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The secret of the Beast Companion Contract wasn’t entirely confined to confidentiality because when the Emperor summoned his ministers, he hadn’t requested them to sign any confidentiality agreements.
Among the nobles, their perception was that the Emperor’s interests didn’t outweigh those of their families. When the actual terms of the Beast Companion Contract were confirmed, certain individuals began gathering high-level magical beasts and their eggs. This wasn’t an expedition or adventure team sent by the Empire; it was their own initiative.
They hadn’t forgotten to collect magical ores or sent people to explore veins. The inherent value of these minerals was already high, and delaying their collection would inevitably escalate the prices. Those with access to the mines started holding back on sales, waiting for the opportune moment to profit.
There were even those within the Gryphon Legion who managed to obtain the incantation for the Beast Companion Contract, orchestrating events that led to the return of these magical creatures.
Initially, their actions were discreet, returning with a caravan full of live magical beasts. However, secrecy was difficult to maintain once things changed. And once they did, it was impossible to conceal.
The Emperor knew his ministers’ dispositions well enough to not rely on their allegiance solely to the Empire’s benefit—it was unrealistic to expect them to ignore opportunities for their own families’ gains.
In contrast, the Duke Rogest, without expecting anything in return, confirmed the effectiveness of the Beast Companion Contract within a brief period and handed over the incantation willingly. This act was highly regarded by the Emperor, significantly impacting his perception of Duke Rogest.
Whether or not Duke Rogest possessed unique abilities wasn’t the Emperor’s concern anymore; he was more focused on the alliance between them. Over time, their relationship had been improving.
Given that the secret had leaked out, maintaining confidentiality became challenging, especially among the nobles who enjoyed flaunting their possessions. Even if elders strictly forbade them from publicizing it, these young nobles wouldn’t give up a chance to boast. The mere possession of powerful magical beasts, even if unruly, gave them the opportunity to flaunt to their circles.
Recently, within the upper echelons of Holy Lotean City, there had been actions against the Beastfighting Arena. Troops were dispatched to seize and capture magical beasts and their eggs. With the confirmed knowledge of the Beast Companion Contract, the Empire had gained substantial control over taming these creatures.
Many individuals began flattering the young nobles, trying to glean information. However, these bigmouths couldn’t control their tongues, discussing the details of the Beast Companion Contract, even the intricacies of the incantation required for signing the contract would be revealed.
Among the upper circles of Holy Lotean City, the people in the higher status had heard these rumors, yet the overall atmosphere within the city remained relatively calm.
The situation had been known to the Royal Acadamy to some extent. Even Aresia was summoned by Headmaster Albert, despite not holding an official position of power in the imperial court, he had been briefed about the situation.
The initial source of the information was traced back to the Rogest family. Now everyone above knows that it was their family who discovered the magical Beast Companion Contract recorded in magic notebook.
Those at the top had acquired a special magical tome that detailed the Beast Companion Contract, confirming its authenticity.
Aresia was summoned by the Headmaster to attempt to gather some information.
Headmaster Albert’s approach was to caution Aresia that the Royal Academy strictly prohibited the entry of magical beasts, including their eggs.
“You know that the Academy have rules right? One of the rules is that, Magical Beast and Magical Beast Eggs are forbidden within the Academy, this rules applied for both students, teaching and non-teaching faculty.”
“However, recent rumors have prompted us to consider modifying this rule. If someone brings a magical beast to the Academy, it’s proper to inform the administration first, isn’t it?”
The Headmaster didn’t press Aresia for information, especially considering that this wasn’t likely a secret anymore.
“Indeed, the beasts should be reported before bringing them to the Academy. Even though their masters train them to be obedient, if they encounter conflict or someone triggers them, they’re not easily controlled. The teachers at the Academy must be particularly mindful of this.”
Aresia’s words to Headmaster Albert hinted at the authenticity of the Beast Companion Contract without explicitly stating it.
She even added, “Actually for student, I think it would be best for the other option, starting from the hatching of the beast egg and the subsequent nurturing, the direct contracting after hatching creates a higher level of understanding and potential between the beast and the contract holder. Perhaps the Academy could consider inviting specialized beast trainers to conduct classes? I believe it could become a compulsory course for those interested.”
The more she spoke, the brighter Headmaster Albert’s eyes became. He chuckled, “Wouldn’t your father be upset if he found out about you saying this?”
Aresia shrugged nonchalantly. “Father himself has no intention of hiding this. Otherwise, the Headmaster wouldn’t come to me asking for information, right?”
Observing Aresia’s demeanor, Headmaster Albert couldn’t help but admire the trust shown by Duke Rogest towards his daughter. Although she didn’t explicitly disclose anything related to the Beast Companion Contract, she hadn’t betrayed Duke Rogest’s trust by revealing any information.
How he wished he had such a thoughtful child in his Family.
“That’s an interesting suggestion. I’ll consider it thoroughly.”
As Aresia was leaving, Headmaster Albert handed her a gift—not something valuable, but homemade cookies by his wife. Aresia tasted one and found it surprisingly delicious.
It seemed that the Headmaster seeking information from Aresia wasn’t confidential, and even Karina, although restraining herself, couldn’t avoid the discussion. The news had spread widely outside, and their teachers’ reactions were relatively normal.
When others inquired, Aresia would dismissively claim ignorance, appearing as an innocent child. But if someone persisted, she’d retort with, “Do I look like someone who owns beasts?” It usually discouraged further probing.
Contrary to what she disclosed to Karina and even to Jorgus, for whom she had a soft spot, Aresia refrained from mentioning anything related to the Beast Companion Contract. However, she did share a portion of the incantation with him.
This decision wasn’t solely about favoritism; considering Jorgus being one of her groupmates in the upcoming trials at the Academy, enhancing his skills might have its advantages. After observing him for a while, Aresia discovered that Jorgus is not cold but is actually a considerate person. So, giving him a bit of insight might help his selection process within the legions, and he most likely choose the Gryphon Legion in the future.
This portion of the incantation wasn’t exclusive to him alone. Aresia’s rationale was simple: since she intended to inform Jorgus and Karina, withholding information from the remaining team members would be unfair. Thus, it was a gift to the entire trial team, a token of knowledge for their journey.
It was the end of June, a couple of days after the monthly exams, and the six of them—Aresia, Karina, Jorgus, and the three kids had planned to go beast hunting outside the city. Their pact was to return by nightfall regardless of the outcome. So they only needed few things to prepare, ofcourse this is just on Aresia and Karina’s side.
Jorgus and the others seem to have a lot of experience in outdoor adventures. In addition, this time they have to bring two girls with them who at first glance do not have any ability to survive in the wild.
Therefore, they had made a lot of preparations for this adventure, and because they did not have space tools, they had to carry everything on their own. Jorgus is better since he has his own mount to help carry things.
The four was dressed in professional attire, clad in magical beast-hide armor, and brandishing well-maintained weaponry that gleamed under the sun.
Gathering at the boundary between the two dormitories, seeing that no one is around Aresia handed out copies of the incantation transcribed on beast skin parchment.
“This is the incantation for the Beast Companion Contract. I’ve provided a transliteration, making it easier to memorize.”
Jorgus was visibly surprised when handed the incantation. Despite not being a local or a noble in Holy Lotean City, his connections weren’t that extensive. Being appointed as the leader of Aresia’s planned trial team within the Academy, no one else would want to inquire about information other than him. He was out of the loop on what was going on internally. Although he overheard bits, he genuinely didn’t know the details. He contemplated confirming with Aresia but felt it wasn’t appropriate.