"You are…"
"… Yes?"
Now what?
The man circled around me, staring at 'something.' That alone was enough to send shivers down my spine. Imagine a man suddenly taking an interest in your body. What would you do?
Only, I had no power to resist! There was nothing I could do!
"Ah, I almost forgot."
"…?"
My body, which was embedded in the ground, was lifted by the man using the tendrils of his robe. Disgusting.
"Evan Mayer. Have you ever killed someone?"
The man spoke gently. His closed eyes radiated warmth, but his words did not.
"… Not yet."
Was killing considered an achievement here? Or was he trying to test me?
It seemed more likely to be the latter.
"In that case, I have a task for you. Given that you've lost all your memories, you'll need to start learning from scratch. And now, I offer you something. I've just formed an organization composed of novice Contractors. If you can pass my test, you may join the organization I've created. What do you say?"
What? An organization?
"What if I fail?"
Silence fell between the two after Evan asked.
"Then you'll wander alone in this miserable world. Inevitably, you'll have to go to the place I mentioned through the Blood Raven yesterday."
Ah, so that raven belonged to him?
Should I take the risk of joining him? I had no experience in this world at all. It seemed worth a try.
"Alright. I accept your test."
Evan nodded, making the man smile gently. Evan couldn't ignore how psychotic he seemed.
Was I being too compliant?
Damn, this was really a bad habit.
"But what benefits will I gain by joining your organization?"
At the very least, it had to be worth my future. I had nowhere else to turn to at the moment.
"Haha, you can trade potions with other members, share crucial information, or even receive help from fellow members. While we are indeed very weak compared to the Familia or other Organizations, at the very least, we serve as a sanctuary for wandering Contractors."
The man spoke with a somber tone before continuing.
"But all of that is overshadowed by this!"
"…!"
That…
"… What is that?"
A blank card? Why was he presenting and flaunting an empty card at me?!
"Ah, this?"
The man flipped the card smoothly, gazing at it as if he were looking at his lover, naked and waiting to spend a hot and passionate night together.
"This is called an Arcana, a card that represents the Pact someone possesses."
An Arcana card? Was this referring to tarot cards?
This made Evan think hard about the implications between this world and the Earth he had lived in before.
"… Is this thing special? I don't see anything remarkable about it..."
"What?!"
He turned and threw the card at Evan.
"Hold it. If you are a Contractor, or even one who has yet to start walking the path of Accord, you should be able to sense something special from it."
I caught the card he tossed at me hesitantly. The moment I touched it, a cold sensation struck me like lightning. And at that moment, I felt something flowing—like a river moving from upstream to downstream, eventually returning to the ocean.
"It feels like I'm being carried by a massive current of energy..."
"Yes, that's why this item is so important."
He took the card from Evan and tucked it into his thick white robe.
"Actually, the Arcana Card is the most perfect manifestation of a Contractor's power. I won't say much more, as you might be exposed to even more Corruption if we don't stop here. But what's certain is that I am extremely talented. So, don't doubt my future."
"..."
Fuck, he was so arrogant.
"Rise to Accord 9, and I'll tell you more about the secrets of this world. Before that, you need to train hard and start learning how to protect yourself. The Church will not tolerate Contractors who do not submit under their banner."
The man's hand clenched, gripping something from the air. In reality, he was extracting the purest essence of the Crimson Mist and shaping it into a six-eyed crow.
"Take this. It will be your guide for this test."
"Oh, okay. Then, what about you? Are you going to follow and watch me?"
It would be uncomfortable if he stalked me from behind. It would feel like a sharp knife constantly hovering near my neck.
"No, I have something I must do."
The man pulled his robe tighter around him and walked away from where Evan stood.
Come to think of it, I still didn't know his name.
"Hey, you! What's your name?"
When he asked, the man turned his head, gazing at Evan with his sharp gray eyes.
"My name is Magnus. I look forward to our brilliant collaboration in the future."
The moment he spoke his name, the Crimson Mist, which had spread as far as a soccer field, began to envelop Magnus and carried him away to an unknown destination.
"..."
Evan shifted his gaze to the six-eyed crow perched on his head.
Uh… What should I do with this thing?
If I remember correctly, it can talk, right?
"… Can you get off my head?"
He reached for the crow on his head and tried to lift it.
The small crow let out a loud Kraah! before responding with a pleased tone.
"No. It's warm and soft here."
Evan raised an eyebrow and said,
"I'm not a pillow…"
The crow moved its claws through Evan's hair.
"No, but you're comfortable enough to sit on."
Evan reached out once more, trying to grab the bird, but the crow deftly hopped onto his shoulder, then onto his hand, before gracefully returning to the top of his head in a provocative display.
"Oh, for god's sake."
Evan sighed.
"I can't even win against a tiny bird."
The crow chirped happily.
"Of course not. I have top-tier evasion instincts. Evolution, Evan. You should learn from me."