At dawn, Eren rose from the bed. After washing himself and changing into a clean set of clothes, he gathered what was necessary from his storage ring. He then locked the window shutters and secured the door from the inside.
Once the preparations were done, he took out the Anywhere Door and placed it upright in the center of the room.
He rested his hand on the wooden surface and focused.
Someone like me... my age... desperate enough to sell their soul for hope.
That was the kind of person he needed.
As the image formed clearly in his mind, he gripped the door's knob and turned it.
What greeted him was not a city, but the edge of a quiet forest. Beyond the trees lay a village, peaceful in appearance, untouched by any recent conflict. Birds called out from the branches, and the wind rustled the leaves gently.
Eren stepped through and stored the door behind him.
With quiet steps, he made his way toward the village, taking cautious note of the surroundings. It appeared to be a typical rural settlement, nothing unusual on the surface.
As he approached, an old man standing near a fence turned toward him.
"Hey, boy," the man called out. "Who are you? Where are your parents?"
The old man's eyes swept over Eren's figure, noting the clean but simple clothing. To his eyes, Eren looked even younger than his own grandson.
Eren offered a calm response. "I'm a spirit master. Just passing through. I happened upon this village while wandering. I'm looking for an inn, or any place to rest for a few days."
The old man blinked, startled. His tone shifted immediately.
"A spirit master?" His voice turned respectful. "Forgive me, I didn't realize... My name is Tom, though most here just call me Old Tom. I'm the village chief."
He bowed slightly. "You're most welcome here, Master Spirit. We don't have an inn, but we do have a spare house. It's not large, but it should be comfortable."
Without waiting for a reply, Old Tom gestured for Eren to follow.
They walked through the village together. The streets were quiet, not completely lifeless but far from lively. Several villagers greeted Old Tom as he passed. He responded with casual warmth, but a faint trace of caution lingered when he glanced back at Eren.
Eren observed everything.
Compared to his own village, this one lacked vitality. But his own village was not a good benchmark, it had produced a Martial Saint. That alone skewed every comparison.
After a short walk, Old Tom stopped in front of a small house. The wooden frame was slightly weathered, but it was intact and stable, far better than Eren had expected.
"This is the place," Old Tom said, turning to him. "It may not look like much, but it's the best I can offer you for now."
Eren offered a light smile.
"You've done more than enough. I only need a place to rest. This is perfect."
He reached into his pocket and took out five gold coins, but Old Tom quickly raised a hand.
"No, no, I can't take that. Having a spirit master stay in our village is an honor in itself."
They exchanged words for several minutes, but Old Tom remained polite and firm in his refusal. Eventually, Eren simply handed him the coins and turned toward the door without waiting for further argument.
Inside, the house was dusty but not ruined.
Eren stepped into the center of the room and raised his right hand.
With a silent command, his martial soul awakened.
A radiant glow enveloped the space, shimmering with seven hues, like a spectral mist. From his palm, the Lotus of Life bloomed silently. The air shifted, filling with vitality. The dust vanished. Grime dissolved. The wooden floors regained their polish. The curtains straightened themselves.
In less than a breath, the entire house had been purified. Every surface gleamed.
Old Tom, who had followed him to the threshold, stood stunned.
It was the first time in his life he had witnessed a spirit master displaying their martial soul. And more than that, it was beautiful.
Eren glanced at Old Tom's stunned expression and let out a faint, confident chuckle. The kind that came naturally to someone used to such reactions.
Old Tom finally gathered himself and bowed lightly. "Forgive me, sir. That display caught me off guard."
"It's fine," Eren replied calmly. "You've offered me a place to stay. I wouldn't be so petty as to be offended by a little surprise."
Old Tom nodded in relief.
But Eren had no interest in wasting more words. He asked, voice steady, "Are there any awakened soul masters in this village?"
Old Tom blinked at the sudden question. "Yes, there are two," he said after a pause. "One of them awakened a sickle spirit. Innate soul power level two. The other…" He hesitated. "A girl who awakened Blue Silver Grass. Half a soul level."
He let out a deep sigh before continuing. "The girl wants to study at the Academy, but we only get one quota… and she wasn't chosen. She's still crying about it."
Eren's interest sharpened. "Go on."
Old Tom looked away, voice heavy. "She used to live with her older sister. Two years ago, her sister awakened with innate level one, just a hoe spirit. But even that was enough to qualify for the Academy that year. Unfortunately, she caught the attention of a certain noble. Since then…"
He didn't finish. But Eren didn't need him to. He already understood what kind of tragedy had occurred. This world was not kind to the powerless.
A girl abandoned by fate, watching her only hope slip away. A perfect lam-, no, a perfect candidate for his organisation.
"A girl like that… desperate, emotional, driven by vengeance. She won't need to be convinced. She'll beg to follow me."
"I happen to have a spare Academy quota," Eren said flatly. "If she's still interested, send her to me. I'll give it to her."
Old Tom froze.
"You… really?" His voice trembled. "You truly have an extra quota?"
Eren nodded. "Yes. And it's mine to give."
The old man's hands began to shake. "Bless the heavens," he muttered, nearly choking on his words. "Thank you… thank you, Master Spirit…"
But a shadow crossed his face again.
"I just—" He struggled for words. "I don't want her to go through what her sister did. If that happens again…"
"She won't," Eren said calmly. "Once she becomes a proper spirit master, she'll be able to defend herself. The risk is slim."
Old Tom hesitated, but eventually nodded. "I'll send her to you shortly. I won't disturb your rest any longer."
He turned and walked off in a daze, still muttering to himself.
Eren watched him go and scoffed silently.
"How many times is that man going to sigh in a single conversation?"
He closed the door, then summoned an extra bed frame from his storage ring, one he had brought from home in advance. He made it up quickly.
As for the Academy quota, it was already handled. He opened his rough book, wrote a single line with the pen, and it was done.
Nothing more was needed.
Then he sat down and waited,for his first lam-ahem, for his first candidate.
A little over fifteen minutes passed before he heard a knock at the door. He didn't answer. The door opened slowly.
A girl, around his age, stepped inside.
She wore a plain white one-piece dress. Her hair was a soft, dusted brown, tied loosely at the side. Her eyes were the same tone, but red from crying. Fresh tears still lingered, and her expression was caught between sorrow and fear.
Eren stood and offered a calm, almost formal smile.
"Hello. My name is Xiao Eren Smith. May I know yours?"
As he spoke, he extended his right hand.