Confronting Sion

Parararak!
Petals and leaves mixed to create a small mirror.
Inside, a replay of the lower world’s events was playing.

• Before, when my brother’s contract was terminated, I lived in his shadow. I promised myself that I would definitely get out of that shadow when I grew up.

• I don’t like someone else controlling my life.

• But I want power. If I can become an Awakener and make a contract, that would be better than anything. I want to plant my own tree. That was my dream, and now I have a chance to achieve it.

‘Hmm…’
I didn’t know because it all happened after I fell asleep.
Her face, gaunt and dry from a long sleep, was far from beautiful, but I felt a certain strength in Cheon Seona, who confidently spoke of her dreams.
That, too, was a kind of beauty.
“How about it?”

[…Let me think.]
“If Cheon Seona becomes a healer, my Emily said she would personally become her teacher and teach her.”
The Blooming Spring Flower winked.
A flower bloomed in the air and then disappeared.
“This is a really rare opportunity. Emily didn’t seem to have any plans to go to the US for a while.”

[She’ll stay in Korea and teach?]
“A long-term schedule would be impossible because of her obligations in the US, but if a short-term intensive course is okay.”
It was a good deal.
It meant that the world’s best healer would be staying at the Nate Guild for a while.
And since she would be taking on a disciple, the guild’s recognition would also be well-managed.
And…
Through the flower mirror, which had somehow started to broadcast the situation in the lower world live, Cheon Seona’s voice could be heard.

• I like the idea of becoming a healer.

• The unique awakening skill is random, isn’t it? What if you don’t become a healer?

• I can’t help it. But I like healers. You can save people whose lives are on the verge of collapsing or being cut short in an instant.

She wants to do it herself.
‘If I refuse for no reason and a low-quality crow, no, another Constellation snatches her, it’ll be a bit annoying.’
I nodded.
“Have you decided?”

[I’ll make a contract.]
“A wise decision!”
Yay! I took care of Emily’s request!
Saying that, The Blooming Spring Flower bounced around.
She looked really happy.
“Ahem, I have a good eye for people. Cheon Seona is a really pure and kind child.”

[I know. I read her soul with my Sun’s Eye.]
“You even have the Sun’s Eye? Wow…”
After sending a look of envy for a moment, The Blooming Spring Flower spoke as if she had made up her mind.
“Calamity-nim, I have something to tell you.”

[What is it? I have to wake up soon.]
This conversation with The Blooming Spring Flower was not helping me rest at all.
If anything, it felt like I was working overtime.
So I had to escape this pleasant nebula quickly and fall into a complete sleep.
Only then could I return quickly.
The Blooming Spring Flower pointed to Han Sion, who was standing still in a corner of the mirror.
“That white-haired man, was his name Han Sion?”

[My first contractor. Why?]
“I get an uneasy feeling from that contractor.”
My head snapped towards The Blooming Spring Flower.
I quickly scrawled words in the air.

[What do you mean by that?]
Are you saying my first contractor, Sion, has a bad character?
What kind of outrageous statement is that?
Where else can you find a child as kind as our Sion?
I glared at The Blooming Spring Flower with my eyes full of power.
Even so, my face wouldn’t be visible because of the veil, but The Blooming Spring Flower was unusually good at sensing my mood.
As expected, the flinching The Blooming Spring Flower said with a sob.
“I-it’s just a feeling. Should I say it’s a bit sticky? I get that kind of feeling… It’s not like he has a bad character or is planning a betrayal! It’s just… a feeling that’s hard to explain in words! I thought it would be good for you to know! Yes!”
The Blooming Spring Flower bowed at a right angle.
“I was rude!”

[…]
I thought carefully.
Certainly, Sion’s behavior has been a bit strange lately.
Sending meaningful glances, being dazed, or praying for a short time even when it was time for prayer.
‘But it didn’t feel like his faith had diminished…’
Hmm, in that sense, The Blooming Spring Flower’s advice was worth listening to.
I nodded.

[I’ll keep it in mind.]
“Yes!”

[Is there anything else?]
“Yes! Ah! After you ascend, will you come visit my nebula sometimes… hehe. My nebula feels nice, doesn’t it?”
Hmm, I got a whiff of a career-minded person trying to expand their network from The Blooming Spring Flower, but I pretended not to notice and nodded.
Because it’s not a bad thing for me to know many kind Constellations.
‘Until now, my only connection in the starry sky was the Administrator.’
If it was a cute child like The Blooming Spring Flower, I would welcome it.
I saved the coordinates of this nebula and sent a message to Cheon Seona.

[The Constellation, the Silent Calamity, proposes a contract.]
[Will you make a contract?]

When I woke up, two days had passed.
“Pi?”
I opened my eyes in my cute room inside the guild.
There was no one around.
My contractors usually stay by my side, so it was a little disappointing to find no one when I woke up.
‘Well, it can’t always be like that.’
I’m not sad.
Really.
I flew out of the room.
Because I could feel a presence outside.
The room next to this one was the guild leader’s room, so Sion should be there.
“Pi… pikku?”
I was about to cheerfully tell Sion that I was up, but I paused at the sight that greeted me as soon as I opened the outer door.
Even though it was daytime… isn’t it a bit much to be looking at documents in a dim room with all the lights off?
Flip, flip…
The sound of paper turning echoed.
It was a static space with no other noise, so the only sound was heard even better.
I became tense.
‘Why… does it feel like something’s about to happen?’
Is Sion angry?
Why is my gut telling me to just run away?
As I was hesitating, Sion, who had slowly put down the documents, looked at me.
“Pion-nim, I’m glad you woke up safely.”
A hint of madness flashed in the faint smile on his handsome face.
No… is it not madness?

“I-it’s just a feeling. Should I say it’s a bit sticky? I get that kind of feeling….”
I remembered The Blooming Spring Flower’s words.
At that time, I really had no thoughts, but seeing it like this, I felt a sense of crisis.
A gut feeling… that our kind first contractor had gone down a crooked path.
“What’s wrong?”
Now that I look at him, he’s using polite language with me!
My mind raced.
‘At the very least… he must have known that I’m not an ordinary jellyfish.’
Given what I’ve done in my jellyfish form, it’s a luxury to expect him to still treat me as an ordinary monster.
‘But he probably doesn’t think I’m the Constellation herself.’
The only thing left is an incarnation.
Sion thinks this body is an incarnation, and that’s why he’s being so polite.
I sighed deeply and flew to Sion’s side.
I didn’t forget to wave my tentacles to tell him to be comfortable.

“Pipi.”
“How can I be comfortable, when you are…”
“Pipipipipi.”
“I can’t. Vice-Guild Leader Baek Jiye will also be polite from now on.”
“Piaaaaaaaaak!”
I don’t want that!
Be comfortable!
When I pulled Sion’s hair, he didn’t even pretend it hurt and said.
“Aren’t you going to show me your human form?”
It was a very nonchalant bombshell.
I froze.
And quickly checked my body’s condition.
Because I had overexerted myself in my jellyfish form, my main body’s recovery speed had slowed down a bit, but, hmm…
Honestly, at this point, it was a level where I could be human for a short while without any problem.
“Pipi…”
“How did you know? The incarnation is truly careless.”
“Pi?”
“I’ve known since the Awakener auction house.”
That was a long time ago!
I had resolved to show my human form to gain Sion’s trust, but I didn’t know my first contractor had noticed so quickly.
Didn’t he notice almost as soon as he saw my human form?
‘He’s been acting so nonchalant all this time.’
No, was he nonchalant?
He had shown many strange behaviors.
I sighed deeply.

[Warning! Original mode is unstable.]
[Only a very short time of release is possible.]
[Do you want to deactivate minimal mode?]
‘YES.’
There was a crackling sound.
It definitely feels stiffer to deactivate the minimal mode than before.
Crack, crack…
Strange sparks flew from my body.
When I glanced down at my body, it was still shining in places like a wall with peeling paint.
It had healed a lot, but it was still far from it.
First, I quickly put on my veil.
I refuse to show my panic in front of my contractor.
“As I thought…”
Sion, who had muttered, had a rather ecstatic expression.
He hadn’t expected me to show my form so easily, and at the same time, he was moved by the trust that allowed me to show it so easily.
Sion, who had stood up from his chair and approached me, reached out his arm.
Warack.
And he hugged me tightly.
“……?”
My brain stopped for a moment.