"Teleport!"

Seeing the unavoidable gray-white beam rushing straight at my face, I channeled magic into the Teleportation Ring on my index finger. My body felt lighter as I teleported five meters up into the air. The beam, now targetless, shot toward the Elven Spring behind me. Reflected by the water, it surged skyward, instantly reducing a towering tree beside the spring to ashes.

Feeling the magic power within that beam, I gasped. So this was a sixth-tier magic beast’s strength. A casual strike matched the combined spells Tida and Xia unleashed with all their might—no, it was even stronger.

If I’d been hit, would I really be fine?

Before I could hesitate, the beast turned its head toward me without pause. The terrifying gray-white beam erupted from its mouth.

What a joke—an attack this powerful had no cooldown!

Clenching my teeth, I teleported again, barely dodging the three-meter-thick beam. But its shockwave made me stumble midair. I flapped my little pink wings frantically to stay balanced.

Then the third beam arrived.

"Messe!"

Forcing down nausea from back-to-back teleports, I chanted the Elf’s speed spell—the shortest one I knew—just as the beam neared my face. The teleport succeeded, and my petite body felt even lighter. Elven Magic had worked.

But before I could rejoice, the beast aimed at me again like a tireless machine.

"What a rude beast, doing this to a naked little girl."

Just then, a savior’s voice sounded in my ear. Light vanished before me—someone blocked my view and the incoming beam.

Huh?

Before I could react, the figure turned, smiled, and ruffled my hair. That strange touch made me shudder all over; I clenched my jaw.

"Oh my, such a cute Contract Beast~"

A soft, husky voice whispered at my ear—pleasant, but I had no time to appreciate it.

"Um, the beast’s next shot—"

"Such a mood-killer beast," she chuckled dismissively. The beast wailed and collapsed. Its half-formed beam dissipated instantly.

"Such a kind little one, so adorable."

A strange electric current surged through my body. Every cell trembled slightly.

The girl pressed her lips against my ear without hesitation... then casually licked its outline, blowing warm breaths.

Damn it!

Though it wasn’t my master—that guy—the Contract made me almost like this feeling.

Thankfully, he wasn’t my master. Snapping out of it, I activated the Teleportation Ring, gliding on my wings to his side.

Lingering tremors made my legs feel like cotton the moment I touched ground. My body went limp, slumping into his arms as I gasped heavily.

Mmm... what was this comfort of relying on my master?

Ashamed, I bit my lip hard. The pain couldn’t shake the tingling sensation or the warmth in his arms. I couldn’t even stand.

The one who licked my ear was my savior. I couldn’t scold her, so I stayed leaning against him, helplessly staring at the figure still airborne...

Huh?

No—not a person. A catgirl?

And actually kind of cute?