Chapter 22 : Sorry I didn’t know (2)

“Well, I was only half-joking.”

Snik—like nothing had happened, Yeonhwa leaned back and chuckled softly.

…Wait, half? So the other half was serious?

As Dante stood there with an incredulous expression, she gently patted his cheek and said,

“A familiar would never do something to trouble their master, would they?”

“…Yes… Well. Thank you for your consideration.”

Though it kind of felt like he’d just been tricked, he decided to let it go. Picking a fight over something trivial would only exhaust him in the end.

“Anyway, I’ve prepared something helpful for you. Dante, take my hand for a moment.”

“Yes.”

Dante cautiously took Yeonhwa’s outstretched right hand.

Soft, warm fingers of a woman.

And then it happened.

Flash!

“…Huh!?”

A bright white light burst forth from Yeonhwa’s entire body, and soon, it condensed into a small orb of light that slipped straight into Dante’s chest.

Startled, Dante began patting around his chest in confusion, clearly unable to hide his unease.

Just then, Yeonhwa’s voice echoed in his mind.

[Hehe, surprised?]

The person who had been right in front of him turned into light and entered his body. Wouldn’t it be weird NOT to be surprised?

[Well, that’s fair.]

W-What the f*ck? Wait, is she reading my thoughts?

[Isn’t this better than you talking to empty air like a lunatic?]

…You’re absolutely right. A hundred times right, actually. But, uh—what exactly is this?

[Have you ever heard of ‘Soul Synchronization’?]

Not until just now.

[‘Soul Synchronization’ is what we in the Banya Empire call the bond between a master and their familiar. It refers to the process where the master turns their familiar into a spiritual form and seals them within their own body—typically done to control familiars that are large or aggressive.]

[Simply put, it’s when two souls merge into one.]

Ah, so that’s why it’s called Soul Synchronization?

[The familiar dwells within the master’s inner world, usually resting or sleeping, and manifests instantly when the master calls upon them.]

They can’t stay awake the whole time in there?

[Unfortunately, no. Maintaining the synchronization consumes a huge amount of a familiar’s mental and spiritual energy, so most opt to sleep to recover.]

Ah… So can the familiar observe the master’s surroundings from inside?

[They can, if they try—but wouldn’t that be a violation of privacy?]

…Didn’t think about that.

Damn, Yeonhwa’s seriously the queen of consideration. Too good for this world.

[At any rate, I believe this method will allow you to relax and act normally without worrying about that black dragon watching your every move… So, what do you think? Do you like it?]

Absolutely! Thank you so much, Yeonhwa! You’re way better than Olivia, who doesn’t have a shred of consideration!

[Hehehe. I expected you’d say something like that, but hearing you react exactly as I imagined still makes me very happy.]

[Then, starting now, I’ll enter a deep sleep to process and stabilize the power I recovered through the wish orb you gave me. But if you’re ever in danger or need my help, don’t hesitate to call my name.]

—I’ll tear apart anything that dares to stand in your way with these hands.

…Y-Yes. Understood! Thank you so much, Yeonhwa.

[Good.]

Her final words, laced with murderous intent, sent a shiver down Dante’s spine. But as her voice faded away and he heard nothing more, he let out a long sigh, patted off his knees, and stood up.

“Alright… I guess it’s about time.”

It was time to wake up his ever-slumbering black dragon master once again.

—Or so he had resolved, just twenty minutes ago.

Now, as he regained his senses, he realized he was being carried through the sky in the massive claws of a giant blue lizard.

…………What the f*ck?