Book 3: Chapter 62: Taking A Chance III

Book 3: Chapter 62: Taking A Chance III

Zeke remained standing in the middle of the ritual, expectantly gazing at the portal above him. However, minutes passed without anything happening.

During Celines ritual, spirits had appeared one after the other. Was that the difference between a top-tier offering and his mediocre showing? Zeke hoped that he had not just squandered his only chance.

Even so, hed rather forgo having a summon all together, than having a creepy Soul eating monster as a companion. The thought of feeding people to that thing made his skin crawl. Furthermore, even if he completely disregarded the morality of it, the offer had not even been that tempting. If he was willing to do so, Zeke would most likely be able to find a way to do the exact same thing using his Mind and Soul Magic.

Wait a moment had this thing been attracted to him for exactly that reason? Aurelia had told him the criteria for attracting spirits. What was it again? Personality, life experience, or spell engraving? It was very possible that the devourer had been attracted to him because of that very experience where he had inadvertently absorbed parts of that spys Soul.

Zeke felt sick all of a sudden. What did it say about him that the first spirit he had attracted was such an abomination? With an effort of will, he got rid of those dark thoughts. The next one would be different, no doubt about it!

A shadow at the edge of his vision drew his attention. Instead of up, this weird distortion had come from right in front of him. Zeke lowered his gaze. There it was, standing right in front of him, a completely black human-like silhouette stood. For a moment, Zeke just stood there, staring at this bizarre apparition.

What the heck? How long had this thing been standing there? Why had he not noticed it until now? Putting all his questions aside, Zeke used his [Telepathy] to contact the shade. The thing either couldnt or didnt want to make the first move.

Hello, he sent. My name is Ezekiel von Hohenheim. Can you understand me?

Indeed I can, Ezekiel von Hohenheim, the being responded in a soft voice that was barely louder than a whisper. You were quite fast to notice me.

What was this? Was this thing sarcastic with him? He did deserve a bit of blame for ignoring it for so long, but still, who started a conversation like this?

I am sorry to have ignored you, Zeke said diplomatically. I was deep in thought.

The being tilted its head. I was not making fun of you, Ezekiel von Hohenheim, you were actually quite fast. I pride myself on stealth, you see.

No wonder he had not even seen the being arrive. If this being relied on stealth to survive, then it was a wonder he had even noticed it at all.

But where are my manners, the silhouette continued. My name is Olyssi and I am of the Veilweavers. My Mind magic gives me the ability to bend the attention of others away from us to remain unnoticed. A gift that would extend to you, if we were to form a contract.

How strong is that ability? Zeke asked.

Olyssi remained silent for a moment, before glancing over at Aurelia. The woman conducting the ritual has not noticed me yet. Nor will she ever notice me, if I do not wish for it.

What!? Zekes mind spun. Remaining hidden from Arch Mages? What seemed to be a mediocre ability at first glance actually had the potential to be a complete game changer. Without even trying, Zeke could think of a dozen scenarios where this ability could save his life. Thinking further, he wouldnt have to fear much of anything.

Zeke realized immediately why the Veilweaver had appeared before him. The constant need to hide had become an intrinsic part of his life by now. How often had he wished for the ability to just hide away from the world to conduct his research in peace? Now, he had the chance to gain this very ability.

Was this a punishment for refusing to make a sacrifice? Did the spirits think he was unreasonable for being unwilling to give up even a tiny fraction of his Soul? Celine had offered them her entire core after all. Not only that, but she had even had a perfect affinity. What was he even willing to give?

He had been aware he would not be able to get a Summon like Celine, but there had to be something he could gain. Somehow, Albert had managed to get Truthseeker, after all. There had to be a way. Was his character just too rotten?

Just as Zeke was about to give up on the ritual entirely, he noticed a minuscule figure approaching the portal. He had to wait for it to get closer before being able to recognize what it looked like. It was only about the size of a fingernail and had roughly the shape of a human brain with six wriggling tentacles. It came to a halt only a handspan away from his face.

offer contract the tiny spirit sent haltingly.

Zeke eyed the creature. It was almost translucent and didnt appear the least bit impressive. It was definitely a massive step down compared to the former two. Still, this might be his last chance to get any contract.

What can you offer, and what do you want in return? Zeke asked telepathically.

help think the creature replied.

It would help him think? Well, he couldnt say that this was wholly unexpected, given the spirits form. However, he couldnt say that he liked the idea of having a parasite attached to his brain. He warily eyed the tentacles that extended from the tiny spirit.

What do you want in return? Zeke asked, despite his reservations.

stay active always the spirit replied. It visibly struggled to get the words out. Also, its body seemed to dim further with every message it sent.

Stay always active? Did it want to remain summoned? If so, then this was not a small ask. Having a companion materialized at all times would put a constant strain on his core. This arrangement would slow down his recovery rate by a lot. It was not nearly as damaging as the previous offer, but Zeke was still hesitant.

For one, the tiny spirit didnt seem reliable at all. In fact, it almost appeared desperate for him to accept. How much would it be able to help, if it was barely able to fend for itself or even communicate properly? Furthermore, the idea of making a contract with a brain parasite was very off-putting. Wouldnt he essentially be feeding himself to this thing?

With a heavy heart, Zeke decided to turn the contract down. He just didnt have enough information to justify this risk. Not when all he had was the nebulous promise to help him think.

Fool!A deep, gravelly voice reverberated through his consciousness, shocking Zeke to his very core. "I was mistaken to expect anything from you, Ezekiel the fool! You hold a king's treasure but fail to grasp its worth."

After saying its piece, the voice fell dormant again, leaving a stunned Zeke behind. This was the most the Dragon had spoken since they had started to share a body. But the truly astonishing part was something else. Had had the Dragon just given him advice? It might have sounded like an insult, but it had clearly been meant to aid him. The Dragon had called it a king's treasure. Was he referring to the spirit?

No matter how Zeke looked at the tiny brain, he couldnt see it. Should he just ignore the Dragons words? That didnt seem smart, either. If it had deemed this situation important enough to break its silence, then Zeke would be a fool to underestimate its weight. For a moment he remained torn, but a quick glance at Aurelias struggling form reminded him that he was pressed for time.

After one last, deep breath, Zeke made his choice.

I accept your contract!