"Is this a boy's body? How strange... What is the thing between your legs? Is that male genitalia? So odd. No wonder you can pee standing up... Oh, it can also grow big. Weird... But how does it work?"

"Lucilia, would you please stop playing with my dick?"

Lucilia's voice echoed directly in his mind as she processed his body. The first thing she did after gaining access was put his hand in his pants and touch him.

Ed could feel something extra inside his body, as if it were within his flesh and blood, or perhaps his soul. It was a very strange, bizarre feeling he couldn't even describe properly.

"If you play with my dick too much, don't blame me later if I play with your breasts."

These words surfaced in his mind and were immediately received by Lucilia.

"Hehe, sorry. This is my first time doing this and seeing real male genitalia, so I got carried away."

After exploring Ed's body for a few minutes and satisfying her curiosity about being a man, she quietly settled beside Ed's soul and temporarily returned control of his body to him. Because her soul was stronger, when she entered, she had taken over directly, reducing Ed to a spectator.

"By the way, Ed, why does your soul look slightly different from your appearance? Why are there small points of light around you?"

Hearing Lucilia's voice, Ed considered the state of his soul. He had only noticed it recently, after frequently looking in the mirror. His appearance had changed slightly, leaning toward his former self. This brought him comfort, though he mostly attributed it to his imagination.

It was only a slight change. People who knew Ed would still recognize him, simply thinking he had matured, a normal change for an 18-year-old.

After hearing Lucilia's words, Ed had a guess: his body was changing to resemble his soul, and his soul was changing to resemble his body. The two were influencing each other. As Lucilia had said, the body influences the soul, and the soul influences the body. While the theory had loopholes, according to this world's laws, it might make sense.

Those specks of light might be traces left by the body's original owner, impurities that had merged with his soul over time and eventually disappeared. Ed didn't understand the mechanics, only able to make simple guesses.

"And Ed, your soul is so strong, much stronger than any human I've seen. It's not as strong as an elf's, but by elf standards, it's not bad."

Lucilia couldn't help but reach out and touch Ed's soul arm.

"Hiss~"

Ed gasped, instinctively rubbing his left arm.

"What's wrong?" Jason asked, standing beside him, hearing Ed's sudden gasp.

"Nothing," Ed said, forcing a smile despite the stimulation Lucilia had given him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

Only then did Lucilia realize touching Ed's soul had caused such a strong reaction.

It's not pain, just a strange feeling. Maybe my soul is just too sensitive. You'd better not mess with it. Unlike you, who's been away from your body so long and have a strong soul, mine can't handle sudden interactions like that.

"I'm sorry. I won't touch your soul again."

Lucilia's touch had caused a sudden, intense stimulation for Ed.

Damn, my soul is so sensitive. This feeling is like when I lost my virginity and first entered Raila, but dozens of times stronger. Could it reflect external stimuli? By the way, if my soul and Lucilia had sex, what kind of crazy experience would that be?

Ed couldn't help but wonder.

With Lucilia inside him, protecting his soul like a magical barrier, Ed no longer heard the increasingly irritating song in the darkness.

"Why is a soul as strong as yours affected by the darkness here? The darkness surrounding you is far greater than your companions'. It's as if you're attracting it."

Lucilia's voice continued in his mind.

As a ghost, an elven ghost, Lucilia could see more clearly than Ed and the others, who were low-level humans. In her vision, once completely enveloped in darkness, the darkness around Ed pressed down on him like a tsunami. His companions, however, didn't attract much.

"Could the strength of our souls be attracting the darkness? Since you're hiding in the mirror, which protects your soul, I have the strongest soul here after you."

"Possibly. Strength can resist harm, but it also attracts prying eyes."

"With so much darkness, Ed, you should have been corrupted long ago, like that other guy, developing mental problems. But you've only heard some songs now, and these are just basic symptoms. It's very weird."

Lucilia continued, confused. She couldn't understand why Ed's soul was so special.

Maybe the system is also protecting me. Although it's a auxiliary tool, since it's connected to my soul, it passively boosts and protects my soul.

Ed thought this but didn't discuss it with her, simply ignoring the question.

The mental exchange didn't last long. As the ghost ship departed, the ship's illuminating stones lit up again.

"The darkness has receded."

With Lucilia's words, she emerged from Ed's body and returned to the necklace.

"It seems this journey will be far more dangerous than I anticipated," Andre said, his brow furrowed.

Seeing this, Ed asked, "What's the story with that ghost ship?"

"According to Church records, the [Shadow of Darkness] possesses death-related abilities. After its full-scale eruption, countless lives perished in both countries. These departed souls became spirits, drifting in this sea—the most dangerous element in this region."

"However, they're difficult to see on the outskirts. Records indicate the mortality rate is highest at the epicenter; the further out, the fewer casualties. These ghost ships are monsters formed when the eruption's power washes over the dead, mixing their death energy and spirits with the ship's structure."

Hearing this, Gami interrupted, "Captain, they can't simply be called monsters. They are still human, just bound by power."

As everyone's attention shifted to him, Gami explained, "The Church has a specialized research group that has entered the Dark Region many times. Many souls there still retain memories and emotions from their previous lives. They are simply bound by power or, more severely, completely corrupted by darkness, unable to escape and return to death."

"They are just... pitiful people."

"I'm sorry," Andre said. "I haven't been back to the Cathedral for a long time and didn't know about this."

The group grew somber, looking in the direction the ghost ship had sailed.

"Don't be discouraged," Gami said, having spent most of his time at the Church. "Many in the Church are dedicated to relieving these souls' suffering."

As for their progress, that remained to be seen. After all, it was a [Scepter]-level artifact, its exaggerated power unleashed through a special ritual at the cost of its destruction. It wasn't something easily dispelled.

The ship rocked once more, continuing its journey through the darkness.

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