READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 9: Soul Exploration
It is late at night. Eogan decided to skip the family dinner and had his maid, Carys, bring his meal to his room. He's currently taking his time to count all the peas on his plate. She was pretty mad at him for hiding from her in the morning, giving him a large portion of vegetables in retaliation. He felt he would not get any dessert, even if he asked.
"Huh, she gave me ninety-seven peas." He shovels a portion of them into his mouth. "So close to 100."
Leanan suddenly appears, sitting on the edge of his cup of tea. "Could I have two of the peas? I'm hungry."
"Help yourself. I don't need this many."
"I don't blame you for wanting to skip sword lessons. You have always hated using weapons because of how crude they are. Your soul is still the same even if you didn't have your memories this morning." She then picks up a large pea and uses a wind blade to chop it into pieces small enough for her to eat.
"Yes, my soul is the same...I wonder...A fey's abilities are linked to their soul. Maybe I can still use my innate traits from my time at Fergus Mor." Eogan muses.
"You should figure that out, Master," Leanan replies. "But first, let's finish eating dinner."
They promptly stuff their faces with food, trying to get the sustenance into their bodies as quickly as possible. As soon as they are done, Eogan stands up and says, "Let's go into the forest since some of the abilities are loud. I don't want my father's guards charging in here and seeing me doing things only a fey lord can do. It's too soon to reveal any of my secrets."
He goes to his bedroom window and opens it. Without having to say a word, Leanan understands his intention and acts. He jumps out of the third-floor window, and she promptly catches him with a powerful but silent wind that carries him into the sky toward the forest.
When they finally reach a suitable depth into the forest, Leanan sets him down. "Which ability are you going to try first?"
His grin is hidden by shadows. "You'll see. Please keep watch."
He closes his eyes and concentrates on the flow of mana through his meridians. He slowly directs it to leave his soul and enter his body. With his teeth clenched, he bears through the pain of changing his physical shape. This takes him half an hour to accomplish, and when he is done, he hears Leanan's gasp. "Master! You look like yourself!"
He opens his emerald green eyes and stretches his arms out in triumph. "I AM BACK WORLD!" he yells, knowing no one can hear him. Leanan is excitedly circling his head, causing his long, straight silver hair to dance in the breeze. "Leanan, think about it. No one who was my enemy in the past is alive now. I can use this appearance as a disguise, and no one in this era will recognize me as the fey lord who almost succeeded in conquering the entire world."
She nods in agreement. "I'm glad I was the first monster you made a contract with this new life of yours. Unlike most monsters you raised in your first life, I can talk."
"Yes, I agree that our reunion was incredibly fortunate. I will test the other two more abilities tonight, but I must go into town for one of them."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
As he walks through the town at night, he gets many strange looks from the few people on the streets. He is conversing steadily with Leanan, but she has become invisible again. In other words, he looks like a madman talking to himself.
"My goal is to find someone who doesn't care that I'm talking to myself and ask them questions about the current state of affairs in the world." He says. "As great of an education as I have gotten being born into the family I was, I was definitely sheltered from current happenings. If I want to make a move, I need to know who may stand in my way."
"It's interesting that you wouldn't be taught that as the son of a lord." Leanan replays quietly so only he can hear. She does not want to be responsible for ruining his plan.
Suddenly, a commotion breaks out nearby. "HELP! THERE'S A MONSTER!"
Eogan is content to ignore the commotion for a moment, but then he hears something that breaks his heart. "NO! Please don't hurt her! She's friendly!" the desperate boy's voice carries through the air.
Eogan breaks into a run. When he turns the corner to approach the town center, he sees a chocolate brown-haired teenage boy protecting an infant imp with his body.
Multiple villagers are throwing rocks at the pair. Eogan snarls angrily and throws himself between the teenager and the growing crowd of frightened townsfolk. "LEANAN! DO SOMETHING!"
"You even have to ask. I'm pissed that these people would try to kill a baby imp."
She materializes in front of the crowd, her winds whipping inside her body angrily. "IMP ARE THE KINDEST OF ALL MONSTERS! AND THIS ONE IS A BABY! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!"
She then transforms her entire body into a tornado to keep the townsfolk at bay. They all look terrified and back away.
Although the wind outside the tornado is mighty and violent, the wind inside is calm and soothing. "Master, I'm going to start moving. Please make sure the boy and the imp come with you."
Eogan nods and turns to the pair. "You heard her. Pick up that baby and come with us. We'll keep you safe."
The boy nods quickly. He looks scared but seems to understand that the stranger in front of him, accompanied by a powerful monster, is safer to be around than the townsfolk he grew up with.