The Pact of Master and Servant
Sorry?
I watched Elise’s back for a moment as she immersed herself completely in the experiment.
The awkward, tension-thick atmosphere from earlier had vanished without a trace; only her passion for research now wrapped around her.
If she’s concentrating that hard, me hanging around will only get in the way.
It looked like results would take quite a while.
I decided to leave Elise to her experiment and step outside for now. Rather than the stuffy air of the lab, a walk to cool my tangled thoughts seemed far better.
“Hey, I’m heading out first.”
I tossed the words out casually, but Elise, still utterly absorbed, didn’t even pretend to hear me. She kept her nose buried in the glassware, muttering as she observed something.
…Geez. She doesn’t even acknowledge me.
I felt a little miffed, but what could I do? Still, seeing her work so hard, I hoped something would come of it.
Honestly, I was curious too. Just how was this body put together that it could contain the authority of an eleventh-level Evil God and still remain intact? Beyond simply resisting Contamination, sealing that power and even using portions of it—that was no ordinary feat. Maybe her research could dig up some clue to the secret.
I quietly opened the lab door and stepped out. The moment I closed it, I ran straight into three people waiting for me in the hallway.
Professor Emilla, Rina, and Senior Bella.
The three of them approached me all at once, as if they had been waiting for me to emerge. Their faces were filled with worry and pity far more blatant than anything from before.
“Young Lady! Are you all right? Did that wicked alchemist make any unreasonable demands or—”
…Young Lady?
I felt a quiet question rise at Professor Emilla’s suddenly elevated form of address. Until just a short while ago she had disliked me. Had her attitude changed because she learned I was Master’s disciple? Even so, when we met in front of the principal’s office it hadn’t been this extreme. What on earth had happened in the meantime?
“Yeon! You didn’t draw too much blood, did you? Are you dizzy? Let me heal—”
“…Did they stop the bleeding properly? Let me see your arm for a moment.”
I was dumbfounded by the three of them fussing over me as if I had just crawled out of a serious illness, checking whether I was hurt or struggling anywhere. Seriously—just a little blood drawn and they were making this much of a scene?
“…It’s fine. I just had some blood drawn. It’s no big deal.”
But despite my words, the three still surrounded me with worried eyes.
“Even so, the wound needs treatment! And since blood was drawn, you need to replenish your energy… I really should heal—”
Rina raised her hand, about to treat the small wound on my arm. Warm, sacred light began to bloom from her fingertips.
“No!”
I jerked my arm back in pure reflex, startled. That had been close—I almost got into real trouble!
In that same instant, Professor Emilla quickly stopped Rina’s hand.
“Don’t worry, Student Rina.”
Professor Emilla spoke in a soft but firm voice.
“As the academy’s health teacher, I will personally check and treat the Young Lady’s condition.”
“Huh? But…”
Rina looked puzzled, yet Professor Emilla seemed to have no intention of explaining further.
“Would you mind for a moment, Young Lady? Let’s go to the infirmary and simply check your condition.”
Professor Emilla asked me politely and naturally began guiding me toward the infirmary.
“Then I’ll come too—”
When Senior Bella tried to follow, Professor Emilla blocked her path.
“I’m sorry to the two of you, but I have something to discuss with the Young Lady alone. It concerns her health, so would you wait just a moment?”
She bowed her head politely to Rina and Senior Bella, seeking their understanding. The two of them glanced at each other, then reluctantly nodded. They still looked worried, but they could not go against the words of an academy professor like Emilla.
…Phew. Thank goodness.
I let out a quiet sigh of relief. Rina’s holy power itself was not a problem. But if she had tried to use not simple holy power, but the Authority of Goodwill she possessed as a Saintess candidate? No one knew how the Authority of Malice sleeping inside me would react to that force. In the worst case, the two authorities could have clashed and gone berserk. It really had been dangerous.
But… how had Professor Emilla known and stepped in at such perfect timing?
How much does she know?
With confused eyes I followed Professor Emilla’s back toward the infirmary.
The infirmary we reached following Professor Emilla.
Had the timing simply been good? There was no one inside the spacious room. Normally a few sick or injured students would have been present at this hour, yet today it was unusually quiet.
The interior was clean and orderly. One wall held a glass cabinet neatly arranged with medical tools and medicines; the other side held several beds covered in crisp white sheets. The air carried the scent of disinfectant mixed with Professor Emilla’s characteristic faint herbal fragrance. It was a calm, stable atmosphere—yet to me right now it felt only awkward and uncomfortable.
Professor Emilla pointed to one of the beds.
“Please sit here and wait a moment, Young Lady. I’ll fetch the necessary things.”
She still called me “Young Lady.” I could no longer endure that awkward form of address.
“Um… Professor.”
I carefully opened my mouth.
“That… ‘Young Lady’ is a bit… I’m just an academy student.”
I looked at her with a confused expression. This sudden change in how she treated me was far too awkward and burdensome. Even knowing I was Master’s disciple, this was over the top.
At my words Professor Emilla paused and turned to face me. A complex emotion flickered across her features—apology, guilt, and something that looked like resolve. She was silent for a moment, then spoke in a heavy voice.
“Ah… I’m sorry. I was too hasty.”
She muttered as if blaming herself, then suddenly did something I never expected.
“System.”
When Professor Emilla commanded quietly, a semi-transparent system window floated up before her. The next moment, text I had never anticipated began to appear on that window.
Oath-maker: Emilla Gale → Yeon Bennet
Effect: Emilla Gale’s will and actions fall entirely under Yeon Bennet’s authority.
Yeon Bennet’s commands are absolute to Emilla Gale and cannot be refused.
Upon violation of the oath, Emilla Gale’s soul will be annihilated.
Authority to dissolve the pact: Yeon Bennet
“…!?”
Pact of Master and Servant?
Special oath applied. Oath-maker ‘Emilla Gale’ now submits absolutely to oath-receiver ‘Yeon Bennet’.
Just as I had once unilaterally placed the Death’s Pact on Senior Bella, this time Professor Emilla had placed the Pact of Master and Servant upon me. Because the oath carried no disadvantages or restrictions for me as the receiver, it activated automatically without my consent. I felt the sensation of the existence named Emilla Gale becoming subordinated to my soul.
“Wh-what are you doing right now, Professor?!”
I shouted in panic.
“Professor, right now—”
“…You don’t have to forgive me.”
I tried to speak, but she opened her mouth first. Her voice was low and sunken; within it lay an indescribable depth of regret and guilt. Her gaze, fixed on the floor, seemed unable to meet mine.
“What I… what I did to the Young Lady is a sin that no excuse can ever wash away.”
She paused and exhaled a trembling breath.
“Through the Records… I saw the Young Lady’s life.”
Her voice trembled even more thinly.
“You… you saw that?”
I asked back in shock. The Records do not stop at simply watching someone else’s life like a movie. The one who views them experiences every sense and emotion the owner of that Record endured—exactly the same. Whether I should call it fortunate or unfortunate, unique abilities are not realized within the Records. So…
Professor Emilla…
Had experienced every pain I went through, without any buffer, as it was, normally!!!
The moment I realized that, I unconsciously examined her face. It was pale, the rims of her eyes red and bloodshot, her whole body trembling finely.
“P-Professor! Are you okay? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you? Your complexion is really bad!”
I fretted and stepped closer to check on her. Having gone through that enormous pain all at once, there was no way she was in her right mind.
Seeing me like that, Professor Emilla suddenly began to cry bitterly like a child. As if the emotions she had been suppressing burst out all at once, she covered her face with both hands and sobbed.
“Hwaaaah… Young Lady… I’m really… so… sorry… I… hic…”
As expected… it must have been horrific…
How thoroughly wrecked my life had been, and how vicious that pain was—her reaction told me everything. Looking at the crying Professor Emilla, guilt washed over me.
“Um… uh… Professor… that… I’m sorry…”
An apology slipped out before I knew it.
But me… what am I sorry for?
No—thinking about it, I didn’t really do anything wrong…
I chewed over the words I had just spat out and pondered for a moment. Then I awkwardly added,
“Uh… so… I’m sorry for living like that?”
At my words, Professor Emilla’s sobs grew even louder—as if my clumsy comfort had poured oil on her sorrow. Not knowing what else to do, I could only stand there and watch her cry so bitterly.