Chapter: 12
It wasn’t that I was being asked to sign any contract myself.
Instead, what I was to receive was a signature.
The signature of the person who would be contracting with Dielo Argenta.
“This is…”
If a contract bore the family head’s name, it must be important, but could I really be shown someone who would be leaving soon?
“This is the contract that Argenta, who will be leaving for another family’s territory as of today, will prepare.”
Piele gave me a brief explanation as I examined the contract.
“It’s a magical contract that ensures that when those who were once Argenta leave here, they cannot reveal any family secrets.”
“Wow… they even have something like this…”
I wondered if Aroze or Kartiel had similar contracts. I had never heard of such a thing before.
“The person who is to sign is already waiting. You only need to be present for the signing.”
Piele’s voice was light, as if it were no big deal.
“Got it.”
I finally nodded.
At that, Piele bowed slightly, as if waiting for this cue.
“Shall I bring them in now?”
What, they were already waiting?
Then there was no need to delay. Procrastinating would only be bothersome.
“…!”
But as I walked while examining the contract, I paused.
Piele, who had been guiding me, turned toward me.
“Milady?”
I raised a hand in response to her voice.
“Just a moment.”
[From this point forward, Mirta, who relinquishes the name Argenta through this contract, shall not disclose anything about Argenta in any place.
If she attempts to reveal any information about Argenta, she will feel a burning thirst in her throat, and if she continues beyond this warning, the contract with Head of House Dielo Argenta will immediately notify him of the act.]
Up to this point, it seemed normal enough.
But the next part caught my eye.
[Remember that in such a case, the flame of the family head will directly burn the person, and the surrounding area will also be consumed.]
“The family head’s flame… directly…”
I murmured quietly.
Seeing that it felt completely different from normal papers, it was clearly a magical contract.
[Head of House Dielo Argenta]
It seemed he had not signed this contract yet.
All that was needed was for Mirta to place his signature first, and then deliver it to Dielo.
“Are contracts like this common?”
Piele shook her head slightly.
“Not common, but they do happen occasionally. Of course, I’ve rarely seen anyone break the rules.”
At her words, I let out a short sigh without realizing it.
It was hard to imagine Dielo actually burning someone.
“This is a tradition of the Argenta family, right?”
“Yes.”
It didn’t feel like something Dielo would casually do.
I nodded and followed Piele into a room.
“Ah, milady. I am pleased to meet you. I am Mirta.”
The person leaving was a young man with short brown hair.
He bowed politely to me, then looked at the contract in my hand with nervous eyes.
“To think I would be the one to sign this contract…”
“You know how to do it, right, Mirta?”
Piele, who had given a slight bow to me, extended the paper toward Mirta.
She also placed a quill in front of him.
But there was no ink.
Where was the ink?
I was about to ask when—
―Thud.
A dagger was placed next to the pen.
No way…
I slightly parted my lips as Mirta, resolute, pricked his fingertip with the dagger.
“Ah.”
It must hurt.
Blood immediately welled at the spot the dagger touched.
Perhaps to dip the quill for sealing, Mirta cut his fingertip slightly deeper and then picked up the quill.
“If you break your oath, you will return to this place. But I trust that will never happen.”
Piele said.
In her hands was a paper doll shaped like a person.
I was momentarily captivated by it.
―Flare!
The tip of the paper doll caught fire.
“Ah.”
Startled, I took a slight step back.
Perhaps because Mirta’s face reflected the light, he looked somewhat pale.
The paper doll’s feet blackened and burned away gradually.
Its twisted, painful form slowly crumbled to ash.
“Mirta, remember your oath.”
Piele dropped the paper doll.
The fire spread to the other paper dolls on the silver tray.
“…Understood.”
Mirta signed the contract with a tense expression.
By then, all the paper dolls had turned to ashes.
“Thank you for witnessing this. It has been an honor to meet you, even briefly, milady.”
Mirta bowed politely.
Even though he would leave Argenta, his respect remained unchanged.
I watched him and asked,
“But why is Argenta leaving?”
Why would such a respectful person leave Argenta?
Mirta paused, then spoke.
“…There are the ailing parents of his wife where he is going. He wished to spend his final time there.”
“Ah…”
If they were ill, it would be hard for them to come to Argenta.
I roughly understood the situation.
“See him off well, Piele.”
“Yes, milady.”
Piele bowed and accepted my words gently.
“And I hope only good news comes to you, Mirta.”
A soft smile appeared on her face.
“…Thank you.”
Mirta bowed deeply and left the room.
I looked at the blood-stained seal he had left and picked up the contract.
This was clearly internal Argenta business.
It felt strange, as if I had meddled in something outsiders shouldn’t touch.
“Originally, Mirta served His Excellency personally.”
On the way back to the office where Dielo would be, Piele spoke.
She must have been explaining because I had just been curious about him.
“Ah…”
He had served personally.
Then Dielo must have been quite attached to him.
Given his temperament, it would have been difficult for him to force someone to sign such a cruel contract.
―Thump thump.
As these thoughts crossed my mind, Piele and I arrived in front of Dielo’s office.
“Your Excellency, I have brought the contract.”
Dielo’s response came immediately.
“Ah, come in.”
The low, soft voice was unmistakably his.
Since he spoke informally, he likely didn’t expect me to come in personally.
I peeked my head through the door holding the contract, and Dielo flinched.
“…Crua?”
Seeing him slightly flustered, I felt playful.
I shook the magical contract and placed it in front of him.
“I’ve brought the magical contract.”
Was that why he had been so confident last night?
Argenta will not betray, he had said. Half lost in thought, Dielo spoke softly.
“…Ah, you received it early. Thank you, Crua.”
He carefully examined the contents of the contract, then drew a dagger from a drawer.
“Ah…!”
I was the only one startled.
Dielo frowned as the blade pressed against his fingertip, but he didn’t groan.
―Tap.
Using the blood that fell as ink, he stamped the contract and pressed his fingertip with a handkerchief.
The white handkerchief was stained red.
Dielo looked at the contract with a slightly stern expression.
Understandably, it was uncomfortable.
His gaze was fixed on the part that said the head of the house would burn the person directly.
“…I heard that person used to serve Dielo personally until recently.”
“Yes.”
Dielo’s voice sank slightly at my words.
Looking up at me, he gave a somewhat pitying smile.
“It’s… quite a shame.”
His gaze returned to the window.
The contract, now soaked with both parties’ blood, was slowly engulfed in blue flames and disappearing.
I instinctively felt it.
These blue flames meant the contract had been successfully executed.
“They’ve probably already boarded the carriage by now.”
It was standard procedure to leave immediately after the contract.
He stood by the window, lips pressed in a straight line, unable to take his eyes off it.
Eventually, I tapped his shoulder.
“Honestly, I was worried about the traitors yesterday, but so were you, Dielo. You said there would be none.”
Dielo looked up at me again.
I gave him a gentle smile.
“You can’t betray easily. You need to be confident it will succeed first.”
For a moment, Dielo didn’t respond.
Then he smiled softly, the way only he could.
“That’s true.”
He gently took my hand that rested on his shoulder.
He kissed the hand he had lifted, and warmth spread across the back of my hand.
“Thank you for the comfort, Crua.”
Then he whispered to me,
“See you tonight.”
Hearing that, it really felt like a newlywed couple.
I glanced at his desk.
Seeing the pile of work, it was clear we would have to meet at night.
I tapped his shoulder and left the room.
Phew, seeing this man’s mentality, I was a little worried about the road ahead.
I had seen his abilities in the original story, but I hadn’t realized he was such a kind and attentive person.
The road ahead would be long.
