CH 20

Chapter Title: My first contract with a spirit

「Just so you know, the next time you try to attack me, I will hit you without showing any mercy, okay?」

『Hahaha, yes! That’s not a problem! I have no intention of disobeying you in the slightest!』

The dragon’s huge frame shrunk to the point of tears, and it pressed its head to the ground in a pose of surrender.

Serena watched the scene with disbelief, as if she were looking at something she couldn’t believe.

「Serena. Can I ask you to step away for a moment?」

She hugged me as hard as she could, probably because she was scared, so I was close to her face.

「Oh…… Yeah. I, I’m sorry.」

When I let go of her hand with a snap, she blushed and moved away.

『Tsk』

「Is there any problem?」

『It’s nothing. I’m famous for being an uncomplaining spirit king.』

「Oh well. Well then, let’s make the contract right away.」

『All right, then. Then I will reveal myself in my own body.』

「In your body?」

As soon as I said the question, there was a popping sound and the dragon’s body dissipated. And then the smoke rises.

「What the hell!?」

He triggered my cautiousness.

「It’s probably okay, Elt. You can’t make a contract with a spirit unless they’re in human form. That’s why they just reverted to their original form.」

As time passed, the smoke began to clear. Then what appeared on the scene……

「Beastman……?」

There was a girl that had rabbit ears and a tail. 1

「Uuuuu, that’s why I didn’t want to be in human form.」

The beastman girl holds her head and looks at us with tears in her eyes, while we are left there motionless, with our mouths hanging open.

The black fabric covers her chest so that it absorbs the skin, but leaves her back almost completely exposed.

「O, oh, you’re the dragon from earlier?」

The rabbit beastman’s shoulders shook with fear as I checked.

「Are you teasing me?」

She asks me this while being teary-eyed. It’s a gesture that almost makes me want to protect her.

It seems that I’m not the only one who thought so…….

「Hey, Elt. Don’t you feel sorry for her?」

I feel as if I am torturing a young child. I let out a sigh and said…….

「I’m not gonna hurt you.」

I muttered to myself.

「So, is this outfit your main appearance?」

When the Wind Spirit Queen had calmed down, I asked the person in front of me another question. 2

「Strictly speaking, no. This outfit was cursed when I fought an evil god thousands of years ago.」

Appears that the Spirit Queen in front of me had challenged the Evil God to a battle, along with her friends, more than a thousands years ago.

It seems that the Evil God placed a curse on her at that time.

「When she is in human form, she takes on this appearance. That’s why Marie tries to avoid showing herself in public as much as possible.」

At least it’s better than the dragon form we just saw……

「Who is this Marie?」

「Oh, Marie is Marie. It’s a name I’m proud of, given to me by my former master.」

Then she stretched her chest out and emphasized her flat chest.

「Oh well, let’s make the contract then.」

I decided to complete my task.

「I’m sorry about that…… but I still think you shouldn’t.」

「Does that mean you’re breaking your promise?」

I shuddered, and Marie looked up at me fearfully.

「No, no, no!　It’s just that it costs a lot to make a contract with a Spirit King. A lot of people have been trying to make a contract with Marie for some time now. But none of them have succeeded!」

It seems that she is not lying.

「If you fail to make a contract with the Spirit King, you will lose your life!　Marie does not want to take any more human lives!」

「But then why not just say no to the contract?」

Marie replied to Serena’s question.

「A Spirit King is obligated to accept a contract as soon as it’s challenged. That’s why Marie threatened to use magic to get rid of you without letting you say it.」

「I see. So you were only acting out of the goodness of your heart?」

「Yes!」

Her clear blue eyes stare straight at me. It seems that she is not lying. She seems to be worried about me.

「I understand.」

「I’m glad. Then, Marie will call up a suitable Great Spirit or Superior Spirit and prepare a contract――」

「No, I’ll make a contract with you.」

「Why!?　I thought you understood what I just said?」

Marie shouted as she held up her bunny ears.

「Okay, Elt, stand over there. Marie, you stand in front of it.」

We’re going to make a spirit contract, so Marie and I will need to stand across from each other.

「Is that good?　All you need for a spirit contract is the consent of both parties and the cost capacity.」

Marie and I nodded at her words.

「Normally, if the cost is not enough, the contract will never be completed and you will never be able to make a contract with the same spirit again.」

In this case, it didn’t matter much because if the contract failed, I would lose my life.

「Uuuu, are you sure you want to do this?　I don’t want Marie to kill any more than she already has.」

Marie’s ears are flattened and she has a blank look on her face. She looks like she wants Serena to stop her right now…….

「Well then, Elt. Say the words of the contract after me.」

「Okay.」

Serena coughed and spoke the words of the contract.

「My name is Elt. I give you my name and hereby declare that we have a contract.」

As I said the words of the contract, a green light covered the area around me and Marie.

「This is the warding of the contract. Once it’s activated, the two of you can’t leave unless you complete the contract. Now, Marie, continue.」

When Serena urged her to do so, Marie made up her mind and…….

「I am the Spirit King, and I pledge to walk with you as your faithful spirit. I hope you will give me a name and make a pact with me……」

A green light floods from Marie’s body and streams into mine.

「Is this…?」

「The aura coming out of Marie is measuring Elt’s capacity. It’s a test to see if you’re qualified to accept her presence.」

I can feel Marie flowing into my body. We are in touch with each other’s consciousness, we are in touch with each other’s memories.

She seems to have been here for thousands of years, and I can feel the feelings of loneliness.

「This is…… why Elt is so…… so…….」

In the meantime, Marie has also been touched by my memory, and even though she didn’t look happy at first, she now has a happy smile on her face.

「That’s why Elt could use that…… and that’s why he can certainly accept Marie…」

In the meantime, the amount of aura flowing in from Marie diminished, and eventually………….

「That’s one step done. Elt, was there a problem?」

「No, it looks like we have enough cost.」

Marie’s eyes moistened and tears spilled out. Now I could understand the meaning of it.

She had been waiting for a new master for thousands of years, forced to watch countless people die because they weren’t strong enough to complete the contract.

「Then at the end we give them names and make a path through each other’s powers and that’s it.」

Nodding at those words from Serena…….

「I, Elt, give you the the name of [Marie].」

「Eh?　Is my old name enough?」

Marie’s expression was one of surprise.

「Yeah, you seem to have been very fond of your former master. I can’t take away the name you’re attached to.」

Before she was left alone, Marie seemed to be very happy spending time with her friends. I don’t want to take that name and those memories away from her.

「Thank you. Master Elt.」

A thrilled Marie comes up to me. Then…….

「Now, all you have to do is touch Elt and we’re done.」

「Marie has been lonely for a long time. But today, she has met her new master. The thousands of years she spent holed up here were painful. But it was not in vain, for I have met my master.」

Marie puts her arms around me and hugs me. And……

「Ahhh!」

Serena’s surprised voice echoed through the valley.

Marie’s blue eyes filled emotion, and something soft touched my lips.

After a moment, Marie let go of my body. 3

「Hey, hey!　What are you doing!」

When the contract was over and the aura was gone, Serena had tears in her eyes and closed in on Marie.

「Heheheh, I just made a contract with my master.」

Then she traced her lips with her finger. Apparently, I was being kissed by Marie.

「You’ve got to be kidding me!」

Serena’s anger echoed around us.

TL: Wow, Marie best girlllll.

Marie > Serena/Alice/Alicia