The scene of the first summon was quite spectacular, even in the game.
First, there was a lightning effect. Then, the focus zoomed in on the room where the demon lord candidate was. The entire screen was filled with a magic circle that shook, and beautiful women with demon wings filled the screen with smiles before jumping out, revealing the summoned creature.
The storyboard itself was predictable and childish, but it was covered by the illustration style.
The first summon was disappointing in that the result was often just a goblin or zombie, but at least it didn't cost anything, so there was no need to complain.
Boom…!
Now that it had become a reality, it was even more intense.
Although there were no beautiful women… no, have I become someone who doesn't need to care about beautiful women now?
"…"
I quickly pushed away the slight depression that crept in.
Rumble…!!!
With an earthquake that seemed to shake the entire cave, a summoning circle large enough to easily occupy at least two rooms, though not enormous, was created and glowed red.
Judging by its majesty, it looked like a high-ranking demon, if not a demon lord, was about to be summoned.
Crack!
A hand burst through the rocky surface, then that hand gripped the ground and finally pulled its entire body up.
This performance even varied depending on the type of summon, truly a magnificence unmatched by its rank.
『You have successfully completed your first summon, Demon Lord Candidate! Please proceed with the contract!』
As soon as the summon was successful, I pushed aside the message window that popped up and saw the skeleton's appearance, which was honestly better than I had expected.
'The appearance is cleaner than I thought?'
Even if it's a deformed 2D, even if it's drawn in pixel art, it's usually drawn to show its characteristics clearly.
The appearance of the common skeleton soldier I saw in the game was, first of all, dirty.
It had a foul appearance, with flesh that hadn't entirely fallen off, piles of dirt, and cracked bones.
On top of that, it was common to be able to guess their profession in life from the weapons or equipment attached to their bodies.
But the skeleton in front of me was… somehow 'stylish' enough to instantly erase such preconceptions.
-Clatter.
First of all, the bones that make up the body look clean and sturdy, and the posture it shows with that clean body is different.
Whether it's a skeleton or a zombie, even standing properly is challenging for a basic undead that has just been summoned.
The instincts from their life remain, so they try to stand as they did in life, but a dead body has a different center of gravity, weight, proportion, and stiffness from a living body.
However, this sleek-looking skeleton in front of me raised its head to look straight at me and then knelt on one knee, looking up at me.
As with all basic skeletons, it had almost no equipment on its body, with only an old longsword awkwardly hanging from its pelvis, so the elegance of its posture wasn't fully realized…
But the posture itself was still angular, so it was quite pleasing to the eye.
'It seems to be an individual with quite a bit of its lifetime habits remaining.'
"Stand up."
Guessing this, I gestured for the skeleton to stand up, imbuing my words with will.
There's no way a basic skeleton would have knowledge from its lifetime, so giving orders verbally was just to satisfy my own feelings.
Still, the sight of the skeleton following my words and standing up straight filled a fair amount of the romance I had held for necromancers since Earth.
Clank.
Inconsistent with its impressive and correct posture, the tip of the longsword was dragging on the ground.
Due to the sword belt not being properly secured to the pelvis.
"I wasn't considerate enough. Right?"
I said that unnecessarily as I approached the fallen sword.
The skeleton was still standing straight, but it somehow seemed to be wavering between the sword belt that had fallen to the floor and my order to 'stand up.'
This must be what that feeling is.
I remember seeing a phrase in the game settings that the master could understand the feelings of their summons.
While I still couldn't tell whether this soldier truly understood my words or not, the skeleton straightened its posture as soon as it heard me and was looking at me.
I felt as if it was denying my previous words.
Click click…
The belt's intuitive shape allowed me to secure it to the skeleton's body so it wouldn't fall off.
Since the skeleton was more than a head taller than my current self, there was no difficulty in the task.
"There, is that better?"
-Click.
When I spoke while patting its waist, the skeleton, which had been looking at me until then, tapped its chin in response.
At this point, I could tell.
This one probably had not only the 'instincts' from its lifetime but also retained some intelligence. In game terms, it would probably be a rare individual that occasionally pops up during summoning.
Maybe a skeleton with the 'Smart' title.
If so, that's fortunate.
It might be a while before we can communicate properly, but at least I'm not alone in this vast dungeon.
That was a good condition to dispel the silence filling my space since being summoned to this vast cave and the loneliness that would probably come once I got used to that silence.
After all, there's a difference in attachment between things brought from outside and things directly summoned.
"Well then… we need to make a contract… hm?"
As I was trying to remember how to make a contract, since it wasn't shown in the tutorial for calling up status windows and such, I noticed something placed where I had been standing.
'Come to think of it…'
"Ah, there was this."
A long staff made of bones with a somewhat unpleasant shape, and next to it, a carefully wrapped bundle.
These must be the basic items given to me as my class was determined during the summoning. This was a system that existed in the game as well.
I guess I didn't notice them right away because the summoning process was so flashy and noisy.
『Apprentice Skull Staff』
『You have acquired Inventory (2×2).』
As I expected, the staff was a weapon, and the bundle turned out to be an inventory.
'It feels like a scythe.'
The staff was a stereotypical necromancer's item often seen in games or novels, with a skull attached to the end of a bone rod.
The two rubies shining in the skull's eyes and the short blade protruding from its mouth were impressive.
『Inventory』
『Necromancer Basic Core』
『Food (10 days worth)』
A 4-slot inventory was activated as I picked up the bundle.
Inside were items that seemed to be skill-related, judging by their names: an orb and simple provisions.
However, here, the provisions are not for the user, that is, the demon lord. When choosing a biological summon, this was food to distribute to them.
If you try to maintain all of these summons' maintenance power with the dungeon's magic, the required magic increases quite a bit. That's why for beast-type summons with many mouths to feed, there's a need to feed them 'external food.'
The demon lord doesn't eat. There are other means of replenishing maintenance power.
'The size is a bit small, though.'
I was a bit concerned about the small size of the inventory, but after thinking for a moment, it made sense.
The dungeon has a basic warehouse attached for materials, so the personal inventory would be used for transporting materials from outside when there's no cart available or for storing my equipment.
Originally, the inventory itself was a feature that didn't exist in the game. There's no reason to complain about being given something that didn't exist before.
Flash!
As I touched the orb, knowledge about necromancy and contracts flooded into my mind, along with a flash of light.
I frowned at the unpleasant feeling of my mind being rummaged through, but I decided to endure it.
After all, the life of a dungeon lord is one where you can't survive if you can't make contracts. My prosperity might not be a good thing for the people of this world, but that doesn't mean I have any intention of just dying.
There were no hints yet, but I might discover hints about how to return while living.
This was no time to be picky.
-Clatter.
As I raised the staff, the body made of white, clean bones stood straight and then returned to its initial posture as if immediately understanding what I was about to do.
In other words, it faced me kneeling on one knee, just like when it was summoned.
Like a knight.
"Were you a knight when you were alive?"
The contract process didn't require much; it was enough to inject my magic into its 'core' to imprint it. The proof of the contract was a black skull entwined with a purple flower engraved on the back of its hand.
This, too, was something I had directly drawn during the customization process.
The process ended concisely.
However, seeing it still prostrating even after the contract was complete stirred something in me.
There was a famous ritual for knights, so I thought about imitating it.
Swish.
Then, I saw the skeleton immediately unsheathe the old sword it was wearing and offered it to me.
As expected.
The thought communication between summon and master wasn't one-way. My thoughts were also flowing into it.
"You're smart."
-Clack!
I was more pleased by the fact that communication was possible, even if only through the skeleton hearing my thoughts. I felt the loneliness that might have come someday, retreating even before it arrived.
Anyway, it was also showing a proactive response to me.
Shing.
The sound of bone hands and swords rubbing against each other.
This sound also confirmed my expectation that its body would be sturdy. Such a friction sound wouldn't occur unless it were at least as hard as stone.
Increasingly, I became curious about the identity of this soldier… no, knight made only of bones.
"This is… a sword."
While sheathed, it was just an old longsword, but once drawn, it was a magnificent weapon that seemed to embody the knight's long years.
My purple eyes were reflected in the clean blade, which even an ignorant eye could tell was well-maintained.
'It's certainly heavy.'
I've held solid metal objects before, but this was naturally my first time holding such a well-refined weapon.
It was fortunate that although my body's appearance was that of a small woman, since my true identity was a demon lord candidate, it wasn't difficult to wield the sword for the first time.
Otherwise, it would have been comical with the sword dragging on the ground.
Perhaps, I guess, it might be because of what's often said about swords that it has a 'well-balanced center of gravity.'
Since combat is a matter of mindset and technique, it would be absolutely impossible for me to be combat-ready right away, but with more time and training, wouldn't it be possible to participate in the field actively?
"I don't know any complicated rituals."
-Clatter!
In response to my words, an intention that seemed to say it didn't matter was conveyed. Along with an emotion similar to 'joy.'
Even the method of conveying these intentions seemed to be becoming more complex, able to convey subtle emotions more delicately.
There shouldn't have been a chance to build proper familiarity with me yet, but I wondered if this smart creature feeling affection for me was because of the relationship between summon and master.
…I decided to put aside such complicated thoughts.
For now, it was time to survive. Other emotions and questions were a luxury.
"I am Libertas… no, Rita. I'd like you to be my sword and cut down my enemies."
I said this while slowly lowering the sword, almost but not quite resting it on its head.
-Clatter!
It answered with a sound that seemed more cheerful than before.
It was a moment of making a contract with my first noteworthy summon.
"I'm counting on you, my soldier."
Clank!
And it was also the moment when preparations for the first battle began.
* * *
'Finally.'
The moment of the contract.
'I've regained it.'
-Clatter!
Rita's first soldier thought thus.