Aethernea : Soulbound [Book 1]

Episode 95 - Practical Exam Start

Elaru placed her index finger against her forehead. "The lump of flesh inside our heads does not contain our consciousness. Our fleshly body which grows out of the seed of life is only a vessel, an interface our mind uses to perceive and interact with the physical world. Similar to how the soul tendrils act as the conduit for mana, the brain is only a bridge between our bodies and our transcendent mind."

Kiel let out a resigned sigh. He had no idea where this conversation was going, but at least it didn't seem to be going in an inappropriate direction.

Since that was the case, he might as well just let her say what she intended to say, even though none of the things said so far were new to him. The topic of how life is created was not only thought in school but even the people who didn't go to school knew it, for it was a large part of culture and religion.

Halneans believed that the seed of life produced a spark of consciousness which had the ability to communicate with the Origin.

As soon as the Origin felt its existence, it would pull the new and weak spark inside a timeless dream where the spark would be sheltered and nourished by the Origin.

It is believed that this dream was a trial set by the Origin. If the consciousness failed the trial, the spark would be extinguished and the seed of life would die. Otherwise, the creature would be bestowed with a soul as its reward.

It is said that those who gained larger, better souls, had passed the trial with flying colors, while those who got miserable, small souls were those who barely passed the trial.

This is why, even from the religious point of view, those blessed with an abundance of mana were admired as the favorite children of Origin, while non-mages were the discarded children, looked down upon by the society.

The Origin was absolute. Everything came from the Origin and would one day return to the Origin. Even the gods themselves could not oppose the will of the Origin.

"Now, the purpose of this baby making talk is this - just like the soul tendrils can snap, the connection between your body and mind can also be severed." Elaru continued. "Unlike how the separation of the soul and the body causes damage to the body, the separation of the mind and the body harms neither of the two. If your mind left your body, your body would enter a state similar to a coma."

"Let's talk about sex?!" Kiel made an air quotation marks. "Would it have killed you if you just said you wanted to talk about this from the start?!" Kiel snapped glaring daggers at Elaru.

Elaru tilted her head to the side cutely and giggled musically. "Ah, but then I wouldn't have been able to see you acting all cute and embarrassed."

"ELARU!!!!" Kiel spat out through gritted teeth, barely restraining himself from grabbing the redhead by the neck. "In what way am I cute?! It was a completely appropriate response to an inappropriate topic of conversation!"

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry, sorry." She purred softly, trying to melt down the icy glare being directed her way.

"I can tell you aren't sorry at all!"

"Err..." Before the situation could degrade further, Elaru dropped a bomb that totally shifted the conversation onto another track. "Tomorrow's practical exam will temporarily separate your mind and body."

Kiel's eyes widened, and he stared at Elaru. "What?"

She stood silent for a while, deliberating her next words. "Have you ever heard about the Replica Dungeon?"

Kiel furrowed his eyebrows in thought. "I think I saw a guidepost with such a name inside Muni?"

"Right. It is a special place inside Muni." Elaru dramatically paused her speech, locking her eyes with Kiel's. "In fact, Replica Dungeon is the most precious place in the entire land of Halnea. It is the reason why everyone is trying to enter Muni. The reason why Muni managed to become the holy land of magic and an incredible power to be reckoned with."