Jalessi, Swordflower University.
Sonia returned to her dorm room to find Lois already awake and studying, while Adele was still clutching her plushie and sound asleep. Sonia raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Didn't Adele wake up early yesterday, same as you? She even said she wanted to summon a spirit and step into the Void Realm before the semester ends," Sonia remarked.
"She actually stuck to studying all morning yesterday," Lois replied matter-of-factly. "She didn't open her light screen to watch Love Across Time and Space until after lunch. Normally, she'd start zoning out after breakfast—trimming her nails, twirling her hair, and so on."
"Wait, Love Across Time and Space? Is that Dedaros' new show?" Sonia asked instinctively, but quickly shook her head. "Anyway, at this rate, is Adele even going to graduate?"
Lois shrugged. "Probably not, but does it matter? She has a fiancé, and he's a powerful noble. Plus, her father just got promoted recently. Odds are she'll get married right after graduation, whether or not she gets a diploma."
Sonia let out a soft "Oh," and realized she felt nothing about Adele's cushy life.
In the past, Adele's charmed life would have made Sonia green with envy. A supportive family, a promising fiancé—Adele could live out her days as a pampered noblewoman, untouched by hardship, with someone else shielding her from every storm.
Adele had been born with everything Sonia once yearned for.
Who would start from zero unless they had nothing to begin with? Who would scheme and strive unless they had no safety net? Who would face storms willingly if they weren't forced to leave the warmth of the greenhouse?
Hardship wasn't a blessing in disguise; it was the cold, brutal reality of a rigged world. Sonia had clashed with Lois and others not just because of Lois' arrogance, but also because Sonia's own insecurities were raw wounds. Lois' confidence, rooted in her stable background, had been salt in those wounds.
But now, Sonia found herself unbothered by others' happy futures.
She no longer envied Adele or Lois. Even without a wealthy fiancé or family support, Sonia was certain her future would outshine theirs. Shallow as it may seem, she still sought validation through success, proving to herself and others that she could rise above.
The whirlwind of events over the past week had reshaped her in ways she hadn't fully realized.
She was still vain, still meticulous about her appearance, and still calculating. But now, she was also a one-winged mage, a research apprentice under Professor Trolzan, someone who had defeated Felix, and someone who had sparred with Senior Leoni (even if she wouldn't call it a win).
These accomplishments had become bricks in a wall behind her, a foundation she could lean on if she ever stumbled.
And more than that, there was someone standing beside her. Someone not particularly reliable, full of flaws, and even weaker than her at the moment—but he was there.
After her shower, Sonia placed a silver coin on the table to feed her spirit and began applying a face mask. That's when she noticed something new on her desk.
A glass bottle sat there, its contents swirling with green, gold, and pink liquids. It didn't look like any healthy beverage, but Sonia recognized the bottle—it was the same one the Observer had carried the first time he appeared in the real world.
Underneath the bottle was a note:
"This contains an Advanced Stamina Potion, an Advanced Experience Potion, and a Spirit Bond Elixir. Shake well before drinking."
Sonia eyed the bottle suspiciously but ultimately shook it and downed its contents. What choice did she have? Last time, the Observer had teleported the potion straight into her throat. This was practically a gesture of goodwill.
As for whether the Observer might poison her… Sonia had long given up worrying about such things.
Facing a being who could control her actions—a potentially resurrected legend with amnesia—scheming felt futile. Unless she could find his true form, capture him, and milk him for everything he was worth, all her plotting was as pointless as New Year's resolutions.
Better to embrace the situation. Play along, make herself indispensable, and build a "trustworthy and useful" persona. The more the Observer relied on her, the closer she'd get to flipping the script and taking charge.
The potion tasted like a blend of citrus, lemon, and sea salt—surprisingly pleasant. Sonia licked her lips and turned her attention to another item on the desk: a letter.
A letter? The Observer didn't strike her as the poetic type. If anything, he seemed like the kind who'd interrupt her shower to talk business.
Curious, she opened it. Inside was a gilded card that read:
"Sword Maiden, you will now undergo a random spirit summoning ritual. The ritual will elevate the associated magic discipline to your current level. Depending on the spirit, the ritual's requirements may vary, but it will take no more than seven days. Upon reading this, the summoning will begin. Good luck."
The text shimmered and transformed into two golden characters:
"Sincerity."
Sonia immediately grasped the card's power. She didn't have to study or train—the ritual would automatically boost a completely unfamiliar discipline to silver-tier and grant her a spirit companion to match!
It was like being handed an experience orb, but Sonia knew herself well enough to admit: without the Observer, she'd likely never have come close to earning one.
And "Sincerity" seemed to belong to the Mind Magic discipline—one of the hardest branches to enter. This was a massive windfall!
Even though the Observer's constant meddling in her life irked her, she couldn't deny his generosity. Last night, he had given her two experience orbs, and now this. Sonia couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude.
"Observer, meeting you is the luckiest thing that's ever happened to me!"
The card dissolved into a faint mist. Sonia waited but didn't notice any immediate changes.
"Is the ritual already underway? Why doesn't it feel like anything's happening?"
Just then, the dorm door opened. Inglit walked in, steam rising from her skin as she wiped off sweat and grabbed some water.
"Adele, it's time for class!" Inglit called.
Adele groggily sat up, moving on autopilot to wash up, her eyes still shut.
As Inglit headed for a shower, Sonia and Lois also began preparing for the day. Eyeshadow needed to match lipstick, blush had to stay subtle, and perfume—featuring mandarin and bitter orange—was applied sparingly for a barely-there allure.