Became the Unjust Contract Slave of the Archamage’s Book

This time, the sword swung at Binaeril’s neck was stopped short. Binaeril watched without flinching as Dominic’s attack failed. He had anticipated Eden’s reactions through his training in the Spirit Breathing Technique. After two consecutive failed attacks, Dominic could no longer underestimate his opponent.

“How did you grow so much in such a short time?”

“It’s my growth phase.”

Binaeril answered in a mix of formal and informal speech, which Dominic found provocative. Dominic closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. But looking at the insolent boy who had shattered his pride made it difficult to control his anger. He was determined to kill this arrogant brat.

“Just so you know, cheap tricks with spirits won’t work on me anymore.”

“Um… I’d like to point out two things.”

Binaeril stroked his chin as he spoke.

“First, using spirits isn’t a trick. It’s skill. And second, I won’t be relying on Eden for help today.”

“Fine. Die being so arrogant.”

Binaeril had yet to fully grasp the extent of Dominic’s sword skills. But he felt a strong desire to fight purely with his own abilities for the first time.

‘Veritas.’

‘Cut off the mana supply to me.’

-…Understood.

Dominic was a strong opponent, but Binaeril wanted to test his own strength against him. He also had a faint hope that Priya, Eden, or Veritas would step in if things got too dangerous.

-I’m not helping.

‘Fine, you jerk.’

Binaeril took the offensive. For the same reason as before, Dominic reacted to Binaeril’s incantation. A formidable spell shot towards where Dominic stood with incredible speed.

‘This attack is different from before. Has he switched to a speed-based strategy?’

Speed meant power. It was a good choice.

‘I’m not slow either!’

Dominic sheathed his sword and then drew it again at an astonishing speed. As Binaeril was about to cast another magic bullet, he instinctively jerked his head back, sensing something off. A gust of wind brushed past his chin as Dominic’s sword sliced the air.

‘If I hadn’t dodged, I’d be dead…!’

Just a graze could be fatal for both. It was a fierce battle between two proud geniuses. Binaeril realized that prolonging the exchange with Dominic wasn’t wise.

‘I can’t give him a chance to counter. Again.’

He fired another magic bullet. Having seen this attack before, Dominic easily deflected it. He briefly lowered his sword and spoke.

“Are you joking with me?”

“This isn’t your true skill. Why aren’t you using your usual magic?”

Binaeril knew well. His true forte was in casting magic without incantations. But throughout this fight, he had been using proper incantations, casting each spell with a single chant.

Dominic felt humiliated by Binaeril, but in reality, Binaeril had another plan. He intended to make Dominic accustomed to his incantations while hiding a deadly strike within his words. Ignoring Dominic’s taunts, Binaeril chanted the same spell again. Dominic attempted to deflect the incoming magic bullet as he had before. When he struck the spell with the back of his sword, it shattered into a stream of water, soaking him. 

Dominic deflected again, this time encountering an electric bolt. The jolt almost made him drop his sword, but the anti-magic properties of his surcoat barely managed to mitigate the impact.

“Damn it…!”

Under the relentless assault, Dominic cursed. He couldn’t afford to waste his energy. Even if he managed to defeat Binaeril, the Enchantress still awaited him.

‘No time to drag this out!’

Determined to both defend and counterattack in his next move, Dominic prepared another strike. Binaeril’s eyes gleamed.

‘Now!’

Dominic’s sword was drawn at almost the same moment Binaeril cast his next spell.

‘Shoot from the shadows!’

Dominic’s shadow, stretched out behind him, started to twist and take shape. Oblivious to the danger forming behind him, Dominic put all his strength into his swing.

“Help me, Eden!”

Even before Binaeril could call out, his spirit was already in motion. Dominic’s sword slashed diagonally. Though Eden hastily erected a barrier, it wasn’t enough to fully block Dominic’s strike.

At that moment, another hand joined Eden’s defense.

“That’s enough. How much more do you plan to wreck my home?”

It was Priya, who had been observing the situation until now.

The force stopping Dominic’s sword intensified. Though the blade reached right up to Binaeril’s face, it failed to cut him.

Dominic felt a burning sensation erupting from his back.

“Aaaargh!”

Binaeril’s magic bullet had struck him. Even the proud anti-magic surcoat couldn’t fully absorb the impact.

Dominic Schiller screamed in excruciating pain and fell to his knees.

It was a humiliating defeat.

“You’ve improved a lot,” Priya remarked, complimenting Binaeril with a neutral tone.

“Phew…”

Binaeril wiped the sweat from his neck. Dominic Schiller was an exceptional knight. To win, Binaeril had to induce a decisive, razor-thin victory. Though he had received help from Eden and Priya in the final defense, he still achieved his goal. He had proven that his magic could affect someone of Dominic’s caliber.

Priya smiled as she praised him.

“I was going to handle that obsessive man myself. You exceeded my expectations, kid.”

“It was thanks to your advice, sister.”

“No.”

Priya knew that not every mage could grow this much from just a few harsh words.

“So, what are you going to do with him now?”

Binaeril looked down at Dominic, who was spitting blood and clutching his wound.

“I suppose… I have to kill him, right?”

Priya nodded.

“He’s not someone who’d be useful to keep alive. Even less likely to repent.”

“Repent…? What would I repent for?” Dominic spat out the words. “If I have a sin, it’s that I lacked the strength to tear you two to pieces. That’s my sin!”

His breathing was labored, possibly due to lung damage.

“See? Even as he’s dying, his mouth is all that’s working.”

To Binaeril, it was clear that Dominic had no chance of survival. Killing the highly regarded Platinum Knight himself felt unsettling, but he began to chant a spell to ease Dominic’s pain.

“Shoot…”

Dominic, kneeling, looked up at Binaeril with a twisted smile. He tore a hidden scroll from inside his surcoat. Priya urgently exhaled her pipe smoke, trying to disrupt the flow of magic surrounding him, but she was too late.

Dominic vanished, melting into the air.

In his final moment, he conveyed something. Only Binaeril, who was looking directly at him, could decipher his parting words through his lip movements.

“Escape scroll…! He had something like that hidden?” Priya lamented, slapping her knee in frustration.

“How ironic. A Witch Slayer using a magical scroll to escape? Shouldn’t an anti-magic zealot avoid using magical items?”

“…Indeed.”

“But, what did he say at the end? Did you catch it?”

“He said, ‘I will find you again. Definitely.'”

Priya laughed derisively, though Dominic could no longer hear.

It was a bitter farewell.

“Where are you heading now, sister?”

“I’m going east. I’m tired of the Empire. There’s someone I need to meet in the east.”

A hint of longing appeared on Priya’s face.

“And you?”

“I need to go to Essen.”

“The capital of the Empire? It’s dangerous for a mage there.”

“It’s alright. I have a friend waiting for me.”

“Hmm… Is it this?”

She held up her pinky finger suggestively.

“It’s not like that!”

“Look at you. If it’s not, then why get angry?”

After exchanging a few light-hearted jokes, the two realized it was time to part ways.

“The house is a mess now.”

“It’s fine. I’ve already packed the essentials. There’s nothing more for me here.”

As they stepped outside, Priya blew a cloud of pipe smoke towards her former abode.

The house she had stayed in melted away into the smoke. Binaeril was the first to extend his hand. Priya smirked as she took it.

“If you ever get dumped by your girlfriend, you can always come to me.”

Binaeril stuck his tongue out playfully, indicating his refusal. Priya ruffled his hair one last time before turning to leave. The pipe smoke she left behind lingered in Thornwinter Swamp for a long time.

“Well, I should get going too.”

He headed towards the royal palace, where his friends awaited.

Dominic, transferred to the Schiller mansion, lost consciousness shortly after arriving. When he awoke, he found himself in a hospital bed. The first person he saw was the last person he wanted to see.

“…Your Excellency.”

Dominic tried to rise and show his respects, but Marquis Viktor von Schiller stopped him.

“Stay down.”

The marquis’s face didn’t show much anger yet. Whether he was genuinely calm or it was the calm before the storm was unclear.

“The mission?”

“…Failed.”

“The witch?”

“She likely escaped.”

“The troops?”

This question was harder to answer. Dominic swallowed hard before replying.

“…Annihilated.”

“The Enchantress was a stronger opponent than expected. And there was an unexpected ally on her side.”

“Is it the sewer rat you missed last time?”

“How did you…?”

“How do I know? Commander, I’m not a fool.”

Footsteps echoed in the room.

“And I don’t trust people easily.”

“Is this the fool who failed the mission?”

From the corner of his eye, Dominic saw the marquis nod. Someone leaned over his face, revealing a man with a grotesque grin and rotting teeth.

“Well, well, the great Platinum Knight. You look like hell. Hahaha!”

The man’s spittle sprayed onto Dominic’s face as he laughed. Dominic held back his disgust and asked the marquis.

“Your Excellency, who is this man?”

“Oh, ‘this man’? Hahaha! Even a defeated dog has pride, I see!”

“Goblin, show some restraint.”

“Yes, yes, of course. Now that you’re my employer, I’ll keep quiet!”

Goblin seemed to be the man’s name.

“Dominic, meet Goblin. He will be assisting us from now on.”

“What is he?”

With a single word, the marquis explained what kind of person Goblin was. Dominic felt a chill run down his spine.

“He’s a Warlock.”