The Contract in which sealed the Celestial Ten-tailed fox was placed inside of infinite storage ring. He channeled a bit of mana into it and then in his hand appeared an all-black contract. It was made out of obsidian stone and had some weird writing on it that seemed to writhe like living silver. As he looked at the words his eyes strained for a moment, the glyphs burning cold fire across his vision, before they became clear.
Beside the ancient text a soft blue box appeared that translated the words in calm, glowing letters.
[Eyes of First Dawn | Obsidian Contract - Curse of The Moon. In the final days of the Primordial Era, Vaeloria made a pact with the Moon itself for eternal beauty and power that rivaled the gods.
The price: her freedom.
She tried to break the contract by devouring a fragment of the moon's core. The moon struck back. Lunar chains bound her body and soul into a single obsidian contract stone, and cursed her with two eternal laws:
-She can never take her tenth tail without the willing, passionate love of a single mortal man.
-She must serve that man completely until the day he dies or releases her.
Drop Blood onto the stone to release Vaeloria.]
He read every line twice, the weight of forgotten ages settling on his tongue like frost.
"Holy shit… the Primordial Era? Just how long ago was that time… The original novel didn't even mention how long the Era of Kings had been going…" He muttered to himself, voice echoing faintly across the endless jade sky, before following the directions. He pricked his thumb by biting on it, a casual, almost lazy gesture.
He then dropped blood that was not red, but pink, shimmering like liquid rose quartz, onto the stone.
The contract glowed for a moment, soft at first, then blinding. It floated from his palm, spinning slowly in the air before shining brightly. When the light dimmed the stone broke into pieces with a sound like distant bells, and a beautiful woman descended from the skies. Her eyes were scrunched against the sudden flood of real sunlight after endless dark, lashes trembling, but even with that being the case.
'She's even more beautiful than Nia…' He thought as his eyes took in the masterpiece before him, breath catching in his throat.
She had long silver-white hair that flowed down to her waist like liquid moonlight, just before reaching her ass, every strand catching the light and throwing it back in soft prisms. Floating wildly behind her were nine tails of living starlight, each one leaving faint trails of silver dust that hung in the air like slow-motion comets.
Her eyes, when they finally opened, were a pale violet so pure it felt like looking into the heart of a dying star. Her skin was so flawless it seemed to glow from within, soft and luminous against the emerald grass.
As she descended motes of silver dust trailed behind her like a faint comet's tail, settling on the flowers and making them bloom brighter for a heartbeat.
"Shit, you're hot as fuck…" Ash muttered, the words slipping out before he could stop them, half awe, half reflex.
Vaeloria's eyes snapped fully open and locked onto the person who had just uttered blasphemy toward her very existence.
'…A human?' She thought with a frown, the expression carving regal displeasure across that perfect face. 'Did those damned chains truly choose this child?'
While thinking she finally parted her lips and spoke, voice like moonlight dragged across steel.
"You dare look at this sovereign with those filthy eyes?"
Hearing this Ash smirked, not just at her words but also at the notification blooming quietly in the corner of his vision.
[Heart Sovereign Sigil – Brand Vaeloria?]
This was the first time someone had seen his new appearance which is why this passive ability was finally working. Although the contract between them guaranteed her loyalty to him, it didn't make her affectionate or ready to obey. This sigil, however, would make Ash her entire world.
'It feels good being the embodiment of lust…' He thought with a grin still on his lips as he mentally pressed yes.
[Vaeloria Lunareth's Affection – 1%]
"Calm down, would you?" He spoke with the same grin on his face as he introduced himself, voice warm and teasing, like they were old friends meeting at a festival.
"I'm Ash Solace, the youngest prince of the Solace Kingdom. Also, C-rank cultivator."
Hearing his rank, she frowned even more, but as she truly began to look at him her eyes widened a fraction, pale violet irises dilating against her will.
'…A C-rank cultivator? And he's this beautiful?' She couldn't believe someone could be so beautiful at such a realm. Not just that, he looked better than even the strongest beings she'd ever seen in her lifetime. She herself had ended up cursed and imprisoned for the sake of beauty!
"Vaeloria Lunareth, Moonbound Sovereign…" She said as she was now looking around the realm, tails swaying like restless rivers of light. As she truly took it all in and let the mana go into her core, she felt herself becoming more relaxed, muscles unclenching for the first time in eternity. Even still though she maintained her same lofty persona, chin high, shoulders squared.
"And my servant… apparently." Ash teased playfully as he dropped to sit cross-legged on the grass, utterly unbothered.
[Affection 3%]
Vaeloria's eyes shifted to him and looked at him with a scowl sharp enough to cut diamonds.
"I'm no one's servant! Not even if this damn curse says so." She spat, the word servant dripping venom that could have killed lesser men.
Seeing her lash out Ash couldn't help but smile even more. He chuckled, low and fond, as he spoke.
"Relax, Miss Sovereign~ I won't order you around or even look for your help." He said with a shrug and genuine honesty, the kind that made the air feel lighter.
"Just think of this situation as… an exclusive arrangement between two beautiful monsters~" He then continued as he waved his hand, causing tons of random food to appear: warm honeyed starfruit pastries still steaming, chilled lunar-pear wine beaded with frost, roasted moon-quail glazed in silver spice.
This was one of the perks of this realm; it had unlimited food and drinks, every bite tasting like it was made for gods.
"Come on now, eat. Who knows how long you were locked away in that rock." He said as some food appeared in front of him as well. He began to eat without worrying if she would or not, tearing into a pastry like it was the most normal thing in the world. The entire time this was going on her affection was steadily ticking up, soft chimes only he could hear.
[Affection 7% → 12% → 19%]
'Yep, it's official. All my talents are just straight up broken.' He thought as he munched away, licking sugar from his thumb with zero shame.
Vaeloria stood staring at Ash as a million different thoughts raced through her mind. She couldn't understand how this human was acting so nonchalant around her. She was literally being treated like any other person, offered food, teased, smiled at.
This however wasn't bad… instead it coaxed the tiniest, traitorous curve at the corner of her lips.
'I wonder if he knew exactly what my status was if he would treat me the same.' She thought as she sat down and ate away, silver hair spilling over one shoulder like molten starlight. She momentarily dropped her lofty persona and devoured the food surrounding the ground, tails flowing behind her never stopping their restless twitch while Ash's notifications never stopped.
After a few hours they finally stopped eating, bellies full, grass stained with spilled wine and crumbs. Ash was now ready to begin his seclusion. He stood up and cleared all the plates away; with a wave of his hand everything returned to its original pristine state, not a crumb left behind.
Vaeloria rose gracefully and looked at him, chin lifted again, but her voice softer than before.
"I won't repeat it; I'm not your servant so don't expect me to kneel or move when you say so."
Ash smirked hearing her put up her walls again.
"And I won't repeat it either. You don't have to worry about any of that… the only time you'll kneel for me is when I'm stuck like a rock in a hard place." He joked, waggling his brows, before heading toward the shimmering door of light that led deeper into the Haven.
Vaeloria blushed a faint silver across perfect cheekbones. At this point her affection had already reached 35%, it was truly a broken ability. Just by being in his presence, looking at him, or touching (which she hadn't yet) the percentage would rise.
"Well, what are you planning to do?"
"Train. This is my safe place, and combat isn't allowed in this area. However, behind this door there is a 3:1 time dilation. We will be there for a while." He said before stepping through.
"T-time dilation?!" Vaeloria exclaimed, eyes wide as twin full moons, before hurrying behind him, nine tails flaring like startled comets as she chased the only star she was now allowed to follow.