Tarn stepped forward calmly and looked at Axelius's hand. "Must be because the young lord doesn't have a mana core."
Axelius frowned more. "And?"
Lyrielle lowered her eyes and spoke quietly. "In our clan, we don't usually serve others nyah. But if we truly find someone we want to follow… a mark appears on the back of our palm when we form a proper contract."
She held up her hand, palm facing up, and pointed to the center with her other finger. "Right here… it should glow. Like a symbol of loyalty. But… nothing appeared this time Nyahh."
Millie looked worried for a second. "Is that bad?"
Lyrielle shook her head with a soft smile, though her tail was still low. "Not bad nyah… just sad. It means the bond didn't fully connect."
Tarn looked between the two and added, "Maybe it's because the contract was one-sided? Normally, both the master and the follower offer a bond… a full magic link."
