I made sure there were no gaps in the defence; but, just in case, I pulled my sword from the huge stone at my side, which fortunately wasn't too dense, before sitting down in a comfortable position.
_Finally..._
I heaved a heavy sigh, and my mind wondered.
_I wonder where 'I'll' be._
Closing my eyes, I focused on the usually invisible thread of light leaving my body.
_Hmm, so we are moving vaguely in the right direction. It's hard to tell exactly, but I'm sure east is toward the demon outpost._
Suddenly, my awareness began to dissolve.
It was uncomfortable; there was always this brief panic now, like noticing yourself falling asleep, and I had to resist the urge to reject the transition.
---
Gasping for air, I shot awake, a blanket falling to the ground at my side.
I gingerly observed the somewhat claustrophobic surroundings while gently massaging my cheeks with my hands.
There's nobody around; is this another room of Ana's?
Her soul is completely suppressed while I'm here, huh.
Jumping to my feet, I lightly swung my arms around in any which direction; honestly, it looked quite ridiculous but I didn't really care; I'm just happy to be in my body and can't help but get into the motions of it all... literally.
_Oh, this aesthetic..._
My brows furrowed; I couldn't help but vaguely recognise this room.
_Books, more books, comfy chairs, a small bed... a very homey atmosphere, now that I've taken it all in..._
Then my eyes reached the door.
_Oh._
_That makes sense._
The diamond-partitioned window gave it away; this was Karin's home.
_This room was about as close as you could get to writing your signature on the walls without actually doing so... It just fits my impression of her somehow._
I smiled faintly. It hadn't actually been very long, but it felt good to be back for now; _it's a shame I have more important things to focus on._
_Actually, I think... I've gotten lucky._
_If Ana knew anything, I imagine she wouldn't be casually sleeping here, unless keeping appearances is somehow that important for her. Coming while she's asleep might be a perfect move for me as well..._
_If only I knew the mechanism behind taking someone's body... It's not the same as a contract, since there are no threads; it's more like one soul has precedence over the other._
_I know the crystallised fruit is a solution, but if my plan is going to work, it kind of relies on Ana being somewhat ignorant of her own magic..._
_Then again, she hasn't done anything, so that has to be somewhat true._
_Regardless, this is the only thing I can try right now, and that's convincing her to take the crystal herself._
_But first..._
[ [Remnant of the One: System Interface]
[Name: Syrin] [Level: 11/20 (189/1775 exp)]
[Health: 257/257] [Mana: 69/71]
[Bloodline: λ-Pride Demon]
[Soul-type: Inner-world (Grade I: Garden)]
[Class: Choose]
[Special Class: Contractor (Active)]
[Stat Points: 100]
[Strength: 12]
[Agility: 75 (Principle of Pride +55)]
[Mind: 10]
[Enyin: 31]
[Exyin: 28]
[Abilities:
[Scale-cast lvl4] [Phantic Mana Sense lvl1] [Stealth lvl3] [Ambidextrous Manoeuvring lvl3] [Spatial Awareness lvl3] [Pain Tolerance lvl2]
[Lightning Magic lvl3]
[Dark Magic lvl1]
[Martial Arts (Bloodletting Style) lvl2] ]
[Titles:
[Synesthesic] [One Against Many] [Monster Slaughterer] [λ-Pride] ] ]
I nearly drooled at the thought of 175 agility, but I pinched myself to remove the thought.
_No, I can't; I have to save it for unforeseen circumstances._
_At least the mana is fine... I'll sacrifice some points into mind if I find myself running out._
_Hmm, actually..._
[Stat Points: 100 --> 77]
[Exyin: 27 --> 50]
_That last fight really drove home how useful abilities are, and I feel like mine are lagging behind._
_Okay, then, the last points are all safety points for now._
Using stealth, I quietly made my way to the door, cracking it open ever so slightly; it was soundless.
I sniffed at the air.
_She's... still and near, but far enough away to bypass if she isn't looking in my direction._
Sliding the door open further, I poked my head out of the gap, accidentally scraping my horn across the wood as I did so.
_Ouch..._
I couldn't help but scrunch my nose in discomfort, but I didn't make a noise; it's so sensitive, like smacking your elbow against something, except it ran through my skull and not my fingers.
Shaking my head, I reoriented myself, and a few strands of red hair fell in front of my eyes. It didn't matter though; Karin was facing away, sitting on one of the large rocks from before, with one arm hugging her leg and her head resting against her knee.
The silence was cold.
The imps were gone, and there was no wind to disturb the trees or sand.
It was like a portrait without a person, yet she was there, a small figure, but only a part of the background.
_She seems down..._
I wanted to reach out to her; she was my first friend, and yet I held myself back.
_I can only help myself first._
Dragging my eyes away, I swiftly and covertly entered the stairwell and shook away the hair obscuring my vision.
I was far faster now, only faintly touching the walls and stairs at various angles to reorient my trajectory. It was silent, and I was like a mere gust of wind—a vague pressure pushing its way up the enclosed tower, accelerating with each step as the new speed became second nature.
At the first touch of the hall's light, I halted, my hair rustling at the sudden shift in speed.
The air I had displaced rushed past, and the blue flames that lit the halls warped for a brief moment.
Glancing down each hall, I dashed out and kicked off a wall, grasping hold of the supporting beams and swinging atop them.
I let out a few shallow breaths before continuing my sprint.
_This speed is exciting._
_The third floor is my best bet, and even if it's wrong, it doesn't matter too much._
_I only have to plant the seed of curiosity._
_I'm sure Ana will notice her losses of consciousness. If I can coerce her into believing there's a method behind the madness of her unconscious actions... Push her towards the crystal..._
I smiled.
_...Then she might just take it for me._
_She took my body likely because of my special evolution and characteristics; I have much more potential than she does, after all._
_At the same time, she knows I absorbed the ambient energy of the sanctuary and did the same during the evolution ceremony. I'm hoping that little detail doesn't escape her notice._
I hope it'll all work to keep the crystal and whatever ideas it brings at the forefront of her mind.
_However, I doubt it'll be enough, but it's a start._
Reaching the sparse vertical stairwell, my momentum carried me into the wall, and I bent my knees to reduce the force, using the brief pause to plan my route.
I leapt off and climbed each wall, jumping and kicking off a stair each time my velocity diminished.
_This is already much easier, but it's making me sore._
_I'll have to get some strength in the future... ugh._
Nearing the roof, my hand clasped the highest edge, and I smoothly pulled myself up, landing plainly on my feet and facing the familiar door.
I didn't want to think about it, but a shiver still ran up my spine upon realising I was in a different set of clothes—well, not entirely; the black dress was now just an accent to a long, dark-red skirt with fairly long holes along each plaid, giving a window to the intricate design of the dress beneath.
It was quite aerodynamic, and I didn't want to admit that I kind of liked it—_I can only hope that Karin picked it out for me._
_There's even a well-placed tail gap; how neat._
_Though, I'm guessing that there was something else on top to complete the look, but it was taken off before resting..._
_That's not really important, though._
What is—is the secret pockets aptly hidden around the stylistic slits around the skirt.
I fumbled around in them for a moment and felt for a particularly small and wooden item that could get me through.
Fortunately, I remembered it having a distinct feel, not that it would matter given that there didn't appear to be anything else in there.
_Ah, here it is._
I smiled and pulled it out.
_Ana, of course, would not leave this behind._
I held the wooden engraved key thing up to the door, and it quietly dismantled itself as before.
Walking forward into the dim 3rd floor, I couldn't help but question where Elech was in this place.
_Before, he had spoken as if he knew my every move, yet I haven't seen him since..._
_If Ana planned to take control of my body, then she must have planned against him... I'm not really sure why he would be in on it; if he was, then what's the point in misleading me? It's not like I could have done anything anyway._
_And what would he have to gain from it? She'd only outpace him and use him in the long run; he didn't seem like a complete idiot to me._
I pondered for a moment before snaking my way inside and lurking around the exterior of the walls.
This space was far more open; in fact, there was probably more walking room than any one of the living rooms, for whatever reason.
Last time I had gone forward, but you can easily loop to the left and travel behind.
_Before, I hadn't seen a single door leading towards the centre of the building, and the last time I was here, the hallway gave the distinct impression that it surrounded the centre—there were only left turns and rooms on the right side._
_In other words, there must be something inside with only a few ways of reaching it._
_I at least want to find a door leading to the centre, since that's my best bet, but I doubt I'll be able to get inside; however, I only need to try._