Raya led Rhys into another room.Neither Nayla nor Cassius made any attempt to follow.A Beast Tamer’s abilities were among their greatest secrets. Even though they were curious, both of them knew where to draw the line.Still…They couldn’t help wondering why Rhys was suddenly interested in learning about Raya’s powers.As soon as the door closed behind them, Raya turned to face him.Her expression grew serious.“Before I explain anything…”“I need to know how much you already understand.”Rhys nodded.“Go ahead.”Raya asked, “Have you ever heard of a Lifebound Familiar?”“Lifebound Familiar?”Rhys frowned slightly.The term was completely unfamiliar to him.“No.”“This is my first time hearing it.”“I see.”Raya wasn’t particularly surprised.After thinking for a moment, she began her explanation.“Then let’s start there.”She folded her arms.“A Lifebound Familiar is the only known method that allows a human to inherit an element similar to their familiar’s.”“It’s an extremely imp

Raya looked genuinely surprised by the question.She fell silent for a few moments, carefully thinking about it before answering.“I’ve honestly never looked at it that way.”She rested a hand beneath her chin.“Let me think…”After organizing her thoughts, she finally spoke.“I think it’s more accurate to say that I’m controlling something that already exists.”“Not creating it.”She nodded to herself.“Yes.”“That’s probably the best way to describe it.”She continued,“I imagine the same principle applies to every other element.”“It doesn’t matter whether it’s a basic element like fire…”“Or something unusual like Nayla’s mist.”“They already exist.”“We simply can’t perceive them in their natural state.”“When we supply Mana…”“And activate our abilities…”“It’s almost like we’re allowing those hidden forces to manifest.”She smiled apologetically.“I’m not sure if that’s the perfect explanation.”“But it’s the closest one I can think of.”Rhys slowly nodded.“I understand.”Then

“Send a letter to the Thalverian Kingdom.”Rhys spoke as though the arrangement had already been decided.“Make sure you mention Thalveris by name.”He paused for a moment before another thought came to him.“Oh, and send one to the Beast Kingdom as well.”“The letter should explain that, for the sake of the world’s future, the Eldoria Kingdom has obtained my approval to share the technology behind the Magic Weapons. That way, no single kingdom can monopolize it.”He continued calmly.“We’re willing to allow two of their finest blacksmiths to observe the manufacturing process and learn from it.”“I’ve also asked my master to spread the news to organizations outside the nobility, like the Ironhand Guild and the major merchant groups.”Rhys smiled.“If you tell them this proposal came from me through the Eldoria Kingdom, they’ll naturally feel indebted to you.”“I’d say that’s a pretty good outcome for the Eldoria Kingdom, don’t you think?”The Pope stared at him.“Are you certain?”Rhy

Rhys was covered from head to toe.A thick coat hid most of his body. Protective goggles shielded his eyes, while a cloth tightly wrapped around his mouth and nose, making sure he didn’t breathe in the ash that constantly drifted through the air.Everywhere he looked…Ash.When he lifted his gaze, a massive cloud stretched across the entire sky, swallowing the sunlight until nothing remained but a dull gray ceiling.When he looked down, the ground was no better.Snow and ash had mixed together into a lifeless blanket that covered everything as far as the eye could see.Rhys landed on a rocky ledge and surveyed the battlefield.The earth trembled.One after another, gigantic worm-like Abyssals burst from beneath the frozen ground. The creatures paid no attention to the bitter cold or the endless ash raining from above. Their enormous bodies continued crawling upward until they towered over the ruined landscape.Rhys narrowed his eyes.“…A thousand.”His expression grew grim.“Most of t

Using the teleportation circle, Rhys and Mirova reached their destination in less than thirty minutes.The moment they stepped out, Rhys lifted his head and looked at the large building standing before them.Deviant Auction House.The sign hung prominently above the entrance.The building itself was oddly plain.At first glance, it looked like nothing more than a massive rectangular box. Aside from its slanted roof, there was very little about its design that made it stand out. Compared to the elegant architecture surrounding it, the auction house looked strangely out of place, as though someone had simply dropped it there without bothering to match the rest of the city.Rhys studied it for another moment before turning to Mirova.“This is the place, right?”She nodded.“Yeah.”Then her expression became more serious.“More importantly…”“Have you noticed it?”Rhys glanced at her.“Noticed what?”“We’re being watched.”She said it so casually that no one passing by would have guessed