Florida Man in Magus World: Unleashing Liberty and Freedom

"Nah, that place is still crawling with monsters. I went to the purple forest the other day and ran into a few trents. Trust me, if they go up there, they'll end up as tree fertilizer." Felix said, shutting down Jiji's suggestion with a wave of his hand.

Hearing this, Clover perked up, her interest piqued at the mention of trents. Leaning forward, she gave Felix a curious look.

"Did you run into the corrupted sentinels? How many were there?"

Felix furrowed his brow. "Corrupted sentinels? Is that what you call them?"

Clover nodded. "Yes. Elders that gain sentience after living for over a thousand years in mana-rich environments—places like the Silveria Kingdom, south of the Solaris Commonwealth Empire. After the last cursed moon, many sentinels became corrupted. They started moving out of the forest, serving under a black mage organization."

The flood of information made Felix rub his temples. There was too much to process all at once, and frankly, he didn't have the patience to dive deeper right now. Keeping things concise was his only way to stay sane.

"Anyway," he sighed, "it's too dangerous up there. You can stay under the island for now... just don't mess with the anchors."

Jiji, however, wasn't ready to let the matter drop. For the first time, she pleaded with Felix. "Please, Master. Let them move up to the island. I'll take responsibility."

Felix blinked, caught off guard by her sudden seriousness. Jiji wasn't the type to plead like this, especially not over something so trivial. Her solemn expression struck a chord with him.

He hesitated, scratching the back of his head. Felix hated the idea, but if his favorite servant was willing to vouch for them, could he really say no?

After a long pause, he grumbled, "Alright. But how are we supposed to bring them up there?"

Jiji's face broke into a wide grin. "Simple. You can just make them your familiars."

Felix nearly rolled his eyes out of his head. "Impossible. At my current strength, I can barely support you and the hydra kid. If I add any more familiars to my system, I might literally die."

Jiji shook her head, correcting him. "That's not what I meant. Instead of making them full familiars, you can contract them in name only. Magic contracts exist for a reason, Master."

Felix crossed his arms, considering the idea. Contracting them in name only wouldn't drain his energy, and it would allow the lamias to live on the island without him having to bear the full burden. It wasn't ideal, but it wasn't the worst solution either.

"You mean, like a proxy contract? One where I don't actually have to provide them with power?"

Jiji nodded. "Exactly. They'll be bound to you, but you won't have to supply them with mana. In return, they'll serve under your authority, and I'll ensure they don't cause any trouble, granted that you provide them enough compensation for their works."

Felix let out a deep sigh, feeling the weight of his decision settle on his shoulders.

Inwardly, he couldn't help but reflect on his sudden change of heart. Maybe this was how his father and grandfather felt when they indulged his mother and grandmother. There was something unspoken—a sentimental attachment that grew after sharing intimate moments.

He had to admit, sometimes a man just wanted to pamper the woman in his life, even when it meant giving in.

"Fine, but you'd better keep them in line. If they cause any chaos on my island, I'll kick them out without hesitation."

Felix inwardly swore that he would punish Jiji later… on the bed. He would put all his energy to subdue her and rock her senseless next time.

Jiji's lips curled into a triumphant smile. She knew she had won this battle. "I'll take full responsibility, Master. You have my word."

Felix gave her one last, stern look before nodding in agreement. "Alright then. Let's get this over with."

With Felix's reluctant approval, Jiji turned to Clover, her smile softening into something more formal. She began working on the details of the magic contract with Clover, drafting it carefully to ensure both sides were protected.

…

The contract was completed, and with a glowing shimmer, both Felix and Clover signed the magical agreement.

Their signatures bound them through the sorcery pact. The contract's contents could be summarized as follows:

1. Living Arrangements: The Lamia Tribe, led by Clover, along with their allied beastmen, could reside on the flying island under Felix's protection and authority. They must obey Felix's rules and instructions while on the island.

2. Restricted Access: No one from Clover's tribe or the beastmen would be allowed to enter Felix's personal house or other system structures without explicit permission from Felix himself.

3. Settlement Zones: Clover and her tribe could settle in any part of the island, provided their activities did not interfere with Felix's daily life or disrupt his peace. Felix reserved the right to designate certain off-limits areas.

4. Resource Responsibility: As the tribe would work under Felix's command, he would provide them with essential resources like food, tools, weapons, and shelter. Payment and the distribution of these resources would be handled through Jiji, who would act as the liaison between Felix and Clover.

5. Contract Termination: Either Felix or Clover could terminate the contract if one of the parties violated its terms. In such cases, the tribe had to vacate the island within 72 hours, with no exceptions.

6. Trade Agreements: Both parties could establish additional trade agreements in the future, involving the exchange of resources, artifacts, or knowledge, depending on mutual benefit.

7. Renegotiation Clause: Felix and Clover could renegotiate any terms of the contract at any time if both parties agreed on new or modified terms.

8. Duration: The contract would last for three years. It could be renewed, renegotiated, or terminated if both parties agreed or if one of the terms was violated.

With the contract complete, Felix sighed again, feeling both relieved and uneasy about the arrangement.

He knew that Jiji would do her best to keep the tribe in line, but the unpredictability of the lamias and beastmen still worried him.

Jiji's eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she tucked the completed contract into Felix's system space. She had secured a home for her former subordinates.

After the negotiation concluded, Felix faced a tough, lingering question: How was he going to transport an entire tribe to his island?

He glanced at the jetpack in his system inventory. It was the only one he had, and there was no way he trusted anyone else enough to lend it out. The logistics of moving an entire tribe were a nightmare, and the thought alone gave him a headache.

That's when Jessica's system portrait materialized in front of him. Of course, only Felix and Jiji could see her, while Clover remained oblivious to the virtual assistant's presence.

<For that, I can help you,> Jessica's voice chimed in with perfect timing.

Felix raised an eyebrow. "Oh, Jessica! Nice timing. But how are you planning to help?"

<I'll adjust your territory's system settings, but you'll need to purchase an additional structure from the store. It won't be cheap.>

Felix winced, immediately suspecting the worst. Whenever the system demanded payment, it usually came at an absurd cost—one he always paid with his precious lifespan.

He hated it. He had already spent so many days puffing those cursed cigars, died, and self-revived. He had already lost count how many times he had died because of the cigar's effects.

"How much are we talking here?" Felix asked, bracing for bad news.

<10,000 years of lifespan. The structure is called the 'Fateful Plaza.' It can be built anywhere in your territory, as long as it's within the external barrier range.>

Felix's shoulders sagged in defeat.

10,000 years!

He felt the number echo in his mind. That was an astronomical price, even by his already skewed standards.

His immediate thought turned to those deadly cigars he had stashed away.

How many times he had to smoke those?

Felix sighed, resigned to his fate. Another solution that required a lot of work, all for the sake of expanding his domain and managing the chaos that came with it. His mind drifted to Jiji, Clover, and the entire tribe he had now agreed to house. He hoped the investment would be worth it.

Clover tilted her head and gazed at Felix in confusion, wondering who Felix was talking to. Felix, sensing her curious look, slightly shook his head and concluded their meeting.

"Give me two weeks. I'll find a way to bring you up there. For now, I'll leave the weapons and the ammo here. But wait… do I have to teach you how to use these?"

Felix brought out a hundred KAR 98 and a hundred boxes of ammunition.

"Yes, please." Clover brightly grinned.

Felix slapped his forehead. It seemed that he had to delay the basilisk tribe eviction plan to another date.