Chapter 26
I suddenly felt as if I were enchanted. The past three months of the break had been an unprecedented string of strange events. Ethan appeared out of nowhere, introducing himself as part of the Madowon and mentioning my hometown’s food. I thoughtlessly accepted his proposal, and with the Madowon’s information, we tracked Maiya, a black mage. In the process, Maiya ended up dead, but thanks to that, I gained the Madowon’s trust and the power to kill Vine, and Ethan killed Vine. I was freed. If the Madowon had no involvement here, it was all Ethan’s doing. And all of it was done for me.
I instinctively stepped back, leaning against the closed door.
…I don’t know, Ethan. What are you?
Ethan said,
Wasn’t my explanation enough?
No.
Then swearing on my family’s honor or Era wouldn’t be enough either, would it?
Correct. Words alone can’t…
Ethan cut me off.
Alright, how about this? I said a while ago I only know one spell. Remember?
Yes. You didn’t say what it was…
It’s the ‘Contract of Carmino.’ You know it, right?
I nodded slowly. It was one of the famous contract magics.
It was originally a Charasen family spell but had become a widely known, universal contract magic. The Contract of Carmino was a spell for deals: one person decided what to offer, and the other had to match it with something of equal value. If both agreed, the deal was sealed. The key was that it applied only to ‘non-material things,’ and the values had to be equivalent. If one side miscalculated and offered less, the other could take the shortfall from the other’s non-material possessions.
…Also called the ‘Contract of Plunder.’ You’re a Charasen too, aren’t you?
Thanks to my bloodline, I could use at least one spell. It’s not even that advanced. But with this spell, you can trust what I say, right?
In merchant guilds handling big deals, the Contract of Carmino was commonly used for notarization, as equal stakes posed no risk to either side.
I have no intention of using it maliciously. I’ll stake ‘Ethan Dora Charasen’s truth.’ You?
What do you want from me?
How about ‘all information related to the Empire’?
Fine.
Ethan said,
Ever done it?
Only read about it in books.
Ethan approached me with a dagger. For a moment, I felt something was wrong, but the dagger was ceremonial.
I’ll make a cut. That okay?
Just me?
Doesn’t matter whose mana is used. Could be both. But I’ll use yours. This spell can work with the other’s mana, but mine’s probably tied to body enhancement magic, so it won’t work right.
…Fine.
Ethan made a thin cut on the back of my hand. The blade was sharp, so it barely hurt.
Ethan extended his left hand as if for a handshake and said,
Put the back of your left hand against mine.
Clench my fist? What about the right hand?
Whatever’s comfortable.
I followed Ethan’s instructions, and he said,
Repeat after me from now on.
Okay.
→We now fill the bottle
→We now fill the bottle.
→And pour into each other’s cups.
→And pour into each other’s cups.
The blood between our hands, unpleasantly sticky, gradually cooled. As Ethan said, my mana was being used, meaning the spell was working properly.
→I give you ‘Ethan Dora Charasen’s truth.’
Ethan furrowed his brow, signaling me. I didn’t foolishly repeat his words verbatim.
→I give you ‘all information related to the Empire.’
Ethan said,
Now slowly lower your hands. How’s it feel? Okay?
Well, there’s a slight pain in my hand.
No sooner had I said it than blood dripped heavily. Ethan grabbed my wrist.
There’s a problem with the deal.
Whose side?
Your offering is lighter.
That meant Ethan could take something from me at will.
I said,
Can’t we end the deal like this?
I wouldn’t recommend it. The unpaid value will turn into pain.
What’s in it for you?
What’s in it? I’m not doing it because I want to. That’s just how the spell works.
You should’ve warned me. Specified the value properly.
How would I know the value of my truth or your information?
I glared at Ethan.
So what will you take from me?
Let’s go with this.
What?
Ethan said,
→And ‘a kinder attitude toward Ethan Dora Charasen.’
I clicked my tongue, and we lowered our left hands.
I looked at the scar on my hand, then at Ethan. The ‘Ethan Dora Charasen’s truth’ received through the Contract of Carmino was weaving anew in my mind. I could no longer see Ethan the same way.
‘But that’s not all of me, Bien.’
The reason the Contract of Carmino was called the Contract of Plunder was that the value exchanged could be arbitrarily altered. Deals made through non-material, arbitrary language could be distorted. With clever wordplay, one could take what they wanted while giving only what they wished. The scales moved within the two parties’ perceptions, so those skilled in contract magic always took more.
‘Not that it’s a complete lie.’
Ethan, looking tired, pulled his chair over, sat facing me, and said,
As soon as the spell ends, the value is transferred. It’s not necessary, but when passing memories or information through the Contract of Carmino, it’s customary for the giver to explain what it is. The information received via magic can’t be false, but verbal confirmation clarifies it, makes memories and information more precise, and untangles emotions. So listen to my story.
Ethan spoke about the past. He didn’t hide that he’d contracted with Terra’s Demi, gaining and using Terra’s power. But he distorted the part about infinite regression. If Bien were subjected to mental magic, Ethan would be at risk. To prepare for that, Ethan only said he ‘knew the future.’ There were omissions, but the truth was still true.
I said,
I think I understand why the Empire, no, the Emperor, treats Terra’s black mages differently from other black mages.
Ethan asked,
Why?
The first reason is Terra’s black magic itself. I wasn’t properly educated about Terra’s black magic or black mages. I was only taught that non-Terrans using specific magic or magical tools could be considered Terra’s black mages. With your Charasen background, you’re definitely not a Terran, and that handgun is a magical tool directly flagged by the Imperial Inquisition. If I’d seen you use it without any prior connection, I would’ve killed you. The issue is that such black magic has a common trait.
What trait?
I said,
Terra’s black magic and magical tools can be used by people with no mana at all, meaning non-mages. Think about it. Is there a single Terra-based thing that requires being a mage to use?
…None.
I pointed out,
That’s exactly what the Empire fears. If a passing thug could wield that handgun’s power, could kings, nobles, or even mages maintain their authority? If those foundations crumble, naturally…
…The Emperor would vanish too.
Yes. That’s how it would be. For some reason, the Terrans left in Damarat Yumaha after the invasion couldn’t pull it off. Maybe because not all Terrans are mages? Perhaps Terra has fewer mages than we do. But a Terra black mage could surely replicate Terra’s black magic. Maybe not now, but eventually.
Ethan’s realization unfolded chaotically before him.
[Main Quest Success!]
[Main Quest: The End of Lies (C)]
[You crawled through the mire and finally stood on dry land. This is your victory.]
[Reward: 60]
[Reward: C-rank Lottery Coupon]
[Reward: Outsolar Sunflower Portable Solar Generator (B)]
Ethan inwardly clicked his tongue.
‘It was a long fight.’
He didn’t explain to me, but to make this conversation happen, Ethan had died seven more times and returned. I was suspicious and prone to overthinking. Persuasion rarely worked. So Ethan had to maintain an air of suspicion while adopting an attitude that could convince me. How that looked to me, Ethan didn’t know, but he pulled it off. Honestly, I wasn’t the biggest issue. Ethan had to kill Maiya seven more times. That was worse.
‘A portable solar generator?’
Ethan wanted to ask Demi about it immediately, but with me and other issues in front of him, he held back.
[Quest Success!]
[Quest: Why Does the Empire Want to Kill Terra’s Black Mages? (B)]
[Reward: 480]
[Reward: B-rank Lottery Coupon]
Ethan worried I’d hear him swallow hard.
‘This is the biggest gain.’
He’d thought this quest was out of reach for now, but thanks to me, he achieved it. A B-rank was a first, so he was expectant.
‘But that’s less important now.’
Two more windows appeared before Ethan.
[Main Quest Generated!]
[Main Quest: Defeat Emperor Kario Arnesia (?)]
[…You’ve uncovered the world’s secret and realized that Terra’s black mages can never coexist with Emperor Kario Arnesia. In Damarat Yumaha, either you or Kario Arnesia must vanish. Defeat the Emperor. And survive.]
A main quest that only drew a hollow laugh.
And a completely new message,
[Reached Lv2!]
[…Acquired new abilities.]
[Limbo expands.]
[…A new guest arrives in Limbo.]
A never-before-seen skill.
[Skill Acquired!]
[Save/Load (S)]