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...'

head, I

I still have a little over three years of contract with

to face each other, Douglas stroked his beard and once again looked through the

you can take

he proceeded to hand me back the contract

"Thank you."

contract from Douglas's

that was soon

good look at the contract, I can tell

head, Douglas looked at Angelica

think that you managed to get a count ranked demon

"I was lucky."

Baron ranked demon was when she tried to

rank was downgraded to that of an untitled demon, and that was how Kevin and I

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

like we've taken enough of your time. You can go

at Angelica,

still turn back into

I nodded my head.

still be able

"I see."

tepid tea re-heated instantly at Douglas's touch. Steam slowly diffused

for now. Her

energy that leaked out of Angelica's body suddenly stopped, and a small transparent

small sip of

to time. It was because of these subtle traces that I realized that she was a demon. This little protection I

Pausing, Douglas frowned.

hadn't been caught till now was probably because they were too

then put the teacup down

aren't all too rare. If you had explained it to the dwarves

"You have a point."

spoke up from

his

of demons working together with the dwarves. So

face me, Waylan pointed at

hide a demon in your

"...Right."

that I thought about it, what Waylan was

shouldn't have hidden the fact that I had Angelica with me. Everything would've been resolved if I had just shown them

I failed

his legs, Waylan once again spoke

is out of the bag, are you planning

and staring in his

it if her presence still remains a

"Oh? Why is that?"

Douglas curiously asked.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

my chair, I

"Why?"

Angelica from the corner of my eyes, I calmly opened my

can use her presence to

***

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

with looks of approval. Be it dwarves, elves, or even orcs, whenever

about it, dwarven technology was quite advanced.

was quite pleased with the

all, their looks were a sign of acknowledgment. It

before, I walked towards the utility center's

Ci Clank—!

instantly spotted Malvil. He was currently leaning by the side of the reception, wiping his

me, he greeted me

human. How was

"...Not bad."

first thing I noticed

saw it, didn't

decided to

didn't fight the whole time with the sword

"Tsk."

sound of Malvil's

his back, he silently walked back to

goes my chance at getting

to myself as I stared at Malvil's disappearing

I took out my sword, I sort of expected this outcome. I did, after all, refuse to listen to

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

having a sword if I wasn't alive to hold

was sad about this development, but it's not like I could force him to make a

I'll just have to

ye doing?

"Huh?"