After blacking out, I jump up—my entire body writhing in pain. “What happened?” I ask myself. I look around. Next to me, the golden-haired boy is resting peacefully. He, like me, is covered in bandages from head to toe. “Were we nursed by someone while I was unconscious? If so, who would…” I feel the presence of someone powerful approaching.

I leave the tent we lay in. A bright light flashes in my eyes and I squint. When my eyes adjust, I look around surprised. “A forest? Was I not in a building with columns?”

“The building in question was my father’s secret basement.”

I look to my side. A small girl, half my size to be exact, is staring at me with beautiful reddish-purple eyes – like the hue of an amethyst. I am awestruck at her beauty that all I can say is, “I… see…”

I don’t ‘see’ anything. Who is your father? Where am I? Who are you? So many questions I could ask, but I said, ‘I see’.

She giggles. I feel my chest tighten. My body heats up, and my throat becomes parched. What is this feeling?

“You must be confused, right?”

“Y-Yeah.”

“Figures. So, let me inform you. You are not in Ragnarök, Mr Dragon.”

“Yeah, I figured that from the scent of the boy. But if I’m not in Ragnarök, then where am I?”

“This is Leagard.”

 “Leagard!? The realm of humans?”

“Yes, my idiot brother sleeping in the tent brought you to this realm through Summoning Magic.”

Brother? Ah, now that I look at it, they do look similar. Not just their golden hair, but also their faces.

“Do you want to go back?”

“Go back? To Ragnarök? I was abruptly taken from my realm. I would enjoy nothing more than going back.”

“I see.”

She doesn’t say anything else. “Is this not the part of the conversation where you offer to take me back to Ragnarök?”

“I’m a twelve-year-old girl. Do you expect me to go on a dangerous journey to send you back?”

She’s… got a point. “Then I’ll have your brother…”

“No!!”

“No?”

“No.”

“Why? Is it not because of him that I was brought to this realm?”

“No!!”

“No?”

“No…”

“Enough!!” I scream, annoyed. “Can you answer me and not just reply with ‘No’?”

“I would, but we have a guest.”

I turn to face the forest before us. “I finally… found you… brat…” A demon, with his right arm cut off, and breathing heavily, comes into sight. “How dare you… do this… to me?”

His glare is not focused on the girl next to me. I point to myself and ask, oblivious, “Are you talking to me?”

His eyebrow twitches, “Y-you… I WILL KILL YOU!!”

He raises his palm to the sky. The ground below trembles. I pick the girl up and jump to the side. Earth spikes spread from the ground, encaging the air where I was standing. He waves his hand from the side, shooting it up, pressing it to the ground, each motion causing the earth to perform different tricks—developing into walls that surround us, creating hands that rise from the ground and attempt to grab us.

His attempt at attacking gets slower and slower with each hand motion. “Y-You…” says the girl, who turned tomato-red.

“Hmm? Is something the matter?” She smacks me over the head. “W-what was that for!?!?”

“How dare you embarrass me like this? I… I have never been treated like this before…”

“Is… this really the moment to feel embarrassed?” I ask before taking a peek at the demon, who, after missing me with all his attacks, has reached peak irritation. His face is bloodshot – as if a fiery red ruby melted down his prior expression.

“How…? How is this…?”

“You can stop avoiding his attacks now, Mr. Dragon.”

“If I stop, then he will use the opportunity to attack.”

“No, he will not attack.”

“Why are you so certain?”

“Because if he does, then I will end his life.”

Her words are sufficiently backed. The massive power I felt from inside the tent was not the arrival of the demon. Rather, it was this girl here. She has more power than the boy in the tent. And more power than the demon who has lost all sanity. I stop jumping around and put the girl down. “I’m in no shape to fight right now, so, I’ll leave everything to you.”

“Yes, leave it to me.”

“Y-You… you dare mock me!!”

“Abaddon,” she utters, striking a frightened expression on the demon’s face. “Does that name ring any bells?”

“How do you… know that name?” he asks.

Abaddon? The name doesn’t ring a bell. But for him to be in this abyssal state of fear… I wonder who this ‘Abaddon’ is?

“No,” he says, refusing to give in to his fear. “No!! NO!! NO!! NO!!! I am King!! I AM THE KING!! ABADDON IS NOT MY SUPERIOR!!! DO YOU UNDERSTAND, GIRL!!!”

“You proclaim yourself the Cardinal King of the East, but your faux proclamations are built on lies. The true Cardinal King of the East is Abaddon – the demon who brings only death.”

“SHUT UP!!!” He pushes his hand to the sky. I step forward, but she stops me.

Nothing happens. The ground does not tremble as it did before. The demon looks at his hand confused. Then it hits him. “You are out of mana,” says the girl.

“It can’t be. How is this possible?”

“When you arrived, you were already running on fumes. And when you recklessly attacked us, you ran through your reserves. Any fool would know their limits. In the end, you succumbed to the pride you hold in your strength – however meagre it was.”

“This… can’t be…”

“Hmm?”

“What is it, Mr. Dragon?”

“Someone… No, something powerful is coming.”

A shroud of mist, purple as lavender, spreads around the entire forest. The presence of something powerful is approaching from behind the demon. “I found you, Amaymon.” A voice like a crashing waterfall calls out to the demon. Behind Amaymon, a figure, shrouded by the mist appears—his red eyes sinisterly piercing through the thick mist.

“A…A…A…ABADDON!?” shrieks Amaymon. He jumps to his knees and bows. “L-Lord Abaddon, I am h-honoured to b-be in your p-presence.”

Honoured? Were you not proclaiming that he was not your superior a few minutes ago?

“Talk is cheap, Amaymon. You committed a grave sin by offering your services to a human. Lucifer has banned all contact with this realm, yet you proceeded to ignore his command. You do understand the punishment for such a crime, yes?”

“Lord Abaddon… I am your humble servant. I understand the laws of the underworld. That is why I must say that I have done no such thing as offering my services to a human. They are disgusting creatures who are rewarded our ire. Why would I, your humble servant, ever commit a heinous act such as serving a master, especially a human master, that is not you, my Lord?”

“Are you calling me a liar?”

“N-NO!! I wouldn’t dare!!”

“Silence!! First, you left my question unanswered. Then, you call me a liar. Amaymon, I have little patience for insubordination.”

“Insubordination!? Lord Abaddon, I…”

“Shut Up!!” The mist, which was slowly hovering in the atmosphere, swirls like a vicious storm around the two demons, leaving the entire forest bare of Abaddon’s mist. Amaymon’s screams penetrate the thick wall of mist and continue for a few seconds before silence settles in. The mist spits out a husk of what appears, or rather appeared, to be Amaymon. His entire body became pruned and dry like all of his innards, blood, and magic were sucked out of him.

I move my gaze to the mist, which slowly fades. The menacing presence follows along with the mist.

“You are an interesting bunch,” says Abaddon suddenly. “I look forward to meeting you in person.”

His presence disappears. “I would like to avoid meeting him in person, though,” I mutter to myself. I look at the girl – she stares at the remnants of Amaymon with a sad expression.

“W-What is going on here?” asks a voice from behind us.

I turn to see the boy has finally awakened. We exchange glances for a second, then he looks to my side, at his little sister.

“Good morning, Brother,” she says, tugging her gothic dress and posturing herself into a lovely curtsey. “We have some matters to discuss.”

After disposing of Amaymon’s body, we gathered together in front of the tent. “You said we should talk, but” I look up at the pair of siblings staring at me, “why exactly are you both staring at me like that?”

“I just realised,” says the girl, “I never told you my name.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“Well, I apologise for the late introductions. I am the first princess of the Borneheimer Kingdom. Daughter of Judge Borneheimer, Louisa Borneheimer.”

“I am Niklaus Borneheimer,” says the boy, “Prince of the Borneheimer Kingdom, and Louisa’s older brother.” He pauses for a second, and nervously looks away, before muttering, “And I am also the person who brought you into this realm.” He bows his head, “I am deeply sorry. Because of me, you were taken from your realm and cast into a life-threatening situation. I know that my words mean nothing to you, but I ask that you not place the blame on my sister for what my father and I did. Plea… OUCH!!!”

Louisa knocks him over the head before I can feel sympathetic. “You idiot!! Why would you ever just listen to that crazy old man!?”

Is that not your father you’re speaking about?

“Crazy old…? That’s our father you are speaking about, Louisa! Show some respe… OUCH!!!”

She knocks him over the head again. “That crazy old man was planning to take over the world.”

“Take over… the world?”

“Yes. Father was negotiating deals with dangerous individuals in the Kingdom’s underworld. He was anything but respectful. And he was going to groom you into his successor.”

“I would have never…”

“Yes, you would. Father’s words easily manipulate you, whether you choose to believe so or not.”

“This family squabble is great and all, but how exactly do you know about your father’s business dealings?”

“I am a part of an organisation that deals with threats to Leagard.”

“An… organisation? Louisa, since when were you…?”

“I see,” I say, interrupting Niklaus’ irritating worries. “Being a part of an organisation makes sense. You have more power than any other human I’ve seen… No, you are not human, are you?”

“Not human? What is he talking about, Louisa?”

“You’re sharp, dragon. Yes, I am a demi-human – half-human and half-spirit.”

“Spirit? But mother was a human.”

“Your mother was a human,” I say. “Louisa’s mana has traces of her father’s mana and traces of nature – which, by my guess would be the mana of the spirit who identifies as her mother. Your mana, Niklaus, does not share the same traces as Louisa’s does. Instead, you have traces of your father’s mana, the same as Louisa, and traces of a female… whose race I cannot determine.”

“You can’t determine her race? That’s impossible, mother told me she was a human.”

“No, Mr. Dragon is correct. Your mother was not a human, Niklaus. I don’t know her race, though.”

“Mother was not… human. Then, I am a demi-human as well?”

“Yes. Father wanted powerful offspring. He charmed our mothers and impregnated them. Discarding them once he had no use for them anymore.”

“Father did that?”

“Yes. He placed the idea in your head that your mother died from illness; however, he had them both killed. Murdered in the most brutal of ways.” Her voice becomes softer and more menacing, “I held my hatred for that man inside. If I hadn’t, then I would have failed my mission. But the sudden arrival of you,” she says, turning her head to me, her voice becoming livelier, “changed everything.”

“What do you mean?”

“You will learn of it soon enough. What I do need to tell you is that you must form a contract with me.”

“A contract? Why?”

“A summoned beast cannot live in this world without contracting itself to a human master. Father wanted you to perform a contract on Mr. Dragon that gives you full control over his every action –an enslavement contract.”

“And you want to apply this contract to me?”

“No. The contract I want to use gives you all the freedom possible in this realm. The method of forming the contract is slightly different, but you should not have to worry yourself about it.”

“Contracting myself to a human? Well, it’s not like I have any other options.”

“Wait!! Why is he forming a contract with you and not me?”

“Brother, you are… well, I can’t explain it right now, but you cannot perform a magic contract with Mr. Dragon over here. If you do, then you and him will suffer greatly. You might both even lose your lives.”

“We will lose our lives?”

“Yes. That is why I will be the one performing the contract. I have a greater affinity for summoning magic than you do.”

“So, what should I do?” I ask her.

“Nothing,” she says, inching closer. She leans forward and kisses me on my lips. Niklaus jumps up in protest, but she does not stop. She leans back, licks her lips, and smiles, “Savour this moment, Mr Dragon.” A sigil appears below us, and she says, “By my name, Louisa Borneheimer, I seek to form a bond. One that will unify us and allow you safe passage to our realm, Leagard. To form this bond, you need to state your name.”

“I am Haruki Ryu.”

“Good. Then, Haruki, you will become my summoned beast. In times of trouble, you will be there to protect me. Violation of this will absolve the contract, do you understand?”

“I understand.”

“Very well. Then I declare this contract formed.” The sigil below us disappears and a smaller one appears on the back of my right hand.

“So, this is the contract, huh? Well, then, Master, where will we go?”

“I can’t take you home instantly since I need to report back to my organisation. But after that, we will depart for an Interdimensional Gate. I think there is one in the Heilder Kingdom.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go to your organisation’s headquarters.”