"There’s absolutely no way,” Vale says flatly.

Obinai stares at him, dumbfounded, his mouth slightly open. His fingers tighten on the sides of his trousers. “What?” he finally manages to say, his voice barely above a whisper.

Without another word, Vale turns on his heel and starts to pace away, his staff tapping softly against the ground with each step. Obinai watches him, stunned, before the words tumble out of his mouth. “Then why did you tell me—”

Vale interrupts. “Because,” he says without looking back, “if someone else had picked you up, your chances would have been... that would be the case.”

Gritting his teeth into a mischievous smile he says, “Hell yeah...”

Back in the cottage...

A rich, savory aroma fills the air, teasing Obinai’s senses as it drifts up from the kitchen below. The smell is layered—earthy herbs mingling with the robust smokiness of roasted meat, tinged with a subtle sweetness. Obinai sits at the table, his elbows resting lightly on its smooth wooden surface as he cranes his neck to peer into the kitchen.

From his vantage point, Obinai watches Vale at the stove, the old man humming faintly as he works the skillet. The soft crackle of sizzling meat punctuates the quiet, and Obinai’s stomach growls loudly in response. He squirms in his seat, trying to ignore the hunger gnawing at him.

This is gonna be incredible, he thinks, excitement bubbling up inside him. Magic… real magic. I’ll be learning how to cast spells and everything. His mind starts racing with possibilities. What if I can create my own spells someday? Or… what about jumping over mountains? Or—oh, man—flying? The thought makes him grin. This is gonna be amazing.

Vale glances over his shoulder and chuckles, holding up a skewer. The meat glistens golden-brown, its edges perfectly crusted with herbs and spices that crackle faintly as they cook. Juices drip from the skewer, sizzling as they hit the hot surface below. “Terethian skewers,” Vale announces, his tone light. “Marinated in juniper berries and Nelorian spices. A specialty of mine.”

Obinai shifts in his chair, his mouth practically watering at the sight and smell. He mumbles, “That smells… really good.”

A minute later, Vale emerges from the kitchen, carrying a large platter piled high with skewers. He sets it down in the center of the table with a flourish. Obinai can barely contain his excitement as he eagerly reaches for a skewer, placing it on his plate.

Before he begins eating, he clasps his hands together, bows his head slightly, and murmurs, “Thank you for the meal.”

Vale pauses, watching him with a faint smile. Then, with a nod, he mimics the gesture and says, “Thank you for the meal.”.

Obinai picks up the skewer, inspecting it closely. The meat glistens with a honey-like glaze, the caramelized coating dripping tantalizingly with every movement. Each chunk is charred at the edges, promising a satisfying crunch that contrasts with the tender, juicy interior. The aroma rising from the skewer is intoxicating—a mix of smoky, roasted meat and the sweet, spiced glaze that makes his stomach tighten.

He takes a cautious bite, and the flavor bursts across his tongue. The glaze is both sweet and savory, with the subtle tang of juniper berries cutting through the richness of the meat. The texture is perfect: the slight crispiness of the charred edges giving way to the succulent, tender center. He lets out a low hum of satisfaction, savoring the taste, as he quickly takes another bite.

Between bites, Obinai reaches for the drink beside his plate—a glass filled with a deep red liquid. He takes a sip and is pleasantly surprised by the tart, refreshing flavor, reminiscent of cranberries with a subtle hint of spice. The drink cleanses his palate, balancing the richness of the skewers perfectly.

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As he eats, the tension in his body gradually fades. His shoulders relax, and for the first time in a while, he feels a genuine sense of contentment. After finishing, Obinai leans back in his chair, stretching slightly. He watches with mild amusement as the empty plates and glasses shimmer faintly before vanishing into thin air.

Vale sits across from him, cradling a cup of freshly brewed tea. He takes a sip, his sharp eyes fixed on Obinai. Setting the cup down with a quiet clink, he says, “So, do you have a vague idea of which denomination interests you most?”

Obinai hesitates for a moment, the question catching him off guard. He fidgets slightly, his gaze drifting toward the empty space where the skewers had been. “Yeah…” he starts slowly, his tone uncertain. Then he glances back at Vale, his lips pressing into a thin line. “But I think there’s something I should tell you first.”

Vale raises an eyebrow. His tone is curious as he says, “Oh? And what might that be?”

Before Obinai can speak, a sinister voice echoes in his mind. Ooo… so you’re not gonna let me surprise him? Great. When I kill him, I’ll arrange his entrails in a nice little array around your corpse before I toss your body aside.

Obinai jolts, his body stiffening. He shakes his head sharply, trying to dispel the voice, but the laughter that follows only grows louder, gnawing at the edges of his sanity. No fucking way, he thinks, his breath quickening. You can talk to me now?

The laughter fades, but its echo lingers, leaving Obinai’s nerves frayed. He squeezes his eyes shut for a second, forcing himself to focus. Taking a deep breath, he finally speaks, his voice low and shaky. “I don’t know what it is exactly, but there’s… some kind of entity,” he begins, his words faltering slightly. “It’s been taking over my body, making me do horrible things to people.”

He swallows hard, his hands gripping the edge of the table as his voice cracks. “It… it killed my family.”

Obinai’s eyes glisten with tears, and his chest tightens as he forces the words out. He can barely meet Vale’s gaze.

Vale leans back in his chair, his face unreadable for a long moment. The silence stretches, and Obinai’s pulse thunders in his ears.

“I know,” Vale says.

Obinai’s head snaps up, his teary eyes widening in shock. “What?” he whispers.

“I sensed it when I found you,” Vale explains, folding his hands. “It wasn’t the energy around you—it was your soul.” His crystalline eye glimmers faintly as he speaks. “Your soul is tainted, woven with something… chaotic. Something dark.”

Obinai’s lips part, but before he can respond, he hears Beelzebub’s voice again, curling through his thoughts like smoke. Looks like I made the right choice then, the entity says, leaving Obinai confused.

Obinai clenches his fists under the table, trying to push the voice and confusion away. He looks back at Vale. “Can you help me with it?” he asks, his voice quiet but desperate.

Vale studies him for a moment, his gaze contemplative. Then he nods slowly. “Yes, I can help,” he says carefully. “But…” He pauses. “This entity, whatever it is, has woven itself into your soul. That makes it dangerous—extraordinarily so.”

Obinai’s stomach drops at those words. “Dangerous how?” he presses.

Vale’s expression remains calm, but his tone grows heavier. “There’s no cure for what you have, Obinai,” he says simply. “No way to remove it entirely.”

Obinai exhales sharply, leaning back in his chair with a bitter scoff. “Great,” he mutters sarcastically. “That’s just perfect.”

“But,” Vale continues, his voice softening, “there is a way to resist it. To fight back.” He leans forward slightly, his eyes locking with Obinai’s. “Your soul can be strengthened—fortified—so that it becomes strong enough to suppress and resist outside influences. Over time, you might even be able to reject the entity entirely.”

Obinai’s eyes light up with a flicker of hope, his body leaning forward instinctively. “How?” he asks eagerly. “How do I strengthen it?”

Vale raises his hands in a calming gesture, his voice steady. “Slow down,” he says gently. “It’s not something that can happen overnight. Right now, your soul can’t be accessed—not by you, at least. Because to strengthen your soul, you must first learn to use Essence.”

Obinai frowns slightly. “Like… how?”

Vale adjust himself as he speaks. “Essence, as we’ve discussed, is the energy that flows through all things. But before it was modernized and named Essence, it was called Asaunce. And every creature has something called an Asaunce Vein—an internal channel that connects them to this energy.”

He pauses, letting the words sink in, then adds, “I believe you’re ready to start tapping into it.”

Obinai straightens.

“I’ll do whatever it takes...”