Emily raised her hand and began ticking them off on her fingers. “Curse, Spirit, and Ice.”
“That’s an interesting combo,” Isaac said. “Especially Curse, and Spirit. I remember Professor Catherine saying they are affinities, and you might awaken one of them.”
“But I awakened both!”
Seeing how much she had grown and how excited she was about it, Isaac reached into his spatial ring and pulled out two items.
“I figured since you made a huge breakthrough, I should give you something in return,” he said.
Emily tilted her head. “What are those?”
Isaac held them up for her to see. “This one’s the Phantom Core Extractor. It allows you to extract the soul from a defeated monster. But keep in mind these spirits(souls) can attack you.”
“And the other?” she asked, eyes already wide.
He tapped the token lightly. “Celestial Spirit Pact Token. Use it to form a Bond with spirits, then they won’t be able to harm you.”
Emily stared at the items, processing what he’d just said.
“These must’ve cost you too much. Is it really okay for you to give them to me?”
Isaac leaned closer and pinched her cheek. “You’re seriously asking me that after you literally made me a Lord?”
She laughed, brushing his hand away. “Fair point.”
Giving these to Emily made complete sense.
She was a summoner by Talent and her upcoming class.
Anything that expanded her capacity to bond with stronger creatures or gave her more flexibility in battle was worth investing in.
Besides, if she bonded with something truly powerful, he could just share the creature.
Still smiling, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.
The sudden motion caught him off guard, and the two of them tumbled backward onto the bed. She landed atop him. Their eyes met. Her smile softened.
“Thank you,” she said quietly.
He reached up, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Anytime.”
Then she kissed him.
What started soft deepened quickly, hunger and affection rising all at once.
There was no hesitation in their movements.
When it was over, they lay in silence for a few moments, the light from the bright sky of the Soulbind Pendant’s subspace softly glowing above them.
Then, after they changed, they both used the pendant’s recall function. A pulse of light wrapped around them, and the room within the Soulbind faded away.
Moments later, they were back in their house.
Isaac adjusted his shirt as they moved down the stairs.
The scent of food wafted through the air, rich and warm. It was coming from the kitchen, where Alice was moving around in an apron, finishing up what looked like quite a spread.
As soon as Alice saw them, she turned nodded. “Congratulations, Emily.”
Emily beamed. “Thanks! Wait… all this food…”
“It’s for your celebration,” Alice said. “You hit a milestone, so I figured it was worth making something good.”
“That’s amazing. Thank you!” Emily said, floating forward in a rush of excitement. “You have to hear about what happened.”
She excitedly told Alice about her Physique, affinities, and increased stats.
Alice glanced over her shoulder as she stirred a pot. “Spirit affinity? I think that should be quite valuable for you since most of your combats abilities need a lot of mana.”
“Yes! I haven’t tested it yet, but I can already tell I’ll be a lot stronger in fights.”
Isaac moved into the living room and settled onto the couch, letting them chat while he waited.
The smell of roasted herbs and freshly baked bread was getting stronger, and his stomach reminded him he hadn’t eaten since the morning before.
Soon enough, Alice brought over a few large plates, setting them down on the table.
She returned to the kitchen for the last few dishes, then came and joined them.
Emily sat beside Isaac, still practically bouncing. “This smells incredible.”
“It tastes even better,” Isaac said after taking a bite. “Alice, you’re getting too good at this.”
Emily nodded vigorously after her first bite. “This is amazing! Seriously, where did you even learn to cook like this?”
“Just practice.” Alice said modestly.
They ate for a while, letting the warmth and flavor of the meal fill the room.
Then, while they were finishing the last few bites, Isaac glanced up.
“Emily unlocked a new System function,” he said. “She can now receive and complete System-issued quests.”
Alice paused, setting her spoon down. “Quests? Like the ones uncle talked about?”
“Yes, those. Since she is now a high rank-species, and she has a SSS rank combat Talent, she gets access to the formal quest system.”
Alice nodded thoughtfully. “Makes sense. That should give her a big edge in progression.”
Isaac told her about the Lord and subject.
Before he finished his explanation, Alice spoke up. “You will be my Lord too.”
That phrasing had caught him off guard. Was it just him, or did that sound… suggestive?
No, he decided after a moment. It was just his brain being corrupted by too many conversations with Catherine.
She had a way of twisting even the most innocent phrases into something else entirely.
Isaac cleared his throat. “If you’re sure, I’d be honored.”
As he spoke, a soft chime rang in his head, and a transparent System panel appeared in front of him.
[Request: Add Subject – Name: Alice Calloway]
[Subject Slots Available: 2]
[Confirm Y/N?]
He confirmed.
A second panel popped up before Alice. Her eyes scanned the contents, and she pressed her confirmation after a brief moment.
The System’s energy pulsed faintly in the air around them. A second later, a quiet tone sounded.
[Subject Added Successfully.]
[Subjects (2/3)]
“It’s done,” Isaac said, closing the window.
“Finally, Alice is also a part of Isaac’s territory!” Emily spoke up.
Both of them turned to her. Her phrasing had been… odd. Isaac squinted slightly, but she just smiled innocently, almost too innocently.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Emily said, floating over and plopping onto the armrest beside Alice.
Alice raised a brow but didn’t comment. Instead, she simply shook her head and patted Emily on the head, making her smile.
With things settled, Isaac headed into the kitchen and began washing the dishes.
The clatter of plates under running water filled the air for a few minutes until a familiar voice cut through.
“I’m back, brats! Did you miss me?”
Professor Catherine stepped into the house in her combat gear that clung to her figure. Her coat hung over one shoulder, boots dusted, and her messy bun was barely holding on.
“I did!” Emily shouted gleefully and zipped over, wrapping her arms around the woman’s waist.
Professor Catherine blinked, surprised by her more than normal enthusiasm.
Her sharp eyes were already analyzing Emily.
She noticed the subtle changes immediately.
Emily’s posture was more balanced. Her mana flow had gained a new smoothness. Even her floating took less effort now, and it was much easier on her.
Professor Catherine narrowed her eyes slightly. “Your bloodline ranked up to High-Rank, and you awakened your Physique?”
“Yes!” Emily said, brimming with pride.
Isaac stayed silent in the kitchen, pretending to focus on the dishes. But he was listening closely.
He had gone over the details with Emily earlier, telling her what she could and couldn’t say.
Still, he didn’t expect everything to go according to plan. Professor Catherine was too sharp for that.
To his surprise, she didn’t dig deeper. She simply reached out and patted Emily on the head.
“Good job,” she said.
Emily giggled like a child praised by their teacher.
Professor Catherine glanced toward the kitchen, locking eyes with Isaac for a brief second.
There was a hint of amusement in her gaze. She walked over to the counter and began helping herself to the food Alice had prepared.
There were extra portions, enough in case she or Leora came back late.
Isaac dried his hands and asked, “Where’s Leora?”
“She had something to take care of. She’ll be gone for a few weeks, “Professor Catherine replied, scooping food onto her plate.
Isaac nodded slowly. “I see.”
She sat at the dining table, and while chewing her first bite, she turned toward him. “So, what did you decide about the Lord privilege? Is Emily a Lord now?”
Isaac finished wiping down the counter.
“No. She made me her Lord,” he replied, glancing at her. “She became my first subject. Alice became the second one just now.”
Professor Catherine paused, her golden eyes watching him intently. She didn’t respond immediately, as if turning the thought over in her head.
Then, surprisingly, she gave a small nod.
Her gaze turned thoughtful, the usual mischief fading for a second.
Seeing that rare serious look, Isaac found himself staring.
Her brown hair, her mature charm, and those golden eyes that always seemed to hide secrets made her dangerously captivating.
Isaac felt throat go dry.
He blinked when he realized what he was thinking about and looked away quickly.
’These dragon instincts are seriously becoming a problem.’
He wondered if Professor Catherine had caught him, and sure enough, she smirked and leaned slightly toward him.
“Looked enough?” she asked in a teasing voice.
He said nothing.
She pushed further, her tone dipping into something a little more suggestive. “If you want, I can show you even more.”
Isaac coughed and reached for the water jug. “I’m good.”
Professor Catherine laughed at his reaction.
Then she leaned back and grew serious again. “About the Lord privilege, don’t go around telling people yet, not until we prepare the ground. If news spreads that someone can revive the Quest system… we’re looking at a political disaster.”
Isaac frowned. “Is it really that bad?”
“Absolutely,” she said flatly. “But… given the current situation, this might be the perfect time.”
He tilted his head slightly. “What do you mean?”