Bloodbound Codex: I Grow Stronger in Secret

”Mother...”

Seraphiel spoke as she turned toward Maristella.

Her voice was not loud, but the meaning was clear enough.

”Would you leave this chamber now? Aren’t you done with your teasing?”

Maristella turned toward Seraphiel and went silent for a moment as she looked at her daughter’s serious face.

For a few seconds, the playful smile remained on her lips, but she could also see that Seraphiel was no longer in the mood to let the matter continue. This was not a normal tea meeting, and Atlas was not some noble heir invited for marriage talks. He had come here because of a business proposal connected to the Whirlstone.

Maristella slowly stood up from the couch.

She walked toward the door, then glanced back one last time.

”Hah, looks like my daughter is all grown up now...”

After saying that, she left the chamber.

The door closed from outside, leaving only Atlas and Seraphiel inside the room.

For a short moment, both of them looked toward the closed door.

Atlas did not know what kind of person Maristella was yet, but he had already understood one thing clearly. She was troublesome, but not hostile. At least, not from what he could sense so far.

Seraphiel exhaled softly, then turned back toward Atlas.

Atlas also turned his gaze back to her and spoke directly.

”Mm, about the proposal, I accept it...but before that, I want a contract agreement that makes my safety the first priority above all else.”

Seraphiel nodded slowly.

She understood where this was coming from.

From the first time they spoke, she had already noticed that Atlas was cautious toward everyone, but his caution became sharper whenever nobles were involved. Even now, he had not fully relaxed after entering the Rosaria Household. His back was straight, his mask was still on, and he treated every word like it could become a trap.

’He is wary of nobles...’

Seraphiel thought this without needing much effort.

As the businesswoman of the Rosaria Household for more than five years, she had dealt with merchants, nobles, explorers, craftsmen, and people who came to her with both honest and dishonest intentions. Because of that, she could tell when someone was cautious because of habit and when someone was cautious because of past experience.

Atlas was the second type.

He was not just careful, he was...guarded.

Seraphiel spoke after a moment.

”Alright, Mr. Atlas. We will sign a Spirit Contract. It binds both parties, so the agreement will remain fair and neither side can simply break it after signing.”

Atlas’s eyes narrowed slightly beneath his hood.

Spirit Contract.

He had heard the words before, from the guild Explorers, but he had never once saw himself. From how Seraphiel spoke, it sounded like more than a normal written contract. If Spirit itself bound the terms, then breaking it likely had consequences.

Seraphiel continued before he could ask.

”But before that, may I ask why you had to accept my proposal now? If you don’t want to say it, that is fine. We can go directly into the contract.”

Atlas looked at her for a moment.

He thought silently.

’She will come to know it anyway.’

As per the proposal, Seraphiel wanted to build a business relation with him. If he was going to deal with Abyss-Rank Ruins later, relics, materials, and information from those ruins would eventually become part of that relation. Hiding the general reason was not very useful. What mattered was hiding the Codex, his growth method, and the exact reason behind his strength.

He also still wanted to know what a Spirit Contract truly did, but that could wait a little.

Atlas spoke after a short pause.

”It’s just that I want a weapon because I am planning to go into an Abyss-Rank Ruin as quickly as possible.”

Seraphiel’s eyes widened slightly.

For the first time in this conversation, she looked genuinely shocked.

’Wasn’t he a C-Rank just some days ago? How is he planning to go into an Abyss-Rank Ruin?’

Abyss-Rank Ruins were not places people entered because they had confidence. Even experienced parties prepared carefully before stepping inside one. The difference between Hollow-Rank and Abyss-Rank was not small. Inside a Hollow-Rank Ruin, a strong C-Rank or B-Rank could survive if they were careful. But Abyss-Rank Ruins were different. They could kill parties that were properly prepared.

Seraphiel calmed herself a little before speaking.

”Mr. Atlas, I think you are not fully aware of the Guild’s rules for Abyss-Rank Ruins. Only peak A-Rank explorers, or a B-Rank party with at least one proper A-Rank leader, are normally allowed to enter an Abyss-Rank Ruin. So it would be better to drop—”

Atlas cut her off mid-sentence.

”I am planning to take the re-assessment for exactly that reason.”

Seraphiel stopped.

Atlas continued after a moment.

”You see, I have grown stronger since the last time we met. I haven’t been clearing ruins for nothing.”

He spoke in a calm, almost casual tone because to him, this was only a fact. He was not saying it to show off, and he did not think his current strength was anything worth being arrogant about. Even after increasing his Attributes to 30, even after touching the S-Rank Traits more properly, he still knew he was far away from where he needed to be.

But Atlas’s perspective and Seraphiel’s perspective were completely different at this moment.

She stared at him with disbelief again.

’What? He grew stronger in that short amount of time? But that kind of growth...’

She did not finish the thought.

In her experience, people did not grow like that. Even talented explorers needed training, resources, time, tutors, relics, and proper combat experience. Going from C-Rank to even considering a re-assessment in such a short time was outrageous.

Seraphiel spoke again, this time with shock and curiosity mixed in her voice.

”Mr. Atlas, how much stronger are you now? If you had to compare yourself with the Guild ranking standard, where would you place yourself?”

Atlas answered without hesitation.

”Maybe around A-Rank. I don’t know the exact range until I take the assessment. The Guild’s evaluation gauge measures Spirit pressure, physical output, reaction speed, endurance, and combat response through different tests, right? Until I compare myself against that properly, I can only estimate.”

That explanation made Seraphiel understand what he meant.

He was estimating based on his own body.

Seraphiel stared at him for several seconds before slowly sighing.

”Hah...alright, Mr. Atlas. You want a weapon because of that reason, right?”

”Yes.”

”Then I would like to propose one extra deal within this matter.”

Atlas narrowed his eyes immediately.

His first thought went somewhere else entirely.

”But I already said I won’t be outright selling you the relics or materials from the ruins.”

Seraphiel looked at him for a moment, then smiled faintly at the misunderstanding.

”It is not that, Mr. Atlas, the extra proposal is within the same terms.””

Atlas waited.

Seraphiel straightened her back slightly and spoke more clearly.

”I want to temporarily recruit you to clear one of the Abyss-Rank Ruins purchased by the Rosaria Household.”

Atlas’s eyes shifted slightly.

Seraphiel continued.

”You are targeting Abyss-Rank Ruins, and I have an Abyss-Rank Ruin that needs to be cleared. So this aligns with your goal. Of course, this would only be after your re-assessment, and only if you truly qualify for entry.”

Atlas arched an eyebrow.

’Hmm? She wants me to clear one of her Household’s ruins?’

That was not what he expected.

He had thought she might ask for first purchase rights over future relics again, or maybe try to bind him more closely to the Rosaria Household. But asking him to clear a ruin was different. It was still business, but it was also an opportunity.

Abyss-Rank Ruin.

And if it was a purchased ruin owned by Rosaria Household, there might be fewer outside people involved than a public Guild ruin.

Atlas looked downward for a moment as many thoughts crossed his mind.

The risk was obvious.

Abyss-Rank Ruins were dangerous.

Rosaria Household ownership also meant Seraphiel would know which ruin he entered and what he brought out, at least to some extent.

But if the contract was written properly, the danger could be reduced.

Finally, Atlas spoke.

”Alright, I can do that.”

Seraphiel looked at him carefully.

Atlas continued.

”But I will go alone. No party should be with me inside the ruin, and no one should wait near the entrance to interfere with me either.”

Seraphiel nodded slowly.

She had expected something like this from him because of his cautiousness, but hearing it still made her feel the risk clearly. Going alone into an Abyss-Rank Ruin was not something she would normally allow for a hired explorer, especially if the ruin belonged to her Household. If he died inside, the ruin would remain uncleared, and the arrangement would fail.

But she also understood that Atlas would likely refuse if she forced a party onto him.

”Hm, alright, Mr. Atlas. I won’t send anyone with you into the ruin.”

Atlas watched her without speaking.

Seraphiel added, ”As for outside the entrance, we can include it in the Spirit Contract clearly. No Rosaria personnel will interfere unless you request it or unless the ruin begins overflowing outward.”

Atlas accepted that condition with a small nod.

That was reasonable.

If the ruin itself began affecting the outside, no noble household would simply ignore it. But as long as he was inside, he wanted no witnesses.

Seraphiel then moved to the next matter.

”Now about your weapon. You have to come with me to a certain place so I can introduce you to the craftsman.”

Atlas nodded.

”That is fine.”

Seraphiel continued.

”But before that, let’s sign the Spirit Contract, shall we?”