Alisia was amazed by Vincent's abilities upon seeing her wound healing right in front of her own eyes.
She knew that magic existed in this world, but she never saw it herself, only indirectly through books.
Alisia wondered if she would be able to do the same in the future.
After all, she wants not only to be part of Vincent's emotional and intimate life, but be a part of his entire life journey.
Regardless of what hardships he might face in the future, she wants to be by his side and face them together.
If something happens to him…
She doesn't even want to think about it.
In the past, she already felt a good taste of it, but because she was still very young at that time, it didn't broke her since she didn't truly understood her emotions, but now, after their bond became much stronger and more intimate, she doesn't know what will happen to her mental and emotional state if Vincent again disappeared from her life.
To avoid all of that, she has to possess enough power to not only protect herself, but to be someone he can actually rely on in time of need.
Alisia inwardly resolved herself to find a way to become such a person.
…
Vincent looked at the identification crystal calmly, but inwardly he could barely suppress fear in his heart.
If the crystal does not respond to her blood…
Vincent closed his eyes, trying to calm himself.
Alisia also didn't speak.
She doesn't know what purpose this crystal holds and why it requires her blood, but upon seeing Vincent's unusual reaction, she felt tense inside.
From his own experience, Vincent knew that identification crystals need some time to show reaction and it was not the time yet, but still, he didn't want to open his eyes out of fear that he'd see an empty crystal like his mother.
…
Meanwhile, kilometers away from Freewind Town, in North Star city, a man with a torch in one hand and something else on the other while carrying several unused torches on his back as he was walking through a certain underground corridor. Only his steps and cracks of fire were giving a sound.
At the end of the corridor, was a reinforced steel door with several locks.
After the man unlocked all the locks, he pushed it open with all his might and then entered with heavy breathing.
The insides of the room looked mostly like any other normal room, but there was a big difference.
Everything in the room, chairs, table and other wooden furniture, were all replaced with the same copies made from other materials such as metal or stone.
On each of the walls were one burning torch placed, but they all were dim.
After taking a short break, he arrived near the table and placed something on it before going to the walls and replacing the dim torches with new ones.
He inwardly nodded before turning to leave.
When he was about to close the metal door, his eyes briefly landed at the end of the room, his eyes looking with astonishment. Though he already knew it, seeing it with his own eyes was completely different.
'It's hard to believe that they actually managed to abduct them.'
'Once the information and date of the auction will be released, I can only imagine how much uproar it will cause and how much money it will make. I wonder how many of those people will arrive to take part in it.'
The man suppressed his greed and closed the metal door with a struggle.
…
"Vincent? Can you already tell me what is going on?"
Back in the Freewind city, Alisia can't just sit silently anymore as almost 20 minutes had passed after Vincent dropped her blood on this small crystal as he sat with closed eyes all this time, not saying anything, yet she could almost feel the tension within him.
Hearing her, Vincent slowly took a deep breath.
'This time should've been more than enough for a reaction to appear.'
Vincent steeled his heart. Whatever the result will be, he will accept it and proceed as he planned.
Opening his eyes, he firstly looked at Alisia who was having a worried look.
After a brief pause, he slowly lowered his eyes down, finally looking at the crystal.
He looked at it in silence, as Alisia observed him in bewilderment as he looked at the crystal.
But then she became shocked and her heart trembled when she saw tears appearing in Vincent's eyes, though his expression remained unchanged.
Vincent slowly closed his eyes as his breathing became a bit disrupted.
After a brief pause, he suddenly left the chair and went to Alisia which made her also stand up in utter confusion.
Arriving beside her, Vincent suddenly took her into his gentle embrace.
Alisia's confusion only grew stronger as well as her worry as she listened to his powerful heartbeat while his long black hair was slightly tickling her face.
"Tell me already what is going on."
Vincent didn't reply right away as held her a bit longer before picking that small crystal from the table and showing it beside her face.
"This… is what is called an essence identification crystal. When this crystal comes into contact with a blood, it will show if the person is born with essence seed or not," he warmly spoke above her ear that slightly blushed as a result.
"I don't… exactly understand," she slowly raised her face to look into his eyes, "Does this essence seed have something to do with that magic you did from before?"
Vincent's heartbeat was racing as he looked down at her beautiful face, but he didn't show it.
Feeling her soft body on his chest, he gently moved some of her blond hair in front of her face to behind her ear before slowly nodding at her question.
Alisia lowered her head, contemplating while looking at the crystal.
When she decided to ask the most important question, Vincent suddenly let her go and went to his backpack to bring up an old tome before coming back to her and passing her the book, "Read it very, very carefully. Specifically the part that describes the process of entering Essence Cultivation."
Alisia held the old tome with the name The Threefold Origin with interest clearly vivid in her eyes. She felt something ancient about this book.
Suddenly, she felt how Vincent gently embraced her from behind, resting his hand on her waist, making her look up at him, uttering with a smile, "I will."
Vincent looked down at that sweet smile and then at her pink lips and without hesitation he lowered his face towards hers before taking those lips.
Alisia's heart skipped a beat.
This was the first time that Vincent took initiative for the kiss.
Alisia wondered as they slowly kissed.
Her heart was racing as their kiss slowly turned more passionate as their tongues touched each other.
Alisia can't help but think why Vincent's attitude towards her had a sudden change.
'It had to be related to the result from the crystal. After I read that book, I should be able to get a clear picture, but that can wait~' thought Alisia as their kiss continued to become more passionate. She was overjoyed.
If just this one kiss had made her feel this happy, what will be once they… cross the last line?
She doesn't know, but inwardly already made a decision.
'In a month, when I reach 17 years old… hehe~' she chuckled inwardly with a deep blush.
Their passionate exchange of saliva continued a bit longer, before Vincent suddenly stopped.
They took deep breaths as they looked at each other with deep emotions.
Vincent no longer needed to suppress them because the reaction the crystal had showed was a positive one to his shock as he had already steeled himself for the worst outcome where he will have to entirely erase all those warm emotions towards her from childhood, though on the outside he would still pretend otherwise.
But his fears were proved wrong as it turns out that Alisia was also born with an essence seed which changes everything in relation to her own future and their relationship.
Though her essence seed was only one coloured, its colour was the same as one of Vincent's, black, that line was much bigger than his when he underwent the same identification process in the past, which means that her affinity with the darkness element is deeper than his own and she'll be able to progress much faster in its understanding its origin.
Meanwhile, Vincent will be forced to focus on three different elements instead of one if he wants to utilise the best outcome from his essence seed which will take much more time.
He wouldn't be surprised if Alisia will catch up to his Essence Cultivation stage and even overcome it relatively soon.
After all he's only at Stage 2 right now.
It doesn't mean that she'll become stronger than him when she'll reach Stage 3 since people like him who walk on 3 paths simultaneously are a big minority if that book was telling the truth of course.
But that book was very ancient. Many years have passed since its creation and a lot has changed. Maybe even those exact paths are no longer used and were modified for more easy progression. Vincent can only speculate.
He would very much like to enter a library of the powerful sects on the continent and check his assumption himself.
But that was just some distance plans if one day he'll arrive there.
Suddenly, Vincent's eyes narrowed and he looked towards the window.
"Is something wrong?" Alisia immediately asked upon seeing this change.
"If I'm not wrong, which I don't think so, we have… uninvited guests," he replied calmly as his expression went to his usual self.
He let go of Alisia and went to the window, looking down from the 2nd floor.
"I didn't think that he would act this soon, but it doesn't matter," he said casually.
There, he saw 3 men entering the inn.
They were wearing North Star city enforcement robes.