When I suggested that I can kill her at any time, I did so to intimidate her and negotiate a better reward for me saving her. Sure I’m interested in gaining stat points, but I won’t go so far as to start killing people for them. Alas, my threat backfired and she started crying and pleading. I needed to calm her down, so I told her that I might spare her life if she tells me how she arrived near ‘my base’. Once again, she took me by surprise and started a 30 minutes narrative, instead of just the part I was interested in.

At least listening to her story wasn’t a complete waste of time. First of all, she calmed down significantly and doesn’t seem as scared anymore. I’ve heard that getting the story out helps a lot in getting over it. Secondly, I now know that I won’t receive any reward for helping her. I might get one for her capture, but meeting with those Wildstorm seems like a bad idea. Thirdly, I got a lot more information about this world. Fairies actually exist, there are multiple planes and magic might be more powerful than I initially thought.

But now the problem is what I should do with this girl. If I am to help her, there’s nowhere I can drop her off. She would be just a burden through my journey, one I can’t and don’t want to have. The problem is that if am to leave her alone, she would surely die. I can end her misery right now so she won’t have to suffer, but something is off.

Was the System goal just giving me some stat points? It’s true that I already earned more than 160 and I might some more for the princess, but I can’t help but wonder if there isn’t something else I can do here. I can get more information out of her beforehand, but I would feel like I’ve lost even my last bit of morality if I am to just interrogate her, then kill her off.

“Uhmm, excuse me for asking, but what kind of fairy are you? I’ve never seen someone without wings. Are you a mutated species?”

“I’m a human. But more importantly, what do you know about mutated species?”

“My mother always told me to never pick more than 1 racial path at a time. Later, I’ve wondered why so I’ve read a book about it. Having more than 1 racial path might cause a mutation. This would grant you a lot of benefits in short term, but will greatly limit your potential to improve further. All base stat gains would receive a 90% penalty and most other racial paths will be locked.”

Damn, that was too close of a bullet I’ve dodged there. Why isn’t something so important written in the System manual?! Well, she appears very proud of herself for knowing this, so it might not be common knowledge. Anyway, she talked like the System features are the most obvious thing in the world. Combining this with the fact that a monster had the ‘mutated’ tag, it is safe to assume that all living beings of this world are connected to the System.

“I see. Thank you, I didn’t know that. Getting back on topic, have you ever heard about humans?”

“I’ve read about them before, but you’re the first one I’ve ever seen. I know that most of them live in the main plane, that they have short lifespans and that they are ‘normal’ beings.”

“‘Normal’ beings?”

“Yes, most races living in the main plane are ‘normal’ beings. Just as most races living in the lightning plane are magical or elemental being. We, fairies, are magical beings as well.”

“I see. Is this related to loss of stats you’ve suffered when you entered the main plane?”

“Not entirely. For example even if I am to go to the water realm, I would still lose most of my stats. It’s more like every plane has its own set of rules. In the lightning realm everyone with fewer than 80% lightning affinity faces restrictions. In the main plane, we, fairies, if un-contracted, lose 80% of our stats.”

“What do you mean by un-contracted?”

“It was discovered that we can form 2 types of contracts that allow us to come into the main plane without restrictions. My mother told us that, in her youth, she traveled the main plane under a ‘partner’ contract, but she never went into details…”

I think I’m starting to understand the System’s intention. Still, I need to be careful when touching this subject. Her eyes were sparkling when she started talking about her mother traveling the main plane, but her look turned into one of sadness at the end and now she seems on the verge of crying again. Let’s help her by changing the subject.

“I see, so what’s the other type of contract?”

“The ‘familiar’ contract.”

“And what’s the difference between the two?”

“They are very different. First of all, the type of contract is automatically decided by the difference in power. If the fairy is weaker, the contract is ‘familiar’. If the power is similar, the contract will be ‘partner’. If the fairy is stronger, the contract is ‘mentor’, but this type doesn’t remove the restrictions of the plane. Then there’s also the fact that in ‘familiar’ contract, the restrictions are lifted only for our pixie form, while ‘partner’ only remove them in fairy form.”

She seems to be very proud of her knowledge, asking her questions seems like an easy way to get her out of reminiscing about her dead mother.

“Interesting. What does this contract entails?”

“Uhm… there was something about distance and something about mana transfer, but I don’t remember the exact details. I’m sorry. Are you perhaps interested in forming a contract with me?”

Still, she is no encyclopedia, so I can’t expect her to answer all my questions. But I have to give her a point here, I’m interested in this contract, mainly because of two reasons. One, removing her restrictions would at least allow her to fend for herself, so I’ll gain a free guide. Two, I’m 90% sure this contract is what the System intended from the start and I might receive surprise bonuses. Of course, if it’s too troublesome or if this contract imposes annoying restrictions upon me, I’ll just go with the original plan and be done with this.

“Yes, I was touched by your story and I was thinking if I can help you somehow. In this place, even my life is in danger, so I cannot afford to protect you in your current state. So, I thought that I should at least remove the restrictions for you, if I can.”

“Ug-uh… thank you… I really thought my life would end here… but you saved me… and now you offer to help me. I’m not sure if I can even repay your kindness.”

And here she is, forgetting that I threatened to kill her not even an hour ago. She probably shrugged it off as a joke. Well, that’s for the better. I prefer her following me out of gratitude than out of fear. Now, to the important part.

“So, how do you actually form a contract?”

“Hmm, if I remember correctly, one of us needs the [Contract] skill.”

“Do you have it?”

“No, and I only have 9 skill points left. I’m sorry.”

You have learned [Contract Lv1] for 13 skill points.

“No problem then, I just bought it.”

A skill like this is bound to useful in the future as well. I don’t have any skills I aim for at the moment, so buying it is a no-brainer.

“Wow, you’re willing to spend 50 skill points just for helping me?”

“Don’t worry, I got lucky and it was less for me.”

“Really?! I’m sure that [Contract] is at least a middle tier rare skill, you must have a good affinity towards it.”

“Let’s see. First of all, you must agree to start contract with me.”

“I do.”

Contract type: Master-Familiar

Master: Avitus Volten(Human)

Familiar: Eaizbelle Thunderroar(Lightning Fairy)

1. The master and the familiar mustn’t be more than 2.43 kilometers apart at any given time, or all contract’s benefits would be temporarily canceled.

2. The master must provide his familiar with 10% of at least his mana all the time.

3. The contract can be canceled at any time by either the master or the familiar.

At first glance, the contract seems quite bare, but this is just its skeleton. I can continue to add clauses, and only the final version will be presented to her for a final approval. As it is now, the contract is balanced, maybe a bit advantageous for her. It won’t stay so for long, if I am to help her, I would like something in return. I’ll make sure that she fulfills her duty as a guide for me in this new world. Also, I want to make sure that she can’t betray me. I don’t see her doing that, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Also I want to avoid a case in which she endangers me unknowingly by disclosing important information. I have two titles that might be dangerous to reveal and in the future I might have a lot of secrets, especially if I am the follow the same path I did on Earth. She likes to talk a lot and is very naïve, and that works against her, as evidentiated by telling me her story.

“I finished the contract. Eaizbelle Thunderroar, do you agree to become my familiar under these terms?”

Contract type: Master-Familiar

Master: Avitus Volten(Human)

Familiar: Eaizbelle Thunderroar(Lightning Fairy)

1. The master and the familiar mustn’t be more than 2.43 kilometers apart at any given time, or all contract’s benefits would be temporarily canceled.

2. The master must provide his familiar with at least 10% of his mana all the time.

3. The familiar must answer her master’s questions.

4. The familiar cannot lie to her master.

5. The familiar cannot, unless specifically ordered to, hurt or endanger her master directly or indirectly.

6. The familiar cannot divulge any information about her master without permission.

7. The contract can be canceled at any time by the master.

8. At the time of the contract’s cancelation, the familiar will forget everything about her master.

9. Clause 6 can be annulled at any time by the master.

Looking over the terms, I didn’t miss a slight hint of surprise and displeasure on her face, but it was quickly was quickly replaced by a look of determination. After reading the whole document, she turned toward me and nodded.

“Yes, I accept Avitus Volten as my master under this terms!”

Eaizbelle Thunderroar has become your familiar. Your maximum mana and your mana regeneration are decreased by 10%. You have obtained a 5% temporarily bonus to TLN. Your lightning affinity is temporary increased by 50%. These effects are lost is you are too far away from your familiar or if the contract is cancelled.

Your lightning affinity is over 99%. The Lightning God has shown interest in you. You may now attempt his trial in order to receive his blessing.

Hmm, that’s quite unexpected. I mean sure, the bonus is nice, the loss of maximum mana is what I expected from the contract clause, the regeneration loss is a bit inconvenient, nothing special thou. But what’s with the Lightning God. I’ve heard the guard talking about the Lightning God’s Mountain before, but I didn’t expect this god to be real, let alone show interest in me. And I bet that I must reach the top of the mountain or something in order to take his trial.

“Hey Izi, what can you tell me about the Lightning God?”

The princess seemed to be focused on her notifications as well, and was startled by me suddenly calling out to her. She looks a bit absentmindedly at me, then she starts tearing up a bit. Damn! Her family used to call her Izi, the nickname she liked was Iz. I had the A.I. chip record her story, but I paid attention only on the bits I was interested in. Should have reviewed that part before calling her, not after.

“I’m sorry, that was unthoughtful of me. Should I call you Iz from now on?”

“No, you can call me how you like. I need to be strong and…ug-uh… and… move on and live my live happily, just as… my mother wished to!”

This girl! Her line would have been so much cooler if she wasn’t sobbing while saying it. The contract forbids her from lying, so those must be her true thoughts. Still, I would really be downplaying her conviction if I were to keep calling her by that childish nickname.

“So, Iz, what can you tell me about the Lightning God?”

“The Lightning God is one of the higher gods, and he is the main deity worshiped in the lightning plane. He has very little interest in the affairs of his followers and he values power and potential over anything else. He rarely gives his blessing, but everyone who received it had a great impact on history. From mother’s stories, I’ve heard that she became his chosen on that very mountain.”

Looking towards where Iz was pointing, my suspicions were confirmed. If I am to undertake his trial, I must climb up there. But do I want to do so? That blessing sounds very temping, but I don’t like the idea of becoming someone’s lackey. If this blessing comes without any strings attached whatsoever, I’m definitely climbing that mountain.

“Uhm… excuse me, but how should I call you…?”

“I’m used to being called director or Mister Volten, but the first one is no longer valid. You can go with either Mister Volten, or master as per our contract.”

“Don’t you have a nickname?”

“I do, but I’d prefer you not using it.”

“I understand then. Do you want to take the trial as well, master?”

“I’m at least interest in it. What are the responsibilities of a blessed or of a chosen?”

“Most gods require their chosen to spread their name, but mother said that the Lightning God told her that it’s the god’s job to choose the right person to represent them.”

Seems like we have a new destination.

Spoiler: Status

Identity

Stats

Active Paths

Name

Avitus Volten

STR

238

[261.8]

VIT

153

[168.3]

Human

43.8%

Race

Human

AGI

293

[321.2]

PER

369

[405.9]

Otherworlder 2

38.2%

Sex

Male

DEX

327

[359.7]

INT

353

[386.1]

Apprentice Lightning Mage

47.2%

Age

47

CON

192

[211.2]

WIS

98

[106.7]

Magic Scholar 1

0%

Title

Outsider

END

103

[113.3]

TLN

50

[73.6]

Affinities

Resistances

Titles Earned

Perks

Lightning

99%

Lightning

95%

Otherworlder

Lightningborn

A.I. Chip

Mental

82%

Pain

72%

Outsider

Protagonist

Shadow

53%

Mental

55%

Fire

38%

Poison

52%

Spatial

8%

Spatial

25%

Temporal

2%

Skills

Common

Rare

Personal

Basic Self-Regeneration Lv8

Fake Status Lv1

Quantum A.I. Processor Lv27

Basic Martial Arts Lv9

Basic Long-range Appraisal Lv1

Dismantle MAX

Lightning Conversion MAX

Meditation Lv1

Cognitive Overpower Lv4

Basic Fire Magic Lv1

Automatic Translation MAX

Basic Lightning Magic Lv1

Basic Lightning Magic Manipulation Lv2

No-Attribute Magic Language Lv1

You have 191.2 unspent stat points, 3 unspent skill point and 12 unspent path points.