World Boss? No Thanks! Vol 2 C23: The Curse in the Agreement
"So the deal is done then? O Dragon." Asked Flanrida while grasping the Abyssal Contract in his hands.
"Mhm, as long as you're fine with it." I nodded my head.
"Mhm, like we discussed before, the Wanderer's Abode will do their best to guarantee the safety of you and Slime-chan. However…" Flanrida pointed at me and in solemn voice, said: "You aren't allowed to attack us or the town."
"But what if someone from the town bullies Slime-chan?"
Exactly who the heck would even try and bully you two, were they itching to die or something? Were Flanrida's thoughts at the moment. After all, who was bored enough to cause trouble for a tiny abyss dragon and a slime that was at least as powerful as a Second-grade life form?
"If someone tries to start something, we'll handle it for you." Naturally, that offer only applied if someone else tried to start trouble. From his phrasing, it was pretty clear that he didn't intend to interfere if I started something instead. That crafty guild leader wasn't foolish enough to bring trouble unto himself for no reason after all.
"Alright, that's fine then." As I said that, I secretly chuckled to myself. 'Looks like I got myself a free helper in the town.'
"In that case, we shouldn't waste anymore time and sign the contract!" Flanrida stuck out a piece of paper before me that was pitch black and sticky.
"Hmmm…" I eyed the paper.
"If you don't mind me saying, exactly what the heck is that?!" Somehow I got the feeling that if I were to look at that paper any longer, my eyes would get messed up as well.
"This is the contract I mentioned before…" Flanrida averted his eyes as he said that.
'Is he messing with me here? How is that disgusting piece of paper supposed to be a contract?!'
"I dare you to look me in my handsome dragon eyes and say that again!" Even though I knew that he couldn't lie while under the effects of [Soul Link], I just had to make sure.
"That's the contract." Flanrida replied, awkwardly looking me right in the eyes as he did so.
'Jeebus, looks like he isn't kidding.'
"Fine, I'll sign it, so...how do I sign it?" I sighed in resignation.
"Simple." He placed the contract on large piece of rock nearby and with a splat, lowered his palm onto it.
"The contract will only take effect once both parties agree to its contents. So, just place your hand on it to show consent."
'You're kidding me?! On that gooey piece of scrap paper? Ah...my heart can't take much more of this...the perpetrator seems rather calm though, I guess that thing really is the contract.'
'Bravo, my friend, well played.'
'Sigh, makes me sad just thinking about what I'm about to do…'
With a head full of apprehension and disgust in my heart, I gritted down on my dragon teeth and slapped my claws on that contract.
The moment I did so, the contract let forth an audible click as if some kind of mechanism had been triggered. The stain on the contract disappeared in an instant as if it had never existed at all. The once pitch-black paper now turned into a somewhat torn but perfectly clean piece of paper.
At the same time, I felt something gooey sensation crawl my arm. It was then that I realized that the sticky junk was most likely the curse Flanrida mentioned.
However, all I could think of then was: 'That thing isn't bad for me, is it?!'
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