Amidst the murmurs of the students, a soft voice came from behind.
"You don't need to make a fuss, I'm just here to borrow a few books and organize some materials."
Sure enough, it was Avril's signature sweet voice.
Raziel didn't react. The school's rising star, despite her radiant charm, couldn't distract him. His mind was entirely focused on what kind of Contract Beast he would contract!
Raziel was good at cultural studies, so he knew about certain special creatures, like the Shadow Ghost, Goblin, and Falling Star Attendant, which hid within the city and were extremely rare with strong potential.
"I wonder what kind of Emperor-level potential Contract Beast might be in the library?"
"A Goblin would be nice. They're pretty cute."
He was deep in thought when, for some unknown reason, he suddenly felt a series of burning gazes directed at him.
Sure enough, Avril, with a professional expression, walked over to his side.
"Raziel, thank you for helping me organize my notes last time. Here's a small token of my appreciation."
She took out an envelope.
Without hesitation, Raziel accepted it. At the same time, the young girl gave him a playful wink.
This cute gesture, combined with Avril's stunning looks, was incredibly impactful!
Avril and Raziel had some private interactions. Raziel's learning ability was exceptional, and he had helped Avril with several subjects before.
In return, Avril, knowing that Raziel was short on money, had found him a small job organizing notes for some wealthy students at the academy.
Though they didn't talk much, Avril was aware of her own popularity. She knew that getting too close to Raziel would only bring him harm, with no real benefit for her.
Raziel, on the other hand, knew that their relationship was nothing more than a few friendly chats. It would soon fade as the growing gap in their strength became more apparent after his Talent awakening.
As for now…
"With a god-level Talent on my side..."
"Avril, maybe soon you'll have to try to catch up to me."
"You'll be the one chasing me!"
Raziel thought to himself. He didn't have any special feelings for Avril. It was simply the youthful competitive spirit inside him that made him want to outdo those around him.
As Avril passed by Raziel, she waved her hand. "Everyone, stop crowding around me. The library needs to remain quiet."
Then, a group of boys and girls reluctantly dispersed, though their eyes couldn't help but keep glancing back at the campus goddess.
Avril, meanwhile, borrowed a few books and casually sat down at an empty spot.
What she didn't notice was that Raziel's expression had changed.
"Wait, how did Avril end up on the spot where I placed the talisman? Never mind, it shouldn't matter. I'll just keep waiting for my Contract Beast to arrive."
Raziel remained calm.
After all, the Holy Spirit Contract Talisman, which came from the System, was invisible to others.
However...
He didn't notice Avril's expression, which had become somewhat strange.
"What is this??"
The moment Avril sat down, she suddenly noticed a glowing talisman on the table in front of her, covered in intricate, mysterious symbols and glowing with dazzling gold light, drawing her in with an almost hypnotic allure.
"I'm sure this symbol wasn't here when I passed by earlier, right?"
"What's going on?"
Avril froze.
She initially had a look of wonder, her eyes fixated on the strange symbol, almost reaching out to touch it. But then, her expression shifted to one of wariness.
There was something off about this. The talisman looked incredibly complex, imbued with a strange power.
But it might not be a good thing!
In fact...
It could be some kind of creature targeting her! If that were the case, the more complex the talisman, the harder it would be for her to resist.
"Could it be something my father sent after me…"
Avril's outward demeanor remained calm, but inside, she quickly stood up, preparing to leave.
Unexpectedly—
The golden talisman seemed to come alive, leaping off the table towards her!
In Avril's terrified gaze, the golden text grew larger in her pupils!
At the same time, she realized that her close-protection item, the game artifact [Jade Amulet], showed no signs of activation.
Avril was helpless as the talisman seemed to forcefully enter her body.
"Wait!"
"I—!"
Her face was filled with terror, but she found that, like drowning, she was unable to make any sound.
The surrounding students didn't notice anything unusual, and Avril realized that she was trapped inside a golden orb of light, unable to struggle.
It wasn't until several seconds later that she returned to reality.
However...
Avril was shocked to see that a golden symbol had appeared on her arm!
It was inscribed with highly profound characters.
Her mind instinctively deciphered the meaning[Contractor: Raziel].
Raziel?
Wait!
"It's him!!"
The girl suddenly turned and looked to her side. Sure enough, she saw her classmate, Raziel, looking down, his expression uneasy. Although he tried to hide it, Avril could see through his disguise, and the shock and panic in his eyes were exposed for all to see!
"You… you actually went after me?!"
The girl thought she would be incredibly angry, but for some reason, her anger didn't rise. Instead, she felt an inexplicable sense of delight.
Why did Raziel target only her, and not anyone else?
Could it be that he has feelings for me?
Before Avril could process this thought, as a Contract Beast, she began to unconsciously lean towards her new master.
Meanwhile, Raziel was stunned!
Just a moment ago, he had been thinking that Avril couldn't see the talisman, so everything was fine.
But the very next second
Raziel realized that the Holy Spirit Contract Talisman had forcibly captured Avril!
Why "forcibly"?
Because Raziel wasn't blind. He could see Avril's fear and resistance just now.
He was completely dumbfounded.
Only a few minutes ago, he had been marveling at how reliable his newly awakened, godlike System was. It wasn't just powerful—it had arranged everything for him!
It even gave him an Emperor-level Contract Beast right at the start.
Now, all Raziel wanted to do was slap the excited version of himself from earlier.
What kind of frustrating System was this? This is how you "give" an Emperor-level Contract Beast?
Avril is a person, not some pet!
Moreover, rumors were circulating around the school that Avril's background was extraordinary, which was why she had such powerful Talent.
Now, he had forcibly Contracted her. What was left for him?
Raziel's face darkened in a flash!
This was bad. The Holy Spirit Contract Talisman from his newbie gift pack had been wasted, and now he had made a powerful enemy.
Any normal person would never accept becoming someone else's Contract Beast!
Avril's expression subtly changed, but she walked over to Raziel's side.
"Raziel, there are a few problems I don't quite understand. Could you come out with me for a bit? It's almost dinner time, and I'll treat you to a meal."
The girl was still as graceful and dignified as ever, though her slightly trembling form betrayed the inner turmoil she was experiencing.
Raziel looked at her beautiful face, Avril's delicate lashes fluttering ever so slightly, her eyes reflecting his thin figure.
He couldn't bring himself to say "no."
Avril's background was incredibly intimidating. Having a conversation with her might give him a way out.
Otherwise, with her family's power, if they decided to take action...
Raziel would probably find himself stabbed in the back, only to end up dead by suicide.
He begrudgingly nodded. "No problem."
"Feel free to ask me anything. I'm good at that kind of thing."
Together, they walked out of the library. The other students looked at Raziel with envy, but no one said anything further.
They all knew Avril. Normally, if you helped her with a small task, she would treat you to a meal or thank you in a very formal way, sometimes even giving you a gift.
Most people wouldn't get the privilege of dining with her, but Raziel was going to explain some problems to Avril!
That would definitely take some time.
Having a meal together was just perfect for the situation.
Even the male students, who gazed at Avril with admiration, remained calm. To them, Raziel, being the weakling he was, didn't even count as a real competitor for Avril's attention.
...
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Raziel walked slowly, the sound of Avril's high heels clicking against the floor echoed sharply ahead. It sounded crisp and clear.
But the young man's heart was filled with anguish and fury.
"What the hell did you make me Contract, you damn System?!"
As Raziel's internal scream echoed, the System presented new information.
[Congratulations! You have successfully contracted an Emperor-level Contract Beast: Avril!]
[Would you like to view detailed information?]