124 Chapter 113 - A Familiar.

If you want to read up to 20!! chapters ahead go to https://www.patreón.com/cornbringer

Updating on Patreon 13-15 chapters a week.

——————————————————————————

[Adam C. POV]

A familiar. 

In the magical world, at least in every iteration of it I knew, a familiar is a supernatural entity or creature that forms a special bond with a magical practitioner, such as a wizard. 

The primary role of a familiar is to assist and support the magical practitioner in their spellcasting and other magical endeavors. 

How someone gets a familiar differs a lot from one theory to another. Some are said to be born with a familiar, while others must seek them out or perform a ritual to attract one. 

That in mind. 

I had done nothing of the sort.

Mavis and I had no idea how I had... acquired a familiar. 

As knowledgeable as Mavis was when it came to the magical world, she found my situation to be out of her park.

According to her, there were multiple types of magic that revolved around the use of familiars, like Celestial Spirit Magic, Angel Magic, Summoner Magic, Beast Keeping Magic, and more I didn't care to remember. 

And while those technically fell into the familiar category of the magic world, they weren't really considered true familiar magic, or at least that was what Mavis said.

Why? Well, the thing is... Familiars, true familiars bond with their selected master permanently, serving not only their master, but their entire bloodline once their master dies.

To elaborate on that, Celestial spirits worked under a strict contract with one universal rule: once their master dies, or relinquishes their key or contract to another, the allegiance of the spirit would switch to whoever holds their key, regardless of their opinion.

Now, this didn't apply to... my feathery companion.

I'm not entirely sure how to call him just yet, but that's beyond the point. 

My feathery companion was a true familiar. A magical entity that doesn't age, doesn't die and its unwavering his resolve to serve me. 

In short.

I accidentally acquired a type of Lost Magic. Because, according to Mavis, there hasn't been a true familiar recorded in history for more than five hundred years.

"With each step we take, we pave the way to honor and triumph. Our destination is forged by our unwavering resolve and unyielding spirit!" The Raven squawked, interrupting my thoughts.

I was still getting used to that. He went from being afraid to full Viking or something.

"So, Mr. Raven, why were you hiding at the church?" Mavis asked, adjusting her make-believe glasses as she scribbled down notes in her leather-bound make-believe journal.

The Raven tilted his head, his piercing black eyes locking onto Mavis's before turning to me. "Hiding? Nonsense! I was simply waiting for my master to arrive," he said simply.

I raised an eyebrow. "Really, because it seemed like Yelema was chasing you."

The Raven let out a hearty laugh, causing his black feathers to ruffle. "Ah, right, right, the woman with concerning hobbies, of course, how could I forget that witch. Well, to answer your question, I could've killed that wench at any time, but I wanted to see what my master was capable of!"

Well, he was stronger than her in magic power alone. 

"Why did you choose Adam?" Mavis interjected, looking up from her totally real, not fake journal.

"Ah, that's an easy one," The Raven replied, puffing out his chest. "Because once I saw him fight, I realized my master has the potential to be the strongest being to have ever lived! And I wanted to be a part of that, so it's only natural I pledge my life to him."

Is it though...?

"Oh, that's wonderful," Mavis said, scribbling down notes furiously. "And what exactly can you do, Mr. Raven, and on that note, are they more like you?"

The Raven looked at Mavis and puffed his chest up even more. "What can't I do, my dear? I am the best of the best. I can communicate with my master telepathically, increase my size, summon magical constructs, and more!"

Well, that's a big skill set, so credit where it is due. 

Mavis furrowed her brow, processing the information. " Fascinating. And what about my other question, are there more like you?"

The Raven nodded, his eyes gleaming with pride. "Indeed, thousands, but only four stand at the top, including myself, of course. The Raven, The Bear, The Wolf, and The Cat."

Mavis scribbled down notes eagerly, her pen scratching against the pages of her journal. "And do they all have the same abilities as you?"

The Raven shook his head. "No, each of us has our own unique abilities and strengths, meaning that each king is formidable in their own right. Each of us possesses a unique set of abilities and strengths. The Wolf embodies strength, agility, and raw power. Its ferocity in battle is simply unmatched."

Mavis nodded, paying attention to the Raven's every word.

"The Bear, on the other hand, is known for his incredible vitality, stamina, and connection to the world. Not only can he use any terrain around as a weapon to fight but he can also navigate throughout any place almost effortlessly, he's quite a formidable opponent," The Raven continued, his feathers ruffling as he spoke.

Mavis jotted down more notes.

I chuckled.

"The Cat is known for her cunning intellect, wisdom, stealth, and agility. She can move swiftly and silently, and her sharp mind allows her to outsmart even the toughest of opponents," The Raven chuckled, shaking his head as if recalling an old memory for the briefest of moments. "And then, there is me, but you already know how magnificent I am."

Mavis beamed at the bird. "Truly remarkable."

"Is there a reason as to why you guys stopped taking masters?" I asked, seeing Mavis wasn't asking that question. 

"No fair! I was about to ask that!" Mavis pouted, crossing her arms.

The Raven let out a deep sigh, his eyes growing somber. "Well, for one, our kind is quite picky as to whom we decide to serve, seeing our pledge is one of eternal nature. Other than that, well, there was a point where we had to go away regardless of our selective nature when it came to masters."

"Why?" I asked.

"Well, master, a few hundred years ago, Ethernano concentrations were extremely low in the atmosphere, to the point most creatures could barely use their magic. This change in our world affected multiple creatures, such as the Dragons, so to avoid any dangers we went into our dimension, where we waited for the world to heal up," The Raven replied. "And it wasn't until today that one of our kind finally encountered someone worthy of our service!"

"You guys are quite picky, aren't you?" Mavis giggled.

The Raven nodded. "Indeed, we only settle for what we perceive to be the absolute best, and why wouldn't we? We are the epitome of a magical bond."

It was funny seeing a small bird praise itself, even if I knew it was familiar. I couldn't help but find the situation hilarious. 

"Master, I feel someone approaching us at a considerable speed," The Raven said, his tone low and serious as his feathers stood on end. "I await your command."

I blinked, focusing on the energy around us. At first, I didn't feel anything, but it wasn't long before a familiar magical signature entered my range.

"Oh, I know who that is," I replied, recognizing the magical energy approaching as belonging to none other than Lilia herself. 

I hadn't seen her in a long time.

That being said, how did she know where I was? 

The old man knows not to tell anyone where I am, when on mission. Meaning she somehow managed to figure out where I was without much help.

Her ability to find me no matter what, it's... very concerning, and creepy.

"Is Lilia, isn't it?" Mavis asked, reading my expression like an open book.

I nodded. "Yeah. She must have tracked me down somehow."

"Shall I dispose of her, master?" The Raven asked, his claws flexing in anticipation.

"No, no, she's a friend," I replied, petting the Raven on the head.

"Adaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmm-samaaaa!"

At this, the sky above cleared out of clouds in an instant, as suddenly, with a thunderous boom, the air split open, and a streak of radiant light descended from above. As the light grew closer, the ground beneath trembled, cracks forming like veins across the earth's surface.

Then, with an earth-shaking impact, Lilia landed on the ground in front of me, her dramatic arrival, as I had learned to expect from her, accompanied by a resounding explosion of power that shattered the ground beneath her feet. 

Dust and debris filled the air, momentarily obscuring the scene, most of which was blocked by my Raven companion who used his wings in order to protect my face from something that simply had no chance of hurting me. 

As the dust settled, I found myself gazing at Lilia, kneeling down before me. 

"Adam-sama!" Lilia exclaimed, looking up at me with watery eyes. "I missed you so much!"

"Pay up, I won," Mavis grinned.

I sighed.

Mavis and I had a... small bet, she said Lilia would cry when I saw her again, I said that instead of that, she would pledge her loyalty to me once again but this time in a more dramatic way.

In short, thanks to Lilia's display of emotion, I lost the bet, and therefore would have to build Mavis a library in my house, and I'm not talking about an average Library, I'm talking about Mavis Library.

"Long time no see, Lilia," I sighed, smiling at my friend as Mavis danced in the background.