Walking through the streets of Lunid towards the real estate agency, Aethereis realized that it was already starting to get dark. Little by little, he could see fewer people walking the streets, some merchants clearing their stalls. One detail he noticed was the absence of electricity for lighting; instead, they used lanterns with mana crystals that gave off a light similar to the spotlights used in his previous world.
Enjoying the tranquility as he walked through the streets, he reached his destination without realizing it, a two story building with a green facade, gray cornices and arched windows.
Entering the door, he was greeted by a lighted hallway with a chandelier in the center and arched columns around the walls. The interior seemed quite luxurious. He approached the reception area where a mature looking woman with green hair was sitting.
Looking up from the papers she had on her desk, the woman saw Aethereis walking towards her and was momentarily surprised by the exquisite appearance of the young man, who was wearing a traditional black suit, combined with his long dark hair. She soon regained her composure; After all, she had great business experience and would not lose her cool so easily.
Putting on a kind smile, she said, "Welcome, dear customer. My name is Anna. Please take a seat."
"Thank you, my name is Aethereis," he replied, taking a seat.
"Very good, Sir. Aethereis. Tell me, what kind of property are you looking for?" Anna asked.
Aethereis said impassively, "I am looking to rent a house for at least two years that has a training room and a studio. "Plus I would like it to be located in a quiet place."
Anna nodded in understanding, then she replied: "Of course, we currently have a place that meets your requirements, although the price is quite high."
"How much does it cost?" Aethereis asked. Thanks to all the wealth he gained, he doesn't have to worry about running out of money, however showing more than necessary could paint a target on his back.
"10 gold coins a month is the price set by the previous owner," she responded a little unsure. After all, very few people would be willing to pay such a high price unless they are rich merchants.
Taking some time to consider the offer, Aethereis responded, "Very well, if possible, I would like to move in today."
He took out twelve gold coins from her bag and said, "I hope this can cover the inconvenience."
"I'll see what I can do," Anna replied, getting up from her seat, she walked towards the stairs to the second floor.
After a few minutes going down the stairs accompanied by a middle-aged man, Anna came forward to introduce him.
"Let me introduce Mr. William, he is the manager of this branch."
"Mr. William, this is Mr. Aethereis, the client I told you about just now."
Dressed in a dark blue suit, Mr. William had white hair, some wrinkles on his face, and a stern aura around him.
Shaking hands, they both said: "It is a pleasure to meet you Sir Aethereis." "Likewise Sir William."
"Anna tells me that she wants to rent a property and that she wants to move in today." William said.
"That's how it is. The property meets all my requirements and I am willing to pay a higher amount if necessary," Aethereis responded.
"I see. If that's the case, we can complete the formalities right now. Allow me a moment, please," William replied. As a cunning fox who has lived for several centuries, he could tell that Aethereis was no ordinary person; His appearance, clothing, and aura reminded his of experienced warriors on the battlefield.
A few minutes later, William came down with some papers in his hand and said, "We can go now. "I have prepared a carriage, it should be waiting for us."
Walking out of the door accompanied by William, Aethereis saw a luxurious-looking carriage pulled by two dark-furred horses. Opening the carriage door, the coachman said, "This way, please." Entering the gate, the carriage soon began to move towards its destination.
After traveling for twenty minutes, the carriage entered the residential area of the city, where it stopped in front of a two-story house with a small garden in front, surrounded by a stone wall and an iron gate in the center.
Getting off the carriage, walking towards the door as they talked about the house. "As you can see, the house has two floors, four bedrooms, a living room and a dining room for five people. Everything is furnished, so you don't have to worry."
"The studio is on the second floor. The training room is in the basement; It is built with black stone, capable of resisting the attacks of a rare rank warrior. Here is the contract; You can read it and drop a drop of his blood on the paper if you agree."
Blood contracts, created from the combination of magic and runes, are a commonly used tool to establish the terms and conditions of an agreement that binds both parties. Breaking it would not bring any negative effects on whoever broke it, at least on bronze rank contracts. Simply put, the moment any condition is broken, the other party will be alerted of what happened.
The terms of the contract may specify a fixed duration or be linked to the achievement of a specific objective. Their flexible nature makes them useful for a wide range of arrangements, commonly used by merchants and nobility.
Meanwhile, Aethereis was having a conversation with the system in his head. 'If I sign the contract, will it harm me in any way?'
[The contract rank is too low to affect you. Only contracts of a higher rank than yours could have any effect. The same applies to slavery contracts.]
Taking the contract, Aethereis began to read it carefully and once he made sure that it was nothing harmful to him, he bit his finger, letting a few drops fall on the contract, soon the paper began to emit a red glow and split. in two parts, entering the body william and Aethereis.
Momentarily shocked by what just happened, Aethereis regained his calm, maintaining his indifferent appearance.
Unfazed by the scene, William took out a small metal card with runic engravings visible on its surface and brought it up to a small screen on the door. Once the card touched the surface, the screen lit up with a green light and soon the sound of the lock opening could be heard.
"Once you remove my blood signature, you will be able to link yours to the key. To delete it, just say the command 'delete' and to confirm, the command 'accept.'"
Aethereis nodded. He took a step forward and looked at the metal card with interest. "Understood," he said in a flat voice. "Let's proceed then."
William, getting used to his peculiar way of speaking without showing any emotion, with a concentrated look, said: "delete."The screen flashed a blue light in response to the command.
"As well as allowing you to open or close doors, it can be used to turn lighting on or off if required. Use the "on" and "off" command. I don't need to tell you what each one works for, right?"
Handing the card to Aethereis, who held it and let a drop of blood fall on its surface, he said, "Accept." The runes illuminated with a green light, granting full control over the property until their contract was void.
Seeing how the sky began to darken, William said: "We have finished all the formalities, if you have any concerns you can find us in the building."
"I hope to see you some other time, have a good night, Sir Aethereis."
"Likewise, have a good night, Sir William."
After watching William leave in the carriage, Aethereis walked through the main garden. Reaching the door, he held the card up to the small screen with runes on its surface. Once the runes lit up with green light, the door opened.
Entering his new house, Aethereis looked inside. Furniture, carpets, and chandeliers with mana crystals illuminated the hall, adorning the place. he walked up the stairs with slow steps, looking for the master bedroom.
Entering the bedroom without turning on the lights, Aethereis approached the bed. At that moment, the suit he was wearing disappeared, leaving his body naked. he lay on the bed, feeling all the mental fatigue accumulated after dying and transmigrating to a new world. There was also the fact that he had gone through an evolution that, although it did not affect her mind, his new body was adapting to the changes she underwent. Closing his eyes, he could only hear faint breathing as he was dragged into the dream world.