Chapter 23: 23. Raven or a butler?
AT THE SAME TIME
ALEXANDER
The crystal lizard continued chewing on the ore as if an entire group of armed adventurers wasn’t standing in front of it. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
"This mission stopped making sense hours ago."I rubbed my forehead.
"Agreed." Noa said.
The lizard suddenly stopped eating, its crystal eyes focused on me. Not Scarlet, not Rosalia and not Aiko, but me.
"Why is it looking at me?" I asked.
Nobody answered.
The creature lowered its head and bit into one of the larger crystal formations nearby. A loud crack echoed through the chamber, and it pulled off a large chunk of crystal ore. Instead of eating it, however, it walked toward me. Every weapon immediately rose.
"Alexander, don’t move." Scarlet warned.
"I wasn’t planning to."I said.
The crystal lizard stopped directly in front of me.
Then it gently placed the crystal chunk on the ground.
At my feet. I stared at the crystal, the crystal stared at me. The lizard stared at me.
"Did it just give me ore?"I asked.
Aiko chirped happily. The lizard clicked its jaw once.
"It paid him."One of the guards blinked.
"No." The second guard replied.
"It absolutely paid him."Third one repeated.
Michael’s voice came through the communication crystal.
"What happened now?"He asked.
"The crystal lizard just gave Alexander mission materials."The guard looked exhausted.
A long silence followed.
"I need a vacation." Michael finally said.
Before anyone could react further, the crystal lizard turned around and walked deeper into the chamber.
"Where is it going?" Isabella asked.
The creature disappeared behind a cluster of crystal pillars. A few moments later, scraping sounds echoed through the cavern. Then it came back, dragging a chest. A very old chest, covered in dust and crystal growth. The guards immediately became alert.
"That looks like adventurer equipment."One said.
"It might belong to the missing expedition."Another one added.
"Open it carefully."Michael instantly spoke.
The crystal lizard pushed the chest toward me, then sat down waiting.
"Why am I always the one opening mysterious objects?" I muttered.
"Because they keep choosing you." Rosalia replied.
Fair point. I slowly opened the chest. The lid creaked and inside was a single artifact. A silver crystal pendant surrounded by ancient runes. The moment I touched it the system exploded into view. I nearly dropped the thing.
"Artifact detected. Crystal summoner’s catalyst. Compatibility: perfect. Effect: increases maximum summon capacity"The system said.
Everyone stared as glowing light erupted from the pendant. The artifact dissolved into particles and flowed directly into my chest.
"What just happened?" Isabella asked.
"I think he absorbed it." Noa replied.
"Requirement fulfilled, bonus reward unlocked."The system flashed again.
Then a golden card slowly materialized in front of me, unlike the others, this card radiated powerful mana.
"A rank summon card detected."Even Scarlet looked surprised.
The entire chamber went silent, even the guards looked horrified. Michael’s voice came through the crystal immediately.
"Alexander."He said.
"Yeah?"I asked.
"Do not summon that inside the cave."He said.
I looked at the glowing card, then at the crystal lizard. Then at my increasingly worried companions.
"Honestly, that was already the plan."I said.
The card continued floating in front of me, pulsing with A-rank mana, and for some reason, the crystal lizard looked extremely pleased with itself. The glowing A-rank card floated in front of me, nobody moved, nobody breathed, even Michael had stopped talking through the communication crystal. The card radiated powerful mana that illuminated the entire chamber.
"Okay."I stared at it.
"Okay."The card continued glowing.
Still glowing.
"Does anyone know what happens if I touch it?"I asked.
"No." Noa answered immediately.
"Wonderful."I groaned.
Before I could do anything, Aiko suddenly chirped.
The raven launched off my shoulder.
"Aiko?" Scarlet blinked.
The bird flew directly toward the floating card.
"Oh no," I said.
The card flashed and Aiko collided with it. For one second the entire cavern filled with blue light. The guards immediately stumbled backward.
"What is happening?!"One screamed.
"Nobody knows!" I shouted back.
The card shattered into thousands of glowing fragments and all of them rushed into Aiko. The bird froze in midair, the system exploded across my vision.
"DING. A-rank summon card compatibility detected. Special evolution triggered. Companion advancement in progress."The system said.
"What does that mean?!" Isabella yelled.
"I DON’T KNOW!"I shouted.
The light intensified, Aiko’s body began changing. Black feathers dissolved into mana, wings became arms, his small body rapidly grew larger. The transformation continued for several seconds before the light finally faded. A young man stood where the raven had been, he looked about my age, short black hair and light blue eyes.
A black formal suit, white gloves, perfect posture. The entire cavern became silent. Aiko slowly opened his eyes, and then he looked directly at me. The young man immediately walked forward, and before I could react, he dropped to one knee, one hand over his chest, head lowered respectfully.
"My master."He said.
"Aiko?"I stared.
"Yes, Master."He said.
His voice was calm and polite. The guards looked like they were having a collective breakdown. One of them actually sat down on a crystal rock.
"No."One said.
"The bird became a person."The second guard pointed.
"No."First one said.
"The bird became a butler."Second one added.
"No."First one said.
"What happened?"Michael’s voice came through the crystal. Nobody answered. "What happened?"
Still silence. Finally one guard spoke.
"Sir."He said.
"Yes?"Michael asked.
"The anomaly bird became a butler."The guard explained.
Silence.
"What?"Michael asked.
"The anomaly bird became a butler."The guard repeated.
A longer silence followed, then Michael sighed.
"Of course it did."Michael sighed.
Aiko stood and adjusted one of his gloves, his movements were flawless, almost unnatural.
"What are your abilities?"Rosalia narrowed her eyes.
"I exist to serve my master."Aiko bowed slightly.
"That did not answer the question." Noa said.
"It answered perfectly."Akio said.
Everyone turned toward him as Aiko smiled politely.
"I can cook."Aiko said. Scarlet looked interested. "I can clean." Isabella looked impressed. "I can organize supplies, I can provide combat support." Noa nodded slightly. "I can gather information." Rosalia remained cautious. "I can manage finances, and I can negotiate, and I can maintain equipment. I can create schedules, and I can assist with strategy, and I can also provide emotional support. I can perform any task necessary for my master’s success."
The chamber became quiet again.
"Anything?"I blinked twice.
"Yes, Master."Aiko said.
The answer came instantly, no hesitation, no doubt just complete certainty. One guard slowly lowered his head into his hands.
"Alexander."Michael’s voice came through the crystal again.
"Yeah?"I asked.
"I don’t even know what to put in the report anymore."Michael groaned.
The crystal lizard was still sitting near the ore deposit, calmly chewing on another crystal while everyone stared at Aiko. Or rather, stared at the former bird who had somehow become a butler, and I was still trying to process that. The crystal lizard suddenly made a series of chirping and clicking sounds. Everyone looked confused except Aiko. Aiko listened carefully, the lizard chirped again and pointed one claw toward the crystal formations around the cavern. Aiko nodded politely, and then he turned toward us.
"It wishes to communicate."Aiko said.
The entire group froze.
"You can understand it?" Isabella asked.
"Yes."Aiko nodded.
"Why?" Noa asked.
"It was previously a bird."Isabella reminded her.
"Fair enough," Noa admitted.
The crystal lizard chirped again. Aiko listened.
"It says this cavern is its home."Aiko translated.
The lizard nodded enthusiastically.
"It has lived here for many years and consumes a portion of the crystal growth to survive."Aiko said.
The creature bit another crystal. Crunch.
"That part checks out." I said.
"It is aware that adventurers occasionally collect crystals from this location."Aiko continued. The lizard chirped. "It does not object."
Now everyone looked surprised.
"It doesn’t?" Scarlet asked.
"No. It believes the cavern produces more crystals than it can consume."Aiko shook his head.
"It wishes to continue living here peacefully."The crystal lizard proudly puffed out its chest.
The lizard nodded rapidly.
"And?"I asked.
"It believes payment is appropriate."Aiko paused.
Silence.
"Payment?" I repeated.
"It wishes to provide adventurers with crystals regularly."Aiko pointed toward the large pile of crystals the lizard had already separated from its own food supply.
The guards looked shocked, the lizard chirped proudly.
"It says this is rent."Aiko translated immediately.
The entire cavern became silent, one guard slowly lowered his weapon.
"Did the monster just offer to pay rent?"He asked.
"Apparently." I replied.
"I am absolutely not putting that sentence into an official report."Michael’s voice came through the communication crystal.
The lizard chirped happily.
"It also says that if people stop attacking it, it will continue sharing crystals."Aiko smiled faintly.
Honestly, that sounded like the most reasonable monster negotiation I had ever witnessed.
