Zeke stared at the man, full of expectation. Was he going to learn a secret technique to increase the size of one's Soul?
Instead of explaining directly, Sheol looked at him deeply. "How much do you know about the Soul?"
Zeke didn't hesitate to reveal all he had learned so far. "I know that the Soul is the accumulation of past experiences, good and bad. The more meaningful the experience, the more it stimulates growth. I also realized that new experiences are essential to avoid falling into a routine."
Sheol nodded. "Those are the essentials, yes. If you know that much, what do you think is the best way to promote growth?"
Zeke didn't need to consider his response. He had found his answer when he came up with his plan to help David and Margret. The key to fast Soul growth was to take on a new challenge, something completely different from anything they had faced before.
Therefore, he sent David, the family's prim and proper butler, to the Dwarfs to compete as a smith. Meanwhile, he sent Margret, with her frank and unrestrained personality, to the elven court, where intrigue and subtlety were the weapons of choice.
He told Sheol about his experiments and the challenges he had prepared for his two subordinates.
Sheol nodded in appreciation. "You have a pretty good grasp on how to optimize Soul growth already. That is good. I don't think there is much for you to learn in that regard."
Zeke was beginning to feel anxious. Was this already the fastest speed possible?
"Is there no way for me to improve the efficiency then?"
Sheol sighed. "Is this the impatience of youth? I don't understand why you are in such a hurry. If you follow your own method, you will reach the threshold of the Archmage level by the time you are prepared to advance."
Zeke remained silent. If he followed the same method he had used on David and Margret, he would certainly reach the necessary state in a few decades. However, that might not be fast enough for him. After all, with the Mana Purifying device, he would improve at an exponentially faster speed compared to everyone else. He would likely reach the Grand Mage level in a matter of years and the threshold to Archmage in a decade, at most. However, he didn't want to reveal this to the man in front of him.
Sheol stared at him for a long moment before a smile broke out on his face. "Interesting. It seems you have some special circumstances."
Zeke broke into a cold sweat. He had forgotten who he was dealing with. The King of the Dead was likely the foremost expert on Soul Magic. They were in a dream world Sheol had created, and who could say how much he had already seen? For all Zeke knew, Sheol had already read his Soul, just as he had done to the others.
Sheol chuckled as he saw the panic on Zeke's face. "You don't have to worry. I can assure you that you possess nothing that would interest me anyway…"
Zeke nodded stiffly, but he wasn't reassured in the slightest. It was easy to say that one didn't covet a treasure as long as it was hidden. However, would Sheol be as nonchalant if he knew about the Mana Purifying device? That was a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering treasure that could upend the very power structure of the continent. Whoever controlled it could raise Mages at a vastly exaggerated speed.
Sheol shook his head in amusement, as if he could read Zeke's thoughts, though he made no comment. "Anyway," he said, "given your special circumstances, I'll share the method with you."
Zeke leaned forward, his wariness forgotten for the moment.
"You have already found out how to optimize your experiences for maximum gain. However, there is a way to multiply that growth manyfold."
"Please enlighten me," Zeke said eagerly.
Sheol smiled, an expression that looked particularly eerie on his gaunt face. "It is quite simple. You just have to experience multiple things simultaneously."
Zeke frowned. What did that mean? Should he research a new spell while fighting for his life? Even under the best circumstances, that would be reckless. Also, it would likely not even benefit him. If he was fighting while being distracted, how could it leave a deep memory? No, there was something he was missing.
Sheol stared at him, not hurrying Zeke along. After a while, he asked, "Do you understand?"
Zeke shook his head. He understood the principle well enough: experiencing multiple things simultaneously could be beneficial. However, he had no idea how to turn that theory into actionable steps.
Sheol nodded as if he had expected as much. However, his next words seemed to have nothing to do with the subject. "How much do you know about Death Mages?"
Zeke furrowed his brows, caught off guard by the sudden change of subject. However, he still answered honestly. "Not too much."
Sheol bobbed his head. "If you had to name one thing that was different about Death Mages compared to other affinities, what would it be?"
"The advancement to Archmage," Zeke said right away. According to his understanding, Death Mages actually died during their advancement to the Archmage level. At least, their bodies did.
"That is right," Sheol said. "Do you know why that is the case?"
"I am not certain," Zeke admitted. "But I do have a theory."
Sheol slightly inclined his head, motioning for Zeke to speak.
"At the Archmage level, the Core fuses with the body, becoming one. I believe that many properties of the Core are shared with the body at this stage. Therefore, a Deathmage's physical body must die to fully attune to the affinity."
Sheol hummed, seemingly impressed. "It seems you are quite knowledgeable. However, do you know how Deathmages sustain themselves in such a state? After all, it is quite unusual to keep moving after the body dies."
Zeke shook his head. He honestly had no idea. He had always attributed this ability to the properties of Death Magic. But the way Sheol was asking, there seemed to be more to it.
Sheol smiled. "It's good that you can admit what you don't know. Many Mages become too conceited to recognize their shortcomings."
Zeke smiled wryly, unsure if that was a compliment or an insult. However, given what he had learned about Sheol's personality, it was likely that he had meant it as praise.
Sheol's face turned serious again. "The reason Death Mages can keep living is because we have a method to keep our Soul from dispersing even after our bodies die."
Zeke furrowed his brows. If that was true, didn't that mean that all Death Mages knew about the existence of the Soul? It would explain why Moros, who he had met in Undercity, had spoken so nonchalantly about it. Was it possible that the Soul wasn't as much of a secret as he had believed?
Sheol seemed to know what he was thinking. "Yes, all Death Mages who reach the Archmage level become aware of the existence of the Soul. However, most never learn to control it properly. The only ability they have is to bind themselves."
Zeke's eyes opened wide. He now had an idea why Sheol had suddenly brought up Death Mages and its relation to Soul growth. "How does that ability work, exactly?"
Sheol nodded almost imperceptibly. "Death Mages can attach their Souls to any object, living or dead. As you might know, we don't control our bodies through their normal functions but by relying on Death Magic. Therefore, it is not important that the Soul is directly attached to the body."
Zeke licked his lips, burning with anticipation as he asked his next question. "Then… would it be possible to attach the Soul to another dead body?"
Sheol smiled. "Yes, that would be possible. A Death Mage can control any dead body."
This pretty much confirmed Zeke's theory. Yet, just to be safe, he still asked his last question. "Would it be possible to split your Soul and control multiple bodies at the same time?"
Instead of answering directly, Sheol raised a brow questioningly. "How do you think it is possible for me to check every single traveler crossing the Deadlands all by myself?"
Despite receiving the expected answer, a chill ran down Zeke's spine at this revelation. The King of the Dead was a mysterious entity, known to appear differently to each person who encountered him. There were dozens, maybe even hundreds of such reports.
Zeke went slightly pale at the thought, glancing at his counterpart. How many bodies did this man possess?
Sheol waited patiently for Zeke to digest this information, not interrupting at all. His tranquil countenance actually helped Zeke to calm down. Despite this new revelation, the person in front of him remained the same as he had been dealing with all along, and Zeke started to feel silly for his panic. He had known from the beginning that Sheol was a monstrous existence.
When the initial panic had subsided, Zeke began to ponder the implications of those words. If Sheol inhabited a hundred bodies, he would naturally experience a hundred lives concurrently. This meant that for every year that passed, he would live through a century...
Zeke finally understood what he had meant by his earlier words: experiencing multiple things simultaneously. However, he had no clue how to employ such a technique. As far as he knew, it might be exclusive to Death Mages.
Furthermore, he wasn't ready to abandon his body. He understood what it felt like to control his body from afar, like a puppet, and it wasn't a pleasant sensation. At best, he could describe it as detached. At worst, he would call it a feeble imitation of life.
Yet, could he afford to forgo the benefits of this method?
"Is it possible to make use of this method even if I am not a Death Mage?" Zeke asked, unsure of which answer he wanted to hear.
Sheol nodded, a knowing glint in his eyes. "It is possible. I know at least one fellow who used a similar technique to rise quickly."
Zeke nodded. If it were possible, he would have to look into this method. Maybe he would be able to find a way that could give him the benefits without the drawbacks.
"Do you have any other questions?" Sheol asked suddenly.
Zeke blinked, unsure of how to answer. However, he really didn't have anything he wanted to asked at the moment. So, he shook his head after a moment of thought.
"Very well then," Sheol said, "I guess that means that it is time for me to leave."
Zeke stared at the figure sitting in Maximilian's chair, wide-eyed. He was going to leave? Just like that? Hadn't Sheol originally come to inspect his Soul and determine if he was worthy to cross the Deadlands? Had he passed? Failed?
Sheol smiled, clearly aware of Zeke's turbulent thoughts. "You don't have to worry, child. I never intended to stop you."
"That doesn't seem to match what you said earlier," Zeke pointed out.
Sheol shrugged. "Naturally, I have my reasons." He got up, clearly preparing to leave. Zeke didn't know what to do and, therefore, remained where he was. However, just as Sheol reached the door, he turned to Zeke one last time. "It was good to meet you after all this time, child of blood. I look forward to your future achievements." With those words, Shoel departed, leaving Zeke alone. The moment he stepped through the door, he didn't only leave the room but disappeared completely.
Now that Zeke was the only inhabitant of this world, the silence was deafening. Still, he remained seated, pondering this strange encounter. The longer he thought about it, the stranger it seemed. What had been the purpose of this meeting?
In retrospect, it seemed as if Sheol had only intended to drop by for a chat. There had been no interrogation, no transaction, no nothing. If anything, the King of the Dead had helped him one-sidedly by sharing his knowledge about Soul Magic. However, could he really have helped him out of the goodness of his heart?
Yet, the most suspicious part of their conversation had been Sheol's final words. There appeared to be a hidden meaning that Zeke couldn't decipher, leaving him with an ominous feeling.