"What did you an by worthwhile visit?" I asked.
"Are you looking for sothing specific?"
[...]
[What’s your goal, exactly?]
[Freedom? Revenge? Sothing more grand than that?]
I just stared at it for a mont, then let out a sigh.
"A little bit of everything. I’m sure you’d find my brain a gold mine if you were to make a contract with ."
After all, while I might not be an expert, I’m sure ravens crave knowledge.
I had a lot of that.
The raven looked like it was in thought for a mont.
That was until it finally responded.
[Your thinking is flawed. Knowledge only matters when it’s in the hands of the right person.]
[So you misunderstand . I’m only asking if, whatever your goals are, you are ready to discard everything to reach them.]
Discard everything?
That’s a little broad.
As it stood, Clentine was one of my everything.
I would never discard her.
And as if reading my mind, the raven said:
[What happens when your lover dies?]
[Will your goals crumble? Will you kill yourself out of sadness?]
I furrowed my brows in irritation and abruptly stood up.
The raven flapped its wings once again and tried to land on my shoulder.
But instead, I drew my katana and extended it.
And so, the raven landed atop the katana’s blade and slowly began walking across it, approaching .
[Don’t take my questions with ill intent.]
"I’m not."
"It’s just that your questions consider worst-case scenarios. I will never let Clentine die. If anyone’s going to die, it’ll be . And that’s only after I’ve accomplished all of my goals in this world."
That was the truth.
After all... I guess I’m not soone who would ever move on.
If Clentine were to ever die, what would I be left with?
A world who I’m trying to save, and for what?
The few people who demonize and don’t appreciate ?
No...
I’m not saving this world because I care about the people.
I’m saving this world because I want Clentine and I to be able to live in it peacefully.
If she’s not around, then what’s the point?
I might as well accelerate the destruction of the world myself.
[...I see.]
[You’re a complicated existence. But at least you have your priorities straight.]
[A revolutionist and a tyrant... I can work with that.]
Before I could reply, the raven suddenly flapped its wings forward and arrived in front of my forehead.
It turned its head slightly, and for so reason, I was drawn to its crimson eye, feeling as though the surroundings began to fade away.
And once there was nothing but the raven’s eye left, it spoke:
[I am offering you an equals contract.]
[Do you accept?]
"...I do."
In the next instant, I felt a wave of energy enter my body, travel through all my veins, and eventually settle inside my heart.
It settled in the Black Lightning Manipulation Gift section, and upon closer look, I noticed that the inside of my heart was engraved with the symbol of a raven.
A raven with a single crimson eye.
And just like that...
[The contract is complete.]
I blinked, and before I knew it, the raven had vanished.
Not even a trace of its energy lingered in the air.
The raven was overly mysterious and proud, but it also didn’t look like a pushover either.
The last thing I wanted was a Mary Sue Guardian.
But now that the contract was finalized and I had the raven as my Guardian, that ant I could call upon it whenever I wanted.
And so, by infusing so energy into the raven symbol inside my heart, a faint crackle of black lightning appeared in front of , then manifested into the raven from a mont ago.
It turned to , and although I couldn’t read its expression very well... I could tell it was frowning.
[We just made a contract and you’re already calling ?]
"If we’re going to be together, don’t you think so introductions are in order?" I asked.
The raven paused for a mont.
[The na my previous contractor gave is Morr.]
Morr, huh?
"I’m Amon Everness. It’s a pleasure to et you."
[...]
Without another word, Morr flickered into black lightning and disappeared.
It looked a little shy.
But if anything, I was sure that Morr and I would get along with ti.
Though...
"You can hear , right? What’s your specialty?"
Most Guardians were big and strong, but this raven seed tiny, and well... partially blind.
Still, after a few seconds of waiting, Morr spoke inside my mind.
[I don’t have a particular field I excel in, but I’m great when it cos to fighting enemies one on one.]
"Any reason for that?"
Sadly, he didn’t answer that ti.
It pissed off a little that I got such a shy Guardian, but since I knew a Guardian was better than no Guardian, I sucked it up and dusted myself off.
Right as I prepared to blast off into the sky and go back to Clentine and the others, I spotted sothing hiding in the grass.
It was a bow and arrow.
Glancing a bit beyond, I saw dark green hair wobbling around in the distance, which ant soone was running away.
Letting out a chuckle, I decided to clear up the misunderstanding, and so, with a single thought, I focused on the figure ahead and sent a small crackle of lightning down before ultimately teleporting to it.
The mont I arrived, however, the figure, who appeared to be a woman with long ears, suddenly halted, her erald eyes widening in shock as she stared at my horns.
"Y-You..."
I rolled my eyes and tossed the bow back at her.
"I didn’t co here to hurt you. I’ll be leaving now, so—"
"Wait!"
At the woman’s scream, I turned back to her.
Only then did I take a better look at her.
Her loose clothes were slightly torn, and her lips were dry.
It’s almost like she hasn’t drunk any water in ages, or had any clothes to change into.
Her fingers were also bloodied, and judging by how skinny she was, she must not have eaten in days as well.
Was the situation on the barbarian side this bad?
Even for elves who can last five tis as long as humans without eating?
Just what’s going on?
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