The World Tree's seed.

As its name suggests, it is the seed that, if planted, will grow into a new World Tree, also known as Yggdrasil.

Axel found this item practically by accident.

While attempting to create a holy water mod, he mistakenly tapped the wrong items, adding them to the crafting panel and combining them. His hand moved faster than his brain could register the mistake, as he had done this hundreds, even thousands, of times before.

It was a miracle that something actually resulted from it!

What's even stranger is that he could plant it like a regular tree seed.

He asked some of the farmers to establish an "orchard" for him using the seeds, and from what he heard, all 100 seeds he provided germinated successfully.

In short, given some time, he would gain access to the elusive ingredient for his upgraded tonic recipe—Tytravanium Drops!

However, growing a tree from a seed would take at least a couple of years before it bore fruit. Knowing that it is no ordinary tree, he was concerned about whether it would even actually work. After all, the real Yggdrasil is so immense that each branch could hold an entire world!

But taking action is still better than doing nothing, even if it ends up being a futile attempt.

This fortunate discovery is also the main reason Axel continues to experiment with crafting every night. Yet, since that day, he hasn't had much luck.

"This one's no good... This one too... Next one..."

All the combinations he recorded, spanning about 300 pages, had been failures. This was partly because he was trying every possible combinatorial substitute for the parts used in the recipe.

As a result, each recipe had about a million possible combinations that he needed to verify one by one!

Hours passed, and it was nearly midnight.

Feeling disheartened by another night without results, Axel muttered, "Last one..."

Just as he tested the final recipe on the page, a reaction occurred.

"H-Huh?"

The system's crafting concluded in a flash, leaving him no time to double-check which recipe he was working on. He only recalled it when the output appeared.

"This is..."

He withdrew the item he had just created, staring at it in disbelief.

He checked the list again and confirmed that the recipe he was working on was for the Witch's Staff. This was a simple weapon that should have produced at least a basic "Staff." However, the item he was holding was far from that.

"No matter how I look at it, this isn't a staff; it's a collar."

The recipe called for wood, yet the item appeared metallic at first glance, shiny and smooth. Only upon touching it could one discern that it was actually made of wood.

Measuring about three inches wide and half an inch thick, the loop was just large enough to be worn comfortably around the neck. Axel felt a temptation to try it on, but...

"First, let's check its description."

He was dealing with witch equipment, after all.

If it turned out to be cursed, he might regret his curiosity too late.

After returning the collar to his inventory, he checked its details and gasped.

<Soul Seal Lv. Max>

<A mythical item from the times of chaos, this collar signifies one's belonging to another, marking a union of their souls. Once bound by an oath, both the equipper and the equipped receive a 50% buff to each other's stats as long as this item is worn. There are no limits on its use.>

<Parameters: Luck +100%>

<Material Cost: 5,828 Colts>

It was something he had never imagined before, but it was perfect for his current needs! Since it also didn't have any limits, he could technically use it on as many individuals as he wanted.

In short, beyond relying on the system's boost, he could also count on this collar to enhance his stats!

However, the wording in its description caused him to frown slightly.

At first glance, it seemed generic. But a deeper understanding revealed, "This... sounds like a marriage ring of sorts..."

A collar instead of a wedding ring! It sounded savage, brutish even, but based on its description, it would likely function in a similar way. But the phrase "union of souls" sparked another worry in Axel's mind.

"This... does this mean those I use the collar on will be like Ria?"

He had shared a Witch's Kiss with Princess Teruria, which allowed her to see his system through the link between their mana. But this time, it mentioned "soul," leaving him uncertain if it would work the same way!

"If it does... then I can't use this collar willy-nilly."

His system is essentially his lifeline. If he were to give an "enemy" access to it, it could lead to his downfall! After all, even Navi couldn't prevent Teruria from utilizing the System herself! If the System fell to his enemy's hands, there's no stopping them... He could only imagine the worst.

However, this also presents an opportunity.

If he could share his system with others, it would mean gaining more hands to assist him with his trial and error! "As long as I can trust them..."

A few faces immediately came to mind.

People who had been with him almost from the very beginning.

If it's them, Axel was fairly certain they were worthy of his trust. They already knew about the existence of the System, so learning its name or true effects wouldn't really change much.

"Tomorrow, I'll ask first thing in the morning," he decided.

Without hesitation, he exited his office and headed to the room just across the long pathway. His bedroom.

After entering, he quickly scanned the room for presences. Thankfully, he was fortunate that there was no ambush waiting for him inside tonight.

As a result, he could finally rest in the truest sense of the word after a long, long while...

…

Morning, the next day.

After receiving a new randomized daily bonus from Navi that increased his Concoction Slots by one, Axel headed straight to the dining room, where everyone gathered.

"Good morning, Sir Axel."

"My husband, morning~!"

"Greetings, Sir Axel."

Eve, Ria, and Arianne all greeted him with smiles.

"..."

Yet, Axel remained silent.

The night before, he had resolved to ask the girls to use the Soul Seal.

But now, standing right in front of them, he hesitated.

After all, the Soul Seal resembled a pet collar! It wasn't exactly appropriate to give something like that to the opposite sex, especially not to them...!

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