The next morning, Brandi Ratcliff didn't bother with a gentle wake-up call. She walked over to the sofa and kicked Cason's shin hard.
Cason's eyes snapped open. His body moved on pure instinct, his hand reaching for a dagger that wasn't there. When his blurry vision focused on Brandi standing over him, he froze, his chest heaving, a dark scowl of sleep-deprived anger on his face.
Brandi threw a heavy, dark wool cloak at his face.
"Put it on," she ordered. "We're going to the Elixir Emporium."
Cason pulled the cloak off his face, his brow furrowing. "My core is shattered. A standard apothecary can't fix it. You're wasting your money."
Brandi let out a sharp, mocking laugh. She crossed her arms, looking down at him. "It's my money. If I want to set it on fire, I will. Shut up and follow me."
Cason clenched his jaw, but he threw the cloak over his shoulders and followed her out the door.
The streets of Clearwater City were packed. Brandi walked with her head held high, her cold, untouchable aura parting the crowd, while Cason trailed behind her, his dark, brooding presence keeping anyone from getting too close.
They stepped into the Elixir Emporium. The air was thick with the sharp, earthy scent of crushed herbs and boiling mana. Glowing vials of liquid lined the mahogany shelves.
The shopkeeper, an older man with spectacles, was dozing behind the counter. He cracked an eye open, saw the Golden Griffin VIP pin attached to Brandi's dress, and instantly bolted upright, practically vibrating with customer service.
Brandi walked straight to the counter. She didn't waste time. "I need the highest-grade potion you have for repairing a shattered magic core."
The shopkeeper's smile faltered. He rubbed his hands together nervously. "Ah, my lady. You must mean the Soul-Mending Elixir. It is incredibly rare. We only have three vials in the entire vault."
He leaned in, lowering his voice to deliver the killing blow. "They are fifty thousand high-grade crystals. Each."
Cason's breath caught in his throat. His eyes widened in shock. He grabbed Brandi's sleeve, pulling her back slightly. "Are you insane? Let's go. That's extortion."
Brandi ripped her arm out of his grip. She reached under her cloak, pretending to access a hidden pocket, and pulled out three heavy, bulging leather sacks from her system inventory.
She slammed them onto the glass counter. The glass groaned under the weight.
"I'll take all three," Brandi said. Her voice was as casual as if she were buying an apple.
The shopkeeper's hands shook violently as he untied the sacks. The blinding light of pure, high-grade crystals spilled across the counter. He looked like he was going to pass out.
Cason stood frozen. One hundred and fifty thousand crystals. She was spending the wealth of a small kingdom on a broken stranger she had met in the mud. His brain couldn't process the magnitude of what she was doing.
The shopkeeper rushed to the back and returned carrying a velvet-lined wooden box. Inside rested three crystal vials filled with a thick, swirling liquid that looked like liquid gold.
Brandi picked up one of the vials. She popped the cork and turned to Cason. She shoved the glass right up to his lips.
"Drink."
Cason looked into her eyes. There was no pity, no expectation, just an iron will. The last wall of his paranoia crumbled into dust. He opened his mouth and swallowed the golden liquid.
The moment the elixir hit his stomach, a blinding light erupted from his chest. The agonizing pain of his shattered core vanished, replaced by a roaring surge of power as his magic circuits aggressively stitched themselves back together.
Simultaneously, the system alarm in Brandi's head screamed so loud it made her teeth ache.
[Ding! Epic Destiny-Altering Action Detected! Massive Investment Confirmed!]
[Congratulations, Host! Ultimate Reward: S-Class Magic Affinity (All Elements)!]
A terrifying, crushing weight of raw magic slammed into Brandi's body. Her veins felt like they were filled with liquid fire. The ambient mana in the shop swirled violently around her, treating her like a god.
To hide the violent physical transformation, Brandi grabbed the edge of the wooden counter. She squeezed the wood so hard her knuckles turned stark white, her nails biting into the polish. She locked her jaw, forcing her breathing to remain steady while her entire biological makeup was rewritten.
Cason absorbed the last of the elixir. He felt his core not only heal, but expand, pushing him right to the edge of a breakthrough.
He opened his eyes. He looked at Brandi, who was standing there, breathing slightly heavier than normal.
Without a word, Cason dropped to one knee. He placed his right fist over his newly healed heart, bowing his head in the ancient, sacred oath of a knight offering his life to his lord.
Brandi forced the lingering fire in her veins to settle. She looked down at the future butcher of the continent kneeling at her feet. She gave him a slow, arrogant nod, while internally, she was screaming with joy.
She owned him now.
