The Fake Princess's Soul Contract Duke

Chapter 17: A Deal

"Wait, you..don't say you are...the man who was in the library at the time...?"

Alianora asked suspiciously. Dark purple hair and the same robe, even though back then he had only seen this person at a glance, and that too in his unfocused state of mind, he was sure that the person in front of him this time was clearly the person he had bumped into in the library back then.

Archmage Othima with a contrived look of surprise, "Oh, I think you already don't remember the incident, but it turns out you haven't forgotten me."

Seeing the man in front of her smiling, Alianora could only ponder. He still did not expect that he had met such an important figure by accident. If for example he knew the identity of Archmage Othima first, surely that time he would be even more careful.

Now due to this unintentional mistake, his identity had already been exposed. Alianora had calculated a safe way so that this would not be her obstacle, but if what happened later was not in line with her prediction, let's just say, Archmage Othima refused to be her ally, then it will make his position unsafe, and of course he will be greatly harmed.

Ah, he hopes that his luck this time is not very ugly.

"...I'm sorry for my sassness at the time, Mr. Archmage. There was trouble then, and I had to rush home."

Alianora said while slightly bowing her body slightly, in accordance with the proper etiquette of the nobility.

"Haha, I know, I know, there's no need to be so formal. Let's just talk relaxed. Okay well? After all, a middle-class noble like me should be speaking politely to you, no, miss 'Thalia'.

Alianora looked at the man for a while before nodding.

"All right, I'm straight to the point. So, lord Archmage, written in the letter, is that true?"

"Hm, that's straight. Don't you wonder why I can know who you are first?"

"You know who I am?"

"It only takes one touch, I can feel it."

Archmage Othima stood up from his chair, then walked up to Alianora, without stopping to speak. When he was standing right in front of Alianora, the Archmage bowed and whispered something in Alianora's ear.

"If this body has more than one soul in it."

Alianora's blue oak bead widened instantly, to her surprise, that one could know something about her soul accurately.

In the Soul Contract, the moment he received the soul offering from the contractor, the soul did not instantly melt into energy and fuse with his soul. The souls were all still intact, clinging to Alianora's soul, it was just that the soul had lost its full consciousness. The soul will only merge into one with the soul of Alianora, if the request of the contractor has been successfully fulfilled.

So now, even though Alianora had already received Thalia's soul, Thalia's soul count was still not a part of her soul, and both inhabited Thalia's body.

But not many people know this. Usually only a few humans with a high level of sensitivity to mana can detect it, but these people very rarely appear. In his life, Alianora had only met those people a few times.

He did not come to think that a young Archmage in front of him could possess such an ability.

"What do you think? Am I right?"

the Archmage asked with a confident smile, which was countered with a sharp look of Alianora.

"So, you, my max what does lord Archmage want from me? There's no way that you invited me here just to help me, is it?"

"Haha, I told you, miss, there's no need to be too formal, just relax. Yeah, I do need something from you. Are you willing to give it?"

He asked if Alianora could give anything?

Ha! Alianora could even swear on her god's name, that she would grant whatever this man wanted if he had accomplished this mission and got his divine power back.

"I can give you anything, as long as you can give me the same."

The most important thing now for Alianora is that, in order for her to quickly recover whatever is wrong with her body, and to do that, Alianora needs this person's help.

Hearing Alianora's serious words, Archmage Othima was shocked and silent for a while, before he finally laughed. He laughed out loud, until his golden eyes let out a few tears. Alianora looked at the 20-year-old man with a look of disbelief.

What is this guy? Is he crazy?

After a while passed, finally the man's laughter subsided. Rubbing the tears at the corner of his eyes, Archmage Othima looked back at Alianora who was charging at him by raising one eyebrow.

"Heahh.sorry, sorry. I was released earlier. After all, I'm still not used to seeing a little boy talking like you. So, where were we? Oh yeah, about what I asked for, it's not serious, you don't have to worry."

Alianora only snorted at the man in front of her, her face completely clueless with the sense of humor of the person in front of her.

"All right, so? What do you want?"

Alianora asked impatiently.

"That's simple."

Instantly, Archmage Othima grabbed both hands of Alianora excitedly, which made Alianora's body somewhat pulled forward. Archmage Othima's golden bead stared straight at Alianora's light blue bead.

"Allow me to research your situation!"

Alianora. His face showed a pure, unmade shock.

Huh huh?

"I just want to research your very rare case. No matter how many times I have read ancient books, and also done experiments, I have only first encountered a situation like you now. That's really amazing."

archmage Othima said in a single breath. He spoke so quickly that Alianora needed time to understand every word he spoke.

"Yes, but I don't know why, what process, I need to know all that."

"...for what?"

"That's because this is precious magic! A science that is obviously a pity to ignore! Do you know what it's like when we learn something we never knew before. That feels really fun and exciting, doesn't it?"

Alianora, "...."

Alianora was again rendered speechless by him.

He just kept asking in his mind, is this man in front of him okay?

The Archmage-archmage he knew was indeed a little different from ordinary humans, it was because of their thoughts that surpassed the minds of humans in general. But still, something like this he had never seen before.

"How, miss? Would you allow it? I promise whatever it is, I'll help miss. Oh if you also want this matter to be kept secret, then I will keep my mouth shut, I promise on behalf of the Aethergarde Academy Leader."

Archmage Othima looked at Alianora with sparkling and rather clear eyes.

This made Alianora think whether, the person she had talked to calmly at the beginning with her, was a different person to the man who was staring at her now?

"Haaa, all right, that's enough. If that's all you want, I can tell you everything you want to know. I can describe it in detail to you."

Archmage Othima's face immediately beamed, "Creally?"

"Yes of course, as long as you're willing to help me."

"Of course, miss. Whatever it is, just say it."

Alianora looked back at him seriously, "I just want you to be on my side, helping me achieve my goal. Don't worry, whatever my goal is, I have absolutely no intention of harming this country, so you'll be by my side, and don't betray me, until the end. Are you ready?"

Archmage Othima seemed to think for a moment, his countenance became serious again, and at first glance it did look like Archmage in general, before his stupid expression returned again.

"Okay, leave it to me, lady. I'll definitely do everything I can to help you."

"Okay, we agreed. Then, let's make the official contract, just for bail."

"Of course, miss."

Then, Archmage Othima recited a contract spell, the Blood Contract.

Although the name is Blood Contract, this type of spell is not a forbidden spell. This spell even includes a legal spell and is often used by nobles who want to make a formal agreement, because of its binding nature and cannot be manipulated.

The Blood Contract Ritual was also simple, requiring only the blood of both parties alone. The nobles who will do the contract, will prick their fingers each, then attach their wounds, until the spell is finished being read out. When finished, two 'triangle in a circle' symbols will appear on their palms for a moment before disappearing. With this, the Blood Contract had already been officially activated.

After the ritual was over, Alianora opened her eyes to look at the look on the face of Archmage Othima who was looking at her amusedly.

Is this guy even an Archmage?

"What's wrong?"

"It's okay, miss. I'm just finding it a little funny, that you're not at all hiding your more mature behavior from your age. I don't know what age you are but, I suggest that you should behave like a Child your age."

Alianora waved her hand, "I already know that, I'm just acting like this in front of people I trust, and you've even"

Alianora's eyes were wide open for a consciousness to enter her brain.

Uh.

"Hey, don't you know who I am?"

Archmage Othima tilted his head with an expression as confused as Alianora.

"Hm? I only know that you are a stranger who somehow got inside Miss Thalia's body from Sheridan. As for your real identity, I don't have enough strength yet to figure it out, haha."

"Huh? What did you miss in your letter? That you know what I'm looking for?"

Suddenly Archmage Othima's body stiffened, his smile stiffened, and he tried not to stare at anything other than Alianora's bead.

"Er.i-it.I can explain-"

"You tricked me?"

"T-no! Ah, I.iya, But! I, I have an obvious reason, so listen to me first, yeah."

said Archmage Othima who had somewhat begged Alianora.

Alianora took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to swallow her irritated back.

"Alright, say it."

"J-so this way, I met the lady when you bumped into me at the library right? At that time, I was immediately aware of your circumstances, and I was eager to meet you, but I had nothing serious that I could make up an excuse for. Then I remembered that you were in the library until night, so I assumed that you were looking for something. So I pretended to confess that I knew what you were looking for, hoping that my assumption was correct, and here you are Sek-Arghh!"

And Alianora who could not stand it anymore, immediately stepped on the foot of Archmage Othima with all her might.