Lan entered the room with light steps. The breathtaking beauty of the room made her sigh in relief. The golden pagoda in the cupboard caught her attention as she surveyed the entire room.
"What's that?" She muttered and slowly walked toward the open cupboard, while Mr. Crow tilted his head in confusion.
"What?"
By now, she had closed the distance between herself and the cupboard and was reaching toward the pagoda.
"This... It's so beautiful...."
The moment Lana held the golden pagoda, a speck flew in the air, and a bright light enveloped Lana.
The brilliance of the light was blinding to Lana, and she subconsciously wanted to close her eyes. However, before she could act on her instincts, the pagoda vanished from her hand.
"What the..." Lana blinked, her eyes staring at her hand, where the lingering warmth remained.
"You... what was that?" Mr. Crow's tightly clamped claws around Lana's shoulder made her realize how scared he was.
Even with a cloth between her skin and his claw, she could still feel how cold it was.
"Haha! Mr. Crow, you are such a scared cat!" Lana laughed wildly, but Mr. Crow's heart skipped a beat.
He could hear how fast Lana's heart was beating.
Was she anxious? Or was she scared? If she were... then why was she even laughing?
Lana, however, laughed till her stomach hurt before wiping away the slight tears from the corner of her eyes, and said in a nonchalant tone,
"Mr. Crow... even if I had held onto a ghost... it can't emit golden light. Must be a good thing. But when it sensed my presence, it vanished. Must have been scared! Hehe!"
Mr. Crow's expression turned grim, but before he could speak, a gentle, mellow voice sounded.
"Congratulations on binding with Talisman Pagoda!"
Lana: "..."
Mr. Crow: "..."
They both exchanged a glance, and suddenly Lana started to chant.
"I boggle yoo t' letma goph an' fund sumwun elspuh hount." (I beg you to let me go and find someone else to haunt.)
Mr. Crow: "..." Again?
But this time, he noticed something else... he didn't before... Lana's heartbeat... it was erratic. Not out of fear... but... it was strange.
Just what the heck was wrong with her?
"Pluzz Luffleme-on" (Please leave me alone), Lana continued, looking utterly serious while speaking gibberish words.
"With the talisman pagoda around, you can embark on your journey to become the most sought-after talisman practitioner." The mellow voice interrupted.
Eh? Talisman practitioner? Talisman Pagoda?
Lana's mind started to work in full gear, and she soon realized that the pagoda she had touched was most likely the Talisman Pagoda... and a contract was formed... just by touching.
If the world she was living in were a Pokémon world, she would have captured two Pokémon by now... just by touching. Like she did with Mr. Crow and Talisman Pagoda.
Jokes aside, Lana focused on the gentle voice and looked around tentatively.
"Are you here? Do you have a materialized form? What is your name? Could you please explain why you chose to bind with me?"
"Miss, I am in your mind. No, I don't have any form. My name is Zephyr. I bound you because you have a supreme talent for being a talisman practitioner."
Again?
First, Mr. Crow said she has good talent for mystic cultivation... and now this Zephyr is claiming that she has talent for being a talisman practitioner...
Why does she suddenly feel as if... she was a rare diamond missed out on by everyone in her past life?
'Hey, Mr. Crow, if tomorrow you transform into a world-saving system and say that you have bound with me to save the world, I will believe you. I seem to have a talent for everything. Precious gems like me...' Mr. Crow interrupted Lana's introspection.
"Have you thought this might have been a mistake all along?"
Lana: (o_0?)
"You are just jealous." Lana brushed him off and focused her attention on the talisman pagoda.
"I want to learn right away! Tell me what I have to do."
Lana could almost imagine herself as a talisman practitioner making talismans and dealing with the ghost with a wave of her hand.
Who were talisman practitioners? The supreme existence in the heart of people plagued by ghosts!
She will become a supreme existence, too!
"That's great, Miss! First, you need to reach Black Rank!" The gentle voice dashed Lana's beautiful dream, while Mr. Crow struggled to contain his laughter, ultimately bending backward from laughing too hard.
"Hahaha!"
Lana: (｡•̀ ⤙ •́ ｡ꐦ) !!!