The Author's POV

"So you're saying that you defeated her and in doing so convinced her to sign a mana contract with you?"

Douglas's clear voice echoed throughout the room.

"That's correct."

I replied with a nod.

Since the cat was out of the bag, I came clean about Angelica.

I told Douglas and Waylan everything that had happened between Angelica and me, from how I defeated her to how I made her sign a mana contract with me and how we came to the current working relationship.

I, of course, altered a few of the details about the story. After all, I couldn't just tell him that I defeated her through the use of the red book.

All I told him was that Angelica was heavily injured before fighting me, and that was how I was able to defeat her.

"…I see."

Stroking his beard, Douglas looked at Waylan, who looked back at him.

"Do you have a copy of the mana contract with you?"

Waylan asked from the side.

"I do."

"Can you let us see it?"

Turning to face Angelica and seeing her nod her head, I nodded back.

"No problem."

Tapping on my bracelet, an old-looking scroll materialized in my hand.

Unraveling the scroll, I took a brief look at it.

「Mana contract」

[Term 1]

Party A and Party B are prohibited from harming each other, regardless of means. If either party has any intention of harming the other party, the contract breached will suffer the consequences.

[Term 2]

If Party A is in danger, and Party B has the power to help, he/she must provide support to other party.

[Term 3]

The contract between the two parties will dissolve in five years. After five years, the two parties will no longer be bound by the terms of the contract.

[Term 4]

Parties are prohibited from harming each other's self-interest.

[Term 5]

.

.

.

"Here you go."

After taking a good look at it, I proceeded to hand it to them.

"Thank you."

Taking the contract, Waylan and Douglas unscrolled it and took a good look at it.

The silence that ensued after that felt almost suffocating.

But I remained calm.

I had gone through too much shit to get fazed from something like this. At the end of the day, given Douglas's personality, there shouldn't be any worries.

...I hope.

"How long do you have left in the contract?"

Douglas suddenly asked.

"How long?"

Frowning, I mused.

'If we're talking about time, counting the eight months I spent at the Monolith, the four months I used to get here to Henolur, and the additional four months that I spent with her before the Monolith incident, it should be about...'

my head, I confidently

little over three years of contract

Douglas stroked his beard and

can take this

he proceeded to hand me back

"Thank you."

Douglas's hands,

uncomfortable silence that was soon broken by

the contract, I can tell that what you were

Douglas looked at Angelica with

managed to get a count ranked

"I was lucky."

a Baron ranked demon was when she

to that of an untitled demon, and that was

Waylan found out that Angelica had gone from Baron to Count in a mere two years, they'd start

taken enough of

Angelica,

turn

I nodded my head.

still

"I see."

teacup, the tepid tea re-heated instantly at Douglas's touch. Steam slowly diffused in

for now. Her concealment is excellent. However,

Angelica's body suddenly stopped, and a small transparent

took a small sip of

from time to time. It was because of these subtle traces that I realized that she was a demon. This little protection I added should be able to hide her

Pausing, Douglas frowned.

been caught till now was probably because they were too focused on

put the teacup

which demons have worked with other races aren't all too rare. If you had explained it to the dwarves before coming

"You have a point."

up from the

his chair, he

the dwarves. So it's

me, Waylan pointed at my

a demon in your finger. That's

"...Right."

it, what Waylan was saying

me. Everything would've been resolved

I failed

legs, Waylan once again

bag, are

and staring in his direction, I shook

I would like it if

"Oh? Why is that?"

Douglas curiously asked.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

I

"Why?"

of my eyes, I calmly opened

use her presence to our

***

from Waylan and Douglas, I made my way towards the utility center. I needed to sell the demon cores that I had harvested during my

looks of approval. Be it dwarves, elves, or even orcs, whenever I went, they would nod their heads in my direction before going

surprising, but now that I thought about it, dwarven technology was quite advanced. It wouldn't be hard for the others to see clips of how

quite pleased with the

of

as before, I walked towards the utility center's

Ci Clank—!

Malvil. He was currently leaning by

me

How was

"...Not bad."

the first thing I

saw it,

sighing, I decided to come

fine. I didn't fight the whole time with the

"Tsk."

sound of Malvil's tongue clicking

around with his hands behind his back, he

goes my chance at getting a

muttered to myself as I stared at

sort of expected this outcome. I did, after all, refuse to

I were in his shoes, I, too, wouldn't want to make a sword for someone that refused to listen to his instruction, but at the end of the

in having a sword if I wasn't alive to hold

course, that didn't mean I was sad about this development, but it's not like I could force him to make a sword for

guess I'll just have to

be ye doing?

"Huh?"