Chapter 41

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 41

Chapter Title: Need Rations

-----------------------------------------------------------------

I need sex.

If we consider the undead as a single race, they are probably more bound by "contracts" than any other race on the continent.

This stems from their very origins in those "contracts." After all, these ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠are dead souls who can only exist in this world because of the pact with the necromancers who summoned them.

Even mages who lichified themselves can't escape it, considering that the lichification ritual is built on magic that binds the dead with contracts.

And those magical contracts all share one key trait...

"They get overwritten by a superior contract."

"Kraaaah...!!!"

After I registered Desmond as an [Employee], he began rolling on the ground, letting out horrific screams. Erzsebet watched the spectacle with evident satisfaction and explained it to me.

She even cited an example: occasionally, among necromancers, a more skilled one would steal another's undead by forcibly overwriting the contract.

"So right now...?"

"Your contract magic has overwritten the lichification spell. In simple terms... if the contract with you breaks, that lich's magic will vanish too."

"Huh."

What I used wasn't any contract magic—it was the [Hire Employee] function from the Cleaning Game system... but apparently, it's being treated as one? I don't really understand the system's inner workings anyway...

As I watched, Desmond showed no signs of stopping his frenzy, so I opened the [Employee Management] window.

I brushed aside the now-familiar system message deducting ten thousand points and read Desmond's info.

"Whoa, this is..."

"What's wrong?"

Desmond's profile in the [Employee Management] section was impressive in every way.

Especially that [Disposition] part. Every single one was about ignoring the player—me. In the game, even one such trait made employees blatantly disregard orders, and here there were three of them.

It matched the attitude he'd shown earlier, so I could buy it... whatever. I registered him precisely because of that contract overwrite business. Ten thousand points hurt, but look at that [Forced Contract] talent. Like Erzsebet's [Blood Contract], it eliminates salary. And it doesn't take an employee slot? That's straight-up S-tier in Cleaning Game terms.

"So, when he wakes up, he'll obey me or something?"

"No real compulsion... but if you hold his life line, you could break the contract and sever his lich magic by force. He'd have to listen then, right?"

Not bad at all. I'd gained a leash on that rampaging Arch Lich. Breaking the contract... probably the [Fire] function?

"What if we just kill him? The contract's already overwritten, so cutting it off now..."

"...I want to, but let's put it off."

Erzsebet, still fuming, suggested killing Desmond outright. I was tempted, but held her back. Better to exploit something we could kill anytime.

Though I really want to off him for trying to kill me... patience. Practicality first.

"But why isn't this guy waking up?"

With thoughts of using his life line to threaten—er, negotiate—I tried to proceed, but Desmond had gone still after his frenzy, showing no movement at all.

"Forced contract overwrite must've been a huge shock. Give it a bit; he'll wake up."

"Oh. How long?"

"About a year?"

"...???"

I stared at her, questioning if she was serious, but she met my gaze defiantly, as if wondering what my problem was.

"Isn't a year kinda short?"

"...Come to think of it, Erzsebet, your age..."

"I told you. You just don't remember."

"........."

Sigh... she really seems like a grandma.

"Master?"

I had zero interest in waiting a full year, so I immediately tried treating the 'Unconscious' status in his [Status].

'Ah.'

But it failed due to insufficient points. Right, I'd just spent ten thousand registering him.

No choice—for now, I hauled the unconscious Desmond out of the basement. We'd found the source of the undead rising from below, so no urgent need to investigate further.

Swish!

As we climbed the stairs into the garden, tree roots burst from the ground to greet us.

"Yeah, Dryad. Thanks for the welc—"

Slash! Swish!

"...That's not food."

Swish?!

To be precise, the roots were greeting Desmond, whom I was casually carrying. Just like how it had sucked up demonic energy from the demons before, it grabbed him and tried to drain his power with piercing roots.

"Hmm... interesting. A normal dryad would recoil from death energy. It absorbed demonic energy before, and now death energy too? Maybe the dryad growing right above the Arch Lich wasn't coincidence."

Erzsebet observed with keen interest.

"Just give him to the dryad, Master. Even if he wakes, that Arch Lich won't obey you anyway. Better as fertilizer."

"That okay? Won't it cause issues?"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Her ego's faint, but she can tell what's harmful. She's craving it, so try giving her Desmond."

"Well, alright then..."

Desmond was a hassle while unconscious anyway, so per Erzsebet, I handed him over. The dryad gleefully stabbed her sharp root tips into his body.

Pfshhhht!!

...Kinda gruesome to watch. Regardless of Arch Lich or whatever, Desmond looked like a pale human on the outside.

Sluuuuurp...!!

"...He won't die from that, right?"

"Worried about an Arch Lich's life? Passing goblins would laugh. He won't die easy—leave him to the dryad, Master. She can drain him plenty before he wakes."

"........."

"At least he's useful somehow."

Erzsebet assured me no contract issues from this, so despite my unease, I left Desmond in the dryad's care.

Totally like handing over a nutrient snack for my kid...!

...Am I tired? Weird thoughts...

"Master."

As I pondered oddly, Erzsebet's demon kin approached, bowing politely after the dryad.

"What is it?"

These kin usually performed tasks mechanically without approaching me or Erzsebet, so she snapped imperiously at their sudden visit.

What now? More intruders? I'd stationed a few at the entrance after the heroes invaded...

"Our food supplies have run out."

"...Hm?"

...Food?

"Wait, you guys eat too?"

"Master, didn't you know? They've been eating from rations they brought when visiting until now."

I didn't. I'd only bought food from the [Shop] for myself and Rio. Erzsebet didn't need meals, and the dryad just needed water...

"Hold on. How many of you are there?"

"One fell to the humans recently... total of seven."

"...So you need rations for seven?"

"Yes."

After grilling them with questions, I grasped the severity. Then Erzsebet obliviously chimed in.

"Master, enough for you and Rio? We could share some..."

"...No."

We were barely covering three meals a day for two after registering the dryad. Adding seven? Impossible.

"Can't your kin live on blood like you...?"

"They're kin, but not Blood Demons. Tougher than regular demons when starving, but they still need food."

"......Damn."

Thanks to Erzsebet, I'd enjoyed easy labor without considering upkeep costs. Increasing manpower meant higher expenses like food...!

After agonizing, I recalled the heroes' gear and items—not fully dismantled yet. I'd set aside their coin pouches just in case. Maybe...

"...Listen up."

"Yes, Master."

They called Erzsebet 'Mistress' and me 'Master'—must've picked it up from Rio. Anyway.

"...You guys. Time to head outside for a bit."

```