The city of White Raven.
Naya sat upright in her humanoid form, her weight supported by the plush bed. Sunlight streamed into the room, brightening the atmosphere on this sunny day. However, Naya's surroundings failed to mirror her inner turmoil.
Her injuries were stabilized, and surprisingly, the demon fragment within her remained dormant, refraining from triggering her demonic transformation. It neither dispersed nor consumed her. Somehow, an unknown force had intervened, suppressing the demon fragment's attempts to sever its connection with her.
Naya's condition defied expectations. After Birmond's death, she should have either metamorphosed into a complete demon or seen the fragment dissolve naturally.
Yet, her existence remained unchanged, perplexing her. She should have wondered about the mysterious intervention keeping her in this state, but a strange mental fog paralyzed her thoughts and actions.
Thus, Naya sat in silence. The only other presence in the room, aside from her, was Eren. His patience was evident as he stood by the window, allowing her the time she needed to navigate her internal turmoil.
"It's good to see you awake," Eren's voice broke the quiet after what felt like hours. He shifted his gaze from the window to Naya, settling onto the edge of her bed.
Naya met Eren's gaze but didn't respond verbally. Her eyes revealed the void of emotion engulfing her. Eren, without turning to her, shifted his attention to the sky beyond the window. With his arms bracing him on the bed, he leaned back slightly before continuing.
"Birmond is gone. I arrived too late to change that outcome. So I saved you instead. It's been nearly five days since then. You're in my city – the City of White Raven. I've relayed all the necessary information to House Remus.
Unfortunately, his clan members don't possess his body. All they can do is arrange a memorial without his remains at House Remus Estate. If you wish to attend, I'll accompany you," Eren offered without directing his gaze toward Naya.
Eren lapsed into silence, allowing Naya to absorb his words. He intentionally omitted certain details to evoke a response from her. And true to form, after a few minutes, Naya finally spoke.
"What… What happened to Birmond's body? Did the enemy army claim it as a war trophy?"
Naya's voice quivered as she addressed Eren, her eyes fixed on his figure, illuminated by the brilliant afternoon sun. Eren's lips curved into a knowing smile, and he raised his hand in response.
"It's me. I happened to him after his death," Eren's words were laced with a hint of an enigma as he extended his hand before him. Swiftly, potent frost energy enveloped his outstretched hand. In a fraction of a moment, crystalline ice encased his palm, transforming it into an ice-clad, monstrous appendage.
Initially bewildered, Naya struggled to comprehend the sight before her. Eren's once normal hand now refracted light particles, casting an iridescent glow upon her. Slowly, realization dawned that this was Birmond's fundamental spell, honed during his early days as a Ranker.
Surprise coursed through Naya, yet inexplicably, anger eluded her. Even in the aftermath of Birmond's death, she found herself unable to summon resentment towards Eren for appropriating his spell in his bid to shake her from within.
"You… what did you do to him?"
Naya's words were subdued, accompanied by a flicker of B-Rank mana through her mana circuits. Strangely, she felt an odd discomfort when attempting to channel spells in Eren's presence. Moreover, her inability to access her own mana core puzzled her, rendering her spellcasting impotent.
"I devoured him," Eren's response was candid, void of apprehension regarding Naya's potential reaction. His demeanor remained unaffected by the gravity of his confession.
"What… What does that even mean? And what have you done to me? I seem to be unable to cast any spells," Naya regarded Eren warily, her tone cautious.
An unsettling feeling emanated from Eren since their initial encounter, persisting throughout the nine years of shared missions with Birmond. During their numerous collaborations, she remained near her master, while Eren remained a stalwart ally.
Their alliance extended beyond their joint effort to overthrow Myriad Potioner Sebastian Slughorn. Yet, despite Eren's adherence to the alliance's principles, Naya's interactions with him perpetually evoked a sense of bloodline suppression. This latent force thwarted her attempts to establish rapport with him, even as Birmond grew increasingly friendly with Eren over the years.
"It means precisely what you're thinking. I can now emulate most of Birmond's powers, if not all. I assure you, I've done nothing to you. Can't you sense that you're unharmed?
Your spellcasting is hindered because of your intent to harm me. Attempt a spell without harboring any intention of using it against me, and you'll find it functional," Eren elucidated, allowing the frost and ice element mana enfolding his hand to disperse. Swiftly, the crystalline ice fragmented, and the potent frost energy dissipated into the air, leaving behind a delicate iridescent mist.
"Have you wondered why you haven't fallen into complete demonic transformation after Birmond's demise? " Eren lowered his hand, a slight smile tugging at his lips. His eyes, a luminous emerald green, bore into Naya's, as if peering into the recesses of her soul.
Naya's eyes widened at Eren's words. Closing them, she delved into her Soul Space, aiming to validate her emerging hypothesis. Indeed, it became evident that the Faustian Contract she had bound with Birmond had been altered, and Eren was now her new master.
"How… How did you…?"
The realization finally dawned on Naya, elucidating why her spells were ineffectual against Eren. Evidently, the man before her had somehow manipulated the Faustian Contract, replacing Birmond as her master.
Eren's enigmatic smile grew more profound. "You'll gradually uncover all there is to know about me. As of now, let's just say I possess certain methods. Now… it seems our partnership requires a deeper level of engagement than its previous superficial state."
"To mark this bond, I offer you a promise," Eren continued nonchalantly as he rose from the bed.
"Revenge, or as you might prefer to label it a 'closure.' Whatever you like to call it. I'll help you in dealing with Carvel and his overhyped flying lizard."
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