I Contracted a Demon, but It Turned Into My Pet

Lucian's current strength was undoubtedly several times greater than when he was Tier 4. But facing the Demonic Jungle Ape and the Dreadclaw Bear at once—well, he wasn't that confident.

The Demonic Jungle Ape wielded dual Wood‑and‑Metal attributes, on par with the Sabertail Beast in power. As for the Dreadclaw Bear—it was comparable to the Furious Bear. This Tier 6 mid‑stage beast possessed strength verging on late‑Tier 7. Facing either one alone would test him. Facing both? That challenge wasn't simply a matter of one plus one.

"This is for your training. When I was Tier 5, fighting three of these wasn't a problem," Elvira Sol said, her smile breathtaking. "Wanting to be my man isn't that easy."

Lucian drew a deep breath. "Okay."

He was fighting for love now.

With a flick of her finger, Elvira cast a soft red aura onto Lucian.

Instantly, both beasts snapped their gaze toward him, eyes brimming with aggression.

"I planted a bait spell on you," Elvira explained. "Now both will focus on killing you. This way, they won't just chase endlessly, and you get real combat practice."

"How considerate of you," Lucian muttered, shaking—and a little less sarcastic than before. "Very, very considerate."

Elvira laughed. "Exactly!"

Resigned, Lucian turned toward the snarling beasts and sighed. "Let's go easy on them."

"ROAR!"

…

The Dreadclaw Bear collapsed. Lucian swayed and sank to the ground, leaning hard against a tree.

"Thank you both for your sacrifice… I hope the afterlife isn't too painful," he whispered, voice shaking.

His body was battered—deep claw marks stretched across half his back, a brutal blow fractured his left arm, and pain coursed through his entire body. He spat blood onto the earth.

He'd never been so badly hurt before. The agony left him trembling, his teeth nearly crunching from the intensity.

Both beasts had fought viciously. Lucian had pushed himself to the brink—and used multiple cheated Tier 7 spells borrowed from Elvira just to defeat them. In the end, he'd nearly expended his magic and mental reserves.

Elvira Sol knelt before him and nodded. "Well done. Sit with your pain. Let it teach you. The more hurt you endure, the stronger your pain tolerance becomes. In battle, pain tolerance shapes your limits. You fight better when pain no longer dictates your actions."

Lucian simply nodded, body trembling as he endured the agony.

An hour passed before he couldn't stand it any longer. He raised a woeful gaze to Elvira.

"Elvira?"

"Don't ask me. Just endure it. The longer you stand, the stronger you become!" she said firmly. "That's how I trained."

"To be strong means to endure the unbearable."

Lucian stared at her. Elvira—her heart skipped a beat.

She swallowed, then relented. "Alright… that's enough for today." She extended her palm, and instantly Lucian's wounds began knitting closed.

He let out a relieved smile. "Thank you."

Elvira pinched her forehead. She'd thought her will as hard as steel, but seeing Lucian so raw and vulnerable had melted her resolve. She scolded herself: No more mercy.

"From now on," she said, voice steady, "after each battle, I won't heal you—unless it stops your training entirely. Even if you're badly hurt, you must endure two hours minimum. That builds your resilience. Do you understand?"

Lucian nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"And," she added, looking directly at him, "no more that look you give me, okay?"

"What look?" Lucian blinked in confusion.

"…Never mind."

Elvira refused to admit how his eyes had loosened her heart. She couldn't afford that softness—it'd hurt his growth.

They ate lunch—Dreadclaw Bear, prepared again by Elvira with her outstanding cooking. Its meaty, tender texture was irresistible. Lucian declared between bites, "If I marry you one day, I'll be eating this forever."

Elvira rolled her eyes. "Shut up and eat!"

She watched him enjoying the meal, both a loving mentor and a woman amused by his antics.

Afterward, Lucian devoured the beasts' cores to cultivate his strength. A brief glow enveloped him.

He'd advanced into Tier 6!

Elvira couldn't help but exclaim in marvel. He's only been training less than ten days—from no rank to Tier 6… unheard-of speed. She'd taken over a year to reach this stage.

But too-rapid advancement carried risks. He needed time to consolidate his power—not only to let his system-based cultivation settle, but also his mental foundation and magical control.

She also worried about his heart—his spirit. He joked and teased, but was that the mark of a true strong soul? She needed to guide him.

The afternoon was spent fortifying his magical control. Six solid hours later, his spirit nearly drained—but his control had solidified. He could almost cloak himself in a mana‑skin and weave over a hundred hair-thin mana threads.

Elvira tested him, outlining the next goal: weaving multiple magic circles simultaneously while maintaining his mana‑skin. Each additional circle, each strand, each tactic would push his mastery higher.

Lucian asked curiously, "How many circles can you weave at once?"

She smiled. "Tier 1 circles? I can maintain thousands at once."

Lucian's jaw dropped.

Thousands.

He'd tried dozens, and had barely managed one. Elvira can weave thousands?

But he remained determined—I'll surpass her one day.

Elvira saw it in his eyes—and smiled.

Later, Lucian cheekily suggested: "Elvira Sol… can you roast a full boar again?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You dare ask me?"

He softened his tone dramatically: "My dear Lady Elvira Sol, would you grant your humble student the honor of a roasted boar feast? Your kindness would bring me great joy."

She laughed—he always charmed her that way. "Gross, you're so shameless."

He grinned. "If it means tasting your roast boar… go ahead, shame away!"

Elvira waved as she flew off to prepare dinner.

Lucian watched her leave, heart light. He wasn't just craving meat… maybe he felt something deeper—the warmth of someone to depend on.

…

"Ahh… I'm stuffed," Lucian groaned, sprawling on the ground and patting his stomach contentedly.

Elvira Sol's cooking was simply too good. Every time, he ended up overeating without fail.

"Enough of that. Time to get back to training," Elvira Sol said firmly. "My requirement is for you to reach early Tier Seven within one month. Only then will you have a shot at ranking in the top three during the entrance exam."

Lucian sat up, blinking. "Wait, what? I have to hit Tier Seven just to have a chance?"

"Are the others really that strong?"

Elvira Sol nodded. "To you, yes. Every recruitment season draws in a wave of geniuses—some from powerful clans, some from foreign nations, and others from major non-human factions. These people are true talents, not nobodies."

"Last year, the top fifty newcomers were all at least newly advanced Tier Seven."

"The top ten? Mid Tier Seven at minimum."

"The number one of the previous batch? Late Tier Seven."

"And this year, due to certain circumstances, many prominent clans are sending their best young elites. So don't be surprised if Tier Eight candidates show up."

"Most of them also possess the ability to fight above their rank. A mid-Tier Seven could easily rival a fresh Tier Eight."

"So unless you reach early Tier Seven, you won't even be in the conversation."

Lucian's eyes lit up with curiosity. "What circumstances? Don't tell me it's some kind of secret realm or treasure trove about to open?"

Elvira Sol froze for a moment, giving him a strange look. "…It actually is."

"Seriously?" Lucian leaned in, excited. "Tell me more!"

"I don't know the full details either," Elvira Sol replied. "All I know is that a special secret realm under the Allkind Arcanum Institute's control is set to open soon. It contains treasure of immense value. That's why all the big factions are sending their young prodigies—to fight for entry slots into the realm."

"So that's what this is about…" Lucian nodded thoughtfully.

Elvira continued, "That's why you must make it into the top three of the freshman rankings. The top three are guaranteed entry."

"You want me to go in there and grab some treasure for you?" Lucian teased.

"For yourself," Elvira said with a smile. "The realm's treasures can offer massive breakthroughs. Some even hide ancient relics of unimaginable power. If you get in, it could change your future entirely."

Lucian's heart warmed at her words. A bright smile broke across his face.

"Got it! Just one tier in a month? Easy peasy!" he said with brimming confidence.

Elvira Sol rolled her eyes.

Most people took months—or even years—to move from Tier Six to Seven. Even with rare resources, the leap wasn't quick.

It had taken her over four months to make that same advancement back then.

But for Lucian, she didn't think it was bragging.

He had talents she'd never seen before. His cultivation speed was outrageous, especially with the Slime's devouring ability accelerating his training. One month to Tier Seven? Not impossible.

"Then what are you waiting for? Get to it!" Elvira snapped.

"Alright, alright! Let me pee first… Wanna come with?"

Expressionless, Elvira raised her hand.

Lucian's face turned pale. He covered his bald head and bolted out of the cave in terror.

Elvira watched him flee, then shook her head with a small smile. "This guy…"

———

The next morning, Lucian stretched lazily as he got up.

His cultivation was progressing steadily, though he hadn't broken into early Tier Six just yet.

The two monster cores he had absorbed still needed time to fully digest, so for now, it was back to meditative cultivation. If all went well, by tonight, he should hit Tier Six.

Just as he got up to head to the river and freshen up, he heard a loud rip.

Lucian looked down.

Last night's battle had left his pants half-shredded by a beast's claws. A torn strip had been hanging on his leg—and when he stepped on it while getting up, the whole thing ripped wide open.

Cold air hit him down below.

His shirt wasn't much better—ragged from days of wear and damage.

Lucian scratched his head and was just about to conjure a pair of iron pants with magic when—

Elvira Sol walked in.

Lucian yelped in horror, instinctively covering himself. "Ahhh!"

Elvira looked at him with a face full of black lines. "What now?"

"My pants… they tore," Lucian said, voice trembling.

Elvira gave him a once-over, then casually said, "I've got a spare Allkind Arcanum Institute uniform. Want it?"

"Is it… for guys or girls?" he asked cautiously.

"You want it or not?"

Lucian immediately nodded. "Want!"

Elvira summoned the uniform with a wave and tossed it over.

Lucian took the clothes, then gave her a cheeky grin. "You wanna watch me change?"

"…"

Without a word, Elvira turned on her heel and walked out of the cave.

Lucian changed quickly.

"Hmm…" he murmured, staring down at the outfit.

It resembled a formal uniform—white with accents of gold and blue. Stylish, well-tailored, flexible at the joints for combat movement, and made of rare material with basic defensive enchantments.

It was very cool—except for one thing.

The skirt.

Yep. It was definitely a girl's uniform. A combat skort designed to balance grace and practicality. The hem fluttered slightly as he moved. The fabric at the chest had clearly been stretched before. And it smelled faintly like Elvira Sol.

Lucian was certain—she had worn this before.

"You done?" Elvira's voice came from outside.

When she turned and saw him, her face flushed—and she nearly burst out laughing.

There stood Lucian, posing with his fingers delicately pinching the skirt hem, spinning in place like a shy schoolgirl.

"Well? Do I look good?" he asked with a grin.

Honestly… he kind of pulled it off.

Lucian's face was strikingly handsome—even if his eyebrows had been singed off in battle. His eyes sparkled, his nose was sharp, and even bald, he radiated charm.

But the skirt. The skirt made it all too much.

Elvira lost it. She clutched her stomach and laughed until tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Ahahaha!"

Lucian sighed. This really didn't match his heroic image.

After a long laugh, Elvira wiped her eyes. "I wore that when I was eighteen."

"You were very developed at eighteen," Lucian remarked, patting the chest area of the shirt. "You really stretched this out."

Elvira wasn't bothered. She simply gave him a playful whack on the head.

"There's no other uniform. If you don't like it, rip the skirt off."

Lucian twirled again, watching the fabric flutter in the wind. Then he shook his head and said with mock solemnity, "No… This is your student uniform. A symbol of youth and memory. I can't destroy it."

"So what if it's girl's clothing? I rock a skirt like no one else!"

Elvira smiled softly, her gaze gentle.

"Come on. Time for combat training."

"Alright! Oh—can we have Aquamire Boar for lunch today?"

"You still want to eat that? You're gonna drive them extinct at this rate."

"But it's so good."

"Everything I cook is good. We'll switch it up today—roast snake. I promise you'll love it so much you'll eat the tongue too."

"Deal!"