The night at the camp was silent, broken only by the crackle of the bonfire.
Raylo's heart was still pounding. He forced himself to calm down and carefully recalled everything he knew about the Dragon Race.
The white fur corresponded to the scale color of a Silver Dragon.
Its massive appetite matched the powerful digestive capabilities and energy requirements of the Dragon Race.
Breathing Flame... that was the Dragon Breath of a Silver Dragon.
As for why it looked like a White Lynx, its terrifying aptitude for Magic must have allowed the mutated Little Silver Dragon to master Transformation Magic even as a juvenile.
All the clues, like scattered puzzle pieces, snapped into place with the appearance of the key evidence: it could breathe Flame.
The answer was practically screaming at him.
This seemingly harmless, gluttonous, and dopey-looking White Lynx was, in all likelihood, the very same Young Silver Dragon he had been searching for fruitlessly for days!
The discovery made Raylo's blood sing with excitement.
'No wonder I could only find traces of it deep inside the mine, but never the creature itself.'
'The little rascal just waltzed into my camp in another form, mooching food and drinks every single day!'
'What a cunning, gluttonous dragon!'
The little creature finished its last bite of meat and licked its paws in satisfaction. Its pale gold eyes narrowed in comfort, and a contented purr rumbled in its throat, completely unaware that its cover had been blown.
Raylo took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement.
'Now isn't the time to startle it.'
'Now that I've confirmed my target, the next step is figuring out how to form a contract with it.'
A contract with a Magical Beast was difficult enough, but one with a member of the Dragon Race was exponentially harder.
The Dragon Race were proud, powerful beings of immense intelligence, far beyond that of any ordinary beast.
And Silver Dragons, among all their kind, were known for their affinity for elegance and wisdom. They were also notoriously... picky.
Getting a Silver Dragon to willingly enter into a contract was practically impossible.
But as Raylo watched the defenseless little creature before him, still savoring the taste of roasted meat, the corner of his mouth curved into a subtle smile.
'Perhaps dealing with a naive Young Silver Dragon—one that's clearly a "foodie"—doesn't have to be so complicated.'
'Force is out of the question; that would only backfire.'
'Temptation is the only way.'
'And the best bait, clearly, is a delicacy it can't resist.'
Raylo said nothing. As usual, he waited for the bonfire to die down before returning to his tent.
But he didn't go to sleep right away. Instead, by the faint light of a Magic Lamp, he carefully retrieved a Scroll from his personal pack.
The Scroll was made of a special material, not ordinary parchment or papyrus, but a strange, lustrous substance with a faint silvery sheen and a warm touch. Intricate, ancient runes were drawn on its surface, from which Magic Power seemed to faintly flow.
This was the Magical Beast Contract Scroll he had purchased at a high price before leaving Thunder Dragon City.
He needed the perfect moment, and a "feast" that the little gluttonous dragon couldn't possibly refuse.
The next day, Raylo entered the Black Rock Mine to prospect as usual, but his mind was clearly no longer focused on finding ore veins.
That evening, on Raylo's orders, Ed hunted down a plump Wind Rabbit that radiated faint waves of energy.
The meat of this small Magical Beast was succulent and tender, a rare delicacy.
As night fell once more, a bonfire was lit in the camp.
As the flames licked at the meat, fat dripped and sizzled, and a rich aroma began to permeate the camp.
Sure enough, before long, a familiar figure appeared.
The White Lynx practically trotted over, following the scent. Its pale gold eyes were locked on the golden-brown, fragrant roasted Wind Rabbit. The purr in its throat rumbled like a small bellows, and it looked ready to drool.
It even forgot its usual poise and vigilance, running straight to Raylo's feet and rubbing its head against his pant leg, letting out an urgent "meow."
Raylo chuckled, using his Dagger to slice off a plump rabbit leg, but he didn't hand it over right away.
"Want a bite?"
Raylo's voice was laced with temptation as he dangled the rabbit leg.
"Meow!"
The White Lynx was so frantic it spun in circles, its front paws scraping at the ground.
Its entire attention was captivated by the fragrant leg of meat.
Raylo slowly extended the leg, intentionally bringing it close to the Scroll.
The little creature eagerly stretched its neck to reach it.
"I know you're smart, little one," Raylo said, unfurling the Contract Scroll.
"Form a Soul Contract with me, and we'll be partners, bound by life and death!"
"And as my partner..." Raylo coaxed, "I'll give you all the roasted meat you can eat."
The Young Dragon's instincts sensed the power of the contract, but its youthful curiosity, the sliver of trust it had built for the two-legged creature who had fed it for days, and—most importantly—its intense craving for the delicacy, ultimately triumphed over its wariness.
It hesitated for only a moment before snatching up the fragrant rabbit leg and chewing on it with satisfaction.
The Scroll flared with light, and Raylo reached out, placing his hand on the little creature's forehead.
There was no resistance.
Raylo felt an intangible connection form between himself and the "White Lynx."
It was a wondrous sensation, as if his own spiritual feelers had extended out to gently touch another unique and powerful soul, establishing a bridge of communication.
It was faint, but it was real.
The contract was complete!
The magical light slowly faded, and the runes on the Scroll grew dim once more.
He had succeeded.
Using the simplest—and perhaps the only—viable method, he had formed a Soul Contract with a Young Silver Dragon.
Even if this Silver Dragon currently looked... more like a gluttonous cat taken captive by roasted meat.
Raylo picked up the rest of the roasted Wind Rabbit, tore off another large piece, and placed it in front of the little creature.
"Go on, eat. There's plenty more where that came from," he said softly.
The White Lynx chirped happily and pounced on the meat without a shred of ceremony.
As it buried its head in the delicious meal, its body flickered almost imperceptibly. For an instant, the faint glint of fine, silver scales seemed to appear beneath its snow-white fur before it returned to normal.
The night grew deeper, and the embers of the bonfire gave off their last warmth.
Raylo watched the "White Lynx" as it devoured its meal, its face smeared with grease. A satisfied purr rumbled in its throat, and the tip of its tail wagged unconsciously.
The majesty of a Silver Dragon? Its wisdom? Gone without a trace. All that remained was a cub utterly conquered by a good meal.
'You've eaten my food, so now you're my dragon.'
Raylo murmured to himself, half-joking, half-serious.
"I'll call you 'Moonlight'."
The voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of the little creature tearing at the rabbit meat.
Moonlight's chewing faltered for a second. Its ears twitched, and it lifted its pale gold eyes to glance at Raylo. There wasn't any complex emotion in its gaze, more a sense of bewilderment and... slight annoyance at being disturbed while eating.
Moonlight quickly lowered its head and resumed its battle with the delicious roasted meat, as if the pause had been a mere illusion.
Raylo smiled and didn't bother it any further.
He leaned against his tent, gazing up at the deep, star-dusted night sky.
With the contract forged, this seemingly barren mining area no longer felt so tedious.
A powerful partner—even one that was currently a cub who did little more than eat and sleep—was enough to change a great many things.
He could feel the spiritual link between himself and Moonlight slowly but surely strengthening as the contract stabilized. While they couldn't engage in complex communication yet, he could clearly perceive basic emotions, such as the contentment and sense of security Moonlight was feeling at that moment.
The night was deep, the bonfire flickered.
Wrapped in a blanket, Raylo fell asleep by the fire. This time, the White Lynx didn't eat its fill and sneak away as it usually did. Instead, it yawned and lay down beside him.
Raylo awoke the next day to the faint light of dawn.
[Today's intelligence has been refreshed.]
[1: Faint signs of Earth Element aggregation are coming from deep within fork number three of the Black Rock Mine. An undiscovered ore node may be present.]
[2: The Demon Wolf Pack entrenched on the Chaotic Stone Slope to the east experienced a minor conflict last night. The Old Wolf King was exiled, and a New Wolf King has taken its place. The New Wolf King has awakened a mutated Wind Attribute, broken through its bloodline's shackles, and advanced to become a Tier Two Magical Beast.]
[3: A Thunderstorm is approaching. Please take precautions against lightning strikes. This massive Thunderstorm, covering the entire northern mountain range, will last for approximately two hours.]
[4: In Black Stone Town's market street, there is a general store called "Thorn Speech" that has a worn-out Brass Ring that has been in stock for a long time. This Brass Ring is actually a Magic Ring that has been rendered useless by a missing Magic Stone. It can be restored to normal function by replacing the stone. The Ring contains a sealed Tier Two Magic spell, "Wild Heart." When used, it boosts the user's Power, agility, and stamina by approximately 20% for 1 minute.]
[5: The Silver Dragon "Moonlight" is in its juvenile stage. Feeding it Magical Beast Meat with higher energy content will accelerate its growth and help it enter the Growth Stage faster.]
[6: In a patch of low woods thirty kilometers east of Blackwood Town, a large area of Blood-clotting Grass has matured. Blood-clotting Grass is a common ingredient for crafting Tier One Magic Potions, and Alchemy Pharmacies purchase it in large quantities at a stable price year-round.]
[7: Traces of a suspected 'Earth Sloth' have been found five kilometers from the camp. The Earth Sloth is a Tier Three Magical Beast. It is slow and lethargic, but possesses immense Power.]
[8: The Nine-headed Demon Serpent Hydra is close to advancing its Tier and has fallen into a long slumber to accumulate Power. Lacking its restraint, Hydra's vast legions of Fangs periodically swarm out of the swamp and invade the Human Kingdoms. This morning, a squad of the Demon Serpent's Fangs will appear within the borders of Black Stone Territory. If you cannot stop the invasion of the Demon Serpent's Fangs, your territory will never know peace.]
...
[10: After contracting with the Silver Dragon, thanks to Silver Dragon Moonlight's mutated attributes, you have not only received a physical enhancement, but your aptitude for Magic has also greatly improved. With this comprehensive improvement to your talents, you will soon break through to become an Official Knight. Perhaps the path of a Magic Knight would be a suitable one for you.]