From Now On, Use It for Me.
From Now On, Use It for Me.
"Something I've never shown a human before. I'll show it to you."
Chain World Within the Painting.
Multiply the worlds. Multiply their destruction.
KWAANG—!
A massive, serpentine black line crashed down on Plan like a waterfall, hurling him backward endlessly.
KWAANG! KWAANG! KWAANG!
One World Within the Painting shattered, and he passed into the next. It shattered and he passed into the next, it shattered and he passed into the next....
KWAANG! KWAANG! KWAANG!
Smashing through canvas after canvas like panes of glass, the line stretched onward without end.
KWAANG!
At last, when every last one of the seven Worlds Within the Painting had been obliterated—
Tap—
"Ha.... Hahaha...."
Maeve stepped into the eighth canvas.
This time he has to be dead. His whole body must be crushed to pulp. He will have crumpled into nothing, not even a shape remaining.
"This time.... This time he has to be dead...."
Savoring the moment, Maeve slowly considered a title for the piece.
A trivial human, insolent trash, shabby skill and a meddlesome nuisance....
Still, the fact that he had dared to interfere with Maeve's World Within the Painting and even endured multiple attacks deserved some measure of praise.
To be honest, even Maeve had been impressed. The name needed to encapsulate all of that.
But then.
"...?"
Once again, a familiar figure caught her eye.
"I expected better."
A man who could never be reduced to a mere exhibit.
"In the end, it's still only illusion."
An Archmage can never be confined by a world of illusion.
His soul, the spiritual fortitude engraved upon it, does not permit such a thing.
"Ha.... Ha...."
Maeve's eyes went wide as she gasped for breath. Bewilderment had shifted into something closer to awe.
Mental strength that even the Illusion of the World Within the Painting cannot touch.... Does he, a mere human, truly possess such a thing?
Thump— Thump—
Maeve's heart began to pound.
Tension, impatience. She had begun to feel such things for the first time in a very long while.
"You. You, and only you...."
Red sparks flew from all directions. The shattered Worlds Within the Painting began to merge into a single whole.
"I will definitely, definitely shatter you—!"
Maeve shrieked, a cry almost like a howl.
A total of eight densely layered worlds, and Maeve meant to destroy every last one of them in a single stroke.
CRRRACK—!
Fissures like black spiderwebs began to carve themselves across the blank white world.
Reason had already left her.
Even if she herself shattered along with them, she wanted to see that human smashed to pieces with her own two eyes.
But.
Shhhhk—!
The entire space filled pure white again.
"Illusion is influenced by the strength of the mind."
Plan murmured in a low voice.
"My mind.... How does it look to you?"
At the same moment, the world began to reconstitute itself entirely.
"...."
Maeve stared blankly at the spectacle.
What in the world is happening. The question did not linger long. Soon enough, a neatly appointed office revealed itself.
A massive wooden desk took shape, and Plan leaned back into a large chair.
Thud—
A chair landed beside her as well.
"Maeve. Have a seat."
"Ha.... Ha...."
She could not win.
"Haha...."
It was about then that she grasped that simple fact.
"Cough, cough...!"
The hand covering her mouth came away stained with blood.
She had driven herself to the point of vomiting blood, yet her opponent did not have so much as a speck of dust on him.
His very mental strength was a world unto itself. He had never once been trapped inside the World Within the Painting in the first place.
"Ugh...."
Yet even so.
Maeve had the pride of a Blood Demon. She had the self-regard attached to her name and the confidence forged by her deeds.
So, once more. With everything she had....
She did not even notice Plan approaching.
Step— Step—
She did not hear the footsteps, and even when a large shadow fell over her, she remained completely unaware.
GRIP—!
"...!"
Plan seized Maeve by the jaw, forcibly yanking her out of her reverie.
"Maeve."
Their eyes slowly met.
His red-glowing irises held more depth than even those of Maeve, a Blood Demon.
"I told you... to sit down."
A voice of absolute chill.
She could not resist. Confidence, self-respect, pride — all of it collapsed in a single instant.
"...."
In the end, Maeve slumped down into the chair.
◈
"Why do you think I kept you alive."
Inside the office fashioned within the World Within the Painting, Plan glanced askance at Maeve as he spoke.
"...."
Maeve could only swallow her tension. The reason Plan had spared her life — she did not know it either.
Eyeing the silent Maeve, Plan spoke.
"Your World Within the Painting has exceeded expectations."
It is possible to use magic inside it, and judging by the situation, it can contain multiple people.
The applications for this virtual world are truly limitless. It will yield results proportionate to how it is put to use.
Therefore, he intended to employ it to suit his own tastes.
"Exceeded expectations...?"
Maeve bit down hard on her lower lip.
Having her black magic praised by a mere human — she still was not accustomed to it.
"Are you dissatisfied with this situation."
"...No."
"The brevity of your speech makes it sound that way."
"No, no.... Ha.... No, sir."
Just then, Hera spoke up.
[ Heh~ still so insolent, isn't she? Master. ]
Maeve's eyes rounded at the unexpected presence. Hera laughed and continued.
[ That's how Blood Demons are, you know. Filthy strong pride. You'd think it was some kind of official post. Ooh~ ]
"You're.... a Night Spirit? You belong to the Prin- Princess."
Hera gave a scornful snort.
[ Says who? I genuinely don't appreciate being treated as a mere possession, you know? Blood Demon or not. ]
"How pathetic. Do all spirits have this sort of intelligence? To forsake the honor of being the Princess's property and take a human for a master...."
[ Excuse me~ you just suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of a human, remember? If anyone gets a subordination contract slapped on them, it'll be you. Hmph. ]
Amidst their not-quite-a-fight quarrel.
"Why don't you both shut your mouths."
"...!"
[ ...! ]
Plan's frostbitten tone descended. Maeve's shoulders trembled, and Hera fell instantly mute.
"Maeve."
"What."
"What?"
"Ha.... Yes."
Toward Maeve, who was worrying her lower lip between her teeth, Plan directed a question.
"Explain the Subordination Contract."
"It's exactly what it sounds like."
The reason he deliberately asked about something whose nature was obvious from the name alone was to trample on her pride.
"You don't want to explain."
"No. No, sir."
"Let's do this."
A dagger materialized in Maeve's hand.
"Kill yourself, or come at me again with everything you have. Choose."
"No, sir."
"Do not remain alive with that sort of attitude. Pick one."
"...."
Maeve did not know the exact extent of Plan's abilities. She only knew that he was stronger than her.
Quietly, Maeve set the dagger down.
"A Subordination Contract is exactly as it sounds: you carve an Engraving that subordinates you to someone for life, pledging your loyalty."
She still kept her head bowed, looking elsewhere, but her manner of speaking had been quite thoroughly corrected.
Plan nodded.
"You know it well."
And without the slightest hesitation, the next words came out.
"Carve it."
"...?"
Maeve's head snapped up.
"I said carve the Engraving."
Their eyes met. Plan gave a quiet nod, and she suddenly could not calm herself, taking deep breaths.
Hoo— Hoo—
She had never once entertained the notion of subordinating herself to a human. Such a thing should never happen.
However.
"From now on, you will use the World Within the Painting for me."
There was not a single waver in Plan's words.