Rogue Villain-Chapter 276: Covenants

"I might have heard of something like that."

Ackster hadn’t heard or read much about dragons during his time in Millmeria. But in the various pieces of fictive literature he read back on Earth, there were, on occasion, dragons who could affect reality merely by speaking.

Trana hummed while thinking about how to phrase what she was going to say.

*I guess you could say the belief of Dragon Words stems from Covenants, which dragons use. Although I said it’s different from Oaths, a Covenant is basically a promise with the world, mana, and oneself. It’s just that calling it a promise doesn’t really say anything about what it entails. It sounds so empty.*

Ackster nodded. Trana’s explanation wasn’t the best, but he was beginning to get an idea.

*Maybe calling it a trade-off or a deal with the world would be better. I’ll give you an example. One of my Covenants is for me not to steal. It’s a restriction that limits my freedom. Depending on the circumstances, I’m either constantly slightly stronger or get a momentary boost in strength when upholding the Covenant. Other Covenants can also give a permanent increase in, for example, mana, mana circulation speed, muscle density, vitality, thinking speed, and so on.*

"Can I learn that?"

Ackster didn’t understand how it worked, but he understood what the Covenants did. That was all he needed to know that he could grow stronger using them.

Trana hummed again as she considered the possibility.

*It’s not impossible, especially since you heard when my Covenant of not breaking our arrangement took effect. But hearing and making a Covenant are two different things. The latter takes a deep relationship with the world and mana, while the former only requires a good sense of supernatural things.*

"So...?"

Ackster asked for clarification on what Trana was trying to say.

*It might take time. You shouldn’t have to worry about not learning to make a Covenant before you die of old age, considering your vitality and monstrous abilities. But you might want to give up on living a normal life for at least a few centuries.*

"Fuck that."

*Yeah, I’m not surprised. You didn’t strike me as the patient type.*

Trana felt that it was a good decision not to tell Ackster that even centuries might be a hopeful estimate for a human to learn how to make Covenants since it was something that required a greatness humans didn’t innately possess.

*We’re here.*

Before long, Trana passed through a magic barrier that somehow hid an entire snow-capped mountain range. She flew past a couple of the first mountains before arriving at an oasis-like center with a large cave and a cabin next to a small lake. She put down the unconscious Mara and opened her mouth to let out Ackster.

"By the way, couldn’t you have carried me with your hands—paws or on your body after we left?"

"I could have, but it would have been unnecessary—Did you drink my saliva?!"

Ackster avoided Trana’s eyes and looked around the place.

"...I was thirsty."

Trana scurried over to the lake and gulped down a large mouthful of water, which she gurgled before emptying it back into the lake and spitting with disgust.

"Bleh!"

"Now you’re just being rude."

Ackster had already noticed how Trana and Viztar looked at him with the opposite of fondness due to what he had done when fighting Viztar. But Trana was going a little far.

"As rude as stealing someone else’s saliva? I haven’t even had my first kiss yet!"

Ackster tilted his head.

"Huh. I guess I haven’t, either."

"Urgh."

Trana almost hurled as she transformed into a human.

"Wait here. I’m going to expand the cabin a little so you and my disciple have somewhere to sleep."

Trana went into the cabin, leaving Ackster with his broken trident and Mara outside in the snowy sunshine.

"My lord!"

Ackster turned around and looked at Mara, who had woken up or maybe stopped pretending to sleep.

"Where did you get that from?"

Ackster furrowed his brow. He didn’t own any land, nor did he have that kind of master-and-servant relationship with anyone.

Mara twirled her fingers awkwardly.

"Well, you didn’t tell me your name...—That aside, we must leave! Who knows when we will get another chance like this before that terrible dragon eats us!"

Ackster rested his forehead against his fingertips.

"Hey, Trana! Didn’t you tell her anything with your telepathy?"

Trana left the cabin with a confused expression.

"No? I assumed she would understand when she saw you alive and well. And I was busy talking to you."

’Covenants and magic that can hide an entire mountain range are okay, but not talking to two people at the same time?’

Ackster turned to Mara. She might have been blinded by her murderous intent and didn’t think clearly. Or she might have lost a couple of brain cells from her training with him.

"Well, Mara, do you understand now?"

Mara looked between Ackster and Trana with a cautious gaze.

"Don’t tell me! You’re working together with the dragon?! And you’re going to eat only me?!"

Ackster looked at Trana.

"Isn’t her kind supposed to revere your kind? Why does she think you will eat her?"

Trana shrugged.

"If you ask me, she’s more scared of you than me."

Ackster sighed.

’Probably.’

"No, that’s not what we’re doing, Mara. Trana here wants to take you in as her disciple. She’s also going to help me train."

"Lies?"

"No."

"Thank you for giving me this opportunity!"

Ackster sighed again.

"Aren’t you supposed to kneel and bow before your master, not me?"

"It is thanks to you that I have been granted this opportunity! Naturally, I must give you my gratitude."

’Was she always like this?’

Ackster wasn’t sure what had happened in the time he had been away from Mara, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. But it seemed like she had developed an unhealthy obsession with him.

Mara got up and walked over to Trana.

"I give my greetings."

Mara bowed slightly at the hips, but her greeting lacked respect and wasn’t nearly as sincere as what she had shown Ackster.

"Hmm. Interesting."