Chapter 125: Grimoire

Nereid chuckled. "It might be. .. faster if I show you."

A flicker of her hand and a small stream of water fell in front of Ryu. It turned to Crystal and showed the hidden secret of what he wanted to know.

Nothing.

There was nothing there but the coarseness of his back.

"That can't be." Ryu sprawled her palms against the stretched of his spine of what his hands could reach. There was nothing there but bumps from his muscles and bones.

"It's because you're sealed," Nereid said, and the pentagrams inside Ryu reflected on her crystal blue orbs. 

"Sealed?" It was also what Ferris said to him. It was the reason why he couldn't use mana. "How do I break it?" 

Nereid straightened her back and soothed her eyes on the light of the cave as if she was looking at something. "The answer. .. lies in the Beast Realm."

That again? Ryu scowled. "Can't you answer me now?"

Nereid shook her head. "I don't even know how. .. the only one who can break that seal is the one who cast it upon you."

"Who?" At least Nereid was telling him something. If only Ryu could just get more information from her.

Nereid laughed, peals of laughter that squinted her eyes. "You'll know. .. when you're there. . ."

Grr. .. Ryu was losing patience. But what could he do? Fight her for answers? It was already considered his luck at work that Nereid didn't attack him. No. .. it was because Tethyt did something to his body that made her place respond to him. Even her servants.

Nereid waved her hand, and her expression melted. "This is the extent of our conversation. .. you may have this. . ."

Waters from everywhere suddenly halted and turned to droplets that covered the ceiling, and what lay bare were three treasure chests on top of troves of treasures on the ground.

"You're just giving it to me?" Ryu couldn't believe it.

Nereid nodded. "I have received the will of my master. .. With this. .. my work. . ."

"W-what. .. what's happening?" Ryu was shocked when Nereid melted like ice burning from fire. 

"Do not fret. .. I am merely. .. giving you something that might come in handy in the future. .. ," Nereid said as she turned into a giant ball of aqua before she formed into a shape of a large book. 

"But first. .. released the seal that is binding you if you wanted to use our powers. . ."

The book floated into Ryu's hand. It glowed with a bluish light before it revealed its true form—a book with colorful mermaid scales and fins decorating its leather cover. Gold and jewels embellished its thick chains that locked the book from anyone who dared to take a peek.

"What is this?" 

"A Grimoire. .. my Grimoire containing my soul. . ." Nereid's voice resounded in the cave. "When your seal breaks. .. and you have access to your powers. .. you can summon me using this book. .. until then. .. I wish you good luck. . ."

Eh? Didn't it mean that the book in his hands was an artifact if it had a soul?! And what did Nereid mean that he could summon her when his seal broke? 

There was silence, and none answered his thoughts.

The more he thought about it, the more confused Ryu was. "Forget it. . ." 

There was no point in pondering what he didn't know, and he stored Nereid's Grimoire in his traveler's ring before he went to Seraphina and felt her pulse.

She was still breathing, and there was a silly smile on her face. "Tehehehe. .. Ngh. .. stop that. . ."

Ryu's worry crumbled to dust, and she shook Seraphina's shoulders to wake her up.

"Mmm. . ." Seraphina's lips trembled, and her long lashes flickered before she opened her eyes. "W-what happened. . ."

Ryu wasn't sure how to tell her. Should he tell her? But Seraphina was acting weird lately, so Ryu decided to seal his lips. He was alone now. Ferris wasn't here anymore to save his ass in case he got into trouble, all because he wasn't careful on whom to trust.

"You passed out," Ryu only said, keeping Nereid a secret.

Seraphina rubbed her temples before she spotted the troves of treasures on the rocky floor. "What's that?" she asked, excited.

"I think that's the treasures we get for completing the tablet."

Seraphina's eyes resounded like jewels encased in crystals before panicked took over her beautiful face. "W-what about the enemy in this place that we needed to defeat?"

"There is none," Ryu answered with a flat voice and face. It was the truth. Nereid was more like an ally than anything else.

Seraphina clutched her heart and sighed. "That's good then." She then stood to her feet and inspected the treasures.

"Ryu, come here," Seraphina called, voice like the twinkling of bells.

"Look." She hoarded the jewels in her hands along with precious stones that came tumbling from her arms from the sheer amount. "With this, I think you don't need to go to the scavenger area anymore! Look at all these bracelets and rings. They boost all sorts of attributes."

Ryu wasn't interested in the piles of jewels and stones, except maybe to gift them to Cecily. His eyes remained on the three chests on top of it.

Ryu opened one of the chests and was blinded when a gushing light burst forth. When the light dimmed, he found a tiara decorated with precious stones lined with tiny corals and crystals. Its main body was made of water that never ceased moving like it contained the ocean.

Seraphina's eyes glowed. "That's Tethyt's Tiara! I read that she wore it whenever she went and said that it's part of a set!" Seraphina counted in one hand. "A tiara, a ring, and an anklet! The Tiara boosts your mana and gives you protection against mind attack spells! That's like the most valuable treasure we could ever find here!"

Ryu grumbled. Mana? It would undoubtedly be helpful to Ferris and Cecily and certainly to Jane. But they did promise to roll the dice. . .

However. . .

"You take it." Ryu handed the Tiara to Seraphina.

Shock, Seraphina was startled. "Egh? Are you sure?" Though she already wore the Tiara with a face full of glee. She felt the surge of mana within her. She felt like her mana double or even tripled. With this, she wouldn't run out of mana anytime soon, even if she unleashed devastating spells. 

"It's only temporary. You should wear it first in case something happens once we meet with Jane and Kai. We'll roll the dice."

Seraphina's smile fell, and her shoulders dropped. "Oh. . .  That's what you mean." She laughed awkwardly.

"Do you want it?"

Seraphina ran her teeth over her bottom lip. "Yes, actually. It boosts my mana by a lot."

Ryu nodded with a serious expression. "Then I wish you luck when we roll the dice." He then proceeded to open the next chest.

Seraphina pouted and grumbled in whispers. "Not cute. Not cute at all."

Ryu opened the second chest and was confused when he saw two bottles sealed with a fork.

"What's this?"