The days went by, and the two continued living together.
* * *
Ria was in the living room, sharpening her kunai. The man came in with some steak on a plate and placed it on the table before her.
"Eat up."
"Don't tell me it's more hydra meat."
"This meat is what will make you recover faster."
"You know, since I'm technically sharing a body with the snake goddess, then I'm technically eating myself."
"You shouldn't be the one to complain, human," the goddess's voice echoed in her mind.
The gold snake on her arm came to life, startling her. It slithered off her hand to the man's side. He let it slither to his arm and seemed familiar with it.
"It's been a while, my dear friend," he said.
"Wait, you two know each other?"
"The snake goddess and I are old acquaintances."
"And you didn't think to mention it once?"
"You never asked."
"How come she seems friendlier to you than when we first met?"
"Jealous much?" the man teased.
"I'm being serious."
"If you two are done with your little flirting, why not focus on something more important?" the snake goddess interjected.
"Something important? What is she talking about?"
"You didn't tell her?" the goddess hissed.
"I was going to bring it up eventually."
"Bring what up?"
"The effects of sharing a body with the snake goddess. The requirements aren't only convincing the goddess but also having enough mana to act as a vessel."
"Mana?" Ria repeated, looking confused.
The man sighed, sitting down across from her. "Mana is the life force that flows through every living being and the environment around us. It's the energy that fuels magic and abilities, like the power of the snake goddess."
Ria frowned. "So, it's like... magic energy?"
"Exactly," he nodded. "When you agreed to share your body with the snake goddess, you became her vessel. To maintain that bond and harness her power, you need to have enough mana. Without sufficient mana, the strain on your body and mind could be dangerous."
"And how do I know if I have enough mana?" she asked.
The snake goddess's voice echoed in her mind, "You already possess a natural affinity for mana, but you must learn to cultivate and control it. That is why you must stay here and train."
The man continued, "Think of it like a muscle. The more you use it and train, the stronger it becomes. That's why it's crucial for you to learn how to harness and increase your mana."
Ria took a deep breath, absorbing the information. "So, what happens if I don't have enough mana?"
"The bond weakens," the man said seriously. "And both you and the goddess could suffer. It's not just about borrowing power; it's about building a harmonious relationship with it. It could also lead to your eventual demise."
" So I have no choice but to agree, right?" She asked.
" I tried to warn you."
Ria suddenly got up and excused herself leaving the house.
The man let out a sigh.
Later that day, Ria sat at the edge of a cliff overlooking the vast sea.
It was now sundown. She felt a presence behind her.
" What do you want?"
" Seems your senses have heightened." He approached and sat beside her," still deep in thought her?"
" You have know idea how I feel right now."
" I can take a guess."
She turned to him confused.
" Having to leave a place you grew up calling home and being betrayed by your own sect, it must be hard. And now that you have to change your own living style so abruptly. I can only imagine what your going through. It may not be my place to intrude, but why do you change constantly insist on leaving when you've already lost it all."
" I....I.....don't know. I just thought starting a new life in a new sect would make me happy and forget about my life before. But I guess I was wrong. And when you said I had to stay here, I just got scared. Scared of changing and forgetting the past."
" The past isn't something that is meant to be forgotten, but rather make someone learn from your mistakes. Yes you got betrayed by those close to you, but the real question is what are you gonna do about it. Are you gonna keep running away from run away from your past or are you gonna fight back?" He asked.
" I think I've heard that before."
" So what's it going to be,princessa?"
" I guess staying here wouldn't be that bad." Ria acknowledged, but no more hydra meat,got it?."
" Deal." He chuckled." I could make a great motivational speaker, don't you think?"
They watched the sunset in silence.
" You really are a sucker for sunsets, aren't you?" The man broke the silence.
" Don't ruin this." Ria bluntly stated.
😋
👘🍜Manesta.