A cute, soft thin-toned murmur reached out for my eardrums  "please answer my call, little spirit."

A wave passed on my skin causing me to feel rather warm and cosy.

A twist of fingers, an electric sound, and then an explosion.

Hastily, thanks to the noise, my eyes opened. The view before me left a hazy sense of confusion.

"Please, please help me!" A red-haired girl stood in front of me. Her teary green eyes shivered with fear and pain. Her pale stained dirty hand was too close as if reaching out for me to take it. 

Her tattered clothing spoke of poorness and possibly something worse. This time around, I'd keep the speaking a secret, at least until I received some sort of proof that communicating with others was fine. 

Her bruised arm spoke of ill-treatment. Who would dare punish a child in such miserable ways? Only a monster could partake in such ways.

But there was an important piece of information missing, just who in the world was she? And where was Farnese?

Her finger waved, and magical words that composed the contract appeared between us.

[ Lucia wishes to make you her partner.
You'll be rewarded with a physical body and loyalty.
She may take your feelings into consideration but order you out of necessity. ]

I grabbed her hand accepting such terms. They felt way better than Farnese's ones. And strangely enough, Lucia looked like a child that needed me more than her.

The black emptiness around us dispersed, leaving a broken home for me to see: cracked wooden floor, walls with holes, and a dripping ceiling.

She looked like a broken doll and I could tell she was not alone: in the corner of my eyes, there were shady figures, which caused me to not want to utter a word. Hooded figures, one sitting with his feet on top of a table where a glass with a black liquid remained half empty. Leftovers of bread and pieces of meat which were more bone and fat than anything pleasant to chew on. In front of that one, there was another man with his hand on the squared wood holding a knife. Yet he was not using it to eat, instead, the pointy edge landed between his fingers as if he was practicing his accuracy.

I didn't turn around to see what other evildoers there were. Certainly, they could know more about spirits than me and I didn't want to give them a reason to hurt me too.

A rough intimidating voice came from behind me, causing Lucia to shake almost instantly, "is it done?"

"Y-yes."

"Show us the information."

Unnamed | level: 1 | Age: 8 | Race: Kitsune | Class: Pet Summoner
Strength: 2 | Vitality: 3 | Stamina: 7
Agility: 5 | Dexterity: 2
Intelligence: 1 | Wisdom: 1
Innate Ability: Magical Pocket.
Blessing: Beauty
Curse: The Dark Mirror [Cycle 2]

"Didn't I tell you, boss?" 

"Shut it, Greg," the man quickly scolded him, but despite that the surrounding men laughed. "A golden goose this one."

"It was worth stealing that expensive gem," he halted his knife.

"You did good, very good."

Loud footsteps reached out for me and then to my left his tall silhouette appeared as he approached Lucia.

"You did good kid," his tall hand fell on top of her messed smelly hair patting it briefly.

"From this moment onwards, these two are not to be touched. They'll become our money-making asset."

The many voices cheered at his words making me think they were a gang of thieves. From his answer, I could tell she became relieved to a certain extent.

"Don't forget Lucia. Loyalty to the brotherhood above all."

"Yes, boss."

'Just where did I end up this time around?' I scorned my ill fate, but more than that, my heart couldn't help but be full of pity for this young girl who looked just a bit older than me.

It was then that a voice reached my mind causing magical words to appear in front of me.

[ The scenario has been expanded.

Uncleared plotlines:

Farnese route: The fallen lady unlocked.

Lucia route: ??? ]

For a brief moment, my eyes widened in shock for their names to appear there. It reminded me of the girl that mistreated me, but more than that, it mentioned something about her being a fallen lady. It made me wonder what that was all about. 

And just as I focused my mind on it, the room became dark. Then, I saw an oval glass of sorts and in it, my most recent death passed before my eyes. 

'I look so pathetic,' truly, it had been a silly way to die. It may have very well been the deadliest sneeze anyone could produce.

'If I could tell my friends of it...' I smiled faintly, recollecting their faces and laughter.

And the following scene seemed to be the aftermath: they told Farnese of an accident I had, of a wild beast that killed the poor kitsune. The loss of great profit for the family which led to her becoming a sex slave in my place and the great horrors it followed. Not willing to witness her pain, I closed my eyes, allowing the vividness of life to entangle my surroundings, sending me back to the present reality. In the end, I felt that karma had struck her, but there was also a sense of forgiveness within me. It felt like the words she sprouted at me were no less than the ones the noble family enforced upon her: to be dutiful upon your lineage, even if you have to sell your body.

'What a world,' I scorned it in every way possible, resenting not being able to help someone who truly needed me. Thus, my eyes focused on Lucia's ones, not willing to let the same thing happen all over again.