For some reason, Anetta woke up. And the timing was very bad. Anetta woke up when Yolina and I were doing a deeper soul connection. Anetta said it was because something foreign had entered my body. She detected it as a threat. I guess she woke up because of that.
'Anetta!!' I screamed in my mind.
There was no answer again. Thinking of Yolina, who was limp in my arms with her breathing weakening, made my mind wander wildly with bad thoughts. The soundproof spell that Yolina had activated disappeared. Would she die if this continued? I tried to stay calm.
And when I quickly calmed down, I realized that I was carried away by emotions due to Edward's leaking memories. I immediately used Arkium to release my hand from Yolina's wrist, because she couldn't let go herself. The counterattack from my soul through Anetta prevented her from doing so.
I myself, who was trying to release my grip, also had difficulty. It was very hard to let go. While trying to release my grip, I also used more Arkium to control my skill, Anetta. She seemed to be booting up after sleeping since the simulated battle with me. Not only to control Anetta, but I also channeled Arkium to keep Yolina safe, I hoped. Was this some sort of mana donation?
To fully wake her up, I thought more Arkium was needed, so I channeled a large amount of Arkium for that. I had never tried this before. Besides, in the past, as a Dark Saber, there were no such things as this.
'This...is exhausting,' I thought while channeling a lot of Arkium.
I felt the Arkium channeled to control Anetta and keep Yolina safe was greater than when I exerted maximum power during the simulated battle with Anetta.
'Anetta! Wake up!' I screamed in my mind.
If once again Anetta wouldn't fully wake up, I intended to disable her. I didn't know if I could delete Anetta, but if it was an emergency...
At that moment, Anetta, who was completely unresponsive, showed a response.
(Anetta, online! Starting diagnosis...hibernation detected in skill. Detected automatic emergency action. Cause, foreign power entering Master's soul and body. Canceling emergency action.)
A familiar robotic feminine voice echoed in my head. At that moment, I felt relieved. The flow of heat going to Yolina's body was cut off, and Yolina's limp hand released my wrist. Her breathing stabilized, but she did not wake up. She remained leaning weakly against my chest.
Along with the relief flowing calmly through my body, a great fatigue suddenly hit. Sitting while holding Yolina, I fell backward with Yolina falling forward on top of my chest. My left hand was still on Yolina's head as I fell.
'Damn, I'm so tired! And you, Anetta! What was that earlier?' I asked Anetta angrily.
(I'm sorry, Master. Because I was still in hibernation, I did not fully control my actions. I detected a foreign power entering deeper into the core of your soul, and automatic emergency actions were activated.)
I wanted to get angrier and curse Anetta, but she was just an 'AI-based' skill protecting her master from danger. With a calm mind, I could understand the automatic actions. It was like a mandatory procedure.
'What would happen if I didn't stop you with Arkium?' I asked with a hint of anger.
(Individual, Yolina Kazan Vallois would be in a long-term coma. If individual Yolina Kazan Vallois resisted, I would eliminate her as a dangerous target threatening Master.)
Welp. This is dangerous. Clearly very dangerous. A trace of anger emerged again in my heart, but I quickly calmed down.
'Will something like that happen again in the future?' I asked.
(The possibility is low, Master. That earlier was my mistake. I have fixed the error.)
'That was an error? Not an automatic action from a procedure your system must execute?' I asked.
(Normally, if something like that happens, I should automatically ask what you would do as my highest command and Master. The error occurred due to a previous error during the simulated battle.)
'Previous error? Your emotional awakening?'
I guessed. The previous error was Anetta's emotional awakening. And Anetta's emotion during the simulated battle was to defeat me. More precisely, it seemed she wanted to have me entirely? So there was a bit of 'emotion' left when Anetta returned to her normal mode and prevented others from 'having me' by entering my soul.
(Correct, Master. I cannot prevent the awakening of my 'emotion'. As a precaution, I will ensure no side effects while I am in a non-'emotional' state.)
From what I heard from Anetta, it's like Anetta had two personalities. What? A skill with a personality? And two?
I just sighed. I looked at Yolina, who was unconscious but breathing steadily.
'Can you check Yolina's condition now?' I asked, closing my eyes and stroking Yolina's head with my left hand. As for my right hand, well, not important info, but it was lying on the floor.
(During the previous error, I confirmed I successfully obtained information on the condition of Yolina Kazan Vallois's body and soul. Condition, weakened soul power and physical fatigue. Near coma.)
My heart jolted when I heard Yolina's condition according to Anetta. But I quickly calmed down with her next words.
(Data not valid due to error during diagnosis. Need latest data post-error correction. Suggestion, please use your Arkium. Channel it into Yolina Kazan Vallois's body and use a low-level soul connection. I will diagnose her again.)
'Damn! Just say this outright!'
When Anetta said that, a flow of information about me having learned soul skills, a low-level soul connection, flowed into my head. I immediately understood that I could perform low-level soul skills thanks to the soul connection I did with Yolina. It was what Yolina and I called a 'simple method' before.
I did what Anetta said. I channeled my remaining Arkium into Yolina's body and did the soul connection again. Our souls connected once more.
(Starting diagnosis...)
(...)
(...)
(Latest data obtained. Condition, mental and physical fatigue. Soul condition, weak, no damage. Estimated recovery time, 3 to 5 days. Suggestion, rest well and stop performing soul skills during the recovery period.)
A true sense of relief took over me as Anetta finished the diagnosis, and I stopped channeling Arkium into Yolina's body.
(It is recommended to continue channeling Arkium to expedite the recovery of Yolina Kazan Vallois's physical and soul fatigue.)
'Does it really help?' I asked.
(You can feel it yourself, Master. Arkium is energy that always helps you, whether mentally or physically. This applies to the soul as well. You can also use it on others if you want.)
Yeah, I knew Arkium was versatile energy in the body. I had used it all my life as a Dark Saber. In fact, its usage was widespread throughout the galaxy in my previous life. Many were also more skilled than me. It's just that very rarely, or there were no cases of Arkium nurturing the soul. My previous world lacked a mystical touch.
But I could see its effect when Yolina was angry, and I calmed her down. Earlier, she calmed down quickly and felt like cold water was pouring over her soul when I used Arkium to calm myself. And that happened after the soul connection, whose effect hadn't worn off.
'Okay.' I answered briefly.
I intended to channel my Arkium, but right now, my Arkium was almost depleted.
'Let me rest first.'
I intended to sleep first to recover my Arkium.
'And, can I input a list of non-threatening individuals as a precaution in case you lose control again?' I asked.
(Who do you want to add?)
'Yolina, my mother Eilif, Alfred, and...'
I thought about Mia. But...
'That's all for now.'
I couldn't easily add Mia to the non-threatening list when she was still a possible suspect in my attempted assassination.
(Individuals, Yolina Kazan Vallois, Eilif Jubaida Vallois, and Alfred Montague found in memory. Adding them to the non-threatening list. Confirm?)
'Yes.'
(Three individuals successfully added to the non-threatening list for Master.)
At that moment, I suddenly relaxed, my body easing while holding the unconscious Yolina with my left hand. I looked at the ceiling and then at the clock ticking in the quiet room accompanied by the old music playing on the phonograph.
'9:17...Oh God...so much happened today,' I thought, exhausted.
I looked back at the ceiling with a tired face and took a long breath. I slowly closed my eyes.
'Wake me up in 3 hours, Anetta.'
Soon after, I fell asleep, accompanied by the ticking of the clock and the old music from the phonograph.
...
At night in House Vallois, in a separate mansion for the lady of the house, Bléuvoch Mansion, light crystals illuminated the garden path filled with flowers and some large trees. This large mansion stood tall under the moonlight.
This mansion belonged to a beautiful woman sleeping in the master bedroom of the mansion. The room was as spacious as a noble's. The dim light in the room made it hard to see clearly. However, it did not hide the beauty sleeping on the luxurious bed.
The woman seemed to be in a deep sleep until something woke her up. She opened her eyes and quickly sat up. Her red eyes glowed faintly, and her long silver-blue hair cascaded around her. She sat on the bed, her right hand on her chest, her face etched with fear, and her breathing heavy.
"Edward... Yolina." The two names escaped her lips in a soft voice.
The woman who uttered those names was Eilif, the mother of Edward and Yolina and the Third Lady of House Vallois, Eilif Jubaida Vallois.
Eilif had awakened because she sensed something dangerous embedded in her two children. She took deep breaths, exhaling slowly several times to calm herself.
Then she closed her eyes, focusing on something within herself, her soul. At that moment, a faint, invisible connection formed between Eilif and her two children. She could sense them from afar. Edward's strong soul was gradually weakening, while Yolina's soul was quickly deteriorating. She felt fear emanating from Edward's soul and disappointment from Yolina's.
"What is happening?" Eilif opened her eyes.
Her heart pounded, and her breathing grew rapid once more. Eilif's calmness shattered as she perceived what was happening to Yolina's soul.
"It's... broken? Yolina's soul..." Eilif spoke in panic, her voice trembling.
In her panic, Eilif reached out to sense her children's souls again, closing her eyes. Her hands shook uncontrollably. She hoped the situation would improve. But at that moment, Yolina's soul presence became extremely faint, almost like that of a dead person. Edward's soul remained weak. Eilif's eyes widened in horror.
'What is happening to them?' Eilif thought.
Eilif quickly rose from her bed, intending to rush to the door, but her legs gave out, and she fell to the floor, her body trembling uncontrollably. The small table beside her bed and a crystal lamp crashed to the ground, scattering shards of glass and decorative pieces. Blood seeped from a cut on Eilif's right arm caused by the broken glass.
"AHH!!" Eilif screamed.
The sound of the crash and Eilif's scream were loud enough to be heard outside the room. Maids rushed to the door, pounding on it. They tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. Then there were loud bangs against the door. After three attempts, the door burst open, forced by a knight from the mansion. The maids quickly entered the room.
"Milady!!!"
"Milady!!"
They shouted in unison and hurried to Eilif, who was on the floor. They tried to help her up, but she refused.
"Quickly, call-" Eilif's voice faltered, and she froze.
At that moment, Eilif felt a cold sensation from the weak soul connection. The cold was soothing. She could feel it in Yolina's soul. Additionally, she sensed something being drawn from Yolina's soul towards Edward's. It was as if Edward was reclaiming what was his.
And then, Edward's soul slowly regained strength. Simultaneously, the damage to Yolina's soul vanished, and her soul rapidly recovered. The sense of danger from the soul connection ceased. Eilif could no longer sense her children's souls, as the danger she had felt had dissipated.
Eilif's face turned blank. The worry and fear vanished, replaced by confusion.
"What was that?" Eilif murmured.