Chapter 4

Slaves. They are the collective term for 'those who serve.' They are also sometimes referred to as familiars.

In this world, there are those who can only realize their true potential by borrowing the power of others. For example, summoners who call forth monsters from other realms with magic and wield their power, alchemists who command artificial life forms created by their own magic to fight, magicians who can cast powerful offensive spells beyond their own capabilities by borrowing the power of spirits, and necromancers who borrow the power of the dead.

And then—there are the Demon Tamers, who borrow the power in exchange for growth or numerous conditions.

Those who borrow the power are called Masters, and those who lend the power are called Slaves. The entities from which power is borrowed vary by profession, but Demon Tamers do not discriminate. In the past, they would form contracts with the 'monsters' they were named after, but in modern times, any race can be a potential contract partner.

Sometimes, they subdue an opponent in battle and form a contract, or they might negotiate with a friend from the same school to become a Slave. They are also sometimes called the least principled Masters. A Slave candidate is someone who has agreed to lend their power under various conditions. For some professions, like Demon Tamers, it is impossible to fight without a Slave, so mediating these contracts is one of the roles of the guild.

The list that Sayo brought had a long list of names, though not as many as in the Grael Kingdom.

For a Demon Tamer, a Slave is both a weapon and a partner who entrusts their life. A strong bond of trust is essential, and a relationship based solely on practical benefits will surely fail—this is my belief. Ideally, one should search for a Slave without relying on the guild, but in my current state, I cannot afford to be picky.

That said, not just anyone will do. I have a subtle pride in my abilities as a Demon Tamer, but I must also consider racial and cultural compatibility, as well as compatibility with my already contracted Slave.

The creatures in this world are broadly categorized into six types based on their nature and principles of existence.

Namely, the 'Malicious Spirit Beings,' who embody the hatred of all life.

Their natural enemies, the 'Benevolent Spirit Beings,' who bestow blessings upon humans.

The 'Organic Life Beings,' who are the most numerous and widely distributed, possessing organic bodies and souls.

The 'Inorganic Life Beings,' who are souls created by Organic Life Beings.

The 'Elemental Spirits,' who are the personification of nature and govern the world's origins.

And finally—the 'Mythical Spirits,' who inhabit myths and stories, including the Shira Blacklogia I defeated.

Of course, these are just categories of living beings. There are good Malicious Spirit Beings and evil Benevolent Spirit Beings. They come in various forms; some are recognized as monsters, some live in human cities, and some are even called gods. Some argue that they should be further divided, and indeed, more detailed classifications do exist. However, this broad categorization is widely known and commonly used because the six races are fundamentally in a relationship of mutual opposition, making it very convenient.

In my case, I already have a contracted Slave. Alice would likely dislike contracting with a member of her own race, and Inorganic Life Beings typically require a large sum of money for the contract. Organic Life Beings would likely fear Alice, so I would exclude them as well. If I were to target a race, it would probably be the Elemental Spirits or Benevolent Spirit Beings, who have not yet been contracted.

Sayo was waiting patiently for me to carefully examine the list.

The list contained the profiles and contract conditions of potential Slaves.

Demon Tamers do not borrow the power of Slaves for free. In most cases, Slaves have their own demands, which are clearly reflected in their racial sensibilities. Beastmen might seek power, Inorganic Life Beings almost always demand money. If one is poor, they might lend their power in exchange for food, clothing, and shelter. Spirits and Spirit Beings often seek magic power. And—rarely, there are those who lend their power unconditionally.

A strong bond of trust is essential between Master and Slave. Contract conditions are a tool to make this bond explicit. The magic used by Demon Tamers to form contracts is particularly delicate, so a solid bond of trust is necessary.

"There are more Inorganic Life Beings in this region—so most of the potential Slaves are Inorganic Life Beings."

Inorganic Life Beings instinctively seek a master, as they were created to be used. The money paid as a contract condition is sent to their creator, a process called leasing.

"There is one hit for a Benevolent Spirit Being."

Sayo informed me after confirming my requirements. One... that's not many. There's no room for choice.

"Her name is Sera. Her race is Light Whisper. The contract conditions are flexible in terms of form and duration, with a monthly magic power requirement of 700M or more, and a guarantee of food, clothing, and shelter. Prohibited actions include suicide and sexual commands."

"That... I'll need to think about it."

I put it aside... but it's impossible. The prohibited actions and contract conditions are fine, but the magic power requirement is too high. Generally, a common magician uses about 1M of magic power per day. So, this Sera, a Benevolent Spirit Being, is asking for more than twenty times the amount of magic power a common magician would use in a month. She must be very confident in her power. However, Light Whispers are not that powerful.

My maximum magic power is 0.7M. If I use all my magic power, I fall into a deep sleep, so I can probably only provide about 0.3M per day. This value is far below what most spirits and spirit beings typically require for a contract. I had hoped for a Slave with special contract conditions, but there doesn't seem to be one here. I have the confidence to build a bond of trust and negotiate once a contract is formed, but this is not a good start.

Moreover, with my current funds, I cannot form a contract with an Inorganic Life Being. They are particularly strict about contract adherence and do not allow for compromise. I need money.

I looked at the Rank-Up reward on my right hand—the 'Ring of the Underworld King.'

...There's no choice, I'll have to sell it.

I've heard that the value of Rank-Up rewards increases exponentially with the rank. I had cherished it as a keepsake, but as proof of being a Demon Tamer, it cannot be sold, while this can. For the future, I have no choice. I smiled and asked Sayo.

"By the way, how much would you lend your power for, Sayo?"

"!? You're joking..."

Her antennas were spinning wildly.

§

I left the counter with high spirits, already thinking about my next moves.

From what I can tell, Sayo is quite strong. Tesla rarely produces combat automatons with B numbers. Combat automatons that come with advanced skills and a wide range of combat knowledge are troublesome for enemies and reliable for allies. Even if it costs a fortune, it should be worth it.

The question is whether the guild will lend her to me. On the surface, the guild is on the side of the explorers. If I offer enough money, it should work out. The rest is just selling the 'Ring of the Underworld King' for as much as possible.

Just as I was about to head to the guild's appraisal office, a bad feeling crept over me from behind.

"Um... what... what do you mean by this?"

I turned around. There stood the girl to whom I had just given the beginner's set. Her eyes were dark and accusatory, her hair unkempt, and she exuded a strong negative energy.

Familiar... despite her different appearance, she reminded me of Alice.

No—likely, she is of the same kind as Alice. The negative aura she exudes reveals her race.

Creatures that are incompatible with civilization and hostile to humans are called monsters. Most of the categorized races are monsters—'Malicious Spirit Beings.' They may look like humans, but they are different inside.

The key to interacting with Malicious Spirit Beings is to make eye contact. Instinctively, one wants to avoid it, but following instinct is not an option for a Demon Tamer. I held her gaze, and she averted her eyes as if she couldn't bear it.

I knew she wasn't good with people. After a moment's thought, I decided to use a casual tone.

"It's a gift. You don't need to hesitate; I don't need it. From the looks of it... you're in pretty bad shape."

"Gift...? I... I don't have a reason to accept it."

Eyes can speak louder than words. Her gaze, gestures, and tone of voice often reveal her inner thoughts. Malicious Spirit Beings generally do not trust others. I sighed and said to the girl with suspicious eyes.

"You don't need a reason to help someone in trouble."

"That's... ridiculous..."

"Besides, I actually have a Malicious Spirit Being as a Slave—"

"Wh...?"

I started to explain, just as I had to Sayo, but then I realized something.

This girl—she wasn't surprised. She said "What?" but her eyes showed no shock. The unease she showed when I said "gift" was completely absent.

So... she must have been eavesdropping on my conversation with Sayo. I narrowed my eyes and observed her.

Why was she listening? Was receiving a gift a new experience for her? Had it been a long time since she was treated kindly?

What a sly girl. Truly 'malicious.' Alice also loved eavesdropping. Her eyes were a murky gray, and she exuded an aura of fear. Her equipment was visibly inferior to that of other explorers. She had probably been an explorer for less than a year. She still clutched the leather bag I had given her in her left hand.

But could she really tear apart a Molded Dog with a copper sword? It would be difficult to even scratch it with iron.

I stared at her in silence. She glared at me and said,

"W-What? C-Can you... continue, please?"

"..."

"W-Why are you... silent!?"

The bodies of Spirit Beings are transformed souls. Therefore, they are more susceptible to mental influence than life forms. This girl is isolated, a common story among Malicious Spirit Beings who live among humans.

Due to their nature, they are unconditionally shunned, and their negative mindset exacerbates this tendency. They do not realize this fact.

However, it is a mistake to misunderstand. Saving a Malicious Spirit Being is never—out of pity.

"Normally, I would start by asking your name, but there's something I need to do before we talk."

"Do... do what?"

The girl repeated, trembling. I smiled and gave her a little help.

"Repeat this: 'I'm sorry for eavesdropping.'"