The camp night was shrouded in silence, broken only by the crackling and popping of the bonfire.
Leylo's heart continued to race, but he forced himself to calm down, meticulously recalling every shred of information regarding dragons. White fur corresponded to the color of silver scales; a colossal appetite aligned with a dragon's formidable digestive system and immense energy requirements; and that breath of fire... it was the dragon breath of a Silver Dragon.
As for why it appeared as a white-furred lynx, it was likely due to the creature's extraordinary magical talent, allowing this mutant hatchling to master transformation magic even in its infancy.
All the clues, like scattered puzzle pieces, snapped into place the moment the "fire-breathing" evidence appeared. The answer was practically screaming at him.
The seemingly harmless, gluttonous, and adorable white-furred lynx before his eyes was, in all probability, the juvenile Silver Dragon he had been fruitlessly searching for over many days!
This realization made Leylo's blood boil with fervor. No wonder he could only find traces in the depths of the mine without ever seeing its true form. This little fellow had simply used another shape to swagger into his camp, freeloading on food and drink every single day!
What a... cunning and gluttonous dragon!
The little creature finished its last bite of meat and began licking its paws with contentment. Its pale golden eyes narrowed in comfort, and its throat emitted a leisurely purr, completely oblivious to the fact that its cover had been blown.
Leylo took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement. Now was not the time to startle it. Since the target was confirmed, the next step was figuring out how to bind it with a contract.
A magical beast contract—especially one with a member of the dragon kin—was a feat easier said than done. Dragons were proud and formidable beings possessing immense intellect, far beyond that of common beasts. Among all dragon sub-species, the Silver Dragon was renowned for its preference for elegance and wisdom, but it was also known for being exceptionally... fastidious.
The idea of convincing a Silver Dragon to willingly enter into a contract was usually nothing short of a fairy tale. However, as Leylo watched the defenseless little creature still savoring the aftertaste of the roast meat, his lips curled into an almost imperceptible arc.
Perhaps, dealing with an inexperienced and clearly "foodie" juvenile Silver Dragon didn't require such complex schemes.
Coercion was out of the question—that would only backfire. Temptation was the only viable path, and the ultimate bait was clearly the delicacies it couldn't resist.
Leylo kept his composure and didn't utter a word. As the bonfire gradually died down, he returned to his tent as usual. But he did not go to sleep. Instead, by the dim glow of a magic lamp, he carefully extracted a scroll from his inner satchel.
The scroll was made of a peculiar material—neither parchment nor papyrus, but a strange fabric that shimmered with a faint silvery luster and felt warm to the touch. Its surface was inscribed with intricate, ancient runes, through which magic seemed to flow.
This was the high-grade Magical Beast Contract Scroll he had purchased at a steep price before leaving Thunder Dragon City.
Now, he needed the perfect moment—and a "feast" that the little glutton simply could not refuse.
The next day, Leylo entered the mine to survey as usual, though his mind was no longer entirely on discovering ore veins. Toward dusk, following Leylo's orders, Ed had hunted a plump Wind Rabbit that emitted faint ripples of energy. The meat of this small magical beast was known for being exceptionally succulent and tender—a rare delicacy.
Night fell once more, and the bonfires were lit in the camp.
As the flames licked the meat, the fat sizzled and dripped continuously, releasing a dense, savory aroma that saturated the camp.
Sure enough, it wasn't long before that familiar silhouette appeared.
The white-furred lynx practically trotted toward them, following its nose. Its pale golden eyes were locked onto the Wind Rabbit—roasted to a glistening golden-brown and radiating fragrance. The purring in its throat was as loud as a miniature bellows, and it looked as though it were moments away from drooling. It even abandoned its usual reserve and caution, dashing straight to Leylo's feet to rub incessantly against his pant leg, emitting urgent, pleading "Meow-cries."
Leylo chuckled. He carved off a succulent rabbit leg with his dagger but didn't hand it over immediately.
"Hungry?"
Leylo's voice was laced with temptation as he waved the rabbit leg back and forth.
"Meow-ning!"
The lynx spun in frantic circles, its front paws kneading the ground in agitation. Its entire focus was consumed by that fragrant piece of meat.
Leylo slowly extended the leg, intentionally leading the creature toward the unrolled contract scroll. The little one stretched its neck out impatiently to reach it.
"Little fellow, I know you're intelligent," Leylo whispered, fully unfurling the scroll. "Form a soul contract with me, and from now on, we shall be partners, bound in life and death."
"And as my partner..." Leylo continued his persuasive luring, "I will provide you with an endless supply of roasted meat."
The hatchling's instincts warned it of the power within the contract, but its youthful curiosity, the sliver of trust built over days of feeding by this two-legged being, and—most crucially—the overwhelming lust for the delicacy before it, finally triumphed over its lingering caution.
After only the briefest hesitation, it snatched the fragrant rabbit leg in its mouth and began to chew with immense satisfaction.
The scroll ignited with radiance as Leylo extended his hand, pressing it gently against the little creature's forehead.
There was no resistance.
Leylo felt an invisible bond manifest between himself and this "white-furred lynx." It was a surreal sensation, as if his mental tendrils had reached out to softly brush against another unique and powerful soul, establishing a bridge of consciousness. Though the connection was still faint, it was undeniably real.
The contract was sealed!
The magical glow slowly receded, and the runes upon the scroll returned to their dormant state. He had succeeded. Using the simplest—and perhaps only viable—method, he had bound his soul to a juvenile Silver Dragon. Even if, for the moment, this dragon looked... more like a gluttonous cat held captive by the allure of roasted meat.
Leylo picked up the remainder of the roasted Wind Rabbit, tore off another large portion, and placed it before the little fellow.
"Eat up," he whispered. "From now on, you'll have all you can eat."
The white-furred lynx gave a cheerful cry and pounced on the meat without hesitation. As it buried its head in the feast, its body seemed to flicker—an almost imperceptible, blink-and-you-miss-it shimmer. For a fleeting heartbeat, beneath that snow-white fur, the faint luster of fine, dense silver scales seemed to emerge before instantly vanishing back to normal.
The night deepened, and the embers of the bonfire radiated their final warmth. Leylo watched the "lynx" as it gorged itself, its face covered in grease, its throat emitting contented purrs, and the tip of its tail swaying unconsciously in delight.
Dragon prestige? What dragon prestige?
At this moment, it had utterly vanished, leaving behind only a hatchling thoroughly conquered by fine dining.
"You've eaten my food; from now on, you are my dragon."
Leylo murmured to himself, his voice a mix of playful banter and solemn resolve.
"I shall call you... 'Moonlight'."
His voice wasn't loud, yet it reached the ears of the little creature currently tearing into the rabbit meat. Moonlight's movements froze for a split second; its ears twitched, and its pale golden eyes lifted to give Leylo a look. There wasn't much complexity in that gaze—it was mostly a sense of bewilderment mixed with a hint of mild annoyance at being interrupted during a meal.
Moonlight quickly lowered its head again, continuing its struggle with the delicious roast as if the brief pause had been a mere illusion. Leylo chuckled, leaving the creature to its feast. He leaned against the tent, gazing up at the deep night sky and the scattered diamonds of the stars.
With the contract sealed, this seemingly barren mining region no longer felt so tedious. A powerful companion—even if it was currently just a hatchling that did nothing but eat and sleep—was enough to change everything.
He could feel that as the contract stabilized, the mental link between him and Moonlight was strengthening slowly but steadily. Though complex communication was still beyond them, he could clearly sense basic emotions—such as Moonlight's current state of contentment and security.
The night grew profound, and the bonfire flickered. Leylo wrapped himself in a blanket and drifted into sleep beside the fire. This time, the white-furred lynx didn't slip away after its meal as it usually did; instead, it let out a yawn and curled up right beside him.
The next day, Leylo woke to the first faint glimmer of dawn.
Leylo wrapped himself in a blanket and drifted into sleep beside the fire. This time, the white-furred lynx didn't slip away after its meal as it usually did; instead, it let out a yawn and curled up right beside him.
The next day, Leylo woke to the first faint glimmer of dawn.
[Today's Intelligence has been refreshed.]
[1: Deep within the third branch of the Black Rock Mine, there are faint signs of Earth Element accumulation, indicating a potentially undiscovered ore node.]
[2: A minor skirmish occurred last night within the Magic Wolf pack entrenched at the Eastern Rocky Slope. The old Alpha was exiled, and a new Alpha has ascended. The new Alpha has awakened a mutated Wind Attribute, breaking through its bloodline shackles to become a Rank 2 magical beast.]
[3: A thunderstorm is imminent; please take lightning protection measures. This world-shaking storm will cover the entire northern mountain range and last for approximately two hours.]
[4: In Blackstone Town's commercial street, there is a general store named "Thorn's Whisper." A worn brass ring has sat unsold there for a long time. This ring is actually a magical artifact, currently inert due to a missing mana stone. Once replaced, its functions will be restored. Sealed within the ring is the Rank 2 spell "Heart of the Wild," which increases the user's Strength, Agility, and Stamina by approximately 20% for 1 minute.]
[5: The Silver Dragon "Moonlight" is in its infancy. Feeding it higher-energy magical beast meat can accelerate its growth and help it enter the growth phase more quickly.]
[6: In a low thicket thirty kilometers east of Blackwood Town, a large patch of Blood-Clotting Grass has matured. This is a common ingredient for Rank 1 potions, and alchemy shops purchase it in bulk at stable prices.]
[7: Five kilometers from the camp, suspected activity of a "Great Ground Sloth" has been detected. The Great Ground Sloth is a Rank 3 magical beast; though slow-moving and lethargic, it possesses colossal strength.]
[8: The Nine-Headed Hydra, Hydra, is approaching a rank breakthrough and has fallen into a long slumber to accumulate power. In the absence of its restraint, its vast legions of minions have begun surging out of the marshes, encroaching upon the human kingdoms. This morning, a vanguard of these serpent minions will appear within the borders of Blackstone Manor. If this incursion is not halted, your territory will know no peace.]
...
[10: Following the contract with the Silver Dragon, Moonlight, your physical constitution has been bolstered, and your magical talent has seen significant improvement due to its mutated attributes. With this comprehensive enhancement of your talents, you are on the verge of breaking through to become an official Knight. Perhaps the path of a Magic Knight is the destiny that best suits you.]