The Contract and the Little Girl Who Evolved
"A c-contract? What do you even mean by that..."
"Exactly what it sounds like."
It was essential for us to hammer in a nail right here, establishing a mutually complementary relationship. I planned to use everything I had to help the Grey Cradle that Ayla belonged to—and in return, I wanted her to focus entirely on healing me going forward.
"B-but..."
"You can't leave this place right now, can you?"
"...."
There was no verbal answer, but none was really needed. The Grey Cradle was located in the slums. In a place where even the bare minimum of conscience or ethics had been thrown to the dogs, protecting the children wouldn't be easy.
How did the original story handle this again?
In the route where Ayla was recruited as a companion, the third prince who had seduced her and the master of the eastern magic tower had joined forces to wipe out the corrupt nobles and criminal organizations that ruled the slums. Yes—corrupt nobles and criminal organizations. The reason the slums had become such a hellhole was because of the big shots who sucked the marrow out of the already destitute residents.
"Then I guess we'll have to start by cleaning things up from there."
"....?"
"Never mind."
Before coming here, Ren had told me there were three major criminal organizations. Those bastards sold drugs or weapons on the streets, smuggled goods, or straight-up wandered around looking for people to traffic. How could Ayla possibly feel at ease in an environment like that?
"Red Hook, Black Blood, Spiderweb."
At the names that left my mouth, Ayla's expression hardened. They must have been familiar to her. After all, they were the names of the organizations that divided up and gnawed away at this slum.
The funny thing was—one of those organizations had direct ties to nobles from our imperial family.
"You know those names too, don't you?"
"How do you...?"
"There's a way to know everything."
We were still thoroughly concealing our identities. She probably figured I was some wealthy noble, but there was no way Ayla could even dream that I carried the imperial name at this stage.
That's not what's important right now.
What mattered was laying the foundation for us to move into a deeper, more practical relationship.
"You're short on funds to run this place, aren't you? Food supplies must be the same."
At my question, Ayla's face darkened in an instant.
"If you promise to help me, I'll make sure the children here have food and support for the time being."
"....!"
Those words shook Ayla visibly. She wasn't in any position to weigh right and wrong. Without food, she would have to watch the children starve to death with her own eyes.
"Why... exactly?"
"I told you. I need your ability."
It was nothing more than a transactional relationship born of necessity. This would be far easier for her to accept than some illogical emotional tug-of-war.
And so.
"I'll head back for today. My body's much better than before, and there are quite a few things I want to look into."
I left those words with Ayla while gazing at the darkening scenery outside.
"Ppiit?"
I felt Blackie squirming in my pocket. She had grown fuller than before. The image of her absorbing every drop of black blood scattered across the floor flashed through my mind.
Is this connected to my curse?
While all the imperial bloodlines possessed peculiar traits, the original owner of this body seemed especially strange. Since she absorbed the curse dwelling within me and grew larger, perhaps she could draw out other hidden abilities if things went well.
Please.
This was truly the moment I desperately needed my own protective ability if I wanted to survive here.
"W-wait a moment."
Just as I was setting the mood to leave with Ren, Ayla stopped us.
"What is it?"
"Could you... perhaps tell me your name?"
That's tricky.
Giving my real name was out of the question, so I spat out the first thing that came to mind.
"Nox. Call me that."
"Nox..."
Ayla murmured the name I had given her, then nodded.
"I'll be back soon. I intended to visit a few more times anyway."
"...."
"I like watching the kids, and besides—"
I met Ayla's eyes as I spoke.
"My offer to recruit you is still open. Think about it positively one more time."
"...Ah."
I had no intention of leaving things at just a 'good relationship' with Ayla here. I planned to steal her away from the original protagonist's grasp no matter what.
Otherwise both you and I will die.
If we wanted to survive, didn't people facing crisis need to band together?
With that thought, I stepped out of the Grey Cradle—
"On behalf of the Grey Cradle, I thank you for the grace you have bestowed upon us today."
Ayla bowed her head deeply. Her eyes seemed much gentler than when we first met, which gave me a sense of satisfaction. Yes, this was how trust was built.
Feeling rather pleased with myself, I climbed into the carriage.
"Haa...!"
The first thing I did upon returning to the carriage was take off the mask.
"My lord, there's blood."
"Thanks."
Ren, who rarely showed any agitation, handed me a handkerchief. I took it immediately and wiped my face.
"You can stop now, by the way."
"...Pardon?"
"You can stop. It's over now."
"Ah."
"It must be uncomfortable. You're a proper sentient being too."
Our Ren must have it rough. She couldn't even complain because of the status difference. Having lived a life of endurance, despised everywhere because of her beastkin race. And on top of that, a dying man asks her to play the role of his wife? If it were me, I would've considered quitting on the spot.
"...It's fine."
"I'm sorry I can't offer you proper compensation in this situation, but please bear with it a little longer."
— Clatter. Clatter.
After my words, until we returned to the Separate Palace, not a single sound could be heard inside the carriage besides the noise from outside. Ren was lost in her own thoughts, and I was busy organizing the information I had gained so far.
"W-we have arrived."
At the coachman's words, the two of us got off and faced the familiar scenery of the Separate Palace.
"We're back."
Back again. To this stifling place.
I trudged into the palace, where a hollow, empty space greeted us. Oh right. I had cleared out all the people from the Separate Palace, so including myself, there were only three members left.
We're basically a fallen noble house.
Calling it part of the imperial family was a stretch. At this point, I was clearly an abandoned child. No wonder I was treated like an extra even after being assassinated.
"I want to wash up."
"I'll inform the Chief Chamberlain."
"Yeah."
— Swoooosh...!
I washed away the day's fatigue in the steaming bathroom, then quickly headed to the bedroom and fell asleep. I had been worried I wouldn't be able to sleep right away because I had so much to think about, but—
"Guh..."
The moment my head hit the pillow, I blacked out completely.
"Ppiit!"
When I regained consciousness, I felt a heavy presence on my chest.
"...Hey."
"Ppiit-ppiit!"
Blackie, delivering a clear sense of presence like a morning bugle announcing the start of the day.
"What the hell are you really?"
"Ppiit?"
"Sigh."
Seeing a reaction that suggested thought didn't exist in her head made me feel like I was getting stupider too. A summon. The common knowledge about summons in this world was that they possessed mana independently and protected their caster.
This is protection?
But our Blackie didn't seem capable of protecting anything, not even herself.
"Blackie, is this right? At this rate, when are you going to protect your master?"
"Ppiit!"
Having understood my meaning, Blackie puffed up her body with a shiver.
— Pop.
"Well, I'll be."
She had sprouted a single sharp horn from the top of her head. What was I supposed to do with this? Was I meant to pick her up and stab things with it?
"Good job, yeah."
With a hollow laugh, I stroked Blackie and got out of bed.
"...Huh?"
"You are awake, my lord."
The moment I reacted to the distinctly changed sensation, my eyes met Ren's as she watched me.
"...How long have you been there?"
"I have been here the entire time."
I thought she had stepped out since I couldn't sense her presence, but she suddenly popped in like this. But that wasn't the important thing right now.
"Ren, I feel incredibly refreshed right now?"
"Is that so."
"Blood Healing really works. I used to wake up with a headache so bad I'd pass out again."
Instead, the days where I could get up in one go had become rare. That was the level of patient Arjen von Eterna had been.
But not anymore. I had changed.
I immediately headed to the training grounds prepared in the Separate Palace to check my transformed physical condition.
"Your Highness, the morning schedule..."
"Keep it."
"?"
It was fine to skip the one or two tasks scheduled first thing. A morning greeting was meaningless anyway since the emperor who would receive it was bedridden. As for basic sword training or physical conditioning, no one even bothered because the original Arjen was too weak. Why? Because everyone knew he would collapse after moving just a few times. They were all just for show, and no one cared about my existence.
Or maybe not?
Perhaps those very formalities were what this dog-eat-dog world valued most, so I might actually be committing a serious crime right now.
"Since no one expects me to train my body anyway, just show your face briefly during afternoon classes."
No, this was correct. After firmly establishing my position as the weakest in the imperial family, I headed to the training grounds of the Separate Palace.
"Hup! Hoo!"
As a result, I realized I could run three full laps around the vast training field without feeling the severe dizziness I used to get. The sensation of lungs filled with plenty of air, a steadily beating heart, and limbs that moved exactly as I wanted.
"....!"
Health. The return of that natural and precious sensation. The feeling that I had finally reclaimed the senses of a modern person who had lived in the 21st century strongly stimulated me.
This is it.
Right now, I was no longer the frail Arjen who had simply waited for his death. I was a clearly different person, newly born.
This was how I would solve things one by one. Before the political war broke out, before this entire place turned into a sea of flames because of that ridiculous war—I would struggle with everything I had.
"Come at me all at on—!"
Just as I was about to shout in a surge of elation, a familiar pain and dizziness struck me hard.
"Your Highness!"
The last thing I saw was Ren running toward me in alarm, and then I lost consciousness while running across the training field.
Is this for real?
I had gotten too excited and forgotten. I had only erased a fragment of the curse. There was still a long way to go.
"Ppiit."
"...This ceiling looks familiar."
When I opened my eyes, I saw the same view of my room as always.
"Ren."
"Ppiit-ppiit."
"Ren?"
What? She really stepped out this time.
I felt Blackie's presence squirming inside the blanket and lay there for a moment, thinking.
Not bad, actually.
Fainting from overdoing it more than usual was an accident, but it had still been a good experience. One thing was certain: my meeting with Ayla was genuinely helping me.
"Ugh..."
I tried to sit up with my stiff body, but I was hindered by Blackie's presence, which felt more intrusive than expected. Wait, had she always been this big?
I knew she had grown after drinking my black blood at the Grey Cradle, but the sensation I felt now far exceeded my expectations.
— Shift! Shift!
Blackie was still covering my upper body, even piling the thick blanket on top.
"...."
— Whoosh!
Sensing something off, I hurriedly threw off the blanket.
"...What?"
"...."
And then our eyes met.
The black body with just two yellow dots for eyes was gone—
"Ppiit?"
In its place, a beautiful little girl with flowing black hair like a waterfall and pale white skin was looking up at me.
"Who..."
Blackie had evolved into a human.
My brain, which analyzed situations however it pleased, was hit with even greater confusion.
"Ppiit?"
"Your Highness, you are awake..."
— Creak.
Right on cue, the door opened and the sturdy-looking guard knight entered the room.
"Ah?"
Then she saw the girl on top of me and froze solid.
— Clunk.
Her eyes widened with shock, her face locked in an expression of pure horror. Seeing that actually helped me calm down instead.
Yeah, this is definitely a weird situation.
"...Ren, even if we're pretending to be in that kind of relationship under temporary identities, isn't this progressing a bit too fast?"
"W-what?"
"Aigoo, she takes after her mother. What an incredibly cute child."
"....?!"
Ren, who finally understood the meaning behind my words, shot her fluffy tail straight up in utter shock.
"What should we name our child?"
"Ppiit!"
— Whoosh!
I hugged the girl who threw herself into my arms and asked. Ren, who had taken a direct mental hit in an instant, glitched out with a mechanical stutter.
"Th-that, wh-what, yes...?! No!"
Yeah, this is the kind of reaction I like to tease. Being flustered is one thing, but I decided to drop the punchline anyway.