Logan thought about the girl he once knew as a child, 'Lisa'.
She had always been willing to play with him, whether it meant losing at video games or beating him at basketball.
The best part was that she had stuck close to him, even through all his problems.
That is… until the divorce forced him to move away with his mother, leaving behind his home and everyone he knew with it.
Years later, after his mother won the custody battle and some perks along with it, they were able to return to the same house.
Though, by the time he entered high school, Logan often found himself watching Lisa from a distance.
The girl he remembered had grown into a beautiful young woman, surrounded by friends and always at the center of attention.
He, on the other hand, had become a recluse, preferring shadows over any sort of spotlight.
Despite the distance, time, and silence that made them drift apart, Logan still felt an odd sense of familiarity whenever he saw her.
During his first year, he didn't share any classes with Lisa, and feeling out of place, he never tried to approach her.
Still, there were moments when their paths crossed, awkward encounters that neither he nor Lisa acted on.
Sometimes, Logan blamed his clothes.
His family, once well-off, now struggled, his mother doing everything she could to pay bills and keep food on the table.
His wardrobe reflected it: patched, worn, and always a season behind.
Each piece stood in contrast to the trends everyone else seemed to follow.
By his second year, they finally shared a class. He wanted to get closer, but shame held him back, even though he noticed Lisa occasionally glancing his way.
It was a strange situation; on one hand, he was afraid of rejection, but on the other, he couldn't help but feel a persistent pull towards Lisa.
Sharing a class gave them more chances to interact.
Although he had yet to speak clearly with her, they had exchanged words several times, and even once laughed at an inside joke from their past.
Unfortunately, that brief connection also brought problems. Logan noticed that it was around this time that Brian began his quiet crusade to make his life difficult.
As a result, the distance between him and Lisa returned, reminding Logan exactly why he disliked forming relationships.
But now, there was this small connection between them.
He at least needed to understand why that bond existed.
Logan glanced at one part of his skill description: the other had to be willing to form the pact.
In other words, Lisa had probably accepted it… so then why had it displayed as an error?
"Logan, are you alright?"
A melodious voice called out to him, reeling him back from his thoughts.
He turned to see Rubina standing nearby, concern etched on her face. For now, he decided to postpone his search for answers.
"Yes, sorry about that. It just took me a bit to understand everything," he replied. "I am a tamer, like the oracle said. It looks like I can level up, and I also have skills and attributes. Apparently, I've already formed a bond with a creature, something called a Crimson Majesty."
He rubbed the side of his head, feeling a faint pulse from overthinking while using the sigil.
The earl, who had been listening attentively, gave an excited cry. "Fascinating! Not just beasts, but plants as well? That's rare… and a little concerning. You see, this world has experienced one other demon invasion, the one that brought forth the first hero, Rowland."
He paused, his tone shifting to something more serious.
"This isn't spoken of often, to avoid panic… but the demons that hero fought had a type of taming ability. One powerful enough to enslave even humans."
The earl took a deep breath before continuing, his eyes drifting toward his daughter.
"Now that I think about it, knowing Rubina, she must have spoken to you about her race. Don't worry, I had intended for her to do so."
"You see," he said calmly, "just as not all humans are the same, the same holds true for demons."
Rubina, having been called out, showed a flicker of surprise.
She hadn't expected her father to know what she'd shared with Logan, and felt just a bit embarrassed that she could never seem to keep secrets from the old man.
"It was Hestia, wasn't it?" Rubina asked her father, cheeks flushing slightly as she struggled to maintain composure.
"Yes… yes, don't worry, dear." The earl gave a small nod before turning his attention back to Logan. "Now then, you may be wondering why taming plants is dangerous. People will fear you, Logan, if they aren't already."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"While you are blessed with light and darkness, most of your power comes from the Great Spirit of Darkness, one of the least loved, given its past alignment with the demons. A third of the world was destroyed when humans were reduced to livestock before the first great war."
Clearing his throat, the earl tossed another fire stone to the newborn monster, which eagerly devoured the last of those placed near its incubator.
"But as I said, not all demons are the same. I know for a fact that the ones who started the first war centuries ago were different. They drained humans of blood. By taming us like cattle, they fed off the strong and nurtured the weak to ensure no one could rise against them."
He stopped for a moment, his expression growing grave.
"This time, though… the demons seem to have a new agenda. They are using a strategy to take down kingdoms one by one. They... already have a good portion of the continent in flames, killing everything in their path."
The earl exhaled and took a slow sip of tea, as if trying to ease the tension in his chest.
"Anyway, we'll have more time to talk about that later. This newborn Scorchwyrm won't wait forever."
Everyone's attention returned to the small creature, whose soft cries filled the room.
Logan, watching it, thought back to the medium he had used to tame it.
He checked his finger, which was just beginning to scab.
With a quiet sigh, he tore away a bit of the healing skin and pressed down, drawing a small stream of blood.
Rubina and the earl looked on in surprise—one in silent shock, the other in mild alarm.
"Well… this is new," the earl muttered, trying to make sense of Logan's actions, while Rubina covered her face with both hands.
Logan hesitated, guilt tugging at him.
"It's kind of creepy, I know," he admitted. "But my taming ability requires me to mark a beast with blood."
He looked at the tiny creature, unsure. Part of him questioned whether it was right to bind something so young, so innocent, and without its consent.
"Logan, you shouldn't worry too much about your method of taming," the earl said gently, his voice calm but his eyes gleaming with excitement. "If there's one thing I've learned, it's that even if the process is a little different, it should still involve a willing creature—right?"
The boy nodded, still unsure, but determined to understand his ability better.
He pressed his bleeding finger to the creature's forehead, silently hoping it would accept the bond.
The baby Scorchwyrm blinked in a daze, then gave a small shake of its tail—happily.
Moments later, the blood on its head began to evaporate, and a glowing red mark formed around its neck like a faint collar.
This time, Logan felt something.
A connection.
It was his first time sensing this particular feeling.
He thought back to the plant he had tamed earlier, likely too simple to form this kind of link, or even to the incident with Lisa, which hadn't gone through properly.
[Qweeek]
A small voice echoed in his mind. He didn't understand the words, but the meaning reached him clearly.
It wanted food.
Logan could feel the creature's hunger, as it radiated feelings of emptiness and pain in the stomach, at least such words appeared in his mind.
At the same moment, Logan felt a light burn along his collarbone. He lifted his shirt slightly to inspect the area—there, where the sting had faded, was a small red symbol.
"I never thought I'd end up with a tattoo... Wait—" Logan paused, recalling something about the marks on his fingers.
He quickly pulled his sleeves properly, revealing a faint pattern etched into his skin, resembling a thin ring like that of leaves and thorns.
"What a day full of surprises!" the earl exclaimed, clapping his hands. "Let me tell you, your method of taming doesn't just leave a mark… and it's clearly not one-sided. It forms a genuine link between both of you. Very interesting."
"It might even give you strength over time," he added, leaning back thoughtfully, "but I can also see a possible downside. If something happens to one of your tamed beasts, you might suffer for it too. So please... be careful. Only reveal what's necessary. And as for the divination the oracle performed, remember… she can only see what the Great Spirits allow her to. Don't let it burden you."
The earl, clearly pleased with what he had learned, was in high spirits.
He quickly retrieved a small notebook and began scribbling down his observations while Rubina watched him, her expression a mix of admiration and curiosity.
"Well, Logan," Rubina said, stepping forward, "I think it would be best to leave the Scorchwyrm here. We have the proper materials and elemental stones for its growth. You might not know this yet, but young beasts need elemental stones to get stronger. For this little guy, it should take about a month before he's able to move around properly."
She turned, about to call for a maid to take the creature when her father suddenly raised a hand, halting her.
"Wait—before that," the earl said, snapping his notebook shut and flashing a wide grin at Logan. "There's one last thing I want Sir Logan to do before he departs."
He leaned forward, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"I think this small one needs a proper fight before the hero leaves."