In the corner of the room, there was a small plush doll in the shape of a knight holding a sword and shield in its hands. I picked it up, and it was clearly confused; the doll was cute, and it was one of the rewards I received when I was young for a mission to help children. The reward was plush dolls that were quite resilient due to being made of spiritual and/or magical fabric.
When the system installed the matrices at the base, I used it as the core of the base. Taking my cute doll, I handed it to him.
"Hold it and try to concentrate on it."
Hearing my voice, he took the doll with a confused look but still tried to do as I said.
"Try to remember the connection you felt when you entered the barrier and focus your attention on it. Keep your breathing calm and your mind clear, focusing on it."
He doesn't have any special mental or soul energy techniques, which makes it more difficult. He listened to my voice and did so, and in a few seconds, I heard his response.
"I'm feeling... it."
He stopped and soon felt it.
"I seem to be able to observe the entire interior of the place and even a bit of the exterior..."
"That's one of the capabilities of the formation. Try to see what else you can find," I told him.
He continued.
"I can also control it a little... it seems to be able to enhance various things and do some tasks, but-"
He spoke, and his body fell to the ground. I held him and removed the doll.
"What is this..." he asked, putting his hand on his head.
I didn't respond at first but placed the doll aside and took him to the area of the room near the flower with the mind and soul healing effect.
Touching the wall, the bricks moved like magic, and with another touch, the metal wall opened. I moved him and left him on the sofa. When I passed, the entrance closed.
With him on the sofa, I started to explain after a few minutes when I saw the flower's effect helping him a bit.
"Due to the lack of other energy to supply the control of the matrix, trying to use it actively will start to consume some of your mental energy and some of your soul energy. Because of this, you must always use it with extreme care and caution."
But my explanation didn't seem to help him.
"Mental soul?" he said, moving his body in my direction with some confusion.
Hearing the question, I decided to give a longer explanation.
"The basis of every living being, material and conscious, is threefold: physical energy, mental energy, and soul energy. Each one will vary based on aspects like race, mutations, special conditions, and others."
"The physical is easier to understand; it is related to physical strength, endurance, speed, and certain sensory and reflexive aspects. For people with powers, like some mutants, it is usually also consumed."
"The mental is a bit more complex; it is fundamentally related to mental endurance, defenses, senses, and reflexes. All beings have mental power, but not all can manipulate or control aspects of it. Some beings, like mutants, have mental control powers or similar aspects, like that powerful mutant professor who has been in the newspapers once. Besides them, other beings with special abilities can also use it."
Note: In this version of Marvel, mutants are already exposed. Their knowledge and presence vary, but their existence and some facts about them are clear. This is why the MC explained using mutants as a basis.
"As for the soul. It is the base and core of every being. It influences the individual in all forms, but few truly understand its mystery, let alone manipulate its energy or influence it or others'. For now, you don't need to worry so much about it."
I spoke the truth. There are beings in this world who surely can generate effects on it, as the system told me that there are sorcerers, gods, and even devils or creatures from the underworld, and undoubtedly they have some influence and capacity regarding this issue, even if the system didn't give me details.
I myself currently have a strong soul due to parallel improvements and especially the improvement of the soul lineage of the black lotus ghost clan belonging to the cultivation world. I have some basic abilities to use it, although few at present since I don't have specific power or technique related to the soul.
Regardless of this aspect, he seemed to have a better understanding and nodded, even though not all information was clear.
And he followed up with a question.
"So I can use this place at will?"
"Of course."
I had no comment on that, but he followed with another question.
"Well... besides that, I'm hearing something strange. It sounds like a living being approaching, like the one that hides with you."
I smiled at the question and looked in the direction where the sound was coming from. Two small balls were bouncing towards us, one blue with a lighter shade than a cleaning product and the other a dirty brown color like garbage or sewage.
"They are two special beings called slimes. One focuses on cleaning and keeping everything tidy, and the other on consuming garbage. Don't worry, they are not offensive and are here to help you."
I explained to him carefully, deciding to leave these two slimes here to take care, while another cleaning slime I use at home sometimes. As the house doesn't have a special means of protection and to hide, I don't let it roam freely there.
He nodded while feeling the cleaning slime pulsing in his lap.
"How peculiar, it's cute..." I heard his voice murmuring and smiled slightly.
After that, we talked about various topics, including some subjects related to the crime lord's process.
...
Three days later, on Friday afternoon after school, I was in the kitchen, more specifically beating a dough and cooking a filling, and beside me, Peter was crushing the fruits and helping me.
We were planning to make blueberry and raspberry muffins.
"Pet, can you pass the vanilla essence?"
"Sure, love."
Peter promptly responded and handed me the jar, and when I turned my head, I received a kiss on the lips. I smiled at him and gave another kiss on his lips and one on his neck, which made him shiver with a bit of embarrassment.
And at that moment, the television beside us made a news sound that caught my attention and made me look towards it.