I and Laura look at each other with smiles, and after a while I think about a question that was bugging me for a long while.

“Um, Laura, could you honestly answer me a few questions?”

“Hm? Sure, ask away. I’ll try.” – She gets serious, realizing it will be something important.

“So… you can sense souls, right?”

“Ha?” – She looks at me with eyes wide open. – “How did you know?”

“Um, I got similar ability. And, um, I realized that the kids have stronger talents than most people? You… chose them deliberately, right? What for?”

She furrows her brows at my questions, but soon a smile blooms on her face as she looks into space.

“It’s for kids like you, I guess. To watch you grow, to be proud of at least one thing I do in my life. Because… I really enjoy fighting and all, but… it puts a huge toll on me, you know? And I really want to find happiness… somewhere else. I thought if I raised some hunters… I would get two birds with one stone, I guess? And honestly, you are kind of… a wild card in here.”

{If you want to know, she is speaking the truth.} – Natria informs me conveniently, because I couldn’t read her well enough to be sure of that.

“Okay! Thanks for telling me.” – I smile, and suddenly notice her hand patting my head. – “Uh, um, why are you…”

“Because you’re so cute! Have you even seen your reflection?” – She says, pulling me into her embrace and causing me to blush fiercely.

“Um, in a puddle? But, well…”

“Oh? Hahaha! I’ll try to get you a mirror soon, okay?”

“…Okay.” – I agree, since there isn’t really anything else I can say to that.

‘Um, Natria? Can I tell her about you? Because, I will probably be spending a lot time with her, and, um, I would prefer not to slip up somewhere later since I’m bad at keeping secrets.’

{…Alright. You can tell her, but don’t tell any details, if you may. If you are wondering, I can also talk to her, and I would do so sooner or later.}

“Um, one more thing, Laura. I have… a spirit living inside me.”

“Huh? Like, what kind of spirit?” – She looks at me, surprised.

{A supreme spirit. Welcome, Laura. My name’s Natria.}

“Haa!” – Laura couldn’t keep her voice. – “Where…? Uh, what are you…?”

“You’re so cute.” – I say, patting her head, which looks slightly weird due to the fact I need to stretch my arm to reach to the top of her head.

I watch her face flush red from her neck with an amused expression.

{Ey, girls, you gonna continue?}

“Um, sorry, Master!”

“Huh? Master? Eh, wait a second. She is your master?” – Laura looks at me with shocked expression.

“Um, kinda ended up this way… Well, she explained me a lot and helped me with my talent, and well…” – I mumble, not knowing what to say.

{Well, I have indeed become her master. I am currently residing in Nea’s body and unable to show myself. I need her help and she has very similar talent to mine, so I am her Master, telling her a lot of stuff, and she is going to help me with a few things.}

“Um, alright. That’s kinda… shocking. Anyway, I’m Laura, as you know, nice to meet you. Um if I may know, how is Nea going to help you?”

{Forgive me for not going into detail, but that’s something better kept unspoken with how little power I have now. I am currently lacking in strength, but I can compensate for it with my abilities, so I doubt there will be anything truly dangerous to Nea. Not to denounce her abilities, some of what she told you she can do is essentially done by me, but as we are currently in one body, it can as well be counted as her capabilities.That said, you can rest easy and take care of your business while she is down in the sewers or when she will go out of the city.}

“Thanks, that’s good to know. But, if I may know, um, why Nea in particular?”

{I said her talent is very similar to mine, didn’t I? That’s the first reason, and the second is that I had no choice at the time.}

“Alright. Well…” – Laura looks at me with surprise still at her face, but suddenly her eyes open wide. – “Eh, wait, why is it I can’t sense you? If you are a spirit, then…”

{…I told you I compensate my lack of strength with my abilities? I am hiding myself not to reveal myself to anyone and not scare the shit of everyone, including Nea, because that’s what happens when I show myself to someone with weak spirit, which is basically everyone for me. If you are interested in seeing me, then sorry, but I’ll refrain at least for now, but I can tell you what hides me is an isolating spell I put inside Nea’s spirit.}

“Hm? I’m sorry, but why it doesn’t make sense to me? You just said you lack strength, so why do follow saying that your spirit is so scary?”

{Hehehe…} – Natria giggles. – {I guess I said it kinda confusing way. You do know there are types of spirits, right?}

“Hmm? I do. There are lesser spirits and greater spirits, but what does it have to do with anything?”

{What you said is correct, but that’s not what I mean. I was asking about types of greater spirits. You see, and you also listen, Nea, with increasing strength of one’s spirit, there happen certain changes within it. Along with these changes, they are called differently. Please remember, however, it has nothing to do with the power held within one’s Origin, but is completely separate category regarding strength of mind. Now, what most know as normal greater spirits are more correctly lower greater spirits or just lower spirits, and great majority of humans have spirits at this level. And what I am is called supreme greater spirit, which is incomparably stronger and if sensed by you, will cause instinctive fear and oppression. Got it?}

Laura looked blankly in space.

“Can you… like, prove it? What you said sounds quite… surreal.” – She finally says. – “I don’t mean to say I don’t trust you, because merely the fact I can’t even sense your spell is enough to tell me your words have high credibility, but it’s just…”

{Hm, I can release my aura from the isolation. Should I do that?}

"Well, if you are okay with that..."

{Brace yourself then~! Nea, try to sense my spirit, okay~?}

Before I even have chance to react, I feel very similar feeling as when my Origin awakened.

This dreadful, oppressive sensation that makes me shiver and sweat all over.

After what felt like a few minutes and probably was barely a few seconds, I am already drenched in sweat.

Trying my best to ignore the feeling and see Natria’s soul, I concentrate on the inside of my spirit where she should be.

I feel my mind blur seeing an indistinct, humanoid silhouette, and the next thing I know I am laying on the floor while staring on the ceiling.

{Um. Sorry, Nea, I should have stopped sooner.} – I hear an apologetic voice.

I get up, or rather try to, feeling something on my chest pinning me to the ground.

I lift my head up and it takes me a few long seconds to realize it is not just something, but unconscious Laura.

‘Huh?’

{Um, yeah. Went a little overboard here, hehe.}

‘Un, a little.’ – I agree, slightly sarcastically, with a wry smile.

I push Laura’s head slightly and turn to the side to let her rest in more comfortable position.

{Well. On the contrary, I’d like to tell you something. I am aware you know her since a long time, but for me it is better to be safe than sorry, so I checked her for a few things. Fortunately I discovered no ill intent towards us, but she is very cautious. When you told her about eating souls and absorbing their characteristics, she got afraid and was in a dilemma for a long time, but convinced herself with your past bond, I think. So be careful not to do anything drastic in front of her, at least until she gets used to what you are, alright?}

‘Well, that’s more or less what I planned. There was a good reason why I didn’t want to show up in front of her, after all.’ – I say, staring into space.

{Alright, that’s one, and second. I have no idea who put it there, but there is an implant in her spirit.}

‘What!? What implant?’ – I ask, alarmed.

{I have already misguided it, but it was a tracking spell along with a scar that would make her scared and more obedient of someone. Were you wondering why has she barely fed you eight with her earnings as a hunter? I dare bet she could easily feed more than ten of you using her money and have much spare. Do you know what I imply?}

I think for a while before realization struck me.

‘You mean… someone forces money out of her? With the help of this… scar?’

{Or even worse, but I hope not. However, no one would do something like that with no bad intention in mind. For now, I’ll ask her about it and try to find a temporary solution, but sooner or later I would like to find that someone playing with other’s minds.} – I hear a tinge of fury and devilish anticipation at the end, sending shivers down my spine, and I could bet she licked her lips just then.

{Hehehe.} – She giggles, doing a complete mood change as if hearing my thoughts, which is probably true in the end. – {By the way, it’s quite impressive how powerful your spirit is. I don’t know if you have noticed, but you lasted longer than Laura.}

‘Huh? Um, what does it mean? Also, you told us about types of greater spirits. What was that about?’

{Well, in short, the strength of spirit is your willpower, ability to resist mental type spells, your awareness and a few other things. Along the growth of spirit, there are a few thresholds that mark various significant changes or new abilities, and with each one the rank of spirit increases. After lesser spirits there are lower, medial, higher, superior and supreme spirits. The fact that you lasted longer than Laura means you have stronger spirit, though I knew that since I saw her for the first time.}

‘Okay… Um, by the way, I’m not sure because I passed out the moment I saw it, but your spirit seemed… humanoid?’

{Oh, that’s just part of being supreme spirit. The more mature person, the stronger mind they have, the more defined is spirit’s shape and colors. Medial spirits have spirit in shape representing their nature, higher spirits are… alive, I guess, they just have the spiritual equivalent of bodily functions and if one has material body, at this point spirit and body separate. Superior spirits can materialize their bodies, and supreme spirits are proper spiritual creatures that have very little differences between material and spiritual bodies apart from their shape, sustenance and natural state. That’s the short summary of each level of spirit.}

‘Eh, that’s kinda… abstract.’ – I say with conflicted feelings.

I already got kind of accustomed to Natria’s lectures due to their frequency, but her choice of words and oftentimes complete lack of explanationsoften leaves me unable to fully comprehend what she is saying. Top it off with the fact that significant part of what she tells me is completely unnecessary at the moment, and you get what I properly understand and remember from what she tells me.

{Well, it would be much easier to see on examples. Have you noticed how rat’s and slime’s spirits look?}

I recall the spirits I have seen.

‘Well, they were all round, mostly black, with faint streaks in various colors.’

{Exactly. The blackness is undeveloped spirit, the base of a creature and its pattern, let’s say, symbolizing no emotion, desire, need, habit or many other things. The colorful streaks may represent really many things, but in very simple spirits they are usually instincts, desires and preferences. Laura’s spirit is slightly pulsing, which means she has already partially developed her nature, which is specific behavior of the spirit expressing its general tendencies. Yours is very powerful, but has yet to develop its own nature due to your shifting behavior, I would say, so it has trouble assuming proper form.}

‘Oh. Is this bad?’

{I wouldn’t say it’s exactly good, but it certainly isn’t bad. You can consider it similar to an egg, where fully developing the nature is equal to hatching. If it’s hatched very early, it might not be grown properly, and similarly waiting too long might be bad, but there can be a very large difference between an early and late hatch and both will live well. Sometimes also it requires a very long time to develop complex natures, but if anything, it is just late awakening of an outstanding nature. In my whole life I have yet to see a spirit whose late creation of nature would have objectively bad result. At worst it resulted in slightly twisted, strange personalities with unique abilities, but usually nothing more than strange habit, abnormal reactions to certain things or something like that. To me, it made it even more interesting, though, because it is basically impossible to encounter someone with such characteristics normally.}

‘Okay, that’s a relief.’ – I say, sighing at what she told me.

“Aagh… what the…?” – I hear a groan from Laura, still laying on me.

“Yo, Laura. How are you feeling? Natria just organized us a short nap.” – I ask in a light, joking tone.

“Huh? Waah! Is she… Oh, damn.” – Laura jolts upwards and says, visibly shaken, then stands up and takes a deep breath. – “Natria, I believe you. From what I managed to see, you were even weaker than Nea, but you got registered by my danger sense the same way as the strongest monsters in the forest I have ever fought.”

In the meantime I get up from the ground and take care of my wet hair.

{Good. I thought it would be as such, but still underestimated my pressure. Sorry about that. Now, if you may, I would like to ask a few questions.}

“If I can, I will surely answer.”

In the meantime I squeezed my hair as dry as I could with only my hands by collecting it in one hand and wringing it with the second hand, and by the time I realized I have done it as if I had prior experience I hadalready finished.

I stared at my hands, thinking intensely what I just did without thinking while listening to Laura and Natria with one ear.

{So, first, is there any person that pressures you for money?} – Natria asks cautiously.

“Huh? W-why do you ask?” – Laura responds, completely failing to hide evident fear on her face.

{Thought so.} – Natria says in low voice dripping with anger. – {This will hurt, but please bear with it.}

Before I realize what she intends to do, the silent pressure envelopes me for the third time today for a fraction of a second and disappears just as quickly.

I look at Laura and realize she is in intense pain, twisting her face and wrapping arms around her chest while crouching down.

I have the urge to shake Natria for answers, but I trust she wouldn’t put Laura in suffering with no good reason, so I wait patiently, though not without worries.

‘Umm, Natria?’

{I’m currently patching the scar someone has put on her while preserving his aura. It is painful because I am doing it quickly and forcefully instead of increasing the speed of natural healing, but it would not regenerate her spirit fully. Aaand… It’s done.}

“Haah… what was that?” – Laura asks with sweat on her forehead and a frown.

{Is there a person that pressures you for money?}

“Um, well… there is one. How did you…” – She answered with surprise and shame, completely unlike the reaction from half a minute ago, and just then her expression turned into shock and almost disgust as tears flickered in the corners of her eyes. – “Wha-, why did I…? How…?”

{Um, Nea, could you… calm her down a bit? I didn’t expect such reaction.} – Natria quickly asked me, troubled.

I stepped forward and hugged Laura with little hesitation and patted her head lightly.

Her body shook, but she didn’t push me away and lowered her head. We stayed this way for some time until she seemed to calm down enough to have a talk.

“Don’t worry, Laura. It’s all right. Just tell me what happened, okay?” – I say in a gentle tone.

“He… tells me to give most of my money… and… I was stupidly afraid of him… I… could have, have refused and bought food for you all… it always pains me so much to see you starving, but I, I was so stupidly scared…” – Laura says in a shaky voice.

“Laura.” – I say firmly, looking into her eyes.

She looks at me with teary eyes and reddened cheeks. – “W-what?”

“Was it your fault you were scared? No. You were scared because some bastard decided to play with your spirit and left a scar that made you scared.” – I say, staring her straight into eyes. – “This has nothing to do with what you could have done. Got it?”

She flinches, looking at me, and nods her head repeatedly.

‘What’s with that reaction?’ – I ask, dumbfounded

{You looked really scary just now.}

‘Really?’

{Yes.}

Alright, leave that for later. Back to the subject at hand.

“Tell me, Laura, who is that person?”

“He is the… leader of our team. Murky Vestair. He is a spirit mage.”

{A good fucking joke, he? Spirit mage? With that scar I am almost certain he is a Spirit Burner, if not worse.} – Natria spits out venomously.

“What… scar?” – Laura asks.

{I won’t be sure until I check, but I am almost certain he used his natural spirit talent in disguise to burn a scar, making you scared and more obedient of him, into your spirit, along with setting a tracking spell. I have removed the former and misled the latter, so you don’t have to worry, but it is a given you are not the only victim.}

“Un. Let’s kill him soon, okay?” – I ask under my calm mask.