Contract (3)
Chapter 58
The wind spirit, commanded to bring a friend, disappeared from sight.
Ray handed a cloak to cover their bodies to Florya and asked something that had been on his mind.
“Can spirits observe us without materializing?”
“Observation…”
Florya paused for a moment to gather her thoughts.
Due to her deep connection with the spirits, Florya understood some aspects of their nature.
“They can’t directly observe our dimension without materializing through a contract. But they can sense things.”
Florya looked up at the hollowed-out ceiling.
“If there’s a fight above us, we might not see it directly, but we could feel the vibrations running along the walls, right? It might work on a similar principle.”
“I see. Do you know how the spirits communicate among themselves?”
“Their communication isn’t very active. Even if they form groups, they only gather with spirits of similar rank who share the same element.”
“So that bastard will probably bring someone similar.”
“Plang.”
“What?”
“That’s what I named the bastard.”
“Hahaha.”
Ray chuckled softly.
A myriad of emotions flickered across Florya’s face as she mentioned the name of the wolf spirit.
Just as Ray was about to continue the conversation, ‘Plang’ reappeared in mid-air.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, the wind picked up.
Next to Plang, a vague shape hovered.
Alesya suppressed her racing heart and extended her hand.
A circle of mana carved into the ground enveloped Alesya, clarifying the hazy outline of the spirit.
It was a wolf-shaped wind spirit identical to Plang.
Having successfully completed the first step of contracting with a spirit, Alesya trembled with excitement as she spoke.
“Ah, th-that spirit. Would you consent to form a contract with me?”
Above Alesya’s magic circle, runes began to float.
It had been a long time since mages started making contracts with spirits, and by now, the process had become somewhat standardized.
The contract Alesya offered was one of the more favorable types for spirits within the standardized agreements.
Nevertheless, the wind spirit immediately bared its sharp teeth toward Alesya.
[Kruuung!]
“Ahh!”
Startled, Alesya fell onto her buttocks.
The spirit continued growling, expressing its dissatisfaction.
Perhaps it disliked that Alesya was a monocular. Ray smirked and raised his sword.
Just as the spirit finished venting its frustration on Alesya and was about to dissolve its temporary materialization, a Spatial Blade struck.
Puuuk!!
[Keeek!! Keeek!!]
The spirit stabbed in the back yelped like a dog.
As the spirit flailed, Ray pulled it close and whispered into its ear.
“Do you know this?”
Ray pointed his finger at Plang, crumpled in a corner of the dungeon.
“Your friend sold you out.”
[Kruk?!]
As fury surged in the wind spirit’s eyes, Ray twisted his sword.
{Keeek!! Kek!! Kek!!}
Crying out again, the spirit reluctantly began to resonate with the runes Alesya had created.
However, before the contract seal was complete, Ray stopped Alesya.
“Alesya, let’s change the terms of the contract.”
“How should we change it?”
“Well…”
Ray had already prepared a contract with the help of Count Phillip that would completely subjugate the spirit in anticipation of such a situation.
When Alesya drew the new contract seal, the spirit, realizing its fate, turned to look at Ray with a piteous gaze.
Hey, isn’t this a bit too much? I haven’t done anything wrong to you, have I?
Such an emotion seemed to be conveyed through the spirit’s gaze.
Ray tilted his neck and asked.
“Bothered? What are you going to do about it if you are?”
[…]
The spirit realized it had fallen into the hands of a madman.
In the end, the spirit had no choice but to enter into a slave contract with Alesya.
After being unexpectedly enslaved for several decades, the spirit went to Plang and growled, showing its fangs.
Plang also boldly showed its teeth in return, but the moment Ray unsheathed his sword and swung it around in the air,
“Hey, you little brats, opening your mouths without your master’s permission? Want another taste of the blade?”
[…]
[…]
Seeing the spirits quiet down, Ray smiled contentedly and requested Florya.
“Could you command them to bring a stronger friend next time?”
“Eh, um… Wasn’t one enough?”
Florya hesitated briefly and nodded reluctantly.
*
The second summoned spirit was a giant eagle-shaped wind spirit.
Unlike the intermediate-level wolf spirits, the upper-intermediate level eagle spirit resisted fiercely.
But as Ray began to saw off its wing-joint, it eventually surrendered and entered into a slave contract.
Amidst the pathetic-looking spirits crawling on the ground, Alesya moved forward with a look of awe on her face.
“I’ve gained spirits of my own!!”
Hugging the wolf and eagle spirits, Alesya rubbed their cheeks and laughed happily.
“Though the start was a bit rough, let’s get along well from now on!”
After a brief hesitation, the wolf spirit flipped onto its back and began to act cute.
Delighted, Alesya giggled, encouraging the wolf spirit, which then wagged its body even more enthusiastically.
“You’re a spirit who knows how to socialize…”
Frankly impressed, Ray asked Alesya.
“Alesya, how is Selomia doing?”
“Umm… It seems full after this contract…”
The capacity of contract seals that can be inscribed on Selomia is limited.
With one intermediate spirit, one upper-intermediate spirit, and the contract with Florya, Alesya’s Selomia had reached saturation.
Alesya wasn’t talentless.
For most natural-born mages, having two intermediate spirits or one advanced spirit would usually fill up Selomia’s capacity.
Realizing she couldn’t make any more contracts with spirits, Alesya felt a brief pang of regret but soon returned to a blissful expression as she stroked the wolf spirit’s belly and pondered.
“I want to give names to the spirits! What do you think would be good?”
Scratching his head, Ray asked in return.
“Do you prefer cute names or grand ones?”
“If I have to choose, I’d go for the grand ones!”
Ray casually suggested.
“How about Fenrir and Phoenix?”
“Although it feels a bit excessive, those are cool names! I like them!”
Smiling brightly, Alesya gave the spirits their names.
Meanwhile, Ray approached Florya and asked.
“Do you need more spirits, Miss?”
“Thank you for the suggestion, but I’ll just take the sentiment.”
Florya smiled and shook her head.
If one were to use coercion to make contracts with spirits, it would inevitably involve placing strong restrictions on them.
Without granting freedom, it was obvious that betrayal would follow, so it was necessary to tightly hold the leash.
However, due to the nature of contract seals, infusing constraints akin to a slave contract required consuming a massive amount of Selomia’s capacity.
While entering a slave contract allowed for the full utilization of the spirit’s power, making it an inefficient choice, Florya didn’t currently wish to increase the number of her spirits.
“For now, I’d like to have a chat alone with this fellow.”
Upon receiving Florya’s gaze, Plang whined and bowed its head to the ground.
Nodding, Ray looked up at the ceiling.
Since Florya’s matters were settled, it was time to deal with the unconscious knights trapped against the wall.
*
By forcibly injecting mana into a specific part of the brain, one can temporarily induce memory loss.
However, knights resistant to external magical forces may experience confusion when their heads are messed with mana, but they can still recall the general sequence of events.
This was sufficient for Ray.
The knights of House Osiris remembered being attacked by Jenkins and Ray but couldn’t recall exactly how they were subdued.
“These lunatics…!!”
Of course, upon regaining consciousness, the Osiris knights emitted menacing auras and drew their swords.
Not only had they been caught off-guard, but when they woke up, Florya’s cheek was swollen to an enormous size—no wonder they were foaming at the mouth.
Florya spent quite some time persuading them.
She explained that Alesya had helped renegotiate her contract with the spirits.
Although the method of assistance was aggressive, Florya emphasized the great favor received, but the Osiris knights struggled to accept her explanation.
However, when Alesya demonstrated her ability to freely control the spirits, the knights reluctantly nodded their heads in agreement.
It’s common knowledge that monoculars have difficulty forming contracts with spirits.
Florya explained that Alesya possessed a unique constitution, allowing her to form contracts with spirits, and used that to assist in renegotiating her own contract.
It made enough sense, so the Osiris knights sheathed their swords.
Of course, they weren’t forgetting to grind their teeth while issuing warnings.
“This matter will definitely be reported to Lord Osiris.”
Jenkins silently nodded his head.
There was no point in further provoking them here.
Once outside the dungeon, chaos erupted again.
Florya’s face was swollen, her dress was torn after removing her cloak, and rope marks remained visible on her exposed skin.
Several servants grabbed their necks and fainted, while Lyon drew his sword in rage.
You must receive treatment in the nearest city as soon as possible.”
Lyon tried to persuade Florya, but she only shook her head after applying a potion.
“Just let me take a walk and enjoy the breeze.”
“Aga… Miss!!”
“It’ll be fine, just for a while.”
Florya stubbornly climbed up the ridge of the mountain, surveying the surrounding scenery.
With few trees, the view below the ridge was clearly visible.
Feeling the refreshing wind blowing, Florya spread her arms wide.
“Truly… I’ve found freedom.”
Trembling lightly with the euphoria coursing through her body, Florya finally experienced the joy of the wind.
Sharing emotions with a spirit rooted in wind had dulled her perception of it until now.
That was no longer the case.
She could fully feel the gentle touch of the wind brushing through her hair.
Ray, who followed Florya, asked.
“Will you return to your estate or head to the royal magic tower?”
“What do you mean?”
“Weren’t you planning to go to the magic tower to resolve issues related to spirits?”
“Aha ha.”
Florya shook her head with cheerful laughter.
“That’s true, but the royal magic tower is also the best place to establish connections. There’s no need to miss this opportunity, is there?”
Looking up at the sky, Florya continued.
“My lady, without me by your side, others will surely look down on and belittle you. How many truly understand the strength of Phillips County?”
The wind spirit Phoenix descended from the sky, diving between Florya and Ray.
Below the ridge, Fenrir raced over with Alesya on its back.
“Uaaaaah…!! Faster than expected…!!”
The speed of Fenrir, who controlled the wind, was faster than a horse.
In the blink of an eye, Alesya arrived beside Florya and stumbled off Fenrir.
Struggling to regain her balance, Alesya grabbed Ray’s arm.
“Ray is my knight! If anyone covets him, even you, Florya, I won’t forgive you!”
“Uhuhu…”
Florya, covering her mouth with a newly unfolded fan, repeated words she had said before.
“Alesya, is this man really your knight?”
“It is!”
“You’ve managed to secure a good man.”
With a bright smile, Florya took a step forward with a fluttering heart.
“Let’s head down. Lyon’s gaze is getting scarier.”
Lyon, who had come to guard Florya, was raising mana while gripping the hilt of his sword.
Sensing another conflict might erupt, Florya stepped closer to Lyon again.
A measure to protect Lyon rather than Ray.
“I’m looking forward to it. What kind of place will the magic tower be?”
The pure curiosity that sprouted ten years ago bubbled up again.
Looking at Florya’s cheerful smile, Lyon relaxed his grip.
This was the first time Lyon had seen the young miss laugh so naturally today.
Only then did Lyon realize that the problem that had troubled Florya had truly been resolved.
