1226 -1211- Natsuki's familiar

"————"

On the dock, the siblings stared at each other, neither intending to compromise.

If we talk about stubbornness, these two are indeed extremely stubborn, making people can't help but marvel at the fact that they are siblings.

Before long, Natsuki was the first to relent.

Her words were as follows:

"What's your plan?"

Natsuki asked like this.

Without hesitation, Rozen replied, "Of course, it's to liberate you from the Prison Barrier."

Rozen had to achieve this no matter what.

Even if the puppet controlled by Natsuki continued to live with him, Rozen couldn't accept the idea of Natsuki being trapped in eternal slumber in that place, experiencing her life with him only in dreams. So, this was something Rozen couldn't compromise on.

However...

"I've already said, the existence of the Prison Barrier is necessary. Otherwise, all the wicked magic criminals in the world will become a time bomb, and anyone could be affected. Someone has to step forward and do this."

Natsuki stared directly at Rozen as she spoke.

"Besides, this is also the price I have to pay for my contract. As long as the contract is not fulfilled or terminated, I have to continue doing it, by any means necessary."

That's how Tokoyogi Yuuma came to be.

"Or do you want to annul my contract like you did with Aya and her daughter?" Natsuki sighed. "You know I can't do that."

Once the contract is annulled, Natsuki would lose all her power and become an ordinary person. Then, not only would she not be able to help Rozen anymore, but she might also be targeted by past enemies due to the annulment of the contract.

Natsuki would never allow that to happen.

And Rozen...

"I knew you would say that, so I've prepared for it."

Rozen smirked and snapped his fingers.

"Zing!"

The next moment, a complex magic circle like a disc spun out from Rozen's raised hand.

Then, a small figure emerged from it.

It was a petite creature resembling a pet, but with an elephant's trunk, rhinoceros eyes, cow's tail, and tiger's paws, all in glossy black.

"This is..."

Seeing this black creature, Natsuki was somewhat stunned.

Only Rozen, who made the black creature stop above his shoulder, spoke like this.

"It's a Dreamtapir."

////Or Baku in Japanese////

Dreamtapir.

It's a phantasmal species that exists in legends.

True to its name, Dreamtapirs feed on dreams, devouring them, and can also make the consumed dreams reappear.

In legends, Dreamtapirs depart from the depths of the forest on nights when the sky is filled with hazy moonlight, come to human settlements, suck people's nightmares, and emit lullaby-like chirps, lulling humans to sleep in the company of these sounds. Afterward, they quietly return to the forest to continue their mysterious life.

Now, such a phantasmal species has been summoned by Rozen.

The reason is self-evident.

"As a phantasmal species, Dreamtapirs also have considerable power. But the one I summoned is a juvenile, although it's a juvenile, it possesses the basic abilities of Dreamtapirs, namely, manipulating dreams."

Natsuki almost instantly understood the meaning behind Rozen's words.

"Are you suggesting I make this Dreamtapir my familiar?"

Natsuki raised her eyebrows slightly.

To this...

"The price your contract requires you to pay is to 'become the key to the Prison Barrier,' right?"

Rozen played with the Dreamtapir on his shoulder and smiled at Natsuki.

"In that case, it should be fine for your familiar to replace you in dreaming and creating the grand magic known as the 'Prison Barrier,' right?"

This is an idea that anyone would think of but couldn't implement.

Because, to create the Prison Barrier, three important issues must be overcome.

One: The substitute's existence must be either Natsuki or her own power; otherwise, the price wouldn't count as Natsuki's payment.

Two: The so-called Prison Barrier is fundamentally a large-scale magic, a kind of inherent barrier that not everyone can use.

Three: The foundation of the Prison Barrier's existence must be established in a dream realm that no one can touch.

Therefore, Natsuki must be asleep in her original body to create the Prison Barrier in a dream realm. Although her puppet is also one of Natsuki's powers, it's still just a puppet. If Natsuki doesn't fully control it while asleep, its performance will drop significantly, and it might even collapse and be unable to get up.

This is why Natsuki's puppet is so lifelike that not even Rozen's Mind's Eye can detect the difference, simply because Natsuki doesn't leave herself any room for maneuver, focusing all her attention on controlling the puppet and falling into a deep sleep herself.

In this situation, this plan won't work.

But Rozen thought of an alternative plan.

"As long as you subdue the Dreamtapir, make it your familiar, and then manipulate it to create dreams and use magic, there shouldn't be any problem, right?"

Rozen grinned cunningly.

That's right.

Just as Rozen can use his familiars, shikigami, and beast vassals to wield various abilities, Natsuki can fully make the Dreamtapir her familiar and use it to create dreams, thus creating the Prison Barrier.

In the past, Natsuki did not have the power to freely manipulate dream realms, nor could she let others replace her in the prison barrier.

Now, with the power of the Dreamtapir, combined with Natsuki's unparalleled puppet manipulation skills, using the familiar to manipulate, they will surely be able to successfully cast the "Prison Barrier" grand magic spell effortlessly.

Unlike puppets, familiars already have the ability to self-regulate, so Natsuki doesn't need to exert all her efforts. Plus, the Dreamtapir's ability is to create dream realms, so Natsuki only needs to assist, without needing to use magic extensively.

At that time, Natsuki's true self will be liberated.

In light of this, Rozen summoned the contract-free Dreamtapir pup and intended to hand it over to Natsuki, allowing her to easily tame it without much effort.

"You..."

Learning of Rozen's preparations, Natsuki was somewhat speechless.

"Mi!"

At this moment, the Dreamtapir hovering above Rozen's shoulder flew lightly to Natsuki's side, circling above her head and emitting a lullaby-like soft chirping.

This made Natsuki's gaze also linger on the Dreamtapir, looking at this little fellow, and finally, she smiled relievedly.

"I'll accept this Harurouin Festival gift," Natsuki concluded with this sentence, deciding to implement Rozen's alternative plan.

From now on, Natsuki will no longer let her true self remain permanently asleep in the prison barrier, but will let the Dreamtapir replace her to create the prison barrier and gain freedom.

"Then it's settled."

Rozen also smiled relievedly.

In this world, after a dozen years, Rozen finally did something for Natsuki.

With this, Natsuki's burden and fate on her shoulders would be lightened somewhat, right?

So, Rozen was already satisfied.

"Ah..."

Suddenly, Natsuki let out a small, uncharacteristic cry.

Because...

"Boom!"

With a sudden explosion, a beautiful fireworks blossom in the sky.

That was fireworks.

One of the major projects of the Harurouin Festival, the fireworks display, finally officially began.

"Boom... Boom... Boom... Boom..."

With each explosion, countless fireworks blossomed in the night sky, illuminating the faces of Rozen and Natsuki.

Rozen and Natsuki stood side by side watching this scene, saying nothing more.

Just quietly watching the fireworks as they had promised each other in the beginning.