CH 100

“I offer everything, and pledge to serve you.”

What? That came so suddenly that I can’t help but be surprised.

I’m done forming the contract with Mia.

But why did it turn out like this? I left the actual contents of the contract up to her, but I told her that it’s just a temporary thing, so she could play it loose with the contents.

This is a debt slave contract, and it makes it so the slave pledges to relinquish all rights to the master. It’s the heaviest contract there is, and in a way even gives power over life and death.

“I have been saved by you Sora… Mister Sora, three times already. So I pledge my life to you.”

That’s a really heavy answer. You don’t have to be so serious about it.

I look over at Drett, and he whispers to me that he really doesn’t think she’ll take no for an answer. He also tells me that the contract period has been decided, and that it won’t be able to be rescinded for at least ten years.

Forming a contract like this with a cute girl should make me happy, but all I feel is guilt.

“Anyway, we’ll discuss your position later. For now, sorry, but we’ll have to cut your hair.”

I’m putting off that part. We need to think about that calmly.

“Can we change the color of your hair and your eyes temporarily?”

She nods in agreement right away without asking any further questions.

I make a dyeing substance with Alchemy, designate it as black, and use it. Mia’s hair gradually changes from blonde to black.

I also have Mia put on colored contact lenses. I figured she would be scared to use them until she got used to it, but she puts them on without hesitating.

“Maybe we can pass you off as Hikari’s sister now.”

Putting them together really amplifies their cuteness! No, it’s not the time for that.

While I’m at it, my black hair and black eyes also stand out, so I dye my hair blonde and wear contact lenses of different colors. It feels weird when I look in a mirror. It doesn’t suit me.

I turn to the girls to ask what they think.

Mia turns away. Hikari says it looks cool, but does it really? Sera looks kind of exasperated, but I can’t figure out why.

Of course, wearing the mask would make me stand out too, so I’m not wearing it.

“So master, what are you going to do about that?”

Sera says about the assassin we brought with us.

I use Alchemy on her shoulder length hair and on the hair cut from Mia, and then I process skin to use as a material to make a mask. The model is right next to me, so I can make a pretty elaborate one, and when we stick that on the unconscious girl, she looks just like Mia.

I didn’t use enough magic energy to make me tired, but my hands are sweating for some reason.

“Mister Sora, are you all right?”

Mia also seems kind of surprised by her double, but she sounds more concerned about me.

Hikari grabs my clothes and looks up at me with a worried expression too for some reason.

“Master, you look awful. You look sick.”

Says Sera, and I notice my hands are shaking too.

“I know what you’re thinking of doing. I know why you made that. You want to sacrifice her instead of Mia, right?”

Yes. Because I know they won’t stop coming as long as their target is alive. That’s why I faked my own death too.

But there’s one very clear difference this time. Mia has to ‘die’ in front of a lot of people. That’s why we need someone that will be killed instead of her.

“You’ve never killed someone before, have you?”

Sera sounds sure of it, and she’s right. I’ve killed a lot of monsters, but never a person. It feels very wrong. No, I’m scared. Yes, I think it’s very scary.

“Don’t push yourself too much, Mister Sora.”

“If you can’t do it, I will.”

“You can order me to do that kind of dirty work.”

Say Mia, Hikari, and Sera. I’m sure if I ordered them, they would do it without any complaints.

But in the end, all it would mean was that I would be killing someone indirectly. And I’m the only one who can carry out this plan anyway.

I look at Mia. She looks ready to do what it takes. Then I have to be ready too.

Life is cheap in this world. That’s just an excuse, but the same situation might fall on me again in the future. I have to be ready to protect what I care about, and what is dear to me. That means I can’t hesitate.

I don’t have to get used to it, but if I’m stumped when urgency is needed, people I care about are going to suffer for it, and that I don’t want.

It’s actually selfish. There are still a lot of emotions and desires lying dormant in my heart.

“It’s all right. I’ll do it.”

We undo the girl’s restraints and dress her up in Mia’s clothes. When everything is ready, we wake her.

I use Dark Magic before she can say anything. Dark Magic isn’t really used to attack directly, but has many spells that work on a spiritual level.

What I use is a hypnotic spell to fool her into thinking she’s Mia.

She resists it, but I infuse a lot of magic energy to force her to comply.

“What is your name?”

“Mia.”

“What do you normally do?”

“I use holy magic as a saint, and help around in the church.”

More complicated conversations won’t work, but we just need her to answer simple questions.

“Mister Sora, is everything ready? We can leave any time.”

“Yes, then I’ll leave the rest to the three of you. Are you going to Idoru where Drekk is, Drett?”

“That is the plan, although I don’t know if our food will last.”

“Then take the girls to the Tenso village. Hikari, when you get there, tell Elk about the stampede and ask to stay there. If Drett and the others need to stay there too, ask him to accommodate them.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I have a connection there. We’ll meet up in Tenso. Sera, take care of Mia and Hikari.”

I grab the false saint and leave, taking her to an empty place and leaving her there with a hood covering her face. I don’t forget the blood to complete the forgery, and make it seem like she collapsed when she was trying to run into a house.