Chapter 96

"Hey, your face is red, let me take a look..."

"Nooooooooo——!!"

"Behave! Let me take a look!!"

Amidst a series of sharp shrieks erupted from Fu Yuta Togashi, Xia Zhi still easily took the magic contract from his hand.

This contract was modeled and improved upon the sorcery contracts used by modern magicians when establishing absolutely unbreakable promises — the Self-Enforced Certificate — becoming the First Generation Xia Zhi's personally modified version of a contract.

The core principle of the Self-Enforced Certificate lies in utilizing the function of the magician's own Magic Crest to impose the curse of "Geas" upon the practitioner themselves; its effectiveness cannot be removed by any means in principle.

Even if the swearer has passed away, as long as the Magic Crest is inherited by the next generation, even the soul after death will be bound.

Therefore, although the effect is extremely powerful, there are indeed many inconveniences and restrictions at the same time.

For example, it is almost limited to modern magicians who possess a Magic Crest, and can only be used on oneself; because its essence is "self-enforcement," meaning that despite its great power, it can only be used for self-constraint.

Usually, magicians would only choose to establish such a contract when mutually constraining and guaranteeing each other.

Xia Zhi originally took a liking to this simple and easy-to-learn sorcery because he wanted to master a sufficiently powerful contract method. However, he had no excessive enthusiasm for self-constraint and self-restriction, and was more inclined to apply it to others.

Therefore, he attempted to disassemble this type of sorcery contract, and following its principles, templates, frameworks, and other key elements, copied the gourd to draw the ladle and tinkered out a variant contract pattern, and quickly put it into practice.

— If viewed as a technique, disassembly and imitation are easy.

— In any case, it wouldn't be more difficult than reverse engineering a Noble Phantasm.

Currently, this first-generation magic contract is still in the experimental improvement stage; although not perfect, it has reached a usable level.

But for targets who do not possess Mystery and have no magical energy, it is already sufficient to realize its basic functions, without too much problem.

Its advantages lie in not relying on a Magic Crest, being applicable to ordinary people, and not being limited to self-constraint and self-restriction...

As for the disadvantages, naturally the Jutsu's binding force is relatively limited; the effect of "Geas" also cannot reach the powerful level of a curse, nor can it continue to function tenaciously after the target's death.

"Good, the contract has now taken effect." Xia Zhi checked it over, nodded quite satisfied, holding the rolled-up contract document. "From now on, classmate Fu, you will be unable to disclose related information to others."

"When other people ask related questions, all related content will be temporarily forcibly sealed, blocked from your mind, and under circumstances where even you yourself are unaware, naturally not a single bit can be leaked..."

"..."

"..."

"Uh... is that how it is?"

Classmate Fu, having calmed down slightly, exhaled lightly; although his gaze still locked tightly onto that contract document, only then did he shift his gaze away from the document, casually scanning the surrounding environment, and tentatively began to state —

"Last night, we actually misunderstood classmate Toriya, so in order to find her we searched all the way to the suburbs, then encountered a demonic beast from another world, but fortunately were saved by Mr. Xia Zhi..."

Gradually feeling something was off, the more he spoke, the quieter his voice became.

Finally, he slowly stopped speaking, the whole person not very confident anymore.

"Huh, wait! I can still say it out, seems like there's no effect at all, could it be that I have to say it in more detail for it to be prohibited?" Classmate Fu looked at the youth opposite in confusion, doubts arising in his heart.

"Of course not; it's just because there are no 'other people' here; everyone here is an informed party just like you."

Regarding this, Xia Zhi responded unhurriedly, giving the answer:

"What you know, we also all know; how can this behavior count as disclosing information? If you want to test it, you can wait until after you return to the classroom, then try mentioning it."

Anyway, regarding this matter, the students have long been discussing it heatedly, all kinds of versions emerging endlessly.

Naturally, there is no shortage of people using it as conversation material, or jokingly claiming to be the instigator; such examples are everywhere. If Fu Yuta Togashi also casually chimed in a few sentences, it would undoubtedly not invite deeper scrutiny from others, nor would there be any need to worry about anyone truly paying attention.

He also just happened to take this opportunity to personally verify —

See just what key points this contract still has that need correction or attention.

"I see, that puts my mind at ease... So to speak, this contract is mainly to prevent me from unintentionally leaking secrets, right?"

Hearing this, Fu Yuta Togashi breathed a sigh of relief as if a heavy burden was lifted; the other party's rigorous attitude gave him no reason to doubt. After clarifying the contract's core function, he wiped the cold sweat seeping from his forehead, yet couldn't help but ask another question:

"This definitely isn't that kind of contract to become a Magical Girl, right?"

He had indeed been startled by this unexpected "surprise" just now —

Simply cannot imagine, if he had to change jobs to become a Magical Girl, just how eye-searing that scene would be.

Especially that crucial transformation segment; beautiful cute girls performing it is naturally pleasing to the eye, but if swapped with a male like him doing the same thing, it's really hard to accept.

Think about it...

No! Don't think! Once you think, rationality will evaporate!

Fu Yuta Togashi felt waves of chills in his subconscious towards any tendency towards this line of thought, as if even his hair would stand on end; even if a thought had just a slight sign, he would subconsciously feel waves of cold shivers, goosebumps about to rise.

Fortunately, this was just a joke; the contract did not play that kind of terrifying role, merely used to avoid upcoming trouble, a means to help him evade official review mechanisms; this was what made him breathe a sigh of relief.

"..."

"..."

A subtle silence spread out, forming an indescribable pressure in the air.

"Hey, why aren't you guys talking?"

Fu Yuta Togashi squeezed out a somewhat stiff smile, cold sweat seeping on his forehead; he tried to break the silence, his voice carrying a few points of nervousness: "Definitely... definitely can't be something like a Magical Girl contract, right?"

"..."

"..."

Xia Zhi cleared his throat, shifted his gaze, and laughed heartily as he gave the answer: "That, you can totally regard this contract's main function as letting a person transform into a Magical Girl, it's just that the side effect makes it hard for a person to easily speak specific secrets..."

"Bri-, bridge beans bag..."

Hearing this, Fu Yuta Togashi's pupils instantly dilated, his gaze rapidly dimming, as if he had suffered a heavy blow, instantly turning from a person full of dreams into a Salty Fish who had lost vitality, the light in his eyes instantly extinguished.

"Why would there be such a Setting! What kind of main function and side effect is this!"

"Then you can just regard this contract's core function as a Confidentiality Agreement, and the side effect as making a person become a Magical Girl..." Xia Zhi very considerately gave a suggestion, guiding the other party on how to accept this explanation.

"Makes sense... hey! Wait!"

Fu Yuta Togashi blanked for a moment, subconsciously said dumbly, but then immediately reacted, shivering and shaking his head repeatedly.

"N-no! That's not the point at all! In the end, why is there such a side effect!"

"There's a reason for that, of course. Because this Contract itself comes from our World, used to select those with Aptitude to become Magical Girls — that's right, just as you're surprised to hear, Magical Girls do indeed exist in the World — however, matters of Mystery naturally require a certain degree of Classified handling, don't they?"

Xia Zhi cleared his throat at the right moment, narrating with a solemn, serious Expression: "Otherwise, you wouldn't only be Coming into Contact with this kind of Secret now... So you see, the Contract itself carrying such Restriction Conditions is perfectly Reasonable, wouldn't you say."

That actually sounds quite Reasonable...

Fu Yuta Togashi was momentarily rendered speechless.

The fact that Magical Girls actually exist is already surprising enough; what's even more unexpected is that, from the sound of it, that World has even formed a complete set of standardized procedures because of it, with everything from selection to Classified measures Considered.

It's even written directly into the Contract, apparently — now that's truly keeping up with the times.

So what the other party says also seems to make sense, with no flaws to pick out. It's just that his Subconscious still feels something's off, as if there's a bit of a problem.

He Hesitated again and again, finally speaking up: "But, but... are there no other possible choices?"

"This is the most convenient..." the youth spread his hands Helplessly, a Regretful Expression showing on his face: "You must have seen it before, I'm just a crude martial brute who only knows how to swing a Sword and kill..."

He Laughed self-mockingly, admitting frankly: "In fields like Magecraft and Magic, I truly Lack Aptitude."

"No matter how I study those things I can't learn them, especially this kind of Contract Sorcery — it Requires the practitioner to possess extremely fine manipulation skills, truly beyond what I can Jia Jia..."

Speaking to this point, Xia Zhi sighed with a face full of Regret, Simultaneously reaching the Natural conclusion: "So directly borrowing a ready-made Contract is the best choice, anyway as long as it works who cares what kind of Contract it is?"

A crude martial brute...

Only knows how to swing a Sword and kill...

This is naturally modesty, but not without reason. Fu Yuta Togashi Subconsciously thought back — the earlier scenes, though extremely Shocking, indeed showed the other party fighting by wielding a Sword, giving the impression of a "warrior" rather than a "Wizard."

Perhaps there's also some preconceived notion at play, just like job characteristics in games — certain inherent Cognitive labels are deeply ingrained.

The moment one sees a warrior-class job —

one Subconsciously associates it with melee, physical, tanky...

The moment one sees a mage-class job —

one Subconsciously associates it with ranged, magic, squishy...

These two roles are as if two parallel lines; in people's general Cognition, the boundary between them is distinct and clear. At least in Fu Yuta Togashi's view, this saying does have its Rationality.

(Chapter End)