Chapter 37 Contract (1)
The Contract (1)
My head was a tangled mess.
It was good that I'd finally figured out why Estelle had shown me that favor-that-wasn't-a-favor. The problem was how she had managed to discern the intent behind my question.
There was no way she had some mind-reading ability like the Crown Princess.
'Sigh...'
A dull ache pulsed in my head as I pressed my fingers to my forehead and let out a weary breath. The situation was complicated now in a way entirely different from the early days when I had first possessed Adel's body.
Back then, all I had to worry about was my own survival. But now...
It felt like I was being swept up in a massive current—one I couldn't resist or escape.
"We've arrived."
Lost in thought, I barely registered the coachman's words. Shaking my head to clear my mind, I pushed open the carriage door.
And there, waiting for me, was a familiar face. Gray hair, silver eyes, and scars tracing the edges of his eyelids.
"...Abel?"
For a moment, I was taken aback by how casually he offered his hand, but I quickly composed myself and took it.
Though I'd grown accustomed to accepting his escort, I still couldn't quite make sense of the situation.
With his help, I stepped down from the carriage, and the familiar scent of roses greeted me.
Strangely, the tangled mess in my mind seemed to clear just a little. It was like the comforting feeling of coming home after a long day—the scent of a place so familiar it instantly put me at ease.
'A little strange, isn't it?'
I'd only lived here for a few months at most, yet I already felt this way. Meanwhile, I'd never experienced anything like this at the Este County Manor, which was supposed to be my real home.
Then again, maybe it wasn't my home to begin with—just the place where Adel had lived before I possessed her.
"Are you all right?"
Abel's concerned voice pulled me from my thoughts.
"Yes. I'm fine."
"That's a relief."
With that, he turned and began walking ahead. I followed, my gaze drifting across the garden's scenery until his back came into view.
His pace was neither fast nor slow. There was a certain rigidity to his posture, yet his shoulders carried an inexplicable weight.
Maybe the reason I noticed such things was because, whether I realized it or not, I'd grown fond of Abel.
"How was the tea party?"
"Oh, it was... tolerable."
"Doesn't sound like it went well."
His blunt assessment left me momentarily speechless.
He wasn't wrong—it hadn't been particularly enjoyable. I still struggled with the social masquerade unique to noble circles.
But how had Abel picked up on that so easily?
Perhaps my bewilderment showed on my face, because he let out a quiet chuckle before speaking.
"I've never once seen you make a happy face after saying something was 'tolerable.'"
"Well... that's true."
I couldn't argue with that.
Calling things "tolerable" had become something of a habit for me—a white lie I told to avoid worrying my parents or close friends.
Still, it was surprising that Abel of all people had noticed.
"This should do."
We had reached the middle of the garden path when he suddenly stopped and raised a hand toward empty air.
At the same time, an immense surge of mana began radiating from him like a tidal wave.
"What—"
Before I could finish, a white magic circle unfurled across the ground. It was as if it had been stamped into existence in an instant.
There was no time to marvel at it before my vision darkened.
Huuuung...
A faint vibration hummed through the air, and the garden vanished.
"This is..."
"My subspace. What we discuss now must not leave this place."
A conversation that couldn't be overheard. So that's why he had opened a subspace. I turned my head, taking in our surroundings.
An expanse of black surrounded us.
Nothing was visible—just Abel and me. Though I wasn't deeply knowledgeable about magic, even I could tell this was an extraordinary spell.
"Feeling dizzy or anything?"
"Huh? Not really..."
"Good. It seems you aren't overly sensitive—that's fortunate."
Overly sensitive.
If I had been more attuned to mana, I might've felt nauseous. The sheer force of the mana he had just unleashed was that overwhelming.
"Token of the Contract."
Huuuung...
At his words, two sheets of paper fluttered down.
Token of the Contract. Did he mean the contract itself?
If this was about our marriage contract, he should've already given it to me. Unless my memory was faulty, it was still tucked away in a drawer in my room at the Este County Manor.
I picked up the fallen paper and unfolded it, only to find it completely blank. A stark contrast to the densely written contract I'd seen when we first met.
When I looked up, I saw Abel holding an identical sheet. Before I could ask, he spoke first.
"I told you, didn't I? That we had something important to discuss regarding the contract."
Right. I had heard that this morning.
But I'd assumed it was just a simple matter of adjusting the existing contract. At most, I thought he might propose extending the contract's duration.
It seemed he'd meant something entirely different.
"Rebellion against the Imperial House."
The word Abel uttered made me flinch in surprise. Seeing my reaction, he chuckled lightly before continuing.
"Why so surprised? Didn't I already tell you this was my responsibility?"
"That means..."
Suddenly, the contents of the contract flashed through my mind. Having read it so many times I'd practically memorized it, even the finer details remained fresh in my memory.
First, Abel von Hardenberg shall serve as Adel von Este's fiancé for one year and provide her with all possible assistance during that time.
Second, in exchange, the Hardenberg family shall hold exclusive rights to the Este Count Family's merchant guild for one year.
Third, if necessary, the contract may be extended or terminated by mutual agreement. Such mutual agreement must be reached while both parties are of sound mind.
"Isn't this precisely that 'necessary' moment?"
He grinned as he said it.
My mind struggled to keep up.
So... Abel was the one bringing up his own breach of contract first?
The same man who had been so thorough and meticulous that he'd drafted the contract marriage agreement even before meeting me.
The very man who, in the original work, had risen to the position of mastermind through his characteristic thoroughness. It felt like cognitive dissonance, as if the Abel in my mind didn't match the one before me.
No, even before that—the fact that he'd openly mentioned rebellion against the Imperial House was shocking in itself. Given Abel's cautious nature, I'd never expected to hear such treasonous words from him.
Yet here he was, speaking of it so casually.
"You seem quite surprised."
"Of course I am!"
I answered louder than intended and quickly covered my mouth. Unfazed, he continued indifferently.
"The rules are simple."
A white flame ignited at the center of the paper.
Then, black letters spelling out "Contract" began rising from its surface. When Abel flicked his fingers, the flames danced across the page.
An artifact...?
Did the Duke's family possess artifacts like this? Then again, given how ancient their lineage was, it wasn't so strange.
The flames soon died down, leaving behind the exact same terms as our original contract.
Every word matched my memory perfectly.
"Each of us is granted three opportunities to add, modify, or delete clauses."
As he finished speaking, the number 3 appeared in one corner of the paper.
So this was the number of times we could alter the terms. When I looked up, I saw him scrutinizing the document intently.
"Well? I'd say that's fair enough."
"Yes, it is."
He was right.
The rules were perfectly reasonable and fair. Even if the other party added an unreasonable clause, I could modify or remove it.
Conversely, I wouldn't be able to make excessive demands of him either. Abel must have proposed these rules with that very balance in mind.
It was a system that placed us on equal footing—his way of saying, Let's renegotiate as equals.
"Let's begin."
Hmm...
A faint vibration emanated from the paper. At the same time, Abel spoke first.
"I add a clause: When necessary, Adel von Este shall cooperate with Abel von Hardenberg's rebellion."
The white flame flickered across the page, inscribing his words verbatim.
Just like that, a fourth clause was added to the contract.
"Now it's your turn, Adel."
"I..."
Cooperate with the rebellion.
Though it was prefaced with when necessary, it still amounted to a clause binding me to assist in treason if required.
Of course, considering the contract's rules, this was more of a proposal than a final term. Since I had the power to modify, delete, or add clauses myself.
His earlier remark about fairness must have referred to this.
"I'll add a clause: The 'necessary' circumstances mentioned in the above clause shall refer only to instances where mutual agreement has been reached."
The number 3 in the corner of the paper changed to 2. Simultaneously, a fifth clause appeared on both our documents as white flames danced across them.
Abel, who had been silently observing, spoke again.
"I modify the fifth clause: Mutual agreement shall only be valid when both parties are of sound mind."
"That's—"
The moment he said it, I realized my mistake. I'd completely forgotten that such magic existed in this world.
"You're still inexperienced. One must always account for mental magic when drafting contracts."
"You're right."
I nodded slightly at his advice. It was my oversight not to consider mental magic.
But the fact that he'd spent one of his own opportunities to correct the clause for me...
Does he trust me?
Abel had one chance left. I had two.
If I used both remaining opportunities to insert unreasonable clauses, he'd have no way to stop me. Yet he'd willingly spent one of his chances—meaning he trusted me that much.
For some reason, that left me with an odd feeling.