「Hey, that's terrible! The owner is also.... You value me so highly! Ha.... It's a little exciting.」

Of course, before making a contract with that gloomy spirit, I had to sign a contract with Ruby first.

「I'm ready, sweetheart.」

Raphine sighed and said, "Huh."

"I'll sign a contract for now, but that doesn't mean you can't manifest right away. 'Cause my whole room is going to be destroyed Happens later when I allow it. know?"

「I get it. I'll show you my cool side later. Let's add that as a special contract.」

「The cool figure is a bitch.... On the topic of bears.」

Orphana grunted sarcastically, but Ruby skillfully ignored it.

Raphine sat the teddy bear in front of her and prepared herself.

If you make a contract with a spirit, that spirit can manifest at any time.

And the moment the spirit first manifests, an indelible summoning seal is engraved on the back of the contractor's hand.

When the summoner is engraved, everyone will know that he has become a spirit warrior.

So Raphine wanted to delay the manifestation of the two spirits as much as possible.

"If the seal is engraved on the back of your hand, it will become cumbersome to explain here and there...."

「Baby, put out your hand.」

As Raphine reached out his hand, a small light suddenly flashed from the teddy bear's body.

And a piece of paper engraved with an unknown character floated in the air.

「This is a contract with the spirit. Please read it carefully and sign it.」

"No, you have to know what you're talking about before you can read it or not."

Is it an ancient language?

It was so curly that it was difficult to figure out what shape it was in the first place.

「It's an imperial language, not an ancient language, and it's my handwriting.」

"...."

Bear, was it written with the soles of a bear's paws?

then... I was able to admit this bad handwriting.

"Should I tell you what it is?"

「Oh yeah. You still can't read Agara properly.」

no. Even an adult can't read these kinds of letters.

Raphine tried to point it out, but waited patiently for Ruby's explanation.

「'Contractor' is referred to as 'A' hereafter. Hereinafter referred to as 'B' and 'Spirit'. will respect each other on an equal footing and keep the terms of the contract.

Article 1. In accordance with the request of A....'」

"No, what's so complicated?"

He was a little sleepy, so it was difficult to understand what he was saying.

Ruby, unlike usual, mumbled quickly, shooting at her. Raphine listened to the words blankly and yawned loudly.

「'Contract can be withdrawn without conditions within 3 days from the date of contract. However, within 30 days from the contract date....'」

"Oh, I see. Okay! Let's sign it first."

At the end of the day, Raphine couldn't stand it anymore.

「Then the special contract is....」

"I'm going to die of sleep."

「Yeah, what.... No worries, sweetheart. Trust me. And I abide by the standard contract. Now you just have to stop here.」

Raphine raised his thumb and pressed it into the signature line on the last page.

Then, on the back of his hand, an angry red pattern appeared for a while and then disappeared. the contract is complete.

"next."

Raphine put the bracelet on his wrist next to the teddy bear.

「Whew.... It's finally my turn.」

As he reached out his hand in the same way, a thin light streamed from his bracelet and a similar contract floated in front of his eyes.

Still, Orpana's handwriting was quite normal.

「Is it elegant? Can't you compare it to Gomtang?」

"Are you also a standard contract? Let's sign it right away."

「It's also hot. master!」

「Wait, baby! That guy writes a special contract first....」

Oh right.

Orphana was a cunning guy. First of all, it was correct to draw up a special contract.

Ruby can be trusted without having to sign a contract, but Orphana can never be trusted.

"Thank you, Ruby."

Raphine thanked Ruby and waved his hand to Orphana for a special contract.

「... Sheesh.」

Orphana was a little shaky, but soon showed me the special contract.

He said the contents of the special contract were simple.

He will not manifest until Raphine permits.

「By the way, baby, why are you delaying your manifestation? Would it be easier for the Empress to trust you if other people found out?」

Ruby's words made sense.

"But the Empress already owes me. You almost got hurt because of a woman named Anna, right? She must be feeling guilty because she will blame it on her brother, Sir Laurelian."

「Well, that's right.」

"It is easy to gain the trust of such an opponent, so there is no need to play this card beforehand."

The reason for hiding the summoner from the world was for the unpredictable future.

By the way, you should not disclose your power to the enemy in advance.

The existence of the spirit company is highly likely to be used politically. So, you have to be careful when deciding when to disclose.

Even in the original work, Violet and Zerkan became spirits after they went to the academy.

Students at the academy remained with the empire until graduation.

Therefore, other nobles who wanted to use the Spirit Temple for political purposes could not access it carelessly.

This is also the reason why Zer Khan proposed an arranged marriage to Violet, who was an adult, before returning to the capital. .

It was a very good strategy for Zerkan to choose Violet to keep the second prince in check.

However, the problem was that the results turned out to be horrendous.

In any case, if it was revealed that he was a spirit samurai, it was clear that he would make a fuss here and there to use it politically.

'I don't need to lose my energy because I'm dealing with people who want to take advantage of me in advance.'

Rather, when the Empress was on her defense, she preferred to use it as a dramatic card.

As she reveals that she is a spirit samurai, if she stands with the empress, her mood will be reversed towards the empress.

「That's a good way.」

「Master, Master. There is. Listen to me, what do I think....」

"Now, let's catch it."

After completing all the contracts, Raphine went inside the blanket holding the teddy bear.

Go to bed early to grow up early She's supposed to go to Hwangseong tomorrow. If you want to propose to Zer Khan, you need to stock up on his power.

「Master....」

「Shut up. Baby sleeps.」

「....」

* * *

Next day.

After breakfast, Raphine and her mother boarded the carriage to the Imperial Palace.

It was a luxurious carriage sent by the Empress herself.

When the golden star began to appear out of the window, Raphine warned Orphana.

'Orphana, sing it again.'

「Yeah....」

'Come on, first. I'm not going to tell you.'

「first. I won't do it.」

'Second, I will be quiet.'

「I'll be quiet....」

'third. I will listen.'

「I can hear you well.... No, my lord! No matter how you think about it, isn't this too much? I am the water spirit! I am! Great Spirit! Do you know how many people want to sign a contract with me?」

'Don't even think of humiliating me like that. i don't need you anyway You should go to Zerkan in the first place.'

「Chit.」

'Don't forget that you can cancel the contract within 3 days.'

「....」

There was nothing to regret here.

「It's too much, Master. The owner is so.... I'm too adamant. Be cool! therefore.... Ha, so that's even better! haha....」

「....」

'....'

Raphine looked out the window without saying a word. Why do I have to go through this?

After thinking so much, he quickly arrived at the Imperial Palace.

Raphine got off his carriage and put her in his mother's arms. Perhaps because of the last incident, Sophia held Raphine in his arms and looked around.

Although her knights are guarding it, Hwangseong has already become a dangerous space for her mother and her daughter.

After arriving safely in the drawing room of the Empress Palace, Sophia dropped Raffine down.

"Aren't you afraid to come back here again?"

Raphine shook her head at the loving mother's words.

"I'm OK."

"Don't be brave. Do you look like me?"

Sophia smiled, stroking Raphine's hair.

Then, her maid came in and served her herbal tea first, and not long after that the Empress came in.

"Thank you for coming," she said. Wasn't the road going to be inconvenient?"

"I came here comfortably because of Your Majesty's consideration."

"Let's sit down and talk."

The Empress recommended Sophia to her place. Then Raphine met her eyes and she smiled.

"It's been a while, how have you been? Raphine?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

As Raphine answered bravely, her empress's smile grew stronger. She lifted the teacup for a moment, took a sip, and brought out her point.

"I apologize for what happened last time. Lorelian's foolish judgment nearly killed the precious child he had just recovered from the duke's house."

"... Yes, Your Majesty."

"You must have been very surprised and upset, but please relax. As a parent with children, I fully understand that feeling."

"...."

"The woman is on trial. Her crimes revealed are so significant that she will probably face her death sentence."

"all right."

"Yeah, as a token of my apology, I prepared a special gift for you...."

The Empress beckoned, and her maid behind her brought one of her boxes.