Seeing the old man inspect them both with brimming eyes, made William tighten the cloak’s hold around him. “Now don’t be frightened… Both of you. I also have a dinosaur myself… I’ll call her out right now if you don’t mind?”, the man asked, while his hands fluently spun around in circles. Both with his tongue and body, he conveyed that he meant no harm.

When Lucifer stopped its growling, and William his exuding fear, the man called out to it: “Chikachila!”. Akin a loyal dog, something came from within the bushes, that looked like a tortoise? Except it had a long neck like a snake and big white eyes.

The man, who’s curly hair was covered by a leather cap and beard that was cut straight, looked at the tortoise-snake with great affection. He then explained to the pair, “This is my bonded dinosaur, Chikachila… We live together in this forest away from those greedy castle lords… We follow our own god and path… So you have nothing to fear young lady…”.

William couldn’t help but mistrust this man. For how could such an old fellow live alone in these dangerous woods? Especially when his dinosaur was this weak-looking tortoise?... So he asked, “I don’t understand… How can you live out here alone? Isn’t that too dangerous?”.

The geezer blinked somewhat stunned before he broke out into a hoarse chuckle. “Ah, you sure are a nice little lady… But don’t worry about me!... You should worry about yourself!”.

William winced and readied himself to draw his sword, but before he got to do anything rash, the man explained, “Just look at that little fellow you have hanging around… This kind of thing is quite rare for humans… I’ve only heard it happen to those who were born with an immense amount of spirit energy… And yet, you don’t look sick… And I can’t feel a smidgen of such wild energies being contained within you… Actually, it’s rather calm… Indeed, very calm…”.

A puzzled look was painted on both of their faces. William could gather that the man was referring to immense energies like the protagonist’s. But he didn’t get what he meant by ‘calm’ and what not...

Frankly, the book was rather sparse when it came to detailing how energies and bondings worked. Because it was told from the protagonist’s view, who with the company and current knowledge he had, couldn’t figure out what was really going on. And it wasn’t just him. Other people in this era also took bonding at face value, and if anything should happen out of the ordinary it would be explained with the help of superstition...

The old man observed the sky and said, “Hmm… I should head back for the day before it gets too dark… How about you young lady? I don’t mind if you wish to seek shelter at my place?... You’re also welcome to leave at any time if you should find my presence too… Scary?”. Hearing this, William felt that this old man was mocking his courage.

He really wanted to prove him wrong and show him that he wasn’t truly scared. So, reluctantly he followed the stranger to his house, with a grumpy Lucifer following behind his heels.

On their way there, William had expected a run-down shack or a hole in the ground. But what he saw was a giant wooden mansion, with a stone wall surrounding its vicinity. The old man stopped his humming to take a glance at William. As he expected, ‘shock’ was written all over the young lady’s face. The old man grinned and said, “Yes, quite a marvel, isn’t it?... And if you can believe it… This mansion? I build it all by myself… *cough*, of course, that was when I was still young and full of energy! Hoho. But I must say, it ages well. You can’t even guess from it’s exterior that it is more than 100 years old now...”.

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William nodded while his jaw dangled in the air. He knew people aged slower when bonded, but this mansion. To think he build it by himself? Surely he must be joking!

As they went inside the gate, William noticed that the man had many different hobbies. The forefront garden had its own farmland on the right side of the path, and its own skinning/smoking station on the other. Somewhere in the back, he also skimmed a rank of rocks. Some beaten with hand-prints, others stood as nature had carved them…

William would never have guessed that such an eccentric man lived alone in these woods. Hidden away from civilization. And he didn’t even seem to have a single servant? This was indeed very odd...

Before the geezer opened up the doors to his home, he warned, “Just so you know young lady… I only share my knowledge with outcasts or those who are lost… If you’re not one of those, I advise you to speak up now… Your answer will determine whether you sleep for a night or stay for the truth…”.

William pondered on this for a few seconds, before he answered the old man back, “I’m certainly what people would call lost… And I have plans in the future to become an outcast… So...”. Hearing this the geezer smiled, “Then come on in...”.

Inside the place, only natural lighting was available at the moment, so it was rather dark. This the old man soon fixed. He lit some rushlights as he guided the duo further inside. With a cough, he said, “Pardon the dust… I’m usually outside looking for… Well, ingredients for my research… You might find that I’m one of those they call a truth seeker”. William nodded as he half-listened to the old man’s explanation. For while he listened he also kept an escape exit in mind. Hearing the title ‘truth seeker’, William wanted to snort. Because they were just modern scientists with a fancier name...

Underneath the stairs that led up to the second floor, the old man opened up a door for them to enter. Inside was a room filled with sketches on both parchment and leather. Some information was even engraved in stone tablets. This was the room the man kept his research and ideas inside. “By the way, the name’s Leonard. Leonard Burmine… And what is your’s, young lady?...”.

William glanced at the stone tablets as he muttered, “Mirabelle…”. Seeing the young lady’s interest in his stuff, Leonard looked over her shoulder and sighed, “Ah… You’re looking at my conjectures on what spirit energy really is… A tough topic I must say. I haven’t been able to crack that one yet… But I have found some other discoveries that you might find interesting!”. Before picking out a selection of drawings to showcase, Leonard gave Lucifer and William another look. He kept his eyes on Lucifer as he guessed out loud, “You said you had plans of becoming an outcast?... Is it perhaps because of this thing here?... You want to bond with it? Or rather it wants to bond with you?”.

Hearing this, William scrunched his eyebrows in disbelief, echoing Leonard’s words, “It wants to bond with me?... That... It really isn’t bonded with anyone? I thought for sure that it was since it has been acting so tame...”.

Leonard awkwardly smiled as his brows lifted themselves upon his forehead, “I see… Well, no matter. It’s not your fault that you didn’t know this… After all, these things can be hard to tell if you don’t have the feel or nose for it”. After his last word, he took in a good sniff of air. “Yes… I’ve smelled many things. With my ability, I can smell emotions and things that the eye cannot see… It’s a very useful gift... Perhaps too powerful at times, hoho”. William unconsciously also took in a sniff. But all he smelt was fresh wood and dust.

Leonard’s laugh lingered on his mind, as a creepy feeling crawled up William’s throat. He thought: Why… What else could this man smell that he couldn’t!?

William tried to take his mind of this uncomfortable matter, with a simple question: “So… If I wish to bond with this dinosaur… You would be willing to show me how?”.

Leonard thought for a second before he raised his dry lips into a smile. A smile that could tease anyone mad.