6 Cecily

'She's so small...'

She appeared as a small humanoid figure with crystal wings that were larger than her actual size. Her large, doe eyes were pitch black. Her clothes were a part of her, the outfit merging with her skin.

A faerie. He had heard of legends circulating in Incrad about faeries, but the race was said to be extremely xenophobic and looked upon others in disgust except for a select few that they took a liking to.

To think that he was actually talking to one right now..

Alas, even though he wanted to capture the creature's form more, his eyes grew too painful to keep up with. He shut his eyes close and the mana around it dispersed eventually.

[...Wait, wait, wait. Did you just try and use mana vision? You're able to explore that on your own without my guidance? And who are you calling small?! Rude!]

'Huh? I don't know what you're talking about. Also, are you reading my mind? I haven't been speaking out loud this whole time, right??'

[Of course I'm reading your mind. I was assigned to watch over you and act as a guide. You better thank Regis for this opportunity!] The faerie crossed her arms, pouted, and looked away.

'Thank.. you?' Elgin wasn't sure how to react.

'Come to think of it, Regis did mention that she was going to lend a specialized helper..'

[Mhm, I'm that helper. My name is Cecily, a high-ranked spirit born from the light of Goddess Litia.]

"Cecily, can you explain my status to me?"

[Before that, I want to confirm something first.. You did see my appearance, right? And the mana floating around in this space?]

"I guess so?"

[Hmm.. Then, you might really be worthwhile to stay around. I thought that my creator was giving me a boring task, but if it's you.. Alright! I've taken an interest on you, child!]

He didn't think much of her words, but he did notice that her tone when talking softened a bit.

Cecily explained every single part of the status to him one by one, especially the parts he was confused in.

After the detailed discussion, Elgin was enlightened.

The powers Regis granted him weren't limited to just skills.

Ever since he woke up in this body, he could feel an enormous amount of mana circulating inside his body. A whirlpool of energy that made him shake from time to time as the amount was too much for him to handle at his current level of comprehension.

As an alchemist, he used to have a small amount of mana in order to conjure potions. However, compared to this body's innate talents, the disparity was like an infant and a legendary hero.

Just now, Cecily had told him that his true power was even greater than that. The pressure he had been feeling from the beginning was the result of one of his skills, called [Limiter].

Like the name suggested, it was a skill that prohibited him from wielding the full extent of his true power. Accompanying that skill was its complementary part, the [Limit Break].

Long story short, this was Regis' way of hiding Elgin's true identity and prowess for the time being. She had dropped a massive room for potential in Elgin, and it was up to him to unlock those privileges. Until he reached a high enough level that the two skills no longer mattered, they would cover his ass.

As for [Soul Link] and [Dominion], they were skills pertaining to the others around him. They were basically forms of mind control. With [Dominion], one could take another life under their rule, essentially becoming the master that they wouldn't be able to break away from.

The [Soul Link] worked similarly, just on a more profound level. With [Soul Link], Elgin would even be able to share a consciousness with them and enter their bodies.

[My creator is the Goddess of Life, Litia. The skills she gave to you aren't ones that could be possessed by some random wimp. She truly values you as an agent of change, so I'm here to shape you up so you can live up to her expectations!]

[Ah, but I don't think you should be using the skills before you can sustain yourself. Remember, law of equivalent exchange. Even though the skills seem overpowered because they are max leveled, they are by no means things that you can utilize at all times. They will cost you as much as you gain from them.] Cecily warned.

[With your current body, those skills are pretty meaningless. They are meant to aid you in the long term, and not an instant boost like you might expect.]

Elgin had mixed feelings about the entire situation.

It was just like what Cecily said. The energy stirring him from the inside.. was far too great. Using them could have a disastrous effect on himself.

[Whatever you're worrying about, don't overthink them. You have me as your guide, remember? Child, you just need to go forward, I am here to stop you from doing stupid things. Heed my warnings well and you won't be doomed. The Goddess thought this through a lot.]

"Even if you say that.." Elgin pursed his lips. "Well, I can just ignore them for now, right? I won't mess with them just yet. What am I supposed to do now, Cecily?"

[Wait until the Player transfer gate shows up. This is, just like your body, a fabricated realm made to fool the system. An 'invitation' to Incrad will be sent to you shortly. You just need to wait. Until that time comes, you are free to ask me anything you like.]

Elgin furiously nodded. He had a lot of questions, and would kill for them to be answered one by one.

"Please do!"

Seeing Elgin's enthusiasm, even Cecily was taken aback for a brief moment.