Became the Unjust Contract Slave of the Archamage’s Book

-Ah, no! He’s here!

Mimung screamed like a madman. Only Balram, Binaeril, and Veritas could hear his voice. The red mana that had invaded Binaeril’s body withdrew and returned to the sword.

“Cough, cough!”

Binaeril gasped for breath, coughing violently.

“Yes, Master!”

Balram called out to his minion. The headless lich responded to his call and moved toward the demon sword.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Duke Dux shouted.

“Get out of my way!”

Balram repelled the duke with a blast of black mana. His old bones rattled with every movement. His body was in shambles from the battle with the duke.

-We must escape quickly, hurry!

“Yes, yes?”

-Hurry up and grab me!

Crack!

Mimung inflicted pain on Balram’s soul.

“Ugh…”

Already exhausted, Balram couldn’t withstand the soul-crushing pain and collapsed to his knees.

“Understood.”

Balram grabbed the red sword, preparing to flee.

“They’re getting away, Sir Binaeril!”

The duke called for Binaeril’s help, but the weakened mage was in no position to stop them.

“Vice-commander, the target is attempting to flee.”

“We must stop them, brother.”

The knight with the white cloth over his eyes drew his sword. It was a narrow, long estoc, designed for thrusting. His sword was also white, a stark, milky white.

“No one can leave this place without the vice-commander’s permission.”

The blindfolded knight blocked Balram’s path and issued a warning.

“A mere human dares block my path! Unleash the breath of death!”

Balram fired a black beam at him. However, the blindfolded knight deflected the attack with a swing of his white sword.

“Our target is not you. Resistance is futile. Cooperate, and no harm will come to you.”

“Brother, that one is not human.”

“…Ah, is that so? What should we do then, vice-commander?”

“He has forsaken his humanity. Cut him down.”

Balram listened to their conversation and laughed mockingly.

“Do you think a single sword can take a lich’s life?”

The blindfolded knight swung his sword. No one even saw him move. It was only after a moment had passed, and Balram’s body had been sliced into dozens, no, hundreds of pieces, that they realized he had attacked.

Balram couldn’t even let out a dying scream. Mimung felt his minion being torn apart, soul and all.

Lich Balram vanished from the world just like that. It was a wondrous sight.

“May you find peace in the afterlife,” the blindfolded knight murmured a brief prayer.

Binaeril and the duke were both astounded by the skill of these newcomers. The sudden appearance of these strangers put the duke and his knights on edge.

“Are they allies or enemies? Sir Binaeril, do you know them?” Duke Dux asked.

Baron noticed the emblem on their chests and informed the duke, “They are from the Holy Kingdom of Vitory. They bear the insignia of the Holy Order.”

The man called the vice-commander bowed slightly to the group. “I am Callisto, vice-commander of the Holy Knights. If I may ask, where are you all from?”

“Holy Knights…!” The knights exclaimed in awe.

The Holy Knights. The Twelve Paladins. The highest-ranking knights of the Holy Kingdom. To reach such a position, one needed both exceptional martial prowess and unwavering faith. Due to the religious restriction of twelve members, each knight was of the highest prestige and skill. The title ‘Paladin’ was reserved exclusively for them. And here stood their vice-commander!

“I am Duke Torben Dux, ruler of the southern regions of the empire. This place is part of my domain.”

“Ah, the esteemed Duke Dux,” Callisto bowed again, showing respect.

Duke Dux returned the gesture, still somewhat taken aback.

“This is my brother Matthias, the youngest in our order. Brother, greet the duke of the empire.”

The blindfolded knight also bowed. They seemed to be people who adhered strictly to courtesy and protocol.

“Two Holy Knights?” Binaeril, struggling with pain, squinted against the backlight to remember the faces of the paladins. The Holy Knights—this was the group his brother had belonged to. These were his brother’s comrades.

“What brings the prestigious Paladins of the Holy Order to the southern regions of the empire?” Duke Dux asked.

“We have come on the orders of our commander to retrieve an item. We were not certain of its nature, but now it is clear,” Callisto pointed to the demon sword, Mimung. “That is what we are here to retrieve.”

“That sword?”

“Yes.”

The duke stroked his chin with his calloused hand. The two paladins seemed like allies for the moment.

“If I may ask, what brings Your Grace to this place?” Callisto inquired.

“We came to resolve some unfortunate events occurring within my duchy.”

“May I ask what those events were?”

“That sword, which calls itself a demon sword, was raising undead within my domain.”

“Undead!” Matthias uttered a low groan. As members of the Holy Order, they could not tolerate such unholy beings.

“Then it is even more imperative that we retrieve it. It is fortunate we encountered you here, Your Grace. We hastened our journey and did not send word in advance.”

The duke pondered over their actions. Visiting his duchy and attempting to take an item within his domain without notifying him?

Even as a representative of the Holy Order, their actions were unconventional. However, reprimanding them was not an option. Although they appeared deferential for now, they were not to be underestimated. A misstep could earn the ire of the Order.

“Duke Dux, may we retrieve the demon sword?” Paladin Callisto urged for a definitive answer.

The duke’s primary concern was resolving the undead crisis. Binaeril was incapacitated, and neither the knights nor the duke himself could guarantee victory against Mimung in their current state. After some deliberation, the duke decided to yield to the paladins.

“…Very well. I will not reprimand you for your impudence. Take the sword and leave, and we shall consider the matter closed.”

“That won’t do, Your Grace!” The unexpected objection came from Binaeril.

“Sir Binaeril? Why?” the duke asked.

“I must retrieve that item myself,” Binaeril said, struggling to stand on his trembling legs. “My entire purpose in coming to Rotfallen and aiding you was to recover the page—the demon sword. We cannot let it fall into their hands.”

The duke was equally taken aback by Binaeril’s sudden insistence.

“Sir Binaeril, I am well aware of your efforts. I will reward you generously upon our return to Vinzburg, but here…”

“Your Grace, that sword is essential to me. It must not fall into the hands of the Order.”

‘If the demon sword goes to the Order, it will inevitably reach my brother. I must prevent that.’

Despite his injuries and exhaustion, Binaeril looked the duke in the eyes with unwavering determination. His earnest plea was hard for the duke to ignore.

“Hmm…”

“Who are you, and why do you interfere with the Order’s duties? Judging by your appearance, you don’t seem to be one of the duke’s knights,” Callisto questioned.

Binaeril turned his gaze to meet Callisto’s directly. “My name is Binaeril Dalheim.”

“Binaeril… ‘Dalheim’?” Both Callisto and Matthias recognized the surname immediately. It was the surname of their commander.

The two paladins were taken aback. They had heard of their commander having a younger brother but never expected to meet him here. This unexpected encounter left them momentarily speechless.

“Dalheim… Are you from the Kingdom of Ruben in the east?” Callisto asked after regaining his composure.

“You’ve guessed correctly,” Binaeril replied.

“Well…” Matthias interjected, “This raises even more questions. Why are you obstructing the Order’s mission? This task is not only the will of the Order but also that of the commander, as you surely know.”

Binaeril bit his lower lip. ‘That’s exactly why I must stop you.’

But the situation was not in his favor. 

“Young Dalheim. It’s strange for me to use such a title. From what I can see, you are not in a condition to handle the power of the demon sword,” Callisto observed.

The situation was dire. Before the paladins’ arrival, Binaeril had been overpowered by Mimung.

“If we were to relinquish the demon sword and leave, could you capture it? It doesn’t look like an easy opponent to me. You are exhausted,” Callisto’s words were a gentle reminder not to overreach.

“Or are you hoping we will handle the demon sword and then hand it over to you?” This struck at the heart of the matter. Binaeril could not, in his current state, defeat Mimung.

“Do you truly believe you can handle the demon sword?” Binaeril countered.

“That’s exactly why we brought this,” Callisto replied, revealing a long object wrapped in white cloth.

Binaeril wanted to cover his ears. Veritas, excited beyond measure, seemed to be shouting in his head.

-It’s a page! That object is a fragment! How did it get here?

Slowly, Callisto unwrapped the object, revealing another sword. Unlike the malevolent, red aura of Mimung, this sword was different. It was a holy sword, imbued with the essence of a sky lit by a meteor shower, exuding both brilliance and grace. It was a sacred relic of the Holy Order, known as the favored sword of the Holy Knight Commander, Yunnaeril Dalheim.

The specially treated white cloth was removed, and the serene presence of the holy sword filled the space. Even the duke and his knights, who had a keen interest in swords, were momentarily entranced by its appearance.

“This is the sword lent by our commander to retrieve the demon sword. Its name is…”

“…Starfall,” Binaeril whispered.

-They have come to kill me!

Mimung, who had been silently observing the unfolding events, shouted, its voice filled with a strange, head-splitting power.

-Three of my kind have gathered here. There is no retreat. We are destined to devour each other. Let’s see who the predator is!

Mimung unleashed a surge of red mana. Paladin Callisto frowned at the malevolent energy. Mimung shot forward, aiming precisely at Callisto with deadly intent.

Callisto, gripping Starfall as delicately as one would handle a fragile glass sword, met Mimung’s charge. Mimung flew towards him, and Starfall was swung in response. The clash of the demon sword and the holy sword echoed through the space, resonating with the power of both relics.