After a brief and very unnecessary quarrel with the three relic spirits, Veylen turned his attention back to Rey.
Rey was still curled up in the corner.
He clearly had no intention of coming out after being casually threatened with soul annihilation.
"So," Veylen said calmly, "I was explaining why you met the requirements despite having neither talent nor affinity."
Rey stiffened.
"What I found in you," Veylen continued, "is something most beings will never encounter in their entire existence."
Rey's gloomy expression instantly lit up.
"R-really?" he asked quickly. "Is it something strong? Something hidden? Like… main character stuff?"
Veylen blinked once.
"I don't know what a main character is," he replied flatly. "And no, it is neither strong nor unique."
Rey's smile froze.
"What you possess," Veylen said, "is fondness."
"…Huh?"
Rey stared.
"Fondness?" he repeated. "Like liking someone? Or someone liking me?"
"You misunderstand," Veylen said. "This is not common affection."
He took a step forward.
"The one fond of you is not a being our ancestors could ever communicate with."
Rey swallowed.
"Normal laws cannot form an ego. Even high-tier laws are nothing more than systems. But Origin Laws were born alongside the world itself."
Veylen's voice grew heavier.
"Over endless time, some of them developed wills. Minds. Egos."
Rey's breath slowed.
"You," Veylen said, "are favoured by such a will."
The room went silent.
"Affinity," Veylen continued, "allows you to borrow power. Fondness allows you to command it."
He raised a finger.
"Affinity is permission. Fondness is authority."
Rey's heart pounded.
"Once your comprehension matures," Veylen added, "you may stand at a level equal to the law itself."
Rey didn't speak for a long moment.
Then he scratched his head.
"I didn't fully understand," he admitted, "but it sounds… good?"
Veylen didn't deny it.
"So," Rey continued, gathering courage, "if my comprehension improves, I can help you remove the curse, right?"
He looked hopeful.
"You'll teach me?"
Veylen shook his head.
"I can't."
"…Huh?"
"My comprehension is incomplete."
"That's fine," Rey said quickly. "Even if you're a bit behind, you're still—"
"8.60794%."
The words landed softly.
Too softly.
Rey blinked.
"Ah… eighty-six percent?" he said uncertainly.
"No," Veylen replied. "Eight point six."
The floor seemed to tilt.
"No, wait," Rey stammered. "You mean… You missed a decimal?"
"That is my limit," Veylen said calmly.
Rey's eye twitched.
"Then how are you this strong?" he burst out. "You talk about perfection, curses, gods, superiority—and you're telling me it's all at eight percent?!"
Veylen shrugged.
"I am the third highest in the family."
Rey froze.
"…Third?"
"Our ancestor reached slightly above eleven percent. The second reached nine point eight."
Rey collapsed backwards.
"It's over," he muttered. "I'm trash, and now I belong to a family of delusional lunatics."
Aiden, who had been silent, stepped forward slowly.
His expression was serious.
"This man," Aiden said, "can erase galaxies with less than one percent comprehension."
Rey snapped upright.
"…What?"
"Comprehension," Aiden continued, "is not linear."
Rey's face drained of colour.
"So it's… really that hard?"
Veylen nodded once.
Aiden cracked his knuckles.
"Now do you understand?"
"Yes," Rey said instantly. "I understand perfectly. No more punches."
Veylen glanced at Aiden, then back at Rey.
"That is why I cannot guide you."
Rey slumped.
"But," Veylen continued, "your fondness allows you to bypass the restriction placed upon us."
Rey slowly looked up.
"We are cursed to stagnate," Veylen said. "You are not."
The air grew heavy.
"You are the final variable."
Rey felt a strange chill crawl up his spine.
"This is not a request," Veylen added quietly. "If you fail… You will walk the world alone."
Rey frowned.
"…Wait."
He tilted his head.
"What did you mean by 'alone' just now?"