Ruel leaned forward, desperate to know more. But the spirit shook her head gently.
"I wasn't given everything," she said. "I only have the fragments important at the start of the family's Savior. The rest… we'll need to find it together."
Ruel clenched his fists. Even with the truth, so much still lay hidden in shadow.
The air around Ruel felt palpable as his anger sent slight shivers through the spirit.
"Was my father's sickness also caused by them?"
"I believe so," she replied. "You need not worry, though. With the money you've inherited, it's only a matter of time before you can buy medicine in Enma."
'I can heal… father?' He was so shocked he muttered it out. "I can… do that?"
Ruel found all this too overwhelming and pulled out a chair, sitting to ponder quietly.
The spirit watched him without saying anything, curious to see how things would go.
"Is it because we're hard to kill that they didn't completely eliminate us?" he asked after a while.
"That is possible, but that's most likely a secondary reason," she said. "If I were to guess, it's because they are still looking for the family's inheritance and they might still need you."
Looking through the window, towards the dark, slum-like streets, she sighed.
"You were driven to a location that's dangerous, where you'll have other things to worry about while they are busy with their own work."
Ruel grew even angrier, veins bulging on his forehead.
"I will tear these people apart! All this suffering just for their selfish ambitions?! Our estate, our knights and people were almost completely ruined just because of greed and fear?!"
He fumed with anger causing the spirit to fall to the floor and walk towards him.
She stretched her translucent arm to his head and rubbed it gently, doing her job as his guardian.
"Ruel, right now, you are no different from them; you let your emotions overwhelm you."
She let her words sink in before she added:
"Now that you've been given an opportunity, do you really want to use it to lead people to their deaths?"
The world rang in Ruel's head as he remembered his father's teachings.
Even after their fall, the man was never driven to take revenge. Instead, he chose to build a safer place for his family.
The Spirit smiled.
"There are more criteria than just awakening high-tier strength to be the family's Savior. What is your goal?"
"My goal?" he muttered. "My goal is like my father's. To return to our glory days… and I also want to help the people of this town…"
"Now, this is a better goal - a path of why you were chosen."
As the spirit said, Ruel didn't hold back his reply.
"However, if my family is on its path to glory, we will once again be attacked. I swear I shall have no mercy for my enemies."
"...That is good, too."
Silence enveloped the room for a while, leaving Ruel to calm down.
"Where do we start?" he asked after taking a deep breath. "I want to upgrade my Talent as soon as I can."
If he was to change anything—his future, his family's fate—it had to begin now.
"I'd like to mention something first," The spirit, who had been looking around the room, said, "The ritual to upgrade your… Talent can be dangerous and painful. How far you upgrade it also depends on your will."
"Please, explain," he said, prompting the spirit to begin her explanation.
After she finished, he told her he was going to go through with it regardless, despite there being other ways for him to obtain power once he entered Enma.
Talents were still the fastest yet easiest way to acquire strength.
"Let's start with going through your status. Call it out yourself, say status."
"Status," Ruel said.
- - -
Name: Ruel Varelli
Citizen Tier: 3 [0/4000 Points]
Talent: Cold Touch [D]
Core Stage: 3 Rings
En Coins: 50,000,000
Haven: Emberhold
Quests: 0/5
Inventory: 0/16
• Shop •
- - -
"This En Coins is money right?" Ruel asked, shock evident in his tone.
"Yes."
"What's the value?"
"25 En can buy basic clothing for a commoner."
Ruel was left speechless. He couldn't believe this.
"Am I... insanely rich?"
He rubbed his face in disbelief.
"There's still more to come," The spirit said with a slight smile.
He refrained from asking the spirit a question since she had already said he'll know more when he entered Enma.
"It even records my ring count…" he muttered.
As Ruel read the information, he looked at the Spirit hovering around him, wondering how much he should trust her.
There were actually two main reasons why he did:
The logical reason was the connection he felt with her—once she said she was linked to him, he used his knowledge to confirm it.
The illogical reason was that he believed she was truly his family.
The spirit had said she was a being created from his ancestor's soul to support his ventures. Her green eyes—something his father had told him was a core family trait—she had them.
"What's your name?" he asked.
The Spirit shrugged. "I'm like a newborn, I lack a name."
"Calling you spirit is weird, so I'd like to name you. Is that okay?"
"I have no problem with that."
Silence enveloped the room as Ruel took a moment to consider.
'She doesn't look older than me based on her looks… She could even be mistaken as my sister if someone sees her.'
This reminded Ruel of the names they had for the unborn child his mother eventually miscarried after the stress of falling to grass.
Still, he avoided using the exact names, opting for one with a similar feel.
"Muriel," he said, "That's your name."
Ruel looked at the visibly satisfied Muriel, also smiling.
At times like this, he recalled discussions he had with his father, which made him understand why he truly looked up to the man.
He had once childishly asked his father why they prioritized those names for the unborn child.
His father had said that it was the first proof of existence a person had–a proof that makes one known.
'It seems she's not the emotionless type of Spirit.'
"I need to go to Enma and obtain the items for the Ritual," Ruel said as he stood.
Muriel glanced through the window, still looking at the environment.
"If you want to do it now, you need to first find a safe and unattractive place to do the Ritual in this world. It'll be harder for you to do it in Enma now."
"The town's state is only getting worse—no one knows when things will spiral out of control. If I can obtain power now; I'll do so. Plus, I know of a safe place."
Muriel looked at him with an emotionless eye, then said, "Whenever you're ready."
Ruel nodded.
He went to the corner of his room, put on his hunter boots, fixed the daggers to his belt, wore a black hood, and covered his face.
As someone who was interested in making the town better, he had joined a squad fitting for his strength—the Scout Team.
Ruel looked to his bathroom, deciding to use its window as his exit.
Muriel merely hovered around him as he moved.
Before Ruel went, he sighed and walked to his table.
He opened a book and boldly wrote: "I will be back. I promise."
Muriel hovered down to the book and looked between the text and his face.
"This should make them less worried. I don't know how long I'll be gone."
After Muriel nodded in understanding, Ruel went to the toilet and saw the small shaped window.
Using his dagger, he removed a glass and with great difficulty, crossed the window and fell into the dark alley.
The streets of Greyland were dark, with some corners lit by a few street lamps or the glow from nearby apartments.
Because monster movements were also more in the neighbouring region, people refrained from going around at night.
Under the pale blue sky, Ruel navigated the town with skill.
As a skilled scout of the town, leaving wasn't hard—he knew its ins and outs.
Soon, he crossed the town, scaled a specific part of the wall the moment there was less supervision there and dropped to a grassy field.
He bent low, using the knee-length grass to conceal himself.
He looked to the extreme end of the grassfield, where the beginning of the forest was marked.
"It gives me an odd feeling," Muriel stated telepathically.
'I wondered if she had something like this… It's a basic trait of bonds like this.' Ruel thought.
"Maybe because it's a dangerous region," He replied with a dark chuckle.
She turned to him with curiosity. "Why is it dangerous?"
"Because of the monsters that live within it."
"Hmm… what gives me an odd feeling is more than monster presence."
Ruel tilted his head as he considered her words.
"I heard that it's easy to get lost when you enter deeper."
Muriel faced the forest again. "I think it is that."
Naturally expecting a say of caution, Ruel said to her in his mind.
"Don't worry. I've done this a couple of times. The only difference this time is… I'm staying inside for a while."
He heaved a long exhale. "Let's go."
"Hold on," Muriel stated, "I want to do something."