[
Contractor: Elisa.
Contractee: [Fill up the missing information].
Contract Clauses:
Clause 1: Each Party swears on the Mana that fuels their bodies not to attack or injure the other Party.
Clause 2: The attacked Party has every right to defend itself.
Clause 3: Each Party reserves itself the right to terminate the Contract at any point, provided they inform the other Party in advance.
Additional Information: The Contract's Duration is yet to be determined and will be, for now, accepted as a short-term Contract.
Additional Clauses and Information can be added in the future, provided both Parties agree on the Additional Clauses.
Contractor's Signature: [Present]
Contractee's Signature: [Link your Mana to the hereby Contract if you wish to enter it].
]
'What the hell is this?'
[Your Title "Gaavah's Follower" is waking up from its slumber.]
[You have been offered what is usually referred to as a Mana Contract.]
[They are fairly common, so it's a good thing for you to get accustomed to how it functions.]
'How does it function then?'
[Both Parties enter a Contract.]
[The Penalty for breaching the Contract Clauses is to be discussed by the Parties involved.]
[Here, the Penalty is a rather serious one.]
'The Mana that fuels our bodies? So if one is to breach the contract-'
[You might lose the ability to control Mana.]
'Too constraining. Why would I enter that? And why would she even propose that?'
pαndα`noνɐ1~сoМ [The degree to which Penalty is exerted depends on the degree to which the Clauses have been breached, but also on which Clauses were breached.]
'Mm...'
Mark was having a discussion with a certain someone.
But to the rest, it seemed like he was thinking silently.
'The most important Clause is the one about attacking and injuring... So depending on how severely the other is injured, you might keep part of the ability to use Mana?'
[Or your Mana might be temporarily locked.]
'And those are things that should be stated in the Contract I'm guessing.'
[Of course.]
[Every little detail should be put in writing when it comes to Mana Contracts.]
[Also, anything can be made into a Mana Contract.]
Mark nodded as he read the messages.
"So? I'm still waiting for an answer. And I don't appreciate the two of you towering on me."
Both Levi and Mark took a step back.
The next second, something entered from the window.
And Elisa's eyes lit up.
"Seems I might sign another Contract before finally leaving this room."
"Oh, I don't think so." The Fire Spirit mocked.
"Oooh, is that so? Well, we can have that discussion later. Anyways, what do you think?" Elisa asked as she turned towards Mark.
'My Party concerns me and my Underlings.'
The next instant, the Contractee section changed.
'Not attacking or injuring on purpose. If it's an accident, then I won't accept getting any Penalty. In advance... You'll have to inform me. Informing my Underlings isn't enough. Also, the Contract gets terminated only if we both agree to that.'
The Contract changed more and more.
Elisa snapped her fingers, and a second scroll appeared.
The two scrolls were identical.
"So no termination if we don't agree? Then the Contract serves as a shield too. I like it."
'If breached, Mana will be temporarily locked. Also, only the one who did the attacking or injuring can receive the Penalty.'
The scrolls changed some more.
And the look in Elisa's eyes changed.
"You're kidding, right?" Her voice, increasingly strident. "I'm not agreeing to this. It's only right you're held responsible for your Underlings' actions. Especially if you've ordered them. And I won't accept that 'on purpose' excuse. Even if it's not on purpose, you should be held accountable. To which degree, we can discuss though."
'Tsk.'
"Did you just click your tongue at me?"
Mark took a step towards the window.
'Levi. Can you enter a Contract with her?'
The Guard transmitted his Lord's idea.
"Signing with an Underling is below me. I'll do my best not to take offense. We can enter a Mana Vow for now."
Since both Levi and Elisa could talk, they reached an agreement both thought fair pretty quickly.
Mark didn't ask about the details.
'Keep an eye on her. I won't be far.'
"Yes, my Lord."
Mark walked towards the window.
'You. You're with me.'
With Krista on his shoulder, he jumped out the window and spread his wings.
"Ordering me around now, huh?" The Fire Spirit chuckled. "Yes, boss."
They left.
Only Levi and Elisa remained.
She enthusiastically raised her arms to her sides and took strides towards the staircase behind her.
"What are you doing?" Levi questioned.
"Going outside. Not that it's any of your business. Except if you want to come with?"
He followed her without answering.
And his gaze was cold.
Cold and emotionless.
'So I'm stuck with the one that's less fun, huh?'
Elisa slouched for a second.
But she didn't let that bring her down for too long.
She couldn't.
She was finally about to step outside.
After a long time.
Such a long time.
Elisa couldn't remember how much time had passed.
She couldn't remember how much time she had spent in that room.
There were many things she couldn't remember.
Such was the curse of Corruption Magic.
Fifteen minutes later, Mark was seated in the middle of the first village of Corrupted Dark Elves he had destroyed with his Underlings.
In his hand, a long pointy stick made of bones.
"I'm surprised you didn't feed on all those dead Elves already." The Fire Spirit commented.
'I'll get to them later. For now, I need to think a bit.'
Mark draw a small square on the scorched earth below.
'Earth Manipulation. Extremely convenient. Doesn't use too much Mana, since the earth is already provided. Useful for defense. Using it offensively might be a bit harder. The further I am from the area I want to manipulate, the more Mana is consumed. Taxing mentally too.'
He thought about his numerous and various offensive Magic Skills one by one. About how best to use each.
'Now all that's left is...'
Mark's hand twitched.
He drew a circle.
Perhaps that's what the Skill felt like.
'Three different ways I can think of...'
And three arrows pointed away from that circle.
'One. Short bursts. Great increase in Strength and Agility. Should be used when I'm about to deliver a blow or dodge. Problem is, switching the Skill on and off at short intervals is intense. I managed to keep moving earlier, but the headache it gave me was insane. If I'd done that in the middle of a fight then... Yeah. Probably better kept for decisive blows or to dodge attacks I otherwise can't.'
Check-
'Two. Using it for a longer period of time by focusing on my every move and action. Putting 100% of myself in every movement. Mentally taxing. Can't take the time to look at further enemies like those in the rear, but the mental clarity might be enough to give directions to my Underlings. I felt my strength increase most using the Skill this way.'
Check-
'And the third way-'
"So why did you ask for me?"
Mark remained silent for a bit.
'You could tell that something had changed earlier, during the fight. How?'
"Mm. When I came to you, huh?" The Fire Spirit pondered for a bit. "Well, the way you moved had changed...Mmm... I could feel a different kind of Fire emanating from you. Yeah. That's what it was."
Mark stared silently for a bit.
He didn't think the explanation useful at all.
'I'm sure Levi can tell the difference too. But you realized much sooner. So you have a better grasp on the way I move than he does? Why is that?'
The Fire Spirit laughed out loud.
"Isn't it obvious?"
Mark didn't think it was.
"That guy is loyal to you. He cares about you, and your life. I don't. I'm only interested. Which is why I can notice those things. He gets scared, I don't. He gets worried, I don't. That's why I can tell."
His interlocutor didn't truly believe those words. After all, the Fire Spirit's actions seemed to convey the opposite. At least, that's what Mark thought.
He didn't press the matter further.
A short silence.
Grey was chasing Krista a dozen meters away.
The Moonlit Feline turned into a Lioness, and the roles were reversed.
Fiery was seated, seemingly taking in the sun.
Light had found the perfect spot below the remains of a brick shack. He lay in the shade.
"Something changed. I can tell."
'Can you now?' Mark asked, disinterested. 'I'm not sure I get what you're talking about.'
"You did. Change. A change to your flames. I can tell. A minor change. Nevertheless, a change."
'How so?'
"They seem... More docile. As if you've tamed them. You know what I mean? Ever since the battle that took place here, I would say."
Mark lowered his gaze.
'Didn't realize you had an eye for detail. I'm not sure what you mean by more docile, but yeah. Something did change, in a way.'
The Fire Spirit chuckled.
'I remembered something rather unpleasant. About my past. It was... Well,' Mark directed his gaze towards the Fire Spirit. 'I doubt it would interest-'
He found shining eyes staring.
"Do tell."
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