“This was something I found out while investigating, but looking at the level of swindling and the targets, that seem to be at the standard of Miss Viper.”
Rexid finally released Owen’s collar and listened to him.
“Count Rzugier was secretly running an illegal human trafficking ring, and the two barons were co-representatives of a large gambling house. Considering how they were eating someone else’s life, I thought they would be the ones who were no better than Miss Viper.”
“…..”
“Perhaps Miss Viper knew all of this. All of those victims of Miss Viper’s swindling, who had no choice but to fall into Viper’s trap, were money swindlers to avoid the law.”
“Then, it’s good they are all dead.”
Rexid, who was listening, bluntly intervened.
“That’s right, but that doesn’t erase the sins of Miss Viper. Isn’t Miss Viper going around scamming pretending to be a righteous hidden hero?”
“Yes, well, that’s true. I just picked those wrong doers who can restore a little bit of my guilt when I was trying to swindle. If it had been a happy world without any criminals, I might have just swindled anyone.”
When I readily acknowledged, Owen, who was listening to it, burst into laughter as to if he was pleased with my response.
“You easily admitted to it, so it will be quick to sort it out. In any case, Miss Viper has clearly committed criminal acts and dozens of known cases alone. If we were to include all those uncaught frauds, it would be enough for a fleet.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to do it either.”
“In violation of the Imperial Criminal Code, Article 328 fraud, Article 344 theft and also numerous other crimes, you became a wanted criminal who was sentenced to death four years ago. As you know, the Empire does not respect the human rights of death row inmates.”
It was apparent why Owen was saying all this.
He meant that I should put aside the thoughts of complaining about human rights in this situation where I was secretly left grounded by a spell.
Even if it was not necessarily death row inmates, this was a world which had zero sense of human rights where a master could beat and kill his servants.
I had no intention of expressing my dissatisfaction, so I calmly nodded.
“But fortunately, the Grand Duke Rexid van Hessen here has decided to give Miss Viper the opportunity to live life as a decent citizen, not as a criminal.”
He brought me here because he needed me anyway, but he’s still showing off as a superior.
It was funny, but it was certainly Rexid’s blessing to have such a butler who was good at handling his work.
“Not only Grand Duke, I and all the people in his mansion, respect Miss Viper as His Grace’s partner, not as a criminal.”
Owen said so and opened up three contracts one by one before me.
“As soon as you sign this contract, Miss Viper must overcome the crisis of His Grace by all means, and eventually help him ascend to the throne safely. Of course, it is mandatory to sign the contract.”
“Ah, I don’t think I have ever played the role of a chief secretary at the presidential residence…”
At my useless murmur, Owen tilted his head.
“What’s that?”
“It’s nothing, but aren’t you confusing me with someone? I’m just a swindler. Isn’t it much better to bring in a high-ranking aristocrat who has a bright eye for politics…”
“I don’t think my eyes are wrong. Let’s stop talking about this.”
Even if I died, it seems like they had no intention of letting me go.
Owen immediately tapped the contract in front of me and said.
“Please read and stamp it.”
Looking at Owen, who passed the red ink kindly towards me, I sighed, reflecting on my life until now.
How many times have I deceived others into making them stamp?
I…
I can’t believe the day has come when I’m the one on the other side of such a fraudulent, unfair contract.
“Uh….”
The hands that brought the red ink-stained thumb trembled.
“Do you not have to read the contract more carefully?”
“I don’t have the option to decide whether to sign a contract or not, so what’s the point of reading it?”
“That is also true. However, even though it is not possible to modify the contract, we can add anything you want. For example, in terms of salary negotiations…….”
“You said you’re paying an annual salary limit of up to 1 billion Nords for a one-year renewal contract on paycheck and also for the additional expenses while working. There is nothing more to negotiate with that much.”
Owen’s eyes widened at my words.
It was in the content written in the middle of the second part of the contract, but he looked like he didn’t know I’d checked it quickly.
“…when did you see it? I thought you were going to sign a contract without even looking.”
“Because it’s the most important part.”
“Oh, yeah…”
In front of awkwardly smiling Owen and smirking Rexid, I slowly nudged my thumb over the contract.
“Ugh…”
“Don’t whine. Stamp it quickly.”
“Ah, Your Grace!”
“What?”
“I just got something I want to add to the contract.”
“What is it?”
“When my usefulness is over. So if you no longer need my help, please cancel the contract.”
“What?”
“I’m caught up with a spell right now. What if your Grace became emperor the way you wanted, but still tried to enslave me for the rest of my life?”
“Hey, do I look so shameless to you?”
“How could I trust someone whom I have seen for not even a half day? As soon as we break the contract, I want to be free. But since there’s no solution….”
I wrote a few more lines on the last page of the contract with a pen next to the ink bottle.
Then I pushed it in front of Rexid.
[At the same time as the breach of the contract, Rexid van Hessen does not permanently invoke a spell on Viper. For the faithful implementation of the above terms, the two must sign a separate ‘Life-Loss contract’ with their lives as collateral.]
Life-Loss contract.
It’s a magic contract made using the highest-quality magic stone called a ‘price’, and the collateral is ‘life.’ In order to make promises that could never be broken and to keep conclusive evidence of it, it was first created and distributed in the Eisenbach Kingdom. Undoubtedly, not many people have it because it is referred to as a valuable contract, but….
“Every member of the royal family has one. Your Grace has one too right?”
“Miss Viper, that’s…”
When a startled Owen intervened, Rexid raised his arm to stop him.
And he nodded with a smile.
“I don’t know how you knew that again. Good.”
“Your Grace!”
“Be quiet. For someone who held someone’s life on mortgage without telling me, why do you have so much to say?”
Eventually, Owen shut his mouth with a disapproving look on his face.
Despite it being an unfair contract, I’d have to sign it without expressing my dissatisfaction, so it wouldn’t matter even if Rexid turned down the offer.
No, it would be obvious for him to reject. The Life-Loss contract wasn’t worth a penny or two…
However, I knew it already that the Grand Duke, who seemed somewhat mushy, would be willing to nod his head.
“Are you accepting it?”
“Yes, I didn’t cast a spell to enslave you like a slave, so it’s okay for me to do this. However, I wish there were no failures so that I would not be disappointed.”
“That’s my specialty again.”
I answered willingly.
* * *
Grand Duke 3rd floor basement.
Rexid brought me to his safe, which kept the Life-Loss contract safely.
After three minutes’ walk through the corridor on the first floor connected to the secret passage, a heavy iron gate appeared. The iron gate’s barrier seemed to be made of a magical stone, which only Rexid could open. As he opened it and walked down to the third floor along the winding spiral stone stairs, a safe filled with gold and silver treasures of the Grand Duke could be seen before my sight.
Maybe he didn’t care about organizing it; the gold bars and jewels in storage were spread around everywhere below our feet.
“Wow…”
Not only precious minerals such as gold and diamonds but also Rexid’s trophies from numerous wars…
Who knew that rare treasures from other countries, which have been heard only from rumors, were rolling around like stones at the basement of the Grand Duke?
When I was instinctively recording the path to the safe in my head and regaining my appetite, Rexid suddenly stopped.
“Ouch!”
I was embarrassed because I hit my forehead on his chest, not knowing when he turned back.
Ah, it seemed that we finally arrived at the place where the Life-Loss contract was stored.
“Tsk.”
“Why?”
Somehow, he had a pitiable expression.
Maybe he got irritated at my appearance while I was walking with my eyes wide open at the precious jewels?
“Is there anything you want?”
“Yes?”
“Then take whatever you want. Don’t sneak in alone and die while being trapped for nothing.”
“Eyy~ what does that mean…”
“As you may have noticed, there is a barrier in the safe. If you try to force your way in, the magic will be activated. Unless you want to die horribly by turning into a stone or being sliced on a blade without anyone knowing.”
Rexid grinned as he looked at me.
“It’s better to take it when you come with me who can open the safe. If you want something, take it now. There’s nothing here you can’t have, so you don’t need to ask.”
“Whoa, are you serious about that?”
“Of course. It’s useless anyway.”
Hmm… then it was a good thing.
I took out the four rings that I had slowly secretly hidden inside the sleeves of my dress on my way straight to the safe and put them on each of my fingers.
“…..”
Rexid’s mouth widened when he saw it.
“No, when did you…”
“Haha…”
There was more left. When I lowered my head slightly and shook the front, a handful of diamonds poured out.