Chapter 1

  Scattered Baits

  Morning arrived at Grindelwald Magic Academy the way it always did—without asking, and far too early for my liking.

  With a sharp whoosh, the enchanted curtains flew apart, and pale golden light flooded the dorm room.

  I groaned and turned my face into the pillow.

  Too bright.

  Then I noticed the angle of the sunlight creeping across the floor.

  …Still early.

  Relief loosened my chest. I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling, listening to the distant hum of bells flowing through the dorm’s wards.

  “Mm… already?” I murmured, dragging the blanket closer before finally surrendering to the morning.

  That was the first wakeup call from the dorm old lady.

  Good. That meant I was ahead of schedule.

  I slipped out of bed and quickly straightened the sheets, smoothing the unfamiliar fabric of my new dorm room bed. Everything still felt slightly unreal—new walls, new air.

  That’s how the first few days of my new life at this magic academy have felt.

  Feather-light slippers brushed against the floor as I made my way to the bathroom and splashed water against my face.

  “Uh—cold—!”

  The shock of the cold water chased away the last remnants of sleep, forcing a sharp breath from my lips as water ran down my skin.

  I brushed my teeth, then stepped beneath a warm shower until my body had reached the optimum temperature.

  Back in my room, I began dressing carefully in front of the mirror.

  The long stockings slid smoothly up my legs, and the fabric felt cool and snug against my skin. I pulled on the academy uniform shirt and buttoned it carefully, one by one. The skirt settled into place, followed by the snowy-white coat— the formal uniform for the healer class, marked proudly with Grindelwald’s emblem stitched in silver thread.

  I fixed the ribbon around my collar and leaned closer to the mirror, adjusting it until it sat perfectly.

  A glance at the clock told me I still had time.

  Too much time, actually.

  I smiled faintly. Maybe I was the first one ready again. Regis would still be asleep. I could wake her up later.

  Sitting in front of the dressing table, I put my hands on the back of my head and started trying different styles while tying my hair up.

  “Just a few final touches…”

  That was when it happened.

  —Thump.

  A black cat suddenly appeared atop the dressing table, as if it had stepped straight out of the air itself.

  I froze.

  Its black fur was rich and warm in color, marred by a strange brown blotch along its left side. A long, fluffy tail stood upright, swaying lazily from side to side. The cat let out a low, playful snarl, golden-yellow eyes—sharp as needles—locking onto mine.

  “…Huh?”

  For some reason, my heart skipped.

  It felt familiar.

  Before I could think, my body moved on its own. I scooped the cat up and pulled it into a hug, burying my face against its soft fur.

  Its warmth seeped through my jacket, comforting—

  The cat shrieked.

  Then pain exploded across my face.

  “Stop—!”

  Without warning, claws raked wildly over my cheeks.

  “Stop—! Not my eyes!... Oh no… my eyes.” I cried, stumbling back.

  The sensation was terrifyingly vivid—too vivid.

  The pain, the panic… it all felt disturbingly familiar. The cat scrambled upward, claws tangling in my hair.

  “Don’t—don’t touch my hair!” I screamed, trying desperately to pry it off, but it clung tighter, like its life depended on it.

  Then—

  A voice echoed.

  Clear. Lik an annoyed. Human.

  “First, you let go of my hair.”

  I jerked to a halt.

  The cat glared straight at me.

  “The cat… spoke.”

  “Let. Go. Of. Me.”

  For a second, I loosened my grip and stared at the cat, half-convinced the voice had come from it.

  Before I could confirm anything, it lashed out— Smack. Its paw snapped across my face like a sharp slap.

  My eyes flew open—this time to the real world.

  The impact jolted me awake.

  But instead of a cat’s claws, I found a frustrated blue-haired girl glaring down at me, her sharp nails hovering dangerously close to my face as she shoved herself away. My hands were still wrapped tightly around her, pulling her closer, while I lay sprawled across my bed in nothing but my pajamas.

  “Ingrid… why are you wearing your school uniform?” I muttered groggily. “And where’s mine?”

  “Oh, so now you need your uniform?” Ingrid snapped, a vein visibly twitching on her forehead.

  “Yes,” I replied seriously, rubbing my swollen eyes as sunlight poured in through the window and reality finally began to settle in.

  “How would I know?” Ingrid yanked the blanket off me, leaving me helplessly sprawled on the mattress. “We’re getting late for breakfast, and I, as your thoughtful roommate, tried to wake you up. But instead, you grabbed me and tried to assault me first thing in the morning. What’s wrong with you?”

  She took several hurried steps back, clearly shaken.

  I was still half-numb from the abrupt wake-up that defending myself felt impossible—though, truthfully, I just wanted to go back to sleep.

  “Get ready. It hasn’t even been a complete week, and we’re already late for class. You’re hopeless.” Ingrid, however, wasn’t one to give up so easily.

  “We’re late?!” I shouted, panic surging through me. “B-but—but.”

  Before I could finish, Ingrid shoved something straight into my face.

  “Not we,” Ingrid said coldly. “Just you.”

  I pulled the object away from my face.

  My school uniform.

  “Now get ready,” she continued, already walking toward the door. “I’ll wait outside. Five minutes. Any second longer and I will leave.”

  “I only need one,” I called after her confidently.

  Ingrid turned and left the room, slamming the door behind her.

  I snapped my fingers.

  Divine magic surged through the room, brilliant light bursting outward in a flash that swallowed the bed, the floor—everything.

  When the glow faded, I stepped out neatly dressed, spotless, fully prepared in my academy uniform.

  “I’m ready,” I announced casually.

  Ingrid stared at me.

  Then she let out a long, exhausted sigh. “Every time… How do you even do that?”

  At that moment, the door across the hall opened, and Regis stepped out as well, adjusting her own uniform.

  “Finally,” she said, glancing between us. “I thought we were going to miss breakfast and would have to survive the day on an empty stomach again?”

  Her eyes then shifted briefly to Ingrid, and she gave her a small nod. Like a silent thank-you.

  “Thank me later,” Ingrid replied. “If we actually make it to class on time.”

  Regis clicked her tongue, clearly irritated, but swallowed her response.

  “Regis…” I called softly.

  She exhaled. “It’s fine. Let’s go.”

  With that, Ingrid turned and began walking down the corridor toward the cafeteria, as she showed us the way.

  By the time we reached the breakfast hall, most of the first-year students had already finished eating and headed toward the main academy grounds. Only a handful of senior female students from the upper years remained, seated in small groups, their quiet conversations drifting softly through the wide, sunlit hall.

  The scent of warm food lingered in the air.

  We had barely taken our seats when—

  “Hana!” I called instinctively.

  She appeared almost soundlessly, dressed in her Grindelwald maid uniform, carrying a large silver tray balanced effortlessly in her arms. Three carefully arranged plates rested upon it, steam rising gently from the dishes.

  She placed them down one by one.

  Warm, freshly baked bread still steamed faintly as it was torn open, releasing a rich, buttery aroma. A bowl of golden soup followed—thick and fragrant, dotted with herbs and slow-cooked vegetables. There were lightly sautéed greens glazed with oil, tender slices of root vegetables.

  A small dish held creamy eggs, while thin slices of pan-seared meat rested beside them. Completing the meal were several fleshy pink cherry fruits I had never seen before.

  It looked… excessive.

  And incredible.

  “Hope you like the food, Master,” Hana said cheerfully, hands folded in front of her.

  “It looks amazing,” I replied honestly.

  Just as Hana turned to leave for her duty—

  I noticed Ingrid glance at Regis.

  Regis met her gaze and gave a small nod.

  “Hana,” Regis called out calmly, “since what time have you been helping around the cafeteria?” Regis suddenly asked Hana.

  “Oh, me?” Hana replied brightly. “I’ve been working since five in the morning. First, we cleaned the place, then we prepared the food and then started serving everyone.”

  “I see,” Ingrid said, nodding. “That’s a lot of hard work.”

  Something in the air shifted.

  “Yes, Hana, keep it up,” I added quickly, lifting my spoon and taking a sip of soup. Warmth spread instantly through my chest. “The soup is really tasty.”

  “Thank you, Master.”

  “Hana,” Regis spoke up, eyes sharp, “what time did you actually wake up?”

  “Better yet,” Ingrid added smoothly, “why don’t you tell us your full morning routine?”

  “Oh!” Hana’s eyes lit up. “Madame gave us a strict schedule to follow. All the maids-in-training wake up at four in the morning and must be ready within thirty minutes and report for work.”

  “…Four?” I muttered under my breath.

  “After that, we do light exercises,” Hana continued cheerfully, oblivious. “Then we collect fresh and healthy ingredients from the inventory, start preparing breakfast for everyone, clean the hall, open the cafeteria, and serve the students.”

  Hana said while counting on her fingers, making sure she didn't miss anything.

  “And that’s just the morning routine?” Regis asked flatly.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “Yes! Madame is very strict about waking up on time. She always says to us that discipline builds character,” Hana said. “If we don’t… she has her own ways of making sure we remember. Or at least that’s what I have heard from other maids in training.”

  The smile on Hana’s face never wavered.

  Across the table, Ingrid and Regis slowly turned their eyes toward me.

  I was sitting near the window, cool morning air brushing against my skin—yet somehow, I was sweating.

  My toes curled.

  “…Ha—haha…” I let out a weak, utterly failed laugh.

  Ingrid’s gaze sharpened.

  Regis’ stare grew heavier.

  Hana tilted her head, confused.

  “Fine!” I burst out. “I’ll wake up early next time. I promise!”

  Only then did the pressure ease.

  We continued our breakfast as usual, though my appetite felt oddly subdued. Even as I ate, a lingering thought refused to leave me.

  Why did I have to remember the cat like that in a dream?

  No… it was only a dream.

  With that conclusion—thin as it was—we finished our meal and quickly made our way toward the classroom building, the bell for our first lesson already echoing across the academy grounds.

  ◇◇◇

  Today, instead of assembling inside our classroom as usual, we were suddenly instructed to gather at the training grounds—the very same place where our first-day assessment had taken place.

  “What’s today’s class about?”

  “Don’t tell me it’s another test already?”

  The moment Miss Xu stepped onto the field and swept her gaze across the students, the noise died instantly. All the whispered guesses about what today’s lesson might be vanished was replaced by focused silence.

  Standing beside her was another woman I hadn’t seen before.

  She held a tall white staff crowned with a massive crystal that shimmered softly in the morning light. A long, hooded dress flowed from her shoulders to the ground, concealing her figure entirely.

  “Good morning, students,” Miss Xu began. “Today’s class is a bit special. You will be introduced to summoning and possibly acquire your very first summon.”

  A ripple of excitement ran through the crowd.

  “For this,” Miss Xu continued, “we have an expert from the Summoning Division—Miss Diona. All of you will meet her again in your second year, where you will learn more about summoning spiritual beings and taming monsters. But for the S-Class students, I requested her personally to come and show you what a true summon is capable of.”

  Miss Xu stepped aside.

  All eyes turned to Miss Diona.

  She didn’t speak. Instead, she stepped forward and planted the tip of her staff firmly into the ground.

  Thoom.

  A glowing magic circle spread outward from the point of contact—intricate symbols blooming across the stone in radiant white light. Students raised their arms, shielding their eyes as the formation flared.

  And then—

  Light exploded, followed by swirling white mist.

  From within it, a massive shape emerged.

  A giant ice wolf stepped forward.

  Its fur gleamed like freshly fallen snow under moonlight, thick and wild, yet perfectly formed.

  Jagged icicles grew along its spine like frozen crowns. Frost curled from its breath, spilling across the ground as its claws dug into the stone, instantly freezing it beneath its paws. Its eyes burned an icy blue.

  Then it howled.

  “WOOOOOOHHHH—!”

  The sound tore through the training grounds. Its primal howl sent students into panic, fear gripping everyone as instinct urged them to flee.

  But just as suddenly, the wolf lowered itself, bowing its massive head.

  Miss Diona stepped forward calmly and placed her hand atop its frost-covered fur. At her touch, the beast quieted, standing obedient and serene.

  “This is my summon,” miss Diona said at last. “Frostveil.”

  A collective breath escaped the students.

  “And today,” she continued, “I will teach you about summoning. If fate allows it, some of you may gain a partner who will walk beside you for the rest of your life.”

  She began explaining about the Spiritual Realm—a world parallel to our own, existing alongside the Divine Realm, the Mortal Realm, and the Underworld.

  The Spiritual Realm was home to countless beings imbued with spiritual power: elemental beasts, fairies, mythical animals, and mystical creatures beyond classification.

  No known path existed to physically enter that realm.

  At least, not anymore.

  During the Great Wars, a method was discovered—one that allowed humans to form contracts with beings from the Spiritual Realm, borrowing their strength to turn the tide of battle.

  Or so the story went.

  But I knew better.

  The old texts hidden deep within Father’s library told a different truth.

  It was the demons who discovered summoning first— as a ritual meant to summon devils into the mortal world.

  Humans merely adapted a safer version of that forbidden art.

  “Now comes the most important part,” Miss Diona said, her eyes gleaming. “Obtaining your own summon.”

  She lifted her staff slightly as she spoke. Every student straightened instinctively.

  “I will teach you the summoning circle that connects your magical core to the Spiritual Realm. Once you pour your magic into the formation, the creatures on the other side will sense your energy. If they find it compatible—and if they accept you—they may choose to manifest here and form a contract.”

  A soft smile curved miss Diona’s lips.

  “This is my favorite moment—watching new students summon their first spiritual partner. So… let us begin.”

  With a smooth motion of her staff, Miss Diona traced glowing lines through the air. A large circular magical formation appeared above us.

  Over time, the spiritual summoning circle had been refined again and again. What once required immense power and years of study had become a streamlined ritual—simple enough that even those with modest magic reserves could attempt it.

  Still, there was one factor no amount of refinement could control.

  The will of the beings on the other side.

  No matter how perfect the magic circle, a summon would only appear if a spiritual creature responded to the caller’s energy. That alone decided success or failure in summoning a spiritual creature.

  “Now,” Miss Xu announced, her voice firm, “begin.”

  Students spread across the vast training grounds, each finding their own space. One by one, glowing summoning circles formed on the ground beneath our feet.

  Only minutes passed before the first breakthrough.

  White mist burst outward in a sudden surge of frost-laced mana.

  “As expected,” someone whispered.

  The first to succeed was Noelle—the icy witch of our class.

  She stood perfectly still as the mist parted, revealing her summon.

  Before her floated the silhouette of a graceful woman, an otherworldly maiden draped in a flowing yukata made of translucent frost. Her long white hair cascaded down her back like freshly fallen snow, strands drifting as if underwater.

  Pale blue markings glowed faintly along her skin, and the temperature around her plummeted, frost spreading across the ground in silent waves.

  A glowing magic seal appeared around Noelle’s right hand.

  “Congratulations miss Noelle. You have summoned a frost maiden. Its one of the rarest summons that commands ice magic. Now to complete your contract, you must give it a name.”

  “Yes mam,” Noelle answered while staring at her new summon.

  Once Noelle succeeded, the grounds erupted with activity.

  White mist bloomed everywhere as summoning after summoning succeeded. Creatures emerged one after another, each more surprising than the last.

  Gasps, cheers, and awe-filled murmurs filled the field.

  “Oh! A mole rat spirit—excellent! You must have strong earth affinity, Henrique.”

  Miss Diona moved excitedly from student to student, examining each summon with childlike enthusiasm.

  “Oh my… someone from the S-Class succeeded in summoning a phoenix?” Her eyes sparkled. “You should definitely meet Miss Fillia. She’ll be a better mentor than me for that one.”

  “And here we have an adamantite golem… so sturdy. Oh, and look—so many adorable salamanders! An Ember Lion, a Blazehorn—wonderful, all of you!”

  She explained patiently to each student—how to handle their summon, its powers, strengths, habits, preferred environment, likes and dislikes, and how both master and summon could grow stronger together.

  Among all of us, Miss Diona looked the happiest as if she was watching her own children succeed at doing something wonderful.

  And as the mist continued to rise and contracts continued to form, one thought echoed quietly in my mind—

  A lifetime partner.

  The words echoed softly in my mind.

  What kind of being would answer my call?

  Seeing students succeed one after another, the excitement slowly drowned out my hesitation.

  “…Alright,” I muttered. “I’ll give it a try too.”

  I began preparing my own summoning circle, carefully tracing the formation while magic flowed steadily from my core. Anticipation bubbled up inside me as I worked.

  I couldn’t wait to see what kind of creature would appear.

  I wonder what I’ll get.

  Something cute would be nice.

  Maybe something small and cheerful—like that cute yellow critter that always followed around the gotta-catch-them-all guy.

  Or perhaps something more advanced. I was a man of science—clearly ahead of my time—so a powerful sentinel made sense. Something like that metal guardian sent from the future to terminate humanity’s last hope against the machines.

  …Wait. No. I already have Hana.

  My thoughts skipped eagerly.

  Ah! How about that fluffy white magical bunny that always stayed with the card-capturing magical girls? That would be perfect.

  Cute, adorable, and perfect for cuddling.

  My eyes sparkled at the thought.

  If I focused on pure, wholesome ideas like these, I reasoned confidently, surely something cute would respond.

  A summon I could play with. Sleep beside. Snuggle into my bed.

  And never die—

  But just as my thoughts settled on my future partner—

  A deep, ancient voice roared across the field.

  “So… you finally called for me.”

  My breath caught.

  The magical pressure around me spiked violently, crushing the atmosphere itself. The summoning circle beneath my hands began to expand, its glowing lines racing across the ground until it nearly swallowed the surrounding forest.

  “W-Wait—what?”

  It widened rapidly, swallowing the ground around me, forcing me to panic and push it upward—into the sky.

  But it didn’t stop.

  It kept expanding, layers upon layers unfolding endlessly.

  That was when I felt it.

  Beneath my gloves, the mark of the Demon Royal Family burned to life, radiating a dense black aura.

  My blood ran cold.

  “Oh—crap. No, no, no—!” I muttered desperately. “I’m fine with anything as long as it’s cute! Something I can play with! Something I can sleep with while snuggling in my bed!”

  I kept on repeating my mantra.

  Black mist erupted like a bomb, swallowing the terrain whole.

  And whatever was about to emerge…

  Was definitely not what I had asked for.

  ◇◇◇

  The summoning class had been proceeding without incident.

  One by one, students completed their summoning circles—silver, blue, emerald—each formation blooming like a new flower, giving rise to a new spiritual summon.

  The training field buzzed with mild excitement, but nothing out of the ordinary.

  Until Miss Diona noticed a single student still preparing.

  She stood at the far edge of the field—a girl clad in a healer-class uniform, her face concealed behind a mask.

  For some reason, Miss Diona’s gaze lingered.

  A strange intuition stirred within her. An S-Class healer… it had been far too long since she’d last seen one.

  An angel-type summon wouldn’t be surprising.

  Curiosity overcame her better judgment. Miss Diona began walking toward the girl—

  Without warning, a summoning circle ignited beneath the masked student’s feet.

  But it wasn’t golden. Nor white.

  The moment it formed, Miss Diona’s expression changed.

  She felt it.

  Dark energy—dense, and suffocating— surged outward from the circle like a living thing.

  In seconds, it swallowed the entire training field.

  All summoning circles in the vicinity shattered, their magic collapsing as if crushed under an unseen weight.

  The spirits reacted instantly.

  Some shrieked in terror, their forms distorting before being forcibly pulled back into the Spirit Realm.

  “What—?!”

  “My summon—!”

  “How? My circle broke!”

  Chaos erupted.

  Others summoned creatures froze in place, trembling violently—foam spilling from their mouths as their cores destabilized.

  A few strong ones… simply knelt.

  “Just… what is happening?”

  The same thought echoed through every student’s mind.

  Miss Diona turned sharply to her own summon.

  Frostveil—the legendary ice-type spirit, conqueror of the Northern Spirit Domain—stood rigid. The icy mist around its body had vanished entirely. His pupils were shrunk to pinpoints.

  Color drained from his crystalline face.

  “Frostveil,” Miss Diona asked through telepathy, her heart pounding. “What are you sensing?”

  His voice came back hushed. Shaken.

  “This… this can’t be. There’s no way.”

  A pause.

  “No human should be able to summon that.”

  Before she could ask more, the summoning circle flared again—

  And the world broke.

  A crushing spiritual pressure descended upon the training field. The air itself seemed to collapse, forcing every breath from the lungs of those present. Black radiance spilled outward, swallowing the ground inch by inch.

  Students screamed as they were driven to their knees.

  Some collapsed instantly. Others struggled, teeth clenched—only to be crushed down moments later.

  The once-rampaging spirits suddenly fell silent.

  One by one, they bowed.

  As though welcoming the arrival of a sovereign.

  “This pressure—what is this, Miss Diona?”

  Miss Xu, the only one still capable of moving, staggered forward. She reached Miss Diona’s side.

  Even Miss Diona struggled to remain standing.

  “I… I don’t know,” she admitted. Her eyes flicked back to Frostveil. “Could this be… a king-level summon?”

  She remembered the day Frostveil had answered her call—the overwhelming presence, the suffocating aura that had nearly broken her mind.

  But this…

  This was far beyond that.

  Frostveil slowly lowered himself into a deep bow, his head nearly touching the ground.

  “From this moment onward, we are forbidden to interfere,” he said quietly.

  “That is his command.”

  “Who… is he?” Miss Diona’s breath caught.

  “He who stands at the apex of the entire Spirit Realm.” Frostveil gave his final warning and went into a silent bow.

  In one corner of the training field, Regis was the only one who recognized this spiritual magical energy.

  But this time…

  It was more than a hundred times stronger than she remembered.

  Her knees buckled as the pressure finally crushed her down like the others.

  “No…” she whispered, bracing herself against the ground. “Don’t tell me…”

  She clenched her teeth and looked up—one last time.

  Her vision blurred as black light swallowed the clouds. High above the field, beyond the blinding light, she could see it—or perhaps feel it.

  Something vast took shape—so immense that its shadow eclipsed the sun whole.

  Her eyes widened in disbelief.

  “Alicia—why would you summon him here?”

  ◇◇◇

  The moment I realized just how ridiculously large the summoning circle had become—and how much magical energy it was vomiting into the sky—I panicked.

  “Oh no. Nope. Absolutely not.”

  To spare innocent eyes and prevent its influence from reaching the academy, I snapped up a barrier around us and shoved the entire summoning magic circle higher into the sky, neatly containing its impact within the training grounds.

  Problem solved.

  Or so I thought.

  I floated upward, drifting closer to the circle—until my gaze landed on the being that had clawed its way out of my summoning, descending with all the subtlety of a natural disaster. In that instant, all my excitement evaporated.

  Instead of something cute and cuddly, the creature before me struck a dramatic pose, summoning thunderclouds and lightning like it was announcing itself on a grand stage for everyone to know.

  A massive silhouette unfurled its wings, each the size of a city wall.

  BOOM.

  “…..” I tried to say something.

  “I can’t hear you,” the being said calmly, tilting its massive head. “Speak louder.”

  “…!!!” I tried speaking again, this time louder.

  BOOM. Another lightning strike crashed down, swallowing my voice entirely.

  “I still can’t hear you.”

  My eye twitched. Enough.

  I raised one finger. Snap.

  The thunder stopped, and the storm vanished.

  The black clouds dispersed and under the bright, normal sunlight, we finally saw each other clearly.

  I took a deep breath.

  “I asked for something cute,” I shouted, jabbing a finger at him. “So why did a giant flying lizard crawl out of my summoning circle?!”

  The dragon blinked.

  “What?” the dragon said. “That’s what you were saying earlier. And weren’t you the one who used the summoning circle?”

  “Yes. I did,” I snapped. “But I did not summon you. Go back and send something small, adorable, and preferably capable of sitting on my shoulder.”

  “That cannot happen,” the summoned being replied, entirely unfazed. “The demon royal family has a binding pact with me. I alone answer this summoning call. That is the contract.”

  “No. No. No,” I shook my head furiously. “What about my choice? My taste? My preferences? My emotional well-being?”

  “Don’t act like a child,” the dragon scoffed. “Do you think just anyone can command the great Black Dragon—Conqueror of the Spirit Realm?”

  “Who cares! I want a replacement or at least give me a refund.” I snapped. “If you stay any longer, you’ll cause problems for me. I’ve already reduced your spiritual pressure to a tenth of a percent. And even then—someone’s going to notice you.”

  I was just about to cancel the summoning circle to stop the black dragon’s complete manifestation.

  “…Wait,” the black dragon said quickly. “Don’t send me back.”

  He leaned closer, lowering his voice.

  “You remember my offer. I want to stay with you as your summon. And I’ve fully recovered from our last battle with Ouroboros.”

  The black dragon offered the same deal again—the very one it had offered back on Dragon Island.

  I narrowed my eyes and stared at him.

  Long.

  Hard.

  “…You’re still not cute. Do you seriously think you can walk around in that gigantic body while I attend school?”

  “Shouldn’t you be grateful?” the dragon replied smugly. “All spirits already fear me. With me at your side, you could assert absolute dominance over the academy and rule it like a queen.”

  “No. I don’t want that,” I said, turning my head away, arms crossed—clearly done with this conversation.

  “…I will never understand the tastes of the females of this species,” the dragon said with a weary sigh. “But will this suffice?”

  Suddenly, the black dragon’s overwhelming spiritual pressure vanished.

  The massive body collapsed inward, shrinking rapidly until all that remained was a small, shadowy lump hovering in the air.

  Where a world-ending dragon had hovered moments ago, now floated a tiny creature.

  It looked like a small black kitten, but with glossy obsidian scales instead of fur. Tiny, folded wings rested against its back like decorative accessories rather than weapons of mass destruction. Its tail flicked lazily in the air, ending in a spade-shaped tip.

  Its eyes were the most striking part—where a human’s sclera would be white, his were pitch black, making his sharp slit purple pupils gleam like polished gems. Normally, that would’ve been terrifying.

  But paired with chubby cheeks, a round belly, and an unmistakably pouty face?

  Devastatingly adorable.

  The little dragon let out a soft “mrrp” and tilted its head.

  “See?” it said proudly. “I can act cute, too. Nothing is impossible for the great black dragon.”

  Before I could react, the black dragon leaped straight into my arms, rubbing its scaled head under my hand and purring—actually purring—as its tail swished happily.

  “Now, to complete the contract,” it said, looking up at me expectantly. “Give me a name.”

  Silence.

  “…Hello?” it said after a moment. “Are you stunned by my cuteness? Understandable. This is a form I trained extensively and perfected after arduous training. Not even the ruthless previous True Demon Lord could resist my charms.”

  Without a word, I gently lifted the small dragon out of my arms and placed him back into the air, where it hovered in front of me, still blinking confidently.

  “No.”

  “…What?” The dragon froze, eyes widening in genuine shock.

  “I’ve decided,” I said quietly, meeting its gaze, “I won’t be forming a contract with any summon.”

  ◇◇◇

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