The residual essence of Shallot Lancelot dissipated as the artifact spirit awakened at Eren's call, revealing a young girl who appeared to be no older than 12 years by mortal standards. Standing at a mere 4 feet tall, she possessed a petite and delicate frame.
Her off-blond hair cascaded gracefully to her shoulders, and her eyes shimmered like two small mirrors, reflecting Eren's own image back at him. Her adorable face boasted a small nose and dainty red lips, complemented by soft, rosy-hued skin reminiscent of a baby's complexion.
The young girl adorned a princess-like dress that seemed to be woven from the very essence of aurora lights. Its hues shifted intermittently, radiating silver, green, and blue shades, bestowing her with an ethereal and otherworldly presence. In this mysterious domain, she exuded an enchanting aura, seemingly in complete control of her surroundings.
"Who... who has awakened me?" The girl blinked, rubbing her eyes as if roused from a deep and satisfying slumber. Her voice, gentle and inquisitive, directed the question towards Eren, her curiosity piqued.
Aware that this enchanting girl was the artifact spirit of Shallot's Mirror, Eren exercised caution in his interaction. He introduced himself once more to the spirit, asserting his newfound ownership.
"It's me, Eren. Your new owner from now on," Eren replied calmly, his words infused with determination.
The girl's confusion surfaced as she gazed around, summoning Shallot's residual soul to her side. "New owner? But you didn't even defeat—" she began, puzzled. Then, with a moment of realization, she waved her hand, and Shallot's soul vanished again. "Her. You didn't even defeat her."
"Hmm?" The young girl was even more puzzled by the realization. "Wait a moment. How were you able to awaken me without defeating the previous owner's residual soul?" The young girl blinked repeatedly, her fascination with Eren growing as she seemed to fully awaken from her slumber.
Eren nonchalantly scratched below his right ear and tugged at his earlobe, answering the girl's query with ease.
"To be honest, I'd be more than ready to take the test and face off with Miss Ghost by your side, young girl. But time is not on my side. I cannot afford to engage in a prolonged battle with someone who was once a Titan Slayer. It would be time-consuming.
So, I opted to skip that part and summoned you here. And as for how I was able to do all this... You should be able to figure it out by now," Eren remarked, allowing his Elder Ichor Bloodline aura to manifest in the ethereal realm.
The young girl's eyes widened in realization as she grasped Eren's words. Without hesitation, her form melted into the lake's mercury-like water, only to reform right beside him. She flew up slightly, mercury-like droplets clinging to her until she met Eren's gaze at eye level. Cupping his face with her tiny hands, she touched his skin, and Eren felt a gentle, cool sensation.
Eren's body underwent an unexpected transformation, turning into his white-haired form with runic tattoos adorning his skin, all thanks to the young girl's touch. Eren raised an eyebrow in surprise but decided to remain observant, silently watching her actions.
"You..." her voice trailed off as she touched the lake's surface with her toes before continuing. "You truly possess my creator's bloodline," she said curiously, confirming Eren's conjecture.
"The bloodline flowing through your veins indeed grants you the right to claim me, or any other Elder Seed Artifact for that matter. You don't need to undergo any test to prove yourself," she stated before dismissing Shallot's residual essence into the lake once more.
With a knowing smile, she acknowledged the validity of Eren's claims. A bond seemed to form between them as she wrapped her essence around him. Eren reciprocated, touching her face with his right hand, feeling the icy cool sensation enveloping his palm.
Filled with emotion, the young girl spoke further. "They said you died, and maybe they were right. But we always knew that you'd come to us in some form, in some way," she said, her mirror-like eyes fixed on Eren.
Eren was about to clarify that he was not Shallot's true creator, even with his bloodline, but before he could, the young girl already knew his thoughts through their bond. She shook her head, confirming that she was aware of the truth.
"I already know that you are not my creator, Eren. Your soul origin confirmed that for me. Yet, I feel that a part of my creator has been revived through you. And for that, I'm happy," she spoke profound words with a child-like voice.
Relieved by her understanding, Eren knew she had questions of her own. But before that, he wanted to learn more about her.
"Like I said before, my name's Eren. Nice to meet you," he introduced himself, taking a step back and kneeling before her. Gazing directly into her eyes, he asked, "Should I address you as the artifact spirit, or do you have a name?"
The young girl pondered for a moment before responding to Eren's question. "I've been called many names by the previous Elder Seed Inheritors who claimed me after passing the trial. But those are not the names I want you to associate me with," she beamed at Eren, her charming smile lighting up her features. "So, you can name me. I'll accept any name that sounds good to you."
Eren smiled wryly at the peculiar request. He scratched his jawline thoughtfully before coming up with an idea. "I get to name you, huh? Let's see... How about Shallot, the same name as your previous owner?" he suggested, his gaze locked with the young girl's as he saw his reflection mirrored in her eyes.
The young girl scrunched her nose playfully at Eren's casual way of naming her. However, surprisingly, she didn't object to his suggestion and instead accepted it with a nod.
"Alright, from now on, you can call me Shallot," she said, accepting the name given to her by her new owner.
