Chapter 73…
The Mirage Princess and the Familiar.
Even when spoken of simply as āfamiliars,ā the forms and natures of Yoanās familiars varied greatly and could be roughly divided into two types.
The first were actual animals he commandedālike Noah the black cat or the crow that had been placed near Felicia. Such creatures possessed an innate ability to synchronize with beings of magical power. They lived on food infused with Yoanās magic, which sustained them. Naturally, they obeyed his commands, but beyond that, Yoan was apparently able to share their five sensesāsight, hearing, and so on. The information he received from them was recorded in magic stones.
The other type consisted of invisible familiars within the castle. They were a kind of incorporeal magical beingācloser to spirits than monsters. According to Yoan, some looked like tiny winged people, others resembled butterflies, and some looked like lizards. Drawn to Yoanās power, they gathered around him, and through forming contracts with them, they acted in accordance with his will.
āWhen you say ācontracts,ā does that mean you also provide them with magic power, Lord Yoan?ā Felicia had once asked, worried.
āNo, theyāre magical creatures, so they donāt need my magic. They just say that being near me feels comfortable. So, in exchange for letting them stay around me, we make a contract that theyāll follow my instructions. Otherwise, theyād act on their own and cause mischief. Humans tend to avoid me, but it seems monsters are different. Our magical wavelengths must resonate. As one called the Demon King, perhaps Iām closer to monsters than to humans.ā
Yoan had said that with a faint, lonely smile.
(If people truly knew the real Lord Yoan, the world would surely be full of those who wished to stay by his sideā¦)
Felicia thought so, but could not say it aloud. Considering his past, she understood why he might think that way. It was not something she could bring herself to speak of lightly.
