NOVEL NEXT Ch. 21
Slave Contract
After hearing Dogsius's description, Serea's expression froze on her face, while Dogsius remained in that ridiculous pose.
The two stared at each other for a moment before Serea asked,
"This summoning can be canceled, right?"
System: As long as the contract hasn't been signed, the summon can be terminated at any time.
"Alright, if it's just this idiot, I'd rather not have it."
With that, Serea was about to cancel the summoning.
However, Dogsius, reading Serea's mind with his telepathy, immediately shouted,
"Please, please summon me! I can serve tea and water, cook and wash dishes—anything, just summon me!"
"Huh? How did you know I was about to cancel the summoning?"
Serea was puzzled, as she had been communicating with the system telepathically just now; logically, this little creature shouldn't have been able to hear.
"Because I can read your mind—it's a very powerful ability, so please summon me!"
Dogsius continued to sell himself. Hearing this, Serea hesitated—she had to admit, this odd abyssal creature had piqued her curiosity.
At this moment, the dishonest system chimed in again.
System: Correction, the low-tier monster—Fallen Lucia—does not possess the ability to learn or use languages. Identity of the summoned entity is to be determined.
"Hm!?"
Hearing this, Serea looked towards the shadow inside the space gate.
If it isn't Fallen Lucia, then what is it? This is something she could just ask directly.
"You said you're powerful, right?"
"Well... in a certain sense, yes."
"Then tell me, what exactly are you?"
Dogsius didn't hesitate in responding to Serea's question,
"Parasite Demon, Parasite Demon—Dogsius, that's me, a high-level monster from the Abyss!"
"High-level monster?"
Serea was a bit doubtful, so the system explained for her.
System: Parasite Demons are an intelligent race in the Abyss. Although their bodies are fragile, they can parasitize and control other powerful creatures to gain strength—a species that survives by parasitizing other organisms.
"Sounds pretty good."
Serea muttered to herself. Dogsius saw hope and shouted excitedly,
Seeing Dogsius so eager, Serea felt a bit odd.
"If I summon him, he won't parasitize me, right?"
Serea voiced her concern.
System: No, parasite Demons themselves are extremely fragile. As long as you can resist, even a farmer could easily kill one.
"Then what do you think about my summoning him?"
System: Better than nothing.
"Tsk tsk, that's a rather honest assessment."
After questioning the system, Serea looked back toward the space gate. Next was her final declaration.
"Alright then, you it is."
"Oh, my beautiful master, you won't regret this decision."
"Let's sign a contract."
As Serea spoke, the system jumped out yet again.
System: Signing a contract requires negotiating compensation and offerings with the Abyssal creature, then selecting the type of contract to sign.
Prompted by the system, Serea turned to the shadow in the space gate and asked,
"So, what are your terms for signing a contract?"
"My master, my terms are simple. Just look at my current body—decayed and frail. As long as you find me a strong body, I can serve you much better."
"Any body will do?"
"Uh...preferably a stronger one."
"Troublesome, I'm not signing then."
"Any body will do, please! Please sign me!"
Dogsius immediately caved, looking just like a writer desperate to sign any deal.
"So, your condition is for me to find you a body—just that?"
"Yes."
Dogsius replied timidly. Then, a phantom of parchment appeared to record the terms, and both parties reached an agreement.
"Alright, then let's select the contract."
As soon as Serea finished speaking, the system reminded her:
System: There are many contracts—slave, servant, equal, counter, one-way, and more.
After a rough introduction, Dogsius proactively suggested,
"Equal? You're dreaming. Are you signing a slave contract or not?"
Serea's attitude was firm; she could tell this creature had reasons it had to be summoned.
"Well, uh...my great master, if equal is impossible, then I can accept a servant contract as well."
"Slave contract only. If you won't sign, I'm leaving."
With that, Serea truly prepared to cancel the summoning.
Seeing his hard-won chance about to slip away, Dogsius could only compromise.
"Oh no, my great master, your beauty is as bright as the full moon. For you, I'll sign any contract—please, don't abandon me!"
Dogsius quickly knelt down in practiced fashion. At this, Serea couldn't help but think of a creature from her previous life.
"A...a simp!"
Dogsius, however, didn't understand the meaning of that term.
"Forget it, a simp is better than nothing."
With that, the phantom parchment turned a deep purple—signifying a slave contract. Serea decisively signed her name.
Soon, the parchment passed through the space gate and landed before Dogsius. Staring at the slave contract, Dogsius hesitated again.
But if he wanted to find his forebears, he had to leave the underworld, leave the Abyss—and right now, this was his only chance.
He signed.
After the contract was signed, the parchment vanished into thin air. From this moment onward, the contract was active. A slave contract meant Dogsius's life and death were now completely under Serea's control; he could never betray her.
"Oh, my great master, I will come to your side at once."
With those words, the body of Fallen Lucia fell limply to the ground; then, a bundle of fur about half the size of a palm crawled out from inside.
Whoosh!
The space gate connected, and the black furball was sucked into Serea's world by the pulling force.
"I, Dogsius, have come to inherit the glory of my ancestors—in another world, I have arri—"
*Plop!*
The furball hit the floor and flattened, Dogsius's speech abruptly cut off.
Seeing this, the corner of Serea's mouth twitched. She carefully pinched the ahoge sticking up from the furball's head with two fingers and lifted it up.
"This...this black furball is the Parasite Demon? I feel like I've been tricked."
Serea shook her hand, making the furball sway back and forth, but Dogsius didn't respond. It seemed that simple collision had nearly taken his frail life.
System: Life signs still detected, not dead.
As soon as the system's prompt sounded, Dogsius's four stubby limbs began to wiggle, and beneath the ahoge, a pair of bright, watery eyes opened.
"Oh, my master, thank you!"
(To be continued...)
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