章 16: The Shape Of Soul
"From which place you came from, Apprentice of Auriluna?" said the man who had just demolished the weakened Natural Calamity with ease.
Apparently, his name was Zerath Carhul, he seemed to be a person that Yroa didn't want to mess with at this moment.
"Who's Auriluna?" Yroa whispered to Azel, while still maintaining a firm gaze on the veteran-looking person.
"She is the name of the Goddess of Value, Master," Azel whispered back.
It must be because he was wearing the apprentice clothing, he thought.
Either that, or it was because he had just instinctively cast a Basic Appraisal on that old man.
"Ah, my apologies, sir, but things happens on my end and I have no recollection whatsoever about many things in this world," Yroa said confidently, uttering not a single lie while also implying that he indeed don't know who the hell is Auriluna and her apprentice deal, regardless of the reason of his lack of memory.
"I see, that must be tough on your end." Zerath sighed, surprisingly, in relief? "But considering that you still have the blessing, your faith must be running deep. A word of advice from me, young man." He turned around. "Do not cast that blessed magic on anyone without their permission, especially in public or populated society."
"Ah, I assume that there are rules for this."
"Yeah, you would actually get in jail or have the Church of Value itself chasing after you, Master."
"Then why didn't you tell me?" Yroa said, playfully pinching Azel's cheek with a hint of anger.
"Bweeh! You didn't ask me!"
'Peculiar, a person of the church with a demonic familiar,' Zerath thought, albeit not glancing any more curiosity as he slowly walked away, and probably expecting the other side to do the same.
Watching this man's lack of interest was deemed to be one of the best outcomes out of many possibilities of pushing away the responsibility of killing the Natural Calamity.
Paranoid, as they would call, Yroa was ready to fight or skedaddle away if the person he sought help for happened to be the unkind one.
On the other hand, Yroa was curious of that dagger and fighting style, considering that there was no waste of ohr and energy on every movement, countering and using the enemy's generated power to overwhelm them without conquering their influence of ohr.
"... Wait, did I hear it just right?
But out of all sources of interest that he allocated, there was something that was etched on him after he remembered a certain word that was mentioned by Zerath.
As such, Yroa immediately dashed to Zerath's front, while also replicating the old man's way of ohr usage to stay afloat the river's surface like he was stepping on land.
"H-how you guessed that I'm a man…?" Yroa uttered funnily, flustered that his prideful guise was unveiled so easily.
Yroa's bulge of slinking magnum was covered by the looseness and thickness of his apprentice pants fabric, there should be no way to know his gender right away.
Was it because of aged wisdom or just a pure instinct? Either way, Yroa wanted to know, since not even the hellborns in Hell and Azel got it right on the first impression.
'Out of all the things that should concern you, being rightfully called out is the priority??' Zerath uttered in his head, before heaving a sigh and praying that he won't deal with anything more annoying than this. "Let's just say that, I have a special set of ability to perceive it."
Yroa, interested in this ability, proceeded to innocently ask another question, "How does this ability work then?"
'He is keen on finding it out!' screamed inside Azel and Zerath simultaneously.
Fortunately, Yroa won the charisma check, leading Zerath to consider talking about it even though both of them were a total stranger to one another.
Looking at the surrounding, Zerath deemed that it was the right time to take a short rest after a long walk anyway, so Yroa's burst of curiosity just happen to be on the right time.
Otherwise, Zerath won't even think twice to ignore this shenanigan.
"If you want to find out, this is not the proper place for such speech," Zerath said, urging for a change of location.
"Ah right." Without any hesitation, Yroa swung his dagger-attached handgun to his side. A strange black-colored bodily liquid spurted from the invisible entity, before revealing its hideousness. "This place is full black omen and unrelenting spirit. I assume that you're on a personal journey yourself, so why not tread to the west and see what place we find?"
The weakened static of electricity and venom did the bare minimum harm to the ghostly victim, but the slash was strong enough that it should writhe until its moment of death.
The formerly invisible entity's form was supposed to be that of a floating horseshoe crab with long appendages. Now, it looked like a fried lobster that was split open, and probably could use some heat and seasoning if one finds it appetizing enough.
'For this person to detect a Drying Wraith while still being within the Physical Domain,' Zerath thought to himself. 'Did I stumble upon a prodigy? Or is he one of those blessed reincarnator that I so-heard about? No, he could be a part of a hidden noble lineage with his appearance and that Demon Devourer as a familiar.'
Zerath knew that there was a Drying Wraith lurking around him, but he cared not to deal with them since they weren't much of a hostile demi-spirit unless severely provoked.
Not to mention, dealing with them was also troublesome since they were invisible most of the time, and they would shriek and call upon a wraith reinforcement if not dealt quickly.
And while it all transpired, Azel couldn't help but to contribute some EXP points to his Master with everything that had been happening so far, 'Huwaaa… Master is always scary when he latches his curiosity onto something.'
Finally going in their merry bout, the group exited the wraith-filled mystical groove and found themselves in a much more peaceful and pristine part of the forest.
This place was outside of the territory of the Soil of Beginning where the Reversed Lake Mountain resided, but there wasn't much change in its biome so it was still somewhat extremely familiar to Yroa who always forage far and about.
"This is…"
Within the sunny weather that was not far away from the morning, Zerath watched as the adorably scary Yroa zoomed all over the place, which slowly transformed this resting place into some sort of a nature resort with a makeshift barbecue counter and water reservoir made from digging the land then connecting it to the nearby pristine river through a traditional filtration system.
And with him knowing how to perform a wind elemental spell, he zoomed faster and accurately as ever.
At the same time, a tantalizing combination of briny ocean freshness and rich, buttery saltiness, with subtle hints of savory umami could be whiffed in the air. And if one would think that a maritime fish was being cooked at the spot, they would be flabbergasted because it was the Drying Wraith that was being grilled on the counter.
And it wasn't the same Drying Wraith that he took down before. No, Yroa basically came back and brought one of them while it's still squirming and energetic, quickly removing its vocal organ with bare hand before it could shriek, and then prepared it while it was still alive.
"... That individual is your Master, correct?" Zerath asked Azel who sat on the same makeshift wooden platform beside him.
"Yeah," Azel wryly replied, donning the same awed yet intimidated expression as Zerath. "I'm still trying to process it all, but yes, he happens to be my contractor if that's what you're asking."
Looking at how Yroa was doing all the work while Azel watches as things happen, Zerath immediately assumed that Azel got the best end of the contracted deal. "Seems like you hit yourself an amazing contractor, I would say."
"Yeah," Azel wryly replied once again. "I still don't know how to feel about it, though."
As Yroa finished his raw carpenter work, he installed the large table onto the ground. It also didn't take long until all of the dishes were finished and displayed on the outdoor dining table.
"Alright~ the lunch is ready~!"
Utilizing his talented Ohrmancy control to the brim, Yroa made a fountain contraption filled with Systematic Spell and cold drink made from all kinds of fruity juice concoction. There were also salads made with the usual local edible plants and the likes, alongside the crunchy nutty sauce made from seeds and lucky spice foraging.
Within the same line, there was a large portion of folded omelet made from stolen eggs that he probably found nearby. And then for the main course, a Drying Wraith that was flash-brined using spell and all sorts of local herbs and fruits, grilled by the charcoal until it was toasty and red, and then presented whole on the table like some sort of an exotic lobster fresh after harvest.
Both Azel and Zerath still donned the same flabbergasted expression, but this time, that expression was cranked to the notch.
"I… I don't know what to say," Zerath uttered.
"Think of it as my gesture of hospitality for putting up with my shenanigans." Wearing his usual wide smile, Yroa took one of the crafted wooden plates and served himself bits of every piece on the table. He then took the first bite to show that there was nothing to worry about.
Both Azel and Zerath proceeded to also fill their plate.
'I want to ask whether this is poisoned or not, but I don't want to sound so doubtful and portray my Master as an untrustworthy person.' While conflicted, Azel unhesitantly chowed down the food. 'It is so good! But I also probably need to bear the nausea and stinging pain later, and I'm also still trying to suppress the poison from this morning!'
As for Zerath, he didn't really mind eating any poison or harmful substances since his body had gone through worse. So, while not deliberately showing it on his expression, he was actually enjoying the rare experience of fine dining in the middle of nowhere with the calm nature breeze and sunshine happening around.
"How's the food compared to your palate, sir?" Yroa asked.
"It makes me forget that I'm in a forest, and not at a restaurant," Zerath answered, still donning the emotionless facade despite the upbeat tone in his voice.
"In case of introduction, you're free to refer to me as Yroa. As for my friends over there, you can call her Azel."
"Zerath," the cloaked old man said. "If your common sense is worse than I assumed, Yroa, you can go to a place of high civilization and fare your skill for prestige and treasures." Using the crafted eating utensil available, he skillfully separates the wraith's shell from the meat. "You might also attain a title that makes you on par with Kings and Demon Lords alike."
"I see, I'll make sure to try that if you recommend it so much."
"Though if that's the case, be sure to either wring the harmful substance out of the ingredients, or learn how to cast a Dispel Spell from the church, at the least."
'He knows that it's poisoned,' was what appeared inside Yroa and Azel's minds after Zerath said that.
"So, about my earliest question," Yroa nonchalantly said as they feasted.
"The act of mortal reproduction carries an existence that affects the structure of the soul," Zerath replied.
"You mean genitalia?" Yroa pointed out, all while everyone was still eating.
"The blunt way of saying it."
"I see, so you possess the means to rightfully see through the soul, and it just so happens that there is a great difference between a male and a female soul, yes?"
"Any beings of similar biology construct should also be affected by this phenomenon." After taking a mouthful bite of the wraith's juicy meat, Zerath chugged the cold drink to wash it down. "The soul shapes the physicality of the body, and the opposite is also true to an extent, but it's rarely the case since the soul is persistence in its shape, and thus rarely obeys the form of the living vessel.."
"Interesting." Yroa smirked. "So the shape of your soul should be the default form of your body too. Hypothetically, does this mean that you can also differentiate a pure animal and a man who turned into one?"
"Of course. The soul is firm and rarely malleable by the change in physique. If you possess the same ability, Yroa, you will see that instead of the soul adapting by changing its whole planarity, it will just create a new set structure in its act of adaptation, leaving the human-like shape untouched."
"Are you some kind of a scientist in this field, Zerath?" Azel asked, showing some bits of interest to the topic.
"Perhaps," Zerath said. "Now I'm but a vagabond with barely a crumbling goal."
There was no sadness or anger in that sentence, as if he had already accepted his state of being.
"Speaking of the shape of the soul." Yroa grinned. "Does this also extend to a demon too?"
"Eh?" Azel reacted, feeling like he was about to be called out.
"Unless that demon reached the realm above the Physical Domain, then it's safe to assume that their spiritual mechanism works the same as any living being in the soul department."
"Oh, cool." And as expected, Yroa then proceeds to gesture his hand towards Azel. "Then how about my familiar? Upon our establishment of vow using a contract, this demon went from having a tower to having a cave."
"Hmm." Zerath pondered, churning his head for thought as he pampered his palate with a second serving from the large table. "An interesting phenomenon." He then chugged another fresh drink from his large wooden mug before continuing speaking. "But are you sure that Miss Azel is formerly male and not a female-turned-male individual in the past?"
"Eh???" Azel reacted to the implication.
"So, what you're saying is that her shape of soul looks like that of a female by birth," Yroa said as he eyed Azel, smirking and looking like he had found a new topic of experiment. "Care to give your confirmation about this, Azel?"
"I-I… this makes no sense!" Azel broke down once again. It happened a lot of time in the span of him being conscious that it might as well be the norm. "I lived my whole lifetime until today as a healthy male Dream Devourer, I have no recollection of being a girl at all!"
"How many times have you met with your parents, Miss Azel?" Zerath questioned, providing more insight on Yroa as her Master who would probably ask about it sooner or later. "I heard that a Dream Devourer was born between the mutual act of a Demon of Debauchery and the dream of mortal, and if you came from a demonic tribe, most often than not, there should be a custom where a newborn will be assigned to a demonic caretaker until they are mature to pursue their instinctual activity."
"You surprisingly know a lot about demons, Zerath," Yroa cheekily pointed out. "Also, I assume that by Demon of Debauchery, you're referring to a category where demons like Succubus, Incubus, and the likes are in."
"Correct, and Dream Devourer is also within that category," Zerath replied.
"Heh. it's obvious since the first thing that this Dream Devourer thought when meeting me is to sneak and ravage me in my own dream." Yroa shrugged.
"W-why are you bringing that out, Master!" Azel exclaimed while flustered.
"Nyehe~"
"Well, it's as you said Sir Zerath," Azel sheepishly answered, still in the state of shock that there was a hidden side of her that she was unaware of throughout her former life. "My tribe allocated me to a caretaker for twenty years until I'm fully independent as a Demon of Debauchery, and throughout all that time, I barely knew or saw the faces of my original parents…"
As Azel said her parts, Yroa felt a slight connection of empathy with how his life originally turned out back on Earth, with the only difference that he lived enough years to bond with his original parents before being adopted by a self-sustaining middle-class family.
"The conversation about soul and biological role aside," Yroa intruded, since further digging into the topic would only lead to more dead ends and confusion. "I just want you to know that you're my familiar, Azel~
"And a familiar of mine will not be wrongly mistreated and abused by none other than me!" Yroa proclaimed with a puffed chest.
"How's that supposed to make me feel better!?" Azel whimpered.
"You're both my possession and rightful servant, meaning that if anyone looks at you funny and shows a malicious raging boner, I will not think twice to castrate them and turn them into cattle for you!"
"Again, how's that even supposed to make me feel better!!"
The jolly feast went on to the changing phase of the afternoon.
Zerath wasn't really in a big hurry, so he didn't mind a couple of companions to linger contemporarily.
And since the improvised nature resort was already comfy and good enough of a foundation, the three of them decided to camp until tomorrow morning until further decision, since Yroa and Azel still don't know where to go after the sudden event of Natural Calamity happening within the Soil of Beginning.
Besides, there would be dinner down the line and with Yroa being around, it won't be the same lame meal time with raw berries and plain unseasoned meat on the campfire.
If that wasn't mutually beneficial enough. Zerath just happens to possess a lot of knowledge about the world. Together with Azel, Yroa learned a lot about the needed common sense, and to an extent, how Ohrmancy works and also how the type of magic that he had been doing lately was called Systematic Spell, and the likes.
And with good food and healthy conversation amongst wise and intelligent people with similar mindset, a sense of camaraderie was carved that very day.
Then, the dawn arrived and the world was once again blanketed by the night.
"... Crap," Azel uncomfortably muttered as she felt something wrong with her body. "It's been a while since I took any essence of lifeforce…"
Her contract obliged her to not invade her Master dream. Even then, Yroa was barely seen asleep. And when asked, he answered that he only needed five minutes of naptime to invigorate his mind and body, which was absurd for someone who was still within the Physical Domain.
Zerath was a no go either. In fact, even if the old man himself allowed it, the drastic difference in Lvl would just automatically slap Azel out of dream before she could do any significant endeavor.
"... Urgh, I have no choice but to do that, am I??" Azel questioned with an unstable manic smile. "Feeding myself to stay on tip toe shape is part of actualizing my loyalty, so it shouldn't be a problem at all if I do it, right??"
Although a Dream Devourer was named after their method of harvesting life essence, they were still in the same lineage as the true Demon of Debauchery.
Not to mention, Yroa also possessed something that any demon of lust would terribly seek after.
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