Alex sat on the edge of his bed, his hand pressed against his temple as the ominous name of the newly learned spell echoed in his mind.
"Aurora, what kind of spell even is this? Soul Enslavement Seal?" he exclaimed, disbelief and frustration lacing his voice.
Leaning back, he ran a hand through his hair, his expression a mix of shock and unease. "Sure, I wanted to learn a Tier-5 spell, but this? This is way beyond what I imagined. And the mana cost—ten thousand MP? That's insane!"
Aurora floated closer, her ethereal glow dimmed, tinged with an unusual hint of guilt. Her voice was softer than usual, carrying a rare note of hesitation. "Alex, I know it sounds bad, but it's not as ominous as it seems. I wouldn't have taught it to you if I thought it was dangerous. Not for you, at least."
He raised his head to meet her gaze, his expression guarded, eyes narrowing. "So you're telling me this spell allows me to enslave and bind someone's soul to mine? Aurora, that's... unsettling." His tone was sharp, cutting through the quiet tension in the room.
Aurora's glow flickered faintly, and her golden eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms defensively. "You're misunderstanding it," she retorted, her tone firm but restrained. "Yes, the spell can be used cruelly—but that's not why I taught it to you."
"Alex," Aurora began, her voice tinged with a solemnity that made him sit up straighter. "As I told you before, when I was being hunted, I was struck by an extremely powerful attack. On the verge of death, I used an ancient spell called
"So, you're trying to say this spell is supposed to help you?" Alex asked, leaning forward, his tone quieter but still laced with suspicion.
Aurora hesitated for a moment before speaking, her voice slow but clear. "I need mana to maintain my soul's stability. Without pure and strong mana, I'll eventually fade away. If you form a contract with me using that spell and allow me to absorb your mana, I'll be able to leave the Academy. I can go wherever you go—even into the Wilderness."
Alex frowned, the weight of her words sinking in. "Even if I form a contract with you, I don't think I'll have enough mana to sustain your soul. How much mana do you even need?"
"Currently, I am using around 100 MP per second to keep my soul intact." Aurora admitted, her tone soft but unwavering.
"What?!" Alex exclaimed, his eyes widening. "That much? I can't sustain that—not yet, at least."
As he spoke, a realization dawned on him. He glanced at Aurora, his voice edged with understanding. "So that's why you pushed me to increase my mana regeneration, isn't it?"
Aurora's golden eyes shimmered with guilt and determination. "Yes... I needed you to be ready before I could even bring this up."
Alex leaned back, his eyes fixed on the ceiling as he tried to process her request. "You know this is a lot to take in, right? You're literally asking me to bind your soul to mine."
Aurora floated down beside him, her glowing form dimmer than usual. Her voice was soft but earnest. "I know it's a big ask, Alex. But think about it—I've been trapped here for so long. Alone, with no one to talk to... until you. You gave me a reason to hope again. This spell might be my only way to be free."
He let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples. "It's not that I don't want to help you. I do. But this? It's a lot of risk for me to take on, Aurora."
Aurora hovered closer, her golden eyes locking onto his. "It's a big risk for me too." she said, her tone unwavering. "Probably more for me. You'd be enslaving my soul, Alex—completely binding my existence to yours. And yes, before you ask—I'm sure. This is what I want."
Alex sat up slightly, his gaze searching hers. "And you're saying this like you trust me enough to let me... enslave your soul?"
"Yes," Aurora said without hesitation, her voice steady. "I trust you more than enough."
Her words hung in the air, their weight pressing down on the room.
"I'm more than flattered that you have such faith in me." Alex said, his voice tinged with a mix of gratitude and hesitation. "But I can't help you right now—or anytime soon, really."
Aurora's expression didn't falter. "I figured you'd say that." she replied, her voice calm but resolute. She gestured toward the golden ring still in Alex's hand. "That's why I made sure you'd have everything you needed, even if you weren't ready right away."
Alex raised an eyebrow, suspicion flickering in his gaze. "What are you talking about?"
Aurora floated closer, her tone steady as she explained. "The ring. It's not just any ring, Alex—it's an SS-rank magical artifact. You can store mana in it and use that reserve to activate the spell. But it doesn't stop there—it's also designed to stabilize and house a soul."
The ring was one of the treasures Aurora had escaped with long ago, and she had buried it there to keep it hidden. Fortunately, no one had managed to find it since.
Alex glanced down at the ring, turning it over in his hand. The intricate patterns etched into the metal seemed to pulse faintly, as if alive. "So, you're saying… I could charge this thing and use it like a battery?"
"Exactly!" Aurora said, nodding with a faint smile.
Alex stared at her, his mind racing as the pieces started to fall into place. The realization unsettled him. "You've thought this through completely, haven't you?"
Aurora's golden eyes gleamed with quiet determination. "Of course, I have. Your hesitance doesn't mean I'll stop hoping—or planning."
For a moment, silence stretched between them, the weight of her words heavy in the room. Alex let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but... fine. I'll do it. But don't think for a second that I don't realize how much you've manipulated me into this."
The way she had orchestrated everything—from presenting the solution on a silver platter to her guilt-tripping him with her softening tone—was nothing short of masterful.
Aurora's glow brightened, and for the first time, a genuine, relieved smile crossed her face. "Thank you, Alex. I promise, you won't regret this."
Alex shook his head, a faint, rueful smile tugging at his lips. "Manipulated or not, I was probably going to help you anyway. Let's just get on with it before I change my mind."
Aurora tilted her head, her tone suddenly teasing. "See? You're not as heartless as you pretend to be."
Rolling his eyes, Alex opened his system interface, scrolling through the shop menu. "If I'm going to do this, I'll need to make some purchases." he muttered, ignoring Aurora's amused look as he focused on his options.
Aurora tilted her head, watching him curiously as he opened his system interface.
He quickly navigated in the system shop. Increasing mana regeneration required 150 SP, while Increasing mana capacity cost 75 SP. His gaze flicked to his available points—185 SP. 'Not enough for both.'
Alex frowned, weighing his options. Regeneration or capacity? After a moment of deliberation, he made his choice.
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[Purchase successful, mana regeneration increased.]
[Mana Regeneration: 25 MP/sec]
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'Before, my mana regeneration was around 0.5 MP/sec.' He thought, a flicker of amazement crossing his mind. 'Now, it's fifty times that.'