When Ash woke up the next morning, he decided to skip class for the day. He decided to spend the day taking care of Lunaris. Ever since Lunaris had hatched four years ago, he had done no more than feed her normally, yet her appearance had never changed.
'System, why hasn't Lunaris grown?'
[For spirit beasts, ordinary food is only sufficient to sustain life. If the host wishes for growth and evolution, specialized herbs are required.]
'I see…' The answer immediately reminded him of the mission hall. If there was any place within the academy that sold herbs, it would be there.
When he arrived, the receptionist from the other day glanced up from her desk. "You're here again."
"Am I able to buy herbs here?" Ash asked.
"Of course." She closed the ledger in front of her. "What kind of herbs are you looking for?"
'System?'
[Recommended herbs: vitality, lunar, spirit, and blood-related.]
"Anything related to vitality, lunar, spirit, or blood."
The receptionist raised a slight brow. "Vitality and spirit herbs are common enough here, but lunar and blood-related herbs are extremely rare. They're also much more expensive."
Ash paused briefly before asking, "Then I'll take vitality and spirit herbs. How much?"
"The basic grade costs five points per vitality herb and ten per spirit herb."
'Is basic grade enough? And how many are needed?'
[Basic grade is sufficient. Recommended amount: ten vitality herbs and five spirit herbs.]
"I'll take ten vitality herbs and five spirit herbs."
"Understood."
She stepped out from behind the counter and led him into the herbarium. The room was cool and filled with the faint scent of dried plants and mana. Shelves lined the walls, neatly arranged with roots, leaves, flowers, and sealed containers glowing softly under enchantments.
With the system's guidance, Ash selected the recommended herbs without difficulty. By the time he left, a small pouch containing fifteen herbs hung from his waist, and he was one hundred points poorer.
Back in his dorm, Ash carefully followed the system's instructions to refine the herbs into a concentrated mixture suitable for Lunaris. The small Moonshade Lynx sniffed at the bowl cautiously before eating.
The moment she finished, a faint silver glow spread across her body. Her fur shimmered softly beneath the moonlight entering through the window, and her body grew slightly larger.
It looked like an evolution, yet Ash couldn't sense any major difference from before.
Then the system spoke again.
[Would the host like to link Lunaris to the system?]
Ash narrowed his eyes slightly.
'I can link her? What does that do?'
[Linked creatures gain access to a status window.]
Can I use SP on her as well? And can this feature work on humans too?
[SP cannot be used on other creatures. However, humans may also be linked.]
Ash frowned faintly. 'Why didn't I know about this before? And why tell me now?'
[The host did not ask previously. Additionally, system functions are revealed once the necessary conditions are fulfilled.]
'That explanation is vague…' Still, he didn't bother pressing further. 'Link Lunaris.'
[Linking in progress… Successful.]
'Status.'
[Name: Lunaris
Race: Moonshade Lynx
Strength: 4
Stamina: 3
Agility: 5
Dexterity: 5
Intelligence: 5
Skills: 0]
'She's still weak… I really neglected her all these years.' A faint trace of guilt surfaced within him, though it quickly faded. Regret over the past was meaningless compared to what he could do now.
Then another thought surfaced. '…What about Eve?' Ash frowned slightly. 'The normal me wouldn't have ignored her like that. Leaving her to just take care of me only… that's strange.'
The more he thought about it, the stranger it felt. He had spent the last five years drifting passively despite knowing that wasn't his nature at all.
As if sensing his confusion, the system answered.
[Your soul had not fully synchronized with this body. Under normal circumstances, the process would require several years. Since the host has now become aware of the inconsistency, synchronization has reached 100%.]
Ash went silent. Then, slowly, his thoughts began to clear. 'I see…'
He had always valued efficiency. Wasting five entire years accomplishing almost nothing was completely unlike him. Even in his previous life, he had already recruited Ryan at the age of six, and that was without his memories.
And yet in this life, he had done almost nothing. The realization irritated him slightly. But at the same time, excitement began to rise within him.
A small smile slowly formed on his face. 'So things are finally starting.'
For a brief moment, something darker surfaced beneath his calm expression, a strange excitement flickering in his eyes before disappearing just as quickly. Ash returned to normal as if nothing had happened.