Chapter 14: Soul Contract
Slash!
Clang!
The sword was swung with a large amount of strength, however, it failed to make contact with Genie.
Moon thrust her right hand to her side, pushing Genie out of harm's way.
Then her fingers closed around the chains that bound her, their metallic links becoming an improvised defensive tool. With remarkable dexterity, she skillfully intercepted the incoming sword, catching it in the sturdy grip of the chains.
The knight, taken aback by Moon's unexpected agility, momentarily hesitated. Yet, little did he know, this was just the beginning of Moon's countermove.
As if guided by instinct, Moon expertly twisted the chains, winding them tightly around the blade of the sword. The knight's attempts to withdraw his weapon were futile, as the chains coiled around it like an unyielding serpent.
Aware of the knight's intentions, Moon tightened her grip on the chains, denying him the chance to reclaim the sword and threatening to render it useless in his grasp.
But that was not all, Moon was pulling the knight, matching his strength!
This surprised the onlookers.
Moon, the little frail girl with a petite body, was going toe to toe with a muscular well-trained knight of the Empire!
"Moon…", Vaughn merely uttered this as he watched the spectacle.
Genie was pushed into his arms and was now safe. He held her tight in relief. But what about Moon?
She was a slave yet fighting a knight…
This could go wrong pretty easily.
Vaughn found the guards rushing towards Moon at the corner of his eye.
"Oh no you don't…", he muttered to himself as he charged forward.
"Vaughn…?", Genie was surprised to see Vaughn leave, but it happened so soon that she didn't even have the chance to top him.
Vaughn rushed straight towards the princess.
He didn't have any weapon in hand and perhaps, he could have used the system's shop feature to buy something, unfortunately, he couldn't think of that at the moment.
Rather, seeing Moon use the shackles, he too decided to do so.
He used the chains like that of a rope and jumped right at the princess, surprising her.
The princess clumsily took a step back as she was surprised, only to end up tripping.
Vaughn took this very chance to wrap the chain around her neck.
"If you don't stop, I'm going to kill her.", Vaughn raised his voice, threatening the knight.
The knight turned his gaze towards the princess, finding her on the ground, chained.
He had to forcefully stop, letting go of his sword.
As for Moon, she was now successfully in possession of the sword.
Vaughn side-eyed to his right, checking where Garry was.
'Dammit, he must have gone to get the control stone…', Vaughn thought to himself.
Control Stone: A powerful artefact capable of exerting control over slaves who bear the specific slave markings engraved upon it.
It was a good thing that Garry didn't have it with him. If he did, Moon would have been forced to stop long before, and Vaughn would be immobile as well.
So, Vaughn was relieved, however, Garry's absence worried him.
'I have to strike the contract before he returns.'
"I dropped my weapon. Let her highness go.", the knight said.
"No."
Vaughn immediately changed the direction of his gaze, now looking at the princess.
He grabbed her chin and turned her face towards him.
"Look at me.", he said, demanding her attention.
Lectia did exactly as she was demanded to.
"Form a contract with me."
"Promise me that you will not kill Genie, Moon or me.", he said.
"Y-yes. I promise.", the princess said.
'Yeah, since she promised, the contract is done. If she betrayed, she would die…', Vaughn thought to himself, slowly loosening the chains.
But something caught his eye.
[Lectia Von Desuza: Fool. Merely verbal words won't make a contract.]
And the moment Vaughn read, her thoughts, he immediately increased his grip strength and started strangling her.
"W-wai-"
"Cough…"
"Wha-"
She was surprised.
"You think mere words will convince me?!"
"Tell me! How to form the Soul Contract!", Vaughn demanded.
Lectia, fearing for her life, decided to fulfil his condition.
"Y-yes!", she raised her left hand, showing the emblem she had on her wrist.
It was a butterfly crest. Seconds later, the crest started to glow and a small stone appeared levitating in the air.
"Here…"
"We summon the Soul Tablet and mention the conditions…", she said, desperately trying to live.
Her voice was wavy, mostly due to fear and the chains which bound tight around her neck.
"Yes. The conditions I put forward is…"
"Vaughn, Genie, and Moon will not be harmed by Princess Lectia Von Desuza or any of the forces under her."
'Eh? How does he know my name?', Lectia was surprised when he took her name, full name.
"We will be freed from slavery within ten minutes."
"If control stone is used on us, it will result in the immediate death of the princess stated previously in the contract."
"We will be provided with 1,000 gold coins immediately after being freed from slavery.", while he was at that, he decided to even get the money so that he wouldn't need to beg.
Regardless…
Vaughn thought these many points were more than enough.
"Now speak.", he addressed the princess and started to strengthen his grip again.
"Y-yes! I agree!", Lectia said, agreeing to the conditions posed by Vaughn.
Immediately as she agreed to it, the stone tablet started to glow which soon faded, displaying all the conditions placed forward.
Now, if Lectia were to break either of them, she would be faced with punishments like Death - of physical body, and Destruction - of soul.
As the contract was established, Vaughn had a large smile on his face, as if he was the victor.
Lectia was still stunned by the events that had happened. As for the guards, they were still paused. They had stopped the moment Vaughn had started the threat.
"Finally… peace.", Vaughn uttered.
All movements in the area was ceased as he slowly walked back to his position, where he stood earlier when all of a sudden, a loud husky voice echoed in the area.
"Vaughn!", Garry screamed.
Vaughn chuckled as he turned back, looking at Garry who held a large violet orb.
"Kne-"
"NO!", Lectia screamed, her voice reverberating in the area.