That night, Rai's khodam absorbed a massive surge of recovering energy. The method of training a khodam varied depending on the type summoned—but the ways to increase their energy were generally similar.
One method was basic training. Using up a large amount of the khodam's energy, then allowing it to recover, would slightly increase its total energy capacity.
Another was through regular battles—especially ones where the khodam dominated the opponent. After such fights, energy would increase slightly more.
If the battle was evenly matched, the recovery process would grant a moderate increase, especially if the khodam was injured during the fight.
But the greatest increase came from battles far beyond the khodam's level. If it survived or even won, the energy gain would be tremendous. In fact, a popular theory suggested that the more injured a khodam got, the greater and faster its energy growth would be.
This was why Master Rosso allowed Rai to get hurt—as long as it didn't threaten the life of her khodam.
Because if a khodam died, its energy could drop by up to three levels upon resurrection.
That night, khodam energy swirled gently around Rai's body. Due to her female khodam's influence, her real body had begun to subtly mimic its form.
That's why male khodams could only be awakened by male summoners, and vice versa.
If Rai hadn't used the artifact to transform her gender, she might've turned into something truly strange by now.
When she woke up, she felt the change. Her energy had passed a major threshold—she had reached Level 2.
That meant she could now contract one jin servant and create one artificial khodam.
After completing the usual morning routine, including the group bath and some rather technical classes, Rai noticed several students submitting proposals to obtain their jin servants. If approved, the school would assign someone to escort them on their search.
Later that day, Rai went to see Master Rosso, who had expected her visit.
"Master, I was thinking about buying armor... so I won't get hurt in battle," Rai admitted, rubbing her sore shoulder.
"Oh? But if you don't get hurt," Rosso smirked, "your progress will slow down."
"But… do I really have to get injured in every battle?" she sighed, exasperated.
"Heeemm..." Master Rosso hummed thoughtfully.
"You could also make armor that protects your vital points—your heart and head," he finally suggested. "That's just a recommendation. Some women don't want to show skin at all and wear full-body heavy armor. But their progress is slow—one of them only reached her fourth khodam after seven years of study here."
"Then I guess I should make armor for my butt too," Rai added casually.
Master Rosso twitched. "Suit yourself. But if that artifact is involved, your armor might end up looking like a bikini... or tight shorts."
"Why not full iron armor?" Rai asked.
"Iron armor gets destroyed easily when hit by khodam energy," Rosso explained. "Most shamans create protective khodams using strong fibers instead. Remember that giant Nordic spider? Its silk is strong enough to craft armor—and valuable enough to sell."
"Oh, speaking of that... a lot of my friends want to buy milk from the new jin I just contracted," Rai mentioned.
"Kids these days…" Rosso muttered, shaking her head. "You can sell it, but don't produce too much. Otherwise, people might suspect your jin servant is... an anomaly."
"Ah, you're right. I almost made a huge mistake," Rai said, surprised by the realization.
"Good. I'm glad you're catching on quickly. I can help you find a khodam-crafter specialized in female-type spirits. She's also quite skilled at making armor."
"And if you've already chosen your jin servant, I can assist you with the contract process too."
"I'll need to reread that book first. I didn't expect to reach Level 2 so soon," Rai said.
"That's fine. You can also visit the library to research other types of jins," Rosso suggested.
"Hmm... Master, could you help me find an armor maker that suits my style? I can offer more of the Nordic spider's silk in return," Rai said with a sly smile.
Rosso's eyes sparkled. Without hesitation, she grabbed a large container.
"Go ahead—shoot the web silk in here!"
With a quick burst, the spider silk shot out and filled the container almost instantly.
Master Rosso, already anticipating this, brought out six more large containers. Once they were full, he stored them all inside his storage ring.
"I'll negotiate for you. With this much material, the armor might even be made for free. And if there's any money left over from the deal, I'll give it to you," he said with a grin.
"It's alright, Master. I'd be happy if you kept the extra. You've helped me so much already," Rai replied sincerely.
"Well then, I'll be off," Rosso said, summoning his khodam. After synchronizing his soul with it, he opened a portal and vanished.
Rai headed to the library—his first time ever stepping inside. He looked around, a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of books.
He spotted Diana sitting quietly with a thick book in her hands. Curious, Rai glanced at the title: Experiences in the Spirit World and Locations of Rare Material Sources.
Further down, he saw Houyi flipping through The Geography of Mars after Terraforming.
Anna, Unna, and Rara were reading together nearby, giggling softly. Rai casually looked at the titles and instantly recognized them as romance novels.
But something about Rara's book seemed off. She was seated alone in a corner, and the way she read it—flushed cheeks and all—made Rai suspicious.
Coincidentally, Rai was heading in that direction anyway to grab volumes 2, 3, and 4 of The Female Jin Encyclopedia for his khodam training. When he passed by Rara, his eyes caught the book's title.
A Night with the Prince.
Rai flinched.
"That's... definitely an adult novel," She muttered, quickly averting her gaze. "No wonder she's reading in the corner. She didn't even notice me."
She quietly picked up the three encyclopedia volumes and walked away.
Once She found a quiet spot, Rai summoned both his jin servant and his khodam—a majestic white-winged celestial being.
She began the process of spiritual linking, sharing a portion of her soul with the khodam. Through that bond, She also extended her consciousness to her jin servant, effectively bringing it under her full control.