In A Fantasy World I Can Absorbs Abilities

Chapter 55 Contract

No matter how much he pondered, only one option came to mind: utilizing the darker paths of commerce.

He gestured to Cardinal Jacobo, his loyal left hand, who stood waiting behind him.

"To make up for these losses, there's no other way. Increase the supply of magical elixirs, juvenile magical beasts, and relics of the Outsider on the black market. About five times the usual volume should suffice," the Pope instructed.

Jacobo bowed respectfully and left the audience chamber to carry out the order.

Left alone, Pope Allegro III let out a heavy sigh.

"What is becoming of this world… Radiance, grant us your light."

Though the papacy had hoarded vast wealth over the generations, the idea of tapping into those resources didn't occur to anyone.

King Charles V of the Kingdom of Lania was thoroughly satisfied with the papacy's official letter.

A tax exemption? Such a boon was well worth handing over Crowley's barony. After all, the commoners sacrificed in this ordeal were mere numbers on paper.

Whether a thousand or ten thousand had died, it didn't matter to the nobility. The kingdom's position was that these sacrifices would not be in vain if the newfound wealth bolstered the military and strengthened the nation.

With the surplus funds, perhaps they could even erect a memorial stone for the fallen.

"Well then, let's consider this matter settled. Hand over the captured holy knights and priests to the papacy," the king ordered.

And so, the tragedy of Crowley's barony was concluded, with no one held accountable.

Spring seemed to be on its way. The winds, once sharp as blades, had softened, and puddles dotted the roads. The frozen ground was beginning to thaw.

Michael and Miaomiao had returned to the castle. With Alfred's help, they had removed the spiked rods piercing the dragon's wings.

The young dragon lay sleeping soundly, as if it had not a care in the world. Whether it was under the influence of a sleep spell or some kind of sedative, the dragon slumbered deeply even as the rods were carefully extracted.

It had been more than two weeks since the dragon was found at Leonardo's hideout, and it still showed no signs of waking. Michael wondered if the dragon might be hibernating.

As for Leonardo, he had been secretly taken by Alfred for "repentance." He was to be sent back to Michael after serving his penance, though the thought alone gave Michael a headache.

When Leonardo first met Michael, he had burst into tears and shouted, falling to his knees and placing a hand over his chest.

"Oh, great one! I pledge myself to your will. Please, accept me!"

Although Leonardo was a talented artifact craftsman, his excessive devotion to the Outsider made him a problematic addition. Michael would likely have to correct his behavior when he arrived.

As Michael shook his head at the memory, Miaomiao suddenly exclaimed,

[Michael! This guy is waking up!]

The young dragon, roughly the size of a small foal, was stretching its wings and yawning.

The male dragon rubbed its eyes with its short forelegs and fixed its gaze on Michael and Miaomiao.

[How dare you kidnap the great me! Humans, return me to my lair at once, or I shall devour you!]

Before Michael could respond, Miaomiao leapt forward and smacked the dragon's head.

[What nonsense are you spouting, you dim-witted dragon head?! We saved you from being sacrificed to the Outsider! Try to remember!]

The dragon scratched its head with a foreleg, looking thoroughly confused.

Sensing an opportunity, Michael interjected. Whether or not this dragon had incomplete inheritance, it was still a dragon—a magical beast worth forming a contract with.

"Oh, mighty dragon, may I ask your name?" Michael said respectfully.

Miaomiao glared at Michael, ready to pounce, but he held her back tightly.

"Calm down, Miaomiao. We need to secure the contract first."

Hissing in frustration, Miaomiao eventually relented, though her swishing tail betrayed her displeasure.

The dragon turned its bewildered gaze to Michael. Pleased by the respectful tone, it lifted its head arrogantly.

[My name is Marcus. My parents used to call me Max.]

Michael offered a friendly smile.

"Marcus, may I call you Max?"

The dragon hesitated briefly before nodding.

[Very well.]

It plopped onto the ground, extending its hindquarters. Neither the human before it nor the feline nearby seemed particularly threatening.

[So, why have you brought me here? The last human I met promised to build me a lair of gold, but instead, he captured me and did terrible things. How do I know you're not like him?]

Michael smiled again.

"If I were like that human, would I be treating you so politely?"

The dragon tilted its head in agreement.

[Fair enough. Then return me to my lair. I don't need a golden lair—]

The dragon paused, suddenly uncertain. Do I really not need one? It imagined how splendid a golden lair would be.

Michael seized the moment.

"Oh, mighty dragon, would you truly leave without repaying your benefactor? We saved you from being offered to the Outsider."

The dragon considered this for a moment. It didn't particularly enjoy thinking, but it supposed Michael had a point.

[Then how should I repay you?]

Michael felt a twinge of guilt for manipulating a dragon with incomplete inheritance, but the opportunity to form a contract with a first-grade magical beast was too tempting to pass up.

"It's simple. Grant me a contract for just one-tenth of your remaining life. If I die before that time, the contract will extend to my descendants. This arrangement benefits you far more than it does me. What do you think?"

[10%? How much is that?]

Dragons typically lived for around 5,000 years, meaning Michael was proposing a 500-year contract—a highly one-sided deal.

"One-tenth is like giving up just one apple out of a basket of ten. During the contract, I will provide you with lodging filled with beautiful art and a golden nest lined with silk. Your meals will consist of the finest beef and lamb, served every day."