Chapter 246: Training Through Possession

"Are you really sure about this?"

Auryn, with her brows furrowed in deep worry, asked Aurelia, who was currently taking deep breaths.

The person in question nodded her head, "Yes, Sis. Furthermore, I trust Regis."

"Don’t worry, if you ever feel uncomfortable, you can ask me to stop."

Regis chimed in from the side as he thought, ’Thankfully, the misunderstanding is all resolved now...’

He could not help but heave a deep sigh inwardly, thinking about the full thirty minutes he had spent explaining his ability just earlier.

On the side, Patti refilled Pandora and Killian’s drinks as they watched while munching on the desserts.

Meanwhile, Auryn remained standing beside Aurelia to catch her if she ever lost consciousness.

She could not help but side glance at the young man with snow white hair and blood red eyes who was making himself comfortable as he lay down on the wooden bench near them.

’He really seems strange...’

From the time she first saw Regis in the Hall of Awakening, to the limited time she spent with him, she could not help but feel a strange feeling of puzzlement in her heart.

Auryn always felt that he seemed too mysterious.

At this moment, Regis lifted his head and looked at Aurelia, "I’ll begin. Remember, if you feel uncomfortable, just say it out loud, okay?"

"Mhm!" Aurelia nodded affirmatively as she closed her eyes.

’Thankfully, Soul Possession is just like Corruption Manipulation... Both of them are discrete and are unseen by the naked eye...’

Regis thought as he completely relaxed himself and closed his eyes.

In Pandora, Killian, Patti, and Auryn’s eyes, he seemed to be merely taking a nap.

"If I don’t know him any better, I would’ve thought that he’s joking..." Killian commented with a chuckle.

Beside him, Pandora remained busy eating the sweet desserts, but her ruby red eyes remained fixed on the sleeping Regis.

A minute passed by silently.

Auryn was starting to feel worried and wanted to poke her sister.

However, her hand froze mid-air as Aurelia’s eyes suddenly opened, emitting a faint luster within.

"L-Lia?" Auryn hesitated.

Aurelia glanced at her with a smile, "I’m fine, Sis."

She then fixed her gaze on the golden dog statue before her as she meditated.

(Can you hear me?)

An ever-so-familiar voice sounded within her head, prompting her to respond inwardly, ’Yes, Regis.’

(This is only the second time I’m using this evil craft, and the first time I’m using it on a conscious person... So I’ll need your cooperation.)

’Understood. What should I do?’

(For now, can you lend me control of your body?)

Aurelia paused for an instant before replying, ’Sure, but how will I do that?’

Regis could not help but ponder for a moment, as it was not something he had thought about before this.

After a minute or so, he replied, (Hmmm... How about just falling asleep? Just feel as if you’re falling asleep and relax.)

At his words, Aurelia immediately simulated the feeling of falling asleep.

"Lia!" Auryn could not help but shout as she saw her sister suddenly go limp and fall backward.

Despite her best effort, her outstretched hand fell short of catching her sister.

Likewise, Patti, Pandora, and Killian all looked on in shock at the sudden turn of events.

Fortunately, ’Aurelia’ managed to steady her footing, one hand pressed to her head as if trying to shake off a wave of dizziness.

"Why did you do it so suddenly? You could’ve given me a heads up, at least."

She spoke out loud, her voice tinged with surprise.

(I-I’m sorry, Regis...) A familiar voice sounded within her head, which was none other than Aurelia herself.

’It’s fine, it’s fine...’

Regis replied in his thoughts as he tried to assess his current situation.

In the very next moment, a blush appeared on ’her’ face.

’Wait a minute...’

’Aurelia’ facepalmed, ’I should really think things through...’

Regis, who was in control of her body, could not help but feel uncomfortable as he unconsciously looked down.

It was his first time possessing someone who was not of the same gender, and thus, he felt strange.

The ’thing’ that he was accustomed to feeling between his legs was gone, and the two heavy feelings on his chest made him distracted.

(U-Um, R-Regis...)

In his mind, Aurelia seemed to have realized something as well as her voice became bashful.

Upon hearing her voice, Regis was jolted awake, ’Y-Yes?’

His expression was not unlike that of a guilty kid who seemed to have done something wrong.

(Can we make this fast...?)

’O-Of course...’

Regis immediately calmed himself down with the Gold-grade Tranquility he could feel coming from the connection he had with his body.

’Aurelia’, after being silent for a moment, looked around and saw her friends.

Beside her, Auryn could not help but feel a little strange.

It was not only her, but everyone also heard the way ’Aurelia’ spoke earlier.

Although nothing had changed and everything seemed normal, ’Aurelia’ seemed to be a little different.

From the tone of her voice alone, they noticed something amiss about her.

Auryn could not help but call out, "R-Regis?"

’Aurelia’ looked at her and smiled, "Aurelia’s feeling uncomfortable, so we need to make this quick."

Auryn, whose mouth was agape in surprise, could only nod her head in response.

On the side, Killian and Patti glanced at each other with amused expressions, while Pandora squinted her eyes.

’Aurelia’ fixed her gaze on the golden dog statue before her with a serious gaze.

’Remember everything I’ll do, okay? Everything.’

(Okay...)

’Aurelia’ closed her eyes as she raised both her hands.

Regis efficiently mediated and established a resonance with Aurelia’s Diamond-grade Hand of the Greedy King.

He instinctively felt the connection he had with the golden statue before him through the resonance.

Soul Possession was more than just taking control of another person.

Through the memories it carried— and Regis’s own study of them— he was able to grasp the intricacies of the evil craft.

And one of those was not only to have ideas regarding the situation and capability of the body he was possessing, but also to have initial mastery and control over the body’s abilities.

This enabled Regis to have a thorough idea and understanding of how Aurelia’s Hand of the Greedy King world, despite him only possessing her now.

It did not take long before a visible change occurred in the life-like golden dog statue before her.

The color of gold gradually faded as life returned to the eyes of the dog.

It then looked around and jumped down from the table before circling Auryn’s feet while sniffing around.

"Woof— Woof!!"

The dog, which seemed to be a golden retriever, barked as its eyes radiated obvious happiness.

"Oh! What a friendly dog!"

Auryn smiled as she crouched and patted the dog’s head, "Your name now is Goldy!"

"Sis, what if that dog err— Goldy, already has an owner?" Patti had unknowingly arrived beside his sister and patted the dog alongside her.

Auryn smiled as her gaze remained on the adorable dog, "I doubt it. Back in the Hall of Awakening eight years ago, I had once played with this dog. It’s one of the stray dogs in the park nearby."

"I’m surprised you still remember that." Killian commented casually.

Auryn merely glanced at him in reply, her smile widening.

Ba– Dump!

Killian seemed to have felt a special feeling in his heart as he unconsciously clutched his chest.

At this moment, Aurelia suddenly slumped down, "Ha... Ha..."

She took deep breaths as she clenched her fist, "I can do this!"

Vividly remembering the way Regis utilized her gift and controlled her body, Aurelia was in high spirits.

"Oh, you’re back again, Lia." Auryn said while patting the dog.

Aurelia’s eyes sparkled at the sight of such an adorable dog, "Oh! Let me pet it too—"

Before she could finish, a cough interrupted her.

"Ehem, you can pet Goldy when you successfully dispelled your gift."

It was none other than Regis, who had woken up from his ’nap’.

"Goldy?" Aurelia tilted her head, but still obediently stood up and looked at the next golden statue she was going to experiment with.

It was the golden statue of a stray cat.

While the others were distracted by Goldy, Regis spoke, "This should be a little easier since the cat’s body is smaller."

Aurelia nodded as she took a deep breath, "Alright."

"B-But, what if I fail?"

"Then we don’t have any choice... I’ll possess you again until you succeed." Regis looked a little uncomfortable as he replied.

"O-Oh!"

Aurelia hurriedly turned her gaze away and stared at the golden cat statue before her.

’Focus! Focus!’

She chanted in her head in an attempt to chase away all the distracting thoughts.

***

In a secluded forest in the periphery of Harmonia...

Crackle— Crackle—

Perto’s eyes fluttered open at the soft crackling of the nearby campfire.

The sight that greeted him was Vanessa munching on beef jerky, her face bathed in the soft orange glow of the fire.

"Ugh..." Perto let out a pained groan as he held his forehead.

Vanessa looked at him, "Perto, we really need to train when we get back."

"H-Huh— What?"

Perto, who had just regained consciousness, looked at his friend with a stupefied expression.