Chapter 288: Chapter 282: It’ll Be Too Late to Form a Contract with Coal Ball

At his mother’s signal, Arthur opened the box.

Inside, a Knight’s Longsword lay nestled on a bed of black velvet.

The scabbard was a simple black, but the hilt was forged from some kind of gold metal, with a relief sculpture of an eagle coiled around it.

Arthur gripped the hilt and slowly drew the Long Sword.

"SHING!"

With a clear ring, the blade reflected a dazzling light, as brilliant as the Sun.

The blade was covered in fine, feather-like forging patterns, and a faint, almost imperceptible heat emanated from it.

"This sword is named ’Yang Flame’."

Raylo said.

"It once belonged to the Count of the Falcon of the Fiery Sun Kingdom. Not only can it cut through iron as if it were mud, but its blade also carries Anti-Demon and scorching effects of immense power."

Arthur’s eyes lit up.

He was a Knight, and nothing could excite him more than a Divine Weapon.

He stroked the blade, unable to put it down, feeling the Power contained within. The restraint on his face vanished, replaced by the excitement and joy befitting a young man.

"Thank you, big brother!" 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

he said sincerely.

Seeing her son’s reaction, the smile on Lady Anna’s face became much more genuine.

"Accept it," Lady Anna said with a nod.

After these two gifts were given, the atmosphere at the banquet became noticeably warmer and more sincere.

When the luncheon ended, Lady Anna did not linger long at Black Stone Castle.

After resting for an hour, she set off to continue her journey to the Amber Territory.

After seeing Lady Anna and her party off, Black Stone Castle returned to its usual tranquility.

By the time Raylo finished his backlogged work and returned to his bedroom, night had already fallen.

He didn’t light the Magic Lamp. Instead, he sat quietly on the edge of his bed in the soft glow of the moon outside his window, looking at the two small lumps on the bed.

Moonlight was curled up lazily, its body seeming to flow like liquid moonlight under the moon’s radiance—elegant and noble.

Next to her, Coal Ball was sprawled out on its back. Its small, black body rose and fell with each breath, and it would occasionally stretch a paw, kick a leg, and let out a meaningless mumble in its sleep.

Watching these two little creatures, Raylo felt an unprecedented sense of contentment wash over him.

The next morning, Raylo awoke to a slight tremor.

He opened his eyes and saw a silent chase unfolding on his massive bed, which was large enough for five or six people.

Coal Ball was charging on its short little legs, clumsily chasing a snow-white shadow.

Moonlight, on the other hand, was a completely different story.

She maintained her form as a large white cat, her movements as light as a feather dancing in the wind.

Every one of Coal Ball’s ferocious pounces was easily neutralized with a light tap from the tip of her tail or a gentle pat on the head from her paw pad.

Coal Ball, defeated time and again, happily kept trying, letting out excited "RUMBLE RUMBLE" sounds from its throat.

Raylo leaned against the headboard, watching this scene with a smile.

This warm and peaceful daily life was something he had never experienced in either his past life or his current one.

[10: The Space Young Dragon Coal Ball will enter its Growth Stage in three days. A Space Dragon in its Growth Stage will fully awaken its Space Magic talent and display the true Power of an Ancient Dragon Species. After entering the Growth Stage, the difficulty of forming a contract with the Space Dragon Coal Ball will increase exponentially. In recorded history, no Knight has ever successfully signed a Companion Contract with an Ancient Dragon Species that has left its juvenile stage.]

The piece of information struck like a thunderclap, instantly dispelling all of Raylo’s drowsiness.

The smile on his face slowly faded as his gaze swept over the two frolicking little creatures.

All this time, he had subconsciously regarded Coal Ball as his own dragon.

After all, it ate his food, used his things, and even helped him manage his spoils of war, making it seem like an indispensable member of Black Stone Territory.

But this information was like a bucket of cold water, snapping him to his senses.

’Coal Ball is not my dragon.’

The only reason it stayed here was because of Moonlight.

It was Moonlight’s little follower, a "bonus" that came with her.

There was no contract binding them. Their relationship was maintained solely by Moonlight’s presence and a plentiful supply of food.

’Once it enters its Growth Stage, matures mentally, and awakens its Power, will it still be content to be a warehouse manager?’

’Space Dragons are a proud Ancient Dragon Species. They are the darlings of space, born travelers.’

’When that time comes, if it wants to leave, I’ll have no standing or means to stop it.’

The thought of that endless space, which held all his personal wealth and strategic materials, "running away from home" at any moment made Raylo’s heart clench.

’No!’

Raylo’s expression grew incredibly determined.

’I can’t lose this walking treasury, and I certainly can’t let a Space Dragon partner with limitless potential get away.’

’The system said that after it enters the Growth Stage, the contract difficulty will "increase exponentially," and there’s even "no precedent for success."’

’That’s practically a death sentence.’

’Three days from now?’

’No, I can’t even wait one day.’

’The only chance is now.’

’I have to lock down this contract while its mind is still undeveloped, while it’s still in an ignorant and muddled state!’

Having made up his mind, Raylo took a deep breath, sat up straight in bed, and softened his expression to an unprecedented degree.

"Coal Ball."

he called out softly.

Coal Ball, currently being pinned to the ground and toyed with by Moonlight’s paw, heard his voice and struggled to lift its little head, its large, obsidian-like eyes filled with confusion.

Raylo tried his best to make his voice sound as enticing as possible.

"Is it a little boring, staying in the castle every day?"

Coal Ball stared at him blankly, not understanding.

"Don’t you want to soar freely through the sky like Baofeng? Don’t you want to see sights you’ve never seen before, like the wonders of the Endless Sea, or the snowy mountains of the World’s Roof?"

Coal Ball’s eyes seemed to brighten a little. It was quite interested in the concept of "playing."

Raylo’s heart leaped with joy, and he pressed his advantage.

"If you’re willing, I can take you anywhere. We can explore ancient ruins together, challenge powerful Magical Beasts, and seize mountains of treasure... and all that treasure will be yours to keep."

At the mention of treasure, a desirous "RUMBLE" came from Coal Ball’s throat.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Raylo finally revealed his true purpose.

He did his best to make his tone sound gentle and soft.

"So, Coal Ball, are you willing... to become my true partner? To sign a Knight Contract with me, fight by my side like Moonlight, and share in all my glory and wealth?"

As he spoke, he began to channel the Magic Power and Fighting Spirit in his body, preparing to guide the contract ceremony.

Coal Ball tilted its head, staring blankly at Raylo.

Its little brain was clearly unable to process such complex information.

"Partner?"

"Contract?"

But it knew the relationship between the man before it and its big sister Moonlight.

It blinked and was just about to let out a curious whimper.

However, in that instant, the air seemed to freeze.

A snow-white paw with pink pads suddenly shot out from the side without any warning. "SMACK!" It landed precisely on Coal Ball’s little head, and then pressed down hard.