"Well," Michael murmured, glancing back at Arianne. "That was easy."
Arianne smothered a laugh behind her fingers. "Seems like it's already claimed you."
Michael shook his head faintly, lips twitching.
However, Michael was at least glad that everything was going smoothly so far.
Now, the only real issue was whether he could successfully tame the beast through the master-subordinate magic ritual contract.
Arianne's eyes lingered on the owl for a few moments longer, a flicker of anticipation in her gaze.
"Let's head back to the garden," she said suddenly, turning to Michael with a bright smile. "You should try taming it immediately."
Her voice carried a spark of excitement that was almost infectious—more excited than even Michael, at least on the surface. But deep inside, Michael felt anticipation beneath his calm expression.
"Why wait?" she added.
Michael gave a small nod. "No reason at all."
