The Forced Pact
"As expected. No wonder I couldn't feel the energy before; it was sealed in your soul," Lady Daunbry said.
Surprisingly, the disdain was gone from her voice, replaced by a strange undercurrent of reverence.
"The matter of your Grimoire is actually quite simple," she continued. "Only a human can manifest one, and if you are willing, I can unseal parts of that power inside you."
Lucas did not lower his guard just because she was being nice. "Why are you suddenly so courteous?"
She shot him a glare. "Listen, brat. If it weren't for the fact that I owe your grandfather, I wouldn't even give a damn about you."
"Wait, what? My grandfather?" Lucas was entirely lost. "How do you know him? Didn't you call me the descendant of a servant earlier? Are you talking about my grandfather?"
"I thought so too," Lady Daunbry admitted. "I failed to see the resemblance between you and him. You are far too skinny and weak. Frankly, you aren't fit for me to spill any information regarding your grandfather. Perhaps he is the one who sealed your potential. Or perhaps it was your mother, to ensure you could grow safely in this barren land."
Lucas sighed, his mind reeling from the confusing revelation. After a moment, he asked, "Who... who are you, really? Why are you trapped here? And why do you know my grandfather?"
The girl stared at him, hesitating before she answered. "I am... you may call me Lady Daunbry for now."
"How do I get out of here?" Lucas asked, eager to change the subject.
"Supposedly, it's impossible to leave this void," Daunbry said, "but after seeing the seal within you, there is a way. It will be incredibly taxing for me, but I will help you on one condition."
"As long as it doesn't violate my morals, I accept," Lucas agreed.
"Alright. Follow me."
They walked outside the pagoda into the endless white void.
"Enter a meditative state," Lady Daunbry instructed.
Lucas sat cross-legged, and Daunbry began drawing a circle around him, filling it with various strange symbols. A glowing blue light enveloped him, and his Grimoire manifested. This was the first time he had seen it since arriving in this new world.
Lucas frowned when he looked closely at the book. It was Blue—far too simple compared to how it had appeared before.
Lady Daunbry completed the spell and looked at him. "This isn't its true color. It reverted to its weakest form because of your unstable soul and weak body. Luckily, it didn't fall lower, or it would have been difficult for you to fulfill my condition."
"Good," Lucas said with a sigh of relief. "At least I can revert it to its original state. But what happened to the golden chains?"
Daunbry's brow furrowed. "Golden chains? What are you talking about? There were no chains when I inspected it."
"Eh?" Lucas replied indifferently. "Isn't this originally a crystallized black book covered in golden chains?"
"Crystallized black? Yin... is it a Yin book?" Lady Daunbry looked deeply concerned. "Let me check you again."
She sketched another array of symbols and focused. This time, she delved deep, meticulously searching Lucas's sea soul until she finally noticed a dark, uncharted area. As she approached it, she felt an aggressively oppressive force radiate from the darkness. She halted, knowing that forcefully entering that domain would likely shatter Lucas's fragile sea soul.
Cautiously, she sent a thread of her Qi into the darkness, but a strange force immediately repelled it. Frowning, she sent another pulse of Qi, this time infusing it with her unique aura.
Her lineage was legendary for powerful Qi perception, soul sealing techniques, and time-space manipulation. Daunbry was confident she could unseal whatever was in that darkness. However, the repulsive force was stronger than she imagined; it was as if something was actively protecting that space, barring any unwanted energy from interfering. She was stunned; she hadn't expected to fail.
Suddenly, a thunderous voice echoed from the darkness.
"CEASE YOUR BLASPHEMY IN THIS SACRED PLACE!"
"Who are you?" Daunbry demanded, shifting into a fighting stance. "Why are you contaminating this child's sea soul?"
"Contaminating? Ha!" the voice retorted. "How dare you speak such nonsense here! Listen: some things must remain undisturbed, or it may cost you your life. Since you dare act so unpleasantly, let me give you a small punishment."
A bolt of dark light surged from the void at impossible speed. It pierced through Daunbry's pupils and straight into her soul. Instantly, she felt a forceful contract establish itself between her soul and whatever lay hidden in the darkness.
Lady Daunbry was devastated. This was ridiculous! No creature could be turned into a familiar once they had attained a high level of cultivation. Furthermore, while intelligent creatures could be tamed if one possessed enough qualifications and strength, signing a forced contract with an intellectual being was a horrific taboo—a violation known throughout the sanctuary! It was like a human enslaving another human.
"What have you done!" she screamed into the darkness.
"You should be thankful I showed you such leniency," the voice said in a condescending tone. "Listen, this book contains secrets that no ordinary creature should know. Know that if it weren't for the fact that you have encountered Lucas, you would be dead right now!"
"Lucas?" The lady was now deeply regretting her previous actions.
"Go back. Tell him nothing. The time is not yet right." The voice shifted its tone again. "Also, give your little beast to him. It would be a huge help to him for the time being."
Before she could respond, she was forcefully expelled from the dark space, back into the colorless white world.
Behind her, in the void, the voice whispered melancholically. "That is all I can do for you, brother. I hope you hang on and survive."