Chapter 111 - Conflicting Contracts

After inflicting immeasurable pain and even destroying their sense of hope, Teren healed the four with his Spirit of Healing.

"Did anyone sign their contracts after that?"

Teren stared at the three people who held their contracts, wanting an answer.

After Mike's pallid eyes rolled towards Catherine.

"Catherine... why are you not signing yours?"

"I-I... I..."

"I what?" Mike coldly asked.

"I don't want to become a slave... Mike... I'm a girl...! Don't act as if you don't know what he will do to me."

Catherine replied but in a low voice as she was aware that she's somehow betraying her friends.

"Catherine... but... but I have already signed mine. If you and Sir Hanon don't sign, the contract will fail." Mike said something that made the others realize that the situation is more complicated than it seemed. He then looked at Hanon and asked.

"How about you, Sir Hanon...? The same rules are on your paper too, right? We three need to sign for it to work. Teren set it up so that we can't sacrifice just one or to at least save one!"

Mike explained, afraid that Hanon doesn't understand.

"Sorry, Mike... but my contract is a little different."

Hanon replied with a grim expression.

"Different? Different how?"

While Catherine became silent, Mike pursued to get an answer.

Instead of answering, Hanon just showed him.

[I, Hanon. will only sign after my co-signers have signed their respective contracts or my contract and my co-signers' contracts will fail.]

Mike's frown deepened. This just means that Hanon should be the last to sign or else, they will all fail. What kind of sick joke is this?

He then turned his gaze to Catherine again. She had a petrified expression. It didn't matter if she was last or the second. What matters is that if she should sign or not.

However, what they do not know is that as long as Hanon signed his, they will all be saved. But due to one rule where he had to be last, a chain was created.

Teren created Hanon's contract first before he even knew that he can rail Mike and Catherine in. If Hanon signed it, the rule [No harm should the contractor afflict to the contractee's students in any way and any method.] will affect Mike and Catherine, invalidating their contract but saving everyone at the same time.

However, there was another reason why Teren gave connected contracts to Mike and Catherine which Hanon will only realize later.

If these two knew each other well, they could easily sign the contracts, making Teren's plan crumble, only leaving him with the secondary prize. But the thought-

What if the other didn't sign theirs?

Stopped them from signing the contract 'wholeheartedly'

"Then, let's go for a second round."

Teren didn't take a coin but just looked at Mira. The sequence has already been determined. He just has to go through them again.

No one stepped in for Mira while she herself had given up. Teren's strength was too abnormal. She was forced to watch all of that. There was no escape. If only, she could just die.

The problem was, she couldn't.

She saw how badly wounded Josh, Eline, and Dan was. However, they were recovering if not already fully recovered. Their life and death were in Teren's control. That thought had was ingrained into their heads.

"Wait... wait... can't I get a chance to get the contract? I will sign it, I will become your slave."

Mira pleaded. Since she's already fallen into his hands, wouldn't it be just better to flatter and serve him? At the very least, by making herself likeable for him, she will experience less torture, right?

"I can but do you think after I've done to you, you can wholeheartedly sign the contract?"

However, the reality was cruel.

Teren reached out for her hair again as she shouted.

"Even without a contract! Even without one, I will serve you, please!"

"Nope," Teren crouched down to meet her on eye level, "What I need is absolute loyalty. I'm not a good man, loyalty is the hardest to get for a person like me. Power, influence, and all those things that make one strong is not important for me because I can easily grant them these things. Therefore, you, who not only have hatred for me but is also weak, is less than worthless trash, go it?"

Mira's last hope had been cut. It was as if she had already jumped into the pits of hell, unable to undo her falling.

No, there's still one more strand of hope. She looked at Catherine.

"Catherine...?"

There were no more words needed.

Teren didn't do anything more and just let the two have eye contact.

The guilt heaved within Catherine the moment she saw her once always composed friend have despairing eyes.

"But..." Catherine had already her 'pen' towards where she should sign it. However, she can't just put her name as she saw the rules of the contract.

[Obey the contractor's orders at all cost.]

"Catherine..."

Mike pressured her too. Because if she failed to sign it, not only is his resolve in vain, their friends may die, and he will become Teren's slave. At the very least, he could just be a slave while his friends are saved.

"It's easy for you, Mike."

Catherine whispered.

"Easy?"

Anger welled up within Mike upon hearing this.

"Damn it! Do you want me to say it!? He will rape me! What about you!? Abuse you?! I cannot disobey him! I will not be able to kill myself with this contract! Even the past slaves are in a better position than me if I signed it!"

Mike was about to rebuke but after thinking about it, she was right. If Teren was a girl, they have nothing to worry about. However, her fear is real.

But is it fair?

Although he will not be sexually abused, unless Teren swings that way, he will still take a fair amount of abuse. Yet, in the end, even he can't say that Catherine didn't have it worse if she did sign it.

Having the heart to sign it even though she knew what will happen to her will be harder.

Mike could only swallow his words. He can't say Teren won't do it.

But what about Teren himself?

When he heard Catherine's troubles, he was surprised. This situation is not within the realm of his expectations. He could only reply with a question.

"Why would I do that to you?"