I was in Seclusion for so long that everyone forgot about me

The female soul ghost rushed towards me with bloodthirsty killing intent. Before her hands could reach my throat, she was thrown back by the invisible barrier surrounding the runic circle.

"Release me so I can finally kill you!" screamed the caged soul.

"Would anyone really be stupid enough to listen to a request like that? I mean, not that you could actually kill me," I replied with a smirk.

"Happens more often than you think," she shot back, her voice dripping with spite. "And what do you mean I can't—"

She stopped mid-sentence, her gaze dropping to her translucent form. Inspecting herself, her eyes narrowed as she shifted her attention back to me.

"Am I dead?" she asked, to which I simply nodded.

She sighed. "I see. So I lost our last battle, huh? What a shame. I really wanted to put your head on a spike."

I smiled. "Oh my, I would’ve made such a charming decoration."

"Keep the mockery to yourself, soul reaver! Ugh, it felt like I was in a coma this whole time. How many days have I been in this state?"

I pondered for a moment before responding, "Aren’t you a little too calm about your death? It’s kind of creeping me out.“

She looked at me, baffled. "I’m creeping you out? Are you fucking kidding me?! Weren’t you the one who started eating subjects of my kingdom after they surrendered to you? You even ate their younglings!"

"Those subjects were minotaurs, and minotaurs are basically bulls, so I don’t see why it’s so frowned upon to eat them. Also, I only ate three of them to make an example. Where the hell did that rumor even come from? But never mind that; we don’t have time to revel in those heartwarming old stories. To answer your question, you’ve been gone for over thirteen thousand years—give or take a few thousand."

Asche stared at me silently, as if she couldn’t process what I had just said. She began muttering under her breath and started pacing inside the circle, her gaze darting back and forth between me and our surroundings.

Finally, she spoke again, her voice quieter this time. "Where are we?"

"Apparently, in a forest of the Human Empire near their capital," I replied truthfully.

"Huh, Human Empire? When did that happen?" the soul asked, frowning.

"I have no idea. I went into seclusion around ten thousand years ago after Eternal ruined my reputation. The world changed. It even has gods now!"

Asche sneered. "Sure, and I’m the Queen of the Underworld. I call bullshit too." But as she saw the serious expression on my face, her sneer faded, and her features tightened. "Shit, you’re for real. What the hell happened?"

I shrugged. "Like I said, I have no clue. I left my domain a day ago. This is all new to me too, which is why I reawakened your soul. I need your help."

For a moment, silence hung between us, heavy and unbearable. Then, suddenly, Asche burst into hysterical laughter. "Me? Helping you?! Are you crazy? You destroyed my entire kingdom and slaughtered my family and friends. YOU TOOK EVERYTHING I LOVED FROM ME!"

I raised my hands, trying to reason with her. "In my defense, you were the one who attacked my territory first."

"Don’t you dare lie to me!" she screamed. "She told me about you, you know? What you did to this world over and over again, and how you wanted to do it again. Did you really think I would stand idly by while you schemed to destroy us all? Do you take me for a fool?"

"She?" I asked, then nodded as realization dawned. "Ah, I see. The witch managed to sneak into your mind. Let me tell you something: she lied. But that explains why the Winter family asked me to eliminate you in the first place. I declined, of course. But after your army attacked me, you sadly sealed your own fate."

The ghost’s ghastly eyes widened. "Explain! What do you mean by that? Do you actually think I wouldn’t ensure the witch couldn’t lie to me?"

I sighed. "You humans are so unbearably naive. The first witch is immune to countless types of magic, and I’m quite certain the magic she let you use on her that day was one of them. But as they say, the best lies are wrapped in truth.

"What I did in the past... happened. But after the pact with the other ancient beings, a specific set of rules was established. One of those rules forbids us from interfering too much in the destinies of mortals. That includes destroying kingdoms. But… there are exceptions—"

"Like… a kingdom attacking you first," Asche interrupted. "Still, even if you acted in self-defense, you could have chosen a different path! You could’ve told me about their plot—maybe I would’ve believed you! Even if those bastards were in cahoots with each other—whatever their reasons were—it doesn’t change the fact that what you did was unforgivable!"

I replied in a softer tone, ignoring her accusations. "Because you were a thorn in their side. The Asches were always a branch family of Winter, but they kept growing stronger and stronger. The tipping point was the marriage of your father and your mother—a female ash dragon. With your birth, the Asches became too powerful. Sadly, I have no idea where your mother went after she left—not that I really care—but her absence only escalated things further.

"And Calypso… well, she wants me dead but isn’t allowed to do it herself—another rule. So, she collaborated with Winter, hoping to get rid of us both at once. You were simply tricked, my dear."

A heavy silence hung between us as Asche processed my words. Finally, she muttered, "I see. So everything I built was for nothing. Goddess, I’m so stupid. Why did I trust a witch?"

I stepped inside the circle. "Do you want revenge? If you help me, I can guarantee it."

Asche lowered her gaze. "Everything is gone. How are you supposed to help?"

Like a ghost, I whirled behind her and whispered into her ear, "Are you sure that everything is gone? The Jaeger Families are still out there, living their lives without a care. Feasting on incredible dishes, basking in the warmth of their loved ones. They’re probably even part of this empire. And your mother—she might still be alive. Who knows? How does the idea of being reunited with her sound? Imagine the possibilities I could open up for you if you would only help me~."

"I-I don’t know," she replied, her voice uncertain.

My tails wrapped around her, and I let my magic flow into her. Her soul began to solidify, her body becoming more opaque. I could feel her trembling as I leaned closer, whispering into her other ear, "Can you feel it? The power I could give you? I would even bestow a new body onto you—stronger, faster, better. The families would fear you, trembling in your presence. All you need to do is help me... just a little."

"H-how am I supposed to trust you?" she stammered. "Y-you were the reason everything w-went under in the first place!"

With a smooth motion, I spun her body with my tails so we were face to face. I cupped her cheeks, my fingers brushing against her translucent skin, and gazed into her shimmering light gray eyes. She struggled to free herself, but it was futile. In a husky voice, I said, "I won’t betray you; I have no reason to. Unlike the witch, I am true to my word. But to ease your worries, let me explain everything in detail.

"You see, my dear, the world has changed drastically, and I’m eager to explore it once again without being recognized. I’m heading to the capital of this Human Empire, but for some reason, they’re at war with the beast-kin. It’s impossible for me to enter the city without... complications. Sure, there are simple disguise spells, but magic has changed in my absence. I can’t say for certain they wouldn’t detect me.

"Which is where you come into play. This runic circle bestows the ability and form of a soul onto an object—in this case, a necklace. If I wear it, I would take on your form and even have access to your powers. This soul magic is foolproof. No one would see through the disguise—well, unless we encounter another powerful soul mage, but the chances of that are incredibly slim."

One of my tails slid between her thighs, and Asche let out a soft 'eep!'. I smirked and continued, "Now let’s talk about trust. This magic has one critical flaw—it requires your consent. And even if you give it, you can withdraw it the second you decide to. If you were to do that while I was in a crowd, I’d be completely exposed, and my disguise would be ruined.

"Oh, and one more thing—once the magic is complete, you can take on any form you like if you decide to manifest yourself. I’m not sure of the exact requirements, but you’re smart; I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Otherwise, you’ll remain nearly invisible and formless—like a lower elemental wind spirit. You’ll also be able to move quite far from me without any issues. So, how does that sound?"

Her gaze darted from side to side as she tried to look away, but my hands kept her head firmly in place. Even so, I could see her mind racing. Her hatred of me clashed with her desire for revenge. I couldn’t help but wonder what thoughts were brewing in that little soul of hers. Was she already scheming a way to betray me while exacting her revenge on the Jaeger Families? Oh, the possibilities thrilled me. A cute little playmate for this new world.

Right now, though, I wasn’t too concerned. Her choices were limited: either side with me or remain comatose in my soul for all eternity. And once she made the only logical decision, I’d ensure any attempts to betray me would fail spectacularly. Or, perhaps I’d let her think she succeeded, just to see her expression when she realized her plan had crumbled. Priceless.

Minutes passed before she finally spoke. "I-I... I agree."

"Purrfect," I hummed, releasing my embrace and stepping out of the circle. Asche dropped to her feet, wobbling slightly as she touched the ground.

The final part of the magic was relatively simple. All Asche had to do now was agree to the contract with the necklace.

"Concentrate on the flow of mana and let the energy engulf you," I instructed her.

Countless tiny violet threads sprouted from the emerald gem of the necklace. As they touched Asche’s soul, they turned gray, one after another. Now, all that remained was her consent.

"I, Aska von Asche, agree to lend my powers to the matriarch."

The moment her words were spoken, the glyphs flashed with a pure white light, and the world, which had felt frozen in time, resumed its motion. Asche—or Aska, as I now learned her name—had taken on her new spiritual form.

'This feels weird,' said Aska via the newly formed soul-bond. What she didn’t know was that being trapped within my soul for so long had left its mark on her. My seals, which suppressed all my emotions, had started to rub off on her, subtly affecting her decision-making.

I waved a hand dismissively. 'You'll get used to it, don’t worry.'

I picked up the necklace and placed it around my neck. A thick layer of ash swirled around me for a few seconds. I felt my tails vanish, my ears reshape, and my height shrink. My hair turned completely ashen.

'You look like me in my prime! Well, certainly younger, but damn, was I hot!' Aska quipped, her voice playful.

'Were you always this... talkative?' I asked, somewhat surprised by her sudden change in demeanor.

'Usually only with friends, but they’re all dead—thanks to a certain someone. Soo, I have to work with what I’ve got, and that’s you. By the way, what’s wrong with that elf over there?' she replied.

For a moment, I questioned whether I should try entering the city without a disguise. What had I done?

My elven observer had gone eerily quiet. I approached her with my new appearance and snapped my fingers in front of her face. She didn’t even flinch.

"Um, are you alright?" I asked.

Suddenly, Zary’s mother began to sob. "W-will you kill me? I-I was excited when you drew all those glyphs—it was something I’d never seen before... but the magic I sensed felt dark, forbidden. P-please, I don’t want to die."

'I have no idea what that elf just said, but she looks terrified of you... or is it ‘me’ now?' Aska commented, her tone equal parts curious and amused.

I rubbed my temples. So much for her nonchalant way of treating me earlier. "No, I have no intention of killing you. But I won’t let you walk away without consequence either. The price for watching my power was your heirloom, but there is still one more cost to pay."

Her whole body trembled as she sank to the ground.

'What did you tell her? And seriously, what kind of language is that? I don’t understand a single word,' Aska grumbled.

'Oh, I’m just feeding her some nonsense about paying a price for seeing my magic. It’s fun watching her squirm over the possibility that I might kill her. Weak creatures are so exhausting,' I replied truthfully.

Aska made a disapproving clicking sound. 'Charming,' she muttered.

Turning my attention back to the elf, I continued, "The price is simple. I’ll place a small curse on you. Should you ever speak of what you saw, you’ll perish. You’re free to explore whatever you learned, but you must not inform anyone about me. That’s all."

"R-really?" she stammered.

I nodded, raising my hand toward her head to signal that she shouldn’t move. Honestly, even I couldn’t always tell whether what I did was magic or something far stranger. In this case, it was the latter.

Without warning, several black tendrils extended from my soul, piercing into the elf’s head—or, more precisely, her soul. They burrowed deeper and deeper until I located the memory of me. I could have ripped it out entirely, but I wasn’t in the mood to cripple her soul. Instead, I embedded a small bit of my mana into the memory, ensuring that if she ever spoke of me, she would feel pain. It wasn’t a real curse, just a bluff. But she would believe it.

Afterward, I retracted the tendrils back into my soul. Some might wonder why I allowed her to watch in the first place, but the truth was, I wanted to repay her for showing me new magic. Even if it seemed like I was acting the villain, I wasn’t. Soul magic was so powerful that even a fraction of a glyph could grant incredible abilities—or kill you outright.

"You may rise," I commanded.

Zary’s mother stood, bowed deeply, and returned to her runes in contemplative silence.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Marika hurrying toward me, her expression a mix of worry and confusion. Behind her, Zary followed, carrying a bag and several potions. I had a sinking feeling I was about to endure a lecture.

'It would be nice if you’d bring me up to date later. I get the feeling I’ve missed something rather important,' Aska complained.

'Sure, sure,' I replied emotionlessly, groaning as I turned to the elder. "I hope that after I roughly explain my disguise to her, we can finally leave this place."

At first, Marika seemed skeptical, but after I demonstrated that I could switch back to my true form simply by removing the necklace, she returned to her eager old self.

Meanwhile, Zary's mother—whose name I still hadn’t bothered to learn—finished her preparations and was ready to cast her spell.

The earth began to tremble as she placed the catalyst—a strange, foul-smelling root—into the center of her rune circle. The circle glowed, and green particles shot into the air.

Before us, the trees groaned, their massive trunks shifting as if they had wills of their own. Slowly, step by step, they began to move out of the way. Their roots twisted and pulled free from the soil like feet finding new ground. When the movement ceased, a path had formed, just wide enough for the wagons to pass through. The ground was a little uneven, but the sight was fascinating nonetheless.

I was amazed at what this mage could accomplish with so little mana. Classes seemed a bit overpowered to me, though I might have been mistaken.

Zary’s mother, clearly drained, was about to collapse but was caught just in time by her daughter. Despite her protests, Zary scooped her up in a princess carry and began heading back to the wagon. The mage’s flushed face and grumbled objections betrayed her embarrassment at being treated like an old woman.

The first wagon started to move, and I made my way to the armored one that Marika had shown me earlier. I was looking forward to the extra space and comfort now that my tails weren’t in the way.

Or so I thought.

I really hate kids...