The Pavida Contract

That creature.

Davie had no intention of letting this opportunity slip away. An unidentified demonic beast that had slaughtered a Cry Peeper in a one-sided massacre — if the thing was a beast of that caliber, the fame that came from putting it down would be considerable. And if he settled the matter before Caladon's commercial interests could step in, he could put them in his debt besides.

If this mage comes along, we can keep the casualties to a minimum.

Davie found himself recalling the way Joseph had fought over the past few days. The man read a battlefield in an instant, issued orders without a second's hesitation, and struck with a decisiveness that never wavered. Above all, there was that fighting style — summoning orbs that glowed with magic and launching them in sequence, each attack flowing into the next as naturally as a knight swinging a blade. Whether it was conscious or not, Davie could tell the rhythm had been carved into Joseph's body through countless battles.

The problem was how to persuade him.

Living alongside Joseph these past days, Davie had taken the man's measure. Unlike most mages, he was unusually rigorous about profit and loss. Davie still didn't know what Joseph was after, but he was certain it wasn't anything so airy as honor. Which meant Joseph was not the type to set his own life on the scales.

An ordinary offer won't do it...

Throwing more coin at him didn't seem likely to work. There was the simple limit of how much gold Davie actually had, but more than that, Joseph did not strike him as a man whose heart moved easily for money. He would need a different approach.

After a moment's thought, Davie summoned his attendant.

"Bring me a contract."

"...What manner of contract, my lord?"

"The official contract of House Pavida."

The attendant's face tightened, then went slack with surprise. He knew exactly what that document meant.

"Are you certain, my lord?"

"I am."

Davie nodded without a trace of doubt.

"Mage Joseph is well worth it."

The attendant returned shortly with several sheets of sealed parchment. Davie selected one and held it out to Joseph.

The parchment was smooth as glass — not a rough grain or a single blemish. Even at a glance, it looked expensive.

"What is this?"

Davie grinned at the question.

"The contract House Pavida uses when making an official promise."

He went on to explain, briefly. Nobles kept ordinary contracts for everyday affairs, but on certain occasions they employed a special kind — typically for territorial transactions between houses, the inheritance of estates, and other matters of genuine consequence. Naturally, they were not something one produced on a whim.

Why is he bringing this out all of a sudden?

Joseph unfolded the parchment. In one corner, the crest of House Pavida had been incised as if with a fine chisel. A noble house's crest was more than a symbol; it carried real weight. That alone was enough to suggest what this contract was worth.

Joseph's eyes widened. But before he could fully grasp the intent behind it, Davie came to the point.

"I have a proposal."

He spoke with complete confidence.

"Hunt that demonic beast with me in Harbert Forest. In return, when you find yourself in need of aid, I shall lend you my strength — once, without fail."

Joseph swallowed before he could stop himself.

Put plainly, it meant ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hanging a debt on a noble house. A promise made with a family's name on the line. Joseph understood well enough what that was worth.

Having something like this in my pocket would be useful, no question...

He had no way of knowing exactly how much weight Davie's aid would carry. But at the very least, it would not be a loss. Joseph was already making a name for himself in Caladon. Expand the business far enough, and there would inevitably come a time when he needed political help. Looking ahead to that day, there was nothing to be lost by accepting this. And according to Braham, they had already sold artifacts to Viscount Favidea's servants — which made putting a son of that house in his debt all the more practical.

"Are you certain you wish to make such a promise already? We don't even know if the creature truly exists."

"Did you not confirm it yourself?"

Davie shrugged and went on.

"I was told you saw the traces with your own eyes."

"..."

Joseph studied him. Davie's gaze was overflowing with confidence — the look of a man with absolute faith in his own judgment and skill.

He really is a different breed.

Could an ordinary human even face a demonic beast like a Bonefang alone? The idea was absurd on its face. Davie, like Joseph himself, was no ordinary man. Joseph had never quite gotten a feel for what the so-called Knights of this world actually were. Living alongside Davie these past days, he was finally beginning to understand.

"I do not make this offer to just anyone, you know."

Davie seemed, if anything, puzzled that Joseph would hesitate at all. He pointed a finger at him.

"Watching you, I cannot help but think you do not truly know your own worth. You are no ordinary mage. You will make your name known as an Archmage — of that I am certain. And that is why I wish to know a man like you for a long time, on a foundation of trust."

"..."

In other words, the proposal itself was meant to be a bond between them. And it was an honest sentiment. Talent, Davie believed, could not be hidden even if one tried. This mage would one day distinguish himself in noble society. Of that, he had not the slightest doubt.

"I didn't expect you to hold me in such high regard."

"Anyone with eyes would think the same. In that respect, I consider myself fortunate."

He gave a short snort of laughter and glanced toward the parchment once more. Joseph was silent. This was the moment for running the numbers.

It's not a bad deal. But the risk ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠is still there.

Even with Davie at his side, the creature had killed a Cry Peeper in a single blow. If it turned out to be stronger than a Troll, there was a real chance they wouldn't walk away.

"I have conditions of my own."

Joseph chose his words with care.

"First, we identify what it is. If I judge it too dangerous, we withdraw immediately. That's my condition."

"A reasonable condition."

Davie nodded, satisfied, without a moment's thought.

"I have no interest in meaningless sacrifice either."

"And this aid you'll provide. What kind of help, exactly?"

"Anything! Anything within my power, once. Requests that I die for you, and other such nonsense, are of course off the table. Within reasonable bounds."

Davie struck his chest with an open palm. Then he raised his voice.

"..."

Joseph examined the contract once more. The contents ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠were simple and clear. He could see no poison-pill clauses stacked against him.

He doesn't strike me as the type to lie.

Just as Davie had spent these past days taking Joseph's measure, Joseph had been watching Davie just as closely. He was a noble of this era, which meant he was somewhat prickly and proud — but he did not seem like a man who would lie for profit or put a knife in anyone's back. The Davie that Joseph had come to know was a Knight through and through, hungry to raise his own name.

Joseph gave a small nod and made his decision.

"Very well. I accept your proposal."

"An excellent choice!"

Davie wagged a finger at him, a look of deep satisfaction spreading across his face. He gestured to his attendant, who set a prepared quill and a small ink bottle before Joseph.

Joseph took the pen and wrote his name clearly at the bottom of the contract, beside the crest of House Pavida. Davie took the pen in turn and signed beside him.

When the signatures were done, Davie took the red sealing wax and the house stamp from his attendant's hands. He let the heated wax drip carefully onto the bottom of the parchment, then pressed the stamp — engraved with the family crest — down upon it with firm pressure. As the wax cooled, the seal of House Pavida stood out in sharp relief.

"When should we depart, then?"

"We should start by following the traces. From the bloodstains we found yesterday."

"Good. Preparations won't take long. We can leave at once."

Davie rose as he spoke.

"This is going to be a very interesting hunt. I have a feeling about it."

His eyes glittered with anticipation, like a man who had finally seized a chance he had been waiting a long time for. Joseph, watching him, let out a small sigh.

I'd prefer if nothing went wrong.

But he had already run the numbers and judged the arrangement profitable. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠He had signed the contract. There was no taking it back.

Davie went straight to inspect the Cry Peeper's corpse. He exchanged a few words with his attendant as he did — a conversation that ran along much the same lines as the one Joseph had had with the hunter mercenaries.

"This was quite the specimen."

He gave a short snort of laughter and glanced back at Joseph. Anticipation was written all over his face, as if he were already looking forward to the fight to come.

"The blood trail continues further north, deeper into the forest."

While Joseph and Davie had been talking, the mercenaries reported the direction they had already surveyed. Joseph looked at them, mildly startled.

"You already figured that out? I didn't even ask you to."

"Yes, well. We figured we ought to be doing something..."

These were the same mercenaries who had nearly lost their heads to Davie. They answered with sheepish faces. Apparently they hadn't been able to sit still, given how things stood.

Well, well.

Joseph gave them a wry smile. The men hired for this job were Veteran Mercenaries, every one of them with at least five years in the trade. They were skilled, but they were also stubborn in their own ways and not easy to manage. And yet, in the span of a single morning, they had grown several times more meek.

"Fortunately, they aren't entirely without shame."

Davie raised an eyebrow at them. He left it at that single remark and said nothing more.

"Then let's enter at once."

"Um..."

Another mercenary spoke up, carefully.

"This wasn't in the original contract, was it? Going after whatever killed the Cry Peeper..."

The others nodded as if they had been waiting for someone to say it. A subtle unease sat on their faces.

Mercenary work was full of variables by nature. Taking on extra tasks in the middle of a job you had already accepted was commonplace. Extra work itself was not the problem — that was simply how the trade operated. The problem was that when it happened, the extra pay often failed to materialize.

"Don't worry."

Joseph waved a hand.

"I'll include additional hazard pay. The compensation I already promised you stands as well, of course."

"Really?"

"Yes. And if it truly looks too dangerous, we'll withdraw immediately. Just hold out until then."

The mercenaries' faces brightened. And so a search party for the unidentified demonic beast was assembled.

There were a few differences this time, however. Davie and Joseph had swapped positions. The mercenaries still took the lead. Davie and the soldiers followed behind them. Joseph kept the rear with Derik, Auk, and Jiren.

That had been Davie's request.

"If we take an ambush, drawing a sword is faster than casting a spell, is it not?"

Joseph nodded. Magic was powerful, but it was true that his reaction was a fraction slower than Davie's swordsmanship. This was a creature that had killed a Cry Peeper in a single, silent blow. They needed to prepare more thoroughly than they would for the lesser beasts of the forest.

Someone swallowed as they reached the treeline. The day was still bright, but the interior of the forest looked unnaturally dark. Until a short while ago, no one had been particularly worried. Knowing that something dangerous was waiting inside, however, changed the way the place felt.

Well. Of course it would.

Joseph was a little tense himself, if he was being honest. He had encountered dangerous demonic beasts more than once, but he had never gotten used to this particular feeling.

I don't even have a proper defensive spell...

Then or now, a single unlucky blow could take your head off. And if he thought about it carefully, he had never actually handled the truly dangerous beasts on his own. There was no reason he should be able to relax.

He glanced at the private soldiers guarding him. They held metal shields and small hand axes, their eyes sweeping left and right in a wary circuit. The tightness in their brows said they were quite tense.

...I can't even afford to look nervous.

If Joseph let any anxiety show on his face, it would spread — not just to his private soldiers, but to the mercenaries as well. He sighed inwardly, scratched his cheek once, and composed his expression.

"Let's move."

At Davie's word, the lead mercenary started forward. Relying on the faint light that filtered through the leaves, the party headed into the deep forest.