Jakal looked down. The water was so clear that he couldn’t gauge its depth, as if the ground beneath was transparent.
The place they arrived seemed like a mist-covered valley where nature thrived. In the underground cave, hollowed out as if the ground had sunk, mysterious turquoise water was pooled, and a small waterfall flowed down from one side.

Jakal looked down. The water was so clear that the bottom was visible, but it was too clear to gauge its depth.

“If you can accept the water spirit, you’ll gain a special power, just like me,” the chief said, extending his palm. A rose on his hand instantly burned to ashes.

Holding the blackened rose tightly, the chief muttered to himself, as if speaking to the disgraced Karaf.

“We need more warriors, more exceptional individuals for our minority. We must end this disgraceful dishonor and persecution with our own hands.”

He seemed truly obsessed with pulling Karaf down from his throne.

“Have you truly decided to undergo the test?” the chief asked Jakal sternly.

“Of course. It’s a decision I made even before coming to the village.”

“Good. Let’s begin then.”

The chief instructed the subordinates around, “Bind his body tightly with iron chains.”

Sosa tried to intervene in surprise, but Jakal grabbed his shoulder. When Sosa looked back, Jakal nodded, indicating that it was okay.

As Sosa stepped back, the subordinates tied Jakal’s hands behind his back and bound his entire body tightly with iron chains. At the end of the chains, a rock was hanging.

The chief said, “This valley has been known to receive the protection of the water spirit. First, eliminate your fear of water and make your soul harmonize with the spirit. In simple terms, you must become one with water.”

Jakal nodded.

“Think of it as the process of accepting water, and endure as much as you can until you can’t bear it anymore. When I judge you as a contractor, the water spirit will release you from your restraints.”

When the chief strongly questioned Jakal, he spoke seriously, “Of course. It’s a decision I made even before coming to the village.”

“Good. Let’s begin then.”

The chief instructed the subordinates around, “Bind his body tightly with iron chains.”

Sosa tried to intervene in surprise, but Jakal grabbed his shoulder. When Sosa looked back, Jakal nodded, indicating that it was okay.

As Sosa stepped back, the subordinates tied Jakal’s hands behind his back and bound his entire body tightly with iron chains. At the end of the chains, a rock was hanging.

The chief said, “This valley has been known to receive the protection of the water spirit. First, eliminate your fear of water and make your soul harmonize with the spirit. In simple terms, you must become one with water.”

Jakal nodded.

“Think of it as the process of accepting water, and endure as much as you can until you can’t bear it anymore. When I judge you as a contractor, the water spirit will release you from your restraints.”

When the chief gestured to a nearby subordinate, the subordinate kicked the rock with his foot.

The rock rolled down, and Jakal, as if being sucked in, fell into the deep water. Sosa shouted in astonishment.

“What if he drowns? What are you planning to do!”

“If he can’t endure it, then he’s not a vessel worthy of accepting the water spirit. It’s inevitable.”

As Sosa was left dumbfounded, the chief continued, “Originally, the water spirit is known to have extreme emotional fluctuations and a strong inclination like that of a child. It’s even said to enjoy drowning people as a hobby by playing malicious pranks. However, when it encounters a master, it will lend all of its uncontrollable energy to the contractor.”

The chief looked down into the water and muttered grimly, “You won’t die. That’s the deal.” Originally, this training stemmed from a ritual symbolizing the sacrifice offered to the water spirit.
“From now on, come here for training outside of meal and sleep hours. Handing over confidential information about the village will be the task of the spirit contractor after becoming one,” he added, looking at Sosa with meaningful eyes.

“Watch over him and assist him a lot. You may have to repeat this process countless times in the future. And if any problems arise for him, the next turn will be yours, so it wouldn’t hurt to be prepared in advance.”

Sosa’s face froze completely at his words. He truly thought of the village warriors as nothing more than long-used pawns.

As the chief sternly walked away with the subordinates, only the two of them were left in this place.

Sosa quickly descended the stairs and looked into the water with a worried expression.

Even though it was training, he had never expected such a reckless and arbitrary regimen.

This was almost like water torture.

The only fortunate thing was that it wasn’t winter.

If he had undergone such training in winter, he wouldn’t have lasted long.

Soon, bubbles began to rise, making it difficult to breathe.

Without any hesitation, Sosa jumped into the water, untied the iron chains around Jakal’s feet, and pulled him up from the bottom.

Drenched from head to toe, Jakal coughed as he emerged from the water.

Similarly wet, Sosa, with a worried look, handed him a towel and asked, “Did you feel anything?”

“… No. There were no spirits, let alone fish.”

“Still, if you repeat it a few more times, you might start feeling something.”

“Yeah. I have to get used to this damn training game. To properly revenge later.”

Jakal glared with his blue eyes at the transparent water.

At that moment, Asha, with the help of Ella and the maids, began dressing up.

Giving too much effort to Lilac’s tea party hosted by the Duchess could make her look overly adorned, but dressing too modestly might be seen as underestimating the gathering, inviting criticism from behind.

To find a middle ground, this time, she decided to fully accept Ella’s advice, who was well-versed in social circles.

Ella, excited and tense as if given a very valuable mission, selected dresses and accessories.

“Since Baroness has fair skin and a delicate figure, a bright dress with a lively saturation that enhances volume would suit her.”

Ella wanted to put a red dress on her, but red was too flashy and noticeable, more suitable for a ballroom than a social gathering.

After much contemplation, the color she chose was ‘lavender.’
Starting with a lavender shade close to white and deepening into a purple tone as it descended, the dress looked elegant and mysterious, fitting perfectly with Asha’s image.

Asha, wearing the dress, gracefully tied up her hair and adorned it with a butterfly-shaped hairpin before momentarily heading to the balcony.

It was to prepare herself emotionally before getting ready to attend Lilac Duchess’s tea party.

However, at that moment, a strong scent of roses suddenly wafted in with the wind from behind.

Casually turning around, Asha’s eyes widened, and she instinctively recoiled.

Karaf, surprised, quickly caught her waist as she seemed to be about to fall from the terrace.

Asha, pressed against him, felt her breath catch, freezing in place.