Published: July 26, 2025
Because of the contract magic I wished for stability with, I hope no one ends up dying.
Benno’s words filled me with fear. All I wanted was occupational stability for Lutz and myself—I never intended to harm anyone.
Shaking all over, I went home with Lutz. My stomach felt heavy and dizzy, as if I’d swallowed lead.
“Don’t worry so much. Your husband will handle it somehow,” Lutz comforted me.
I nodded as we walked home, but the thought of a stranger suddenly dying or being punished made me unbearably anxious. My stomach ached sharply.
What scared me most was the idea of innocent people getting caught up in this.
Honestly, I wanted to just hide inside, but Lutz half-forced me outside, saying, “If you stay still, you’ll just think strange things.” I could only wait impatiently for news from Benno as we made paper or went to the forest.
Yet, after several days, even when passing through the gate on our way to the forest, Otto said nothing. I heard no news of suspicious deaths. Everything around me was as normal as ever.
After a few more days, my fear began to shift into distrust toward Benno. Did people really die? Or was Benno exaggerating?
I thought this over, recalling his words, expressions, and behavior.
“…Come to think of it, doesn’t it seem strange?”
“What do you mean?”
Lutz, tilting the papermaking screen as he made Forin Paper, frowned at my words. After stacking the sheets of paper on the paper bed, I turned to him.
“It’s the part about the contract magic affecting even those who don’t know about it.”
“Why? It’s magic, so why would that be strange?”
Lutz said casually as he came over to stack his finished sheets, so I started making paper myself.
“For me, the idea that it’s not strange because it’s magic is what’s strange. If contract magic was applied to basic techniques or common products, there would be damage all over the place, right? Even if contract magic was used in distant towns, we wouldn’t notice here…”
“Hmm, that’s true.”
I thought as I made paper. If contract magic had a patent-like system, there’d have to be a place managing it, like a patent office. Everyone should be informed what contract magic is attached to which product; otherwise, it’s far too dangerous.
“I think contract magic must have limits on range or conditions that we don’t know about. Also, if it’s such dangerous magic, wouldn’t there be stricter enforcement?”
“You’re hinting at many things, but in the end, what exactly is bothering you, Myne?”
“Bothering me...”
I involuntarily stopped my work at Lutz’s words. He took my papermaking screen from the side and started making paper himself.
“Myne talks fast when she’s trying to hide her feelings.”
Lutz lifted his chin slightly and urged me, “I can’t tell if you hold it in. Just let it all out.”
“…I’m scared that people who don’t know about contract magic might get caught up in danger. I want to believe Benno is joking or lying. No one’s in danger now, right? He was just trying to scare us… I want to believe that.”
“Well, it’d be better if it was just a joke, but why? What would Benno gain by deceiving us?”
“Ugh... We’ve been fooled so many times before. I feel like Benno is tricking us again, hiding things, or testing us.”
As I was about to say he was distancing us to do something, a familiar voice sounded from behind.
“Oh? Benno isn’t as trusted by Myne-chan as I thought, huh?”
Surprised to hear a voice from the empty warehouse, Lutz and I whipped around.
“Otto-san!?”
“What are you doing here!?”
Dressed casually, Otto raised one eyebrow playfully, waving his hand.
“I came to deliver a message from Benno, of course.”
“A message!?”
I had been told Benno would contact us through Otto, but I expected a quiet message at the gate, not him showing up here in the warehouse.
“It’s finally over.”
That vague message told me nothing. My stomach ached from the scant information, and I grabbed Otto, demanding more.