Lord: Starting with Contract Half-Elf Twins

A gentle breeze blows, and the trees gradually grow denser.

The branches of the ancient trees intertwined overhead, blocking out only sparse patches of light from the sky, while the decaying leaves underfoot were soft and crunchy as you stepped on them.

The air was filled with the scent of damp earth and pine needles; it had just rained not long ago.

"Rustling sound—"

A giant, colorful snake was awakened by the movement of the wooden stick. It poked its head down from the treetop, intending to kill the enemy that had entered its territory.

The vertical, eerie green pupils reflected the figures of the three newcomers.

Three slender humanoid creatures were just enough to fill their stomachs.

The forked tongue protruded silently, and the familiar scent that always lingered during the hunt filled the breeze.

The rapidly secreting sweat and the slightly panting breath are emanating from a body in a state of high tension.

The smell of fear.

Just as the giant serpent was about to move, two rapidly heating flames rose up in front of it.

The giant snake's tongue discovered a new flavor.

Magic, fire element, and...

The giant snake's pupils contracted, and it nervously coiled its body, raising its head high. It ceased its attack and warily stared at the three figures that were slowly retreating.

Only after the three people's scent had completely left the territory did their tense bodies gradually relax.

The scent of that terrifying presence is the ultimate destination for magical creatures, originating from the bloodline of the red dragon standing atop the pyramid.

This is a terrifying existence that possesses a suppressive power akin to a natural enemy to any life form.

Although the two had very faint scents, they were far from posing a threat to it.

But the giant snake's biological instincts told it that there was no need to provoke such an opponent.

Even if it were just a few more wounds, the giant snake would instinctively reject them—it had no shortage of food.

Survival is the first priority in the wilderness.

……

"Phew...that scared me to death..."

After retreating for about half an hour, Viola hugged her trembling body tightly.

Solina also breathed a long sigh of relief and loosened her tightly clenched hands.

"This must be the strongest magical beast we've encountered in the past few days. Just seeing it makes me almost lose control of my flames."

Allen wiped a bead of sweat from his brow: "Yes, thankfully it's not interested in us."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Name: Dark-Scaled Giant Python

[Race: Dark-scaled Giant Python]

Age: 51

[Character Template: Elite]

[Level: Giant Python lv16]

Status: Normal

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

A magical beast with an elite template, whose physical strength rivals that of the black-robed wizard Obitus!

Fortunately, Allen had a panel and spotted it as soon as it came into view.

If they were to enter its attack range completely, this giant python would surely be able to easily crush them.

At the same time, Allen also has to thank the red dragon bloodline within him.

By actively releasing the aura of red dragon magic within their bodies, most wild beasts and magical creatures will not actively regard them as prey.

Otherwise, the three of them alone would not have been able to safely trek through the wilderness for so many days.

Of course, if you are really unlucky and encounter the scent of a red dragon, or even an enemy that specifically opposes dragons, then there's nothing you can do.

It can only be said that for Allen and the other two, actively emitting the scent of the red dragon is a far better option than concealing themselves while trekking.

"But this is also good news."

Allen smiled and comforted the half-elf sisters.

"The fact that this giant python is so powerful means that there shouldn't be any other powerful beasts or monsters within a fairly large area around its territory. Our next two days should be a bit easier."

"Furthermore, this giant python is likely something that even the black-robed wizard cannot deal with. Once we bypass its territory, the chances of the black-robed wizard catching up with us will be even lower."

After hearing Allen's analysis, Solina and Viola indeed felt much more relaxed.

The panic of escaping from the jaws of a giant python was replaced by a renewed sense of security.

"Let's find a place to rest first. It's getting dark, and it looks like it'll rain again tonight."

Solina shook the water bag; there was hardly any water left inside.

"it is good."

……

As dusk fell, the heavy rain arrived as expected.

The rainy season in the wilderness has just begun and will last for several months; this is the season for life activities and reproduction.

Allen and his two companions were lucky enough to find a triangular crevice in the rock wall that could provide shelter from the rain.

It's not exactly a cave that shelters you from the wind, but it's quite good that it can keep out the rain.

A fire was burning between the three of them. The damp wood was a little difficult to burn, but with Allen and Solina, both fire elementalists, there was no problem.

Several rabbits were roasting on the fire, which Solina and Allen had hunted before the rain started.

Allen's character panel can find prey hidden in the forest that is not easy to spot; the rest can be left to the flames.

"hiss……"

Viola took off the makeshift shoes made of straw rope and animal hide. Her delicate soles were already bloody and mangled from the long trek, and she was in so much pain that tears streamed down her face, and she kept gasping for breath.

After eating and drinking normally, Viola's weakness caused by hunger and thirst has recovered quickly, and she no longer needs Allen to carry her weight.

Solina silently rinsed the bloodstains off Viola's feet with clean water, then wrapped the injured area with clean leaves. One night was enough for the wound to scab over.

Tomorrow, they will continue their trek.

After treating Viola's foot wounds, Solina, seeing that Allen had already taken care of them himself, took off her "shoes" to reveal her equally scarred feet.

Solina and Allen's feet were only slightly better than Viola's.

Even with the blessing of the red dragon bloodline, their physical bodies had not grown much, and they still found the long journey very difficult.

The two of them simply had stronger regenerative abilities, so they were able to recover more than Viola in one night.

This scene had repeated itself for several nights, and the three of them stopped complaining. Instead, they took advantage of their rest time to continue talking about the topics they hadn't finished discussing the day before.

These days, the half-elf twins and Allen have gotten to know each other.

The story of the half-elf twins is very cliché.

The elven slaves were bought by human nobles, then raped and gave birth to the sisters.

For their sake, their mother began to actively curry favor with the nobles, sacrificing everything to protect them and ensure their safe growth under their rule.

It wasn't until her mother found an opportunity to send them away from the den of iniquity, and then, after stalling in front of the old nobleman until the very last moment, that she finally took her own life.

Unfortunately, Solina and Viola's escape was not smooth. Their beautiful appearance made them like stars in the night sky in human society, and they were soon captured by slave traders.

Before they were to suffer the same fate as their mother, they were sold along with her to a black-robed wizard in the wilderness.

Therefore, they are very reluctant to return to human lands and would rather stay in the dangerous wilderness for the rest of their lives.

As for the land of the elves... I've heard it's far south of the southern kingdoms, beyond the Sea of ​​Horrors, and even their mothers don't expect to ever return to their homeland.

Allen's past is quite simple. His memories of Earth are meaningless in this world. He only has the story of how he was kept by slave traders for many years.

As for why he suddenly "gained his intelligence" and gained the ability to form a contract with Solina, he didn't know how to explain it and could only attribute it to the red dragon bloodline within him.

The continent of Tyrese is filled with magic and miracles, which even the god of knowledge and the goddess of magic cannot fathom.

The half-elf twins didn't really understand how magical dragons were; they were just grateful that they had encountered such a "miracle."

"What you told me yesterday, that our deal...is completely unrestricted?"

"There are no restrictions on your actions or freedom of movement, and you don't actually need to pay any 'price'..."

After spending these past few days together, Allen and the half-elf sisters had become completely familiar with each other. He didn't want to hide anything from his first follower, nor was there any need to.

The two of them and Allen share common interests and similar fates.

In the future, if he wants to build his own power, he will need their complete trust and support.

"However, if I die, you will lose the power I bring. Similarly, if you die, my power will also diminish."

Solina nodded; she believed Allen was sincere.

She also knew that Allen could easily use an even crueler lie—such as if his death would mean Solina's death—to bind her, since she couldn't possibly use her own life to verify it.

But she still asked quite seriously, "So what did you mean by 'dedication' when you first talked to me?"

"It's all to intimidate you and make you follow my orders."

Allen shrugged, indicating with a sigh,

"I can't expect someone I've never even met to fully assist me in escaping, and I don't know what kind of situation I'll face later, so I can only use a little lie to maintain control of the operation."

"So, you're stopping this lie because you think I'll follow your orders now?"

Solina asked the question in a joking tone, but a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes.

But Allen's tone became serious:

"No, I believe we are already de facto allies. You will support my ideas, and I will respect yours..."

"We have a common goal—to survive."

"My future goal is to build a home, territory, and even a nation that belongs to us!"

"I need your help for this."

Looking into Allen's earnest and bright eyes, Solina was momentarily at a loss for words.

Allen was responding to her joke, but his answer was sincere and profound.

Through his eyes, Solina seemed to see a future full of danger, challenges, storms, and opportunities.

This goes against Solina and Viola's desire to live in seclusion together.

But for some reason, she felt something stirring inside her.

It was as if a window had suddenly opened in the small, cramped house that had always been just the two of her and her sister.

Outside the window, there is a vast ocean and sky with surging waves and howling winds.

She didn't know how to respond to Alan's vision.

"Then I want to build my own castle!"

Viola, on the other hand, seemed to have no hesitation at all, and directly followed Allen's thoughts, imagining what her home would be like.

"Great! Let's build castles, one castle for each of us," Allen replied with a smile.

Solina didn't speak, paused for a moment, and then changed the subject back:

"What was that term you used yesterday to describe our alliance, something like 'blood'?"

"My blood of blood."

Allen quoted an adjective from a fantasy work from his previous life:

"We swear a blood oath to live and die together, fight side by side, and make the other pay the price in blood if anyone is harmed."

"I took the lead in our contract, and I don't intend to embellish or hide that. Moreover, I will sign more contracts in the future, and perhaps even with blood allies."

"But there are three of us."

Allen's gaze extends beyond Solina; it also encompasses Viola.

"The three of us will be the original blood alliance, and together we will decide whether future companions can join our blood alliance."

"My blood...it sounds like something out of a legend." Viola's eyes were filled with longing.

Solina placed her hands on her knees, looking down at the fire, her expression unreadable.

"But...why? You're the one who initiated the contract, so you shouldn't have needed to promise us anything, right?"

"Before I say the nation is established, it is first and foremost our home, and those who live in our home should be our family."

"Since we're family, we should genuinely support each other. Even the head of the family shouldn't be someone who acts arbitrarily, right?"

Allen smiled and said, "I don't want to become a tyrannical ruler in the future. Maybe I should find a few 'loyal ministers' in advance—after all, one's position determines one's perspective, and I don't have much confidence in myself."

Solina, as if she had figured something out, looked up and smiled too:

"Even a true dragon wouldn't dare claim it could establish a kingdom. Thinking about that now is far too arrogant, isn't it?"

"Who knows? But if we don't want to create a miracle, wouldn't we have come all this way for nothing?"

"Where are you coming from?"

"Right here."

"So that's what you think..."

"Stop with the riddles, I can't understand what you're saying anymore."

Viola interjected, "Is the rabbit burnt? I think I smell something burning."

"Ouch!" x2

……

"oops!"

The wizard apprentice, Green, clutched the bump on his head and looked at the female thief, Tasha, with a somewhat aggrieved expression.

"You've been resting for so many days, your magic should have recovered by now, right? Could you help me dry my clothes?"

"I... don't have enough magic power..."

"I must have been blind! I actually got fooled by a good-for-nothing in a robe like you!"

Tasha unabashedly removed her soaked leather armor and outer garment, wringing out her wet hair as she glared fiercely at Green, who was cowering to the side.

"When you begged me to take you with me, you swore that once you regained your magic, you would be able to use magic."

"I only agreed to take you along because I thought the journey was long and the water bag had been given to those three children. I was hoping you could find clean water on the way."

"As a result, I've had to prepare enough food and water for two people these past few days, and I've gone hunting in the rain, and in the end, you can't even pull off a magic trick like drying clothes!"

Tasha suddenly remembered something and slammed the weak and powerless Tallinn against the wall:

"You're not... a dud, are you?"

"You...you...what right do you have to slander someone's innocence out of thin air?"

"I've wanted to ask this for a long time, but I haven't because of the secret of your robes."

"Those three children were sold into slavery in the ancient ruins. I came here willingly, but you..."

The female thief sized up the wizard apprentice with an extremely aggressive gaze.

"I thought you were navigating the wilderness using magic that allowed you to wear robes, but you're actually a useless piece of trash..."

"I'm not useless..." Green said weakly.

"Shut up!"

Green immediately fell silent.

"Since you're a useless piece of trash and didn't bring any survival gear for the wilderness, how did you end up in the dungeon of the Decayers?"

"My mentor's magic experiment went wrong, and I was accidentally transported to an ancient ruin..."

"You're lying! How could a piece of trash like you possibly be a high-level wizard instructor who has mastered teleportation magic? By the way, is your promise of payment also a lie?"

"No, I promise I can pay you! My family is very wealthy... and my advisor is a good person..."

"What guarantee do you have? Nobody can make me do a losing deal!"

"I...I..." Green was truly panicked now, racking his brains to figure out how to persuade the extremely dissatisfied female thief.

Tasha's face drew closer to Green's, and she even drew her dagger.

She didn't have a good impression of people who wore robes; they always seemed aloof and superior.

They can issue a ban simply because they don't like her, treating people like rats and driving them away.

Or, they could be captured and used as experimental subjects, in which they would be no different from the withered and decaying.

Anyway, no one will speak up for someone like her.

It's rare to see someone wearing a robe so humble.

Tasha grabbed Green by the collar, and with just a glance, she could tell that the fabric of his robe was expensive.

Although it is just a seemingly inconspicuous gray, it is embroidered with subtle dark patterns, a style favored by old-fashioned aristocrats.

It seemed he was telling the truth, and Tasha felt even more disgusted.

Born into nobility, wearing robes...

She wished she could trample these people under her feet and humiliate them mercilessly!

Tasha's dagger drew ever closer, and Green begged for mercy while closing his eyes in terror.

"Sizzle—"

The sound of fabric being cut rang out, but there was no pain as expected.

It was actually quite cool down there.

wrong!

"Wait! What are you doing?!"

"I'm worried you won't be able to come up with the money later, so I'm collecting some interest in advance..."

"No...no...wait...you can't...waaaah!"

Outside the cave, the rain was pouring down.