Emperor-tier potential, what the heck are you talking about?
Richard was still angry, but he still chose "Yes" to check the details.
[Your current contract beast is: one human with Emperor-tier potential!]
[According to the prediction, this female human has the strongest potential as a contract beast within 200,000 square kilometers, and in the future she can become someone called [Azure Flame Empress].]
As the system explained, an unreal scene showed up in front of Richard. In a city turned to ruins, a much more mature Rayna held blue and white flames. With a casual swing, she burned the endless tide of monsters on the horizon to ash in a second.
Those monsters felt scary and looked very strong, but in front of Rayna, they were just ants!
This scene felt like Richard was there himself, and it made his blood boil.
"Really that strong??"
Richard swallowed hard.
He seemed to get what the system meant. Contractor never said you can't Contract a person.
Humans are a higher kind of animal anyway.
The system's choice seemed fine.
It's just that...
"You really trapped me hard. Why didn't you tell me from the start that you wanted to Contract Rayna?"
"At least I could have hidden farther away."
[the host does not need to worry, after the Contract succeeds, a special mark carved with the host's name will appear on the contract beast.]
"Ah?"
"No wonder she knew it was me right away."
Richard felt awful.
He didn't know if he should be happy or not. In theory, after the Contract, Rayna should not be able to hurt him.
Also, Richard thought back to the scene where Rayna held fire and wrecked the world, and he had only two thoughts—
First, with Rayna's potential so high, how strong would the gift he gets back be?
Second, Rayna's future is way too strong! With this contract beast, he could just coast the whole way!
...
"But Rayna's identity is not simple. I may have gotten into big trouble..."
Richard thought about it.
Suddenly, Rayna smiled gently and said, "Sit."
Richard froze. He looked up and found he was already in a very quiet private room.
Rayna closed the private room door. She had wanted to shout and tell him to cancel the so-called Contract at once.
But when she thought about yelling at Richard, she felt a bit of fear and resistance inside.
Rayna even looked Richard over and felt he gave her a very warm and close feeling, so she couldn't say anything harsh: "Can you explain what just happened?"
As she spoke, Rayna also comforted him, "Don't be nervous. From how you look, it seems you didn't want to hurt me."
"Maybe there is some misunderstanding?"
As she talked, she picked up the menu by her side and ordered a few dishes with skill.
"Let's eat and talk."
"Richard, if you have any trouble, you can tell me. I will help you."
Rayna was half sincere and half fake.
She calmly thought it through and felt Richard had no grudge with her. Maybe someone paid him to go against her.
Maybe Richard was being used too.
Also, Rayna could feel she was vaguely being controlled by the boy in front of her, and poking Richard now was very unwise and might make him do something crazy.
On one hand because of the warm feeling in her heart, and on the other hand out of calm thinking, the girl felt she should steady Richard for now.
If she really wanted revenge, she had to wait until the strange chains and bonds on her were gone.
Rayna also instinctively did not want to accept that Richard wanted to hurt her.
Richard was stunned too, and he didn't expect Rayna to be so steady, still smiling and talking to him at a time like this.
He thought for a bit, changed some details, and told her the whole story.
Richard said he awakened his talent early and got one Contract chance.
As for why he put the Talisman for the Contract on that table, it was only because he had planned to catch a Pixie wandering in the city.
He didn't expect Rayna to come over early, which ruined his plan, and even took up his contract beast slot.
Of course Richard couldn't say he knew Rayna would become the Azure Flame Empress and had scary talent, so he could only act like he was the one who lost out.
"Sorry, I messed things up for you."
Richard's words were half true and half fake, and a normal person would never believe them.
But under the effect of the Contract, Rayna naturally felt great trust and warmth toward the boy.
At once, guilt rose in her heart.
Maybe I really wasted one of Richard's Contract chances!
We are both victims!
Ah, did I really fool her??
Richard was confused.
But the next second, Rayna's face suddenly turned serious.
"Let me ask first, can you cancel the Contract on your side?"
Richard shook his head helplessly. "No way. At least I don't have that ability right now."
"Okay, then I will find a way."
"Don't worry. My father has some power. For effects from normal talents, he will surely have a way to break it."
"On your side, I took your contract beast slot. Later I will send someone to bring you a wild monster with pretty high potential, so you can Contract it again."
Even though Rayna felt the steady flow of warmth and attachment to Richard in her heart.
But as a future empress, a heaven-favored prodigy right now, her pride would never allow her to become someone else's contract beast.
Even with the huge affection boost, she was still very firm about breaking free of Richard's control, and only thought about giving some payback.
At this, Richard raised an eyebrow. He felt...
The Contract was probably not going to be canceled.
A one-and-only God-Tier talent, easily broken?? What a joke.
"No problem. I also don't want to sign a person as a contract beast."
Richard wasn't really lying. If the system had told him in advance that the so-called Emperor-tier contract beast was Rayna.
He might really have hesitated.
"Contract beast" sounds nice, but it's really just a slave.
If it was a stranger, Richard wouldn't care.
But Rayna had shown him some kindness.
With his talent, Richard could raise a contract beast with Emperor-tier potential. Why hurt someone?
Note: I kept the translation non-graphic where the original had sexual overtones.
"Okay, then that's that. Let's eat first."
Rayna still wanted to say more, but there was a knock from the waiter outside.
So she smiled with an easy air.
That bright face made Richard feel like his heart skipped half a beat.
After the first nerves, he also felt stirred.
You had to know, Rayna wasn't just a future empress with endless potential.
She hadn't even awakened her talents yet, and a lot of her fame came from her stunning beauty!
Right now, in the private room—
Under the Contract's favor effect, Rayna's smile was enough to make even the glass lamps around them seem dull.
Richard wasn't lovestruck. It was just basic biology that made him swallow.
He realized something: the goddess at the academy that countless guys dreamed about but could never even get close to had become his "slave."
Because of morals and caution, Richard wasn't planning to do anything. But he also knew that with one order, he could make Rayna obey even very personal commands… and he could abuse that power.
"What's wrong, are you thirsty?"
After the waiter left and the door was shut, Rayna asked with some concern.
"It's fine."
"It's fine."
Richard felt a bit hot and loosened his collar a little. Then he realized he was being a bit rude.
But Rayna acted like she didn't see it and said nothing.
Only…
The girl felt a bit flustered inside. For some reason, when Richard loosened his shirt, she felt a strange pull!
That made Rayna, who was usually so smooth in all kinds of social talk, fall silent at once.
So…
A dinner with a weird mood officially began.
Richard felt guilty. Rayna felt even more uneasy. They just kept eating in silence.
Until—
New words flashed before Richard's eyes.
[You have successfully completed the first talent feedback with your contract beast.]
[Extract? Yes/No]
At the same time, Richard could feel a surging power moving slowly in his body, waiting for him to trigger it!
"Yes!"
"Extract the talent!"
He didn't hesitate.
In the next instant—
Boom!!
It was like something exploded!
A terrifying energy raged inside Richard!
New prompt text slowly formed before the boy's eyes!