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,

still have a little over three years of contract

heads to face each other, Douglas stroked his beard and once again

can take

scroll, he proceeded to

"Thank you."

Douglas's hands, I put it

silence that was soon

can

looked at Angelica with

that you managed to get a count ranked

"I was lucky."

demon

that of an untitled demon, and

Douglas and Waylan found out that Angelica had gone from Baron

enough of your time. You

at Angelica,

turn back into

I nodded my head.

still

"I see."

the tepid tea re-heated instantly at Douglas's

now. Her

the demonic energy that leaked out of Angelica's body suddenly stopped,

small sip of

she does leak demonic energy from time to time. It was because of these subtle traces that I realized that she was a demon. This little protection I added

Pausing, Douglas frowned.

reason you hadn't been caught till now was probably because they were too focused on the enemies rather than

put the teacup down and

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

"You have a point."

up

on his

couple of demons working together with the dwarves. So it's not that

Waylan pointed at my

a demon in your finger. That's very

"...Right."

that I thought about it, what Waylan was saying was

fact that I had Angelica with me. Everything would've been resolved if I had just

a factor that I failed to take

his legs, Waylan

that the cat is out of the bag, are you planning on telling the others about

head and staring in

like it if her presence still

"Oh? Why is that?"

Douglas curiously asked.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

my chair, I tapped

"Why?"

corner of my eyes, I calmly opened my

use her presence

***

my way towards the utility center. I

way there, much to my surprise, I was met with looks of approval. Be it dwarves, elves, or even orcs, whenever I went, they would nod their heads in my direction

a bit 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

quite pleased with the

all, their looks were a sign of

I walked

Ci Clank—!

soon as I entered the building, I instantly spotted Malvil. He was currently leaning by the side of the reception, wiping

seeing me, he greeted me with a

How

"...Not bad."

a glimpse at Malvil, the first thing I noticed was the unpleased

probably saw it,

I decided

I didn't fight the whole time with

"Tsk."

of Malvil's

behind his back, he silently walked

getting a sword forged

to myself as I stared at

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

for someone that refused to listen to

having a sword if I

course, that didn't mean I was sad about this development, but it's not like I

I'll just have to find

ye

"Huh?"