As much as Light wanted to linger on the information he had just received—especially the implications of what his restriction truly meant—there was still more to read. More to understand about himself before whatever journey lay ahead.
"She's still fast asleep," he said, glancing down at the girl resting against him.
Her weight was more than he had expected. Earlier in the day, he had dragged her along with ease, but now, as she remained still against him, he noticed it properly—solid, present, real.
"I'll finish reading my information, then I'll wake her up," he thought.
'Best to figure out what I can do… in case she's also gone through something similar.'
[Name: Twilight]
[Blessing: Soul Chains]
[Brilliance: Mediocre (0/1000)]
[Mana: 100/100]
[Title: ???]
[Miracle Arts: Soul Gaze {New} | Soul Bond {New} | Hand-to-Hand Combat {New}]
It no longer showed that his blessing had information to read, so with a quick command he directed his attention to the next ability he could read.
[Miracle Art: Soul Gaze]
[Brilliance: Sovereign]
You peer beyond flesh and illusion, glimpsing the essence of a being.
[Ability: Learn the basic information of all who possess mana]
'This is the ability I first discovered when I was in the forest', he recalled.
Back then, it had seemed almost useless. He could only perceive fragments—mostly names of low-grade herbs, according to Captain Sangiff.
Still, he couldn't ignore the difference in brilliance. It stood apart from his blessing entirely. He didn't know which rank held more weight, but instinct told him this was no ordinary ability either.
And yet… he himself was only of Mediocre brilliance.
With the limited information he had, he could only assume his own blessing and miracle arts were far beyond his current level of power,
Even without understanding blessings fully, it didn't take genius to realize that "brilliance" likely represented the strength—or potential—of an ability.
'I'll have to confirm this with the captain later. He'll know.'
Shaking the thought aside, he issued another mental command.
[Miracle Art: Soul Bound]
[Brilliance: Celestial]
How do you break a soul that exists in two places, yet remains whole?
[Ability: Gain Miracle Arts from your soul bound partner]
After reading the description, realization settled in.
This was what he had gained after completing the soul link with the girl.
"This would also explain my next Miracle," he muttered under his breath.
The final ability now made sense—the one that had felt entirely out of place when he first saw it.
With another command, the translucent text expanded once more.
[Miracle Art: Hand to Hand Combat]
[Brilliance: Mediocre]
Your understanding of unarmed fighting, grappling, striking and counters are vast.
[Ability: You gain and absorb knowledge about unarmed combat at an incredible rate. Integrate your knowledge instantly into your body]
Light exhaled slowly as he finished reading.
A faint unease tightened in his chest as he turned to look at the girl on his chest more carefully.
The blessing itself might be at Mediocre—but that didn't mean anything. He knew better than to judge a book by its cover. Growing up in the slums had taught him exactly how much effort it took to become even competent in a fight. Years. Pain. Repetition. Failure.
And yet this ability promised it basically instantly.
'If this is what the lowest brilliance can do… just how much will she climb?'
Just the thought made his head ache.
Captain Sangiff was already the strongest man in their village, a swordsman who's blessing alone commanded respect.
If this girl's path truly aligned with war itself…
'I can't let anyone else find out about this.'
The world was too large, and his understanding too small.
'I'll have to ask the captain… but carefully.'
Trusting him felt reasonable. Even necessary.
Still… it meant placing dangerous knowledge in someone else's hands.
Light closed his eyes briefly, then exhaled and dismissed the interface. The translucent box faded from view.
A few days ago, he had been nothing more than a regular boy.
Now he sat in silence with a slave girl whose existence defied everything he understood.
And neither of them could turn back.
"I can't postpone this anymore." he sighed
The inn room remained drowned in midnight silence, heavy and unmoving. Outside, darkness pressed against the shutters like something alive, while a thin line of moonlight slipped through the cracks, cutting pale shapes across the wooden floor.
Light shifted against the wall, exhaustion finally settling into his bones. The girl remained curled against him without resistance, as if she had always belonged there.
For a while, he didn't move.
Then he did.
It was only a small adjustment—barely enough to ease the stiffness in his back.
But it was enough.
She slipped downward with the motion, sliding from his chest and settling into his lap instead, her head resting lightly against his legs.
Her eyes opened.
Immediately.
Not slowly. Not groggily.
Just like he had when he emerged from the void.
She blinked once, then lifted her face toward him.
"You look tired," she said softly.
Light froze.
The words didn't belong.
Not because of what they were—but because of how they came. Certain. Familiar in a way that should have been impossible. As if she hadn't guessed… but remembered.
"…What?" he breathed.
Her expression barely shifted. But something flickered in her gaze—uncertainty, faint and unfamiliar—as though even she didn't understand why she had said it.
And then Light saw her eyes.
Ruby red.
But no longer dull.
Something fundamental had changed.
The emptiness that once lived there had been erased, as though fog had been burned away by first light. In its place was clarity—sharp, present, alive.
Her gaze no longer drifted aimlessly. It held.
It caught him properly.
As if the world had finally given her permission to see.
There was a faint sheen to them now—not glassy, not empty—but awake. Like embers that had just learned what it meant to burn.
Her lashes trembled as she adjusted to him. Not his presence—but his reality. As though she were seeing him for the first time in a way that actually made sense.
Her breath caught.
"I…" she whispered.
Her fingers tightened slightly against her chest, grounding herself.
"I can see…"
The words weren't a simple realization.
They were wonder.
And for the first time, her ruby eyes didn't just look at Light.
They met him.
Alive. Present. Undeniably real.