"What is this?"
Aria asked Soren, her gaze fixed on the intricate circular pattern forming on her belly. Thin crimson lines branched inward like veins, converging into a small, thorn-like emblem at the center.
Around it, faint arc-like runes took shape, each one pulsing as if alive. To be honest, she was mesmerized by the display.
"Crimson Bond!"
Soren used his mana to stop his bleeding finger before caressing her smooth belly, lovingly.
'It is a bond between you and me, one that carries my authority.'
This time, Soren used telepathy to speak directly into Aria's mind, catching her off guard.
"How?"
Aria asked aloud, her eyes widening in shock.
She could tell Soren hadn't used any skill just now. He had simply... spoken to her directly.
"Don't tell me..."
For a moment, realization flickered across her face, and she quickly fell silent.
'Soren?'
She called out tentatively in her mind, only to receive a reply almost instantly.
'Yes?'
