"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
Why did the timing have to be so terrible?!
I'd expected to run into Kael eventually, but wasn't this way too soon? This was probably the part of the story where Kael killed every member of the Ziert organization except Eve.
Killed?
I wouldn't let that happen...!
I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, my breath catching in my throat.
"Lei! Get back!"
I could hear Eve shouting from where I was. The explosion that had just occurred must have been the result of their battle.
Just a little farther...!
The reason I loved this novel wasn't because of its heartwarming romance, but because of Kael's sheer brutality when it came to eliminating his enemies without mercy. In my eyes, he looked incredibly cool whenever he swung his sword. But that didn't mean I condoned his actions!
"Stop! Kael!"
I stopped at a considerable distance from them, but I was certain he could hear me.
"If you kill them, you won't survive the Second Calamity!"
Just as I'd expected, my words seemed to affect him. He stopped his execution.
"Who are you...?!"
Kael's aura changed drastically. His attention shifted entirely toward me.
Oh, my God. He's looking at me! My heart feels like it's about to explode! Oh, heavens. Is this what they call a divine blessing?
Unfortunately, he was standing too far away for me to make out his face clearly.
Kael.
The male protagonist who started out as a terrible person. He trusted no one and killed anyone who stood in his way. Until, eventually, he met the female protagonist, Elena. She was the one who gradually turned him into a 'real' human being. But I wasn't the female protagonist who could melt his heart in an instant. If Kael wanted to, he could kill me right here and now.
"If you want to clear the Second Calamity in the eastern region, you'll need their strength! Especially Eve's poison magic!"
"What...?! How do you know about that magic...?!"
Eve looked utterly shocked. I knew this was sudden, but if I wanted to stop his insane killing spree, I had no choice but to do this. I had to provoke him.
"I can win without their help."
"No. You can't."
Kael fell silent before slowly approaching me. Each step he took carried an overwhelming pressure, and his murderous gaze was enough to send chills down anyone's spine.
[Special Skill 'Reader's Protection' activated!]
I could no longer feel anything, just as when Lei had tried to intimidate me earlier.
"You're no ordinary person. You must be their leader."
Kael drew his sword, its blade already engulfed in flames. Damn it...! Stop trembling, Sohyun.
[Special Skill 'Reader's Protection' activated!]
Kael continued approaching me. Although I couldn't feel anything because of my unique skill, I was certain the pressure he was exerting was immense. I could tell from the small storm swirling around him.
"Kim! Get away from him!" Eve shouted.
Sorry, Eve. But I'm the only one who can tame this man.
"Do you think killing everyone will make it easier for you to clear the Calamities? Not everyone is evil! Stop thinking you can fight all alone!"
Kael finally stopped. He was surprised. I was sure of it.
"You...!"
The flames surrounding his sword grew larger. Kael was getting angrier. He started walking toward me again. This time, the magical pressure he released was even stronger.
Huh...?
[Special Skill 'Reader's Protection' activated!]
Did it fail?! Damn it. I take it back. The only person who can tame him is Elena, the female protagonist.
Kael suddenly disappeared from my sight. I was startled, but only for a split second before he reappeared right in front of me, his hand clamped around my throat.
"You talk too much."
Bastard.
"Kim!"
"Get away from him!"
"Don't come any closer!" I shouted at Eve and Lei, stopping them from approaching.
[Special Skill 'Reader's Protection' activated!]
"Kael, you'll regret it for the rest of your life if you kill me here."
Kael frowned slightly.
"How do you know my name?"
"Of course I know. I know everything about you."
His grip loosened slightly. Was he starting to listen?
"Kael, how about we make a contract?" I asked with a crooked smile.
His grip suddenly tightened.
"Kh...!"
Damn it.
"Why should I make a contract with someone who's about to die?"
Damn... Was he really going to kill me?
"I guarantee this contract won't put you at a disadvantage. If I break it, I'll die. You know about the Temple God's Oath, don't you?"
Kael looked surprised. The Temple Gods were divine entities who maintained the balance of the world. They weren't creator gods or rulers of nature, but rather cosmic judges who ensured that every oath sworn within their domain could not be broken without consequences. They took no sides. They protected the law, not humanity.
Any promise made in the name of the Temple Gods would bind the soul. To break such an oath meant paying for it with one's life.
"What's in this contract?"
Good. Time for the final blow.
"I'll help you clear all the Calamities."
Kael fell silent.
[Kael's current trust in you: 0%]
Seriously? Is this system making fun of me?
Kael was someone who trusted no one. He believed that he alone was capable of overcoming all the Calamities. There was only one reason for that.
Betrayal.
Humans were cunning creatures. When cornered, they would betray even their own comrades just to survive. But what I was offering wasn't some empty promise backed by half-hearted commitment. It was an unbreakable bond.
A divine oath.
After a long silence, Kael sighed and released his grip on my throat. I immediately doubled over, coughing. Damn, that hurt.
"I hope this isn't some pathetic contract."
Kael sheathed his sword. The magical pressure he'd been releasing also vanished. I forced a bitter smile.
"Of course not."
"You've got quite a bit of courage for a woman who doesn't even possess magic."
I was surprised. He was right. I didn't possess a single trace of magic. Yet I'd managed to withstand the immense magical pressure they'd all been releasing. I knew it was thanks to the system's unique skill, but its effects were truly extraordinary.
"Let's just say I'm lucky."
"Lucky, huh?"
His gaze suddenly turned cold again. He was my favorite character, for crying out loud. Did he really have to be this cold toward me?
My heart hurts, you know!
"I suggest we move somewhere more comfortable. I want to make this contract as detailed as possible."
+
[Main Quest has arrived!]
Objective: Convince Kael to join your side
Reward: 20 Points, 5,000 Gold
Penalty: Death
+
Another reason I'd wanted to make a contract with Kael was this main quest. Fortunately, I understood the general mechanics. It was basically like an RPG, complete with various quests that allowed me to increase my stats.
If the reward was points, I could probably use them to raise my stats. And the gold must be used to purchase something.
Items, perhaps?
"You can use this place," Eve said.
By the way, Kael and I had decided to use the main tent. I was sure Eve wasn't particularly fond of Kael's presence, but this couldn't be helped.
"Only the two of us are going inside," Kael said.
"You—!"
"Eve."
I immediately interrupted her and shook my head. Eve's expression hardened before she turned and walked away, leaving us alone.
"Let's go in."
Kael entered the tent, and I followed him inside. He drew his sword and plunged it into the ground. I could sense magic emanating from the blade.
"No one will be able to hear our conversation. Now, speak."
I pulled out a chair and sat down.
"You need to remember something. This contract won't put you at a disadvantage, but it won't put me at one either."
Even without the system, I would still have made a contract with Kael. Because a contract was the only thing that could bind him.
[Kael's current trust in you: 0%]
Haha. Shut up, you damn system.
"I'll help you clear all the Calamities, but I have some conditions."
"Conditions?"
Kael leaned against the table, folding his arms across his chest.
Oh, my God! He looks so handsome in that pose! If only I had a phone, I'd take a hundred pictures!
No. Focus.
"First, you can't kill anyone without my permission. Naturally, I won't put any evil people on your side. Second, you have to help me clear the Calamities, too. I'm not asking you to protect me. The point is that you have to be willing to cooperate."
"Is that all?" Kael raised an eyebrow.
"Of course not. There's one final condition."
I stood up and walked toward him. "Kael, trust me—no, trust this contract."
Kael looked startled, his eyes widening. The one thing Kael lacked was trust. Or perhaps he'd already thrown it away a long time ago. Before the Calamities began, Kael had been a swordmaster. He'd joined the Holy Fortress Knights and fought in several wars.
Unfortunately, he'd been betrayed. That was why he trusted no one and refused to accept anyone as his partner. Of course, that was before he met Elena. And as a devoted reader of the novel and a huge fan of Kael—I couldn't possibly stand by and let my favorite character continue suffering like that.
[Kael's current trust in you: 0.1%]
It went up by 0.1%? Haha. Should I be celebrating?
Kael suddenly pushed himself away from the table and walked out of the tent.
"Kael!"
He stopped briefly and answered without turning around. "I accept the contract."
Huh?
Before I could say anything, he had already vanished from sight. Suddenly, I felt an enormous surge of energy envelop my body. The energy gradually shrank until it took the shape of a necklace that settled around my neck.
I understood. It was the symbol of our contract.
A necklace, huh?
It did look romantic, but if either of us broke the contract, this necklace would immediately decapitate me.
[Main Quest Completed!]
[Rewards Received: 20 Points, 5,000 Gold]
"He even agreed to the contract without telling me his own conditions." I smiled.
[Special Skill Unlocked!]
What?
[You have acquired the skill: 'Character Analysis']