Several minutes had passed since she had entered the shower, yet there was still no sign of Aelion coming to join her, despite her taking her time so he could arrive. Finally, she stopped misleading herself, finished her shower, and stepped into the hallway. Her curiosity pushed her to see what he was doing to have declined her invitation.
Seraphina approached the slightly open door and observed the scene through the gap left unconsciously. What she saw froze her for a moment, then a strange sensation ran through her body; her heart seemed to be pierced by a dagger. It was another woman, standing in front of him. She quickly became confused by what she had seen.
Earlier, she had searched the manor from top to bottom, and she had seen no other presence besides the two of them. So how was she there? The conclusion was simple: he controlled the manor well, so nothing would stop him from showing her only what he wanted her to see. Moreover, could this not also explain the presence of feminine clothing in his room? Surely, they belonged to her. This was also why he hadn't seemed comfortable after they had almost slept together.
"I see," she concluded quickly, angry and irritated.
Bursting in to demand an explanation was possible, but to what end? Nothing truly bound them, and the relationship she was trying to initiate no longer had reason to exist if he was already involved. It was her own fault for having succumbed to her desire for Aelion and for having led herself into this situation while being equally provocative. She went back to her room without a word, her heart heavy and aching. It was the first time she had felt this: wanting something that did not belong to her and envying it. Unfortunately, all of this was a misunderstanding, because if she had taken the time to observe the scene more carefully, she would have noticed that the young woman was wearing an elegant maid outfit, reflecting her position as a housekeeper.
She had not appeared out of nowhere. She was one of the rewards he had obtained by completing a side quest: it was UGAEL.
A little earlier, before leaving his bath, Aelion, having finished marveling at the element of Black Blood, now turned his attention to his other rewards: the Primordial Darkness, the Reaper's Scythe, and UGAEL.
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[Affinity Detected: Primordial Darkness]
Type: Primordial Element
Nature: Absorptive, Corruptive, Assimilative
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Description:
You carry within you one of the oldest and most unstable elements of creation.
The Primordial Darkness is not merely the absence of light: it is a matter predating life, an energy that absorbs, transforms, and corrupts to exist.
Where other elements build, the Darkness destroys.
Where light illuminates, it absorbs.
And where mana flows, it corrupts.
This element feeds on magical flows, emotions, and surrounding essences to strengthen its density.
Its balance depends on your understanding of its nature and your ability to regulate its influence.
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Effects
○Evolving Absorption:
Assimilates any form of magical, vital, or elemental energy to strengthen your affinity. Excessive absorption can corrupt your magical circuits.
○Elemental Corruption:
Alters or distorts touched elements. Can generate unstable or unique derivative forms depending on compatibility (e.g., Dark Blood).
○Negation and Dissolution:
Neutralizes active mana flows, enchantments, and magical barriers by disintegrating their energy structure.
○Evolution and Fusion:
Can merge with other compatible elements to create new permanent derivatives.
○Primordial Will:
Reacts to the user's mental state. Imperfect mastery can cause affinity distortion or alteration of vital mana.
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"In short, because of its influence, I can't have an affinity with normal elements? They will either be devoured to strengthen it or be corrupted, giving rise to new ones like Dark Blood."
A very interesting affinity, indeed. Not only did it absorb to strengthen itself, it could also corrupt and prevent mutations. The Primordial Darkness had a will of its own, which he had to decipher to understand how it functioned in order to avoid setbacks or losing crucial affinities. Moreover, there was no indication that the corruption of elements would necessarily result in only advantages. Dark Blood was fine, but who knew what else?
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[Weapon Detected: Siphonner's Scythe]
Type: Mystic Weapon — Scythe
Rank: Unknown
Origin: Unknown
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Unique Skill: [Afflicting Balance]
Effect:
●Temporarily absorbs all of the target's stats (Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Charisma, Luck), except Vitality, to equalize the overall level of the wielder with that of the target.
●The absorption gradually consumes the wielder's Vitality. If Vitality reaches zero, the wielder is immediately neutralized.
●The effect ends once contact or the energy link with the target is broken.
●The transfer adapts in real-time to the target's power fluctuations.
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Secondary Skill: [Frenzied Assault]
Effect:
●Converts a portion of the wielder's current Vitality into raw offensive power for a limited duration.
●Power increases proportionally to the Vitality sacrificed.
●Vitality points consumed cannot be regenerated until the end of combat.
●Activation in conjunction with Afflicting Balance amplifies power but accelerates Vitality loss.
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The weapon he had obtained was double-edged. Aelion hoped he would never have to use it; otherwise, it would only be as a last resort. He already saw why the vestige had ended up with empty stats. This state allowed him to estimate how strong the vestige must have been and how long it could have lasted for its Vitality to reach 45. On one hand, he felt indebted, yet why was he in possession of such a weapon if he was so powerful? Had he overestimated it? He abandoned these questions rather easily; in any case, he would find the answers when the time came.
The last reward could finally be visualized: UGAEL — the Esoteric and Logistical Automated Management Unit.
The same question as before was posed to him; this time he accepted. A flash of light appeared out of nowhere in the room for a few seconds before revealing the Unit: it was an asexual humanoid puppet with cylindrical joints at the wrists, elbows, and knees.
"Do you wish to customize UGAEL, or set it to default parameters?"
"Default," he continued, intrigued.
He had no idea how to do it and did not really want to deal with settings at the moment; he had to move quickly. Without delay, the puppet moved: first its form became visible, then its chest, nose, mouth, eyes, and long brown hair grew on its head. Finally, a formal maid outfit appeared. Its posture immediately changed, shifting to a maid saluting her master.
"I welcome you to the Manor of Ira, Administrator," its tone was solemn, stoic, and formal. Its slightly metallic voice matched its manner perfectly.
"It's my turn to welcome you, since you came to find me here… Anyway, let's skip the formalities. UGAEL, tell me your role in this manor," asked Aelion, curious.
"UGAEL?" The being asked, tilting its head in confusion.
"Yes, that's your name. How do you find it?"
"I am the Management Unit—" it started automatically before he interrupted.
"Stop! I know very well that you are the Unit of I-don't-know-what. In simpler terms it would be ELAMU, but I don't find it good enough, so I translated it into a popular language from my world and simplified it into an acronym: UGAEL. Isn't that more suitable?"
"I am only a tool at the Administrator's command. A tool only has a name if it represents what it is; that is why Management Unit is more appropriate. However, refusing a name from the Administrator himself would be considered disobedience, so I accept the name UGAEL."
Now that he thought about it, she was not human, yet neither his instinct nor his mentality had made him think otherwise. He didn't even consider her a thing or a tool, just a living being, unlike her. Aelion thought to educate her on this subject, but seeing how she responded, though she submitted to his authority, he sensed that she could develop her own ego and possess a hint of rebellion. In that case, he would gradually guide her and challenge her current self-esteem.
"Even a blacksmith gives a name to the finest of his creations. 'Weapon' or 'sword' are default terms. Management Unit is of the same nature, so I prefer UGAEL. A tool is not only made to be used; it often has sentimental value, like a blacksmith's hammer passed down from father to son. If despite that you don't want it, just know that I prefer to work with someone whose name is easier to pronounce," he explained, serious and focused.
UGAEL simply listened to Aelion, trying to decode each of his words according to context and intent. Though she understood the general idea, she still chose what she wanted to adhere to.
"If UGAEL is more convenient for you, then you may call me that. Regarding my role and attributes, I am supposed to follow your orders to the letter, advise you, and guide you through the management of the Manor of Ira. You also have the option to grant me certain management rights and tell me what to do. Rest assured, you can reclaim your rights at any time, even while using them, and you may punish me in any manner; I will not resist. I will accept my fate and learn from my mistakes to serve you optimally. Do not fear, Master Aelion, my loyalty is yours; I cannot betray you. However, if you do not trust me, you can always constrain me with the Administrator's seal or use it to destroy me if I become a threat, consciously or unconsciously."
Listening to her, like a programmed machine, Aelion wondered if he had made a mistake by not configuring UGAEL. Her role was well-defined and suitable for some types of people, but it did not fit him. At the very least, he preferred someone who could act independently and make decisions for the good of all and the manor. He would manage with this for now.
"In that case, I grant you administrator rights."
[ Administrator rights of the Manor of Ira have been shared with UGAEL.]
"What are your orders, Master Aelion?"
I'm not comfortable with that title…
"You can drop the 'Master.' I need you to assess the manor's defense systems, check which are functional, and activate them all. We must maintain the manor in optimal defense to prevent any attack."
"I cannot access this request. 'Master' is the most appropriate designation. Understood; I will activate the security systems and take inventory."
"One more thing — you should go say hi to Seraphina, and I'll think…"