Today, there are only a few days left until the summer vacation.
“It’s here!”
The long-awaited spirit descended upon Epherna’s mental image.
The spirit appeared as a fox with fur close to silver-white.
Its eyes glowed yellow, and it had nine tails. A yellowish tattoo was etched on its forehead.
“Be careful when you touch it. The fact that the spirit has come close means it holds a great favor by itself.”
“Got it. I’ll give it a try.”
Epherna approached the fox.
As she got closer, the energy around her resonated with the fox and began to vibrate.
The tremor in the air disturbed her movements and vision.
It was as if the fox was testing whether she was worthy to approach.
“…Hmph.”
Epherna scoffed.
She had realized the fox’s intent.
“I was trying to accommodate you.”
Over the past few months, Epherna had heard two warnings incessantly.
First, to form a stable contract with a summoned beast, empathy and bonding are crucial, so approach it kindly and cautiously.
Second, never bow first.
Even though a bond is formed between the summoner and the summoned beast, a clear hierarchy is established.
The master and the summoned beast.
Who is superior?
“How dare you try to test me?”
A summoned beast contracted with a human must generally follow the master’s commands.
During this process, it might show resistance or dislike, but Epherna aimed to preemptively block even that.
“I’ve heard that spirits like you have high pride.”
She was soon to become an empress.
Her pride was not inferior to that of the spirit.
And even if her pride were low, she had no intention of bowing to anyone.
If a king wavers, the country trembles. Her pride was the pride of the entire empire.
“I’m not inferior to you in lineage, you know?”
The fox’s straight furrowed brow furrowed even more.
Epherna and the fox locked eyes, her energy radiating.
It didn’t matter if the fox turned and left.
It didn’t matter if the efforts of the past few months were in vain.
If she were to bear the stain, she wouldn’t have waited months.
Epherna and the fox stared each other down.
Without blinking an eye or changing a single expression. After several hours, the fox smiled.
“…?”
Epherna saw a round silver sphere that appeared between her and the fox.
A jewel. It’s a jewel that signifies the spirit’s intention to enter into a mutual contract.
The fox nodded towards Epherna.
It had decided to acknowledge her as its master.
Epherna exhaled deeply and grasped the light.
Though there were still many things she disliked, it was impossible for both sides to like each other from the start.
The fox acknowledged her. It intended to promote a relationship of mutual respect rather than emphasizing hierarchy.
Thus, she too had to put aside her pride.
“Let’s do well, fox. Although it seems like we don’t quite get along yet, let’s try to get along.”
The fox nodded.
At that moment.
[My name is not Fox.]
A voice full of spiritual energy echoed in her mind.
[Call me Shir.]
“…You can talk?”
[Only possible for the contract partner. And I will be able to appear in reality from now on. Although I will need to use your mana.]
“Feel free to use mana. There should be more than enough.”
[It’s good that this contractor isn’t weak and feeble.]
“Have you ever contracted with someone else?”
[Once, about three hundred years ago or so. It seems they died soon after being summoned, perhaps because they were old.]
“Are you threatening me?”
[It means to prepare yourself. I’m completely different from an ordinary summon.]
It chuckled.
*****
Late in the evening.
Epherna, awakened from reality, looked at her hand.
A golden engraving.
It was similar to the pattern on Shir’s forehead.
“Shir. Come out.”
At that moment, the engraving on her palm vanished, and the white-furred fox appeared before her.
“It’s real.”
[Did you think it was just a dream?]
“…Half of me?”
She had dreamed of summoning a spirit more than once over the past few months.
If it had turned out to be just a dream, she might have simply dismissed it.
“Success, huh?”
At that moment, Ern brought a white plate and said.
“Eat some fruit.”
“Okay.”
Ern used a fork to pick up an apple and brought it to Epherna’s mouth.
As she opened her mouth to eat, Shir, observing her with a strange expression, asked,
[Is this man your mate?]
Gulp!
“Cough cough-!!”
Epherna nearly spat out the apple she was chewing.
“…N-No, it’s not like that.”
[Is that so? I thought it was obvious.]
Shir, sensing Epherna’s rising temperature, looked puzzled but soon guessed their relationship from Ern’s clueless face.
[Hmm. Is that so.]
Shir’s age was at least several hundred years or more.
With such a long lifespan, Shir’s experience and honed instincts allowed him to immediately perceive the emotions a young human might try to hide.
[If you’re going to confess, do it quickly. Humans like you usually take forever and end up frustrating those around them.]
“…I know.”
[If it’s difficult, then create a foregone conclusion. It’s easier when you’re drunk.]
“Be quiet. I’m a minor.”
[What does it matter if you’re the princess of the Empire?]
[Mating makes relationships easier. Either break it or love it.]
[Since you’ll be the latter, isn’t there no need for hesitation?]
“Be quiet!”
[…Hmm.]
The values of spirits and humans are different.
As a summoned beast and spirit with a lifespan far surpassing that of humans, Shir’s values were typically split into two categories.
One category follows raw instincts or extreme rationality focused solely on efficiency.
Shir belonged to the latter.
He didn’t understand Epherna’s hesitation.
But while Shir was rational, he was not a selfish spirit.
He was aware of his own lack of understanding.
[Well, do your best.]
With a snort, Shir returned to the realm of mental images.
“Hah…”
Epherna fanned herself with her hand to cool down.
Ern, who watched her with a curious look, smiled warmly, knowing that spirits and their summoners could communicate telepathically.
“It’s past 10. You should sleep.”
“Okay…”
Epherna lay down.
Perhaps it was due to the completion of the contract with Shir and the first summoning.
Or maybe it was because she had her innermost thoughts exposed to a spirit beast she had just met today.
Whatever the case, she felt a throbbing headache, whether from anxiety or stress.
– You humans usually take forever to make decisions, frustrating those around you.
… What do you know?
She’ll confess.
It will happen in the not-too-distant future.
“Good night, Epherna.”
…Now, she can’t hold on any longer.
*****
Had she grown a bit?
Not just in height, but overall.
‘…She’s becoming a woman.’
She had a strong sense of being untouchable, and still evoked thoughts of her youth.
But after her physical reconstitution and approaching her twenties, she was increasingly adopting the demeanor of an adult.
Ern suddenly thought.
‘It’s dangerous.’
The ‘scent’ emanating from Epherna was growing stronger.
A few months ago, Sierra had given Epherna a drink similar to an aphrodisiac.
Due to the quick action taken, a major accident was avoided, but the lingering effects of the unknown substance still caused a peculiar scent to emanate from Epherna.
‘Is it only affecting me?’
He thought everything was resolved.
Sierra had also said there would be no issues.
However, the mysterious scent, which he didn’t understand the cause of, continued to torment Ern.
‘It’s too addictive.’
The closer Epherna was, the more the unknown scent penetrated Ern’s mind, testing his patience.
It was like a drug.
Swoosh. Ern gently ran his hand through Epherna’s hair.
He stroked her cheeks and touched the back of her neck, trying to alleviate his desire.
The relief from his desire was minimal.
It was like a drop of dew in a parched desert.
His pupils were slit vertically. At the moment his dragon blood began to show on the surface.
Although Ern was unaware, as he approached thirty, the dragon blood within him was becoming more pronounced.
Crack-!
He bit his tongue.
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, he tried to calm the boiling heat.
Then he abruptly turned his head and returned to his room.
Before committing a grave mistake.
*****
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.
Can it be heard?
What if it is?
Epherna desperately kept her eyes closed and maintained her expression.
‘…What, what just happened?’
She felt everything.
The touch of hands running through her hair.
The soft touch that was actually trembling with roughness.
The thick fingers grazing her cheeks and the back of her neck.
She couldn’t even begin to describe how difficult it was to keep her body still every time his hands touched her.
‘If this continues… I have no choice but to expect something.’
After confirming that he had entered the room, Epherna covered her face with both hands.
It had barely been a moment since she decided to confess, and already this…
Epherna started imagining.
As Shir said, with Ern and…
“…!!”
She pulled her knees up and buried her face in them.
As someone who had never even read an explicit book, imagining such things was impossible for her.
