When putting all the situations together, it seemed highly possible that the outsider’s claim of not knowing the egg was in the bag was true. He had carried it without realizing what was inside or what it would attract.
The scholar continued with a grin.
“It would have been neater and better if he had just died, but unfortunately, it seems he’s still alive. I attached a small tracking device to that fellow’s clothes, and the location keeps shifting. Ah, or has he already been eaten by a monster, and I’m detecting the monster that ate him?”
He had no interest in whether that outsider lived or died, but to speak so casually about treating human lives like ants felt excessive.
Leonardo, who had been listening quietly, wore a faintly disgusted expression.
“He really was a nutcase.”
Even at his heartfelt exclamation, the scholar smiled and spoke without a care.
“You’re pretty sharp, so how are you planning to threaten me with this?”
Whether he was pretending to be relaxed or truly unfazed, the scholar’s face looked more intrigued than concerned. Leonardo smoothed out his furrowed brow and calmly replied,
“There’s plenty to threaten you with. I could return to the Council ranks right now, report to the commander, and it would all be over.”
“The threat was just tattling on me?”
“...The things at that location you want me to take you to. I could destroy them all so you’d never find them again.”
“Do you even know where that is?”
“A place not marked with an X on the map. It’ll be one of those.”
“Wow, you saw that too in the meantime? Impressive.”
The scholar grinned as though genuinely impressed.
“Alright, let’s make a deal. Of course, with the added condition that you won’t disclose anything about me and won’t harm me even after the contract is fulfilled. That’s just the basics, isn’t it?”
Leonardo, who had been about to recite more threats, hesitated. He hadn’t expected him to give in so quickly. As if reading his thoughts, the scholar added,
“I was planning to make a deal anyway. I just wanted to hear what you’d come up with out of curiosity.”
“...”
“Now that I see it, there were so many ways to threaten me, so wasn’t this actually more advantageous for me?”
Feeling like he’d been toyed with, Leonardo glared at the scholar with a murderous look. The scholar only grinned back, then began rummaging through his backpack.
“Let’s see, the contract... where did I put it...”
“You must have something to threaten me with too.”
At the cold voice, the scholar’s hand paused for a brief moment. So fleeting it was almost unnoticeable.
Earlier, when Leonardo had been talking to Kenis about his comrades, his real attention had been on the silent scholar, not on Kenis. He had deliberately lured him to listen. Since the man clearly wanted something from him, Leonardo had guessed that if he learned something he shouldn’t, he’d try to approach and use it against him.
But the scholar simply pulled out items from the backpack and said lightly,
“Hm? I don’t have anything like that.”
“...”
“If I had to think of something... it would be knowing that Leonardo Blaine is taking a little detour with me instead of returning straight back?”
He hummed a small tune as he said it. Leonardo, arms folded, silently watched him, then pushed off the column he was leaning on and stood straight.
Then, palm facing up, he stretched out his arm and said,
“Let’s use this for the contract.”
At those words, the scholar stopped rummaging and turned. He let out a silent exclamation.
A dazzling light gathered above Leonardo’s outstretched hand, and a golden magic circle unfolded. A gentle breeze stirred, making their hair sway. In the center of the rotating circle, a golden metal plate and pen rose slowly, as if surfacing from water.
The scholar looked at the shining circle with slight surprise, and at Leonardo’s distinct golden eyes behind it.
Flames floating in the air gathered around the plate and began engraving letters swiftly. Soon the agreed-upon terms were densely filled in, and Leonardo’s signature appeared in the lower left corner.
Eventually, the plate and pen drifted before the scholar. He grasped the pen naturally, scanned the contents, and at the final clause, smiled.
“What a frightening magic. Isn’t this forbidden? I thought it had vanished.”
“Cut the bullshit and sign. We don’t have time.”
Leonardo glanced toward where Kenis lay and spoke in a lowered voice. The scholar shrugged, finished scanning, and without hesitation wrote his name in the lower right corner. As the pen passed, the letters glowed vividly.
When he finished, the plate and pen retreated and flew to Leonardo. Leonardo’s brow furrowed slightly as he checked the signature.
Alec Siles.
As expected—Simon was an alias. He glared at the scholar through the plate, but the man just grinned, showing no intent to excuse himself.
Wondering if making a deal with such a man was wise, Leonardo let out a small sigh.
But the self-mocking sigh didn’t last. He pressed his palm against the plate, and the letters distorted and sank into his hand. The words wrapped around his palm, shining intensely, until the plate was left blank.
Leonardo raised his right hand, glowing with the golden clauses. The scholar, amused all along, clasped it with a smile. Golden light spread from their hands, forming rings on each of their wrists before fading away.
The scholar stared at the vanished ring’s spot. Leonardo brushed his hand free and looked him in the eyes.
“Contract established.”
****
“But what about that friend?”
Alec asked while putting the items back into his backpack. He meant Kenis.
Leonardo gazed in that direction for a moment, then turned his head.
“I’ll have to leave him. He’s from the Council too.”
“I thought you two were close, but you’re unexpectedly cold?”
“...The Council will find him soon. I deliberately left footprints near the swamp without erasing them.”
Alec paused at that. Then, rolling his eyes, he asked,
“Didn’t you two head out earlier today?”
If the footprints were from then, the Council should already have barged in—or be lying in ambush nearby. Seeing Alec tense at the thought, Leonardo sneered as if amused.
“You think I just left them? I hid them so they’d only show after a certain time. They’ll surface soon. Once they search the area, they’ll find this place quickly. Better to send him back like this.”
Alec gave a crooked smile.
“But then, no matter how well he explains, it’ll be obvious you escaped.”
“...”
He had thought of that.
He’d considered leaving only Kenis’s footprints and erasing his own, but in the end, he left both. At least they’d know they were alive.
If their life or death remained uncertain too long, someone would shoulder guilt for failing to protect them, and Leonardo knew all too well that it would leave deep scars.
Of course, running would only worsen how he’d be treated later.
I was caught after running away for three years. What’s the difference if I slip away briefly? And it’s still within the peninsula. I’ll just get back quickly. Two days will do.
With that thought, Leonardo glanced at Alec # Nоvеlight # still packing and said irritably,
“Fuck, that’s why I’m telling you to hurry. I need to finish quickly and return before I’m branded a fugitive too. Do you know how sharp the commander’s senses are? Ah, he’ll catch me before we even leave.”
“Alright, alright. I’m done packing—let’s go.”
At his urging, Alec stowed his things in an artifact, tucked it in the backpack, and slung it over his shoulders. Then, with a slightly awkward smile, he said,
“I’m a bit scared of that guy too.”
For someone who had been grinning all along to admit fear, Leonardo raised his brows. Thinking he hadn’t understood, Alec added,
“I mean the commander of the Central Branch.”
Even this madman feared that person? Leonardo found it absurd, recalling Alec’s behavior so far.
So this bastard’s only cheeky because he isn’t afraid of me? For fuck’s sake...
Alec casually brushed past Leonardo’s twisted expression and headed toward another cave passage. Leonardo glanced once more at where Kenis lay, then followed silently. While walking, he muttered a threat that the contract made useless.
“If you don’t keep up with me, I’ll drag you in front of that commander you’re scared of, contract or not, so watch yourself.”
“Hey, give me a break. I’m not Armsilver—how could I move that fast?”
At the sudden name, Leonardo froze. The irritation in his eyes vanished, replaced with a probing gaze and sharp bloodlust.
His watchful stare clung to the departing silhouette. Alec, feeling a chill prickle his back, halted and turned around.
“Ah, don’t worry.”
He grinned.
“I’m not so lacking in morals that I’d touch family.”
Then he trudged onward. Leonardo stared at his back with a chilling, expressionless face.
Soon, he let out a hollow laugh.
He had suspected, but as expected, Alec had known and simply pretended otherwise.
The man was clever.
He must have realized that if he’d used that story as a threat before the contract, he could have been killed.
****
When the two had left, silence settled over the vast cavern. The sounds of insects and birds filled the emptiness.
Kenis, now used to the dark, slowly blinked and sat up.
His eyes turned toward the direction Leonardo and the scholar had gone.
Rubbing his eyes hard with his sleeve, as if to stop tears, he sniffled, straightened where he had been lying, and packed his belongings.
