"It's about time. That bitch isn't here to protect you anymore." The pink-haired woman smirked, pulling out another dagger. She tossed it lightly into the air, catching it by the hilt with practiced ease. "Now, I can finally finish the job."
"C-can we at least talk about this?" Leonard stammered, his back pressed against the wall, sweat running down his face.
"No."
"But this is against the law! You'll be arrested! Stop now, and I'll let you live—"
"Pfft." She sneered, twirling the dagger. "What law? This kingdom doesn't have any law worth a damn. Just die already!"
Of course this place doesn't even respect the law... Damn it! Panic clawed at him. I just reincarnated, and already someone's trying to kill me?! Rage boiled inside him. I'm not even Leonard... I'm Renji Reinhardt, a professor! Why the hell is this happening to me?
"Look, here—" He tried to stall, but before he could finish, she lunged. The dagger flashed, aiming straight for his head.
Leonard's eyes darted down—her steps, quick, precise. Desperate, he yanked the bedsheet he had wrapped around himself.
She tripped.
THUD!
Her body slammed into the floor with a dull crack.
Leonard didn't waste a second. He bolted, limping, one hand clutched against the bloody wound in his leg. The pain was unbearable—each step sent hot agony shooting up his body. Blood dripped, leaving a crimson trail behind him.
"Damn it... I-I don't want to die!" His voice cracked with terror.
Behind him, the pink-haired assassin rose to her feet, eyes blazing. Without hesitation, she hurled the dagger. It whistled through the air, slicing past his cheek, before embedding itself in the wooden door with a deep thunk.
Leonard turned, his face pale. The blade had missed him by inches. He could feel the sting of blood trickling down his cheek where it grazed him.
He was going to die. He knew it.
"Help!" he screamed, pounding on the door. His voice echoed back at him, muffled and hollow.
The woman laughed coldly. "Scream all you want. This room is soundproof. No matter how loud you cry, no one's coming."
"What...?" His eyes widened. Magic? It had to be. There was no other explanation.
He slid down against the door, chest heaving, blood soaking his thigh. The pain gnawed at him, dizzying, relentless. Why isn't she finishing me off already?
She tilted her head, smiling cruelly. "Seeing your pathetic face makes me happy. You'll die soon enough. That wound will bleed you dry."
His vision blurred. His strength was fading fast. He leaned back against the door, panting heavily. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.
Out of the corner of his eye—something. The book. The strange book Anita had left him.
"Maybe... I can tear a few pages... use it to stop the bleeding..." He dragged himself across the floor, smearing blood with every move. His bloody hand reached for it.
The moment his fingers touched the cover, his breath caught.
Words appeared—words that hadn't been there before.
[The contract has been completed.]
[In order to wield this power, you must sacrifice a living being.]
"W-what...?" His eyes widened. "Am I hallucinating?"
But the pain was too real. His bloodied hands, the throbbing wound, the dagger still quivering in the door—it was all real.
And this book. This cursed book.
It was demanding blood.
A sacrifice.
Leonard's lips trembled. His voice cracked as he raised his hand, pointing at the assassin.
"I... I sacrifice her."
[What is your sacrifice's name?]
"What...?" Leonard muttered, his breath ragged.
The assassin frowned. "What are you babbling about? Should I just speed up your death?" She narrowed her eyes, realizing he was holding... nothing. Or at least, she couldn't see it. "Pfft, figures. Acting stupid again."
She licked the edge of her dagger slowly, eyes glinting. "You know... this whole act of yours—waking up confused, forgetting your own name—it's amusing. A shame, really. You were good in bed, and that handsome face of yours almost makes me hesitate. But a job is a job. And you already know who sent me."
"How the hell should I know?!" Leonard barked, clutching his leg, the pain gnawing through him. His eyes stayed locked on the book that pulsed in his bloody hand.
She scoffed. "Of course you wouldn't know. Nobody in this kingdom cares about you. They all wish you dead. Your son is far more fit to be king."
"...Son?" Leonard muttered, dazed. His lips curled into a bitter smile. "I see. I guess you're right. I'm nothing but a useless king. But..." He lifted his gaze toward her. "Before I die... can't I at least know the name of the beautiful woman who ends my life?"
She hesitated, then smirked cruelly. "What a stupid question. Why should a dead man care? But fine... if it's your last wish. My name is Serena Bell."
"I see..." Leonard's eyes hardened. "Serena Bell... I sacrifice you."
"What—?"
WHOOSH!
The book in his hands pulsed like a living heart. From its pages, a massive, grotesque hand burst out, its skin black and cracked, fingers tipped with claws.
The hand drove straight through Serena's stomach.
"Ughhhk!" She coughed blood, her eyes bulging as she stared down in disbelief. Her dagger slipped from her fingers, clattering to the ground. "W-what's... happening?! What is this?!"
Leonard stared, too stunned to breathe. Then, despite the pain tearing through his body, a twisted laugh escaped him. "Heh... s-serve you right, bitch..."
The monstrous hand split into more fingers—splintering, multiplying—until several clawed arms wrapped around her. They squeezed. Bones cracked like dry branches. Blood sprayed across the floor in hot splashes.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Serena shrieked, her voice raw with agony. Flesh tore, melted, dissolved under the crushing grip. Her body convulsed violently as her skin sloughed away in strips, leaving only gore and viscera behind.
And then—silence.
The blood, the body, the remnants—all vanished into the book as if devoured.
Leonard sat trembling in the quiet room, his hands slick with blood. The book lay in his lap, its cover now bound in chains, its surface glowing faintly with new words carved into its flesh-like leather:
[Book of Authority — Copy]