Chapter 69 - Pacts and Starts

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"Pact with a magician?"

I asked with a slight tilt of my head.

"Correct."

Mephisto-jiisama nodded slightly.

I know there are various types of magical pacts or contracts made for various purposes.

One of them is the Spirit Contract I did with Kulshedra-san with her being my weapon.

Apart from that, there are also Familiar Contracts which are usually done by Devils with monsters or something like those.

While a contract with a magician or Magician Pact is a contract made by a Devil and a Magician for a certain period of time with a certain purpose with the most common being for protection, research, and even image or status.

A Protection Contract or Pact is where a Magician makes a contract with a Devil with the aim of obtaining protection. Contracts like this were usually done when a magician was involved in a conflict with another party and wasn't sure he could handle it himself. So in short it is a contract as a bodyguard or those kinds.

A Research Pact is where a Magician makes a contract with a Devil to gain information and knowledge about the Devil's techniques or abilities and learn them. Contracts like this are usually done if a magician wants to be able to use certain techniques or abilities possessed by Devils.

Meanwhile, a Status Pact is where a Magician makes a contract with a Devil to increase their image and status. Contracts like this were usually done because if a Magician could make a contract with a Devil who had a high status and great power, then that magician's image and status would become even higher in the wizarding community and that would have an impact on their luck and success as well.

"I know contracts between Devils and Magicians are usually done for protection, research, or image reasons. So what kind of contact are you referring to? And who are the magician you mean too?"

I asked Mephisto-jiisama again.

"All of the them."

"Huh? All of them? All three?"

I asked a little surprised to hear Mephisto-jiisama's short answer.

"Aye."

Mephisto-jiisama gave a small nod and then looked back at me seriously.

"In the magician organization I lead, Grauzauberer, there is currently a young magician who is a genius in magic. And what's more, she has some similarities with you."

Mephisto-jiisama explained.

"Similarities?"

I frowned a little wondering what kind of similarity Mephisto-jiisama meant.

And he said "she" too. So it means that the magician he referred to is a female.

And I also wonder what kind of magician she is like. Because for someone like Mephisto-jiisama to even consider her a genius means that the magician has talents and abilities which far above average.

"Aye. She's an orphan same as you. And also... she also has one of the Longinus Sacred Gears just like you."

"!!!??"

I widened my eyes at Mephisto-jiisama's words.

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Meanwhile, Wennyxa and two other people who had previously returned home after fulfilled their goal, finally arrived back at the Dantalian Family residence.

After they arrived in the yard and in front of the door, Wennyxa and Lorra got off Grandio the Centaur's back.

"Gran, Lorra, you guys wait here."

Wennyxa said to the two of them.

And without waiting for a response from the two of them, Wennyxa immediately turned around and walked into the house rather quickly as if in a hurry.

And not long after she walked in, Wennyxa saw a middle-aged man dressed in a black butler suit and she approached him.

"Where's my father?"

Wennyxa asked the servant.

The butler looked a little confused as to why his young lady asked about her father's whereabouts even though usually she rarely cares about that.

Even so, the servant answered.

"Master is having lunch with Madam and Young Master."

Hearing that answer, Wennyxa nodded slightly and then continued walking, this time heading to the dining room.

And after she arrived at the dining room door, Wennyxa entered it.

"Hm? You're home?"

Wennyxa's father and Head of the Dantalian Family, Wulfric Dantalian, asked a little confused why his daughter already home even though it was still midday and he knew that his daughter leaves to look for Amethyst Water Serpent which shouldn't be easy to find.

"...."

Wennyxa's older brother, Wolfror Dantalian, also frowned, confused as to why Wennyxa had come home so early even though they thought the earliest she would come home from hunting the Amethyst Water Serpent only when it was almost dusk.

"Sit."

Wennyxa's mother, a mature looking woman with long purple hair, Hwenvira Dantalian, said and then pulled out a chair next to her.

"Un."

Wennyxa nodded slightly and then sat next to her mother.

And after that, Wennyxa's mother took a plate and several dishes for her daughter.

Meanwhile, Wennyxa herself looked at her father.

"Father, I want to have Evil Pieces."

Wennyxa said in a serious tone and expression.

"Hm? Evil Pieces?"

Lord Dantalian was a little surprised and confused as to why his daughter suddenly asked for Evil Pieces even though previously she was not that interested or cared about it.

And what's more, for some reason he felt like his daughter had suddenly changed. Because as far as he could remember, his daughter had never been this serious and looked slightly imploring towards anyone.

Lord Dantalian frowned slightly at the unusual attitude shown by his usually defiant and stubborn daughter.

But in the end he gave a small nod.

"Alright. I'll bring you to the Palace later."

Hearing her father's answer, Wennyxa nodded slightly and then took a knife and fork to eat the dish her mother prepared for her.

And after eating a few mouthfuls, Wennyxa stopped and then looked at her older brother.

"Brother, I also have a request of you."

Wennyxa said seriously to her brother.

And hearing his sister's words, Wolfror, stopped moving his cutlery and then frowned.

"What request?"

Wolfror asked looking at his sister.

And just like his father and mother, he also realized that there was something different about Wennyxa at the moment because his sister very rarely, no, never even asked him for something this serious.

Moreover, although their relationship wasn't bad, it wasn't that close either. That's why he was curious about what his little sister wanted that made her act so serious like that.

Lord and Lady Dantalian were also a little surprised and confused after hearing their daughter's words because they didn't thought that their daughter asked something to her brother seriously.

Then, seeing her parents and brother looking at her, Wennyxa closed her eyes slowly.

Then she took a deep breath and then slowly opened her eyes again to look at her brother again.

"Allow Grandio to come with me."

Wennyxa said seriously and firmly to her brother.

And hearing that request, Wennyxa's parents and older brother widened their eyes a little.

"What do you mean?"

Wolfror asked with a frown and didn't understand what his sister really meant.

Because if she just asked for Grandio or other members of his Peerage to accompany her and help her to hunt monsters and look for materials, it's already happened often and he always allows it.

"I want Grandio to become one of my Peerage members."

Wennyxa added with a firm tone and expression.

"What!?"

Wolfror was a little surprised by his sister's actual request. Because he didn't understand at all that the actual request was to hand over one of the important members of his Peerage.

If that was really done, it would mean they would have to make a trade where Wennyxa would get Grandio while he himself would only get an unused [Rook] piece. And that meant he has to find and recruit someone else to replace Grandio as one of the [Rooks] in his Peerage.

"Wen, why suddenly?"

Lady Dantalian was also surprised and asked why her beloved daughter asked for something which turned out to be more than unusual.

"...."

Meanwhile, Lord Dantalian seemed to frown and increasingly wondered what made his daughter suddenly become like this. Did something happen to her? Did she experienced something unusual which made her changes like this?

Seeing her parents and brother frowned, Wennyxa answered their wonder.

"Because I have a responsibility to bear."

Wennyxa said with a slightly sharp gaze.

And in her heart, she felt guilty Grandio was the one who had to be responsible and bear a curse, even though it's happened because at first she was adamant about wanting to know what was behind the barrier that they saw near Lake Tlaga at that time.

And she is also determined to do whatever it takes to free Grandio from the curse. Even though that means she has to get closer to Rey Rofocale to gain his trust.

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Meanwhile, in a place that looked like a forest with trees and a shrine visible in the distance, several adult men dressed as yamabushi/mountain hermits were facing a little girl with long black ponytail hair who was dressed like a miko/priestess.

An old man who seemed to be the leader of the adult men drew a shining shakujo/ringed staff towards the little girl with black ponytail hair who was closing her eyes.

But then....

"Wait!"

Suddenly someone's voice interrupted.

And as soon as that sound appeared, the light on the staff seemed to slowly fade.

Then the ascetics and the black-haired girl who had opened her eyes again looked at the trees where the sound came from.

And then there was a little girl with long red hair and a middle-aged man dressed in a butler uniform.

The red-haired girl was the daughter of the Gremory Family, Rias Gremory.

And that man who looked like a butler was the [Bishop] of the Head of the Gremory Family, Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa.

"There are some personal questions I wanted to ask to that girl."

Rias said to the old man while looking at the girl with black ponytail hair.

Since the men knew Rias' identity was a devil, they pointed their staffs at her.

"Princess Gremory. Didn't we have an agreement before?"

The old man in the lead asked with a frown at Rias without being surprised to see Rias and the butler and acted as if they had already met before the current situation occurred.

Rias then smiled.

"Yes, indeed. I think this is indeed an internal matter of your clan. But, tell me one thing. What are you going to do with this girl? Are you planning to kill her?"

Rias asked, seeming to ignore the wary attitude of the adult men.

"And what would you do if that's indeed what we intended to?"

The old man asked, frowning even more.

And hearing that answer, Rias smiled even wider.

"If you intend to kill her, then I will take her."

Rias said in a confident and fearless manner.

And hearing Rias' words and seeing her seemingly bossy attitude, the men who were with the old man looked offended.

"Who do you think you are?"

"Damned devil!"

"This is the Himejima clan's business!"

They said harsh words to Rias and the butler.

The old man then calmed them down.

"Restraint yourselves.... Princess Gremory, do you want to interfere with other people's business?"

The old man asked, seeming to be slightly holding back his anger.

Both parties then glared at each other.

But the butler man who was with Rias then smiled and tried to cool down the situation.

"Enough, enough. Please calm down. I am the [Bishop] of the current Head of the Gremory House, and the person in charge of this area, Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa. Please call me Agrippa."

Yes. This area is the territory of Agrippa who is the servant of the current Head of the Gremory Family.

"How about we talk about this peacefully there? Don't you think that letting children listen to us adults argue will only make them learn unnecessary harsh words?"

Agrippa said to the old man and the people with him while pointing towards the depths of the forest.

Rias remained silent hearing Agrippa's words because she believed Agrippa would be able to handle it.

Meanwhile the old man and his people looked silent and frowned.

But after about a minute, the old man slowly closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them again.

".... Fine."

The old man answered even though the people with him seemed to object slightly to his decision.

Then, Agrippa and the men, including the old man, headed into the trees.

Rias then approached the girl with black ponytail hair and removed the net which binding her.

"You really have beautiful black hair. I like Japanese' black hair."

Rias said after looking at the girl's black hair.

And after the girl was free, Rias smiled widely as if satisfied.

"You'll be fine now."

And seeing that smile and hearing those words, the girl somehow felt saved.

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