The morning sun had fully risen by the time Germaine managed to steady her breathing. She remained kneeling on the estate's front path, the stone beneath her knees cool and solid, grounding her in reality. The protective golden barrier behind her glimmered faintly before dimming back into the gate's runes, leaving the forest quiet once again.
But Germaine hardly noticed the world beyond.
All her attention was fixed on the tiny creature resting in her cupped hands.
The spirit-fae—her spirit-fae—had curled itself into a small ball of soft gold light, its wings wrapping loosely around its body like a shimmering cocoon. Every breath it took glowed faintly, in rhythm with the pulses of mana from her own core.
A bond.
A real one.
Her first SoulPet.
She still couldn't quite believe it.
Germaine swallowed, her heart still thudding with the remnants of adrenaline. The Nightfang Lynx's snarl echoed faintly in her memory, but strangely, fear didn't rise from it. Instead, there was something else stirring inside her—
A determination she had never felt before.
A resolve sharper than anything she'd ever known.
She brushed a gentle finger along the tiny fae's back. "You're safe now," she whispered softly. "I promise."
The fae shifted faintly, responding to her tone. Its body glowed brighter for a heartbeat before settling again.
Germaine felt the connection more clearly with every passing moment. It wasn't just emotional; she could feel the creature's mana signature now, woven subtly into her own. A delicate thread linking core to core, soul to soul. It wasn't overwhelming, nor did it disrupt her mana. Instead, it was soothing—like a faint, constant warmth resting near her heart.
This was what a soulbond felt like.
Unbreakable. Symbiotic. Alive.
A soft voice broke her focus.
"…Germaine?"
Her entire body tensed.
She slowly lifted her head to see Maelin standing a few steps away, gripping her training staff under one arm, eyes wide. Germaine hadn't even heard her approach—a testament to how deeply she'd been lost in the moment.
Maelin's eyes flicked between Germaine, the glowing fae in her hands, and the faint remnants of mana still dancing around the gate's runes.
"What… what happened?" Maelin asked, stepping closer. "Where did you go? And—"
She paused, jaw dropping.
"—is that a SoulPet? You… you actually bonded with one?!"
Germaine's fingers tightened protectively around the fae, though she tried not to show it.
"Yes," she said quietly. "I found it in the forest."
Maelin rushed forward, kneeling beside her, face split with shock and excitement. "But you only awakened a few days ago! How did you even—wait, is that a spirit-fae? Those are almost impossible to bond with!"
Germaine's mind raced. She couldn't reveal the book. Or the resonance she accidentally released. Or the lynx. Or the vision. Or—
Too many secrets.
She took a steadying breath. "It… resonated with me."
Maelin blinked. "Resonated? They only resonate with people who have very gentle mana cores. They're super picky! I've heard you need precise control, stable flow, and even then they still fly away."
Germaine said nothing. She wasn't sure how to explain that the creature had practically called out to her.
Maelin leaned in closer, awe covering her expression. "Oh wow… it's so tiny. And cute. Are you going to name it?"
Germaine opened her mouth but froze.
A name.
A SoulPet's name wasn't something you chose casually. A name was a reflection of the bond, a calling that carried mana intent. Some cultures even believed the name shaped the creature's growth.
She looked down at the little fae.
Its wings fluttered gently, golden dust shimmering in the air. It looked delicate, fragile, warm—as though it held a soft piece of dawn inside it.
"Not yet," Germaine murmured. "I don't want to rush it."
Maelin nodded quickly. "Right. Of course. Naming comes after the first core-harmonization anyway." She then looked around the courtyard. "But Germaine… why were you outside the estate? Did you sneak past the wards? And what was that mana pulse earlier? It felt like something exploded—"
"Maelin!"
A sharp voice cut through the air.
Both girls turned to see Elric standing at the top of the stone steps, arms folded, expression cold and unreadable. His training uniform fit rigidly on his tall frame, his mana presence steady even from a distance.
Germaine stiffened.
Of all people to appear now…
Elric descended the stairs slowly. His eyes stayed locked on Germaine, scanning her and the glowing fae with a mixture of calculation and something else—concern? Suspicion? She couldn't tell.
He stopped a few steps away. "You bonded with a SoulPet."
It wasn't a question.
Germaine nodded slightly.
Elric's gaze darkened. "Do you understand how risky it is to form a bond this early? Your mana core hasn't stabilized yet. You don't even know your elemental affinity. A misaligned SoulPet could have damaged you both."
"But it didn't," Maelin shot back, frowning. "Elric, she saved it."
Elric ignored her, his attention still piercing straight through Germaine's quiet facade.
"How did it happen?" he asked, voice firmer than before.
Germaine felt her fingers tighten subtly around the fae.
"I found it injured," she said truthfully—at least partly. "It resonated with me, and the bond formed on its own."
Elric's eyes narrowed. He didn't believe her.
He took another step forward. "And the mana surge I sensed earlier? It came from you, didn't it?"
Germaine's throat tightened.
Maelin looked between them, confused. "Mana surge? Elric, I didn't feel anything—"
"You were still inside the mansion," Elric said shortly. "Germaine released something. Something strong."
His gaze sharpened. "Did you activate a technique? Did your core strain? Did something else awaken?"
Germaine forced her expression steady. She couldn't lie outright. But she also couldn't reveal the book or the shard connection.
"I… lost control for a moment," she said softly. "That's all."
She expected him to reprimand her. To scold her recklessness. To demand she report every detail.
But instead, he exhaled slowly, almost silently, and his shoulders eased.
"Then you're lucky," he said lowly. "Very lucky."
He backed away slightly, giving her space.
"Come inside. Both of you. A new bond must be checked by a senior. And your condition—" His eyes flickered to her core area. "—needs to be assessed."
Germaine stood carefully, cradling the fae. The creature shifted in her hands but didn't resist. Its glow brightened faintly at her movement, as though aware it was safe.
Maelin hurried ahead, eager and excited.
Elric walked behind Germaine, but she still felt his gaze on her.
It wasn't the cold, dismissive stare from before her awakening.
It was watchful. Guarded. And deeply concerned.
---
Inside the Manor
The mansion's interior always felt rich and intimidating—wide marble floors, tall silver pillars engraved with runic inscriptions, and walls lined with ancestral portraits whose eyes seemed to follow every passerby.
This morning, the place felt even heavier.
Servants glanced curiously as they passed. A few murmured quietly, though none dared speak openly in front of Elric.
A bonded SoulPet—especially a rare one like a spirit-fae—was not something to be ignored.
Germaine dropped her gaze, cheeks warming, unsure if the attention felt uncomfortable or unreal.
Maelin, however, looked delighted. "Everyone's going to be shocked when they hear you awakened and bonded in the same week!"
Germaine forced a faint smile but said nothing.
Elric led them to a quiet chamber on the east wing—the mana assessment room. It was round, enclosed by pale crystal walls. In its center stood a circular platform etched with glowing sigils.
Germaine entered slowly.
Elric gestured toward the platform. "Place your SoulPet on your shoulder or your arm. It must remain in contact during the reading."
Germaine lifted the fae gently.
"Can you… perch just here?" she whispered, touching her shoulder.
To her surprise, the tiny creature fluttered up with weak but steady wings, settling softly on her collarbone. Its small body vibrated faintly with contentment.
Germaine stepped onto the platform.
Elric activated the runes. Lights rose around her like gentle flames, scanning her body, her mana flow, her core.
Germaine felt the readings immediately—a soft hum, a gentle pressure across her chest, a warm tug around her core.
Then—
The runes pulsed violently.
A sharp spike of golden light surged upward, startling everyone.
Maelin gasped. "What… what is that?"
Elric stepped forward quickly, face tightening. "Her coefficient is spiking. That means—"
Another pulse shot out.
This time, the lights turned a pale gold—the same shade as the fae's glow.
Germaine clutched her chest instinctively, the warmth from her core spreading rapidly through her body. It wasn't painful—but it was intense, like a second heartbeat pounding in her sternum.
Elric slammed his palm against the rune panel, forcing the readings to settle.
The light dimmed slowly.
Germaine exhaled shakily, blinking away the lingering haze.
Maelin rushed forward. "Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine," Germaine whispered, though her pulse was unsteady.
Elric stared at her, the depth of his expression unreadable.
He finally spoke.
"…Your core purity increased."
Germaine froze.
"What?"
Elric glanced at the crystal panel again, disbelief tightening his jaw. "Your mana purity jumped. Dramatically. That shouldn't happen after a simple bond, not at the Beginner-Early stage."
Maelin's eyes widened. "Increased purity? That's… that's so rare, right?"
"It's more than rare," Elric muttered. "It's unnatural."
Germaine's heart thudded heavily.
A second presence.
A bond.
A shard's influence.
The book's runes.
Pieces clicked together inside her mind—a silent, terrifying, exhilarating realization.
Her awakening wasn't regular.
Her bond wasn't regular.
Her path wasn't regular.
Elric stepped toward her, lowering his voice. "Germaine… something is changing inside you. Faster than it should."
She swallowed hard.
"I know," she whispered.
Elric's expression hardened with resolve. "Then listen carefully. From today onward, you train with me. No excuses. No secrets."
Germaine hugged the spirit-fae close.
Her journey had officially begun.
But now… she wasn't walking into it alone.