"This isn't your concern, Rabi!"

Lilina snapped, her voice tight with anger.

Rabi was the daughter of a city governor. Though it was just a remote backwater town, her family's influence dwarfed that of Lilina's father—the mere town mayor. Every month, Rabi had leftover allowance after expenses, all poured into buying Mind Crystals. Rumor said she was close to becoming a Junior Mage, already top-tier among the remedial class.

But she loved bullying others. All last year, she’d made Lilina’s life miserable.

"What’s this, Lilina? Summoned a Dark Beast and gotten cocky now?" Rabi clicked her tongue. "You’re a stain on this academy. No one’s ever summoned a Dark Beast—not even classified as a low-grade Monster Beast. How do you still show your face here? Zero self-awareness!"

"The academy hasn’t expelled me," Lilina shot back. "Unless you speak for them now, Rabi? Can you kick me out yourself?"

"Hmph! They’ll expel you soon enough. Just wait!" Rabi glared, tossed the threat like a gauntlet, and strode away.

After she left, Lilina sighed and turned to Wu Yan.

"Little Dark... you really don’t understand?" She pointed at herself. "Lilina!" Then at him. "Little Dark!"

Wu Yan didn’t grasp her words, but he guessed her meaning.

*She’s naming me? Ugh. Fine. I owe her. Doesn’t sound awful... I’ll allow it.*

Had he known what "Little Dark" truly meant, he’d have refused on the spot.

After repeating it a few times, Lilina pointed to the table’s edge. "Little Dark!"

*So I’m a pet now? How embarrassing.*

Still, he shuffled over.

Lilina hadn’t expected it to work—but he actually moved. A flicker of excitement lit her eyes.

"Little Dark... you understand me?"

But seeing his blank, clueless stare, her hope dimmed again.

"Class dismissed!" Stephanie clapped her hands. "Off to lunch, everyone. Oh—and eating with your Contract Beast is a great way to bond!"

"Lilina. With me."

"Yes, ma’am!"

Amid a sea of scornful stares, Lilina clutched Wu Yan and followed Stephanie.

They stepped into the teachers-only Teleportation Magic Array, arriving in a room cluttered with alchemical vials. Stephanie settled into a guest chair in the corner and gestured for Lilina to sit opposite.

"No, Teacher! I—I’ll stand. I messed up..."

"*Sit*." The command cracked like a whip.

"Yes, ma’am!" Lilina perched nervously on the edge of her seat.

Stephanie studied her for a long moment. "Why do you think I called you here?"

"Because... I was late to class?"

"Hah! You think I’d waste time on something trivial? I’d have just thrown you out!" Lilina flinched. "Apologies!"

"Being late shows disrespect. And I don’t tolerate disrespect." Stephanie leaned forward. "So why *am* I talking to you?"

Wu Yan watched them, itching to know.

*Ugh, I really wanna hear what they’re saying!*

"I... don’t know, Teacher..."

"It’s about yesterday’s summoning."

"Contract Beast..." Lilina’s voice dropped. "Is the academy expelling me?" Memories of her struggles here flooded back. Her eyes welled up.

"This is my personal concern—not the academy’s. And relax. They won’t expel you over this."

"R-really?" Relief washed over Lilina. Once calm, she asked, "Then... why did you call me, Teacher Stephanie?"

"To tell you about Dark Beasts."

"Dark Beasts?"

"Yes. Truth is—they’re the most powerful Monster Beasts in this world."

The bombshell left Lilina stunned. "Most powerful? But... why—"

"You mean why they’re not even ranked as low-grade?" Stephanie’s tone stayed flat. "Because they have zero aggression. Even if you kill them, they’ll only flee—never fight back. Their strength can’t match an adult human’s. So they’re deemed harmless. Not even low-grade."

She paused, then exhaled slowly. "But their power... lies in near-infinite mana."

"*Infinite?*" Lilina gasped, utterly shaken.

"Someone tested it. Drained a Dark Beast continuously for three full days. Not a drop of mana depletion."

"How is that possible?!"

"Their bodies are pure dark-element essence. It makes them immune to all dark magic."

"So... my Contract Beast can fuel my spells? Even if it can’t fight?"

"One flaw," Stephanie added. "Their intelligence is extremely low. They can’t even communicate with humans."

*How... how could this happen...* Lilina looked down at Wu Yan in her arms, a trace of bitterness in her heart.

Stephanie suddenly stood, walking to the window. She turned her back to Lilina.

"You’re not the first person to have a Dark Beast as a Contract Beast..."

"Huh?"