Ndulou was dumbfounded.
He asked, "Perhaps you lack common sense too?"
Ndulou looked at Lucas, who looked snappy and highly skilled just by looking at him standing behind Ernesto, and was disappointed by how Lucas suggested something crazy like Ernesto.
Lucas was timid and clumsy, but Lucas stopped acting like a loser since he didn't want to sneak into the Marquis' secret storage anymore. He and Ernesto argued first about how he would act, and he won the argument.
"Mr. Lucas, a slave, is not a joke. You will be chained with me forever and they can punish you with death if I am hurt. And please take note, If I die, you will be buried too." He informed the servant, who looks like he knows, but still carelessly suggests being one. "Plus, it did not solve the problem. Slaves are not allowed into the Marquis castle."
Ernesto chuckled and commented, "Lucas, you're pretty stupid." as if he was not clueless either.
"Young master, I wasn't talking about a regular slave. I am talking to a Spirit-bestowed slave," he pointed into his forehead and passionately declared, "I'll be your slave."
Ernesto and Ndulou both looked up at Lucas's forehead. A small glow flashed and a hammer symbol appeared in the middle of his forehead.
"You're an earth spirit caster?"
Nudlou was shocked, while Ernesto was also shocked for different reasons. "Why the fuck do you have that?" he asked. He already knew that Lucas was a red-skinned earth spirit that needed magma supply, but why did he have a symbol of someone that a spirit would possess?
In fact, Lucas was the earth spirit itself, but he didn't want to reveal his identity to Ndulou yet. This human body he possessed was long dead, and he was just using it to search for magma or lava. He would discard it soon, since it would eventually rot.
Humans might have thought that he really was an earth spirit caster because he possessed the body, but they wouldn't know that he already had full control over it. After disposing of the body, he will just use his power to shapeshift into the form of this current disguise. He just used a human body to pass through the thorough servant screening of the Marquis household.
"Do you want to form a slave contract with me? This type of slavery is valid, and I will accompany you excellently." Lucas reached out his hand toward Ndulou.
Ndulou just stared at Lucas's hand like he was having a hard time processing what he just heard. However, before Nudlou could finally decide, Ernesto held Lucas's arm and pulled him out of the room. "Ndulou, have your breakfast first. We will discuss something first."
Ndulou was left alone in his room, and he dragged Lucas outside the baron's house.
Ernesto created a sound barrier around him so he could talk freely.
"What's the deal?" Ernesto crossed his arms and asked the now smiling Lucas.
"Now you are back to being sharp. Just a while ago, you were pretty clueless." Lucas crossed his arms too and smiled even brighter. "Aren't I helping you guard him? If I become his slave, I'll be sticking with him all the time. Isn't that nice?"
"No, not that part! Aren't you a spirit? How will a slave contract materialize for you?" Ernesto wasn't wary of Lucas. He had already identified his nature and knew that Lucas's only goal was to continue living.
"This body is human," he pointed to himself, "but the human soul is not here anymore. I need to discard this before it becomes rotten. We can use this to have the ritual of a slave contract, but, of course, this body would be the slave, not me."
"You're not planning to take over Ndulou's body, aren't you?" Ernesto looked at him suspiciously.
He then chuckled. "What nonsense! Since you're giving me a magma supply, don't I have any more problems? Why would I bother to be your older brother? It's bothersome." He bluntly expressed his dissent.
"Make sure you won't mess up with him." Ernesto glared at Lucas as a warning, and Lucas reassured him with a clear and stern, "Yes."
"Fine, let's go."
….
….
Moments later...
Ndulou finished his breakfast and was back in his room with Ernesto and Lucas.
He just finished showering, which was why his hair was still dripping wet. Lucas automatically brought the towel and helped Ndulou dry his short hair.
Ernesto just glanced at Lucas, saying, 'good on acting like a servant.'
But Lucas ignored him and focused on fixing Ndulou's rose gold hair.
"So, are you saying you're fine being my slave?"
Ndulou couldn't believe what he had heard.
"Do you agree with this young master? Will your father be angry if he discovers that I have this precious earth spirit caster instead of you?"
Spirit casters are rare and highly respected in society and also their master would be treated highly no matter what status he was in.
Spirit casters are both feared and admired at the same level as knights. They are strong, but not strong enough to defeat a dragon.
Ernesto lied, "I already called Father, and he agreed," but it doesn't matter since the Marquis will agree, anyway. He thought in his head, "He would be pleased to have his real eldest son have a strong servant."
Ndulou doesn't believe it but ends up nodding his head after seeing the message on the communication device that Ernesto showed him, telling him that the Marquis agreed. Of course, Ernesto's magic also tampered with the message on the device.
Lucas clapped his hands twice and asked, "Okay, shall we proceed with the ritual?"
But Ndulou still had more questions to ask, "But, sir Lucas, how will this benefit you?"
"A food to eat," Lucas replied. He had a benign smile as he continued to say such flowery words. "... and a master to serve."
After hearing Lucas's answer, Ernesto looked up and smiled at him in a servile manner.
They moved everything out, including the couch and table in the center of Ndulou's room, and Lucas cast runic words.
Ndulou was in front of Lucas, whose eyes were shut and he spread out his arms, while Ernesto was on the far side of the room, since he was not included in the contract and was just there to watch.
A ball of red light showed up and surround the two of them. Once Lucas finished casting, the lights touched their skin and slowly entered their bodies.
It was nerve-wracking for Ndulou because it was his first time taking part in a spirit's slave contract. The regular slave contract process was just drawing a slave contract circle at the back of their necks with ink and finishing the process by dropping a single drop of blood on the circle. Done! That slave would be yours forever. However, the spirit slave contract process was something he hasn't studied or experienced yet.
After the small ball of light disappeared, Lucas walked closer to him and picked up his hand to bite it.
"Aw!" he exclaimed, surprised by the sudden action. "Why would you?"
Lucas wiped Ndulou's hand, which was bleeding from his bite, and smiled brightly again. "The process is done, master."
Ndulou doesn't feel the pain of the bite anymore, but his fear of his new slave overwhelms him.
"Congratulations, kuya."
Ernesto snatched the hand of Ndulou from Lucas and immediately cast a healing spell. "Now that we are done with the servant issue, let's head back home now."
Ndulou snapped out of his thoughts of fearing his new servant and escaped the hand of Ernesto, that was still holding him. "Wait, young master, I am not yet done preparing. Let us leave in the afternoon."
Ndulou couldn't leave yet because he promised his mother they would have their tea time together.
"What's more to do?" Ernesto was back for being clueless, but then he exclaimed, "Ah! Take your time; I need to fetch something. I'll be back in the afternoon."
Nudlou felt happy with the news that Ernesto and Lucas would be leaving.
"Okay, see you in the afternoon, young master, and Lucas."
"Lucas? Hey, he is yours now," Ernesto reminded him.
"Ah, right? Sorry." Ndulou still needs time to adjust to his new slave/servant.
"And Lucas, you need to do well. I'll be picking up something you need, anyway."
As usual, Ernesto didn't wait to hear their response and instantly disappeared after he cast his teleportation magic.
"What is he picking up?" Ndulou asked Lucas instead.
"Something scorching hot, master," Lucas said to his new master, while Ndulou just stared blankly at the space where Ernesto was.
....
….
After a moment, peaceful green scenery welcomed Ernesto's eyes.
"Madam, Dragon"
Ernesto faced the mountain dragon, who was ready to shoot him with her fire breath.