Slave Contract Starting from Me (3)
Gyeon Gwan-im was currently imprisoned in the Pohang Prison, which had taken over an old South Korean correctional facility and remodeled it exclusively for awakeners.
Having been heavily modified into an awakener-only prison, each inmate here was given a solitary cell, and depending on the severity of their crimes, mana suppressors were fitted around their wrists and ankles.
The real bad ones get special handcuffs and thrown into isolation, from what I hear. That idiot who called himself the king of Gyeongju before me—was he in one of those special cells too?
The self-proclaimed king of Gyeongju, Jo Sun-do, was also serving a life sentence here without parole, and not a single one of his remnants had escaped—every last one rounded up and locked away in cells matching their crimes.
As expected of a place where the most notorious, heinous awakeners were dragged in and locked up, all the guards working here were level 10 or higher, authorized to use force against inmates if needed.
"Gyeon Gwan-im, report to the guard outside immediately."
"Heh, talk about perfect timing for some fun…."
Gyeon Gwan-im, who had been captured by Jin A-yeon during the Daegu reclamation operation, was imprisoned here along with his men.
While quietly reading a book delivered to his solitary cell, he sighed at the guard's order over the speaker but complied without resistance, moving as instructed.
From his prison experience, he knew ignoring a guard's orders brought severe penalties. He was cooperating voluntarily anyway and didn't want to give Serabeol any bad impressions.
As the cell door's lock disengaged, a single guard waited to escort him. Gyeon Gwan-im flashed a friendly smile at the glaring man and spoke up.
"Well, damn. My trial's coming sooner than I thought. So, when's my execution date?"
"No time for chit-chat, Gyeon Gwan-im."
"Come on, no need to rush, right? With my mana sealed, I'm no better than a regular joe."
Gyeon Gwan-im, clearly bored out of his mind, started spouting playful banter the moment he saw the guard. The man just said there was no time for talk but didn't shut him down.
Gyeon Gwan-im was one of the better-behaved inmates in this den of vicious criminals at Pohang Prison—he followed orders well, and everyone knew his chatter was just to kill the boredom.
"……."
"Man, what a tight-lipped guard. Well, losers don't get to talk much, huh."
He was quick on the uptake too. When the guard stayed silent, clearly not in the mood, Gyeon Gwan-im sighed and gradually clammed up.
Once he did, the guard loaded him into a prepared vehicle and drove off slowly, facing him.
"So, what's your guess on my trial outcome? Death penalty for sure?"
"Don't know."
"What, not even gonna humor me? That's cold."
But apparently full of worries about his future, Gyeon Gwan-im asked if maybe his execution had already been quietly decided. The guard just shook his head, saying he didn't know, prompting a dramatic sigh from the prisoner.
"You sure you should be this chill?"
The guard finally showed some interest, questioning if that nonchalance was wise.
"Oh, he speaks! I was dying of boredom yapping solo here. Chill? You call this chill? I'm freaking out inside. My screw-ups could send all my guys to the chopping block!"
Of course, Gyeon Gwan-im professed his utter anxiety.
One slip-up, and he'd follow Jo Sun-do straight to execution or life in a special cell.
"So?"
"Gotta beg for mercy! At least save my men's lives, and history might remember me as a guy with some principles, not just another evil warlord."
He'd grovel on his hands and knees if needed, just to guarantee his subordinates' survival. That way, posterity would see Gyeon Gwan-im as principled, not vile.
It was basically admitting he'd sacrifice his own neck, so the guard eyed him curiously.
"Given up on living?"
"Brother, if this were anywhere else, my head would've rolled ages ago. Even that hero Kim Su-ho executes raiders without batting an eye. In this world, raiders are worse than monsters."
But Gyeon Gwan-im knew his situation all too well.
In this apocalypse, raiders were mayflies at best—less than mountain-dwelling monsters.
Hence, he figured he'd face a tough spot ahead.
"Some become raiders to survive, sure. But deep down, raiders are scum."
"And you're their scum leader."
"Yup. Trading this scum leader's head should buy mercy for my men. Executing everyone would be a waste, right?"
Raiders were that disposable.
Gyeon Gwan-im assumed Serabeol would want his head but spare the rest— the leader could regroup, but his followers made solid troops if handled right.
"…We're here."
"Already? Damn, time flies."
The guard announced their arrival, and Gyeon Gwan-im whistled wryly, mocking how fast it had gone.
His eyes were then blindfolded, and he was led somewhere….
When the blindfold came off—
"This ain't the courtroom judging me… What is this place?"
Not the trial chamber he'd half-expected, but an interrogation room straight out of a police station.
Seated at his assigned spot in the glass-partitioned room, Gyeon Gwan-im looked around in bewilderment.
"Pleased to meet you. Should I call you Mr. Gyeon Gwan-im?"
"Who…?"
A girl in front of him smiled brightly and greeted him.
He tried to ask who she was, but the words stuck in his throat.
The immense mana radiating from her froze his body solid, his eyes desperate to shut.
With his own mana sealed, his senses for detecting it were hypersharp—he couldn't ignore the colossal power pouring from her.
"Don't know, don't care. Scary as hell. You're interrogating me? The gap's insane…."
The being before him was dozens of times stronger.
Her bottomless mana alone crushed him, and she wielded it effortlessly, like an extension of her body.
The power disparity made victory unthinkable; all rebellious thoughts in his mind evaporated.
All that remained was a desperate wish to survive this unscathed.
"Ahaha. I didn't hide my mana just in case, but looks like you've got the brains for a plea deal. Fine, I'll rein it in."
"Gah!?"
Noticing his state, the monster relented, and Gyeon Gwan-im finally breathed properly.
With the pressure gone, his mind cleared enough to recognize her.
Yeah… the rumored Dragon Priestess.
"I see… the Dragon Priestess from the rumors. Way more monstrous than I heard. You sure you're human?"
"Monster? I'm human, thank you very much."
The Dragon Priestess. Gyeon Gwan-im rated her a monster beyond rumors, staring in fear.
Yu-na protested that she was human, not a monster.
"Cut the wordplay, miss… That's even scarier."
He recoiled, saying it unnerved him more.
If she wasn't a monster but human, what kind of talent gap explained that brute strength?
What kind of leader did Serabeol have?
He wanted no part of being called "human" alongside her.
"So, the famous Dragon Priestess gracing me means no trial today—just a serious chat between you and me."
But his animal instincts sensed opportunity too.
No trial—the head of Serabeol had come personally. She must want something from him.
"Yes. This could decide your whole life, Mr. Gyeon Gwan-im."
"Then I'll listen seriously."
He knew his fate hung on this talk.
Gyeon Gwan-im wasn't an idiot; he straightened up, adopting a grave demeanor.
Yu-na, pleased, outlined the deal lightly.
"Straight to the point… a plea bargain. For Serabeol, Mr. Gyeon Gwan-im—will you burn your life endlessly?"
Despite the casual tone, pledging his life to Serabeol made him hesitate.
It meant freedom in exchange for loyalty.
A chance to appeal he hadn't had—accepting might be smart, but…
"And what do I get?"
"Freedom."
He insisted on hearing the full terms before agreeing, asking what he gained.
As expected, Yu-na offered freedom.
"Depending on your contributions to Serabeol, we'll grant a degree of it. A chance to atone for your crimes."
Work for Serabeol, and his sins would be forgiven.
Essentially, warlord Gyeon Gwan-im dies; Serabeol awakener Gyeon Gwan-im is reborn.
Too good to be true? I could bolt the second I'm free…
But the simplicity bred suspicion.
His first thought: slip Serabeol's watch and escape.
As a raider, he'd shaken pursuers before; he was confident he could reach ungoverned lands, awakener powers enabling it.
"You know we raiders don't keep promises just 'cause we say 'yes,' right?"
Yet she was so assured. He scrapped his escape plans and coldly laid out raider logic.
Raiders were the first to break verbal oaths.
"Flip that logic—why honor promises to raiders? Right?"
"Yes, we know. In this apocalypse, powerless promises are just empty."
She smiled, bluntly agreeing—promises to the weak meant nothing.
"And you're a powerless raider right now."
Reminding him of his vulnerability.
Gyeon Gwan-im sensed the leash prepared for him.
"Know about this contract scroll?"
"Think I'm dumb? The magic one trending in Serabeol—Geas Scroll, right?"
Yu-na showed the prepared collar.
A single scroll in her hand; he confirmed it was the infamous Geas Scroll.
"Yes. This one's special—not like those market fakes without enforcement. This forces compliance."
"I see…."
"Penalty? Level down. Break it, and you lose levels—more precious than life—one by one."
Her words paled his face.
One breach per level lost, weakening him in this deadly world?
Escape viable like that?
"…That's terrifying."
Impossible.
He'd crunched it—survival of the weak was nil in this brutal game.
"From now on, we'll contract you with this. Actually, not me—the one who hates you most."
Don't take it. She's handing the leash to Heo Jin-ho.
Realizing Heo Jin-ho was the contract's master, he briefly reconsidered the deal.
"But it's fair. Your worst enemy must honor the terms too."
Not one-sided—Heo Jin-ho bound as well.
"You're guaranteeing it, then. But… I guessed the guy. Mind naming him?"
"Daegu's governor."
"Heo Jin-ho, huh."
His leash in his rival's hands—humiliating, but…
"Yes. He hates you, so he'd hate risking a level down over you."
Heo Jin-ho wouldn't breach for Gyeon Gwan-im's sake either; the deal was inevitable.
In his enemy's hands, no less.
"Not bad."
Reaching that point, Gyeon Gwan-im warmed to the contract.
Not trusting the girl or Serabeol.
He trusted Heo Jin-ho's pride.