"You may come in, Dex."
At the sound of the voice beyond the door, Dex felt chills run down his spine.
"How did he know I was here?!"
With no other choice, he entered the office. The room carried a faint scent of wax used for sealing letters. Its appearance was the pinnacle of luxury: wooden furniture inlaid with gold and silver, walls decorated with dozens of medals awarded by the Emperor. But what drew Dex's attention most was the man seated before him.
Behind a luxurious desk sat Leon Thunderbird.
With a wave of his hand, Leon gestured for Dex to sit.
"I summoned you to discuss your admission to Orubos Academy, and the responsibilities you must bear."
"Responsibilities…?" Dex repeated, uncertain of his father's meaning.
"As you know, Orubos Academy is the greatest academy of heroes in the world. Its location, the Elven Isle of Aurora, grants it the highest density of mana and aura. Moreover, they alone possess the right to perform the ritual of the Predestined Item."
Dex gave a silent nod of confirmation. After all, he knew this both from the original Dex's memories and from the game.
"But this year, there is something special. Three new students of great importance will be joining the academy."
This information, too, was something Dex already knew from the game.
"These figures are the first princess and heir to the Vampire Throne, Selene Von Draculis; the second princess of the Elven Kingdom, Sylvia Von Silverplate; and lastly, the young apostle of the Goddess of Light, Edward Sunlight. As a member of House Thunderbird, you must form good relations with them and expand this family's influence during your time at the academy."
"I expect you not to squander my rare expectations."
He then took a small sip from a glass of brandy and continued.
"You and Marcus will depart for the academy tomorrow morning via the teleportation chamber at seven o'clock."
Once again, Dex confirmed with a nod.
"You may leave now."
Dex stood and exited the office.
The moment the doors shut behind him, he felt he could finally breathe.
'So this is the fearsome father you were so afraid of?' Echidna teased her "master."
"You say that, but if he stood in front of you, you'd be just as scared," Dex muttered as he made his way back to his room.
'Haha, that's a good joke, brat. But if I still had my body, I could devour him easily.'
'What do you mean if you still had your body?'
'As the Demon King's avatar, I was bound to him by contract. When I broke that contract and forged another with you, I was punished—and my body was stripped away.'
Still confused, Dex asked, "Okay… but what contract did we sign, and when?"
'We signed it the moment I so kindly touched your neck. As for the contract itself, you'd better see it with your own eyes.'
In response to their conversation, the mark on Dex's hand glowed, summoning the system screen once again.
Familiar Contract: Echidna
Contract proposed by Echidna to Ray, now known as Dex Thunderbird.
Master: Dex Thunderbird
Familiar: Echidna
Boons: Dragon's Mark & Echidna's eternal loyalty.
Familiar's Request: Slay the Demon King.
'Wait—if you were his avatar, why would you want to kill him?'
'That bastard stole my egg from my parents and forced me into a slave contract. So I'd say it's only fair that he dies.'
"Are you insane?! You're telling me you were kidnapped and enslaved as if it were nothing!"
'I don't really care. As long as he dies—and he will—I'll be happy.'
'Crazy dragon!'
'How did you know that was one of my nicknames?'
At last, Dex reached the door to his room and went inside. Once there, he changed out of his formal attire into something comfortable for sleeping, all while continuing his telepathic exchange with his familiar.
'Echidna, how strong were you in your original body?'
'Well, as an avatar, I could be considered a Semi–Rank 10 being. But my true power was Rank 8.'
'And what about the true Demon King's power?'
'Transcendental. And I cannot say more, bound by remnants of my former contract.'
'Now, enough questions. Go to sleep,' she said, scolding him like a mother to her child.
"Alright, alright… bossy."
Leon's POV:
"Lyrian… I think our son has changed," the duke muttered as he looked at a portrait of a beautiful white-haired maid, sipping from a glass of brandy.