Chapter 99
“Small Changes” Part 2
A couple of hours earlier.
Kalysto clenched her fists under the table, making sure no emotion showed on her face.
I would love not to have to resort to an elf. The problem was, she didn’t have much choice, and she wasn’t sure who she could trust. But after what happened with Persephone and the boss’s warning, I don’t think the boss would be willing to make a new deal with me... better to look elsewhere for help. Which left her with no alternative but the wizard sitting in front of her.
If it wasn’t because I need a way to make sure I can make it out of the third mission alive, find Alice, create a Dark mana magic circle and at least one mana circle, plus find a safe way to get back to Earth, I wouldn’t seek his help. But that was not all. Although much had happened in the past few days, the loud silence in her own mind was disturbing.
Not only because she hadn’t heard a single sarcastic comment from Persephone again, even when she saw Edward doing stupid things, but because she had been keeping herself busy leveling up her abilities so as not to think about how hard it had been to regain control of her own body, and how much she was terrified of the possibility that next time, she wouldn’t be able to regain it.
And Kalysto had no plans to go through that again.
Ever.
The problem is, I’m not sure how I can fix that. So she continued to watch Caranthir silently as she thought, and he grew increasingly nervous.
First, I need to get stronger, and make sure I’m never again in such a disadvantageous situation where I have no choice but to cede control to Persephone. As had happened with the merchant. The only thing that helped me at the time was that my mental defense level up, although it wasn’t enough at the beginning. And she was frightened by the thought of being trapped again in the middle of that void of absolute darkness. I’ll have to find another, safer way to level it up.
And she turned her attention back to the figure of the man sitting across from her, remembering how well others spoke about his power.
But I also need to make sure he can’t lie to me... The contract will have to be modified. It was then that she remembered some comments she heard from the elves about how dangerous it could be to make a contract with a fairy, and the deal Hanna had offered her. A thin smile tugged at her lips, one that she hurried to wipe off her face without a trace.
“I would like to apologize again for my fault, and if the saintess so deems I would like you to accept a couple of gifts as a token of good faith," he said, looking at her in the eyes. Kalysto arched an eyebrow in response but did not reply, so he rose and after walking through what she would have sworn was a simple wall, Caranthir’s figure disappeared.
Mana sense. She thought immediately, alarmed at the possibility of being ambushed and spread her mana throughout the cottage.
But there was no one there but the two of them.
She managed to let out a sigh full of relief before Caranthir returned to the room with a small chest in his hands. He placed it on the table, pushing a couple of books aside to make some space and opened it in front of her.
“Right now, this is one of my most prized possessions," he said hoarsely, the pain of parting with it palpable in his voice. “I spent months searching for it from kingdom to kingdom. This crystal will allow you to learn the skill to grow any plant." Kalysto’s interest was piqued when she heard that, yet she did her best to cover it up. “It’s something I had been keeping to myself, but I hadn’t had all the time it takes to learn such a skill.”
“...Even if you give me this, I already told you that I have no intention of healing your brother. In fact, as part of the punishment, I will change the entire contract, completely removing the part where I agreed to heal your people for a few hours in exchange for learning magic and potions with you on a month-to-month basis.”
“... Even if you don’t use your magic to heal my brother, you could give me enough holy water to cure him," he whispered with misty eyes and a look of desperation on his face. “Even with all my knowledge of potions, there are certain types of damage that only holy water can heal.”
Broken bones. Kalysto thought, remembering how bad her feet were when she first came into this world.
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“...And you think with that alone you could tempt me to make a deal again with someone who broke his word before?”
“I’ll give you anything you want in return, everything in my power to get," the elf hastened to reply, the desperation palpable in his voice. Then his face lit up for an instant. “I remember that you were interested in my multiple ice spear throwing skills, but that you yourself were not able to hit all three ice arrows.”
“...Are you trying to humiliate me?” She questioned him, her voice full of harshness as she arched an eyebrow.
“Not at all. But I do have a couple of skill crystals that could help you correct that problem. It will take a while to assimilate them, but I can teach you a type of meditation that will help you acquire the skills imbued in a crystal in less than three days, rather than a week.”
It normally takes a week to absorb a crystal? She was surprised. No wonder I faint every time I absorb a big one.
“My people are known for being good archers, but it’s not just because we train for years to achieve such a level of skill, but because we tend to seek out the skills that help us supplement archery.”
“Are you telling me there are skill crystals for that?”
“They are hard to come by, but yes, there are. If the saintess waits for me for a moment, I can go for a skill that will allow you to manipulate different objects at the same time and an active one that will allow you to shoot at different targets. I can add another one that will make it no matter how many arrows the saintess shoots, you will always hit the target.”
“You have quite an interesting arsenal of tricks. I had heard that you were already a wizard before acquiring the violet system. But I never imagined you had so many tricks up your sleeve," Caranthir’s gaze filled with sadness again and Kalysto frowned, not understanding what she had said that could cause such a reaction. “What’s wrong?”
“... “ Caranthir avoided her gaze for a few seconds before answering in a low voice. “As part of my punishment, the queen took away my system. And announced that she would not allow any of our people to have it ever again.”
“Oh," Kalysto whispered, not knowing what else to say. Caranthir, on the other hand, grimaced.
“The gods are capricious and volatile creatures of great power, saintess. I am aware that I should feel grateful to be able to stay alive after my fault. Besides, I am sure that the reason my people were saved and that my brother Ettokalr is still alive is because the saintess intervened.”
“Why are you so sure of that?” She questioned him and a faint smile appeared on the elf’s lips.
“Apart from the fact that the city was destroyed, something that had already begun thanks to the invasion made by the monsters, the only loss we had was our sacred tree. A tree that we have had for centuries and that the queen had never shown any interest in before. But suddenly the saintess is very interested in getting its fruits, which can help you to increase the amount of mana you have.” Seeing that Kalysto did not show any reaction, he continued explaining. “There are records that when the ancient gods still traveled between the worlds, entire civilizations were destroyed when someone dared to do them a disservice. And yet the queen chooses to punish us by not killing us all. In fact, I doubt very much that she did not realize that my people had escaped just before she came and yet she did not decide to hunt us down like animals and simply settled for destroying the city and torturing some people. What happened to you was reason enough to justify her anger. In fact, I’m glad the god of the ether is asleep right now, because then we would have had to bear his wrath as well, for touching his most precious creation.”
“Aren’t you exaggerating a bit?”
“Saintess, what happened is more than enough reason to start a war between the two races,” Kalysto gave her a condescending look. “It’s the saintess who has no idea who she’s dealing with... Another reason why people are very hesitant to mess with fairies is not just because the fairy queen is powerful, but because she is the avatar of the god of ether. She was even his lover. And he turned her into a goddess as a parting gift before ending their relationship and marrying the goddess of light. Fieal, did this as a kind of warning towards the followers of the goddess of light, so that they would not dare to touch his avatar, nor harm her. So at this moment, the only living goddess in this world is the queen of the fairies. And one of our race, after my brother had agreed to protect you, dared to hurt the chosen one of the fairy queen goddess.
“And even knowing this, you all behaved as you did?”
“I cannot speak for my brother. I can only apologize for my own behavior in the midst of the chaos of battle,” again an awkward silence spread between them.
“Go and bring me those crystals you told me about” as soon as Caranthir returned, he put the crystals on the table. Kalysto took them and put them in her inventory, then opened her status window.
[User wishes to delete/modify the soul binding contract with Caranthir, son of Arandh?]
[Delete/Modify]
Then, to Caranthir’s great horror, she selected to delete.
“But I thought that...?” the wizard complained, but Kalysto raised her hand, asking him to stop.
“There are some terms we need to establish:
1. You will answer truthfully to everything I ask you and you will never lie to me or share with others what we talk about. If you break this rule, your heart will stop beating.
2. You will not betray me, and you will not tell anyone else about me or my secrets. If you do, you will die.
3. From this moment on and for the next year, you will work only for me. You will be available any time I call you and you will get me anything I ask for.”
“...Don’t you think you’re exaggerating?” He exclaimed in alarm, his eyes wide open and his face pale.
“Not at all. You have gone back on your word before and your people have not proven to be trustworthy, at least not with me, even when I have helped them several times. I’d rather not take chances again," seeing that he was still reluctant, she added in a soft, convincing voice. “Besides, not only are you indebted to me, but I am the only person willing to give you something that will help you save your dear brother’s life," she added, taking out one of the bottles he had previously given her with mana potion, but which she had now filled with holy water.” I think you recognize this.”
Caranthir, seeing what she had placed on the dining table, rushed to pick it up, but Kalysto beat him to it and put it back in her inventory.
“Now, are you willing to make a new deal with me?”