Became the Unjust Contract Slave of the Archamage’s Book

From the second-floor balcony where Dominic stood, he had a clear view of Goblin’s massive body collapsing. 

‘Silent magic surpassing chantless magic.’

It was precisely the same type of attack that had been used against him.

Dominic etched the final incantation Binaeril had uttered into his memory.

‘Shoot from within the shadows.’

It indicated a magic that utilized shadows.

The wound he had sustained around his tailbone throbbed as if remembering.

Goblin, having fallen, did not rise again.

Blood poured from the gaping hole in his neck.

‘It’s for the best.’

It spared Dominic from dirtying his own hands.

Having confirmed Goblin’s death, Binaeril immediately turned his gaze.

At the end of the young boy’s gaze stood the Platinum Knight, his face expressionless.

Binaeril’s eyes were resolute, and his silent stare conveyed his intent clearly to Dominic.

Hand over the antidote.

Dominic Schiller found it difficult to decide what expression to show to the young boy who had become his greatest foe.

He felt like he was walking a tightrope.

His entire body, having been beaten, screamed silently.

His eyelids felt heavy as if he hadn’t slept for days.

But Binaeril forced his heavy eyes open.

He couldn’t fall asleep here, he couldn’t collapse here.

He still had one more enemy to face.

Dominic Schiller stared at Binaeril with an unreadable expression.

Binaeril asked himself, am I in any condition to fight?

The mana flowing through Veritas was fine.

However, his mental strength and focus required to cast spells were nearly depleted.

Facing an opponent like Dominic with sheer willpower alone would not guarantee victory.

“Do you need this?” 

Dominic shook the vial in his hand.

“My friend is dying.”

“Why not let them die?”

“I couldn’t, that’s why I came this far.”

“…Just one question.”

“What you muttered earlier, is it true?”

“I said quite a lot earlier.”

Dominic asked bluntly,

“Did your mother burn to death?”

He had muttered it softly, yet Dominic had caught it.

‘Sharp ears, that bastard….’

Binaeril sighed briefly and answered his question straightforwardly.

“She was executed by burning, accused of heresy because of a false charge I carried.”

It was a plain recounting of his past, but the weight behind it was far from light.

“…It must have been bitter.”

“What’s this, suddenly? Will you hand me the antidote as a reward for being candid?”

“No, I was just curious. What could have driven you to grow so much at your age?”

Dominic Schiller was the son of an impoverished noble.

When his family was slaughtered by dark mages, Dominic’s family faced scorn instead of sympathy.

People gossiped that the head of the family meddling with magic had brought about the tragedy.

He lost his family, honor, home, and future overnight.

To rise from the mire, he lived more tenaciously than anyone.

He started as a squire, trained later and awaken earlier than anyone.

By the time he earned the title of the Platinum Knight, few among his peers could match his strength.

To erase his family’s name, he received a knighthood from Marquis Schiller.

But what had Dominic done with his newfound strength?

He only avenged himself on the mages who had taken his life from him.

He didn’t regret his past.

However, now, facing another young man who also lost his family,

one seeks to kill, the other to save.

Dominic found this situation ironic.

Enough with the sentimentality.

“You need this? Fine, take it.”

He said as he drew his sword again.

Binaeril chuckled.

“Your words and actions are opposites.”

If they had to fight, then so be it.

Binaeril steadied his dizzy mind and prepared to draw upon his mana.

“Just once.”

“I’ll give you a single chance. Give it your all. If you can take me down, you can have it.”

With that, Dominic came down from the second floor and placed the antidote on the table.

He stood a reasonable distance from Binaeril.

Dominic took off his surcoat.

It was imbued with anti-magic power.

This gesture showed his intent to face Binaeril without relying on artifacts.

“…Why put yourself at a disadvantage?”

Binaeril looked at his actions with curiosity.

Dominic twisted his lips into a smile.

“You have one chance. If you fail to take me down, I will cut you down.”

It would have been easy for Dominic to face the exhausted Binaeril fully armed.

He already knew all of Binaeril’s hidden cards:

the spirit Eden, the shadow magic bullets, and other spells.

Dominic wouldn’t fall for the same trick twice.

So this was Dominic’s way of fighting honorably.

Though his words were chilling, allowing Binaeril the first strike was an act of fairness.

‘Come to think of it.’

This was their third battle.

And in the past, Binaeril had never given Dominic the first attack.

“With everything you have?”

“With everything I have.”

Hoo―.

Binaeril exhaled deeply.

The image he needed to conjure was clear. He lacked the concentration to do so.

‘Simple magic bullets won’t do.’

Unconventional attacks like shadow bullets wouldn’t work either.

What he needed was maximum power.

Binaeril imagined layering different images on top of the magic bullet.

Binaeril focused on creating a magic bullet imbued with the explosive force of fire, the swiftness of lightning, and the sharpness of wind.

It was the first time he had layered so many imaginative elements into a single magic bullet.

In his mind, the images began to intertwine and creak under the strain.

Attempting to cast such a complex spell was risky, but he had no choice now.

‘Veritas!’

The necessary mana began to flow in through the Book of Truth.

If imagination was the blueprint, then mana was the material that brought it to life.

Any imperfections in the design were overwhelmed by the sheer amount of mana.

Balance didn’t matter; the enemy was right in front of him. Precision wasn’t necessary at this range.

Dominic swallowed hard.

Even though he couldn’t sense mana, he could tell the air around him was charged with something intense.

Binaeril was preparing the best spell he could muster.

‘Block it.’

Dominic concentrated solely on that thought, his resolve unwavering.

Binaeril felt the blueprint of his magic bullet taking shape.

He could hear the sound of mana gathering above his head.

He pointed his finger at Dominic.

With all his might focused on that single point—

Buzz―!

The mana vibrated, producing a chilling noise.

It was unstable. Was the spell going to fail?

A subtle fear rose within him, but Binaeril didn’t lose focus.

His target was only the enemy in front of him. His relentless effort finally paid off.

The magic bullet left his control and shot forward.

‘Cut it!’

Dominic, eyes wide open, swung his trusted sword at the incoming magic bullet.

There was a clash between the blade and the mana.

“Have I lost again?”

This marked his third defeat.

The space, now devoid of Binaeril, fell silent.

Dominic’s vision was filled with the sight of a gaping hole in the ceiling and the collapsing roof.

It was the aftermath of the spell.

He turned his head to the right.

There lay his broken sword, the one that had earned him the title of Platinum Knight.

It was shattered by the strike of a boy younger than him.

The power of Binaeril’s spell was astonishing.

Dominic had faced many mages but never encountered one of this caliber.

This defeat was without regret.

Binaeril, seeing Dominic’s sword break, grabbed the antidote and fled.

He didn’t spare a single glance at the defeated knight.

“What should I tell the Marquis…”

When the Marquis found out, there would surely be repercussions.

Yet, Dominic didn’t feel afraid.

It was an honorable duel, and he had lost.

He would accept whatever consequences the Marquis decided.

“Let’s just rest a bit.”

Dominic Schiller lay down and fell asleep amidst the ruins of the collapsing house.

***

Viktor Schiller arrived at Essen Castle and couldn’t believe his eyes. A battle was raging.

“There he is! Kill him!”

“Hold the line!”

“Break through! Once the inner gate is open, they’re finished!”

The shouts of soldiers and the sound of battering against the gate assaulted his ears.

There were about two hundred soldiers attacking the inner keep of Essen.

Not enough to start a war, but sufficient to assault the inner keep.

“Marquis!”

A knight approached and saluted him, wearing the emblem of Marquis Papen.

“What is going on here?”

“Marquis Papen ordered us to gather our forces and attack the castle. Didn’t you know? Other nobles are here too.”

Following the knight’s lead, he advanced to the front lines.

There, gathered together, were Marquis Papen and the leaders of the noble faction.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“Oh, Viktor. Our hero! You’ve finally arrived.”

“I asked, what is going on?”

“Surprised? You didn’t expect us to move so quickly, did you? It takes two to tango, and we couldn’t waste the opportunity you created.”

Marquis Schiller felt the conversation was off-kilter.

He only understood the full story after being briefed.

“The two princesses are dead?”

“Yes! Wasn’t it your mage who did it? Why the pretense?”

‘Could it be that Goblin succeeded in his mission?’

If that were true, it was fortunate for Marquis Schiller.

“We gathered the troops we brought and the forces from surrounding territories to form a retaking army. Now, just wait a little longer. Soon, the throne will be ours!”

Marquis Papen passionately delivered his speech, spitting as he talked.

The soldiers were at a standstill against the sturdy inner gate.

At that moment, a battering ram appeared at the rear of the retaking army.

“One, two!”

The inner gate couldn’t withstand the force of the powerful ram for long and shattered.

“It’s breached!”

“Charge!”

Uwaaaaah!

The soldiers surged through the breached gate like a tidal wave.

Marquis Schiller was taken aback, but he couldn’t afford to stay idle.

He couldn’t let the greatest credit for retaking the castle slip away before his eyes.