Normally, a Warlock's Lord doesn't need to be exceptionally powerful. In extremely rare cases, it's even possible for the Lord to be weaker than the Warlock themselves—take Half and Olivia in their amnesiac states, for instance. Don't forget, Olivia is also a Warlock.
But as Cipher studied the pixie before her, she couldn't sense any magic power or divine power fluctuations from it. Yet the Elf Girl had clearly just used Eldritch Blast and another spell that softened the ground. Those abilities had to originate from a Lord's power, which made this situation very strange.
Could this not be its true body? Cipher wondered. But even a clone or something similar should have some magic power fluctuations, right?
While Cipher was lost in thought, the pixie landed on her shoulder and poked her cheek with a tiny hand. "Hey, hey, unknown god! You smell so good! Want to sign a contract with me?"
However, Cipher's reaction was swift. With a flick of her cat tail, she swatted the pixie away. She had no intention of signing a contract with such a bizarre creature.
Cipher turned to the Elf Girl and said, "So, your Lord has spoken. Can you let us in to see the Father of Oaks now?"
"Alright." The Elf Girl took a deep breath to compose herself. There was no need for Cipher to go back for her teammates; during the commotion, the others had already crossed the softened ground and arrived at their location.
The moment they saw the Elf Girl, Aria and the Paladin elder immediately prepared for battle. But Cipher waved her hand dismissively. "The problem's solved. She's going to take us to see the Father of Oaks now."
Aria and the others stared blankly. "Huh?"
Still, Aria obediently lowered her weapon and relaxed her combat stance before asking, "What exactly happened?"
Cipher explained, "To put it simply, it seems a group of Warlocks are protecting the Father of Oaks, stationed nearby to keep all outsiders away. But I had a little chat with them, and now we can go in."
"Oh, wow~!" Aria nodded her little head rapidly. "Sister Cipher, you're amazing~!"
But the Paladin elder wore a puzzled expression. He said nothing, seeming lost in thought.
He had seen the Father of Oaks once, long ago, but only from a great distance. He knew little about the area, but he couldn't understand why the Father of Oaks would need a group of Warlocks for protection.
Though he hadn't gotten close back then and didn't know the surroundings well, the Paladin elder vaguely recalled that there should have been an elf tribe of the Earth Circle here.
Cipher leaped lightly down from the tree trunk. The Pixie was still flitting around her, chattering incessantly. "Hey, hey, make a contract with me, please? It costs you nothing, and you can use my power for free! I won't place any restrictions on you, how about it~?"
"Hey, hey~"
"Hey, hey~"
A vein pulsed on Cipher's forehead. Again and again, her cat tail swatted the Pixie away. The creature was starting to feel as annoying as a mosquito.
Just as Cipher returned to the group and walked over to Aria's side, the Pixie acted as if it had discovered a new world. Having failed with Cipher, it flew over to Aria instead. "Hey, hey, you smell so good too! Would you be willing to—"
Before the Pixie could finish, Cipher's tail lashed out again, faster than before. This time, it wasn't a sweep but a sharp crack. Cipher pulled Aria close and said, "Sorry, she refuses. And even if she were to make a contract, it would be with someone else, not you."
Back in the Northern Territory Empire, thanks to Cerydra's efforts, Half's condition had rapidly improved. He would likely regain his full power soon. So if Aria ever decided to become a Warlock, she would undoubtedly choose Half, not this strange, unknown Pixie.
Cipher's tail strike, though not powerful, sent the Pixie headfirst into the ground. Using her hands, feet, and wings, she struggled to pull her head free. Her once-delicate face was now covered in dirt. The Pixie looked heartbroken. "Aww, why are you so mean~?"
She then turned her gaze to the others present, but before she could even look their way, Feidric cut in, "I refuse."
The Pixie: "..."
That left only two people who hadn't given their answer. The Pixie flew between Douglas and the Paladin elder, sizing them up carefully. "You're not as cute as them, but I suppose you're not entirely unacceptable. This could be interesting."
Ptooey! The Pixie spat on the ground, smacked her lips, and said, "So, what do you say, old geezer and big oaf? Want to make a contract with me?"
Douglas: "?"
The Paladin elder: "?"
Wait a minute, they both thought. Why is her invitation to us so different from how she asked the others? Is this even fair?
Douglas's first instinct was to refuse, but just as he opened his mouth, he suddenly changed his mind. "So, what benefits would I get from making a contract with you?"
The change of heart came because Feidric's voice had just echoed in his mind: Ask about the contract's terms.
The Pixie explained, "It's really simple! After you make a contract with me, you'll be able to use my power—the Authority over dreams. Whether it's projecting things from dreams into reality, pulling enemies into dreams to fight, or even temporarily blurring the line between the real world and the dream world to make you immune to damage, all of that is possible, you know~"
Cipher overheard this and instantly understood. So that's how it worked! When my attack passed through that elf girl earlier, her 'intangibility' was based on this principle?
Douglas pressed further, "And what's the price?"
Such incredible terms couldn't possibly be free, right? Warlock patrons usually had all sorts of harsh demands.
But the Pixie just said, "There are no conditions~ I won't restrict your actions. All I ask is that once you have this power, you don't do bad things and try to do more good deeds instead~"
Douglas asked, "That's it?"
The Pixie chirped, "Yep, that's it~!"
Douglas had to admit, hearing this, he was genuinely tempted.