When I awoke within my subconscious, I realized I was still holding Veldora's hand.
"Can I let go now?"
"Of course."
I released her hand and looked around.
"So... what now?"
"Summon your mana spirit."
"Alright, but be warned—she's not exactly the obedient type."
"Just summon her."
I called out to my mana spirit. She seemed happy to see me at first, but the moment she noticed Veldora standing beside me, fear flashed across her face.
"A-Andre… Who in the world did you bring here!?"
She screamed and tried to flee, but she couldn't leave without my permission.
"Don't be afraid. This is Veldora, my mentor."
"I know her name! Why would you bring her here!? I thought friendship was the strongest bond!?"
"What do you mean by that? And how do you even know about Veldora? She's not even that powerful."
Veldora chuckled.
"Not that powerful? I was just holding back. Looks like your mana spirit knows the truth. My title is—"
"Spirit Tamer!" my mana spirit shouted, cutting her off in panic. "She's a lunatic who dedicated her life to taming spirits! She can't fight in wars because she's a citizen of the Ulsar Empire—but she might actually be able to defeat your brother!"
My eyes widened.
"She... might defeat my brother? That's impossible. My brother is the strongest swordsman after our father. There's no way anyone outside the imperial bloodline could surpass him."
Veldora frowned.
"Watch your mouth, boy. My ancestors were Bound Souls, don't forget that. I may not hold a noble title, but I could wipe out every last one of them if I chose to."
"After this conversation... yeah, I believe you. But I still don't understand how you could defeat my brother. Is your bond with your battle spirits stronger than his?"
"You've hit the mark. Absolute loyalty, Andre. That is the key. Your friendly relationship with your mana spirit weakens your control. Your sword spirit is nearly perfect because you're a Verblade—but the same can't be said for your mana spirit."
"So... you brought me here to change our bond from friendship to a master-servant relationship."
"Exactly. I can't help you grow stronger any other way. The choice is yours."
"I can't accept that. I promised we'd stay friends."
"Promises are made to be broken, boy. Now grab your mana spirit."
"What kind of nonsense is this!? I know the bond of friendship is the strongest!"
"Is that so? Then let's duel. My mana spirit is loyal to me. Yours treats you like a best friend. Let's see which of us has better control. If I win, you'll bind your spirit through loyalty. If you win, I'll treat mine like a friend."
"Fine! But how are we going to duel here?"
"Don't be so quick to despair, kid. I've brought mana control orbs. Catch."
She tossed one toward me.
"Mana control orb? What's that?"
"You seriously don't know? This is exactly why I hate theoretical training. They only teach what they think you need."
"Are you going to answer or not?"
"This orb tests your control over mana. Just guide your mana through the path drawn inside the orb. If you fail to stay on the path, your control level will be determined accordingly."
"Let's give it a try."
As soon as I held the orb, my mana began to ripple wildly.
"You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?" Veldora said with a smirk.
"It's not that bad. I'll keep going."
Controlling my mana was extremely difficult. It was like trying to force a wild arrow to follow a fixed path—one that changed every second. I managed to stay on track for only three minutes.
Veldora burst into laughter.
"Three minutes!? Seriously!?" She laughed even harder. "Three minutes, he says!"
Her taunting started to get under my skin.
"You know how hard it is! Why don't you try?"
"Careful who you challenge, kid. My strength would leave you speechless."
Smirking, I said, "Are you scared?"
Taking me seriously, Veldora grabbed the orb and sat down. She closed her eyes and focused her mana. I could feel it swirling like a storm. Time meant nothing here, but I could sense it clearly—739 hours passed before she opened her eyes. Almost an entire month.
She looked drained but satisfied.
"Impressed, aren't you, kid?"
"This... this shouldn't even be possible."
"Your father, Lord Cauron, can do it for far longer. His sword and mana spirits were like gifts from a god."
"Still, there are rumors... some say my father is a demigod. So this kind of endurance makes sense for him. But you? A full month? 'Impressive' doesn't even begin to describe it."
"If you ever look down on me for being a 'commoner' again, I'll put a bounty on your head with the assassin guild."
"Wait—people actually hire assassins to kill others?"
"Yes, and it's ridiculous. Why pay someone else when you can just do it yourself?"
"We clearly see the world very differently, Master," I said with a laugh.
I expected Veldora to laugh too, but she didn't.
"Fine. I lost. But I still want to be friends with my mana spirit. I don't want to hurt her."
"That's where you're wrong, Andre. If your spirit isn't bound to you by loyalty, it can't give you its full strength. That, that is what truly hurts them. Spirits don't have emotions—they only mimic them to avoid making the pledge of loyalty."
"The loyalty pledge...? What's that?"
"Who taught you theory again?"
"The butler."
"Well, you won't be seeing him again anytime soon," she said, smiling bitterly.
"Seriously though, what is this loyalty pledge?"
"It's a sacred vow made by a spirit to its master. They promise to act without question, to obey without hesitation, and to remain loyal at their core. It's the beginning of the highest-level bond possible. There's no way to know if you've reached that peak—you'll just notice your control improves."
"So I have no choice… I really thought they had feelings. I guess I was wrong."
"Unfortunately, yes."
"How do I do it?"
"Normally, you need at least two loyal spirits. But so far, you've only bonded with two spirits—and only one of them is loyal. That's where I come in. Or rather, that's where we, Spirit Tamers, step in. You won't find many as good as me. Perhaps only Orion Van Ster Estrella could surpass me."
"Orion Van Ster Estrella? The eldest son of the Ster Estrella family? Commander of their forces?"
"Yes. If you ever get the chance to train under him, never refuse. His magic training is on par with Lord Cadeon's sword instruction."
"My brother said the same thing."
"Of course he did. He knows Orion's strength well."
"They always face off in battle... Anyway, what do I need to do now?"
"Visualize your mana spirit in human form. Shape her into a human silhouette. Once that's done, I'll intervene and wound you both just enough to draw blood. Don't worry—the injury will exist only here, in your subconscious. It won't hurt much."
"I don't know if I can trust you... but I guess I don't have a choice, do I?"
"Nope," she said with a mischievous grin.
I tried turning my mana spirit from a floating orb into a human. At first it was easy, but as I got to details like eyes, ears, and a mouth, it became more difficult. She tried to speak, but I didn't allow her. Finally, I succeeded.
I had given my mana spirit a human form…