UHWKT 12

Chapter 12

“Welcome.”

Was this what it felt like to be summoned to the teacher’s office after committing a huge mistake?

When I arrived at Kairus’s office, I clasped my hands neatly together and hunched my shoulders as much as I could.

Leaning back against the chair, head tilted, Kairus asked,

“Do you know why you’ve been called here?”

“W-well… not really.”

Don’t make eye contact.

I desperately turned my head away.

From across the desk, I could feel his gaze openly raking over me.

“Hm.”

Maybe because I knew I was guilty, my nerves were completely shot. Afraid the potion bottles in my pocket might clink together and make a sound, I tightly gripped the hem of my skirt.

Tap.

Kairus deliberately placed something on the desk.

I shifted my eyes slightly—and felt despair wash over me.

It was the potion bottle I’d handed to Kairus in the alchemy lab a few days ago. At the same time, it was also the very thing I’d just been selling off to the local villagers.

“This is why.”

I’m done for.

My eyes squeezed shut on their own.

“…May I have a chance to explain?”

Strike first before I die.

That was the only option.

“It’s not like I planned to run a business on purpose. I really just wanted to help the people at the orchard out of goodwill. But the meals here are so small that I keep getting hungry. Ah—mages like me get hungry the moment we turn around. It’s just our constitution. So I only did a bit of bartering for food. I really didn’t take any money! I didn’t force anyone either. If anything, the customers—no, the people—came to me saying they needed it, you see?”

After blurting all that out without even taking a breath, I cautiously opened one eye.

Kairus was stroking his chin with a rather interested expression.

He smiled, his long eyes curving.

“Ah, so you engaged in unauthorized commerce, but didn’t take money?”

Is that really how it comes across?

“A very amusing excuse.”

“No, I mean—”

“Unauthorized commercial activity does fall under the category of severe punishment.”

No!

Just as I was about to beg him to let it slide just this once, he added generously,

“I’ll let it go this time.”

“…Pardon?”

A chill ran down my spine for an entirely different reason.

What was this? The Kairus I knew wasn’t someone who let things slide so easily.

Uneasy, I asked,

“Could it be… that there were side effects from the potion I gave you? That can’t be right.”

“It would’ve been nice if there were. Unfortunately, there were none.”

He replied as if he truly regretted it.

“Your potion was excellent. Its detoxifying effect and its ability to aid recovery were outstanding.”

“I’m honestly terrified now. What exactly are you trying to say… really….”

“A few days ago, you even personally restored contaminated land, didn’t you?”

“…That’s true.”

“I acknowledge your competence. Which is why I’m thinking of accepting the proposal you made back then.”

“My… proposal?”

“The fixed-term exclusive mage position.”

Kairus spoke as though he were doing me a favor.

“I thought it over, and if I want to use you freely, that arrangement seems best.”

I hesitated, unsure how to react.

Back then, I’d thrown it out there purely because I wanted to survive. But seeing how Kairus was responding now, I had a strong intuition that I shouldn’t accept.

And those instincts were usually right.

Watching me closely, Kairus leaned fully back into his chair.

“To be honest, I never intended to let you live for more than a year from the start.”

You psychopathic bastard.

I knew it.

I knew he was only pretending he’d spare me.

“But if you become an exclusive mage and perform your duties well for one year, I’ll grant you your freedom, as you wish.”

As he said that, Kairus shrugged. Confidence radiated from him—absolute certainty that I couldn’t refuse.

Seriously.

Does he think threatening someone’s life is a cure-all?

“Thank you for giving me this opportunity!”

Exactly.

Is becoming a fixed-term lackey really the issue here? He’s letting me live. I have to make it back alive.

Seeing me accept without hesitation, Kairus twisted his lips into an irritatingly smug smile, as if he’d expected this all along.

“Good choice. If you’d refused, I was planning to throw you into the dungeon first and persuade you there.”

That’s not persuasion—that’s blackmail.

You fire-element filial son of a—.

“Alright then—”

Kairus rose from his seat, clearly satisfied.

“Ah, but before that.”

After a moment’s thought, I added carefully, watching his reaction,

“Could we draft the contract with a few additional clauses?”

“…Do you always live life this exhaustingly?”

“My life is on the line here.”

“You’re troublesome.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Ignoring Kairus’s scolding, I carefully reread the contract.

I’d thought I’d end up signing one someday—but not like this.

1. Kairus Lucifenia (hereafter ‘Party A’) employs Charlotte Schmidt (hereafter ‘Party B’) as an exclusive mage of the Grand Ducal Castle for a period of one year.

2. Party B shall faithfully carry out Party A’s instructions using all abilities at her disposal.

3. Party B may freely use magic in the course of executing Party A’s instructions, and Party A may not punish or dismiss Party B on this basis.

4. Party A shall provide Party B with salary and benefits equivalent to those of other retainers. Meals, considering Party B’s status as a mage, shall be provided in great abundance.

5. Upon completion of the one-year contract, Party A shall actively cooperate to allow Party B to cross the border.

Kairus narrowed his eyes and pointed to clause three.

“This word ‘freely’ feels rather vague.”

“I wrote it that way on purpose. If I had to ask permission every single time I used magic, how would I get any work done? It means I have the freedom to use both white and black magic.”

“You do realize what you just said was dangerous, right?”

There he goes again, turning murderous.

Why are you glaring like that?

“Since it came up—black magic isn’t automatically evil, you know. Sure, it specializes in destruction and curses, but it can be used constructively too. The contamination I removed from the orchard? That was black magic.”

Of course, most black mages did fall into corruption and became obsessed with harming others. But used properly, black magic could be a very useful tool.

“Please discard the idea that black magic is inherently evil.”

Strictly speaking, its origins weren’t purely malicious to begin with.

“…I’ll let it pass—for now.”

Ha. I win.

“Then, any more clauses you’d like to add?”

“More? Hmm… Ah.”

I asked him to wait a moment, then added one more numbered line at the very bottom of the contract.

6. While Party B is employed as an exclusive mage of the Grand Ducal Castle, Party A shall never—under any circumstances—threaten Party B’s life.

Almost forgot the most important one.

This absolutely had to be included.

After reviewing it, Kairus picked up his pen.

“Then I’ll add one as well.”

7. If Party B is dismissed due to clear fault of her own, Party A may autonomously punish Party B.

“…What is this?”

“It means we should work well together.”

That didn’t sound so simple at all….

“What, don’t like it? Then we’ll pretend the contract never existed.”

“No! I’ll do it—do it!”

I desperately stopped Kairus as he tried to take the contract away. His smirking face had never looked so irritating.

What a predatory employer.

After a brief scuffle, Kairus signed the contract first and slid it toward me.

“There. The contract is now in effect.”

“Alright.”

I signed next to his name and nodded in satisfaction.

I lived. Now I just need to placate him appropriately, obtain the relic, and go back.

Soaked in relief at finally being safe, I failed to notice Kairus’s expression.

“Now then….”

He stood up and pulled the bell cord. Even then, my eyes were glued to the contract—the lifeline in my hands.

“You called for me, Your Highness.”

“Bring a new desk and chair to this room immediately.”

…Huh?

What did he just say?