"May I inquire what grade your spirit is?" Aiden asked, having heard Lia''s mumbling.

    "Oh! It''s just a grade 3 spirit, nothing special," Lia replied with a wry smile.

    "Hmm, anyway, as you can see, Alfred is a truly talented kid," Aiden nodded, looking at Alfred.

    "So, you will now take him with you?" Lia asked, sensing Alfred''s fear as he hugged her tightly, afraid of being separated.

    Despite knowing that Aiden would likely take Alfred due to the expensive golden crystal he used, Lia couldn''t help but worry about Alfred being taken by someone unknown. The crystal had not only healed Alfred but also significantly empowered his spirit—something even the Count''s house couldn''t achieve.

    "No, I will not," Aiden said, shaking his head, much to Lia''s surprise.

    "Huh?" Lia''s eyes widened. "B-but you used that crystal. It must have been very expensive, so why not?"

    Aiden smiled. "That crystal is a product of my spirit, so don''t worry about its cost. As for why I won''t take him with me, it''s because he is too weak."

    "However, I will leave someone who will teach Alfred in my absence. When he has grown strong enough, he can go on his own adventure," Aiden explained.

    "...What''s in it for you?" Lia asked, clasping her hands together.

    "Nothing," Aiden said, adding, "I just don''t want a talented kid like him to die in some unknown corner."

    Aiden then patted Alfred''s head. "How about you train and protect your sisters, brothers, and your big sis?" He pointed at the kids peeking from behind Lia.

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    Alfred looked at each of them and nodded with determination. "Yes, I will protect them. Please teach me."

    "Good, that''s how a man should be," Aiden laughed, though internally he felt a strange connection to the orphanage. ''I don''t know why, but I felt a weird feeling seeing this orphanage. I hope leaving Sylva here will help me understand why my body reacts like this,'' Aiden thought. Excusing himself, he walked into a secluded area and summoned Sylva.

    As Aiden summoned Sylpa, his shadow expanded, and from it, Sylpa arose like a ghost emerging from the dark corners of a horror movie. She looked at Aiden and then kneeled, "What is your command, Master?"

    Aiden observed her closely, noting the changes in her demeanor and power.

    "Hmm, it seems the Apostle thingy empowered her very much," Aiden mumbled to himself. After he reached the Spirit Lord level, all his spirits unlocked new skills, and Sylpa''s empowerment was due to his second spirit, the Death Dragon of Infinite Darkness''s new skill, called Seven True Servants.

    ****

    Skill: Seven True Servants

    Type: Passive/Active

    Description: Upon reaching the Spirit Lord level, the Death Dragon of Infinite Darkness Spirit unlocks the "Seven True Servants" skill. This skill allows the owner to designate up to seven Eternal Followers as their true servants. These servants are bound by an unbreakable spiritual link, gaining enhanced powers and abilities directly tied to their master''s strength and will.

    Effects:

    Empowerment: Each servant''s power is directly tied to their master''s, ensuring they are as strong and capable as their owner. Their physical abilities, magical prowess, and unique skills are all heightened to match their master''s level.

    Manifestation of Potential: Each servant''s latent abilities and potential are fully realized, allowing them to reach their maximum possible strength and efficiency. This includes unlocking hidden talents and amplifying their inherent abilities.

    She then raised her head and said, "I will do as you say."

    Aiden looked at Sylpa and thought gravely, ''Don''t tell me I have to face seven of such creatures every day?'' He shuddered at the thought and made a mental note to himself: ''Unless necessary, never make another True Servant.''

    He led Sylpa inside and, entering the hall, introduced her, "This is Sylpa, and she will teach Alfred and the other kids."

    Lia nodded and then stood up, bowing to Sylpa with sincerity. "Thank you, Miss, for teaching these kids."

    Sylpa merely hummed in response.

    Lia nudged Alfred, and he bowed to Sylpa, greeting her.

    Sylpa looked at him and said, "He is Alfred, right?"

    Aiden nodded, and Sylpa continued, "This kid is talented; no wonder young master wants me to teach him."

    Aiden smiled and then said, "Well, now that my work is done here, I will be leaving."

    Hearing this, Lia stood up and said, "Why don''t you stay here for some more time? The kids would like that too."

    As if on cue, the other children surrounded Aiden, looking at him expectantly with their big, cute eyes.

    Aiden sighed and then said, "Very well, I will leave tomorrow."

    Lia smiled, and the kids jumped in joy.

    Aiden laughed too and then told Sylpa to cook for everyone today.

    That night, everyone had a big meal, and some kids fell asleep with bloated stomachs and satisfied looks on their faces.

    ****

    The next morning, Aiden bid farewell to everyone and left.

    "Well, there was a slight distraction, but now on to acquire the stuff Ivan was destined for," Aiden smiled and began walking towards his goal.

    After some jogging, Aiden arrived at what looked like a broken mansion. It was a large structure, dilapidated in many places, with some areas blackened as if corroded.

    "Well, this is a bona fide horror mansion," Aiden mumbled to himself as he approached the gate.

    Creak!

    "Of course, how could the horror creaking sound be absent," Aiden chuckled as the metal gate opened with a grating noise.

    He stepped through the entrance, the mansion looming ominously ahead. The air seemed to grow colder, and the atmosphere thickened with an eerie silence, only broken by the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant caw of a crow. Aiden looked in the direction of caw, curious and he saw a four winged and four blue eyed Pitch black crow.

    It seems to look at Aiden direction and then its eyes flashed for a moment , bit then seeing nothing happened to Aiden it flew away cawing.

    " Nightmare Crows huh?" Aiden mumbled and then looked ahead at the Mansion.