(Chpt. 9.5) A dragon’s doubts.

I was sleeping in a desolate forest laying on the grass. When I heard it.

[Contract link re-established]

I forcefully woke up, startled from what I just heard. Could it be? How long has it been since I got a similar message? I could not believe this happened, I changed from laying down to sitting. I decided to try and feel our link. It was there. How long had it been? 30 years? I do not remember anymore.

“So it’s morning huh?”

I said with an indifferent voice. However, nothing else happened after that. I waited and waited. The sun settled and the night came. When I was about to sleep it happened.

‘O, Legendary Dragon, hear my call…’ It was a faint young female voice. However, she stopped her dumb chant. Then I heard another ridiculous chant with more willpower and it was way clearer.

“I [Summon] thee, come forth Trash Dragon I call upon you!”

I was teleported. So I was summoned, however, I was mad. I might not call myself the Legendary Dragon anymore. However, there was only one person that would address me like that and survive. I retorted instinctively.

“Who do you call trash dragon? You trash craftsman!”

I shouted with anger. However, I could not see anything because the whole area was filled with dust. It started to clear and I saw a young girl. It was not Kuro, my eyes widened.

She was just a bit taller than me, white hair, heterochromatic eyes. She looked kind of ridiculous if I say so myself.

“”eh.””

We both let out stupid voices. How did this child summon me? I wonder. I spoke the first thing that came to mind.

“”Who are you?””

We spoke at the same time asking the same thing. We won’t get anywhere with this. Someone summoned me, you can only summon if you have a contract with the creature. That must mean. Before I could speak the young girl spoke with a bright voice.

“You are a hero, aren’t you?”

“Are you stupid?”

I asked, genuinely wondering if she was okay. However, I realized. Only one person could be this stupid. I asked with a teasing tone trying to hold my laughter.

“What’s with that appearance?”

“Should you really be the one talking when you look like that?”

She retorted fairly quickly. I stiffened, she is right. I look like a pitiful little girl. All of those things happened, yet, I am no dragon. How sad is that... Enough with useless thoughts. I decided to ask Kuro.

“So why did you call for me?”

She paused for a second as if having an internal monologue, I saw her face change into one with a proud look and then she spoke.

“I wanted to ask you about this world.”

“I don’t know.”

“Eh?”

I answered the question almost instantly, which made Kuro make another stupid sound. Kuro seemed to have reached a conclusion, and asked me.

“So Aizen, what are you going to do now? Can you turn back into a dragon?”

Going for the hard questions huh? Might as well tell you now. I spoke trying to keep my dignified voice but sometimes my melancholic tone would sink into it.

“I don’t know what I am going to do, and no I can’t, I do retain my level and power for some reason.”

I saw Kuro start thinking for a second.

“Want to come with us?”

Kuro asked out of nowhere. I looked at her with a blank expression. Is that some kind of joke? It’s not even funny. Also, who is 'us'? Then she asked out of nowhere.

“Hey, Aizen why are you a girl now?’

“Because of you…”

“Eh?”

After I answered with an uninterested voice. She let out a stupid noise yet again. I was mad. What do you mean by ‘eh?’. Are you fucking retarded?! I started speaking with rage and resentment.

“Since you consumed that item!”

When she listened to that. Kuro started thinking, are you seriously this stupid?! It’s the contract.

“I was affected because of the contract we made.”

“What does that have to do with the contract?”

Kuro asked. What do you mean? Are you serious… I was boiling at this point.

“Are you stupid?! To summon something you form a contract, in other words, you are linked, that is why you can know how your summoned beast is doing without looking at it! For us beasts, contracts are something sacred. I basically gave you my life, yet...”

‘I gave you my life, yet you threw it away.’ I wanted to say that but I couldn’t. I could not keep appearances anymore.

“...”

“You show up, decades later and pretend everything is fine?! Just what is wrong with you...”

I ended with a cracked and pitiful voice. My rage subsided, I just walked towards a tree and sat under it, while drawing aimlessly on the ground with my finger. I spoke, without trying to be dignified, without trying to be a dragon, just a girl.

“You know Kuro… I don’t think I can come with you.”

Kuro I am sorry, but I must do this. It’s for the best for both of us. I spoke with a tone full of regret.

“I want to end our contract.”

Kuro’s face turned difficult and started looking at the sky while thinking. I decided to try to say something to not make her upset.

“Kuro, It’s not you, it’s me.”

“What do you mean it’s not me? What could make it you?!”

However, she was agitated instead. Ahh, now I’ve done it. I guess I will tell you.

“Kuro, I want to continue serving you, however, my feelings changed over time... I realized...”

I spoke with a tone filled with melancholy. I could not finish my sentence. At that moment Kuro asked.

“If you want to continue serving me, then why?”

I froze. I stopped drawing on the ground. Do you seriously not get it? I was crying, I spoke with all the honesty I could with a voice he has never heard before. My voice, a frail and quiet voice.

“You know Kuro… In all these years I realized… I am no [Legendary Dragon] it’s just a dignified appearance... Right now, I am just a pitiful girl with nowhere to go.”

“So what?”

Kuro instantly replied. I froze again. ‘So what?’ what could she even mean? I looked up to see her. When she saw me, Kuro realized something. She spoke with a serious tone.

“So you want to end our contract?”

I nodded with a confused expression.

“Very well, I will accept however you must make a promise.”

I paused for a second. What could she be planning? Well, it does not matter anymore.

“A promise?”  

“Yeah, a promise.”

I agreed because it was my only choice.

“Let me make a promise then.”

"Before that."

“Before that?”

I was confused. Did Kuro forget what she just said? She asked a question.

"Aizen are you really okay with this?"

I froze, I was feeling more sadness than ever. ‘I want to be with you. Please take me with you.’ That’s what I wanted to say. Instead, I started trembling and spoke with a trembling voice.

"I-I am okay with this"

This is painful, but it is something I have decided and something I must do. Kuro spoke instantly after I said it.

"I am not."

What does she mean? I looked at her wondering what could it mean? I was confused. She started speaking as if understanding what I was thinking.

“Aizen, I will end our contract, however, I want you to come with me, I need you. Not because you are the legendary dragon. I need you. I need Aizen."

The moment I heard that. My eyes widened, I had a faint smile on my face. I was happy, I got up from the tree and started wiping my tears.  ‘Is she serious?’, ‘There’s no way.’ Those thoughts started to plagued my mind, I spoke with insecurity. I had to know.

“Are you really fine with me?”

“Of course, is that really a question? You are the only one I can rely on, moreover, you are my companion and now my friend.”

The moment I heard that all of my doubts cleared. ‘Ah, I see that’s how it was. I don't need to be a dragon, I just need to be me.’ I started crying from the realization, I was happy that I got it all wrong. Kuro asked.

“Do you accept?”

“Yes!”

I instantly agreed with joy and enthusiasm. I remembered the contract, was it? Kuro had a confused face. I started speaking.

“To end the contract we just need to have each other’s consent.”

Kuro started thinking, I went stiff at that moment. I felt a jolt, it was very unpleasant. I became stiff from it. I heard the thing called ‘System voice’ after that.

[You have ended your contract with your contractor Kuro.]

[Title lost: Summoned Beast]

“Well let us start again… My name is Yami, would you like to be my friend? ”

Kuro said with a smile while holding her hand towards me. However why not Kuro? I had to ask.

“Why not Kuro?”

“I don’t want to be Kuro anymore, it seems problematic.”

I instantly nodded, based on everything I heard, it does seem problematic. Kuro made a wry smile for a reason I could not comprehend. I decided to speak with my dignified voice and shook her hand.

“Let’s be friends.”

At that moment.

[Error: Contract failed. Can only form a contract with a beast.]

“”eh.””

We both let out stupid voices at the same time. I looked at her wondering what happened, and she looked at me wondering what happened. We did not even try to make a contract. Then I heard the voice again.

[You have joined a family.]

[Kuro becomes your family name.]

[Title unlocked: Family]

You have created a family, isn’t that wonderful?

We both looked at each other and did not say anything.

Looks like we formed a contract, it was just a different type.

Alice.