The world of Log Apofis greeted me with the usual coolness and the soft rustle of the wind. I was about to immediately activate the teleporter and transfer to Iacreumor, but suddenly, as if out of thin air, a shining silhouette of a small winged creature appeared in front of me.
— Disava!
Fritte exclaimed happily, making several circles in the air. His tiny wings left trails of glowing pollen in their wake.
—My mother... that is, Queen Adeline... has given her permission! From now on, I can follow you everywhere!
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. I was amazed by how sincere and emotional this game AI was. Sometimes it seemed too alive for simple code. At that moment, a new system message flashed before my eyes:
[Event: New Ally]
Fritte, the youngest son of the Fairy Queen, wishes to join your party.
[ Accept: Yes / No ]
Two buttons were flashing on the screen, and I thought for a moment: in a world where it was dangerous to trust even players, it was even more dangerous to blindly accept NPCs as companions. But... this was Fritte.
The same one who had helped me with the coins, led me to the Queen, and who seemed to be playing a much more important role in her story. I smiled and selected "Yes."
The system responded instantly:
[ Fritte has joined your party. ]
[ A new ally will activate a unique mechanic: "Fae Aura Fusion".]
Fritte did a somersault in the air with joy and landed right on my shoulder, beaming with happiness:
— Now we are together, Disava! You can't even imagine how many interesting things we can experience!
I just sighed softly, straightening my hair, and muttered with a smile.
"Well... it looks like I have another companion."
It was only after that that I activated the teleporter to Iacreumor, feeling for the first time in a long time that my path would no longer be lonely.
When I moved with Fritte to Iacreumor, a new "allies stats" menu appeared before my eyes. Without hesitation, I opened the tab and literally froze in place.
" Level sixty?..."
I almost fainted when I realized that this shining little thing, always hovering around my head and sitting on my shoulder, was several times stronger than I was.
The thought made me feel uncomfortable, because all this time I had thought of Fritte as a fun companion or a playful assistant.
But I quickly pulled myself together and smiled to myself. Well, I'll catch up with him soon. I'm not going to be left behind all the time. This thought ignited my usual stubbornness and excitement in my chest.
With a new ally by my side, I activated the saved point and teleported to the Misty Garden with Fritte.
The garden greeted us with its usual thick atmosphere, but something was different. A light, almost transparent fog swirled in the air, far less dense and heavy than before.
Through it, one could make out the silhouettes of trees and stone ruins that had previously been hidden by the veil.
Fritte, who was floating nearby, stopped abruptly and froze, narrowing his eyes as if he were listening to the air. His wings trembled with tension.
—It's strange... I don't feel that same aura. Last time, it was pressing on everyone, even me, and it was even noticeable in the city. But now... it's silent.
I clenched my fists and frowned.
—So he's gone...
This could only mean one thing: the Metal Lizard Barnadat had left the Misty Garden.
And while part of me was relieved that I no longer had to fear a sudden encounter with the monster, another part was filled with anxiety. If such a monster had left, then where had it gone? At the moment, we had no way of knowing.
Fritte, floating beside me, suddenly frowned. His radiant eyes, usually full of mischievous sparkle, became serious. He turned sharply towards the dense thickets, where the fog was thicker.
—I feel... power, but it's not Barnadat. It's a different aura. Strong, heavy, but distant. It's as if someone is waiting for us, but they're not in a hurry to show themselves.
I narrowed my eyes, peering into the white haze. To me, everything was empty and formless, with only the movement of branches and clouds of mist, and no hint of an enemy's presence.
—The boss of the location?
It's too early to go there. If Barnadat showed that the unique creatures here are deadly, then I won't risk going in unprepared, especially since I remember my first boss in the area, they're challenging.
I gripped the handle of my weapon as if I were making a vow to myself.
—First the level, then the hunt.
This was how I began my methodical advance into the Misty Garden. Along the way, I encountered a Misty Leaf-Eaters, insect-like creatures with wings resembling translucent leaves.
In the past, these creatures could pose a significant challenge, hiding in the fog and launching sudden attacks. However, with my new level, Fritte's support, and gained experience, they seemed almost effortless to defeat.
Every battle ended quickly. A swing of the weapon, a flash of green aura, and a Misty Leaf-Eaters body melted into white smoke. In its place, a small, glowing soul remained, like a spark frozen in the air.
I carefully collected them one by one. When the first one entered my palm, I couldn't help but remember Mor Adelina's words and the mark on my forehead, hidden from view.
[Soul Collector Mechanics Activated]
—So it works. I'll need to return to the Fairy Kingdom and figure out how to transform these souls into power.
Fritte floated nearby, watching the sparks disappear in my hands. His gaze was content and slightly proud, as if he had personally imbued me with this power.
—You learn quickly! Soon you will feel the aura that lies ahead for yourself. Then you will not need to rely on my words alone.
As another soul floated towards me, my body responded involuntarily. A glowing fairy tattoo appeared on my forehead, just above my eyebrows, a pattern resembling a weave of wings and branches.
A faint silvery glow briefly illuminated the mist around me, before the soul was quickly drawn into me and disappeared, as if it had dissolved into the very essence.
At the same moment, a transparent system notification appeared before my eyes:
[Quest: Mentorship]
Collect 100 souls of fallen creatures.
Progress: 6/100
I blinked, reread the lines, and smiled slightly.
— "Mentoring"... I wonder what will happen next?
My heart was filled with anticipation. I immediately noticed that each soul I absorbed not only provided regular experience, but also doubled the experience for training the [ Aura Separation] skill. This made the process more exciting.
—This is more like a reward!
My eyes sparkled with joy. I turned to Fritte, who had been observing quietly, and said with a smile.
—We need to keep moving forward. The more enemies we encounter, the faster I can gather a hundred.
Fritte raised an eyebrow slightly, but when he saw my enthusiasm, he nodded.
I was walking through a gray fog when a message suddenly flashed before my eyes. It hovered in the air, slowly forming from streams of flickering symbols.
[Message from: Zikei]
"A guild called the -Coyotes-, where Leroy45 is a member, has set a bounty on your head. The price is 1 million Veil's. Disava, be careful."
I stopped for a few seconds, my feet rooted to the ground. My heart felt uneasy. A million Vales is no joke. For such money, not only professional mercenaries, but also crowds of greedy adventurers will go on the hunt.
— Leroy45…
She said softly, frowning. She had heard this name before, and it clearly didn't bode well, how could he not calm down! Fritte noticed the change in my expression and narrowed his eyes.
I waved it away, but my voice was tougher than usual.:
— There's a price on my head. A million.
—A million? That means we'll have guests soon.
—Well... let them try...But first, we'll collect these souls.