"—A retainer's contract?!"
Tohru blinked in surprise when she heard that.
"That's right," Arthur said with a smile, nodding slightly. "A retainer's contract—one that means from this moment on, you'll always be with me."
"We'll become a true family."
"We'll rely on each other, and never be apart."
"Tohru, are you willing?"
"Family…"
Tohru stared blankly at him, her beautiful golden-red eyes flickering faintly with light.
It was the first time anyone had ever said such words to her.
Someone who wanted to be family with her.
Never to part, to depend on each other.
She met Arthur's gaze.
She could feel the sincerity in his eyes—it came from his heart.
Tohru's eyes wavered slightly.
She was clearly hesitating.
Arthur didn't rush her; he simply waited in silence for her answer.
"…Alright, I'll do it!"
About half a minute later, Tohru's face bloomed into a bright, adorable smile as she nodded.
She didn't dislike Arthur—on the contrary, he had saved her life.
And even when they'd first met, Arthur had shown no fear or disgust toward her dragon form.
He had been kind. Affectionate, even.
Something deep inside told her Arthur was someone she could trust.
Seeing Tohru agree, Arthur let out a small sigh of relief.
After all, without the process of growing closer over time, he hadn't been sure whether she'd accept.
Though she hesitated, Tohru still said yes.
Judging by that, her affection for him was higher than he'd expected.
Sometimes, being straightforward really did bring unexpected rewards.
Of course, that only worked when both sides already had some mutual goodwill. Otherwise, it would just be reckless.
"So… what do we do?"
Tohru tilted her head, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.
In her world, contracts were usually signed with scrolls infused with magic.
But this world was different—she didn't know how it worked here.
"Watch me."
Arthur smiled, shifted closer until their bodies almost touched, and gently lifted her chin.
"??!!"
Tohru's eyes widened in surprise.
Was he going to—
Arthur leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.
Tohru's eyes went wide.
At that moment, Arthur activated the King's Retainer ability from his Supreme Authority, channeling the Destiny Power of the Golden Authority into her body.
The other Authorities' sub-powers were meaningless for Tohru.
Only the Destiny Power of the Golden Authority mattered—
It would unlock the full potential of her body and magic, allowing her to exert one hundred percent of her strength, even enhancing it further.
The Retainer's Contract carried multiple effects.
It bound the soul—so that even reincarnation couldn't erase it.
Even if the soul were divided, every fragment would still carry the contract.
Through it, the retainer would receive a portion of their King's power, and share in his lifespan.
It protected the soul, rendering it immune to all mental and spiritual interference.
And as the supreme King, Arthur held the ultimate right of control—he could reclaim the power he granted at any time.
The mark that appeared on a retainer's lower abdomen wasn't just a symbol of identity.
It was an auxiliary crest of the Supreme Authority itself.
Through it, Arthur could channel part of his power into the retainer—or even project his consciousness into them, temporarily taking control of their body.
At such times, the retainer could wield the King's full strength—
A life-saving trump card.
If a retainer's life were ever in danger, the crest would automatically expand into the Sanctuary Shield, operating at full power and immediately alerting Arthur.
The golden energy coursed through Tohru's body, converging at her lower abdomen.
A strand of power brushed against her soul.
Sensing that it came from Arthur, Tohru offered no resistance.
Not that she had much attention to spare—
Her eyes were already closed, completely immersed in the kiss, even responding shyly and turning it into something deeper, more passionate.
Ten minutes later, they finally parted.
Tohru's cheeks were flushed pink, her expression shy yet bright with happiness.
It was the first time she had ever felt something like this—sweet and unfamiliar.
Her gaze toward Arthur had changed, her emotions subtly shifting.
Arthur's own expression softened as he smiled.
"The contract is complete."
"From today onward, Tohru—you belong to me."
"Mhm."
Tohru beamed happily, her smile radiant with warmth and energy.
Then she began to sense the changes in her body.
There was a new kind of power inside her—
Different from mana, yet capable of merging with it.
Curious, she tried to fuse the two energies—
And was immediately shocked.
Though it all condensed back into mana, the resulting power had doubled in strength.
When she circulated it, even her body felt stronger—nearly half again what it had been before.
Arthur, seeing what she was doing, chuckled softly.
"The contract I made with you lets you wield a portion of my power, increasing your strength."
"And it also lets you share my eternal lifespan."
"Eternal lifespan?!"
Tohru's eyes widened slightly.
Though she was a dragon—a long-lived race—it wasn't true immortality.
Her lifespan was simply vast, spanning millions of years—so long that to short-lived beings, it might as well be eternal.
But it still had an end.
Arthur, however, possessed an endless life like a god—
And now, he could share that with another.
That was… unbelievably astonishing.
Even gods couldn't do such a thing, could they?
"Who exactly are you?"
Tohru asked, eyes full of wonder and curiosity.
"Who am I…" Arthur blinked, then smirked slightly.
"I'm Arthur, male, sixteen years old, living near Shakujii Park in Nerima Ward, Tokyo."
"I'm just a high school student—you can think of me as a psychic, if you like."
"I hate chaos, prefer a peaceful life, and I'm fond of all beautiful things… like you, Tohru."
"And now, I'm your lifelong partner."
"Eh…"
Tohru froze, her face reddening slightly at his final line, a mix of happiness and embarrassment welling in her chest.
Seeing that, Arthur's smile deepened.
Then Tohru blinked, her eyes suddenly gleaming with excitement.
"Arthur, can I fight you?"
Arthur blinked in surprise—then grinned. "Sure. I was just thinking the same thing—I'd like to see how strong you really are."
"Come with me."
He summoned a Gate of Mist.
They couldn't fight very well on Earth. The Mirage Realm would do.
As long as their power didn't destroy the realm entirely, any damage could later be repaired with energy.
Tohru stared at the Gate of Mist, sensing the spatial ripples within it.
Together, the man and dragon stepped through.
They emerged into a boundless desert.
"Come, tatakai."
Arthur challenged her with a grin.
The two vanished from sight.
A moment later—
A golden light and a crimson flash collided.
Boom!!
The explosion was deafening.
Waves of force rippled outward like crashing tides.
The ground caved in, forming a crater hundreds of meters deep and over a kilometer wide—sand and stone blasted into dust.
…
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