Chapter 20 - Control

Basara looked at Vermeil, with a firm request in his voice: "I want you to be my familiar."

"What?" Glenn asked in disbelief.

Vermeil smiled and gave Basara an excited look. "Whatever you say, kid."

The instant she uttered those words, a vibrant green and silver light permeated the air around them, swaying both their hair. Completely enveloped in the light, Basara realized it was his magical energy. The magic circle drawn on the ground disappeared as his and Vermeil's magical energy merged. When everything calmed down, a mark formed on the back of Basara's right hand, a magical symbol that represented the bond created between them.

"This is the mark of our contract," Vermeil explained, as Basara looked at the symbol. "Whenever you look at it, you'll know that I'm by your side."

For a moment, Basara closed his hand, staring at the symbol. It was very similar to the Master and Servant contract he had with Mio, but there were differences. 'I guess, in theory, contracts between familiar and master aren't that different from servant and master,' he thought.

The mark on his hand still pulsed, and the warmth of the magical energy resonated in his body when he heard Vermeil's footsteps approaching. A tension ran up Basara's spine, and Vermeil's perfume — an intoxicating blend of something floral and seductive — filled the surrounding space.

As he raised his head, he saw Vermeil place a hand on the back of his neck, bringing her mouth close to his, while murmuring in a seductive tone: "In exchange for being your familiar, I'll consume some of your mana, master."

Without waiting for an answer, Vermeil leaned down and touched her lips to Basara's. The world around him seemed to disappear. As he looked around, the world seemed to vanish. The instant she kissed him, he felt his mana flowing in one direction. It was a kiss unlike any other; his whole body seemed connected to hers, and it was hard to tell where his energy ended and hers began. He could have pulled away, interrupted the contact, but he felt that Vermeil needed his mana.

[+40 Naughty Points.]

[+30 Naughty Points.]

A sigh of satisfaction escaped Vermeil's lips when she pulled away, but she remained so close that their gazes never left each other.

"You really are... special. The mana of a true master. I knew you'd be fabulous," she commented.

Basara felt his cheeks heat immediately, but Glenn, still in shock, interrupted.

"W-What... what did you just do, Basara? You can't give mana like that to such a wicked, ancient demon that you met..."

"How do you know Vermeil is wicked? Is it because she has horns? Isn't that a bit prejudiced, professor? I know she's a demon, but there are many other demons at the World Academy of Magic. Would you call them wicked just because they're demons too?" Basara argued, putting himself between Glenn and Vermeil.

"Of course, I'm not prejudiced against demons. We just need to be careful because she was sealed in that book, and there must be a reason."

"Whatever the reason, she's under my control now."

Glenn was even more disturbed by Basara's words. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out immediately. Taking a deep breath, he finally found his voice.

"Basara, even if you think this connection is safe... there are many implications. An entity of this caliber... and as old as Vermeil... this is completely unusual. The Academy's board will not accept this without question."

"Professor, in any case, she's already linked to me through the contract. If she gets out of hand, I can control her."

"Control..." Glenn shook his head, trying to find some logic that would calm him down. "I don't know if the Academy will allow it. Familiars are usually simpler creatures. Dragons, perhaps. But Vermeil clearly thinks like an ordinary person, like any demon. Even if the board doesn't see her as a threat, I don't know how they'll react."

Vermeil smiled and slipped an arm around Basara's shoulders.

"I'm faithful to my master, and he knows it. And I also know that my presence will benefit his development. Even though he's in a magic academy, I feel that he still doesn't know how to make the most of his potential."

Glenn straightened his posture. "All right. For now, I'll allow it and report the situation to my superiors. But, Basara-san, just be careful. Don't forget that, despite the bond, Vermeil is a creature with wills of his own."

Vermeil rolled her eyes almost theatrically.

"Professor, thank you for your concern," Basara said, bowing his head. He understood Glenn's apprehension.

Basara was also wary of Vermeil. At the time, he didn't know her well and knew little about her, apart from what Glenn had said. However, considering that the professor was afraid of her — and he was powerful — Basara couldn't miss the opportunity to have her as a familiar. After all, his ultimate goal was to destroy the man who had brought him into this world.

With one last cautious glance at Vermeil, Glenn mentioned that he was almost out of mana after teleporting everyone and recommended that Basara "guard" Vermeil and return to the room before leaving, leaving them alone in the hall.

Vermeil walked backwards and declared:

"Basara-chan, we are now officially... bonded. And although that teacher was right to be cautious, I feel we can prove to him that his concern is unnecessary."

She stood in front of Basara, with a victorious smile and a deep, seductive gaze, seeming to want to capture his attention in every detail of her face.

"Hmm... You don't seem so happy about our contract, Basara-chan," she said, stopping a few steps away from him.

"It's not just about the contract itself. You... have something I still can't understand," he replied, closing his right hand and displaying the symbol that bound them. "That mark means something, and for me to feel that it's worth fighting to keep you free, I need to know more about you."

"You're right. If it makes you feel any safer, I'll tell you a bit about my past... My name is Vermeil, but among humans, my real name is 'The Demon of Disaster'. I'm a demon who was sealed away three hundred years ago by a powerful human mage and, right now, I just want to thank the human who freed me and feed me, so that, who knows, one day I can get the power I once had."

"In other words, you're going to use me to get stronger."

"And isn't that exactly what you intend with me?" She put a hand on his waist, with a smile in her corner.

Basara smiled back. "Precisely."