The Cycle of Fate

Chapter 55: The Price

Following the orthodox summoning ritual described in Aurore's witchcraft notes and his own occult knowledge as a "Contracted One," Lumiere recited in Ancient Hermes:

"Fool, who does not belong to this era;

You are the ruler above the gray fog;

You are the yellow-black King who controls fortune.

I pray for your favor;

I pray for your gaze;

I!

In the name of the great Fool, I summon:

A strange creature from the higher realms, a severed hand of a mysterious existence, the bloated and blue-black Throat-Crusher."

This was a summoning incantation Lumiere had devised himself based on the information about the "Severed Pus-Filled Hand." Since the ritual would grant the petitioner a certain level of protection, and the "Severed Pus-Filled Hand" wasn't considered overly dangerous, he removed phrases related to "weak" or "friendly," replacing them with more specific terms to precisely target the desired creature.

The already bluish-black candle flames suddenly expanded, intertwining to form a phantom door etched with mysterious patterns. Meanwhile, faint gray mist spread throughout the area, filling the atmosphere with unease.

The door slowly opened, and a severed, bloated, blue-black hand, oozing pus, flew out. It was two sizes larger than Lumiere's hand, seemingly capable of crushing a human skull.

The severed hand hovered in front of the mysterious phantom door, its five fingers spread toward Lumiere's neck, though it didn't launch an attack.

Lumiere took out another military flask, this one a different color, unscrewed the cap, and sprinkled some strong liquor in the direction of the "Severed Pus-Filled Hand" on the altar.

The liquor fell to the ground before reaching its target, but as the golden glow of the broom-shaped brooch flickered, the "bribe" was silently completed.

Only then did Lumiere open his mouth, his throat and chest resonating as he uttered a series of strange-sounding words.

These words were ones he had never learned before, all coming from the occult knowledge inherent in the "Contracted One." This allowed him to grasp their pronunciation and meaning effortlessly.

They were part of the "Secret Language of Fate."

As Lumiere's voice stirred the air, silver-black words, like symbols, materialized out of thin air.

One by one, they landed on the parchment placed on the altar, forming a brief but eerie contract.

As the contract was formed, a subtle connection was established between Lumiere and the "Severed Pus-Filled Hand," akin to the feeling of having it possess him, just like the "Dance of Control."

Through this, Lumiere grasped the general abilities and traits of the "Severed Pus-Filled Hand" and sensed its desire.

That desire was the price Lumiere needed to pay:

"Find my body, or you will never attain divinity!"

It seems I can pay the reward in advance and owe the price... Is this the effect of the "bribe"? No, not exactly. Once the contract is signed, I will immediately pay the price, but the price is the "fate of becoming a demigod." When I find the remaining parts of the "Severed Pus-Filled Hand's" body, the reward will naturally replace the price... It's like providing sufficient collateral upfront... These thoughts flashed through Lumiere's mind as he roughly understood the essence of the contract.