34 - Contract

Lev Denek, the human male, led the contract negotiations against the Spirit King with ruthless efficiency. Unlike Ariel's calm expression, Naiad still wore a pouty frown. Communicating with a Spirit King was something even a spirit sorcerer might spend a lifetime chasing without guarantee. Yet here was this guy acting with the poise of an equal—not just an audience, but a full-fledged contract. It was the epitome of insolence in a superior-subordinate dynamic.

That's when a wicked idea struck Naiad as she ground her teeth with a subtle grind, unbeknownst to herself.

'Should I yank it out all at once?'

The moment the contract formed with the Spirit King, Naiad could intervene in his body. The Water Dragon's Orb had been absorbed throughout his form, functioning like an extension of his own flesh. But what if she ripped that power away without mercy? It'd be like tearing an organ from a human in an instant.

He didn't seem versed in magic, and with that reasonably frail build, there's no way he'd survive.

'He was the one who took it in the first place, right?'

For a neutral Spirit King like Naiad, this was a rather cruel notion. To spirits, death was just part of nature's cycle.

She flashed a mischievous girl's smile.

—Shall we begin, then?

"Do whatever."

Lev's confident smirk let Naiad shrug off even the nonexistent flicker of guilt.

—Swish!

As Naiad raised her arm, intricate magic circles etched with countless runes bloomed across her fingers, hand, and wrist. Layer upon layer, the spells spun—

—Whirrr…!Whoosh.

—and pierced straight through Lev's body in an instant. These mana flows would gather the lingering traces of the Water Dragon within him and reconstruct them in a flash.

—Ssshh…

But mere seconds later, the spells recoiled back to Naiad's hand.

—Wha…?

I'd expected it to take ages, but it wrapped up in under five seconds.

"All done?"

Most absurd of all, he looked utterly fine.

—Even after stripping that much ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠power…?

The intervention had worked perfectly. Proof: the orb infused with the Water Dragon's lingering will now rested in Naiad's grasp. Yet this guy had surrendered the monster's essence like it was a removable accessory—and emerged unscathed.

—Ariel… what the hell?

Ariel was just as stunned. This was a first for humans. Even spirit sorcerers couldn't perfectly separate and store a spirit or monster's power from their own body… The Wind Spirit King sighed.

—The orb was corrupted, after all.

The unpleasant aura radiating from him had vanished. Just as Lev Denek had said. By this evidence alone, he'd absorbed the fallen Water Dragon's orb not for power, but only to be ensnared by its curse.

—…

Dawn broke, illuminating Lev Denek's face, previously shrouded in shadow. With the "mysterious curse undetectable even by a Spirit King" gone, he now bore features that aligned perfectly with human ideals of beauty—quite the crowd-pleaser. Not that intangible Spirit Kings cared about human looks.

"We're good? Nothing else?"

—…

"I'll let it slide this once. Thanks for the trouble."

And with that, he left the two Spirit Kings behind.

…

—Ariel, is this for real…? You don't know what that guy's gonna do with your power!

—It's fine. I have my reasons.

Ariel simply watched his receding back. How long had it been since an extraordinary human appeared? But Spirit Kings weren't complete fools. During the contract, Ariel had slipped in one unspoken condition. There was already a suitable watcher stationed at Clarice Academy to monitor and check him.

—Let's head back. I've assigned a reliable one. We'll see how his fate unfolds.

Negotiating with the Spirit King had been a sneaky gamble. Whoa. Never thought the villain trait would pull its ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠weight like this.

The moment I sealed the deal with Ariel, I timed the new contract trait to overwrite the villain one. The before-and-after shift in their dislike was clear—they bought it as a demon curse. Plus, Naiad seemed eager to wreck my body, but 'think that'll work?' No chance. To a gamer like me, the Water Dragon's Blessing was just another detachable skill. Hand it over and done.

'Status.'

Final stats settled like this. Turning crisis into opportunity—another growth spurt. Wind Spirit King's contract buffs agility by 30% and mana power by 10%, but since 10 is the max displayed stat, it'll be a monstrous edge late-game.

"Tch… didn't sleep, feeling beat."

Duel's in a few hours. Gotta test Wind Archery, but prioritizing rest for peak condition.

As I headed to the dorm, a status window popped up belatedly.

—Ching!

Eh…? Huh…?

Not seeing things from drowsiness. Sinatis… the monster prof from Evolution Chamber…?

Early morning. Clarice Academy Evolution Chamber.

The monster girl Sinatis, fresh from a rare deep sleep, was aiding cadets' trial entries.

"Hello, Professor!"

"Good morning! Here to challenge the trials today too—ack!!"

—All, come, in.

The chamber buzzed every morning. Best condition for trials and training; failures meant hitting the gym to fix weaknesses that day.

—This, is, right.

Yes. This was Sinatis's ideal for the reformed Evolution Chamber. Last week, some mystery guy Lev Denek had caused trouble.

—If he, comes again…

If he returned, she'd ensure no tricks this time. That's when chatter from departing cadets reached her ears.

—Failed the trial again?

—Yeah. Stuck at stage 2.

—When do I hit stage 3…? Scholarship's gonna tank.

—Whatever, let's check that out later. Second-year archery vice-captain dueling a newbie?

—Why a duel? Rankings soon.

—Dunno. Rumor says the freshman's a total nutjob. Demerits at 49 points or something.

—Gonna get wrecked. Gailon's no pushover.

49 demerits. Sinatis had heard the rumors post-incident. Public school menace. Last time was just bad luck; caution from now on. Human proverb: avoid shit not 'cause it's scary, but 'cause it's gross.

—Whoosh…

A wind spirit fluttered lightly to Sinatis, who was getting her hair brushed by head maid Flora.

—?

The spirit circled her ear, forming gentle winds into words.

—Sinatis. I command you.

—!!

The Wind Spirit King Ariel's transmission. The follow-up stunned her.

—Watch Lev Denek.

—……………………

A Spirit King's word was absolute. Sinatis couldn't defy it. But the only human she'd ever acknowledged was Crune.

Crune Darunhill. Her first and last watch target.

…

—You're a monster?

—Monster.

—A monster but so cute?

—…

—Come here. I'll pet you.

…

It started rocky, but they'd become soulmates. Even after his death, Sinatis lived missing Crune…

Now a second target: Lev Denek?

Her hands trembled involuntarily.

—……No, won't do it… Hate his face on sight… That guy's physiologically repulsive.

"Lady Sinatis, what's wrong…? Is… the hairstyle not to your liking…?"

Flora, who'd prettily braided and ribboned her hair, asked cautiously.

'She never showed displeasure—thought she always loved it…!'

To Flora, Sinatis was savior and stylish doll. Pride in ribbon picks and meticulous grooming.

—No, no, no!

Sinatis's rage aimed elsewhere, but the wounded one was maid Flora…