“Haa… I’m exhausted,” I muttered as soon as I stepped out of the Duke’s residence.

  I had returned to the inn. The servants seemed busy packing our belongings before the long journey back to Lucien territory. The plan was to depart this very afternoon.

  While waiting for the preparations to finish, I could only lie lazily on the bed in this luxurious room.

  “By the way, where’s Chorma?”

  For some reason, lately I had been traveling without Chorma more often. The white-furred puppy preferred sticking to Len wherever she went.

  [You don’t take proper care of Chorma, so it’s only natural he prefers Len,] Apollo teased through the voice transmission.

  Come to think of it, Apollo wasn’t wrong. After all, I strictly limited Chorma’s diet. Otherwise, my finances would evaporate in an instant just feeding that perpetually hungry creature.

  “Well, what choice do I have? We can’t let him roam around hunting monsters on his own. That would just cause trouble. Especially if someone saw his true form.”

  [You’re right. Around the southern capital, monsters are extremely rare. The Duke regularly dispatches extermination squads to clear the surrounding areas.]

  Without wild monsters to prey on, if I let that puppy run free, he’d probably end up devouring the citizens’ livestock instead.

  I had just intended to take a short nap when a knock on the door ruined the plan.

  “Rey, are you inside?”

  Len’s voice came from outside. I got up and opened the door.

  “What is it, Len?”

  She stood there holding Chorma, who was busy chewing several chicken skewers. Chorma looked less like a mythical beast and more like a furry overstuffed beanbag. His belly was dangerously round, and he was currently wrestling with a third chicken skewer. I shuddered to think what Len’s grocery bill looked like.”

  “Umm… you’re really leaving this afternoon?” Len asked, slightly turning her face away.

  “Yes. I can’t stay here any longer.”

  “Emm… can’t you stay just a little longer? At least until the festival ends?”

  “I don’t think so. There’s still a lot of work waiting for me in Lucien territory.”

  “I see…” Len murmured, lowering her head, clearly disappointed.

  “Hmm… but I still have time until evening. Want to walk around with me?”

  “Hm? Yes! Of course!” she replied, her energy instantly returning.

  In the end, we decided to stroll around and stop by a nearby restaurant. We were almost kicked out because pets weren’t allowed inside. However, thanks to my family’s status, the restaurant manager made an exception and apologized repeatedly. Indeed, in this world, noble status makes many aspects of life far easier.

  “B-by the way, Rey… is Chorma some kind of Divine Beast?” Len suddenly asked.

  “Maybe. I found him by accident in a forest near the border,” I lied.

  Of course, I wasn’t going to tell anyone that Chorma was one of my summoned Cosmic Beings. His true form was something Len’s common sense would never be able to comprehend.

  “Hmm, that explains a lot…”

  Len began telling me that while she was walking with Chorma, the white fluffball barked for food every time they passed a food stall. She was forced to buy him snacks, and the cycle repeated until her allowance was completely drained.

  Hearing her story, I could only chuckle. Chorma truly knew how to exploit others for the sake of his stomach.

  “I told you not to spoil him too much,” I warned.

  “Rey, you never told me Chorma was a Divine Beast with such a terrible eating habit! Do you know how much money I lost? Hiks!” Len complained, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe her fake tears. Though she was clearly pretending, her regret over her thinning wallet was quite real.

  “By the way, Len… do you often see other Divine Beast?”

  At my question, Len stopped acting and began thinking seriously.

  “Hmm, quite often. I usually see people traveling with their Familiars—most of them are Divine Beast.”

  “I see,” I nodded slowly.

  Normally, only those with the Tamer Stigma could easily tame Divine Beast and form contracts with them. Another method was to raise them from eggs or infancy until a strong bond of trust formed.

  I might be able to fight more effectively alongside Chorma if I had a proper Familiar contract formation. Though in truth, the contract would be little more than a formality—I didn’t need magic to command a being that had always belonged to me.

  “So, have you formed a magic contract with him?” Len asked curiously.

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  “Not yet. I was planning to study it.”

  “Ooh, then I can ask Master Eggar to create one for you!”

  “Really?”

  “Of course! Let’s go see Master Eggar!”

  We quickly finished lunch and hurried to meet Eggar, Len’s magic teacher.

  “Hmm, I’m afraid that will be difficult. To form a Familiar contract, you must at least reach the rank of a second-circle mage,” Eggar said after examining my condition.

  I flinched slightly. I had forgotten the system settings of this cursed game world. I internally cursed the world’s rigid logic. In this game-turned-reality, the Tamer class was gatekept behind the Second Circle—a threshold I hadn't crossed yet.

  “Master, isn’t there another solution?” Len asked, looking disappointed.

  Seeing us both dejected, Eggar stroked his chin. “Rey, does Chorma truly obey everything you say?”

  “Of course. He’s a bit mischievous, but obedient. Look.”

  I gave Chorma a few basic commands as a demonstration.

  “Paw!”

  “Woof!” Chorma immediately raised his front paw obediently.

  “Spin. Roll!” I continued. He followed every movement without trouble, his little tail wagging enthusiastically.

  “Kyaa! So smart!” Len praised while gently stroking his head.

  “He seems very tame. Perhaps we can attempt a different contract method,” Eggar said, intrigued. “Come here. Extend your hand.”

  I stepped forward and held out my hand, while Chorma approached as if understanding the situation. Eggar began examining the flow of mana between us.

  “Hmm, this is strange… You haven’t formed an official contract, yet I can feel your souls are already deeply connected.”

  Of course. He is part of my power, I smirked inwardly.

  “I believe this can be done,” Eggar murmured.

  He began chanting an ancient spell slowly. A magic circle appeared on Chorma’s forehead, forming a faint engraving resembling a wolf’s head before merging into his skin. At the same time, an identical symbol appeared on the back of my hand, pulsing faintly with warmth.

  “It’s a success! Since your souls and emotions were already aligned, the Familiar contract could be formed without waiting for you to reach second circle, Rey.”

  “Yay! Congratulations, Rey! You’re officially a Tamer now!” Len cheered, clapping enthusiastically.

  I was stunned. I had never realized Familiar magic could be applied to my summoned Cosmic Being. If this worked, it meant I could control more creatures in the future without worrying about rebellion or loss of control.

  “May I try it?” I asked eagerly.

  “Of course. Channel your mana into the symbol on your hand and issue a command through your mind.”

  My heart beat slightly faster. I closed my eyes, focused my mana into the wolf symbol, and mentally ordered Chorma to go outside and fetch a tree branch.

  Chorma looked confused for a moment—perhaps startled by my voice echoing directly in his head—but a second later he dashed out and returned with a branch in his mouth.

  “Incredible, it works perfectly!” Eggar looked proud of his experiment’s success. He handed me a Tamer-class magic Grimoire as a gift.

  With this contract, I could command Chorma from an extremely long distance. The book even mentioned instant summoning magic to call a Familiar to my side during emergencies. This was an enormous advantage.

  When I used to play this game as Elvan, I was limited to the knight class. But this time was different. I had the freedom to take any class I desired.

  I couldn’t suppress the corner of my lips from lifting, imagining all the possibilities ahead.

  Eventually, our meeting with Eggar ended as the day turned toward evening. It was time to part ways.

  “Hmm… you’re really leaving now?” Len asked softly.

  “Len… it can’t be avoided. Honestly, the time I spent with you here was truly enjoyable.”

  She didn’t answer. She simply lowered her head and nodded slowly.

  “You idiot… a complete idiot who always tries to solve everything alone,” Len suddenly muttered. “Even if you don’t tell me, I still know what kind of problem you’re facing.”

  My steps halted. I had never told Len the details of my family’s crisis. I felt it was a burden I had to carry alone as a Lucien.

  “Len, I just didn’t want to burden you with my family’s internal issues.”

  “I know. We’ve only just met—it hasn’t even been a week…” She paused, her voice trembling slightly. “But… will you promise to come back safely?”

  It felt strangely warm knowing someone sincerely worried about your safety. It meant you were no longer fighting alone. I turned and looked into Len’s eyes firmly.

  “Me? You know it yourself—the Lucien family has guarded the Southeastern Border for generations. We’ve faced thousands of monsters crawling out of the Dark Forest, and that tradition will continue.”

  “But I heard this threat is far more dangerous than usual.”

  “The South has its Duke, but the Southeast has the Luciens. We are the shield that hasn't cracked in centuries. I’m not about to let it shatter on my watch. I’ll be back, Len. That’s a promise.”

  Hearing the conviction in my voice, Len’s smile slowly returned. She reached into her pocket and took out a ring-shaped artifact.

  “This… is my New Year’s gift for you. Please accept it, even if it may not mean much to you.”

  The moment I saw it, I recognized it immediately. A Mana-Recovery Ring— a rare artifact capable of absorbing mana from the air and storing it for use when a mage’s reserves run low. Its storage capacity was equivalent to that of a second-circle mage. It was extremely expensive and hard to find on the open market.

  “Emm… isn’t this too much?” I asked hesitantly.

  “In the dungeon that day, you saved my life and my teacher’s. This artifact is nothing compared to that,” Len replied, placing the ring in my hand.

  Seeing that Len had prepared a gift in advance, I felt compelled to repay her kindness. I knelt on one knee before her, causing her face to flush in surprise.

  “You think you’re the only one who prepared a gift?” I said, taking out a beautiful silver bracelet adorned with a flower-shaped gemstone.

  Gently, I held Len’s left wrist and fastened the bracelet onto it. Among nobles, exchanging gifts near the end of the year was a common tradition. I had purchased this jewelry using the reward money from the Duke earlier.

  “This…” Len examined the bracelet closely. “A Forget-Me-Not flower?”

  “Yep. A gift for my first friend,” I said, giving her a thumbs-up.

  “Ah, liar… You must already have many friends at the Academy, right?” Len teased, narrowing her eyes—though she couldn’t hide the happiness on her face.

  Well, the original ‘Rey Lucien’ had plenty of bastard friends. But for me, the first person who truly knew my current self was Len. Alex didn’t count—he was my younger brother.

  That evening, as darkness enveloped the Duke’s territory, our convoy finally departed the city. Len and Eggar escorted us to the main gate.

  From afar, I saw Len waving her hand energetically. Chorma and I looked out the carriage window, watching their figures gradually shrink and vanish into the distance.

  We began our journey when the sky had turned completely dark. In the distance, magical fireworks exploded in the air, marking the start of the lively New Year festival in the Duke’s domain. While others celebrated in joy, we moved toward the darkness.

  We had to prepare. Ahead of us, the battlefield awaited. The monster wave capable of flattening Lucien territory would arrive soon.

  —*

  Author’s Note:

  Hello, readers…

  First of all, Thank you for sticking with me through this introductory arc.. You might have felt confused while reading due to the unclear early conflict and the many shifting perspectives from different characters.

  I simply wanted to present the concept of a vast world—where everything does not revolve solely around the Main Character.

  Of course, moving forward, that concept will remain the same. It won’t change, but I will try to organize it more neatly—using different perspectives in ways that better fit the ongoing conflicts so you can stay more focused.

  For now, we will part ways with Len… because…

  I won’t give spoilers ^_^

  Sorry as well for the somewhat rough translation.