The moment Rina saw the sphere in my hand, her expression changed noticeably—if only slightly.
She didn't look surprised, but she was no longer as calm as she had been a moment ago.
She stared at the item in my hand with intense focus, as if nothing else in the classroom existed anymore.
Then she said calmly,
"Give it to me."
I hesitated for just a second before replying,
"Alright."
And I handed her the sphere.
She took it in her right hand and began examining it carefully.
She rotated it slowly, her fingers tracing its surface…
Without looking up at me, she asked,
"Where did you get this?"
I paused.
The question didn't surprise me, but I still needed a few seconds to answer.
"It was a gift from my father," I said.
Then I quickly added, "He gave it to me before I entered the academy."
She didn't respond. Her gaze returned to the sphere…
Then she finally raised her head and looked at me.
"Didn't he teach you how to use it?"
Teach me?
I almost laughed, but I caught myself in time.
How could he have taught me?
He doesn't even know it exists…
But I couldn't say that.
I lowered my gaze slightly and replied in a quiet voice,
"No… he didn't."
She didn't say anything right away. She slowly handed the sphere back to me, then clasped her hands in front of her, clearly thinking.
After a short moment, Rina spoke calmly,
"Alright… to use this type of artifact, there's something important you need to know."
I raised my head and looked at her with interest as she continued,
"This type of artifact has its own consciousness."
I nodded slowly. That wasn't new information to me. I'd known that from the beginning…
Still, I tried to make it look like I was hearing it for the first time, even forcing a bit of fake surprise.
"To be able to use it," she went on, "you need to follow two steps."
"The first step is simple. You take a drop of your blood and pour it onto it."
I wasn't shocked. I had expected something like this. Blood binding was common for artifacts that possessed consciousness or will.
Even so, I felt a faint tightening in my chest.
Why does every ability or skill in this world rely on blood…
I really hate whoever designed these systems.
They must have been a disgusting person.
Rina continued in a steady tone,
"After that, the artifact will respond to you and transfer you into its inner consciousness."
Its inner consciousness…
Hearing the phrase felt like a repetition of what I already knew, yet hearing it from someone else gave it a different weight.
It was no longer just a theoretical concept—
It was an actual step I would have to take.
"You will meet the will that resides inside it."
I knew this part too. The idea of a will existing within the artifact wasn't new to me—but I couldn't let that show.
If I did, I'd have to explain things I didn't want to explain, and I might draw attention to matters better left hidden.
So I pretended ignorance.
I raised my head, looked at Rina, and asked in a casual tone, as if the question had just occurred to me,
"But… how can there even be a will inside it?"
Rina paused for a second, then looked at me calmly. She didn't seem surprised, as if she'd expected the question.
She answered simply,
"Because its previous owner left their will inside it."
She continued explaining, her hands clasped in front of her,
"When someone uses an artifact for a long time and becomes completely compatible with it, their will can fully imprint itself within it…"
I asked again, keeping my voice steady,
"Does that will remain the same?"
Rina shook her head slightly.
"Not entirely. Over time, it fades gradually, but it retains what the owner wanted… and what they believed in."
I asked once more,
"So… how do I use it?"
I said it calmly, as if I genuinely needed the answer.
Inside, I knew the question wasn't necessary—but I wanted to hear what she would say.
She had been circling around the topic for a while…
Yet she still hadn't stated the method directly.
Rina looked at me for a few seconds, then said,
"All you need to do is convince the will inside it."
I nodded slowly, pretending to understand it just now.
Then I raised my head again and asked, maintaining the same tone,
"And if I can't convince it?"
She answered immediately,
"Then you can subdue it."
I didn't comment. I simply listened.
But Rina quickly added, as if she felt the need to warn me,
"I don't recommend that method. If the will inside it is stronger than you, it could be dangerous for you."
I lowered my gaze to the artifact in my hand.
That's obvious.
Do you really think I'm stupid enough to try something like that?
I raised my head again and said calmly,
"I understand."
There was nothing special in my voice, but inside, the decision had been made from the very beginning.
I prepared to leave. All I wanted in that moment was to return to my room and end this quietly.
I took the artifact and stepped toward the door.
"Where are you going?"
I stopped. Rina's voice came from behind me—calm, but clear.
I turned to her and said,
"To my room."
I didn't add anything. I didn't feel the need to explain further.
But she didn't let it go. She looked at me for a moment, then said,
"You're not leaving before you use the artifact."
I froze in place for a second.
Why?
I looked at her with an expression I couldn't quite describe—maybe surprise, maybe mild annoyance.
She seemed to understand what was on my face before I spoke.
She said calmly, though her tone grew more serious,
"If you're in danger, I can help you."
I stayed silent. Her words were logical… having someone assist might be better.
I looked at the artifact in my hand.
I knew what would happen—or at least I thought I did—but nothing guaranteed things would go exactly as expected.
I took a slow breath and said,
"Alright."
She gestured to a nearby seat.
"Sit."
I sat down and placed the artifact in front of me, staring at it for a few seconds.
My chest felt slightly tight.
No way out now.
I took out a small tool and lightly cut my finger. The pain was minimal.
I let a drop of blood fall onto the artifact.
The moment the blood touched its surface, I felt a faint change.
It had begun.
I waited for what would come next.