Novel Full Chapter 769: Pride of a Realm [2]
Chapter 769: Pride of a Realm [2]
At first, she had not wanted to treat him.
The reason was simple.
She had thought he was a half-elf.
She was one of the elves who despised diluted blood. She did not hide that belief in her heart. She had carried it for centuries, refined it over time until it felt like principle rather than prejudice.
So when the report arrived and mentioned that the youth carried a faint sense of kinship, her first reaction upon seeing him was disgust.
Then she learned he was not a half-elf.
He was from a completely different race.
That revelation surprised her even more.
Still, since he was not a half-elf, she had no problem treating him.
As she had been briefed, his soul was severely damaged. Normally, that would have been a difficult case, even for her. But his foundation was strong. That strength was what kept him from collapsing entirely, and it was also why the injury was not beyond her ability to heal.
At least, that was what she believed at the start.
The longer she worked on Michael, the more her certainty wavered.
What kind of monster was this?
If she had not confirmed with her own senses that he had not truly ascended to become one with the universe, she would have believed she was dealing with someone at that level.
His body was wrong.
Not damaged wrong.
Built wrong.
It did not align with what a Rank Two should possess. His muscles, his bones, his circulation, even the way his organs carried energy all felt abnormal. Everything about him exceeded expectations in ways that made no sense.
Worse, she could not see through him.
Not properly.
She was a Rank Four. Her eyes had pierced countless secrets. She had treated nobles with hidden bloodlines, prodigies with sealed inheritances, and ancient monsters wearing the skin of youth.
Yet every time she tried to look deeper into Michael, she encountered a wall.
Not a barrier that resisted her.
A wall that simply existed, as if the world itself had decided she was not permitted to see beyond it.
That fact alone was enough to prove he was far from ordinary.
It was also why, over the last three days, she had argued with the old man from Aurora again and again.
She never claimed her elves were inferior to Michael.
She also could not claim they were superior.
At least, most of them were not.
She would never admit that aloud, not even if her tongue rotted for it.
But her eyes had seen enough.
That was why, even now, as she looked at Michael standing there with his undead behind him, her expression remained calm while her thoughts refused to settle.
Michael hesitated, then bowed slightly.
"I apologize," he said. "If my undead’s words were offensive."
The old woman did not react. Her face remained smooth, her gaze steady.
"It does not matter," she replied.
She studied him briefly before speaking again.
"How do you feel?"
Michael blinked.
He did not know who she was, but the fact that she stood beside the old man and the quiet pressure she carried made her status obvious. Still, he had no name to place her authority.
"I am fine," Michael said.
Caelum’s voice cut in calmly.
"Do not hide anything," the old man said. "She is the one who treated you."
Michael’s eyes widened slightly.
So that was it.
He swallowed, then corrected himself.
"I am better than before," he said honestly. "My body feels fine, but there is still a hollowness inside me. It feels like something is missing. It does not hurt, but it feels wrong."
The old woman nodded, as if he had confirmed what she already knew.
"That is your soul," she said. "You are out of danger now, but your soul is no longer what it was before the damage. The injury has been stabilized, not erased."
Her gaze remained fixed on him.
"That hollow feeling is the space the damage left behind," she continued. "It will not vanish in a single day."
Caelum frowned slightly.
"That sounds like a hidden danger," he said. "Leaving something like that unattended could become a problem later."
The old woman shook her head.
"From what I have observed, no," she replied calmly. "There is no immediate hidden danger."
Michael released a breath he had not realized he was holding.
"But," she continued, her tone unchanged, "returning to your previous state will not be easy."
She looked at him directly.
"The soul is not like the body. It does not mend simply because time passes. Growth must occur naturally. Forcing it will only slow the process."
Michael listened closely.
"For now," the old woman said, "you should avoid anything that involves forming, deepening, or forcing connections with your soul."
Michael frowned.
"Connections?" he asked.
"Yes," she said. "Skills, rituals, techniques, or methods that directly draw upon the soul. Anything that demands resonance, fusion, or refinement."
She paused briefly.
"If you force such things while that hollow space still exists, you risk creating imbalance. At best, your recovery will stall. At worst, the damage may deepen."
Michael nodded slowly.
"And if I do nothing?"
"Then the hollow feeling will gradually fade," she replied. "Once it does, your soul will be in a better state to grow again."
Caelum glanced at Michael.
"You heard her," he said. "Do not rush."
Michael clenched his fist lightly, then relaxed it.
"I understand," he said.
The old woman gave a small nod.
"That is good," she said. "Patience will be more valuable to you now than strength."
She paused, then added,
"However, waiting is not your only option."
Michael’s eyes sharpened slightly.
"If you possess treasures that nourish the soul," she continued, "you may use them to support recovery."
Michael hesitated.
"What kind of treasures?" he asked.
"Essences that strengthen the soul," the old woman replied. "Soulgrass, spirit marrow, dreamfruit, purified soul stones, or relics that carry stable soul intent. Even certain high-grade elixirs can help, if they are crafted properly."
She glanced toward his chest, as if she could see the hollow place within him.
"If used carefully, such items may help the hollow feeling fade more quickly," she said. "They may even bring you closer to the state you were in before the damage."