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“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.

“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.”

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…!”

“Hmm… You’re a rare human.”

Tror, also seemingly impressed by Ethan’s answer, uncrossed his arms. His expression suggested he was recalling the past, thinking, “This is why I made a contract with humans.”

“Alright, fine. Compared to removing this wound, your request isn’t that difficult. For me, it feels like yesterday, but for you humans, quite some time has passed. I can’t pretend everything never happened, but I can let it go.”

Tror shifted his gaze towards Roanna.

Looking at her, he suddenly thought about how short human time really is.

Because in Roanna’s face, he saw the face of his first contractor whom he used to curse daily.

“But you know, right? To protect that land again, I need a contractor.”

And that contract wasn’t something just anyone could make.

“If there’s no one to become a new contractor, I can’t grant your proposal, Ethan Whiskers.”

“Isn’t Roanna right here?”

It’s a contract with the Spirit King, no less.

If the aptitude doesn’t match, there’s a risk that the body won’t be able to handle the power and might go berserk or break down.

But Ethan wasn’t too worried.

‘Roanna should be able to do it.’

Although he had no experience contracting with a Spirit King and didn’t know how it would turn out, Roanna should be sufficient to contract with the Spirit King.

“Then let’s try it first. Are you ready, Roanna Prochet?”

“Yes, I’m ready.”

Roanna spoke with a tense voice.

The Earth Spirit King Tror.

The thought of contracting with the Spirit King who had contracted with her great-grandfather Sloan made her feel like she was inheriting a legacy.

Shaaak-.

As Tror gestured, a magic circle appeared under Roanna’s feet.

“Aptitude check.”

Of course, being Sloan’s bloodline, the aptitude should match.

“…Huh?”

But something was strange.

“Incompatible.”

“What?”

Ethan frowned slightly.

He never imagined Roanna would be incompatible.

“You’re not compatible with me. You have an affinity for fire and lightning. These are attributes at the opposite end of my spectrum.”

Tror shook his head. Each person had different aptitudes for different attributes. Because of this, it could be difficult to contract with spirits if the attributes didn’t match.

Still, in most cases, contracts should be possible.

“Up to greater spirits, contracts can be made even with opposite attributes. The power might be less than when the attributes match well. But I am a Spirit King. Without a definite aptitude, a contract is impossible.”

In fact, this was part of the reason why he had only contracted with one person.

There were hardly any humans in that era who could withstand the power of a mighty Spirit King.

Among countless humans, only one.

Only Sloan Prochet could contract with Tror, the Earth Spirit King, and use his power.

Ethan approached Roanna.

“It’s okay, Roanna. Attributes are innate.”

“My father might be able to do it. He’s closer to my great-grandfather than I am, after all.”

As Roanna said this with a sigh, the aptitude check magic circle under her feet extended to Ethan.

Shaaaak-!

Suddenly, the magic circle engraved under Ethan’s feet reacted intensely.

“!”

Seeing this, Tror made a surprised expression.

“Ethan Whiskers.”

Aptitude check.

“You possess the aptitude to become my contractor.”

***

“Hmm.”

Duke Felix’s.

Hansen, known as the Archmage of the South, recalled the mage from the Prochet family who had just left.

He was a consulting mage for the duke’s family.

Having been with the duke’s family for quite a long time, he could be considered essentially a member of the duke’s family.

He was evaluated as one of the powerful pillars of the Twelve Stars Families, Felix.

While working as a consulting mage for the duke’s family, he had received help from the Prochet family.

It was quite significant help, and he had firmly promised to repay that debt someday.

As he couldn’t just make a verbal promise, he also gave a wooden nameplate containing his mana.

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.”

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