Chapter 90: Mana Contract

Chapter 90: Mana Contract"Where are you taking her? If you’re heading to the Elves... you clearly don’t understand how unreasonable they can be to outsiders. There’s a real chance they might see her as a bargaining chip, maybe even take her as a hostage. Instead of helping, you might end up putting her in even more danger."

Nichole took a step forward, his voice firm yet not aggressive—measured, like someone trying to guide rather than command.

"Just stay here. As the Principal of this academy... I’ll take full responsibility and personally negotiate with them."

Myra finally spoke up as well. The overwhelming pressure that had been weighing down the room gradually receded, as if the Saints were pulling back their power like a tide returning to sea.

"It’s true," she said with a calm seriousness. "If you travel with her in her current state, there’s a real risk her condition could worsen beyond control."

Meanwhile, Mark was quietly observing, thoughts swirling beneath his composed expression.

He didn’t even flinch under our aura... Does that mean he didn’t feel it at all? Or is it some sort of dormant power buried deep within him, waiting to be awakened?

Interesting.

Lucan, too, was staring at Ash, his mind slowly piecing together something familiar.

Ash... Ash... Ash... Why does that name sound so familiar? he wondered, frowning slightly.

And then it clicked.

Wait... didn’t Nyra mention meeting a strange boy while escorting Melissia to the academy? Could it be... him?

While the Saints were caught in thought, Ash was consumed by something else entirely.

They’re right. I don’t want to take unnecessary risks... but after I let that demon escape because of my own foolishness, isn’t the academy more vulnerable now?

Won’t she still be in danger here?

He voiced that concern aloud, his tone unshaken yet quietly burning.

"I don’t trust any of you. If it came down to saving her or your own children, you’d choose your children—every single time. And now that demons have attacked the academy, I don’t believe this will be the last time. There’s a high chance these attacks will only get worse."

He looked them all in the eyes, each word like a stone cast into still water.

"That’s why I don’t trust any of you to keep her safe."

Maelis, clearly irritated, stepped forward with a snort. "Mind your words, boy. We are Protectors of Humanity, and—"

"Spare me the bullshit," Ash cut in coldly, voice sharp enough to slice silence.

"I won’t say it again. Protector or not—I don’t care. If you were truly protectors, where were you when the academy was being torn apart? Don’t feed me that excuse that you were off fighting another demon ’for humanity.’ Because if it takes all seven of you just to handle one demon, then this world is already on the brink of destruction. And you’re all just weak."

He paused, letting the silence carry his words deeper.

"So how can you look me in the eye and say you can guarantee her safety if I leave her here?"

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence. As much as they hated to admit it—even with all their power—Ash’s words weren’t lies. If the Demon King himself were to attack... no one could say with confidence that anyone would survive.

That’s when Nichole, calm but serious, asked, "So, you’re saying... you believe you can protect her better than we can?"

Ash didn’t answer right away. This time, he was the one caught in silence.

Even if he wanted to argue, he knew the truth—he couldn’t rely on Core Overload. That state would drain everything, possibly leaving him powerless. If a Saint stayed behind to protect Elysia, while he went to learn life magic from the Elves, that would be the best-case scenario.

Just then, Alice, who had been silent the entire time, finally stepped forward and spoke with an easygoing air that contrasted the tense mood.

"I’ll take responsibility for her safety. How about that?"

She looked directly at Ash as she spoke. Her voice was steady, her intentions clear. The words hung in the air, surprising everyone—especially Ash.

"Don’t give me that look," she added with a smirk. "I don’t have any kids in the academy, so I won’t have to make those tough choices. And let’s be honest, the Adventurer’s Guild can function just fine without me. I’m mostly there to keep those wild adventurers in check."

She glanced around the room, her tone light but her words carrying weight.

"So I’m pretty free. I can stay here at the academy for the next six months and keep an eye on things alongside Nichole. And really—if there are two Saints stationed here, I doubt even the boldest demons will dare come close to the academy."

Ash fell into thought.

It’s true. Even in the novel, the demons only attacked when the Saints were away—usually busy dealing with other threats, especially the Demon King’s son.

Unless the Demon King himself comes, no other demon will be able to breach the academy while two Saints are watching over it.

Ash bit his tongue, grateful that his face had returned to its usual expressionless state. He knew—after that emotional outburst—that his feelings weren’t gone. Just buried.

Just suppressed.

But deep inside, he understood that if he worked on it... if he truly tried... maybe one day, he could bring them back.

But why would she volunteer?

Ash narrowed his eyes, suspicion curling through his thoughts like smoke.

Before he could speak, Alice’s voice cut through the tension. "You’re probably wondering what I gain from this, right? What’s the hidden agenda behind my offer?"

Ash said nothing, but his silence itself was an answer.

Alice’s smile didn’t waver. "Well then, here’s the condition. If you want me to protect her until you return, then I...want YOU."

As soon as her words faded, the room dropped into a stunned silence.

Every Saint stared at her with an expression that practically screamed:

Are you out of your mind?

Sensing the heavy gazes, Alice let out a soft laugh and corrected herself, "Ah—don’t get the wrong idea. I want you... to become my disciple."

Hearing that another wave of shock swept the room, but no one spoke it aloud, but many had considered the same.

After all, this boy—this cold, defiant child who dared face Saints without flinching—wasn’t ordinary. Even if they hadn’t seen his full potential, the fire in him was real. A rare seed, worth cultivating.

None of the Saints, except Nichole, knew Ash’s potential only capped at the Grandmaster rank. They simply assumed his fearlessness came from raw talent.

Nichole remained silent, watching events unfold. He didn’t bother telling them.

He also hadn’t even known Ash had fought in the earlier battle against the demons—only Elva had pieced it together after questioning the students.

But, She never got the chance to tell him before he left to see Elysia.

Ash took a breath, then said bluntly, "I refuse."

Once again, the room was stunned into silence. For a moment, it felt like they were all caught in an endless loop of disbelief—shocked again, and again, and again.

Alice’s gaze softened, but the smile she wore was too sharp to be genuine.

"W-why?" Her voice was smooth, but her eyes told a different story.

She was doing her best to hold herself together, though a twitch in her fingers betrayed her growing frustration.

Ash’s voice cut through the tension, a cold certainty in his words. "It’s simple. You’ll regret taking me as your disciple."

The words hung in the air, unapologetic, as if he were simply stating an undeniable fact—there was no second guessing.

At that, Alice’s smile grew, but it was the kind of smile a predator gives before they pounce.

"Oh, don’t worry about that." She leaned forward, the light in her eyes a dangerous mix of playfulness and calculation.

"I’ll only take you in after you return. If you die... well, problem solved. But if you come back alive after walking into the elven lands?"

"Then you’ll be even more worth claiming as my disciple."

Crazy bitch.

Snake.

Myra and Lydia’s thoughts echoed in sync, sharp and bitter.

They weren’t the only ones. Several Saints had considered taking Ash under their wing, but none of them dared speak up.

As they’d already stated, they would prioritize their own children over an unknown girl—so they stayed silent.

The same silence stretched across Myra, Lydia, Lucan, and Maelis. Even Nichole said nothing—he already had Ray, after all.

As for Mark, the head of the Human Association, he simply watched Ash closely, his expression unreadable.

His mind was working, calculating something. Whatever it was, he wasn’t ready to share.

Ash thought for a while and said, "You will protect her until I come back, and when I come back, if you want, you can change your decision. I won’t mind it. But it’s not easy for me to trust you."

He turned toward Nichole and asked, "Principal, do you have a mana contract that works even on Saints?"

He used the word Principal to remind him that he was still a student of his academy.

Nichole didn’t reply immediately, only sighed with a trace of bitter amusement as he took a small crystalline scroll from his robe and offered it to Ash.

Ash took the scroll without a word, then gently placed Elysia back on the bed. His movements were careful, reverent, like laying down something precious.

He unrolled the mana contract, its parchment glowing faintly with a silver hue, and wrote the terms clearly—his request, her protection, and the price of trust.

Then he signed it without hesitation, and handed it to Alice.

Alice and the others watched the scene with peculiarity but didn’t say anything.

Alice’s eyes narrowed as she read the contents, but she said nothing. A small, intrigued smile curled on her lips as she pressed her finger to the parchment.

The contract glowed—and then dissolved, its magic splitting into threads that danced into both their bodies.

The room held its breath.

Just as the contract merged, Ash stood up and said, "Sorry for my earlier outburst. But hearing about her dying made me lose my cool, especially when someone suggested killing her."

He said the last part while looking directly at Lucan.

Lucan said nothing, just smiled.

"Now—I’ll go to the Elven Continent. I hope the Principal will approve my leave... for six months."

Nichole sighed again after seeing how quickly Ash’s behavior changed once Alice signed the contract.

"Yeah. I’ll allow it. The academy will be closed for a month anyway due to the demon incident... so I’ll grant you five additional months."

"Just try to come back alive."

"I will," Ash replied, and left the room after bowing once.