It was fortunate that Emilia was unharmed. Physically, she was fine, just shaken by the sudden turn of events.
But then, another issue arose: Emilia's summon—the noctifelis.
The small cat now crouched in the middle of the circle, trembling. Its eyes were wide, frozen with fear, as if it couldn't grasp what was happening. Its body shook like a leaf in the wind, its tail tucked between its legs.
"Father… I'm sorry…" Emilia murmured, biting her lower lip. Her fingers curled tightly into her palms, nails digging into skin as she fidgeted.
The creature she had summoned wasn't just a common-rank beast—it was the weakest possible kind. To Emilia, this could mean only one thing: failure. A disgrace. A stain upon the proud name of the Silvervein clan.
If this gets out, she and her family will be ridiculed.
The daughter of the clan head... and this was the best she could summon?
A deep guilt pressed down on her chest. Her hands trembled. She didn't know what to say, or what she should do.
But then, Draco stepped forward. Silently, he placed a firm, reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, Emilia," he said gently. "Just leave it to me, okay? I'll take care of it."
"Y-yes, Father…" she whispered.
Lady Ariana approached, placing an arm gently around her.
"Come with me, Emilia. Let your father handle this."
With a comforting presence, she guided the girl away from the circle. Emilia followed, silent, joining her two brothers as they stood to the side, leaving the cat behind with her father.
As she glanced back, her thoughts churned.
What is he going to do...?
But then she shook her head.
No...
He was her father. A powerful man. A leader. If he said he'd take care of it, then surely, there was nothing to worry about.
Maybe he's just going to appraise it… maybe bless it a little to help it grow stronger.
Yes. That seemed likely.
Even if it was a weak beast, it didn't mean it was useless. With proper training, and a master from the Silvervein clan, it could still rise to greatness. They'd simply have to work harder than others.
And everything… everything would be fine.
_________________
Draco stood at the center of the summoning circle, his eyes gazing down at the cat below like a god staring at a pesky insect.
"Brother, are you really going to..." Elmandir spoke, his hand held out as if to stop him.
But he hesitated, then let it fall.
The Silvervein clan head raised his arm outward. A portal, rimmed with flickering flames, opened before him. It was his magic: a spell used to summon equipment from his dimensional storage ring.
From that portal, he slowly pulled out a dagger.
It was pitch-black, its curved blade shaped like a beast's fang. A sinister aura clung to it, seeping into the air like a creeping miasma.
The instant Emilia saw it, her face drained of color.
"NO!" she screamed.
"Ariana, hold her!" Draco shouted.
Ariana moved without hesitation, wrapping her arms tightly around Emilia's waist to restrain her.
But the girl thrashed violently.
"NO! PLEASE! FATHER, PLEASE!!!"
Tears streamed down her face. She was crying, begging. Because she knew what that dagger was. She understood what her father was about to do.
In the world of Arventia, when a beast master summons a creature, it is considered a sacred blessing from the Goddess of Magical Beasts. To achieve such a feat, the summoner must open a 'star' within their soul.
There is a maximum of twelve stars, and that means a maximum of twelve beast companions. Whenever someone summons a beast, it occupies a star permanently, its life forever bonding with its master. If the beast dies or gets injured, its master gets injured too. If the master dies, the beast dies as well.
That was why the bond between beast masters and their companions is so sacred.
And also why… once someone summons a beast successfully, there's no turning back.
No matter the creature, the beast tamer has to accept the goddess's gift with willingness and gratitude.
If they wish to summon another, they will need to level up and reach the next rank. Only then would another star in their soul awaken, allowing a new beast to enter.
However...
Over time, people has discovered a way to circumvent that divine rule.
The Dagger of Severance.
It's an infamous relic, forged from the bones of ancient evil beasts. It could sever the bonds of fate, even those crafted by the gods themselves. With it, one could cut the sacred connection between beast master and companion.
But wielding it comes at a price.
The beast would die.
And the goddess's wrath would descend.
Those who committed such a sin would be cursed; they would be forbidden to summon any new beast for the next five years.
But even so, between having to wait five years to open another star, versus being stuck with a wretched Noctifelis as one's first beast...
The choice, for many, was obvious.
Any logical person would use the dagger without hesitation.