My First Contract
As soon as I touched that sword, I felt a crashing wave of power rush all over my body. It was like being under a huge waterfall. The pressure was more intense than feeling the fear of something more powerful than you.
This was more than that.
This went on for a moment, and slowly, I was becoming weak and numb.
This feeling had me grimacing and gritting my teeth, and my eyes were wide open as well, not to mention that my nose was bleeding.
Images from a past I didn't know flashed before my eyes, and this only made the pressure even worse.
The rest of them just looked on and waited for the results, but Death's Mercy, being the guardian spirit he is, felt the need to come and help me.
However, Asahi grabbed his hand and shook his head lightly to stop him from approaching the stand, and for some strange reason, he listened.
"What... Is... this power?"
The power I felt from the sword was beyond imagination, and it was the cause of my feelings when I touched the katana.
They continued to watch, and I continued to feel the pressure from the katana. It was as if it were gauging my compatibility with it.
I finally decide to let go of the sword and fall to my knees. Zeraff had said to pick up the sword, but I didn't even lift it from its stand. I touched it, felt the pressure, and then let go of the katana.
I remained there on my knees, breathing hard, and my face was sweaty as well.
"Another failure."
Zeraff was not pleased with the results; in fact, that was an understatement. He was disappointed with the outcome.
He was the one with the most anticipation out of everyone.
"Are you okay...?"
Asahi finally approached me. He immediately started healing me upon reaching me. Sitting beside me, his healing was quick.
It even replenished my lost mana from the battle before.
"I guess it was foolish of me to think that a person bearing his will would show up so soon."
Zeraff stared at the sword, completely devastated by the results. His tired eyes got even more exhausted.
I could see the melancholy look in his tired eyes that he must have been waiting for something or someone, and it was dear to him.
And then, as if he was reluctant to speak anymore, he said...
"You can go... Tessa, show them out."
Tessa was also somewhat sad about the outcome, but she accepted it with grace, because there was nothing they could do about whatever it was that they were looking for.
If it didn't show up, then they must continue waiting.
But then, as she was looking our direction, she stared beyond Asahi and me to the katana.
"My lord... The sword."
"..."
"The sword is... unsheathed."
This was a new development.
And it attracted Zeraff's attention much faster than anything else. He turned to gaze at the katana with amazement. He even approached it to see for himself, and indeed the sword was unsheathed.
(Yes, it is. Although it is only a small bit that is showing... This boy, could it not have been a failure after all?)
"Change of plans... Krai Letos, you shall remain here."
"Huh?!"
Asahi and I both exclaimed at the same time. The healing was done, and we are now preparing to leave as he had instructed.
But when he said change of plans, we were dumbfounded.
"What do you mean by 'remain here'? What is it that I must do here exactly?"
I shot back with a bunch of questions myself. Questions that I should have asked before even touching the sword.
I couldn't just follow their orders anymore without knowing the full story.
"To train, Tessa will inform you of the details."
"Huh... Train for what?"
"The sword has recognized you. So you are fit to inherit everything about this land, but you are weak. That is why you must train and learn.
We shall begin immediately... There is no time to waste."
Zeraff was still in his usual tired tone of voice, but this time, he was delighted. He even showed a hint of briskness in the way he was delighted about the new development.
"I'm sorry, but I can't."
"What, you would dare defy me?"
His words were threatening, but calm. Still, they were coming from a monster I could never hope to defeat at my current level.
However, I had to stand my ground, because the reason I am rejecting him like this was far greater than anything here.
I wasn't about to show weakness.
"Yes... As soon as my master wakes up, we'll be leaving here. I have to rescue her."
Also, my words were fierce, but that last part left me feeling a little bit sad. I have to save her as soon as possible, even if it means defying a dragon.
She comes first.
Miss Mary, please be okay.
My thoughts were on saving her. I may look cheery now because I have finally reunited with my friend. However, my heart is still heavy with guilt, regret, and anxiety.
I'm even scared to imagine what could be happening to her right about now.
Now that I have the power of a Guardian Spirit at my side, I won't let what happened to Old Man Marcus, Master Reina, and Miss Mary happen again.
I'll be doing the saving now, and there is nothing that will stop me. If there is something that gets in my way, I'll remove it by force if necessary.
Completely forgetting that I was in the middle of telling Zeraff off, my mind wandered, pumping myself up for the road ahead.
"Well, I can't simply let you go..."
"It doesn't matter, I'm still going. You can't stop me."
"Be quiet, I'm still speaking."
"Right."
Calm and collected, his voice shut me down, and even though I was cocky about defying him, I kept quiet.
Making him further angry would only work against me.
"I shall make a deal with you, Krai Letos... If you promise to come back here immediately after your endeavor, I shall let you go. Understood?"
"...I don't know what it is you really want, but if it means you will let me go, I don't have a problem with your conditions."
"Good. Now, to seal our covenant, you and I shall form a contract. This way, I can know when you betray our promise."
"..."
Silence shot through the entire cave. A moment of a lifetime just presented itself, and I was speechless.
Tessa didn't react with any profound emotions. She just stood close to him. Death's Mercy also shared this reaction.
Asahi and I, having been dazed by this proclamation, shared glances of bewilderment.
A being more powerful than any of us present was offering to make a contract with a mortal like myself.
Even Asahi, who made a contract with an ancient light spirit, was amazed at this.
"R-Really... I mean, are you certain?"
"..."
"Will this allow me to use fire magic?"
I eagerly asked the question that had been burning in my mind ever since I learned of my situation. Not only that, but the thirstful desire that I really wanted to quench.
I had to ask at least.
"Yes. It would also increase your power. So you will not die so easily."
"Let's do it."
I even took one step forward while saying that.
This was the moment a dream was coming true. The thing that had made me feel insecure my whole life at the mansion was about to come true.
So I couldn't wait any longer to agree to this deal.
Even though I didn't know what I was getting myself into, I agreed anyway.
"Step forward so we can commence."
I did as he said and got closer to him. About 3 meters close.
I couldn't wait for the contract to be established.
He issued me instructions on how to form this contract. A magic circle big enough to cover both his massive body and my small frame was erected.
It seemed like it just came out on its own.
We stood in the magic circle staring into each other's eyes. Zeraff even squinted his eyes as if he was amazed at my courage to stare at him without flinching. However, all this was a result of the possibility of using magic; everything else was just a distraction at that time.
"Now say your name out loud..."
"Krai Letos."
"Zeraff."
Zeraff followed suit with his instruction and said his name as well. I was even smiling.
I couldn't help but imagine all the magic spells I was gonna use.
The magic circle shone, and the light wrapped us up, me with my light body frame and Zeraff with his gigantic body mass. We were both wrapped in the light of the magic circle.
Then, after a while, the magic disappeared along with the light.
"..."
I look around at the ground and examine my body to see if there are any changes to it. But nothing felt different at all.
"Is it over?" I asked, while still in the process of seeking the changes.
"It is done."
Tessa and the rest looked on in awe. I had just made a contract with a dragon.
Then I started acting weird.
Fufufu... Now the time for me to shine has come at last, I thought with a weird grin on my face.
"Come to me, Fireball!!"
"..."
With all the joy and tension in the air, I absolutely did something horrendous. Something that quickly turned the whole room into a sea of embarrassment and criticism.
With all the proud eyes and envy on me. I stretched out my hand, hoping to cast a fireball, but nothing came out. Only dead silence was heard in the air.
The grand moment of a contract with Zeraff was ruined by an over-excessive desire to rush the awakening of magic.
I remained stunned and embarrassed.
"Oh my god."
Asahi tried his best not to laugh, but it was still apparent that he was holding it back. His voice was muffled by the hand on his mouth.
"You do know that magic is not something that just comes without training, right?"
Tessa spoke up. Not even a hint of laughter nor amazement could be felt in her voice. Only the cold stinging tone of disappointment.
"Even the most talented, gifted, and most knowledgeable people need practice to tame their mana and use magic. No exception."
"Hahahaha!"
Now he didn't hide it. Asahi let out the laugh he was holding in, and like a tsunami, it rushed through the whole cave.
Just when I was about to give up, warmth rushed through my hand, and then out came a ball of fire. It wasn't big or grand like that of Tessa or Master Reina when she switches from water magic to fire magic.
It was a small flame the size of a tennis ball.
Just as it quickly raged, it quickly flickered to nothing after, only leaving the warmth on my hand.
"Ah! Did you see that? I did it!"
"Did what?"
Asahi asked.
This guy was laughing to the point where he even had tears in his eyes.
"I conjured magic."
"Come on, man, lying only makes you look so sad."
"No, I did."
"..."
He looked at me with dead eyes and a dead face, clearly not believing a single word I said.
As I was trying to do it again, it failed miserably. And the look on his face only intensified.
I even tried touching his face with the hand I used so he could feel that it was warm.
"Feel that."
"Don't be stupid. The body naturally produces heat to warm up. Your palm being warm doesn't mean a thing."
"I'm telling you I..."
"Yeah, yeah."
This dude even interrupted me mid-confession. I was already frustrated enough with embarrassing myself in front of them like that, but now he was only intensifying my emotions.
"Listen up."
Zeraff spoke, and we all became quiet to listen.
"You have five days to accomplish your mission and come back here. I sense that what you're taking on will be difficult to achieve without being unscathed. So, as the next ruler of this forgotten land, I shall teach you one magic attack fit for destruction and another fit for defense.
They are a Dragon's most powerful attacks."
"..."
Compassion and worry filled his voice.
Even under that scaly head, a smile was shown. It must be because this is an attack he was proud of, and this so-called destructive attack would be my lifesaving magic.
The first fire magic I would learn.
I stared at him with sparkling eyes. This got my attention like no other.
And then it began, the magic training that would be the ace up my sleeve in times of a pinch.
