After finishing my Mana Blade practice, I bid farewell to Crest and Paul. Crest was upbeat in his farewell. Paul was shy. I hope we can grow closer through our training together. I decided to speak with Anna while traveling to my lunch.

  " Anna, you seemed very worried about my sword training. Was there something I was doing to upset you?"

  " Master..."

  Anna looked conflicted. Trying to see what she truly was thinking, I stopped and turned to her and spoke to her.

  " Anna, I don't know how typical Master Servant relationships work on Gaia... But I want you to always be honest with me. If you hold back, I'll feel bad. If you can't do it all the time, at least do it in private. I value your opinion. Would it be easier for you if I ordered you to?"

  Anna's eyes were darting back and forth before settling back onto me. She spoke in an apprehensive tone, but she answered none the less.

  " Master I.... I just think that you're putting immense strain on yourself at the moment. Your Mana is barely contained, and you are already doing intense physical activity. I fear for your health."

  " I understand... I as well find that I'm spreading myself thin... But something drives me to do it, Anna. I understand that what I'm doing may seem very extreme to others, but I have no other choice but to push through."

  "Are you referring to defeating Promethia's new Hero?"

  " Yes, that man has said such horrible things to me, but I held back for 4 years from truly speaking my mind. That anger has slowly changed to near hatred. Before I was brought here, my anger reached a boiling point. In my world, there are harsh laws attributed to being the first to strike another in a fight, so to advert that, I started speaking my mind in an effort to goad him into attacking me. So, I could let loose for the first time. But due to an interruption, the fight was stopped before it began. Then while I was speaking to someone, Warrick brought me here."

  " So, you view this as a chance to exact vengeance?"

  Anna's eyes flashed with understanding; she wasn't too far off the mark. Sure, I want to fight Luke, but I have no reason to kill him. I just want to really hurt him. That may be a bit psychopathic, but he has it coming. however, there was another reason why I wanted to become strong. As I was mulling it over in my mind, I remembered to answer Anna.

  " Yes, in a nutshell. All this training I'm doing is to fight the hero... But also, I'm training because I'll be sticking around here. I feel I need to be able to protect the people I care about to the best of my ability. That includes you as well by the way."

  " But I'm simply a maid, Master!"

  " No, you're not, you are Anna! The Exclusive Maid of John the Paladin! No... Wait, I guess it would be Matthew the Paladin, wouldn't it? Either way, you are someone worthy of protection in my eyes. Granted you are most likely better than me currently. But in 3 months' time I want to see how far I can go."

  " Master!..."

  Anna's Green eyes teared up a little but then she looked at me warmly. I smiled and said we can continue to walk after she calmed down. We arrived at a balcony with a few tables with umbrellas above them for shade. At one of these tables, I saw the long white hair of my date. Anna and I walked over to her and I greeted Sarah.

  " Sarah, good afternoon! How are you!"

  Sarah turned to me, covered in dust and bruises, and looked at me and Anna, who was behind me, and her eyes went sharp for a moment. After looking for a moment she turned back to me and smiled as she spoke.

  " Good afternoon, John! I'm tired and sore. But I suppose that's normal after not moving my body for so long!"

  After she answered, her eyes looked at me a little sharper than before. then she began to speak.

  " Tell me John, what have you been doing today?"

  Feeling a weird chill, I started to explain my day. After finishing the explanation Sarah mumbled to herself.

  " Hmm. It seems I'll need to drag it out of her instead."

  I couldn't hear her. But before I could ask her to repeat herself, Sarah spoke to me.

  " John, please, sit down so the food may come and we can eat!"

  " Oh! sorry about that! As I went to sit down, Anna and Sarah seemed to have said something to each other. While sitting I noticed Sarah, staring at me with a strange look in her eyes. I asked what was wrong. She responded to me.

  " Nothing John, I just realized how lucky I am that we were Betrothed yesterday."

  She said that with a feeling of relief coming from her voice. After that, she continued speaking, even though she could that I was a bit confused by her words... And a little embarrassed.

  " After all, I wouldn't be able to sit and dine with you, if not for our Engagement. Which also gives me more opportunities to make you fall for me faster."

  Perhaps wanting to see me more embarrassed, she piled on. So, I looked away for a brief moment as she smiled at me. Lost in my thoughts of calming down, I noticed the cityscape in my view. I began to wonder about BlackStone City.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  " Say... Sarah, will it be possible for me to visit the city one day during these 3 months?"

  Sarah, surprised at my question, answered in a shaky tone.

  " Uhm.. Well... Actually I was going to ask if you'd like to spend the day with me in the city. Seeing the city with you seemed like great fun to me after all! My Parent's plan to let us have rest days in the future."

  " Oh, I see. that would be great Sarah. I'd love to go with you."

  As I smiled at her with my agreement, she smiled back at me. Anna seemed to have a complicated expression, but she left to have lunch. Sarah and I started to chat about our plan to see the city. Lunch came and it was good. A fillet of fish with purple vegetables and orange colored pasta. I thought this must truly be food for Royals. The taste was strong but refreshing to me after the hours of hard work I put in during the morning today. Before long, Anna had returned and I tried to bid farewell to Sarah, but she informed me that she would be watching my meditation along with Anna.

  After moving to a field deeper in the castle's grounds I began to sit down, and I began to remember the information from the summoner's textbook I read this morning. To reach out to a Spirit I had to release my mana in a way similar to a lighthouse back in my world. I had to send it into the air and spin it in a circular motion filled with " the intent to befriend!" as it said in the book.

  After confirming that everything was fine with Sarah and Anna, who were sitting on chairs close to me, I began to close my eyes. Once I sent the Mana up, I began to fall deeper into a meditation. 20 minutes later, I felt something, the feeling of eyes staring back at me in a dark place. I stopped the spinning of my Mana and tried to direct the light of the lighthouse onto the eyes.

  / Woosh!/

  And like that, I felt a surge of mana in front of me. As I opened my eyes. I was in a forest. In front of me I saw a tiny woman about the size of an action figure, her skin was dark brown, like chocolate. Her long hair and eyes were dark indigo. I felt like crying. Finally! Finally! Something works on the first try for me today. I decided to introduce myself to the tiny woman in my excitement.

  " Hello I'm John Ericsson. I'm the Summoner who called out to you. I'm glad you answered me."

  " Huh... Ah..."

  After my introduction, the tiny woman looked at me with squinted eyes... And tears started to form in those big round eyes of hers. Surprised by this I started trying to find out what's wrong. After some coaxing she began to speak.

  " It's just that someone as insignificant as I, was called! I'm so glad!"

  " Well, I'm happy to have called you! Like I said before, my name is John! It's nice to meet you!"

  " Ah! My apologies! My name is Paula Darkwing! I am a Dark Pixie!"

  "Nice to meet you, Paula! I've never heard of a Dark Pixie before!"

  " My apologies!"

  " Huh? Why are you apologizing?"

  " Well on the rare occasions, when I'm Summoned, people are angry at the fact that I'm a Dark Pixie."

  I sharpen my eyes and she can tell that I am angry.

  " I'm sorr-"

  " No Paula, I'm not angry at you. I'm angry at the people who were angry at you! For what they did! Why were they angry at you? Just because you're a Dark Pixie! That's so aggravating!"

  She begins to apologize but I corrected her. Tears began to flow from Paula's eyes. I ask if she's ok and if I upset her. She answers.

  " No John! Not at all I'm just so happy! You're so unlike the Summoners from before... To answer your question, they were angry because of the Dark Pixie's Ability, which is useless,"

  " Well, what is your Ability?"

  Paula looks at me after my question. With a hint of resignation in her eyes, she speaks.

  " My Ability is Warping!"

  She shouts at me. I proceed to ask her a few questions about her power. It seems that she is able to warp anywhere she has been before and can act Independent of her Summoner to a degree. The size of the warp is correspondent to the Ability of the Summoner or in other words, the amount and quality of Mana the Summoner gives her. After confirming the answers with her one more time. I begin to speak, it's quite clear she was expecting rejection from me.

  " Paula Darkwing, Will you become my Friend and form a Contract with me?"

  She was absolutely shocked at my question. she spoke in a shaky voice.

  " But why? I'm so useless..."

  I place my finger on her head and rub her soft hair to comfort her. I then answer her question in as comforting a voice as I can manage.

  " Maybe to those losers... But you see, I think you have a great Ability! And I really want to form a Contract with you. But if you don't want to form a Contract with m....."

  " NO! I DO!"

  Before I could even finish my sentence, Paula shouts at me with tears streaming down her face, but a determined look in her eyes.

  " Make a Contract with me! Please, John! do me the Honor! I'll make use of my Ability for you, who sees value in it while, I, it's wielder can't!"

  After giving her a moment to calm her tears, I began to speak.

  " Thank you, Paula. But now that we are at this point, how do I form a Contract?"

  Paula smiled at me. I guess she was glad that I was speaking to her and trying to form the Contract. She spoke in a gentle voice full of trust.

  " It's simple. We place some of our Mana in each other's bodies and use it to stamp each other in our Mana Centers. I'll go first to show you, John."

  * Tickle... Cool...*

  Paula touched my finger, and I felt her Mana begin to run through my arm and into my chest, where the opening of my Mana Center was. A cooling sensation started to occur and then I felt Paula's Mana stick to a part of my Mana Center. After that, I did the same to her as gently as I could.

  " Wow... John, your Mana is so warm and comfy, It feels like I'm wrapped in a blanket!"

  Paula said that as I slowly threaded my Mana through her tiny body. After sticking the Mana to her Mana Center, I felt a Connection form between us. Paula extended her hand to me and spoke.

  " I look forward to working with you, John! Let's get along, Partner!"

  I smiled at her and replied, while extending my index finger.

  " Likewise, Paula! I'll be in your care from now on."

  We shook hand and finger and Paula dissipated. I then closed my eyes and opened them, and I was back in the field with Sarah and Anna. For some reason, they were shaking hands like they came to an agreement. I told them I was back, and I made a contract with a Spirit. They were excited and so was I. They asked me to Summon my new Spirit. Using that established connection I felt, I tried to contact Paula through it, and it worked! I asked if it was ok to introduce her to Sarah and Anna and she agreed! So, I used the Summon Spell to bring her to us. The Summon Spell used to make no sense to me, as I recalled, the textbox said.

  ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Summon

  Using the innate connection to Spiritkin, the Summoner can call them to their side using an appropriate amount of Mana!

  ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  But now I get it. The connection that forms from the contract is like a walkie talkie you can send Mana and thoughts through. It allows me to speak to Paula without much trouble and I just channel the amount of Mana needed to Summon Paula though the Connection!

  / Woosh!/

  After Paula's introduction All 3 huddled together and started chatting amongst themselves. As the only man in this group, I decided it was best to go back to mediating to see if I could find another Spirit but no luck. So, as they finished talking, I let Paula head back to her home, I guess? And I proceeded to go with a seemingly Satisfied Sarah and Anna to meet Warrick at the practice field.