Ball of Nothing

Hua Tuo's herbal noodles were highly praised by everyone. After the dungeon raid, Merlin and Zero were happy for the reprieve. Truen looked a lot better but when the elf said that there was something serious he had to discuss, everyone stopped the friendly chatter. Zero was serious too when Truen asked if he could have the egg in the lamp brought out.

With Merlin's help, they brought the egg out of the lamp. Everyone sat around the huge egg that moved every once in a while. Nobody talked as they stared at the egg. Merlin just had the talk about keeping it with Zero this morning and even though Zero knew the time was coming where they had to part, he thought he'd have at least one more night with it.

Once everyone was listening, Truen told them about the plan Mii proposed. Hua Tuo and Merlin were silent and expressionless. However, as Truen elaborated on the plan, Zero's eyes brightened. He could keep the egg!

"If there is a way to form a familiar contract, please let Zero know."

Merlin closed his eyes and frowned. The plan was a fairly logical one without many risks. However, familiars and masters sometimes can endanger each other. Usually, a summoner will own a familiar and summons the familiar using a contract using his or her mana. For Zero who converts energy into mana, Merlin didn't know the complications it could cause. At the same time, this was a dragon. Not just anyone could become the master of a dragon. Dragons were not meant to be bound by permanent contracts, they were often offered temporary contracts due to the sheer amount of magic required simply to bind a dragon.

"Even if we could make this contract work, where will Zero get all his magic energy to support this dragon?"

Hua Tuo looked at Zero's crestfallen expression when Merlin pointed that out. The doctor wanted to help his student keep his dragon but was also troubled by the risks involved. While Zero wasn't lacking in magical talent, he had no ability to produce magic of his own, unlike most normal living things. Zero's magic came from an external source and was converted hence that meant he had literally no mana cap limit. However, being unable to produce mana on his own was troubling as it meant the source was unrenewable. The dragon familiar contract may be a one-time off thing but summoning it does require a huge source of steady mana that Zero doesn't have.

"If only there was a way for Zero to infinitely convert unneeded energy into mana from the surroundings," Merlin sighed.

"Sounds like something only a curse would do," Hua Tuo added.

There wasn't anything like that on Endow Hill that would constantly emit negative energy that required absorbing. In fact, the dragon was absorbing too much of Endow Hill's mana just to hatch, causing the environment to be unstable.

"In that case, why not form a contract with the dragon first and only summon it when Zero can find a way to generate mana naturally?"

Merlin looked at Zero who was hopeful. He sighed. "Only if you promise that you will not summon the dragon out."

Zero nodded quickly and agreed. Hua Tuo cleared some space for Merlin to make preparations for the contract. The familiar contract required the blood of the contractor and Zero nicked his finger with a scalpel just enough to swipe some blood on the shell of the egg.

"Ok, now all we need is for you to give him a name."

"It's a boy?" Zero asked Merlin who nodded. Truen did say that Mii could communicate with the dragon so it was definitely a boy if the strawcherry fairy confirmed so.

Zero thought long and hard.

"Chuuka?"

The egg didn't respond.

"Eggy?"

No response still and Truen wondered if Zero was going to continue until the egg moved.

"Zuper? Momon? Kendy?"

Unable to watch the dragon bear such humiliating names, Merlin suggested something grand.

"Morxvillian?"

"He's not evil," Truen reminded.

"How about Eskaulrd?"

The egg didn't respond. At his wit's end, Zero tried once more. "Bobbinskrier?"

The egg shook a little. Then rattled and eventually bounced. Zero grinned happily and rejoiced at the new name. "You will be called Bobbinskrier the dragon! I'll call you Bob though. Well then, it's nice to meet you, I hope we get along!"

With the name decided, the familiar contract was finalised. A bright blue flash of light later, the huge egg and magic circle was no more. However, Zero heard a new voice and smiled.

"The pleasure is mine, Bob."