Can I…?

"Strange..." Isuke whispered quietly.

It was the first time he had heard of such a condition from an ego sword, despite having read several books on the subject.

"Leo!" Isuke said, raising his voice.

Leo, who was with Alexia setting up the tent with the materials the professor had given them, turned when he heard his name.

What had happened?

Had Isuke finally finished his strange meditation, or did he need help with something?

From Leo's perspective, mages were sometimes very strange.

"Come."

Leo turned to look at Alexia for a few seconds, and after sighing, she nodded.

Alexia hoped Isuke's madness would soon pass.

"What happened?" Leo asked as he approached Isuke.

"How much do you know about... conditions when making a contract with an ego sword?"

This question puzzled Leo for a few seconds, but as it was his favorite topic, he didn't hesitate to respond with some excitement:

"It depends on the type of ego sword you want to wield."

Alexia, who heard Leo's loud response, knew that their conversation wouldn't end soon.

Did she really have to set up the entire tent alone?

"How about... a sacred sword?" Isuke asked.

Reflecting for a few seconds, Leo sat on the ground to be face to face with Isuke before responding quietly:

"Those swords are a nuisance. They are usually used by priests who have purified their bodies of mana and aura, in addition to those rituals... I don't recommend it."

"And if there was a sacred sword that didn't have that restriction?"

"Then it wouldn't be a sacred sword... or at least not a normal one."

"Go on."

As Leo began to explain in detail to Isuke, Alexia, feeling a slight noise behind her, turned around and her gaze met that of a girl.

"Hello," the girl said shyly.

The depressed girl! Alexia remembered before greeting her with a wave.

"Hello, what do you need?"

"The professor told me I could come here, since his tent can accommodate four people... can I help?" the girl asked, pointing to where the materials for setting up the tent were scattered.

What luck! Alexia thought before approaching to take the girl's hands.

"Of course, it will be a pleasure to have your help."

Confused by Alexia's overly cheerful reaction, before she knew it, both of them had started setting up the tent at a fairly rapid pace.

...

Meanwhile, Isuke and Leo...

"Is that all?"

"Well... some have the condition that you must be some sort of chosen one, while others require some kind of sacrifice."

"But isn't that what dark or cursed swords do?" Isuke asked, confused.

"Yes, that's what they normally do, but there are also records of high-grade sacred swords that demand that. Of course, if we were to specify what kind of sacrifice, one would be more spiritual or mental, while the others are more... physical."

"What?"

"For some sacred swords, it was mandatory for their user to be pure both in body and mind. Others were forbidden to have thoughts like greed, while some had to adhere to very strict diets, without eating anything excessive."

[Is that really the only condition to use it?] Isuke wondered, remembering the condition Eleonora had told him about earlier.

[Huh? If you're referring to what I said before, yes] Eleonora responded, confused by Isuke's question.

Realizing he had thought in his mind instead of speaking his thoughts aloud, Isuke decided to be direct with his friend, but before he could say another word, Leo asked:

"Leo, are you practicing a spell?"

"No, why?" Isuke responded, puzzled.

"That's weird, your eyes... they seem to be turning red."

[Is that how Eleonora's power appears externally?]

If Eleonora's power was capable of doing something like that...

[Huh...? What power?] Eleonora asked, confused.

Before Isuke could explain himself, Leo asked with a serious face:

"Is this related to what you were asking me about earlier?"

He had caught him.

"Yes," Isuke replied, letting out a small smile.

Leo was truly smart when it came to swords, but for everything else... he was just an idiot who liked to fight.

"Where is it?" Leo asked, looking around.

"It's far. The sword communicates directly with my mind," Isuke explained, pointing to his head.

"Is that why you haven't moved from there?"

"You could say that."

Suddenly, Leo began to remember what several of his classmates had said several minutes ago.

A voice that, just by hearing it, sent shivers down their spines.

Some of his classmates even had strong headaches or trembling hands.

That's why the professor, along with other mages, had created a barrier to prevent the mental attack of that being, but...

Was Isuke really talking to that mysterious voice?

Or maybe it was something else?

Leo, with some concern, asked Isuke:

"Isuke, how does your body feel?"

If Isuke were under the mental control of that being, he wouldn't have confessed so easily that he was talking to it, but...

What if he was in the process of being possessed?

"I'm fine."

"Hey, could you at least help us carry this?" Alexia shouted annoyed as she pointed to a wooden crate.

At that moment, both boys turned around and noticed the girl who was next to Alexia.

[It's her], Isuke said in his mind when he saw the girl who had rejected him before.

[Her?], Eleonora asked, even more confused.

What does Isuke mean by 'that's how his power looks externally' and with 'her'...?

Her questions made no sense!

While Eleonora tried to make sense of everything Isuke had said to her, the girl next to Alexia greeted the boys with some embarrassment.

"Hello..."

I can't be this unlucky!

The girl screamed in her mind while smiling.

She had forgotten that the demi-human was part of the group she had rejected before.

"Hello," both boys responded instantly.

The situation was awkward.

"Isuke, ask the ego sword how far you can move away," Leo whispered in Isuke's ear as he stood up.

While Isuke's problem was serious, he had to help Alexia before she got even more upset.

[Eleonora, how far can I move without losing contact with you?]

Finally, a logical question!

[Well, as long as you don't go too far west, I think I won't lose contact with you.]

"Leo, where is the west?" Isuke asked as he stood up.

"Hey!" Leo shouted, grabbing Isuke, as he almost fell sideways.

[Huh?], Isuke thought, feeling his body heavy and tired.

For some reason, it was now difficult for him to walk.

[I said... as long as you don't go west...]

[I know, Eleonora. I heard you.]

Then why do you say 'huh'!?

That's what Eleonora wanted to ask, but she stayed silent.

"Is it a side effect of the sword?" Leo asked as he still held him.

"I guess..." Isuke replied.

The west was right where the professor was with the other students. Therefore, Isuke and his group, who were somewhat far away, would make it so Isuke wouldn't have any problems maintaining his connection with Eleonora.

"We're finally done!" Alexia shouted happily as she looked inside the tent.

It was certainly large enough for four people to sleep there.

"Can I really stay...?" the girl whispered to Alexia.

Part of her still felt guilty for rejecting her friend, but to her surprise...

"Of course! You've helped me more than those useless ones, besides..." Alexia looked back and they had started talking again.

What were they talking about?

"It will be more comfortable for me to have you here," Alexia commented as she looked back at her.

"Thank you very much," the girl said as she bowed.

"By the way, what's your name?"

"Camila," she said with some shyness.

"Don't be shy, leave your things there and let's chat. It seems like they... will take a while," Alexia said as she gave one last glance at her friends.

...

Meanwhile, Leo and Isuke...

"Did you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good, then ask her."

[Eleonora...]

[Yes?]

[Can you use invocations?]