Chapter 12

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: The Argenta Contract
-----------------------------------------------------------------

It wasn’t that I was being asked to make some sort of contract.

Instead, what I had to get was a signature.

The signature of the party contracting with Diello Argenta.

“This is…”

A contract bearing the name of the head of the house must be important. Is it really okay to show it to someone who will be leaving soon?

“This is a contract to be signed by an Argenta who is leaving for another family’s territory as of today.”

Pielle explained briefly as I examined the contract.

“It’s a magical contract that prevents those who were once Argenta from divulging the family’s secrets when they leave this place.”

“So, something like this exists…”

I wonder if the Allojes or the Cartiels have something similar? I’d never heard of such a thing.

“The one who will sign the contract is waiting. You only need to be present at the signing.”

Pielle’s voice was light, as if it were nothing at all.

“I understand.”

I finally nodded.

As if she had been waiting, Pielle bowed her head.

“Shall I escort you now?”

What? He was already waiting?

Then there was no need to delay. Procrastinating would only make things more tedious.

“…!”

But I stopped short as I walked, still looking over the contract.

Pielle, who was leading me, turned to look back.

“Madam?”

Despite her call, I held up a hand.

“Just a moment.”

[From the point of this contract, Mirta, who lays down the name of Argenta, shall not speak of anything related to the Argenta family in any place.

Should he attempt to speak of Argenta matters, he will feel a burning thirst in his throat, and if he speaks beyond that warning, the contract with the head, Diello Argenta, will immediately make the fact known.]

So far, I thought it was fairly standard.

But the next passage caught my eye.

[At that time, the flame of the head of the house shall burn him directly, and he must bear in mind that his surroundings shall also burn.]

“The flame of the head of the house directly…”

I murmured quietly.

The paper felt different from ordinary paper; it was definitely a magical contract.

[Head of the House, Diello Argenta]

It seemed he hadn’t yet affixed his seal to this contract.

The task was to first get the seal from the man named Mirta and then deliver it to Diello.

“Is it common to write contracts like this?”

At my words, Pielle shook her head slightly.

“It is not common, but it does happen from time to time. Of course, I have almost never seen anyone break the rule.”

I let out a short sigh without realizing it at Pielle’s words.

It was because I couldn’t easily imagine Diello burning someone.

“This is an Argenta tradition, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

I thought it wasn’t like Diello.

I nodded and followed Pielle’s guidance into a room.

“Ah, Madam. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Mirta.”

The man who was leaving had short brown hair.

He greeted me politely.

Then, with nervous eyes, he looked at the contract in my hand.

“To think I would be the one to sign that contract.”

“You know how to sign it, don’t you, Mirta?”

Pielle, who gave me a slight nod, pushed the paper I had set down in front of Mirta.

And she placed a quill pen before him.

But there was no ink.

Where’s the ink?

I was about to ask.

*Clink.*

A small dagger was placed next to the pen.

Surely not…

As I slightly parted my lips, Mirta, as if having made up his mind, drew the dagger and brought it to his fingertip.

“Ah.”

That must hurt.

Blood instantly welled up where the dagger touched.

Whether because he needed to wet the quill for his seal, Mirta, having cut his fingertip rather deeply with the dagger, picked up the quill.

“If you break the vow, you will return to this place. Of course, I trust that won’t happen.”

Pielle said.

In her hand, there was suddenly a paper doll in the shape of a person.

The moment my gaze was stolen by it.

*Fwoosh!*

The end of the paper doll caught fire.

“Ah.”

Startled, I flinched back slightly.

Perhaps because of the light, Mirta’s face looked rather pale.

The feet of the paper doll slowly burned to a crisp black.

The figure, which twisted as if in pain, gradually fell away as ash.

“Mirta, remember your vow.”

Pielle casually dropped the paper doll.

Then, the fire slowly began to spread to the other paper dolls on the silver tray.

“…I understand.”

With a tense face, Mirta signed the contract.

By then, all the paper dolls had turned to ash.

“Thank you for being present. It was an honor to meet you, however briefly, Madam.”

Mirta greeted me politely.

It seemed his politeness wouldn’t change even after leaving Argenta.

I looked at him and asked.

“But why are you leaving Argenta?”

Why on earth would such a polite person leave Argenta?

At my words, Mirta hesitated before speaking.

“…My wife’s ailing parents are where I am going. She wishes to spend their last days with them.”

“Ah…”

If they were ill, it would be difficult to move them to Argenta.

I roughly understood the situation.

“See him off well, Pielle.”

“As you wish.”

Pielle, giving a silent nod, smoothly added to my words.

“And I hope we only hear good news from you, Mirta.”

A gentle smile formed on her face.

“…Thank you.”

Mirta bowed his head deeply and left the room.

I looked at the seal inscribed with his blood before picking up the contract.

This was clearly an internal Argenta affair.

I had a strange feeling, as if I, an outsider, had meddled in something I shouldn’t have.

“Mirta originally served His Grace.”

On the way back to Diello’s office, Pielle spoke up.

It seemed she was telling me because I had shown curiosity about him earlier.

“Ah…”

He was an attendant.

Then he must have been someone Diello was quite fond of.

Given his nature, it must have been difficult for him to make someone sign such a cruel contract.

*Knock, knock.*

Just as my thoughts reached that point, Pielle and I were standing in front of Diello’s office.

“Your Grace, I’ve brought the contract.”

The response to Pielle’s words came immediately.

“Ah, come in.”

The low, gentle voice was, of course, Diello’s.

Judging by his informal tone, it seemed he didn’t expect me to come in person.

Diello flinched when I peeked my head through the crack of the door, holding the contract.

“…Croire?”

Seeing him slightly flustered made me feel mischievous.

I waved the magical contract before placing it down in front of him.

“I’ve brought the magical contract.”

Was this why he was so confident last night?

That the Argenta do not betray. As I was half-lost in thought, Diello’s lips parted slightly.

“…Ah, you got it taken care of early. Thank you, Croire.”

He took the contract, carefully confirmed its contents, and then pulled a dagger from a drawer.

“Ah…!”

I was the only one who made a surprised sound.

Diello did frown when the blade bit into his fingertip, but he didn’t let out a sound.

*Drip.*

After using the drop of blood as ink to seal the contract, he pressed a handkerchief firmly against his fingertip.

Red blood stained the pure white handkerchief.

Diello’s expression was a little stiff as he looked down at the contract.

Well, it would be uncomfortable.

His gaze was fixed on the part that said things like ‘the head of the house will burn him directly with fire’.

“…That man, I heard he was serving you until recently, Diello.”

“Yes.”

Diello replied in a slightly subdued voice.

He raised his eyes to me and smiled, looking a bit regretful.

“It’s truly… a shame.”

His gaze shifted to the window.

The contract, imbued with the blood of both parties, was enveloped in blue flames and slowly disappearing.

I felt it instinctively.

That blue flame signified the contract had been sealed.

“He’s probably getting on the carriage by now.”

Since the rule is to leave immediately after the contract is made.

He kept his lips pressed into a firm line, unable to tear his gaze from the window.

In the end, I patted his shoulder.

“Honestly, I was worried about traitors yesterday, but you said it yourself, Diello. That there would be no traitors.”

At my words, Diello looked up at me again.

I gave him a warm smile.

“Betrayal isn’t easy. You need to be confident you’ll succeed.”

Diello was silent for a brief moment.

Then, a gentle smile spread across his face. A smile so like him.

“I suppose so.”

He gently took my hand that was on his shoulder.

He lifted it and pressed a kiss to my hand. A soft warmth spread across the back of my hand.

“Thank you for the comfort, Croire.”

Then he whispered to me.

“I’ll see you tonight.”

Hearing those words really made it feel like we were newlyweds.

I glanced at his desk.

Seeing the pile of work, it was clear we would indeed have to wait until tonight.

I patted his shoulder again and left the room.

*Sigh*, seeing his mental state, I’m a little worried about the road ahead.

I knew he was capable from the original story, but I didn’t know he was this sentimental.

He had a long way to go.