“What I need most? Ethan Whiskers, young human, you look at me with eyes that seem to know everything. Are you really saying you know what I need? And that you can fulfill it? Your words are disrespectful to this Tror, the King of Earth.”
Ethan’s words provoked the Spirit King’s anger.
It was natural.
After all, what Ethan said was no different from saying he could do what the Spirit King couldn’t.
“I know humans have remarkable potential. I know they have the ability to break through limits endlessly. But you’re incredibly arrogant. Do you think you’ve achieved some great feat just because you dismantled all my magic and reached here?”
Shaaaaaaak-!
The wind blew. At the same time, the ground began to shake violently.
Kuguguguk-!
As the ground shook, Roanna stumbled forward.
In contrast, Ethan, without the slightest tremor, calmly spoke to the Spirit King.
“My words seem to have made you uncomfortable, Spirit King. But I spoke knowing everything.”
“What?”
The Spirit King, as if there was nothing more to hear, placed his hand on the ground.
At that moment, Ethan spoke again.
“The wound on your side, the exile mark preventing your return.”
“...!”
The Spirit King’s movement stopped right there.
“I can heal it for you.”
At Ethan’s words, the Spirit King made an expression of disbelief.
“You really can heal this? This?”
For decades now, he had been trying endlessly. It had been painful days because of this spreading mark.
As Ethan asserted that he could heal it, Tror’s head, which had been filled with anger, began to cool down.
The ground’s trembling stopped, and Roanna, who had barely regained her balance, let out a sigh of relief.
“Teacher... that’s too aggressive a persuasion.”
After confirming Roanna was safe, Ethan turned his head back to look at Tror.
“Haven’t you been suffering from that wound for quite a long time since that day?”
“...I have. How do you know about that?”
“I read ancient documents. They were about the demon realm grand duke. In the process, I learned about the special abilities of the demon realm grand duke.” ṟ
Of course, he knew this because he had killed that demon realm grand duke in MePan.
As Ethan talked about the demon realm grand duke and their special abilities, Tror’s attitude changed completely.
“You, you know something.”
“That’s why I said it. Let’s make a deal, Spirit King. I’ll heal that wound so you can return to the Spirit Realm. In return, please restore the Prochet domain to its original state. No, if possible...”
Ethan wasn’t satisfied with simply restoring the Prochet domain.
‘When I cleared the quest in MePan, I barely managed to heal the Spirit King.’
Back then, it ended with just improving the symptoms, not a complete cure.
But now it’s different.
‘I can heal it completely.’
“Please protect Prochet again.”
Roanna was even more surprised by Ethan’s bold proposal.
To think he would make such a proposal to the Spirit King.
“You said you’re the teacher of Roanna over there, right? Then you’re an outsider with no connection to this domain, so why are you making such a proposal?”
The Spirit King couldn’t understand.
This proposal was essentially of little benefit to Ethan.
Of course, that was purely the Spirit King’s thought.
‘If this Prochet becomes the only spirit mage tower in the south again, we can link it with our Whiskers domain. We can expand the workshop business even more, and it can become a bridgehead connecting the Whiskers domain and the south.’
For Ethan, who was planning to expand the workshop business, it could only be beneficial in many ways.
‘It’s creating a definite alliance. An alliance where we don’t have to worry about betrayal.’
That alone was enough reason to help Prochet.
‘And if I clear the quest perfectly, there will be additional rewards.’
It’s a quest of extreme difficulty, no less.
If he manages to heal the Spirit King perfectly, he could receive incredible rewards that he’s never received before.
‘To clear the quest perfectly, I need to make a big proposal to the Spirit King.’
Ethan wasn’t a person who moved solely out of goodwill.
The calculations were already done.
“It’s because I’m Roanna’s teacher. Once I’ve decided to take on a responsibility, I intend to see it through to the end. And for Roanna, who will be the assistant in the next class, to show her best, it would be best if her family’s problems were resolved.”
Of course, there was no need to honestly state the original purpose.
At Ethan’s words, Roanna looked at him with a moved expression.
Her eyes were glistening, as if tears might fall at any moment.
“Teacher...!”
Today, the Prochet mage demanded the settlement of that debt with that nameplate.
“It was quite an old debt. But this timing. What are they trying to do, reclaiming that precious mana powder? Don’t tell me they’re trying to revive that ruined land now.”
Hansen couldn’t understand at all.
“From the Prochet lord’s perspective, it would be a shame to give up so easily.”
If push comes to shove, they could use that debt to get some kind of help from Duke Felix’s family and himself.
Giving that up meant that Michael Prochet was definitely planning something.
“It’s quite intriguing. Very much so.”
From Hansen’s perspective, Prochet was truly a pitiful place.
He immediately gave orders to his subordinate.
“Go to Prochet domain now and check if there’s anything unusual.”
“Yes! Understood!”
***
“Me, you say?”
‘I’ve never contracted with a Spirit King before, how could I possibly have the aptitude?’
But there was a concern.
Currently, this body is cursed with Extinction. It was clear that not only receiving the mighty power of the Spirit King, but even enduring it would not be easy.
“It’s an exact aptitude. Hmm, similar to Sloan’s. This level should be enough to contract with you. Then, centered on you, I’ll be able to protect Prochet again. But there’s a problem.”
And the Spirit King was aware of that problem too.
“You said you’d heal my wound, but you’ve got quite an issue yourself, don’t you?”
At those words, Ethan just smiled.
“They say healers are often bad at healing themselves. I’m exactly that case.”
“Teacher, are you sick?”
Roanna looked at Ethan with a worried expression.
Ethan nodded.
“I’m in a lot of pain. I’m worried about how I’ll teach you all in the second semester.”
“You’re joking, right?”
Ethan laughed lightly and turned his head.
“So is the contract difficult?”
“It’s not difficult. I just need to bestow abilities that fit your body perfectly. If your body becomes stronger than it is now, I can give you that power again then.”
‘It’s a shame I can’t get everything.’
Still, it was an unexpected harvest.
Especially Tror, the Earth Spirit King, is a spirit specialized in defense.
‘It’s easy to use the power of earth for defense, and if necessary, it can be used as a means of attack.’
“Then let’s make the contract right away.”
“Is it okay if we don’t heal you first?”
“Without trust between us, nothing can be done. Don’t you agree?”
At Tror’s words, Ethan also nodded with a smile.
“Let’s start with the contract then.”
Shaaaak-.
The ground cracked, and then jagged rocks sprang up as if to envelop Ethan’s feet.
“I make a new contract.”
Tror extended his hand towards Ethan.
“Ugh.”
For a moment, Ethan felt a pain as if his forearm was being burned.
A diamond-shaped tattoo. It was a mark indicating that the contract had been made.
-You have achieved an achievement!
-You have acquired likes for achieving the [First Spirit Contract] achievement.
-You have gained ‘1’ like!
-You have achieved an achievement!
-You have acquired likes for achieving the [Spirit King’s Contractor] achievement.
-You have gained ’15’ likes!
‘Holy shit.’
Ethan cursed inwardly for a moment.
’15 likes? The likes I got from hunting an Apostle were 10. As expected, a Spirit King is on a whole different level.’
“Now you have officially become my contractor. From now on, part of my power will reside in you.”
-You have learned Spirit King Summoning.
-Skill Added: Spirit King Summoning (S)
“From now on, I’ll show you what that power is.”
Author's Thoughts
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