Contract (1)
Swishing black hair. Familiar black eyes drawing near. With my permission, Tia opened the door and stepped inside. Her eyes were still red-rimmed. Tear tracks lingered, undried, around them.
Having served Rozalin faithfully for so long and earned her position as the Freyvelric family's sole maid, it wasn't strange for her to react this way. No. It's more like the natural response. After all, Rozalin was someone who could truly be called family to her.
In any case, she steeled herself as best she could and came to me. The reason why...
"As one possessed of qualifications, I command. Let this place become the seat of contract."
Blue light erupts from the center between us, spreading outward!
That was it exactly. Blue light surged from the space between us, enveloping the room like a barrier. As if excluding all outsiders, creating a realm meant solely for us two.
"First, forgive my impertinence. This space is now sealed by magical power—we can only exit once the contract is complete."
Tia stepped forward two paces, drawing something from her bosom as she spoke.
"Given how events have unfolded, it wouldn't be odd if you're surprised or dismayed. Hearing suddenly why I brought you here as duke, the uncertainty of your position—it must all be shocking. Yet as a maid acting for the Freyvelrics, I have no choice but to make this request."
It was that thing I'd seen before. None other than the contract document.
"Please proceed with the contract to protect the Freyvelrics."
This was the same as before. Tia had come to me alone, head bowed, and back then, still shaken by the bitterness rising from the duchess's bedroom, I'd asked in confusion,
—What is that...?
—Exactly as it says. You remember what Madam asked of you, don't you?
—Well... yeah. The three sisters...
—Yes. I'm here to make it firmer, clearer—in contract form. To fulfill Madam's final request to protect the young ladies.
"From observing you these past months as duke, I've concluded a contract is needed to restrain your actions to some degree."
Right. She'd said that then too. That my actions needed restraining. And I...
—Restrain? What do you mean?
—You've seized full control of the Freyvelrics through the Family Head Succession Ritual. No one can interfere.
—...You don't trust me?
—My apologies. Months of watching yielded nothing. Anyone would have some greed, but you ignored every bait I deliberately dangled—wealth, honor, status. No reaction at all. So any suspicion, any wild behavior, wouldn't be surprising.
—That's because I don't care about that stuff! Why, why...!
—My apologies. If that's truly the case, then please proceed with the contract swiftly. It'll build firmer trust toward you.
I realized then we'd reached a stage of distrust and suspicion. Back then, it left me not just flustered but hurt. I'd thought we'd grown somewhat close through conversations and lessons. But from her perspective, coldly, it couldn't be otherwise.
No matter how much the duchess explained and persuaded her about me, the fact remained: I'm an outsider.
A total stranger, with no ties. How wary must she have been to let someone in solely because the duchess brought me? A few months weren't enough. Even with familiarity, talks, lessons correcting my mistakes—inner thoughts stay hidden. And I showed no greed. Money, clothes, food—I ignored every lure. Handing family secrets to a stranger claiming no desires? Such wariness was natural. Her suspicions must have pierced the heavens. And crucially, the duchess who'd brought me—now lost to Jewel's Sleep—could restrain me no longer.
Haha. So that's how it was.
Perfectly reasonable. Only now did all the pieces fit, and I let out a hollow internal laugh. Tia was the same. I just hadn't asked—but she recited it word for word. No need for that foolish question now. I already knew her intent.
I let her continue uninterrupted.
"So if you fulfill your role as duke and honor Madam's request to protect the three young ladies, I'll uphold whatever she promised in her stead—whatever you desire."
Contract clauses engrave themselves into the air.
A scale bearing a crown symbol appears, tipping heavily toward the reward side—as much as Tia pledged.
"Then, let's proceed. First clause: As duke, you shall never betray the Freyvelrics and must act for their benefit. Should you violate this, grant me the right to restrain you on the spot via the contract's power."
Finishing her long preamble for this contract, she stated it unflinchingly, her resolve unbroken.
And that resolve ultimately guards the Freyvelric line and the three sisters.
A fait accompli forged by Tia's iron will. An inescapable future.
But this fait accompli had a variable.
"I'd like to change the terms."
"Duke."
Tia glared, signaling refusal. Of course. She couldn't afford weaker restraints.
"Sorry, but I'm not trying to dodge as you think. Stop glaring."
"Pardon?"
The old me, ignorant, had no choice but to accept. Not now.
"As one possessed of qualifications, I command a terms change. Proceed with this contract as is—but alter it from scale contract to Blood and Mana Oath."
"...!"
Tia's eyes widened instantly.
"How do you know of that...?"
"How I know doesn't matter now."
Interrupting her, I pressed on.
"I know you aim to restrain me via scale contract. But that won't satisfy me. I need greater rewards."
"Duke. Do you grasp what that entails?"
I did. Perfectly.
The scale of clauses from the contractor. The scale of rewards upon fulfillment. The scale of penalties for breach.
The magical scale contract balances three scales with worded weights, enforced by the contractor's magic. Unlike ordinary contracts, it magically binds the other party—tying limbs or twisting tongues for violations: weak control via supernatural means.
But a Blood and Mana Oath is different.
"Where scale contracts merely block actions and speech via magic, Blood and Mana Oaths can directly inflict pain on violators—crushing hearts or burning mana circuits are child's play."
Same otherwise, but you infuse blood and mana, granting rights to suppress and punish breaches. No—it's beyond suppression or punishment. It's execution-level retribution. A terrifying pledge wagering even life itself. The ultimate contract, blocking all defiance.
That's why I proposed it.
"But if I uphold it, I claim far more upon completion. Right?"
"..."
Unassailable logic—Tia fell silent.
High risk, high return. Dangerously perilous, yes—but if unbreached, demands greater rewards. Obvious, yet she'd hesitate. I remembered the past; for current Tia, much to weigh.
Still, I was certain she'd accept.
You can't refuse either. A chance to fully chain me.
So I waited. For her answer.
The plan progressed flawlessly. The duke's seat vacant—all for naught. But fortunately, there was one man. Brought by Madam, he looked identical to the late duke outwardly. Bind this man. Chain him to the Freyvelrics. Shackle him with contract so he couldn't flee, prop him as fake duke. Even staggering, it buys time.
Thus, I'd prepared an expensive scroll allowing free contract initiation early on. He knew nothing of etiquette or noble society—contract proceeded without issue.
—You've seized full control via succession ritual. No one can interfere.
—Months watching, nothing gleaned. You'd expect greed, but no bites on my baits—wealth, honor, status. No reactions. So suspicions fit any oddity.
I voiced distrust, eyes wary. Bolstered evidence to make him grasp his danger. Scolded and pressured to feel his place—for the Freyvelrics. For the young ladies. For Madam. And... for myself.
The contract was ironclad.
Yet in this short time, too much had changed.
Blood and Mana Oath...
Tia swallowed hard. How perilous. Breach isn't mere silencing—it's life on the line.
Unknown motives—no snapping at bait. Must probe ruthlessly, suspect all.
Yet no answers emerged.
Three months too short. Haven't fully grasped him, but...
No leverage to harm us or Freyvelrics in the contract. No noble birth, so daily etiquette lessons. Lacked territory knowledge, endless time sinks. How to command servants, select people. From speech correction to posture, conduct—zero noble basics.
No loopholes apparent. Upon sealing, he's bound to Freyvelrics. Activated, no betrayal possible. No contact with other houses, no actions defy me holding his lifeline.
And it doesn't seem feigned.
Thus, this proposal.
"Understood. As you wish—we'll change to Blood and Mana Oath."
No reason to refuse, Tia thought.