So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

Chapter 228: Slave Contract (1)

Was it the alcohol?

Or was it fate?

Or like a cornered rat biting a cat.

Perhaps Obern had no choice but to bite Corbant who knew his ugly secrets.

Maybe because drunk Corbant slapped his face.

Perhaps shame and anger suddenly surged up.

Or cold reason might have intervened.

There probably wasn't anyone else who knew Corbant met Obern here.

They went straight to the bar after meeting, so he wouldn't have had time to tell others 'guess who I met today?'

After leaving the bar, they staggered while walking.

Rain poured from the darkened sky.

A downpour heavy enough to wash away everything, even blood.

On that night of thunder and lightning.

No one was by the riverside where Solion Impel's sewage mixed and surged.

And originally, several corpses are dumped in that river every day.

No one would notice one more Corbant.

No, to be honest, there were no such logical thoughts.

Obern's mind just went blank.

When Corbant who slapped his face laughed haha. He had already cast magic.

A simple but effective elemental magic.

'Ice Spike'. Enjoy exclusive content from M-V-L

Thunk!

When it pierced Corbant's stomach, he wore an expression of disbelief.

Was it cold, or hot?

Traditionally, there's no better magic than ice spike for secretly killing someone you hate. That had been proven.

He tried to grab Obern but.

His hand was knocked away with a slap.

Corbant fell into the sewer with a splash.

The pitch-black water swallowed him instantly.

Death swallowed Obern's ugly secret along with Corbant.

Obern felt happy and relieved.

But only after entering the room did he realize he was crying.

"As you said, have I fallen into hell?"

The demon's prophecy came true.

Now he understood.

If someone was watching him, they must have seen his fate too.

Only demons would violate and toy with a person's soul like this.

"I had no choice but to kill..."

Excuses, just pitiful excuses.

But what reason was there to excuse murder to a demon, not a god?

Plop plop.

Black ink dropped in front of crying Obern.

Looking up, that pen was dancing again.

What did this demon want and come to him for?

The pen moved and wrote on his left hand.

?Do you want to escape the pit of lies and deceit??

The demon offered salvation on the left hand.

?If you want, I'll give you everything. I'll give you the professorship you want. And profound magical knowledge you've never encountered before, enormous wealth, real power that no one can doubt...!?

Real power, huh.

His head moved on its own.

Nod.

The pen rose and wrote on his right hand.

?Lift your head and look at my form.?

Crack, thud.

Crystal shards dropped before his eyes.

With trembling heart, Obern lifted his head.

'It' was there.

Had it been watching everything from the start?

A white snake emerged from breaking crystal.

He could immediately tell it wasn't an ordinary snake.

What snake in the world wears a crystal crown and has such sparkling scales?

It looked down at Obern with eyes burning like flames.

At that moment Obern thought.

'Smaller than expected...'

Perhaps about forearm length. It looked not yet fully grown.

If it was a demon's polymorph, why transform so small?

But nothing is more foolish than judging someone's power by their size.

"...What's the price?"

With trembling voice, Obern asked the important thing.

"What you want, is it my soul?"

Hearing those words, the snake started laughing kak kak.

==

What would I do with some dark uncle's soul?

Not like I'm going to boil noodles with it, I don't need such things.

Is he too handsome and developed an excessive self-consciousness?

"Your acting was quite good this time."

'What do you mean. Must be because I evolved and look more dignified.'

"That's... nevermind."

Though I haven't seen a mirror yet, I could roughly tell how my appearance changed.

My scales sparkled more classically.

Though I definitely seem smaller in size, I'll have to examine that in detail later.

I moved the pen again.

?Why would I need your soul??

"...Huh?"

When asked that, Obern made a dumbfounded face.

'Because you're a demon...?'

?I help you and you help me, that's all.?

I explained strictly.

"Hey! That's not how you make someone a slave."

'Just leave it!'

It would be better to write it clearly and specify it in a contract.

How to use this human called Obern.

I thought about it for days and finally devised the most realistic and excellent method.

?Make a contract with me.?

"Contract..."

?Read and sign.?

The item obtained from the Court Count's warehouse.

??????????????

[Malphas' Parchment]

??????????????

With this parchment used for demon contracts, I will make this human my slave!

"Sigh."

Pelerian sighed.

He worried until the end, wondering 'if this is really right...'

Obern slowly started reading the contract.

?The White Serpent (hereafter 'Party A') and human Obern Grimoire (hereafter 'Party B') hereby conclude the following employment contract...?

For the first time, I wrote a contract as 'Party A'.

How deeply moving this is.

Obern lifted his head with a fearful expression.

How's that, this demonic contract?

No matter how harsh and cruel the conditions, you'll have no choice but to sign.

==

Obern read the contract thoroughly.

Unlike his delicate appearance, he had lived a harsh life.

To earn money quickly without revealing his identity, he didn't shy away from dirty work.

He had much experience being employed by others.

And now this employment contract...

?Article 1.

'Party A' employs 'Party B' and provides 'assistance' to maintain 'Party B's social status and dignity as a 'mage'.

The scope of 'assistance' includes 'provision of magical knowledge', 'physical help', etc.

'Party A' shall provide best assistance until 'Party B' is appointed as professor at Emerald School.?

Wasn't Party A said to be a snake?

Yet the content of Article 1 was that the snake would help Obern.

Had he seen such a contract before?

Moreover, those clauses were written very sophisticatedly and objectively.

Certainly not a street employment contract.

'As expected of a demon, I must not let my guard down.'

There might be tricks hidden to steal his soul after deceiving him with sweet words. Obern thought so.

?...

'Party B' is employed by 'Party A' and provides 'services'.

Performance of 'services' may involve dangers, regarding which 'Party B' shall not raise any objection to 'Party A'.

'Party A' and 'Party B' shall fulfill their duties to protect each other's social status, life, and safety.?

'What...!'

Obern shuddered for a moment.