"AHHH!" Ossian's power-filled roar echoed in the dream place as mana currents phased through Adam's apartnt ceiling, painting the red sky blue.
The ghost king's mana circuit pulsed like veins under his ethereal skin, shimring with arcane lights as his eyes brightened with joy. Despite his terrible agony, he now felt the pain was worth it.
With a childish smile unbefitting his position and rank, he heard the man's fleeting words. "Have fun playing with mana, and don't forget to give them the essence."
In a heartbeat, he turned, his heart filled with gratitude to thank him.
However, he frowned, noticing he was gone already, leaving him alone with the sleeping ghost. Dismissing the man's departure, he laughed after scanning his soul's stability, saying, "Hahaha. I can finally advance but must remain hidden, or the three dogs will visit ."
The grafting was perfectly integrated with his essence, as if those circuits had been his since the beginning, adding to his satisfaction.
After a mont of testing and analysing, he cald down, turned to Adam, and smiled. "It's ti to awaken you, my lucky charm," he said, his eyes glowing tenderly. If not for this peculiar ghost, he wouldn't have t the mysterious man and obtained what every eternal sovereign dread of.
With light steps, he walked towards the bed, extended his hand, and infused a substantial quantity of soul energy to heal Adam entirely. After all, he only stabilised his condition earlier, wanting him to remain unconscious until he completed the enslaving process.
Grey light encased Adam's body, penetrating it and reaching the core of his soul. The soothing glow swiftly rged, nding the wounds he received against the dullahan and the hidden ones.
Yet, Ossian frowned after two minutes, thinking, 'Why is he still wounded?' Even after infusing ten percent of his potent energy, Adam's soul kept gulping it, trying to repair sothing that didn't seem to exist anymore.
Upon realising the problem, Ossian's eyes widened in shock. "It's only half a soul!" He exclaid, an icy shiver running down his spine and wondering how strong Adam would have been if he was complete.
Then, he curiously compared his new circuits with the ghost's, trying to find the answer. However, the result left him speechless.
Adam's circuit had nothing in common with his. Be it quantity, width, or intricacy, they were inferior. Truthfully, they were absolutely terrible. Not even regular tier-two mages had such bad ones. It was like they followed the base template used for every commoner.
"How did he even beco an apprentice?" Ossian muttered, dazed by Adam's illogical situation. He knew the young ghost couldn't even gather mana typically without exclusive thods.
'Is it the archmage arrangents?' He pondered, knitting his brows before giving up. The mysterious man was gone, and he doubted the ghost knew anything. So, before Adam woke up, glowing grey energy swirled around him as he left the soul sea.
****
"He is back!" Julius exclaid as Ossian's figure reappeared in the throne room. Then, he stuttered, worried for his big brother's safety, "W-what did you d-do to him?"
Morgane and Nova's ears perked as they gazed at the ghost king attentively, confused by the turn of events and wishing for answers.
"Nothing. I struck a new deal with soone else. Thus, the previous terms are void," answered Ossian, hiding his joy and curiosity behind a mask of solemness.
"Really?!" Julius and Nova scread in unison, shocked by the revelation.
Simultaneously, Morgane's legs gave up in relief, her physical reaction contrasting sharply with her emotionless deanor.
However, Ossian locked his eyes with hers before she could stand up, curiosity gnawing at him and asked, "Nothing stops you from revealing your secret, now. So, will you accept my conditions?"
Hesitation veiled her face for a second as voices from the disgusting royals filled her mind.
"You can't share that. Follow our orders. Return to the palace..."
They kept ordering her around passively, trying to influence her mind daily. Yet, copying Adam, resolve flashed in her eyes despite her fears, snuffing the irritating voices.
Determination filling her heart, she rose to her feet. Her emotionless face contorting forcefully into a smile, she replied, "Free and help find my mother, and I'll reveal everything I know."
The voices scread in her ears that she couldn't, deafening her in response. Yet, she ignored them, her posture firm and her chest raised in pride. After all, she participated in this expedition, too, reaching and discovering the forgotten soul society.
"Verry well. I'll find your mother for you if she is in the canyon." Ossian promised, gesturing to co to him and adding, "The process won't be painless. I'll pulverise the branded part of your soul before healing it, so prepare yourself."
Grimacing after each step as the voices grew louder in her mind, Morgane reached Ossian. Then, she sat before him, taking a position that would help her endure.
"I'm ready," she said, biting her collar to muffle her screams.
"I'll do it in a flash," answered Ossian, placing his hand on her back and scanning her soul to locate the mark.
Soul energy condensed in his palm a second later. With a decisive push, he hurled it, his aim flawless.
"ARGH!" Morgane's muffled scream echoed in the chamber, tears and snot mixing on her face as the pain of having a part of her soul torn off assaulted her.
Fortunately, the pain, albeit intense, only lasted for a second before a soothing sensation embraced her soul. Gradually, the hole replacing the slave mark filled itself under Ossian's skilful manipulation.
Simultaneously, she felt the locks and chains impending her emotions and life force break one after the other until one last remained, trying to resist.
"MORGANE! I'm directly speaking with you now! Return this instant, or I swear I'll hunt you down. Every kingdom will know about you, and you'll have nowhere to hide in the world."
However, despite the nace, Morgane smirked, answering provokingly, "You'd better hurry." Then, she added, rembering the people she grew up with. "I'll soon be powerful enough to overturn your kingdom and free all the others!"
At the sa ti, having lost its support, the last lock crumbled, causing her hair to wildly flutter, as energy rushed fiercely through her body.
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