Became the Unjust Contract Slave of the Archamage’s Book

“What do you mean by this, Veritas?” Binaeril demanded an explanation from the old book.

“What does it mean that I couldn’t hear Eden’s voice because of you? You know, don’t you?”

– Ah, this is getting troublesome.

Veritas replied in a nonchalant tone as if it were no big deal.

“Did you do it on purpose?”

Veritas floated in the air and faced Eden. Eden, with hands on his hips and a still disgruntled expression, glared at Veritas.

Veritas opened his pages abruptly and began to speak.

– It’s a matter of possession.

“Possession?”

– Yes. I’ve already explained that as your mana grows, the influence I can exert on you decreases, haven’t I?

It was something Veritas had explained in the corridor.

– It’s simple. Before, I was fully occupying your mind, so there was no room for other voices to come in.

In Hoenberg, Jinulbam had found Binaeril’s condition peculiar. He could see spirits and convey his intentions to them, yet he couldn’t hear their voices.

Jinulbam had suspected that someone might be blocking Binaeril’s ears.

And that suspicion turned out to be true.

“You knew but didn’t explain it to me, did you?”

– You never asked.

Despite seeing Binaeril’s efforts to communicate with Eden, Veritas hadn’t revealed the truth. This deepened Binaeril’s distrust of Veritas.

“Now that your influence over me has diminished, I can hear Eden’s voice, right?”

It was similar to the power struggle between Veritas and Eden over Binaeril’s mind. It was like a tug-of-war.

“But….”

Binaeril thought as he turned to the earthen spirit.

“Eden, how did you do that earlier?”

[What do you mean, Binaeril?]

“How did you block the Lich’s attack earlier?”

The thick mana field surrounding the Lich nullified all of Binaeril’s magic. This alone indicated the Lich’s considerable magical power.

But when Eden exerted his power, all the Lich’s magic was canceled at once. It was as if the Lich had lost control over magic itself.

Eden tilted his head, recalling the situation.

[I don’t really know. I just reacted to Binaeril’s desperate feelings and went like, bam! No! Like that.]

Eden swung his tiny hands, trying to explain in his own way. It wasn’t very helpful, though.

“Eden, I’ve been meaning to ask. What kind of spirit are you?”

Spirits were classified in many ways. Generally, they were categorized by the natural elements they embodied, such as fire spirits or earth spirits.

Just like Zilph in Hoenberg was a wind spirit.

Binaeril had thought Eden was an earth spirit, but as time passed, his thoughts began to change.

[I don’t know either.]

“You don’t know?”

[I’m just me, Binaeril!]

It was an endlessly cheerful and confident response.

“You idiot. A spirit that doesn’t even realize what it is.”

Veritas seized the opportunity to taunt Eden.

[What!]

“Then, do you know?”

– That spirit has a special power.

“A special power?”

– The power to resonate with the contractor’s mind. That’s why it can reject the powers you deem negative, Binaeril.

Binaeril’s eyes followed the cheerful Eden.

“Because I considered the Lich’s mana as negative, Eden was able to reject it?”

Veritas answered in a dismissive tone, but the content was significant.

– Not just the Lich. As long as you consider the power of dark mages negative, the spirit can reject all of it.

Binaeril felt a slight chill.

Rotfallen.

Balram awoke in a place called the Red Hill Cemetery.

The Red Hill Cemetery was where hundreds of bodies were buried from past battles.

It was known as the underground cemetery, the Catacomb.

“Argh!”

Upon awakening, Balram unleashed his mana towards the rotten skeletons and jars scattered around him.

The skulls filling one side of the cemetery room couldn’t withstand the mana and shattered.

Dissatisfied, Balram violently wielded his mana, collapsing several rooms of the underground cemetery.

Finally, somewhat calmed, Balram looked down at his hand.

“My mana has returned.”

Losing control of his mana was a terrifying ordeal for him.

Balram felt a shiver on his emaciated skin.

He stood up to check his Life Vessel.

The walls of the underground cemetery were made of red clay.

Some said that the soil had turned red from the blood spilled in Rotfallen.

At the deepest part of the cemetery, sinister red energy emanated from a sword exuding ominous mana.

The reason Rotfallen became known as the ‘Red Land’ was solely because of that sword.

– Sacrifices! More sacrifices!

Balram stared, entranced, at his Life Vessel, the cursed sword that bound his soul.

The sword embedded in the ground had a corpse hanging from its end.

It was Balram’s lost body.

The cursed sword was both the Life Vessel that granted Balram immortality and the shackle that imprisoned his soul.

– Offer more living humans. Obey the one who granted you eternal life!

Balram could not refuse the command of the cursed sword.

– Not much time left now.

The cursed sword was sacrificing the inhabitants of the territory, gathering their vitality.

The vitality of humans became the nourishment for the cursed sword, allowing it to raise an even larger undead army with the obtained mana.

– Annihilate the accursed humans!

Recalling the command of the cursed sword, Balram turned his body.

He left the underground cemetery again.

To find more sacrifices for the cursed sword.

The Duke’s army wrapped up their business at Paguin Castle and set out once more.

With the death of the Lord of Paguin Castle, it would now be known by another name.

Since they needed a leader to take care of the residents and secure public order, the Duke left a few trusted knights at the castle and departed. Finally.

“Your Grace! The castle is in sight!”

Those riding along the road had arrived in Vinz, where the Ducal Castle was located.

“Baron!”

“Take a few soldiers and enter first to announce my arrival.”

“Understood!”

Knight Baron took charge of the advance party and galloped ahead. Duke Dux approached Binaeril with his horse and spoke.

“Sir Binaeril, allow me to introduce you. This is my castle, Vinzburg Fortress!”

Binaeril let out an exclamation and lifted his head endlessly. The majestic and grand fortress, comparable to the Imperial Palace of Essen, gradually came into view.

“Isn’t it magnificent?” 

Vivian, hearing Binaeril’s admiration, spoke to him with pride.

“It’s breathtaking.”

Vinzburg Fortress had a different grandeur compared to the Imperial Palace of Essen. While the Essen Palace conveyed an antique feel embodying the Empire’s history, Vinzburg Fortress exuded a strength that seemed unshakable, even by a large army.

Seeing Binaeril constantly exclaiming with his mouth agape, the Duke and his soldiers smiled. It was rewarding to see such a reaction after introducing their homeland, having traveled without rest from Essen.

As they entered the fortress, the residents of Vinzburg and the Duke’s soldiers came out to welcome the Duke’s army. They entered safely amidst the people’s warm reception.

“Mother!”

The Duchess of Dux came out to the manor to greet her husband and daughter. Vivian jumped off her horse and ran to embrace the Duchess. It was a stark contrast to her haughty demeanor at the royal banquet.

The Duchess was incredibly beautiful. She looked at least ten years younger than the Duke, making one wonder if the Duke had coerced her into marriage.

After a brief reunion with the Duke, the Duchess pointed to Binaeril and asked the Duke.

“And who is this?”

“This is Sir Binaeril Dalheim, a Viscount from the capital and a mage.”

“A mage?”

The Duchess looked at Binaeril with an intrigued expression and greeted him.

“Welcome to Vinzburg, Sir Binaeril. My name is Melina.”

“Thank you, Duchess Melina.”

As they entered the inner castle, the Duke’s army lined up in formation.

“Salute the Duke!”

Click, click!

The sound of synchronized footsteps and flawless salutes demonstrated the discipline of the troops. Endless rows of soldiers.

Indeed, the Duke’s boast of bringing a hundred soldiers merely to fetch his daughter was no exaggeration.

Binaeril noticed peculiar figures among the lined-up soldiers.

‘Are they demi-humans?’

Seeing Binaeril’s gaze linger on the demi-human soldiers, the Duke urged him on.

‘Even though he’s a mage from Elfenbine, he hasn’t shed the eyes of discrimination yet.’

Although persecution of demi-humans was most severe in the Empire, it wasn’t as if other countries were free from discrimination either.

However, Duke Dux had interacted with numerous demi-humans since his days as a soldier in the North.

Duke Dux considered each of them his friends and comrades. However, he kept his words to himself. He had no intention of getting into an argument with Binaeril on his first day back.

“Let’s go inside quickly.”

A feast was prepared to welcome the Duke’s return. He provided food and drink for the soldiers who had accompanied him and then headed to the banquet hall.

“Bring the beer!”

The number of people attending the banquet was just over ten, including the Duke’s family, Binaeril, and his close knights. Soon, a giant oak barrel, as tall as a person, was brought in. Duke Dux filled his mug with beer and drank heartily.

“To the new Emperor!”

“To the Emperor!”

It was like watching a pelican drink.

“Hmm? Why is the beer so lukewarm?”

The person who had carried the beer barrel approached and prostrated himself before the Duke.

“My apologies, Your Grace! We stopped the brewery while you were away….”

The Duke’s fierce gaze turned to the brewmaster.

“Take this man immediately…!”

Seeing the Duke’s angry face, Binaeril intervened.

“Would it be enough if it were cold?”

“Huh? Yes, that would do.”

“Hand it over to me.”

Binaeril took the mug from the Duke and chanted a spell to lower the intensity of the freezing magic.

“Just freeze slightly.”

Crack, crackle―.

Everyone could see the frost quickly forming on the large beer mug right before their eyes.

“Oh!”

The Duchess was amazed and exclaimed at the magical sight.

“It is ready now.”

The Duke’s eyes widened as he took a sip of the chilled beer.

“Hmm!”

With a gesture, the brewmaster withdrew, looking relieved and grateful.

“Sir Binaeril. How would you like to work as my brewmaster?”

“…A brewmaster, of all things?”

The tense atmosphere at the dining table melted away like snow.

Now in high spirits from the alcohol, Duke Dux began to recount stories of his experiences in the capital. The Duchess chimed in at appropriate moments, matching his enthusiasm perfectly.

As the story progressed to the suppression of the rebellious nobles…

“When I barged into the audience chamber!”

“And then?”

“The nobles were so scared they couldn’t move, just staring at me! You should have seen their stupid faces!”

The Duchess skillfully kept the conversation flowing, adding comments at just the right moments to keep the Duke’s excitement intact.

“Father, you should tell the story correctly.”

“The reason the nobles couldn’t move at that time wasn’t because of you.”

Vivian interjected, raising her finger and taking over her father’s tale.

Everyone’s eyes at the banquet turned to one person.

“It was because of Sir Binaeril.”