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Chapter 24
“Isn’t it too cruel to die so meaninglessly after waking up for the first time in 300 years? I have enough magical power to undo dark magic, and maybe we could use that power to find another way to break the imprint…!”
I blurted everything out like rapid-fire gunshots.
“How about we work together to find a solution, and in the meantime you can get revenge on the dark mage? Aren’t you angry about what humans did to you?”
Yeah! You get your revenge, and I survive!
“There’s no guarantee you won’t get hit by dark magic again while fighting the dark mage. But if you have me with you, you’ll be able to fight without worrying about dark magic! I’ll help you with everything I’ve got!”
With all the desperation I could muster, I looked up at Kaisis with pleading eyes.
Kaisis was confused.
He had barely managed to break free from his seal only to be ambushed by a dark mage. Then after losing consciousness and waking up again, there was suddenly a human woman standing in front of him.
And when he looked into the woman’s eyes—eyes that seemed ready to burst into tears at any moment—she reminded him of someone from his past.
His resolve kept weakening.
But suppressing those emotions, Kaisis began calculating the situation in his head.
It was true that he was furious at the dark mage who had dared attack him despite being human.
Especially because it had been a sneak attack rather than a direct confrontation.
As Kaisis’s narrowed eyes began to show the slightest hint of wavering, Rene hurriedly shouted,
“Do you know where the dark mage is?”
“No. I don’t.”
“I’ll help you find them! I’ll help you get your revenge…!”
Please just let me live!
“I’ll somehow figure out a way to undo the imprint too!”
With both hands clasped together in front of her chest, Rene pleaded earnestly.
“I’m begging you like this.”
At that moment, Kaisis’s eyes trembled.
“I’m begging you like this!”
Once again, memories of the past overlapped with reality.
The woman before him resembled that woman far too much.
That woman who no longer existed in this world.
For a fleeting moment, he even wondered if she had been reborn.
Maybe that was why.
Even though he knew he should kill her, his resolve kept wavering.
“And besides, wouldn’t two people be better than one? I’m smarter than I look.”
Certainly, keeping the woman alive could help him locate the dark mage.
And the desire for revenge was already boiling inside him.
More than anything, as long as she kept reminding him of that woman, killing her would not be easy.
If he kept her by his side and watched her closely, eventually he would find the differences between her and that woman.
And once he did, perhaps he would stop seeing the two of them as overlapping figures.
Yes. He could decide what to do with this woman when that time came.
“…One month. Find a way to undo the imprint within that time.”
That was why Kaisis decided to give Rene one month.
“Okay!”
As Rene hurriedly nodded, Kaisis finally lowered his claws.
The moment he stepped back, Rene immediately scrambled to her feet and put a healthy distance between them.
Fortunately, Kaisis no longer looked like he intended to kill her.
Only then did Rene finally let out a sigh of relief.
“Th-Then let’s meet again after we figure out how to undo the imprint!”
Afraid Kaisis might suddenly change his mind again, Rene hurriedly shouted the words before quickly running toward the fountain pen.
Please take me home. Please.
The instant she grabbed the fountain pen and desperately wished it in her heart—
Boom!
With a loud noise, her vision flipped upside down.
And finally, she returned.
Back to her room.
Rene let out a relieved sigh, tears welling in her eyes.
At least she had survived this crisis.
First she needed to wash up and warm herself, then slowly think about how to track down the dark mage…
“…Where is this?”
Why did Kaisis teleport with me?!
Rene turned toward Kaisis with a panicked expression.
Kaisis, meanwhile, calmly surveyed the room with an indifferent face.
“Th-This is my house, so, um…”
As Rene stammered nervously, Kaisis narrowed his eyes.
Judging by her reaction, she clearly had not intended to bring him along.
She had talked about finding a way to undo the imprint, yet the moment she had the chance, she tried to run away.
It made him wonder whether she had been toying with him all along.
“Were you planning to abandon me?”
“N-No?”
The lie was obvious in Rene’s voice.
Kaisis’s eyes narrowed even further.
Under Kaisis’s piercing gaze, I thought desperately.
If I told him I’d investigate the dark mage and the imprint on my own, would he believe me?
No. Absolutely not.
Then what was the best way to guarantee my safety while living with Kaisis…?
“A contract! We should make a contract. Humans do that kind of thing.”
Even if it was just a meaningless piece of paper, it couldn’t hurt to have one.
I walked over to the desk and pulled out a sheet of paper before glancing around for a pen.
That was when I spotted the fountain pen lying on the floor.
The only pen in the room right now was that fountain pen, but I was worried that touching it again might teleport me somewhere else.
Just staring at it uneasily, I hesitated to touch it.
Then Kaisis strode over and picked it up himself.
“Huh? If you touch that—”
…Nothing happened?
As I stared at the fountain pen he held out to me, I noticed its once brilliant golden color had turned black.
It seemed all the magic stored within the artifact had been exhausted.
“Hurry and take it.”
I quickly accepted the fountain pen and began writing out the contract terms.
Then I handed it to Kaisis, who rapidly skimmed through the document.
I’d written it in the Empire’s language using Rene’s memories, but would he actually be able to read it?
“It’s always better to make things clear.”
Kaisis studied the contract for a long moment before looking at me.
“Your highest priority condition is that I do not harm you for one month?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“Then what is my highest priority condition?”
“Wouldn’t it be better if you decided that yourself? I don’t know what you need…”
Kaisis seemed to think for a moment before slowly nodding.
Crunch.
He bit his fingertip.
Using the blood that welled from the wound, Kaisis pressed a bloody fingerprint onto the contract before handing it back to me.
He could’ve just signed it with the fountain pen…
Worried he might ask me for a blood signature too, I hurriedly scribbled my own signature down first.
“Th-Then, I look forward to working with you.”
I held my hand out toward Kaisis, and after staring at it briefly, he finally shook it.
Kaisis’s hand was surprisingly warm.
At that moment, the door suddenly swung open and a face I absolutely did not want to see appeared.
It was Louis Sober.
Ah, why did he have to come now of all times?
As I frantically wondered how to explain Kaisis’s presence, Louis Sober pointed his chin toward him.
“Who is that man?”
“Uh, well…”
Louis Sober’s gaze shifted toward Kaisis, who stood in the corner of the room.
“He’s Kai, my new personal guard knight!”
If anyone found out this man in my room—inside this mansion—was actually the evil dragon Kaisis, it would be a disaster.
The Empire had even mobilized knights to hunt him down.
I could end up falsely accused of hiding an evil dragon.
Or worse, if Kaisis got captured by the knights, he might fly into a rage and kill everyone here.
So I decided to disguise Kaisis as my personal guard knight.
“A guard knight?”
“Yes.”
Louis Sober narrowed his eyes.
The displeasure in his gaze as he looked Kaisis up and down was obvious.
“You do realize that appointing a guard knight requires the head of the family’s approval?”
“I was just about to ask the Count for permission.”
“As if Father would ever approve some stray nobody from who-knows-where.”
Louis Sober sneered openly.
“Let’s just wait and see what happens.”
After throwing one final sideways glance at Kaisis, Louis Sober left the room.
I sighed and turned back toward Kaisis.
“Sorry for lying. The Empire’s currently in chaos trying to hunt you down, so I couldn’t exactly reveal your identity. If you want, I can help you return to the northern mountain range—”
“No need. I’ll stay here too.”
