Hajin stared at the tears gathering in the corners of the spirit's eyes, and none of his preparation had covered this.
He had given Juna a name without ceremony, and Loccy had accepted hers while barely conscious, so the offer had seemed simple.
The spirit looked at him as though he had placed an entire world in her hands.
'It is only a name, nothing more than a word.'
That thought felt wrong the instant it finished forming inside his head.
Before Hajin could ask what he had missed, the system opened another screen between them.
[ Spirit Naming Protocol ]
[ For a contracted ring spirit, a True Name is not merely a designation. ]
[ It is an intimate act signifying a deep and everlasting bond between bearer and spirit. ]
[ The name becomes the foundation of their shared identity, anchors the spirit permanently to the bloodline, and erases the isolation of the prison seal. ]
Hajin read each line twice while the meaning of his casual offer changed beneath his feet.
