I Contracted a Demon, but It Turned Into My Pet

Lucian stopped paying attention to Dodo and turned to ask, "So, all the demonic creatures in the forest have been dealt with?"

Elvira Sol nodded. "Mm. This time, it's all been cleaned up for good."

"I traced the remaining traces of demonic energy and hunted down every last one of them. Not a single one slipped through."

Lucian fell into thought, then asked, "Is there any chance those three powerful ones you said you killed… might not actually be dead?"

Elvira Sol chuckled. "You're a little too cautious, aren't you?"

Lucian waved a hand. "Better safe than sorry. What if those things can resurrect with just a drop of blood?"

Elvira Sol laughed. "Interesting idea."

"But no, you don't need to worry. I turned all three of them to ash. Not even a drop of blood remains—there's no way they could come back."

Lucian frowned. "What if their physical forms were destroyed, but their souls survived and they manage to possess someone?"

Elvira Sol shook her head. "Those three were only Three-Star Sacred Rank. Soul resurrection requires at least Nine-Star Sacred Rank. Stop overthinking it, kid. Focus on absorbing those cores first."

Lucian pouted. "I'm not a kid. I'm already twenty-three."

After a pause, he added, "And I don't just mean my age."

"…What?" Elvira Sol blinked, her expression subtly shifting.

She smirked, then stepped up to Lucian, lifting his chin with a single finger. "Twenty-three, huh? I'm twenty-six. That makes me three years older. And you think I'd throw myself into your arms just like that?"

Lucian's heart raced, his face flushing slightly.

God, she's cool.

He gave her a cheeky grin. "As long as there's love, age is just a number."

Elvira Sol burst out laughing and tousled his shaved head. "You've got quite the mouth on you!"

"But time's short. Go absorb those cores." She tossed him the Furious Bear's crystal core as she spoke.

Lucian caught it, then quickly asked, "Time's short? Are you leaving?"

Seeing the sudden urgency in his eyes, Elvira Sol smiled. "I'm not the only one leaving. We both are."

"This training trip was approved for only three months. We've got one month left."

"A month from now, I'll be returning to the Allkind Arcanum Institute."

"And conveniently, that's when entrance exams start. I'll bring you with me so you can finally get a taste of human civilization in this world."

"You've got one month to level up as much as possible and prepare for the entrance exams."

Lucian let out a sigh of relief.

As long as she's not leaving him behind, it's fine.

Holding the core, he asked, "Are you a student at the Allkind Arcanum Institute?"

Elvira Sol shook her head with a smile. "I used to be. Now I'm a mentor—though I'm just on the roster. Haven't started teaching yet."

"So what's the institute like? What kind of requirements are there for the entrance exams?" Lucian asked like a curious child.

Elvira Sol didn't seem annoyed. Instead, she sat down across from him and began explaining.

"The Allkind Arcanum Institute is one of the top magical academies in the Frostwild North of the Westlands. It's famous for accepting all races—unlike most schools that only accept their own kind."

"As long as you meet the criteria and pass the exams, you could be a goblin and still be admitted."

"But because of that, the standards are sky-high."

"Each year, out of hundreds of thousands of applicants, fewer than three thousand actually make it."

Lucian's eyes widened. "That high an elimination rate? What are the requirements?"

"First, you must be under twenty-five. And your cultivation must be at least Tier 4, Mid Stage."

Lucian nodded. "That's not too bad. I'm already Tier 4, Early Stage. I can definitely hit mid stage in a month."

Elvira Sol laughed. "True, that part's not difficult. There are plenty of people who qualify."

"But that's just the first test."

"There are three total. After the tier check comes the control test. Doesn't matter if you're a warrior, archer, or mage—magic is fundamental. The better your control, the more efficient, powerful, and accurate your casting."

"Two-thirds of applicants fail the second test."

"And the third is the most important—live combat."

"You'll be matched with a magical beast of the same tier, and you must win to pass."

"It's not just about strength—it's also about luck."

Lucian quickly caught on. "Because not all beasts of the same tier are created equal. Some, like the Furious Bear, are outliers—much stronger than others. So if your match-up sucks, you're just screwed."

Elvira Sol snapped her fingers. "Smart."

"But honestly, I'm not worried about you."

"At your growth rate, you'll hit the tier requirement easily. As for control and combat… I'll personally train you over the next month."

"What you really need to focus on is the final exam after all three trials."

"It's always the same format. Everyone who passes the three trials enters a secret realm."

"There, you'll hunt magical beasts and gather Soul Essences. The more you collect—and the higher their tier—the more points you get. Your ranking depends on your total score."

"The top three thousand join the institute. The top five hundred get extra rewards. The higher you rank, the better the prize."

Lucian nodded. He was no stranger to this kind of setup. He'd seen it in countless novels, games, and anime.

"But there's a catch," Elvira Sol continued. "The realm isn't just filled with beasts. It's filled with traps and danger. One wrong step and you could die. Even with safeguards, accidents happen."

"And the biggest danger isn't the beasts."

"It's people!" Lucian cut in.

Elvira Sol looked at him with surprise, then nodded approvingly. "Exactly."

"The secret realm is cut off from the outside world. What happens in there stays in there. Many participants will kill their rivals to steal their Soul Essences, loot their treasures, or settle personal grudges."

"That's why, even though tens of thousands enter, sometimes not even three thousand make it out."

"But isn't that kind of brutal?" Lucian asked. "Wasting potential talent like that?"

He misunderstood a bit—thinking all those who didn't make the top three thousand were dead. Elvira hadn't explained that many simply failed or withdrew, not necessarily died.

Still, the death rate was significant.

Elvira Sol shook her head. "We're training warriors. Mages. Frontline fighters. Not greenhouse flowers. If someone can't even survive the entrance exam, how will they survive real battles?"

"This world only respects power."

"The path to strength is never smooth. It's bathed in blood. That's the first lesson the institute teaches."

Lucian nodded solemnly.

It was harsh—but true. Every powerful person had walked through fire and death to reach the top.

Elvira Sol saw the resolve in his expression and grinned. Her sharp little tiger tooth caught the light, and Lucian's heart skipped.

"I only have one demand for you—finish in the top three."

Lucian blinked. "Top three? What if I can't?"

Elvira Sol smiled sweetly. "Then I'll beat you up."

"And if I not only fail to place, but also flunk the whole exam?"

Her smile widened. "Then I'll send you to meet the gods."

Lucian gulped. "Come on, I saved your life, didn't I…?"

Elvira nodded. "True. But you're also my student—my first student."

"If my first student can't even pass the exam, what does that say about me?"

"How am I supposed to keep my reputation in the mage world?"

Lucian: "…"

There was something about the way she said it—so bold, so confident—it made her shine even brighter.

"My point is," Elvira said, leaning forward suddenly and grabbing him by the collar, pulling him close.

Lucian felt his nose almost touch hers. He could feel her warm breath and the subtle, clean scent from her skin.

"If you want me to give you my heart—then you better show me some damn courage."

"My man can't be a coward. Or weak."

Lucian's eyes burned with fire. He grinned, a wave of confidence bursting from his chest.

"Deal."