Ch.101Responsibility Without Pleasure (1)

I watched the black mage’s retreating figure with complicated feelings as he left on my orders.

Until now, I had always cut down my enemies without hesitation, but this time I had used someone rather than killing them, and that unsettled me.

‘Maybe I should have just cleanly cut him down…’

By the time the black mage’s figure completely disappeared, feelings of regret began creeping in.

But such thoughts lasted only briefly.

I knew better than anyone here that this choice was the most appropriate for the current situation.

‘If I had left the gate open, who knows how many black mages would have come through.’

The very fact that someone dabbled in black magic showed they were honest about their desires.

So if presented with an opportunity for instant wealth, they would likely seize it. Just like the black mage who had just left.

And I didn’t know how long I could hold out if numerous black mages swarmed in.

“If they were just blindly chasing me, I could have managed to escape somehow…”

[The problem is that the black mages are gathering to search the entire forest for that Rune Bear.]

“Groowr…?”

I turned my head briefly to look at the Rune Bear behind me.

The Rune Bear seemed confused by my sudden appearance, wearing a bewildered expression as it struggled to understand the current situation.

Other than that, it looked like an ordinary Rune Bear cub.

The only notable thing was its scruffy fur and thin frame, suggesting it hadn’t eaten well.

“Looks like you’ve been through a lot.”

[Indeed, its suffering is evident all over. It would be cute if we cleaned it up and fed it properly.]

[Those necromancers who handle filthy corpses really have no compassion.]

[If it were me…]

Letting Lumia’s nonsensical talk go in one ear and out the other, I contemplated what to do with this Rune Bear.

If I left it here, it would soon be captured by black mages and become either an experimental subject or a pet.

I wanted to help, but the laws of the immaterial realm made it difficult enough just to take care of myself.

‘It’s not like this child is part of some grand plan of the black mages that I need to protect with my life…’

As I was pondering what to do with the Rune Bear, Lumia, who had been chattering for a while, offered a suggestion.

[Why don’t we just raise it ourselves?]

“I told you we don’t have that luxury right now.”

[Don’t be so stubborn and just listen to me for once.]

[Our difficulty in moving is because of the laws, right?]

“Well… yes. If it weren’t for the laws, I could cut down all these insignificant guys and break through their encirclement.”

Even if a powerful opponent appeared, I could use True Word to escape or hide.

[Then why not change our perspective and get help from that child who isn’t bound by the laws?]

“That child is too young and weak to help us… Don’t you remember it couldn’t even handle one black mage just now?”

[If it’s weak, we can make it stronger, can’t we?]

“That’s not as easy as you make it sound…”

[You’re an experienced player, aren’t you? Can’t you handle something like this? Or are you just someone who’s put in a lot of hours but has no skill?]

“…”

What Lumia did was simple provocation, but it was the kind that worked particularly well on Korean gamers.

Of course, with superhuman patience, I could have resisted the provocation.

But then the Rune Bear, seemingly having finished assessing the situation, approached me and started rubbing against my body.

“Grooowr…”

“Sigh, fine… let’s give it a try.”

In the end, my heart softened, and I stroked the Rune Bear’s head, promising to raise it.

Seeing this, Lumia spoke as if she had predicted this outcome.

[Hehe, I knew you were actually reluctant to leave it behind.]

[No matter how much you tried to resist, you were bound to be persuaded.]

“…Be quiet. And I changed my mind because I judged there was potential in this plan.”

While Lumia had just thrown out whatever she could to persuade me, I had seen potential in the Rune Bear’s capabilities.

If it had been some Imp instead of a Rune Bear that needed raising, I wouldn’t have chosen to do so.

“Well then… first, we need to draw up a contract.”

“Growr?”

Scratch-

Deciding on a suitable rock nearby as material for the contract, I swung my sword to cut it to an appropriate size.

“The quality won’t compare to proper contract paper, but this rock from the immaterial realm has a high magic ratio, so it should be sufficient.”

[A contract on stone… isn’t that a bit too casual?]

“I don’t have the knowledge to create a proper contract, so we’ll have to make do for now. If you want to change it, tell me when we have more resources later.”

I was a swordsman, not a magician, after all.

I was copying the magic circle for the contract based on Lilly’s contract that I had seen before.

Scratch- Scratch-

After engraving the magic circle on the stone tablet while referring to Lilly’s contract, I handed the completed contract to the Rune Bear.

“This is clearly a contract where I’m the superior party, but all I can promise is definite growth. If that’s acceptable, just stamp it and we’re done.”

“Growr!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, the Rune Bear stamped the contract with its front paw.

It stamped so readily, despite presumably understanding the meaning of superior and subordinate parties, that I felt awkward.

After checking the stamped contract once more, I infused it with magic to complete the binding.

“You’ve essentially mortgaged your future life… but if you’re fine with it, then so be it. The contract is now complete.”

“Grooowr!”

“I don’t know why you’re so happy. Oh, right, we need a name to call you by.”

In such contracts, unless the subject already had a name, it was customary for the contractor to give one.

So I needed to give this Rune Bear a name.

Giving a name itself was fine, but the problem was that my naming sense wasn’t particularly good.

“Hmm… what would be good?”

[If nothing comes to mind, how about Luna?]

[I think this name suits the Rune Bear’s appearance perfectly.]

[It also reminds me of the night sky.]

At Lumia’s suggestion, I carefully examined the Rune Bear again.

The Rune Bear had dark navy fur.

And the magical stripes engraved on it, resembling crescent moons, really did evoke the night sky.

“Hmm… indeed, not bad. At least better than any name I could come up with.”

[What kind of name were you thinking of?]

“Something like… Bearsy?”

“Grooowr….”

[Your naming sense really is terrible.]

[Yet you came up with a pretty name like Frey.]

Both the Rune Bear and Lumia reacted to my suggested name by saying my naming sense was terrible.

The Rune Bear even had an expression suggesting it would rather void the contract than be given such a name.

“I know my naming sense is bad… Stop with those reactions, they hurt. Anyway, from now on, your name is Luna.”

“Growr!!”

Perhaps because it had just heard a name that was close to the worst possible, Luna made a happy sound at receiving a relatively normal name.

[Congratulations on having a new daughter.]

“Daughter? This is just a familiar I’ve acquired…”

“Grooowr…?”

I tried to refute Lumia’s sudden remark, but the problem was that Luna was listening from the side.

Thinking about it now, I wondered if Luna had mistaken the contract for some kind of adoption papers.

One might wonder how that could be confused, but my promise to help it grow could also be interpreted as raising a child.

‘Is this what they call responsibility without pleasure…?’

Although I had clearly made a contract where I was the superior party, I somehow felt like I’d been scammed.

Lumia, either knowing or not knowing my thoughts, began to scold me for speaking coldly to Luna.

No, it felt more like she had seen through my thoughts and was speaking that way deliberately.

[How can you say that when it looks so sad?]

“Sigh…. Fine. Then Luna will be my daughter.”

“Growr!”

[Our Luna seems happy to have a new mother.]

“Mother? Please, at least call me father.”

Despite it being impossible for the two of them to communicate or even recognize each other, they seemed to be in perfect sync, leaving me helplessly outmaneuvered.

‘No matter how I look at it… I feel like I’ve been scammed by that contract…’