Chapter 564 ·Law of Contract

Of ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍course, apart from those familiar old friends of Janna’s, her “admirers” also included classmates from the same academy, opera fans, and even passersby who had once caught a glimpse of her beauty—

in ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the end, Janna could no longer even match faces to names.

“Indeed, ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the quality of this 【Thread of Obsession】 is exceptionally high. Even its consumption of Spirit Power exceeds the combined amount of all the other 【Threads of Desire】.”

Watching ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍as the 【Eye of Spirit】 grew faint and hazy from peering into the memories sealed within the 【Thread of Obsession】, Janna—who was exploring the memories of a 【Thread of Desire】 for the first time—quietly began to note every detail in her heart.

“Buzz—”

As ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the 【Eye of Spirit】 began to probe the memories inside the 【Thread of Obsession】, a beam of light mixed with red, blue, and black suddenly flashed across the 【Starlight Lamp】.

“It seems that Madam Tifa’s memory is a rather complex one.”

Red represented passion and anger; blue stood for trust and sorrow; black embodied power and fear—

Although Janna’s grasp of the 【Authority of Emotion】 had yet to reach true mastery, by analyzing the colors of emotion, she could roughly infer the contents within.

“I hope I can gain some new knowledge from Madam Tifa’s memories—”

Aside from bits of gossip, she had gained no useful information from the other 【Threads of Desire】. Thus, holding onto a final trace of hope, Janna began carefully delving into Tifa’s memory.

“Hm? This is—”

When Janna’s spiritual perspective officially entered Tifa’s memories through the 【Eye of Spirit】, the rapidly flashing scenes before her eyes made her widen them in disbelief.

“This… is Madam Tifa’s memory before she was cursed—and it’s even in third-person view.”

In the memory, a young witch appeared. At once, Janna determined that this must have been before Madam Tifa was cursed into her white cat form.

“At that time, Madam Tifa should have still been just a Wizard Apprentice—”

Her pale blue eyes were as clear as sapphires; long golden curls tied into two intricate braids with pink ribbons; a robe of pink and white tones, and a wand encrusted with pink diamonds—

judging from her appearance, the Tifa in the memory seemed to be about the same age as Janna now.

At the same time, the environment around Tifa—identical in layout to Janna’s current dormitory—led Janna to conclude that this memory must have originated from Tifa’s days studying at the White Tower as a Wizard Apprentice.

“Great Lord of the Spirit Realm, You are the Ruler of the Vast Astral Realm, the Overseer of all beings across countless dimensions. Please hear my will and descend Your boundless power—”

Hearing the familiar chant on Tifa’s lips and seeing the ritual array before her—composed of sea beast hide, spiritual candles, a round mirror, and other materials—Janna, herself a summoning-type apprentice, quickly guessed that Tifa was performing a 【Contract Summoning】 ritual.

“Wait—this doesn’t seem like a 【Contract Summoning】 ritual.”

Although the beginning steps looked similar, as Tifa continued to recite newer, unfamiliar incantations, Janna overturned her own assumption.

“You who gaze upon the intersection of all planes,

Your True Name is engraved in the singularity of dimensional exploration.

With the flame of the 【True Name】 as my torch, I beseech You to grant me passage into that realm where void and reality intertwine.

In the tides of the Spirit Realm, let my mark be sown,

that I may guide the lost travelers of the Spirit Realm home—”

The chant concluded, and light burst forth.

A brilliant radiance shot from the round mirror. A tidal whirlwind centered around Tifa arose, followed by countless silver specks wriggling like tadpoles before her. When those motes of light finally stilled, they coalesced into shimmering silver words suspended in the air, and only then did the whirlwind subside.

“This is… a contract? And it’s directed toward the 【Lord of the Spirit Realm】!?”

Janna’s eyes widened in disbelief at the contract written entirely in the language of Mykethan.

Yet when she tried to examine the content carefully, the text behaved as if enchanted by a 【Forgetfulness Spell】—

no matter how long she stared, she could not remember a single word.

“Great and benevolent Ruler of the Astral Realm, Your most faithful believer offers You her deepest gratitude—”

At the instant the contract appeared, Tifa—who had initiated the ritual—barely glanced at it before channeling her Magic Power to sign her True Name upon it.

The moment she did, the words dissolved into countless light particles and returned to the round mirror.

“Hooray! I finally have an official identity in the 【Spirit Realm】!”

“An official identity in the 【Spirit Realm】?”

Hearing Tifa’s exclamation, Janna, who had never heard of such a thing, focused all her attention, not daring to miss a single word.

“With this identity, I can now establish an anchor point in the 【Spirit Realm】—thus earning the qualification to comprehend the 【Law of Contract】!”

Upon hearing that, Janna’s breath quickened.

“So, what she meant by ‘obtaining an identity in the 【Spirit Realm】’… was actually to comprehend the 【Law of Contract】—”

The scene shifted abruptly. Before Janna could react, Tifa’s memory leapt from the dormitory to a mysterious starry expanse.

“This place is… the 【Spirit Realm】?”

Although Janna had entered the 【Spirit Realm】 numerous times in her Spiritual Body form, she had always treated it merely as a transit hub to other planes and had never stayed long.

As a plane adjacent to the 【Material World】, few beings from the latter ever truly ventured into the former.

Not only did conflicts exist between the two realms’ laws, but the 【Spirit Realm】 itself was perilous—

unlike the relative stability of the 【Material World】, it was frequently wracked by energy storms and soul-corrupting toxins.

Thus, even Janna, with her natural gift of “Spirit Traverse,” dared not linger long in the 【Spirit Realm】. Her understanding of its true landscape remained limited.

“If I judge purely from Madam Tifa’s memory… the 【Spirit Realm】 resembles a cosmic starfield. Each star within seems not distant like ordinary ones but rather like a glass sphere reflecting countless plane projections—magnificent and dreamlike—”

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