Became the Unjust Contract Slave of the Archamage’s Book

Pavel felt the urge to curse rising in his throat. The Bemes Trading Company was a sizeable establishment. To give an idea of its scale, its owner was wealthy enough to buy a noble title, even if it was a minor one in the Empire. When the head of the Bemes Company became Marquis Bemes, Pavel was appointed as the company’s responsible leader in his stead. Within the company, his word was law, an absolute authority that even birds would fall at his command!

But on this particular trading journey, Pavel found himself struggling with a particularly troublesome individual. 

“After feeding and housing you with my father’s money, how dare you repay us with such ingratitude? Are you out of your mind? Shouldn’t the lord naturally be on my side?”

‘Calm down, calm down, calm down…’

This annual trading journey from the Empire, across the continent to the Holy Kingdom of Vitory, was a significant transaction. Naturally, Pavel was in charge, and since it was a regular occurrence, the preparations went smoothly. That is, if it weren’t for the Marquis’s son suddenly tagging along like a bolt from the blue.

“Master Bemes, traditionally we hand some money to the lords of the Holy Kingdom under the pretext of maintaining public order and covering travel expenses. It’s not a substantial amount.”

Marquis Bemes’ son, Gillian Bemes, had returned home after dropping out of Elfenbine and had done nothing but cause trouble since. Pavel vividly remembered the day Gillian returned. The father and son had a long conversation late into the night in the Marquis’s quarters.

“What? You dared to act so rudely to the princess, no, to the future empress herself!”

“I raised you and this is how you repay me, you ungrateful wretch! How dare you show your face here!”

“I don’t even want to see you. Get out of my sight and run to Essen, kneel barefoot before the Imperial Palace and beg for forgiveness!”

That night, the Marquis spewed fire until dawn. It was clear that the prodigal son had committed a serious blunder. The Marquis , who once boasted about his future mage son, now kept his mouth tightly shut. Gillian Bemes became a ghostly presence in the manor, acting out by tormenting the servants and company members. Unable to tolerate it any longer, the Marquis ordered Gillian to accompany Pavel on the trading journey, hoping he would learn something. Gillian realized this was his father’s final chance for him.

At the start of the journey, Gillian was reserved, watching the situation. But as they crossed the Empire and entered the central region of Elfenbine, he began to grow bolder.

“See that over there? That’s the Elfenbine Tower.”

While the veteran traders were familiar with the sight, it was new to the novice members. Gillian started delivering a grand speech to them.

“I, you see, over there at Elfenbine, ate meals and learned magic, you know?”

The rookie members looked at him with admiration, just as he had hoped. Emboldened, Gillian began interfering with the trading company’s operations, treating the trading wagons like his own domain and nitpicking every little detail. 

‘Isn’t it dangerous to load goods like this?’, ‘This road is notorious for monster appearances, it’s risky…’, ‘Shouldn’t we increase the escort for the carriage I’m riding?’ and so on.

Whenever Gillian overstepped his boundaries, riding on the coattails of his noble birth, the rookie members were quietly pulled to the back of the carriage line by the senior members. Pavel endured and endured. If he was human, he’d eventually stop, if he had any sense, he’d gradually quiet down…

But he was wrong. Gillian’s meddling reached its peak at the fortress of Bellos.

“What are those wretches doing taking bribes?”

“Master Gillian, shush!”

Pavel jumped in shock, urgently bringing a finger to his lips. If Gillian wasn’t the son of the trading company owner, Pavel would have punched him right then and there.

But despite Pavel’s desperate signals, Gillian’s blabbering mouth wouldn’t shut.

“No, really. What do they do anyway? Pave a few roads, deal with small fry monsters like kobolds and goblins. Why should we waste our hard-earned money on them?”

They were on their way to a banquet, invited by the lord of the Bellos fortress. Soldiers from the fortress were escorting them. Pavel resisted the overwhelming urge to slap Gillian across both cheeks but managed to hold back. However, when Gillian uttered his next words, Pavel deeply regretted not hitting him.

“In my opinion, there are too many parasites leeching off our Bemes Trading Company. Pavel, let me give you some advice. Cut out these useless expenses, and the height of the Bemes mansion will double.”

Pavel glanced nervously at the soldiers. The lead soldier escorting them to the fortress had a stiff expression but forced a laugh, “What a funny joke, ha, ha, ha.” He reported Gillian’s words to the lord as soon as they arrived at the fortress.

The lord of Bellos didn’t explode in a fit of rage. Instead, he quietly said, “I didn’t realize the Bemes Trading Company considered me a mere parasite. I won’t take your gold. Instead, if you are so confident, why not deal with the monsters swarming around Bellos? Why? As you said, it’s just dealing with small fry. Until you clear out the surrounding monsters, no one will enter or leave the fortress. Understand this well.”

It was a roundabout way of demanding an apology.

“Guards! Impose a curfew on the entire fortress! Not even a rat should get in or out!”

After leaving the inner castle, Gillian said to Pavel, “Who do they think they are, acting so high and mighty while taking bribes?”

Pavel’s patience snapped. He slapped Gillian across the face. Now was no different. Pavel slammed the table, making Gillian flinch.

“Master Gillian, please, get a grip on yourself!”

“You lowly servant, how dare you raise your voice at me! Who do you think you are?”

Curses erupted from the senior members who had been watching the argument. Gillian’s face turned red with anger.

“Have you all lost your minds?”

“The one who’s lost his mind is you, Gillian Bemes!”

Pavel shouted at him. Pavel had been a friend and companion to Marquis Bemes since the days when the Marquis was a mere peddler.

Even the Marquis himself respected Pavel, yet his son’s behavior towards Pavel had long crossed the line.

“Do you think the lord genuinely intended to dump this burden on the Bemes Trading Company? The lord is just playing a tug-of-war, holding the fortress’s people as hostages. If you swallow your pride and go apologize, he might extort a few more coins from us, but we wouldn’t be stuck here like idiots!”

To Pavel and the veteran members, it was an obvious ploy. The lord was merely waiting for Gillian to apologize for insulting him in front of his subordinates. Voices of agreement echoed among the members.

Gillian’s eyes wavered.

“Even if this whole mess were entirely the lord’s fault, your father would have sprinted over and bowed his head a hundred or even a thousand times! Do you have any idea how much we’ve lost in these three days we’ve been stuck here?”

Pavel pounded his chest.

“Please, think about it, Gillian! Just go to the lord of Bellos and apologize!”

Gillian, amidst the jeers of the people, looked around nervously. Pavel gazed at Gillian with a desperate, pleading face. But despite Pavel’s heartfelt plea, Gillian’s pride shattered any sense of practicality.

“I won’t apologize, no, I can’t!!!”

He screamed and stormed out of the inn, followed by a few of his loyal followers.

“…Aaaaagh!”

Pavel cried out, tearing at his hair.

“…It’s complicated.”

Binaeril, wearing a hood, sat in a corner of the Dreaming Great Whale Inn. When he heard the name Bemes Trading Company, he had a hunch. Upon entering the inn and hearing Gillian’s voice, he had a suspicion. Now, it all made sense.

“Why are they putting up with that? If it were my kid, I’d have twisted his neck twenty times over by now.”

“Because he’s a friend’s son?”

“If he were my friend’s son, I’d have twisted it forty times.”

“He’s the son of a friend who has become a noble, so the relationship is delicate. Besides, we ‘civilized people’ don’t twist others’ necks so easily.”

“Indeed. That’s why most people don’t understand manners.”

Binaeril sighed. Before coming to the Dreaming Great Whale Inn, they had already checked the exit of the Bellos fortress. Rumors of someone assaulting the guards and breaking in had spread across the fortress. The number of soldiers had doubled, and they were searching for the intruding mage.

Binaeril had simply turned back and headed for the inn. Escaping by confronting the guards with Inyakan was not impossible, but Binaeril had planned to secure a carriage in Bellos. Forcing an escape would only lengthen their journey on foot. Considering the distance, securing a ride here was much more practical.

“What are you going to do?”

Inyakan, seated across the table, asked.

“I don’t really feel like it, but.….” Binaeril sighed. He understood the situation. The traders trapped in the fortress were reaching the limits of their patience. But he doubted that the clueless Gillian would willingly go to the lord and kneel.

“Let’s consider it as helping an old friend.” Binaeril rubbed his face with his palm.

Inyakan, who had been watching him quietly, widened his eyes.

“Is this going to work out? How do I look, Inyakan?”

“What kind of trick is this?”

“Okay, seems like it worked.”

It was too risky to speak with his original face. Gillian was likely to recognize him. So, Binaeril used magic to disguise himself as another person. The face he chose was that of Sir Baron, one of Duke Torben Dux’s knights. There wasn’t a particular reason. Sir Baron’s face was unremarkable and reasonably ordinary.

‘Sorry, Sir Baron,’ Binaeril apologized in his mind and approached Pavel, who was tearing at his hair.

“Are you the head of the Bemes Trading Company?”

Pavel, his eyes bloodshot from frustration, looked at Binaeril warily.

“Yes, but who are you?”

“Just a passing traveler. I overheard your situation from the corner and it seemed unfortunate.”

Binaeril twirled his fingers to signal the waiter. The waiter, perceptive enough, nodded and brought a drink. Binaeril handed the drink towards Pavel and got to the point.

“I understand you’re in a difficult situation. I think I can help.”

Pavel’s eyebrows twitched. He still harbored suspicion towards the stranger.

“Ah, I am someone like this.”

Binaeril casually pulled out a badge from his chest. Pavel immediately recognized the insignia of Elfenbine. Moreover, it was a golden badge, unlike the silver one that the wretched Gillian had!

“Are you a mage?”

Pavel’s eyes widened as he looked at Binaeril again. Binaeril curled his lips into a smile and met Pavel’s gaze.