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This is the second introductory chapter.

The perspective changes, depicting the glory and the beginning of the fall of the arrogant and harsh 'Mad Dog Princess', Luctoria.

The Hyupuet Spirit Kingdom.

This country, located on the edge of the Spirit Forest, is a nation of spirit users that has continued since ancient times.

Although it's not a particularly large country, the power of the spirits contracted by the royal family and nobles for generations is immense, and it is a mysterious nation that has maintained its independence from neighboring great powers for many years through its military strength.

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Now then, in this Hyupuet Spirit Kingdom lives a girl named Luctoria Brutom.

Having just turned 12, she was the eldest daughter of the Count Brutom family, and the fiancée of the Hyupuet Spirit Kingdom's Crown Prince.

Luctoria is a beautiful young lady with golden hair that shines like the sun and sparkling eyes like the azure sky.

Her mind is brilliant, and at the academy where the sons and daughters of the country's nobles gather, her grades are always at the top.

Furthermore, she is a genius who skillfully wields both sword and magic, despite her young age.

However, as for her personality... it is harsh, competitive, and violent.

Towards those she dislikes, she corners them thoroughly, both physically and mentally, and the number of times she has made them unable to leave their rooms cannot be counted on both hands.

For example, when the daughter of Duke Infideli made a sarcastic remark at a tea party, she retorted dozens of times over, then endlessly sent letters that could be interpreted as threats, driving her to a nervous breakdown.

For example, when the son of Marquis Fraudon made a remark questioning the results of the academy's final exams, she punched him in the face on the spot, shattering his glasses, got on top of him, and beat him to a pulp.

For example, she broke the arm of Count Kornekuu's son, making him unable to hold a sword, for the reason that he was sweaty, and for example, she found fault with Baroness Torizun's daughter, who was just passing by, and had her expelled.

In short, she did whatever she pleased.

The nickname she earned was, 'the Mad Dog Princess'.

...Why, then, did such a 'Mad Dog Princess' remain the Crown Prince's fiancée?

The reason for that was deeply related to the "spirit contract".

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In the Hyupuet Spirit Kingdom, all nobles, from a young age, form a spirit contract with one of the spirits living in the Spirit Forest, which spreads to the east of the country.

A spirit contract is a contract made for a human to borrow power from a spirit, a ritual that would normally require one to risk their life... but the Hyupuet Spirit Kingdom can perform the contract safely, due to a pact made between the royal family and the Forest Spirit King in ancient times.

Therefore, almost all nobles undergo a spirit contract.

Just by doing so, they can command the immense power of a magical lifeform called a spirit "for their entire lives", so it's not something they can afford not to do.

That spirit contract, Luctoria had not yet formed, even at the age of 12.

That was because the spirit side had requested it.

Not having a spirit contract works to one's disadvantage in the noble society of the Hyupuet Spirit Kingdom.

However, the Count Brutom family gladly accepted this request from the spirit side.

After all...

<<<The eldest daughter of the Count Brutom family possesses a wonderfully beautiful soul and is my beloved child. Therefore, I will form a spirit contract with her. But as she is still young, her body cannot withstand a contract with me, so the contract will be performed after she turns 12, on the New Year. Until that time, I entrust her to you humans. Protect her.>>>

Because it was the Forest Spirit King himself, the one who made the ancient pact with the royal family, who conveyed those words to the Count Brutom family through the current king of the Hyupuet Spirit Kingdom.

It was on the day of the New Year's celebration, after Luctoria had turned three.

Luctoria's parents, Count and Countess Brutom, were overjoyed.

Our daughter will be the contractor of the Forest Spirit King in the future!

For those living in the Hyupuet Spirit Kingdom, that is an immense honor.

Furthermore, it naturally comes with practical benefits.

In this country where spirit worship is deeply rooted, the contractor of the Spirit King is someone to be unconditionally obeyed.

The day after this notice, Luctoria was designated as the Crown Prince's fiancée.

The royal family would not overlook such a powerful piece as the candidate for the Forest Spirit King's contractor.

Thus, the Count Brutom family, despite being a count's family, came to hold power second only to the royal family in the Hyupuet Spirit Kingdom.

If Luctoria muttered that she 'disliked' the sweets she ate at a tea party.

The next day, that sweet shop, which boasted a two-hundred-year history, was destroyed.

That's how much power was concentrated in her family.

This was truly the spring of their lives.

Luctoria's parents became arrogant.

They weren't particularly skilled at politics, and they made quite a few... enemies.

To get their way, they dabbled in a fair amount of corruption.

Luctoria too... gradually began to behave more and more selfishly.

She would persistently attack and eliminate those she disliked.

She would even try to change the laws to suit her own convenience.

After all, no one defied {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} her, and all her wishes came true... Having been raised in such an environment, that might have been only natural.

Her parents were both busy satisfying their own desires, and never thought of correcting her.

As a result... Luctoria eventually became the most disliked person in the country.

As mentioned before, she was even given the nickname 'the Mad Dog Princess'.

However, even in that situation, no one could openly complain to the Count Brutom family.

After all, Luctoria is the contractor candidate of the Forest Spirit King, the signatory of the pact that has supported the Hyupuet Spirit Kingdom since ancient times.

◇ ◇ ◇

That situation was reversed at the New Year's celebration, after Luctoria turned 12.

At this annual event, where nobles from all over the country gather at the royal castle to thank the spirits for a peaceful new year, Luctoria was supposed to become the contractor of the Forest Spirit King.

Luctoria, dressed in a gorgeous dress studded with jewels... like those worn by royalty, awaited that moment, escorted by the Crown Prince.

Before her, halfway through the banquet, the Forest Spirit King appeared.

Tall and slender, with a cool beauty.

However, his masculine, well-toned body is like a sculpture.

His green hair, reaching down to his waist, shimmers like silk.

Everyone was captivated by the Forest Spirit King's beauty.

But then... everyone's faces turned pale.

The Forest Spirit King had his brows furrowed, his face red... and his beautiful face was clearly distorted with anger.

<<<Who are you?>>>

With a cold voice, filled with a terrifying anger, the Forest Spirit King asked Luctoria that question.

"I am Luctoria Brutom. The eldest daughter of the Count Brutom family. The woman who will be your contractor."

Luctoria, fully demonstrating the composure cultivated through her queenly education... straightened her back, and answered the Forest Spirit King with a smile.

In her life so far, there had never been a single thing that didn't go her way.

Therefore, this time too, although the Forest Spirit King was angry for some reason... she was sure that it wouldn't turn out badly.

Luctoria was convinced of that, and didn't doubt it.

<<<WRONG!!!>>>

But contrary to Luctoria's expectations... the Forest Spirit King screamed in anger.

And he threw a tantrum.

His anger turned into magical power, seeped out of his body, and created a storm inside the hall.

The chandeliers fell, the feast prepared on the tables was blown away and scattered, it was truly a terrible sight.

It seems that the Forest Spirit King regained some of his composure after that single tantrum... and the royal castle was not destroyed any further.

However, the next moment, he suddenly... vanished.

What in the world?

The murmuring in the hall gradually grew louder.

What happened?

The one who felt that question the most was probably Luctoria herself, who had been rejected with a 'Wrong' for a reason she didn't understand.

However, she has received education as a future queen.

For now, she put aside her question and was the first to start moving, checking to see if anyone was injured.

It was then.

The Forest Spirit King appeared again.

In his arms, a silver-haired girl, emaciated and unconscious, whom no one had ever seen before.

<<<Behold! This is the one who is my beloved child! My contractor!>>>

The Forest Spirit King declared that with a booming voice that reached every noble in the hall.

"Y-Your Majesty, the Forest Spirit King, with all due respect!"

The one who spoke to the Forest Spirit King, trembling with fear, was the king of the Hyupuet Spirit Kingdom, with his rich, white-streaked beard.

"I was told that your contractor... is the eldest daughter of the Count Brutom family!?"

<<<That is correct. Therefore, this one is my contractor.>>>

His angry face from before completely changed, the Forest Spirit King answered, with a smile full of affection, hugging the silver-haired girl.

"What!?"

"What does that mean!?"

The murmuring of the nobles in the hall grew louder again.

And Luctoria's father... Count Brutom's face grew paler and paler.

"No, that's impossible...? Why...?"

Count Brutom was trembling, repeating those words as if in a daze.

...Anyway, this was the beginning of the fall of the Count Brutom family... and Luctoria.