Release
Asch＝Dahl was making a twisted smile at the bottom of his heart.
8 long years, this Dark Magician, who’s unaging and undying, spent in this room where not even light penetrates. At the fact that the key he created for the sake escaping this restraint, of which he bet his only chance on, had returned to him, he’s so exhilarated that his soul is quivering.
“……will you real―ly, real―ly, help me?”
The beautiful young girl, who already has nothing but suspicion, moves her face closer to the Dark Magician and confirms a ton.
“Of course. I’m kind to ladies after all”
“But, how?”
“I said it just now as well, right? I’m the greatest Dark Magician on the continent. If you remove these chains, the likes of bandits are, no match for me”
“……uーn”
While groaning, the young girl stares at the lock that’s worn on the narcissistic Dark Magician’s wrists.
“What, it’s not of a sturdy construct”
The lock was, something so simple, that it’ll open if you twist it. It’s just that, it’s filled with Hazen’s massive Magic Power, and it can’t be removed from the inside. Because he put up a magic circle so that nobody can enter the vicinity of the place called『Taboo mansion』, including himself, he had to skimp on its making. Hence, he had to seal Asch with whatever happens to be in this mansion, and he didn’t foresee the existence of the key known as Mira at all.
“But……”
“What? Is there something you’re worried about?”
“Erm, it may be rude, but you are suspicious”
“……”
It really was, a rude, statement.
“You are bound in chains at a place like this, furthermore, your tone also sounds narcissistic, and above all else, you are the type I dislike intuitively”
“……”
The narcissistic Magician thought.
‘What a, blind, idiot girl’
Under normal circumstances, he would very much like to boast of his own achievements, refute her until she’s speechless, hand her over to the bandits right away, and teach her how harsh the world is, but he can’t do that.
“……well, I won’t force you, but when it comes to the choices that you can make, it’s to either ask me for help or to be captured by your pursuers, is it not?”
“Uーu……I don’t want either!”
“……however, you have to choose one”
“I don’t want to! I don’t, I don’t, I don’t!”
While staring at the girl who shakes her head vigorously and refuses, the Dark Magician, he was convinced.
‘This girl is, outrageously stupid’
“I got it, Mira……I have one more good proposal”
However, there’s no way he can give up. It was the undeniable truth, that this outrageously stupid beautiful young girl, holds his freedom.
“What is it!?”
“Contract Magic……do you know about it?”
It’s the oldest and most popular magic that’s on the level where it’s common knowledge even for a five-year-old child, but when it comes to this idiot girl, Asch confirms just to be sure.
“I do not know”
“……”
It was exactly as he thought.
Rather, she was an extraordinary idiot.
“……fuuー. Won’t you, give me a bit of time”
He takes, a deep breath, and sets his anger free.
“No. I am being chased! Are you an idiot!?”
“Fuguu……”
Called an idiot by an idiot.
At the overwhelming humiliation, he manages to make a noise he has never made before.
“……well then, I shall explain”
While suppressing with all his might the humiliation of leaving his fate in the hands of an extraordinary idiot that he won’t even deal with as long as he lives under normal circumstances, the Dark Magician starts explaining.
Contract Magic.
It’s a magic that, by imposing restrictions on actions, manifests its effect. That, possesses the unique characteristic of being influenced not by the Magician’s capacity, but by the compensation.
“In short……what does it mean? Your explanation is hard to understand”
“Kuu……this idiott……no, excuse me……”
For an instant, he was about to lose his composure, but he suppresses it with all his nerves.
His lack of freedom was not that short, that he’ll waste this once in a lifetime opportunity because of a brief irritation. If he lets this chance slip away, let alone 8 years, there’s no doubt he’ll be imprisoned in terms of hundreds of years.
“In short, you just have to make a contract that imposes a restriction that makes me listen to you”
“Is something like that……possible?”
“Aah, as long as one side has Magic Power, Contract Magic is possible. It’s not like my Magic Power has been sealed after all”
“…..”
“Slowly think about it. That being said, I think you don’t have the time to slowly think about it though”
The Dark Magician, with a twisted smile, thanked the approaching bandits.
“U―――u…..I got it”
“Well, I understand your worries. However, time is of the……nn?”
“Please quickly do it”
“Ar, are you sure? It’s――……gohon gohon……excuse me”
Convinced all too easily, he nearly said something unfavourable like,『It’s only been 2 seconds though』, but he hurriedly clear that thought.
“Quickly, quickly”
Mira, who, without putting much thought into it, comes to her conclusion.
In the first place, for her, she didn’t have the habit of thinking for long.
The Dark Magician, he thought.
‘Aah, I’m glad she’s an idiot’
“……alright. Well then, grab my hand”
“Eeh!?”
“……don’t worry. I’m not interested in you at all”
Asch’s expression is, rather stiff.
“Uーu, I got it. You cannot make an omelette without breaking a few eggs”
Reluctantly from the bottom of her heart, the young girl grabs the Dark Magician’s hand.
“Well then, close your eyes”
Instructed as such, the young girl closes her eyes.
＜＜With My Magic Power, Bestow, A Contract That, Governs My Destiny＞＞
When Asch chants his magic, a black light enveloped the two of them.
“……alright, with this, I transferred my contract authority to you. All that’s left is, for you to come up with a penalty in the case that I don’t help you, and the contract will be established. Well, you can just imagine something typical like,『crush his heart』”
“Eh!? Won’t you end up dying in that case”
“……isn’t that exactly what the contract is for. Don’t worry about it. I have no intention of harming you”
The Dark Magician laughs softly.
“But……crushing the heart, sounds painful huh”
The young girl makes an anguished look.
“Like I said, it’s fine. Nobody wants their life to be taken away by anybody, right?”
“……I see”
‘Every single little thing she dwells on is stupid’, Asch makes a sour expression.
“I’ll make the contract then. Make sure you have the condition in your head”
“Yes……”
・・・
A pale blue light envelops the two of them.
“Fuu……contract complete. You can tell that I’m not lying, right?”
“……yes. Why is it so?”
“That’s what a Contract Magic is. Not even a Demon can fake a contract……of course, not even God”
Asch, he laughs softly.
“Well then, I will remove the chains……please help me, alright”
“Aah……of course”
The young girl, she removed Asch’s lock with trembling hands.
