Chapter 114 - Contract Signed

"Teren don't want us betraying him. He wants our loyalty. He wants to use us so he wouldn't use death as the punishment. He set up all this to instill fear into us, not to question him, and to 'wholeheartedly' sign it. He's trying to trick us that it's our choice and that this is what we want."

"Wait, does that mean it's a lie."

"I'm not one hundred percent sure but that might be the case... because once we sign it, we will lose hope. We will no longer think of betraying him. He's trying to confuse us with this." Hanon pointed at the four who were tied up, "In the future, by the time we realized that we just have to bear one punishment to betray him, he had already used us, therefore, our chance of survival is zero percent."

"He... thought that far?"

Mike might not understand everything but he got the grasp of it.

"So, what should we do?"

"We will sign it." Hanon said with serious eyes, "This is all just speculation of mine. We won't know until we sign it."

"Are you saying... we will just rebel in the future?"

Mike asked with full of doubt.

Hanon nodded, "Did you hear what he said earlier? He will give us power."

"But isn't that a lie?"

"No," Hanon then pointed at the footprints in the middle of the campsite, "You see that?"

Not just Mike but everyone else looked at it. The four who were tortured have regained some of their senses after resting so they were able to keep up with the conversation.

"What do you think of that now that you've witnessed what Teren can do?"

Mike gulped and answered, "No way...?"

"That's a real human being, Mike. I was here when it happened. Nick was here too." Hanon looked at Nick which the latter replied.

"Yes, Boss Hark's enemy dropped like a meteor, heavier than a tank, and have an unbelievable strength."

"Boss Hark?"

The four looked at each other, trying to determine if they all heard the same thing. What is this, a fantasy world?

"I can't explain everything to you right now but Teren Hark is called the Devil Himself. He has enemies all over the world. Just think of the fiction stories you've heard. The superheroes and supervillains from the movies you've seen. Think of that as reality and those are the kinds of people who Teren is fighting right now!"

However, it seemed like Mike and the others were still not convinced.

"I understand that you don't believe me right now but what I'm trying to say is, Teren needs manpower. Even if you're an athlete, you wouldn't stand even a second against Teren's enemies at your state right now. That's why he will give you sufficient power to be at least a useful pawn to him. Do you understand now?"

"Once we're strong enough, amidst the battle, we will strike his back?"

Just like what Hanon said, Mike thought of the movies he had seen and come up with this scenario no matter how ridiculous it was.

"That's correct!"

"But... how about Catherine?" Mike asked.

Hanon just lowered his head.

"That shout... I've seen her future but I'm not sure. I just saw that Teren cornered her up to a tree. My vision of her was not that far yet."

"Huh? Seriously, Sir Hanon, I'm not getting it."

Hanon then pointed at his eyes and answered.

"I can see the future, that's my ability."

Still, though, the others were doubtful. However, Hanon didn't further prove it and just said.

"If Catherine is alive, we should try to convey the message that-"

"She's dead."

Interrupting Hanon's words, Iesa finally spoke.

"Huh!? What the fuck do you mean!?" Eline shouted at Iesa. Seeing her little happy smile while saying that their friend was dead snapped her even though she just went through torture.

Iesa didn't answer and stayed quiet again but her eyes rolled towards the direction Teren and Catherine went to. Because at this moment, he was back.

Following her line of sight, everyone saw Teren's figure come out of the darkness and reached where the bonfire's light can reach.

Fear enveloped the four again. Not only fear but sadness too with the thought of their friends have died.

The shout they heard earlier have already made their imaginations run wild. Did he force his lust on her? Did he finally kill her? They just don't want to think about it.

Iesa's words answered their internal questions.

But at the next moment, after Teren walked out, another figure could be seen.

"Catherine!?" Mike shouted with a smile.

Catherine followed Teren's back and as she walked to them, they noticed the difference in her expression while she was holding her stomach.

'So Iesa is just scaring us!' Eline thought but as she glanced at the person in question, she saw that Iesa was standing up, puzzled.

Once Catherine was close enough, she said to Hanon.

"Sir Hanon, I've signed it. You should sign yours too."

Hanon looked at the bloodied paper with Catherine's name on it. He nodded and without further ado, he signed it even though he was not sure if it was 'wholehearted' or not.

"It seemed that you've already realized it, huh..." Teren muttered but Hanon heard it, making him freeze up.

"So... no, tsk!" Hanon clicked his tongue towards his own stupidity. Of course, Teren had already predicted this would happen, he frustratedly thought.

"But the contract is not a bluff. If you failed to follow it, the signers will be punished by receiving a headache. As for me, if I went against it, I will lose a tenth of my blood."

Teren casually said as he released the four. Because if he further let them stay in that uncomfortable position, he might cause them 'harm' and will take some considerable damage by puking out thirty percent of his own blood.

However, that was worth it, all he just need to do is not lay any finger on them. In exchange, he had gained three people who will have to do what he asked him to. It was not absolute loyalty but he's aware that they will not be able to move against him.

Hanon will see the future and lead the two to any possible rebellion. That will make them passive, waiting for the right moment.

If Catherine didn't cause quite a scene, they would've signed it without a hassle and wouldn't have this rebellion intention in their minds. 

Teren was being cautious. Yet, he was also confident that the 'right moment' for the three 'servants' will be in the far far future since Hanon will always 'see' that they will always fail.

The results were not perfect but that's just how life goes. Also, this was the first time Teren tried something like this.

As for not offering a contract to the four, Teren's contract was limited, and having an additional four people plotting against him in his back would make the chance of a successful 'rebellion' higher so he chose not to. Furthermore, this torture will surely make them submit to him. Just that, he wouldn't plan to give them power without the contract to bind them.

All in all, everything went well. Now, it's time to rest. However, there was something in his mind. When he brought Catherine into the woods, he could feel someone was there watching them. But since that person didn't have malice towards him, he instinctively ignored that person.

But now, he thought back and determined the identity of that person.

'Isn't that obviously Iesa!? Did I just unintentionally confess!?'

As he cringed at that possibility, Catherine's words returned in his head.

[You're disgusting...]

"Hm..."

He stayed silent for a while beside the bonfire.

"I already knew that."