Chapter 1 part 4 A rise of Suspission
'Is there something, on your mind sir?' she asks.
'well, this is probably, a bad time to ask but. Well I was just wondering if there would be any way to form some kind of bond or something, with me?' he asks.
'Do you mean... that you wish to form a contract with me sir?'
'yes that's the one' he says as the clouds part revealing the crescent moon in the sky above him that Millie lifts her eyes too as it greets her eyes with its soft glow.
Her gaze slowly descend and lock eyes with Asta clear emerald eyes.
'so what do you say?' he asks with a warm smile as he takes out his hand to her.
She takes a step back looking at his hand and half the life in her eyes disappears, which no one catches and she smiles gently and looks at his face again.
(what is this moron thinking) Nero ponders to herself looking at the interaction between them.
'that is alright with me sir' Millie says and touches her bell and two books appear in front of Asta. Who take back his hand and looks at them 'what are these?' he asks.
'the book on the left is about my abilities and the book on the right is the contract' she says and opens them both with her white tinted mana.
Both books are crimson red with soft white feather patterns running along their edges.
In the middle of the book about her abilities is a bell identical to the one around her neck.
And the book with her contract has a feather pen in the middle. She opens both books with her magic.
'to make the contract simply place your hand into the square with you magic' she tells him.
He looks at her 'well I don't have any so' he utters.
'my apologies, I forgot. It will not be a problem though as we can use a really old way' she says bringing the book to her and flips through the pages and changes a few words here and there.
'just prickle some of your blood on your fingers and make a hand print in blood within the square and, write your name in blood on the line next to it' she explains howering the book over to him.
'right' he says and brings out his grimoar while he looks at the page 'Asta are you sure about this?' Liebe asks. 'yepp' he replies and takes out his anti magic sword and does as instructed.
'there' he says and, as he takes his hand off the page, the book glows in its red and white tinted color. 'huh ' he lets out as he notice Millies Ki drop and his hand goes up a little 'Woaw, the blade feels way lighter now' he says giving it a swing and getting a feel of it.
Millie turns her head, to the book of contract as it floats up to her and she sees 4 extra pages appear and, fills up with writing, (this is odd) she thinks to herself.
Asta looks at his hand as a red chain appears around his wrist that leads to the bell around her neck before it becomes invisible.
'woaw what was that? A trick?' he asks. 'the contract is complete'.
'oh, Aww man the sword feels Way lighter now' he gives it another swing 'why is that?' he asks.
'it is the effect of the contract, it gives you a boost in everything and, within a month the change will be permanent, and it seems since you have zero magic it gave that boost to your physical strength instead of your mana' she tells him.
'oh cool. why did you Ki drop and why does it takes a month for it to be permanent' he asks. 'Ki, I see, well I can answer both, one month is the time it takes for my soul to recuperate after giving half of my soul to you' she says.
'wait what!... your soul!' he exclaims.
'yes, it is explained in the contract, sir' she replies softly. 'I eh' he says. 'it is alright, people rarely reads it' she tells him softly. 'wait seriously' he says and looks at her as she transforms into a cat.
'woah, wait you never said you could turn into a cat' he says.
'I am confused? I thought you knew, since you knew about my bell' she tells him.
They look at each other for a moment while the wind blows through her jet black fur.
'right about that, I eh, I actually, didn't know, it was Nero here who told me' he says and points at the bird on his head.
'greetings' she says. 'hello miss' Millie replies.
Asta looks at her... 'wait !you have two tails!' he exclaims loudly, 'yes' she replies softly.
'so you're a Nekomata' Nero tells her.
'A whata?'
'it is, the type of spirits animal, whos, tail split, after a certain age' Nero explains.
'oooh that, is so cool, wait... how old are you, exactly?' he asks. 'I am 218 years of age sir' she replies.
'That Old! But ... you look, like, you are about my Age' he says, with his jaw on the floor. 'thank you sir' she replies with a warm smile. Asta closes his mouth and, offer a friendly smile.
Millies gaze turns to the stone bridge in front of the village and her mind wonders.
'well now that we are done, let us head back to the hideout' he says exited 'are you coming' he asks and, with his thumb he points at his shoulder.
'ofcorse Master sir' she says and jumps up and, Asta jumps on top of demon slayer and they fly off towards the hideout.
The sound of his, robe flickering in the wind as they fly through the sky.
Millie looks at the crescent moon as it shines between the clouds. (it happened on this day... near that place and, on a crescent moon too) she thinks to herself as she breathes in the newly washed and, clear wind.
Returning to the hideout, Asta looks at the dark black bulls building. 'huh it seems everyone went to bed already' he says landing by the entrance and Millie jumps off his shoulder.
'well it is really late' Nero says and lands next to him and transform to her human form.
Her black hair looks good in the moonlight as it hangs just above her shoulders and, her red eyes looks at the door and Millie notice the pair of horns on her head.
'is it really that late already' he says and opens the door and Nero walks in and Asta turns his head 'Millie where are you going' he asks.
'looking for a place to sleep master' Millie replies softly 'there is no need you can sleep inside' he tells her, and she looks at him confused...
'what is it?' he asks. 'I am just confused, sir' she tells him. 'how come' he asks. 'well I usually never sleep inside where my master lives' she explains. 'what really?' he asks and she nods.
'well here you can sleep indoors' he tells her. She hesitates, as he leaves the door open for her to enter.
(is this a trick?) she wonders to herself and swallows her hint of nervousness and walks through the door.
It is dark and, she can barely make out the red couch and, a wooden table and the room is made out of bricks. She notice the bar in the corner and a few bar stools and chairs placed around.
'come, I can show you where you can sleep for tonight if you don't mind staying in that form' he tells her and walks futher into the hideout.
'ofcorse sir' she replies softly. Later he opens the door to his bedroom and she walks in.
it is a simple linear room with a desk and a bed, and a small bookcase. Millie walks and jumps to the windowsill just above the bed.
She looks next to her and sees a birds nest. (did Nero used to sleep here) she wonders to herself and, looks out the window.
'I will ask Yami to assign you a room in the morning' he tells her and changes and gets into bed.
She loafs and looks at the sky outside. 'good night' he says and Millie looks at him tucked into bed. 'good night sir' she replies and lays down.
(I haven't had a Master accepting me to stay indoors since) she thinks to herself and the grave she visited. (Meir...).
She sleeps for awhile and, she is startled awake and she yawns getting up and looks at the sky.
An hour has passed. She takes a deep breath and she opens the window and walks on the roof.
She touches her bell and her book of contract comes out and she reads through the new pages that appeared earlier.
The equal contract with a devil and its affect into a familiars contract (so, technically, I have two, masters now?). She thinks to herself and puts the book away turning her gaze to the moon.
'if this is some sort of cosmic joke I do fail to see the humor' she tells the moon which is silently looking back at her between the clouds in the sky.
She brings forth her energy and the clock around her wrist has dissipated. (at least I still get to live) she thinks to herself as she feels a cold presence coming up from behind her.
She looks to her side 'good evening sir' she greets and watches as Liebe forms into his full size next to her. 'Someone is up late' he says looking to her.
'I Rearly sleep much sir' she replies looking at his white face with two black lines going from each side of his neck and up across his chicks and they go over his eyes and stops above his eyes. He has one black line going from under his chin and down to his otherwise black coated body.
He has two ram like horns sticking to the front of his head just above his hairline. His hair is white, short and messy.
She looks into his blood red eyes as his gaze is piercing hers ready to snatch any sign of deception or trickery.
'sir, is there anything on your mind' she asks softly.
'there is a few things, on my mind' he tells her, 'anything I can assist with' she asks.
'I find it strange how you aren't concerned about Astas right arm or about me' he tells her.
She turn her gaze to the sky as the clouds are forming. 'if you are referring to Astas black right arm then no I do not have any thoughts on it... it honestly makes little difference to me, as you are not the first devil I have encountered' she explains before looking at him again .
Liebe thinks it over. 'what do you mean by that' he asks her.
'believe it or not, Asta is not the first Master I have had with a devil on his shoulder ' she explains.
'oh? how was that like' he asks in a dark tone. Millie is silent for moment. 'that is a long story' she says softy looking at his face as he narrows his eyes, unsatisfied with the answer.
'in short it was messy, but so was the Master at the time' she explains.
Liebe notice the tooth that is split in two and is stuck on each side of her bell. (she is being really vague, what is she hiding?) he thinks to himself.
'why are you back, on this continent after such a long time' he asks her.
'I doubt it was just to deliver flowers' he tells her.
'that is a good question sir. If your reason for coming out here is to tell me that you do not trust me then that is alright and, your concern has been noted' she says softly locking eyes with his again.
... they both remain silent for a moment...
'Understood. I will stay out of your way' she says and jumps off the roof and brings out her black wings and glides over to the nearest three and lays down. On a branch.
Liebe goes inside and sits on the windowsill keeping an eye on her.
Some time later, it starts to pour down hard and it does not take long before lightning and thunder claims the night.
(she actually intent to stay out during this, and why isn't she using her magic? Or is it hard while sleeping?) he wonder to himself watching her on the branch. (I am Not Trusting her for a moment) he thinks to himself.