She let out a long yawn before voicing out her displeasure, "What do you want? Can't you see that I'm sleeping in order to recover… Oh, that's quite a lot of power I've collected compared to last time."

I suppressed my irritation. Just listening to her for a few seconds was enough to make my blood boil. "First of all, it's not you who collected it. Whilst you were snoozing around lazily in the land of dreams, I've managed to find a way to regain some power."

"Really?!" her tone brightened. "In that case, what are you waiting for? Let's fill up and go right now!"

"Whoa, whoa, not so fast, Seabiscuit. Before that, I need a job that needs to be done."

She growled at me and seemed to consider for a while before finally agreeing, "Speak!"

I smirked in satisfaction. Based on her reaction, it doesn't seem the contract is as binding as I expected (for me at least). I once thought about forcing her to tell me the full terms of the contract and the consequences of breaking it, since I know that beings like her can't lie about the same thing more than once. However, I'll refrain from it since it'll only cause her to view me with absolute enmity. Besides, she ain't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, so I don't think it'll be that hard to dig up information from her. Of course, I still intend to keep my part of the bargain despite doing so. Though I understand it's kinda a waste to just let that kind of power slip away, especially since I'm beginning to understand more about it. I am by no means, a tyrant.

"I need you to find the person that disappeared around here."

"That's it?"

"Yep."

"Then you'll take me back after that?"

"Uh-huh."

"No lies?"

"No-uh."

"Alright then."

While I might have promised to take her back after this request, I doubt it'll be the last time I call upon her favor since things are unlikely to go that smoothly. Call me a pessimist, but the universe has always proven from time to time that if there's anything that can go wrong, it probably will.

"Wait a minute," I stopped her from materializing outwards. "I need to tell my companions first."

I opened my mouth to speak, "Hey guys, I'm going to summon my familiar to help us find out where Bastion went. So don't be surprised."

Haze started to flow from my body and condensed to form an outline of a person. The haze turned and twist, refining its form to finally reveal a woman clad in magnificent armor. Her shoulder length blonde hair blowing freely as she scowled at me with platinum-ringed golden pupils. "n.o.body would ever want to serve as a familiar to an incompetent master such as yourself," she snarled. "Wait a moment! I'm not your familiar at all!"

"Lady Ellariel!" Lia rushed to greet her.

"Fufufu. We meet again, young priestess," Ellariel said as she patted Lia's head.

I didn't like how Lia acted all starstrukk around her, so I crossed my arms and said grumpily, "Could you start now?"

She glowered at me and harrumphed. Her eyes began to glow and she started scanning the area with her gaze. Not long after, she lifted her eyebrows. Noticing the change in her expression, I asked, "Well?"

"It appears the person you're looking for isn't here anymore," she declared haughtily, as if achieving a great accomplishment.

I pinched my glabella and let out an exhausted breath. I've never seen anyone so proud for failing before.

Everyone else closed their eyes and shook their head heads except for Lia. They both seem to harbor the same thought as me.

"What's wrong? Didn't you hear what I said? He's not here anymore," she said again.

I rested my hands on her intangible shoulder. "Yeah, we can obviously see that. Don't worry, I'll still fulfil the contract," I said consolingly.

Guess I shouldn't have expected too much out of her after all. Like they say, expectation is the source of disappointment.

"Eh?" she looked at us stupidly.

"There's nothing else for you to do anymore, so just go ahead and sleep or something," I waved my hand.

Her expression became livid. "Is this how you show your grat.i.tude? Fine! Go ahead and retrieve him yourself. You don't need my help anymore, right?" she harrumphed and folded her arms, turning away from me.

"Huh? What do you mean? Didn't you just said that he wasn't here anymore? How the h.e.l.l can we possibly retrieve him if he isn't here?" I retorted.

"Foolish mortal, always arrogantly a.s.suming that the entire universe revolves around you. What I meant is that he isn't here in the realm, but in another!"