CHAPTER 229: AUCTION III

Rhys didn’t sleep for long.

A soft hum filled the room—steady, gentle, but getting louder.

At first he thought it was just Puddle snoring.

Then he sat up.

The orb was floating.

"...Oh no."

It rose a few inches above his bed, spinning slowly. The mist inside swirled faster, glowing brighter and brighter.

Puddle, who had also been asleep on his pillow, snapped awake.

"MASTER! IT IS WAKING!"

"I can see that!"

The light filled the whole room now.

Not blinding—just bright enough to erase every shadow.

The orb cracked.

A thin line.

Then another.

Rhys scrambled backward.

"Puddle?! Is this supposed to happen?!"

"Yes! Maybe! I think! Probably!"

"That’s not comforting!"

The cracks glowed blue and stretched across the surface like tiny rivers.

Then—

PING!

The orb burst into harmless particles of water that evaporated in the air.

And floating in their place...

...was a small creature.

Rhys froze.

"...What..."

A tiny water spirit hovered there, made of clear blue liquid. It had round glowing eyes, soft droplet-shaped ears, and a small tail like a stream.

It blinked.

Then it blinked again.

Puddle gasped dramatically.

"BABY WATER ANCIENT!"

The tiny spirit drifted toward Rhys slowly...

...stopped right in front of his face...

...and booped his nose.

Rhys flinched.

"W-What does that mean?!"

The baby spirit made a soft chiming sound like bells underwater.

Then it spoke—its voice small and wobbly.

"Hi... Master..."

Rhys nearly dropped dead.

"Master? Why does everything I buy start calling me Master?!"

Puddle floated beside the new creature, eyes sparkling.

"Because it likes you! And you gave it home! And you have nice mana!"

"That last part feels like a lie..."

The little spirit drifted into Rhys’s hands.

It was warm. Soft. Not like water—more like living mist.

It leaned into his palm as if snuggling.

"I am... Aqua..."

Rhys blinked.

"Aqua...? That’s your name?"

The spirit nodded hard.

"Yes! Aqua! I follow Master!"

Great.

Another ancient creature attached to him.

He rubbed his face, already stressed.

"This is going to be a problem, isn’t it?"

Aqua smiled brightly.

"Master! I give power!"

Rhys froze.

"...Wait. What?"

Aqua’s body glowed.

A small blue circle appeared in Rhys’s palm—faint, like the beginning of a contract.

Puddle gasped again.

"MASTER!! This is a water bond! Very rare! Very strong! Almost like ancient pact!"

Rhys stared at the glowing mark.

Aqua floated proudly.

"Master... now have Water Link..."

The Mark flashed.

A notification appeared in Rhys’s vision.

New Bond Formed: Water Link (Rare)

Effects:

+20% Water Affinity

+20% Water Skill Power

+10% Mana Regeneration

Unlocks Water Bond Skills (1/?)

Bonded Spirit: Aqua (Infant Ancient Water Spirit)

Rhys almost choked on air.

"I—WHAT—WHEN—HOW—?!"

Aqua giggled like a small fountain.

Puddle patted Rhys on the head.

"Congratulations, Master! You now have two ancients!"

Rhys stared at the ceiling.

"...Why is my life like this..."

Aqua cuddled into his chest.

"Master... I stay... forever."

Rhys sighed.

"Yep. Definitely a problem."

But he couldn’t help smiling a little.

"...Welcome, Aqua."

The spirit chimed happily.

Outside, the moonlight hit the window.

Inside Rhys’s room, a new Chapter of chaos officially began.

Rhys didn’t get another second of sleep.

Aqua was bouncing.

Not floating peacefully.

Bouncing.

Up and down.

Up and down.

Up and down.

"Master! Master! Wake! Wake!"

"I AM awake!"

Puddle yawned beside him, her tiny arms dangling.

"Baby spirits have too much energy... They bounce for no reason..."

Aqua bounced again.

"Reason! I hungry!"

Rhys blinked.

"...Hungry? You... eat?"

Aqua nodded rapidly.

"Yes! Need water mana! Or water! Or both!"

Puddle added,

"Baby ancients need energy to grow. Just give some mana."

Rhys sighed.

"Alright... but gently. Not too much."

He placed his hand over Aqua.

Aqua leaned forward like a thirsty puppy.

A faint blue light flowed out of Rhys into the tiny spirit.

Aqua lit up like a lantern.

"YAY! TASTY!"

Puddle nodded wisely.

"Good. She won’t explode now."

"Explode?!" Rhys shouted.

Puddle shrugged.

"Maybe. Baby spirits can explode if overfilled. Or if hungry. Or if scared. Or if random."

"WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT AFTER I FED HER?!"

Aqua floated upside down, giggling happily.

"No explode! No explode! Love Master!"

Rhys collapsed onto the bed.

"...I need a manual for this."

Aqua suddenly hovered close to his face again.

"Master? Can go outside? Want see world!"

Rhys rubbed his eyes.

"It’s five in the morning."

Puddle checked the window.

"Yep! Perfect time for adventure!"

"NO."

Aqua grabbed Rhys’s sleeve with tiny water hands.

"Please!"

Rhys groaned.

"...Fine. But only outside the dorm."

Aqua cheered like she won a war.

Rhys put on his jacket, opened the door, and walked out with two glowing spirits floating around him like hyper children.

The courtyard was quiet, empty, and peaceful.

Aqua gasped loudly.

"WOW! BIG! HUGE! GIANT!"

Puddle nodded like a proud senior.

"Yes. This is grass. This is tree. This is sky. Try not to attack them."

Aqua zipped around in circles, amazed by everything.

Rhys sat on a bench, exhausted.

"...My life used to be normal," he muttered.

Puddle patted his hair.

"Master’s life is still normal. Just more shiny. More wet. More dangerous."

"That’s not normal at all."

Aqua suddenly flew back to Rhys, eyes sparkling.

"Master! Look! Skill!"

"Skill?"

Aqua puffed up proudly like a very small, very smug bubble.

"I make water!"

She raised her tiny hands.

A small burst of water popped out—

—and splashed directly into Rhys’s face.

Rhys wiped his eyes.

"...Okay. Good job."

Aqua cheered.

"YAY! Master proud!"

Puddle nodded.

"Baby skill: Water Pop! Very basic. Very weak. Very annoying."

"I noticed."

Aqua floated onto Rhys’s head and curled up.

"Sleep now... Use energy..."

Rhys blinked.

"You bounced nonstop for five minutes and now you’re tired?"

Aqua mumbled sleepily.

"Yes... baby..."

Rhys sighed, lifting her gently into his arms so she wouldn’t fall.

Puddle sat beside him, swinging her legs.

"Master... you now have two ancients. Your life will never be quiet again."

Rhys leaned back on the bench.

"...I figured."

But he smiled softly as he looked at the sleeping water spirit.

Aqua was trouble.

But she was cute trouble.

Puddle rested on his shoulder.

"Master good with spirits. Aqua chose right."