Contract (3)
There were several reasons I set the deadline until I turned three.
The most important was that my immature heart needed time to grow.
‘Only when I can run freely on two legs will I be able to withstand the energy of the mana heart.’
Even Hierniorn, suddenly thrust into unpaid labor, agreed on this point.
The problem was the utterly rundown childcare environment.
The room's hygiene and temperature-humidity levels were nothing short of a ticking time bomb.
The great guardian spirit summoned the lower guardian spirits to address this.
Gather, all of you! From today until this little one can stand on two feet, we will care for him. Give it your all! Start with the mold removal!
The first few months passed without incident.
But soon enough, voices of discontent began to emerge.
The guardian spirits rose up like a swarm of bees.
And rightly so—I'd assigned them every menial task imaginable without giving them so much as a speck of mana.
It was like wringing out a dry rag, exploiting them relentlessly.
The weary spirits hoped their leader and contract partner, Hierniorn, would give me a stern talking-to.
But the phoenix flew into a rage instead.
What? You lazy lot! If you hate it so much, leave! This one will secure the contract by any means necessary!
Eh...?
Everyone looked utterly bewildered.
Once upon a time, Hierniorn had been a guardian spirit of such lofty stature that even the spirit kings paled in comparison.
True, his rank had fallen far since then...
But to imagine him fawning over a human infant was utterly unthinkable for such a noble being.
Yet the phoenix kicked their expectations to the curb.
Am I doing this just for myself? Once the contract is made, mana will flow to you all too! Isn't this for our mutual benefit?
Silence! Think of the years we've been neglected! The fallen prestige of the spirits! The spirit realm drowned in sorrow! We must redouble our efforts!
If you understand, get back to work! Without that grit, how dare you call yourselves Kirchheis guardian spirits?!
Hey now? Who permitted backtalk? Objections denied!
Somewhere, a snide mutter of "What a lackey" floated by, but Hierniorn brushed it off.
Once the guardian spirits dispersed and quiet returned...
‘Well done, Hiern.’
The promised mana? You're not stiffing me, are you?
‘Have you ever known me to cheat? Here.’
From the fingertips of my feigned-sleeping hand rose a cluster of blue-glowing grains, floating lightly.
It was the mana I'd promised to quell the other guardian spirits' complaints.
In truth, Hierniorn was acting as my frontman.
Damn it. This one, who once reveled in eternity and devoured infinite time, reduced to this fate...
‘So you're turning it down?’
Ahem. As if.
The phoenix grumbled briefly before snapping open its beak.
The mana particle slipped in, sending ripples across its form.
No—torrents.
Shooooooo!
As if an ink-filled water balloon had burst in midair, an energy wave exploded outward, shaking everything.
Tattered feathers tore free in an instant, revealing the phoenix's sleek new form.
Guardian spirit ‘Hierniorn’'s rank has partially recovered.
Various materials can now be used to attempt further rank elevation.
A majestic figure with luster flowing through every feather.
The result of absorbing pure, high-grade mana.
Excellent, splendid! Such pure mana. Worth enduring the dishonor...
Hierniorn had languished without mana for so long that his rank had plummeted.
Absorbing pure mana allowed him to leap several stages at once.
I smiled faintly at his transformed presence.
‘Your presence has changed. Seems it helped quite a bit, huh?’
Ahem. No lies here.
Thanks to this, I grew robustly without so much as a cold.
As this went on for over a year, the guardian spirits resigned themselves and tended to me diligently.
Once I could babble and move my limbs freely...
I decided to move to the second phase.
‘Hiern.’
Yes? Diaper wet? Shall I call the nanny?
‘Not that. Time for the next phase.’
......?
While my body matured, there was work to be done.
‘Go to the library and fetch some magic tomes.’
Huh? You know this one lacks mana to manifest? In this state, physical interference is impossible...
‘I'll give you enough mana for a toe manifestation. One book per week doable?’
Good grief. Such a cheapskate exists!
In my current state, unable to wield mana freely, this was the best option.
And it was necessary.
‘Go on. Hurry.’
Sigh...
Five hundred years is truly a long time.
‘How much has human magic advanced?’
It was a question that had nagged at me since regaining my senses and accepting reincarnation.
So the moment I could move freely, I sent Hierniorn to the library—
Mana, quick...!
‘Good work. Eat up.’
I exhausted the great guardian spirit time and again, procuring magic tomes.
I'd devoured every beginner text available, giving me a solid grasp of modern magic's state.
But little had changed.
Human magic was bizarrely unchanged.
‘Especially the mana heart forging process hasn't evolved a bit.’
It meant using the same methods from 500 years ago left no regrets.
I resolved to use the ancient cultivation method passed down from Iphril.
—Origin of All Things.
A cultivation technique that forged a sturdy, balanced mana organ.
The issue: it required a top-grade catalyst.
In my past life, Iphril had supplied her mana directly, but no such being existed now.
So I gave Hierniorn his third mission.
‘I need a top-grade magic crystal.’
This one must have misheard.
‘No, you heard right. Fetch a top-grade magic crystal. Raw ore if possible; same-grade artifact otherwise.’
You brat! Magic crystals aren't roadside dog shit! And top-grade, where?!
‘In the family vault, obviously.’
Top-grade magic crystals were rare drops from high demons or massive magical beasts.
Easier said than done, no doubt.
Fortunately, Hierniorn had grown accustomed to thievery; after grumbling, he headed out.
Fine, I'll steal one! But remember, this one can't handle the fallout!
He returned surprisingly quickly.
Clutched tightly in his talon: a pitch-black necklace radiating ominous energy.
‘This works?’
You sent me thinking it wouldn't?!
‘Of course not. I trusted you.’
...Damn brat. Couldn't find a raw crystal, so I stole an artifact. Called the Black Tear.
A necklace coated in black pigment from chain to ornament.
Unknown purpose, but the heavy mana flow confirmed a top-grade magic crystal inside.
Preparation to perform cultivation method Origin of All Things is complete.
I hid it under my pillow.
Come nightfall, I'd begin forging the mana heart.
But Hierniorn hemmed and hawed before speaking up.
There's something you should know, Tiberian.
‘What?’
On the way back, seems this one picked up a tail.
‘...!’
He'd been tailed.
No time to ask details.
The door burst open, men pouring in.
“Theft in the castle grounds. We're investigating. Cooperate.”
The lead man's warning-not-warning.
A bearish brute's threat.
Jenice, folding laundry in the corner, froze.
“Theft out of nowhere? We don't know anyth— ”
“Answer only what's asked. Interfering with the Discipline Corps is grave.”
Discipline Corps.
The Kirchheis enforcers of order and rules.
They suspected a servant stole the artifact.
But the real culprits were me and Hierniorn.
This one warned you! Can't handle the fallout!
‘You still came back tailed?’
As if on purpose! Anyway, see you later!
The phoenix vanished in a flash.
True to an uncontracted spirit, zero loyalty.
‘Worse than a pigeon, that guy.’
I sighed deeply.
No choice—slipping a hand under the pillow, I began channeling mana.
I'd squeeze every drop to cast Destruction.
Hard-won artifact or not, best to shatter it and play innocent.
‘Unbelievable. Barely any mana to begin with, and now I destroy my own mana heart material.’
Infuriating.
Then our eyes met.
“Hey, this is where we serve young master Kirian nonstop! What theft— ”
“Hold on.”
The bear arguing with Jenice whipped his head toward me.
Flaming red eyes burned into view.
Then I recognized him.
‘Discipline Captain, Bastion Lamoff.’
Rohbark's right-hand man.
A high knight who'd conquered 7-star realm long ago; as a mage, nearing 6-star.
He'd sensed something from me.
“Need to check young master Kirian for a moment.”
“Why him all of a sudden?!”
“Suspicious.”
Bastion shoved Jenice aside and lumbered forward.
Damn it all.
Attack spell ‘Destruction’ deploying.
Mana critically insufficient.
I poured every ounce of mana into the Black Tear.
Dizziness hit, guts twisting, but I gritted through.
The instant Destruction completed...
Psssh!
“...?”
An eggshell-cracking sound, and something shifted in my hand.
A familiar texture.
‘This is...?’
Bastion scooped me up effortlessly.
Exposing the artifact dangling from its chain.
A object I knew well.
Just like 500 years ago—a small ring glinting green.
‘Iphril's ring?’
My body trembled involuntarily.
Coincidence or fate?
The Black Tear Hierniorn stole from the vault was Iphril's ring, disguised in appearance.
The elf's voice echoed fresh.
“Someday, when time allows, visit the Elf Forest. I have new stories to share with you. Outsiders need this to breach the barrier.”
Overjoyed, yet baffling.
Why was an item that should be buried in the Demon King's Castle basement stored in the Kirchheis vault?
Perfectly disguised, no less.
‘And surfacing now, of all times.’
A thought struck: maybe linked to my reincarnation.
Perhaps the ring called me here?
Otherwise, reuniting across 500 years defied explanation.
But the surprises didn't end there.
“Strange. I definitely sensed something...”
Bastion muttered, setting me down.
He tilted his head as if seeing nothing.
The ring dangled plainly from the chain—not a visibility issue.
My eyes widened.
Protection spell ‘Concealment’ is affixed to the artifact.
Iphril's revealed ring bore a Concealment spell.
So potent, only top-tier mages could detect it.
No small feat.
“My apologies, young master Kirian.”
“...Yeah.”
Bastion belatedly showed manners.
The Discipline Corps scoured my room again but found nothing.
They had no choice but to leave.
“See? Grabbing innocent folks!”
Jenice shook her fist at Bastion and the Corps' retreating backs, fuming.
I felt a twinge of guilt but shook it off.
Phew... We got through unscathed. Lucky.
Hierniorn reappeared with shameless gall.
I couldn't let it slide.
Forging the mana heart could wait.
First, punish this featherbrain properly.
‘Get over here right now, you molting wretch!’
Kraaaack!