Chapter 72: Chapter 61: Magical Girl and Tentacles

RRRIP!

A sinister Demon Claw burst from the back of Isaac’s neck, stretching out its five fingers. A blood-red fluorescence flowed through its exposed veins as a mysterious aura quietly settled over everyone.

"Why are you out?!" Isaac said nervously, glancing at Prince Norns and his daughter, whose expressions had stiffened.

"HISS HISS?"

’Didn’t he say I didn’t need to be formal?’

A mouth and an eye opened on the back of the Demon Claw’s hand, and it looked at Isaac in confusion.

"...You really don’t hold back, do you?" Isaac was speechless.

"Hahaha! It’s quite all right. A little excitement is good. Is your Magic Pet a Divine Hand as well? Quite impressive! You’re certainly worthy of the Solomon name!" Fortunately, Prince Norns didn’t seem to mind and even praised him.

"Hm? ’Also’?" Isaac froze for a second, then turned to Princess Philo beside him. "You have a Divine Hand, too?"

"I do, but it’s not quite as... abstract as yours," Philo said, her mouth twitching as she looked at Isaac’s sinister Demon Claw.

Just then, golden sparks flickered at the back of Philo’s neck. A mechanical tentacle emerged, the claw at its tip opening and closing as it looked curiously at Harmon.

"A Mechanical System Divine Hand. That’s quite rare." Isaac sized up the mechanical tentacle extending from behind Philo’s head, all while cutting off pieces of steak to feed Harmon and Shushu.

As far as Magic Pets went, most Divine Hands were of the Angel Type or Fairy Type. The former excelled at Healing Magic and Light Magic, with their ultimate evolution being the Mimic Angel, which could split off from its host. The latter, meanwhile, specialized in stealth; their highest form was the Invisible Hand, which was nearly impossible to perceive.

In contrast, types like Isaac’s Demon Type and Philo’s Mechanical System were exceptionally rare.

Isaac’s Demon Type was rare because dealing with Demons was far too dangerous for a novice, and not many were as reckless as him. Philo’s Mechanical System, however, was rare simply because there were so few of them.

This was because the essence of a Divine Hand was the creation of a subordinate life form. It was born when one became a Wizard, by stripping a portion of the Power of Origin from a High Position Existence and fusing it with oneself.

Its attributes were therefore inextricably linked to those of the High Position Existence. Since machinery was a relatively recent development, the corresponding Outer Gods were too remote, and it was difficult to find the ritual beacons needed to communicate with Them.

’Aside from a stroke of sheer luck, perhaps only an Imperial Princess like Philo could have the means to track down such entities.’

’Wait. If that’s true, doesn’t that mean...’

"Her Highness Philo, do you have access to communication rituals for Mechanical Outer Gods?" A glint flashed in Isaac’s eyes. He forgot all about feeding Harmon and turned to Philo, his gaze burning with intensity.

Philo paused, startled. A slight smile played on her lips as she swallowed her food. "I do," she said. "Why, do you want them? I should warn you, though—most have already been used, so the success rate is very low."

"What’s the price?" Isaac didn’t care how low the rate was; as long as it wasn’t zero, he was interested.

"Excellent! I knew I wasn’t mistaken about you!" Philo looked at Isaac with a newfound sense of gratification. ’This is how it should be. How could you let a little fear of death stop you from taking a gamble?’

With a magnanimous wave of her hand, she declared, "No trade necessary! They’re a gift!"

"I couldn’t possibly accept."

"Don’t worry about it, we’re teammates, aren’t we? By the way, have you joined the Flesh Sect? I can give you a recommendation."

"There’s no need to trouble you, Princess. My eldest sister already gave me a recommendation, so I can get in directly."

"I see. That’s great! We can collaborate more in the future. Here," she said, "this has all the transaction rituals for the Outer Gods. A few of them are completely useless now, but take a look. Feel free to ask me if you don’t understand anything!"

Isaac’s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the Magic Book Philo offered. He then took it happily and launched into an enthusiastic discussion with her.

’I don’t believe for a second that Philo has no ulterior motives,’ Isaac thought. ’But I have too little information to figure them out right now. Besides, the mood is perfect; it would be awkward to refuse.’

’Of course, another reason is that I really want this stuff. These Outer Gods are all high-quality potential clients!’

While the two were engrossed in their heated discussion, Remington and the Prince’s daughter, who were off to the side, exchanged a helpless glance. ’Weren’t we supposed to be the guests of honor today?’

Seated at the head of the table, Prince Norns watched Philo’s enthusiastic display with a slight frown. He said nothing, however, merely observing in silence.

And just like that, lunchtime passed by amidst the lively discussion between Isaac and Philo.

After the meal, Isaac didn’t linger at the Prince’s Mansion. He bid farewell to Prince Norns and took a pumpkin carriage to the Solomon estate in the Imperial Capital.

As a border Viscount with its own army, the Solomon Clan still held a fair bit of weight within the Empire.

"Are you planning to sacrifice him?" As the pumpkin carriage disappeared from sight, Prince Norns’s words sent a chill through Remington’s heart. He opened his mouth to speak but ultimately said nothing. In his current position, he had no status to speak of.

"Of course not. He’s a Mad Witch. The backlash would be severe." Philo smiled faintly, a gentle expression that concealed an unfathomable mystery.

"I hope so. I’m just reminding you that the Solomons currently have two High-level Knights and a Grand Wizard on the verge of becoming a High-level Mage. That level of power ranks them among the first-class lords of the Empire."

"I know." Philo smiled and nodded, but only she knew whether she had truly taken his words to heart.

Prince Norns gave Philo a long, hard look, then led Remington and his daughter back into the mansion, shutting the main gates and leaving Philo outside.

"Hehe... Angry, are we, Uncle Rein?" Philo chuckled helplessly at the closed gates, then began walking with light steps toward her Mage Tower.

"He is dangerous. He bears the traces of three Divine Ceremonies. One was merely a probe, but two were successful Summonings. Do you really intend to form a contract with him?"

A mechanical tentacle poked out from Philo’s collar, its clawed tip opening and closing as a cold, clear voice emanated from it.

"We’ll see. After all, Uncle Rein wasn’t wrong. The Solomons are no longer minor Nobility. For now, we can just observe. Don’t you find it interesting?"

"I think you’re going to die."

"Oh? You have that much faith in him? Don’t tell me you’ve... taken a liking to him?"

"Philo, my final piece of advice is this: do not provoke him. Did you notice the mouse on his shoulder? It possesses Authority! And it’s a Tier One Divine Species!"

Philo’s light steps came to a halt. Her expression turned grave as she looked at the tentacle on her shoulder. "What did you say?"

"As I expected. You didn’t notice. In any case, do not provoke him. A Wizard capable of creating a Deity... in all of history, there has only ever been one. You should know who I’m referring to!"

With that, the mechanical tentacle slowly retracted, leaving Philo standing dazed in the middle of the street.

After a long moment, Philo looked up at the sky. The corners of her mouth stretched into a slightly crazed smile. "Only one? That was in a bygone era! Soon! I’m so close to succeeding!"