Chapter 30: Summoning and the Byakko

「For the dark attribute’s summoning magic, first you need to draw a magic circle; it will begin when you have an object to summon to. The thing that is summoned is completely random, depending on the quality of the magic and magician, whether or not it can be controlled, I don’t really know. 」

In the backyard of “The Silver Moon”, Yumina drew a large magic circle. It contained a complex pattern from a book; it was drawn as if engraved with chalk. I was told that the chalk was made by compressing demon stone fragments.

「Even if the summoning succeeds, the person that wishes to form a contract must fulfill the partner’s conditions before the contract can be established. From the easiest to the absolutely most impossible to imagine; depending on the partner the conditions will be different. The condition of these little ones was, ‘Feed me until I’m full’」

Yumina finished drawing the magic circle, and she patted the head of the one silver wolf’s head. Drawn on the head of the silver wolf, that she had just petted, was a pattern formed on it that showed there was a contract with Yumina I heard. It seems that this is the leader of the other wolves from the other day. By the way its name is “Silver”. Wring it more.

Typically, if a contract is made with the leader, then you also control the subordinates as well. Sue, who used lizard men to attack, it was probably the person that was like the chief that she had made a contract with.

「If the person doesn’t meet the requirements of the summoned creature it leaves. And it will be impossible to ever be summoned again. You only have one chance to make a contract」

I see. A once in a lifetime thing…. Or is it a bit different?

「It’s not dangerous is it? It won’t suddenly attack me or anything?」

「Because it cannot exist outside the magic circle, as long as we’re on this side of the circle we’ll be safe. The barrier of the magic circle also prevents all distance attacks. However, when the summoner enters it’s a different story. There are those that demand a show of strength.」

Well, it’s dangerous isn’t it? Well, if it seems there is absolutely no chance of willing, wouldn’t it be alright to just send them back politely? It might be a wasteful though.

「The summoned beast that is called is unrelated to the magic ability of the person in question?」

「Yes. There are often stories of complete beginners that summon high-ranking beasts as well.」

Then I have that possibility as well? It’s completely up to luck though.

「Well do you want to give it a try?」

Standing in front of the completed magic circle, I stuck my hand out in front of it. Then I concentrated dark attribute magic, and collected it in the center of the magic circle. Then little by little, then from the center of the magic circle a black mist began to form, and suddenly a magic explosion occurred.

『……The one that called me, was you?』

Before I knew it the black mist cleared up, from within the magic circle stood a single large white tiger. Did this thing just speak? It had a sharp, penetrating, overpowering feeling. Its fangs and claws looked very sharp. It’s another distinguished thing huh……. I felt a wave of magic that was like an electric jolt. This is no ordinary tiger.

「This overpowering feeling, white tiger…could it be, ‘Byakko’…!」 (tln:Bi-ya-*pause*-co)

『Ho, you know who I am?』

The Byakko glances behind me at Yumina and the Silver the silver wolf cowering behind me. The silver wolf’s tail was completely exposed and he was covering his ears, he was frightened. Well, it’s scary to be stared at by a tiger. Right now it was “Tiger in the front, wolf in the rear”! But, that didn’t matter.

「Could you not stare so much, please? Can’t you see they’re frightened?」

『……You seem calm don’t you? Even standing in my sight and bathed in my magic…… how interesting』

「At first I was startled. But it’s not an amount that you can’t get used to. Yumina what is a ‘Byakko’?」

While Yumina looked at me, she tried to say something to me with quivering lips. However, no voice came out. It’s probably because of the overpowering magic.

「Could you stop that for a moment? We can’t talk like this. I don’t think that it’s praiseworthy to threaten the weak. 」

『……Very well』

After protesting to the Byakko, the overpowering feeling disappeared. He’s someone that understands isn’t he?

「So, Yumina. “Byakko” is?」

「Among summons, there are four animals in the highest class, there alone is one…. On the western highroad, they are the protectors, the kings of beasts……not a demon beast, a divine beast.」

While still trembling, Yumina explains falteringly. Divine beasts. It would be amusing if they were god’s pets.

「And, what should I do to make a contract?」

『……A contract with me? I seem to be rather underestimated.』

「Let’s just see for now, if it seems impossible, I’ll just give up.」

『Fumu……』

The Byakko stared at me, twitched its noes, and tilted his head slightly.

『This is strange…… I feel a strange power from you. Spirits’ divine protection…… No, it’s from an even higher rank…… What is this?』

Sprits’ divine protection? Unfortunately, I don’t know of any sprits.

『……Alright, I want to see the quality and quantity of your magic. If you are to make a contract to I who is a divine beast. We cannot make a contract with someone that has only superficial magic.』

「My magic?」

『That’s right. Touch me with your magic. Until your magic is almost run dry. If you meet the minimum quality and quantity requirements, then I will think upon a contract.』

Fufun, the tiger looked as if it was laughing. Think upon it said, but did not actually promise a contract.

But, the tiger says some dangerous things. For magic to run dry, in a game it would be like MP falling to 0? It would be impossible to practice magic for a little while. When he says almost dry he means like 1 MP?

Oh yea, will my magic actually run dry in the first place……? Ever since I started using magic, I’ve never felt that happen even once. Lindsey once told me that I had a lot of magic but, could it be because of that?

Anyways, I put my hand inside the magic circle and touched the byakko’s forehead with my palm. Oo, so soft.

「Should I just throw magic at you just like this?」

『That’s right. All at once. I will see your magic. If your magic dries up and you collapse, no contract.』

N—, I don’t want the contract that badly, if I start feeling bad partway through, I’ll just stop.

「Ok, here I go?」

I concentrated the magic, and send it slowly through my hand to the tiger. Yean, I don’t feel strange at all.

『Mu…this is…what, this transparent quality of magic…!?』

The tiger is saying something. Oh yeah, Lindsey said something like that too. Well, oh well. Since it seems alright, I’ll throw it all at once. The magic thrown at the tiger increased in an instant.

『Nuu!? Wh-what!?』

Well, I don’t get the sense that the magic is decreasing at all. Is it no good if I don’t increase it more? I’ll increase it even further.

『Bu, th, this is……wa, wait a mom-…!』

I’m still not getting it. Lets increase it some more.

『Wa… wait… anymore and …auu…!』

I increased it even further……. I started to feel just the slightest bit fatigued but, is this how it feels like when your magic decreases?

『…St…op….please!』

「Touya-san!」

After hearing Yumina’s voice I see the tiger in front of me, the body was starting to convulse, it was foaming at the mouth and its eyes were rolled back. It was trembling as it stood, it didn’t release its head from my hand, it looked like it was being forced to stand.

I panicked and stopped throwing magic at him, released my hand and the tiger collapsed to the ground.

「Huh?」

Did I do something bad? Would it be best if I apply some recovery magic now? The tongue is out and it’s still twitching from the convulsions.

「Come forth light, Tranquil healing, Cure Heal」

I waited after using recovery magic on him. Before long, the Byakko’s eyes cleared and stood up uneasily, and came close to me.

『……I just want to ask one thing…even with that amount of magic used, did you still have some room left?』

「N? Rather than room, it only decreased buy a tiny bit. I mean, huh, it’s already recovered.」

『What…!』

The tiger was speechless. I see, I’d never felt magic consumption because my ability to recover it was greater than anything I’d used. That works.

「So, about the contract…」

『……May I ask your name?』

「? Mochizuki Touya. Ah, my name is Touya though.」

The tone of the tiger suddenly changed and had a mysterious expression on its face, it bowed his head quietly.

『Mochizuki Touya-sama. You are the most suited to be my master. Please allow me to make a contract with you.』

Oo, the Byakko became my companion.

「What should I do for the contract?」

『Give me a name. That will be the proof of our contract. It will be the bond between us in the world where I exist.』

「A name ……um……?」

Tiger. Byakko. Let’s see……

「Kohaku. How about Kohaku?」

『Kohaku?』

「It’s written like this」

On the ground in wrote the characters for Kohaku 「琥珀」

「This is tiger, and this is white, and the parts on the left side of each character mean king」

『A white tiger that stands next to the king. That is the perfect name for me. Please call me Kohaku from now on.』

Apparently the contract was complete. Then Kohaku slowly walked out of the magic circle toward me

「That’s amazing, Touya-san…. To form a contract with ‘Byakko’」

『Girl, I am ‘Byakko’ no longer. Will you please call me Kohaku?』

「Ah, yes. Kohaku-san.」

Yumina muttered at the ‘Byakko’ in blank surprise, Kohaku responded. Behind Yumina, the silver wolf still cowered, but as soon as he realized that Kohaku’s gaze was upon him he disappeared quickly into Yumina’s shadow.

『Master, I have one request.』

「What?」

『I would like you to permit me to always remain here』

「? What do you mean?」

『Normally when a summoner calls us, the presence of the summoner is required. So if the flow magic were to stop then we would disappear before long. That is normal. However, master’s magic hardly decreased at all from a little while ago. Then it would be no problem for me to exist here indefinitely, is what I think.』

Ah, Kohaku’s existence depends on the ability of the user to recover magic rather than the initial quantity to remain here, so naturally someone with a high recovery rate would allow as such. Well, as long as there’s no problem, it doesn’t matter……

「There’s no problem with you actually being here, however, having a large tiger just waltzing around town might be a little……」

『Fumu… then I will change my appearance.』

「Eh?」

As soon as I said that with a “Pon” Kohaku changed into a tiger cub. He can do those kind of things too?

He was approximately the size of a small dog. His hand and feet were short and fat, his tail was fat too. Overpowering feeling -100%, cuteness +100%

Due to the overpowering cuteness I picked him up without thinking. Uwah, really fluffy. I was really glad that I summoned Kohaku from the bottom of my heart, right now I really felt that way.

『This appearance shouldn’t really standout』

Uoo, it spoke. Its cuteness increased even further.

「It’s not that it doesn’t stand out, but it should be fine」

『Thank you very much. Now, with this appearance I, –gufu!?』

「Kya——-, So cute————–!!」

Kohaku was plundered from my hand and hugged by Yumina. She ground their cheeks together as he struggled.

『Hey, release me I say! What is this master!?』

「Ah, I haven’t introduced myself yet have I. I’m called Yumina. I am Touya-san’s bride.」

『Master’s wife!?』

The tiger’s surprised faces came in quick succession. Hey, wait we aren’t married yet.

For a while, Yumina petted Kohaku, getting tired of struggling, decided to just endure it.

Neither Kohaku nor his master could disobey the girl’s mood, who had introduced herself has his wife, and just waited for it to end.

After a while Yumina was satisfied with the fluffiness, and then Elsie and the others appeared, and the same thing happened with them. This time it was 3 times the petting.

『Ma, master! Can you not do something about this?!』

「Bear it. It’ll pass sooner or later.」

『No way-!』

And it was in this way we got a new companion. You could say that its other name was Mascot.

When everyone else is satisfied with patting the fluffiness, I’m going to do it too.

While hearing Kohaku’s screams, I looked at the sky. Its good weather today isn’t it–.

God is in heaven, nothing else mattered in all the world.