Typewriter Salutations and the Challenger's Pact
What should I say? If things keep going like this, I won't even be able to retire on my terms.
Tap. Tap.
My consciousness slowly awakened.
From my perspective, the outdated—yet cutting-edge in this world—typewriter sounds tickled my ears.
Hello. It's Ariel.
Thud. Thud.
Maybe because she's the Saintess, she rises early every morning for prayer. It was a slightly early hour.
Ariel usually left me a greeting via typewriter around this time.
"Yawn..."
I yawned to shake off the sleep and sat at the desk with the state-of-the-art typewriter Ariel had raved about before leaving the capital.
Antique? Or from my view, something that belonged in a museum.
Anyway, sitting in front of that typewriter, I blankly watched it move.
Click. Click.
At first, I wondered how it exchanged messages over long distances, but the principle was surprisingly simple.
Install mana cores engraved with the same pattern, and it replicates the other person's keystrokes exactly.
Both typewriters typing the same letters naturally allowed conversation.
"..."
Ding!
Today's weather in the Holy Kingdom is quite clear. I hope it's sunny where you are too, Abel.
May Lord Luminous's blessing be with you today as well.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A moment later, the typewriter stopped—probably Ariel stepping away after sending her check-in.
It was a kind of consideration.
I'd carelessly mentioned waking up to the noise before, and she'd felt really sorry when she found out.
Click.
"A letter from Lady Ariel?"
As usual, Mist—who'd been standing quietly by when I got up—handed me a cup of warm water and asked.
"Yeah, pretty much." "...Such devotion. She's unusually persistent."
I somewhat agreed with Mist.
About ten days had passed since hearing from the Duke.
Kaizen and Bella had both passed out from the fight's aftermath.
Kaizen still had the task of getting recognition from [Shadow]'s Karon, but I figured...
Most of [Shadow] already acknowledged me anyway. Why bother seeking him out first?
He'd come on his own. That's how ten days slipped by.
And now, a week after buying this top-of-the-line typewriter, Ariel sent daily greetings without fail.
She'd said before that her schedule was packed—only a brief window during morning prayer for chat.
"Well... yeah, but."
Slurp.
I sipped the warm water Mist gave me and eyed the paper above the typewriter, recording our exchange.
I got that she wanted to keep in touch.
But the Saintess making time every morning just for me? Overkill.
Still.
"I don't really wanna suspect her."
I saw her as the romance-fantasy heroine of this world, and I'd gauged her ideology—or personality—well enough.
Maybe because my past life job made me doubt everything.
After reincarnating, I didn't want to doubt even someone that genuinely kind.
"Is that so..."
Mist trailed off at my response. I chuckled lightly and asked about today's plans.
"You said Kaizen woke up yesterday?" "Yes."
In our fight, Kaizen had overdriven his ability beyond limits.
His body nearly collapsed completely from it.
If I hadn't ordered immediate treatment, he'd have died on the spot—no question.
Bella, out from mere mana exhaustion, woke in three days. Kaizen was unconscious till yesterday.
"Hmm. Think I'll drop by around lunch." "...May I ask one question?" "Hm? Shoot." "Why did you spare Kaizen and Bella?"
I looked at Mist, who'd asked.
Her eyes plainly showed she couldn't fathom why I'd let them live.
Habitually reaching for a cigar, I stopped myself.
Fights lately had spiked my consumption.
Stock wasn't infinite, and resupply took time, so I was rationing.
"Uh... But Mist, why ask now?"
Plenty of time for this question before.
"You didn't say much when Bella woke and met me?" "...Judging by Kaizen's personality, he won't benefit you, sir."
"..." "You took his final blow head-on out of consideration, but the fight was decided mid-way. Yet he wouldn't accept defeat."
Mist speaking so steadily caught me off guard—it was new.
"Bella's fine. She seemed to submit to you."
'Submit?'
No sign of that a few days ago when I visited.
The moment she gave up resistance at the end?
"But Kaizen's different. Not the type to yield to power." "...True enough."
Slurp.
I sipped the nearly gone warm water.
Kaizen's personality? No way he'd bow to me.
Someone who submits wouldn't push to self-destruction.
"Thing is, I'm not trying to make him submit." "...Pardon?"
'Alive, huh...'
Kaizen's first thought upon regaining consciousness.
'Why?'
Separate from hating submission to power, he judged situations sharply.
That final clash with Abel.
Seeing his strike swallowed by Abel's planet-like blast, Kaizen accepted death.
Yet here he was, alive?
"Oh, you're up?"
A grating voice pierced his drug-hazed stare at the ceiling.
Rolling his eyes to the source: his unwanted butler, Karon, smirking as always.
"Man, what a body. Regaining consciousness in just ten days. Seriously, thank your parents for this flesh—whatever else."
"..." "Doctors were shocked. How's a vessel that overran with mana still alive?"
"..." "Hm? Kaizen, something to say? Your mouth's mumbling."
Karon approached with theatrical flair.
Swish.
"Go on, speak. I'm merciful to dragons like you."
Grinning slyly, he cupped an ear to Kaizen's mouth.
Kaizen channeled fury from his core.
"Please... shut... up."
Karon's every word vibrated through his body.
No, his body actually ached with each syllable.
Karon stared, then beamed.
"Hahaha. Tough ask. Humanity advanced through language and communication. Denying that—silencing speech—is hard for one of us to swallow."
Spouting nonsense, he shook his head sadly, as if heartbroken.
'Damn it...'
Why drag human progress into a 'shut up'?
And reject on those grounds? Flaws galore, but...
Voice barely working, body wrecked—that was Kaizen's limit.
'Damn it...'
Karon would prattle at least an hour.
Despair hit Kaizen.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Amid it, a door knock—angelic to Kaizen.
Even a madman like Karon donned a mask for guests.
Creeeak.
"Pardon the intrusion."
Kaizen strained to eye the door.
A black-skinned maid he'd never seen.
"Hm? Mist, what brings you here?" "Well..."
Bang.
Door flung wide. The man entering seared into Kaizen's vision.
"Hey!"
Abel—the one unscathed even at full power—waved casually, grinning.
"..."
Behind him, brown-haired Bella.
"Whoa, really awake? Can you talk? Got stuff to discuss."
Abel dragged a chair, sat by the bed.
"Ca...n talk..." "Didn't expect speech... Anyway, private talk—mind stepping out?"
Abel eyed Mist and Karon. They exchanged glances, bowed.
"Understood." "Understood."
Kaizen doubted his ears at Karon's solemn tone—first time ever.
Creeeak.
Thud.
They bowed to Abel and left.
'What the...'
Kaizen gaped, nearly rage-induced illness.
Karon, unmoved by his threats, serious for Abel?
Stomach-churning shock, fasting from injury or not.
"..."
Abel watched, then cut to the chase.
"Kaizen, no long chats needed—we're not buddies."
"..." "Simple: obey my orders. Deal?"
'Knew it...'
Half-expected.
Top reason Abel spared him.
"Refu...se..."
Nobles and knights often recruited this way.
Kaizen always refused.
His blood-relative father, always drunk-beating him.
Yet meek before power.
Pathetic sight scarred young Kaizen's soul.
Better dead than live like that.
Kaizen's core.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"So, the contract?"
I'd half-anticipated Kaizen's refusal.
But in my spot, talents like them were needed nearby.
Mysterious group targeting me—more hands, better.
Bella and Kaizen stared silently.
"Contract's this."
Complete missions to my satisfaction, earn challenge rights.
"Challenge rights?"
I smiled at Bella's murmur.
"Yeah. Right to challenge for the duke's seat. You pick time, place. Sound good?"
I'd pondered appealing bait.
Duke's position popped up.
"Tempting, right?"
Frankly, power held no thrill.
Not disinterest—past life showed too many ruined by greed.
Horrific acts no human should commit.
Made me want to ditch power if unneeded.
"You don't know—you'll crave it once tasted"?
Fine. I'd rather toss it than become that monster.
'Plus...'
Gut feeling.
Sitting duke too long? Disaster brews.
"I'll accept your proposal." "I... re...fuse."
Thus, Kaizen and Bella weren't bad cards.
Solid skills, Nebula blood despite bastards.
Endgame: dump the seat on them, retire.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Talks done, I stepped out to Mist and Karon—Kaizen's butler—waiting.
[Shadow] member Karon.
The last in [Shadow] not acknowledging me.
"Abel, sir—got a moment?"
He approached cautiously.