CHAPTER 360: CONTRACT

Orion quickly nodded his head before getting up from his seat and walking out of the dining hall.

Eldric opened his eyes slowly, watching Orion’s figure disappear through the dining hall doorway.

A complicated expression settled on his weathered features, half amused, half troubled, as he sighed deeply, shaking his head. "This lad will surely kill me from shock one of these days," he murmured softly, only half-jokingly.

Beside him, Selene placed a hand over her lips, stifling a gentle giggle. Her eyes twinkled warmly as she observed her husband’s frustrated but affectionate reaction.

"Then you should learn to be more tolerant," she teased gently. "After all, he already trusts us enough to share all these incredible secrets. As his grandparents, we must do our absolute best for him."

Eldric turned slowly to face his wife, his serious expression relaxing into a faint, resigned smile. The depth of concern in his eyes, however, lingered.

He nodded solemnly after a moment’s pause. "Indeed. And with all that’s happening, we must also make our own preparations," he said quietly, his tone becoming heavier with every word.

"The tension at the borders has been escalating rapidly. From what I’ve heard, the top empires are beginning to strategize and align themselves with other races to address the growing threat from the demons."

Selene’s brows knitted together in worry. She released a heavy sigh, filled with exasperation and concern. "Haa... you know exactly how those upper echelons operate. They’ll drag their feet and delay any meaningful action until the threat is right at their doorstep," she muttered bitterly, her voice tinged with frustration. "Always more interested in protecting their own profits and influence than safeguarding their people."

Eldric’s eyes flashed briefly with mysterious amusement, a knowing smile appearing on his face. "Don’t worry," he reassured her gently, voice firm with certainty. "This time, they don’t have the luxury of dragging their feet any longer."

Selene tilted her head slightly, curiosity immediately evident in her gaze. She turned fully toward Eldric, intrigued by his confident words. "Oh? What makes you say that? Have those selfish fools finally grown some courage under the demon threat?"

Eldric chuckled heartily, shaking his head in immediate denial. "Haha, that would be impossible. Those greedy old bastards never change unless forced," he replied, humor tinging his voice before turning serious once more.

Leaning slightly forward, his voice lowered conspiratorially, eyes shining brightly with respect. "No, the real reason they’re forced to act quickly this time is because Sir Dawn has intervened."

Selene’s eyes widened in genuine surprise upon hearing the name, her curiosity piqued further. "Sir Dawn himself stepped forward?" she whispered in disbelief, clearly impressed. "Truly? He usually stays out of such mundane affairs."

Eldric nodded deeply, his gaze thoughtful yet respectful. "Indeed. Sir Dawn personally addressed all the top powers, demanding they quickly find a unified solution to the demon threat and explicitly warning them against creating any internal conflict or delaying unnecessarily during these critical times."

A soft smile spread across Selene’s graceful face, clearly relieved. "If Sir Dawn has spoken, even those arrogant nobles and stubborn old fools have no choice but to comply swiftly," she said softly, a hint of satisfaction evident in her voice. "That’s reassuring news."

Eldric exhaled a breath of relief as well, his shoulders relaxing slightly for the first time that morning. "Yes, all the human empires immediately heeded his call. Additionally, other races have their own top-tier powerhouses stepping forward to match his stance. We can expect a unified response sooner rather than later."

Selene nodded approvingly, her previous frustration slowly fading. Her voice softened gently, filled with both admiration and hope. "At least there is someone capable enough to put those selfish nobles in line. Sir Dawn’s authority truly is indispensable in times like these."

The two of them continued chatting quietly, their conversation shifting towards smaller, everyday matters as the atmosphere gradually relaxed once more.

***

Meanwhile, Orion had returned to his room. He quietly closed the door behind him, exhaling slowly as he felt the peaceful silence of his room envelop him.

He stretched slightly, then walked toward his large window overlooking the serene gardens of the Helstorm Estate.

Warm sunlight spilled through the glass, casting a gentle glow over the neatly trimmed shrubs and vibrant flowerbeds below. Orion leaned against the window ledge, eyes narrowing thoughtfully as he considered the day ahead.

Inside his Sea of Consciousness, Lumi’s voice rose softly, filled with curiosity and cheerfulness.

[You seem deep in thought, Master. What are you planning on doing?

Orion chuckled quietly to himself. ’I think it’s about time I form a contract with a familiar.’

Lumi’s voice immediately brightened with excitement, echoing clearly within his Sea of Consciousness.

[Are you finally going to form a contract with that?! (°▽°)♡]

Orion laughed softly and nodded. ’Yes. I’ve already learned most of the basics of Spirit Arts during my evolution process when I was stuck in my Sea of Consciousness. All that’s left is the actual formation of the contract.’

Lumi enthusiastically agreed, her voice bubbling with anticipation.

[Ahh, I can’t wait to see it! Hurry, Master, hurry! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ]

Shaking his head with a smile at her excitement, Orion took out the Silent Hall Cube from his inventory, placing it carefully in the center of his room.

He inserted a lot of mana crystals, activating the device. Immediately, the cube hummed softly as a gentle barrier enveloped the room, isolating it completely from the outside world.

Satisfied, Orion carefully reached into his inventory once again, retrieving an unusual stone statue. Despite its intricate craftsmanship, the statue was undeniably peculiar. It depicted a salmon frozen mid-flight, its mouth slightly open as if caught mid-insult.

Lumi giggled lightly, her curiosity evident.

[The "Sassy Salmon Familiar," huh? The one that insults your enemies mid-battle! Ahaha, Master, your taste really is unique! ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و]

Orion grinned helplessly, placing the salmon statue gently on the floor in front of him. "Sometimes, sass is a more potent weapon than a sword."

Taking a deep breath, Orion calmly extended his hand, tracing intricate lines of glowing mana in the air.

His fingers moved fluidly, guided effortlessly by the teachings he had studied diligently within his Sea of Consciousness during his evolution.

The mana coalesced gracefully into a complex yet elegant circle that shimmered brilliantly above the stone salmon.

With a final gesture, Orion directed the mana circle downward, carefully imprinting it onto the stone statue. For a moment, nothing happened.

Silence settled heavily in the room, only to be broken when the statue began emitting a soft, radiant glow. The light gradually intensified until, in a burst of brilliance, the statue vanished entirely from view.

Immediately, Orion felt a distinct shift within his Sea of Consciousness. A new, separate pocket space had appeared, small but stable, housing the now-dormant Sassy Salmon Familiar comfortably within it.

Orion mentally inspected the creature with curiosity, noting its peaceful slumber.

[It looks like your familiar is still dormant for now. How interesting! I wonder how it will behave once it awakens... ( •⌄• ू )✧]

Lumi remarked thoughtfully, clearly intrigued.

Orion chuckled lightly. "With a personality described as ’endless sass,’ I can only imagine."

After observing the salmon briefly, Orion decided it was best to test it out as soon as possible. He stood up, retrieving the Silent Hall Cube and placing it back into his spatial inventory.

Lumi gently prompted, her curiosity still bubbling.

[Are you going to look at your other treasures now, Master? You still have so many interesting things yet to explore! (๑ᴗ๑)]

Orion shook his head with a playful smile, already walking toward the door. "No, this is far too intriguing not to check out immediately."

[Hehe~ You really can’t resist trying out new toys, can you, Master? ╰(°▽°)╯]

Lumi teased, laughing merrily as she agreed with his decision.