Became the Unjust Contract Slave of the Archamage’s Book

Binaeril took the bait once again.

The operation was scheduled for three days after the second raid. After observing for a few days, it was clear that Yunnaeril had been changing the location of his entire forces daily, as if on patrol. This was a reasonable choice, given that he couldn’t predict where Elfenbine’s mages would strike next.

“Can you feel it?”

“Clearly.”

This operation was possible thanks to Veritas sensing the location of Starfall. Veritas’s range of detection was much wider than that of Starfall. Binaeril intentionally stayed close to Starfall, ready to reveal himself as soon as the raiding party was prepared. If Yunnaeril pursued Binaeril, the raiding party on the opposite side would emerge and attack. If Yunnaeril ignored Binaeril, that was fine too—they would simply attack directly until Yunnaeril showed up. No matter what Yunnaeril chose, it was checkmate. The situation unfolded because, out of tens of thousands of soldiers, only one person could stand against Binaeril.

Shhh—.

A light rain began to fall, and a faint mist started to form. It was the perfect environment for an ambush. Elfenbine had even accounted for the weather in their plan. Though they couldn’t control the weather at will, they could at least hasten the impending rain.

“Ready.”

The signal was relayed. It was Binaeril’s turn. He immediately rushed toward the vicinity of the Church’s forces.

“He’s moving.”

A response from Starfall came almost immediately. Through the streaks of rain, a glimpse of dazzling starlight could be seen now and then. The rain grew heavier, making it hard even for Binaeril to discern Yunnaeril. But something was off. The flickering light of Starfall seemed to waver aimlessly.

“Did he not recognize me?”

Could the pouring rain have obscured Veritas’s presence? Impossible. During the last raid, Yunnaeril had recognized Binaeril instantly and charged, but now he seemed to stagger, as if drunk. When Binaeril saw the silhouette emerging from the thick mist, he realized it wasn’t Yunnaeril.

The man wearing a mask had an oddly familiar air about him. With a single leap, he closed several meters of distance, approaching Binaeril. It was definitely not Yunnaeril. He was slower than Yunnaeril and… there was something unsettlingly unnatural about him, as if he wasn’t quite alive.

There was still some distance between them. Binaeril needed to inform the raiding party that Yunnaeril wasn’t here.

[Be careful over there…]

Thwack!

Binaeril barely dodged the slash of Starfall’s sword energy, startled.

“He can wield Starfall?”

Even Antero, who had been a Paladin, couldn’t fully harness the power of Starfall.

“Is he another Paladin?”

There was something familiar about the way he wielded Starfall. As Binaeril focused on identifying his opponent, the masked man drew closer.

‘Damn!’

Mechanically, Binaeril dodged another strike of the elongated Starfall sword energy.

‘Definitely familiar.’

But that wasn’t the most important thing right now. Binaeril had to shake off the man in the mask and quickly inform the raiding party. He fired a Magic Bullet toward the man’s head—not to kill, but to create some distance. Yet, the man didn’t retreat. Like a soulless puppet, he made no attempt to defend himself as the Magic Bullet shot straight toward his face.

The bullet struck the man, shattering his mask. His head snapped back, but slowly lowered again. Binaeril met his gaze.

“…Sir Callisto!”

Their eyes met, but their gazes did not align. Callisto, with unfocused and cloudy eyes, swung his sword at Binaeril once more.

“Sir Callisto!”

Binaeril dodged Starfall’s attack in a panic. “What happened to you?!”

They had promised to meet again. He had vowed that when they met again, he would finally avenge their fallen comrades.

“Sir Callisto!!”

But Callisto remained silent. Like a corpse, his dead eyes only moved to swing his sword. Starfall and Yunnaeril had undoubtedly done something to him—something that should never have been done.

Callisto’s assault intensified. Binaeril had never wanted to reunite like this. Unable to muster the will to counterattack, he called out Callisto’s name several more times. But more urgent than Callisto’s unanswered cries was the situation at hand. If Yunnaeril’s plan was to use Starfall as bait to lure out Binaeril, then the raiding party on the opposite side was in danger.

“Sir Callisto, I’m sorry!”

Binaeril fired his Magic Bullet with all his might, attempting to push Callisto away.

“Heh heh heh…! Foolish attempt!”

But there was another force that wouldn’t let him escape so easily. The radiant glow of Starfall’s sword energy began to lose its color, replaced by a dark and heavy mana, darker than the blackest night. Starfall’s magic effortlessly devoured Binaeril’s Magic Bullet.

“This will be your grave, little one!”

[Binaeril, we’re ready on this end.]

Priya relayed the status of the raiding party to Binaeril and awaited his response.

[Binaeril? How’s it going on your side?]

Still, there was no answer.

‘What do I do?’

She realized something was wrong, but she couldn’t order the raiding party to retreat just yet.

Shhh—.

Heavy rain pounded down. The Church’s camp remained silent. It seemed they were still unaware that Elfenbine’s mages were preparing an unprecedented raid within the mist.

[What do I do?]

Priya consulted with the other mages, but ultimately, the decision was hers.

[We will proceed with the operation.]

Just as the Church’s army was staking everything on their final stand, so too had Elfenbine committed much to this attack. It was difficult to consider retreating now.

‘We’ll retreat once the Paladins start gathering.’

[Everyone, ready.]

The wide-area spells they had prepared over the past few days were ready to be cast at her command.

[Fire!]

A burst of colorful magic erupted, filling the raiding party’s view. The spells were unleashed, hurtling toward the unsuspecting and silent Church army.

It felt as if the barracks would catch fire at any moment, engulfing everyone in a fiery blaze.

But everything was eerily silent. Apart from the sound of the pouring rain, there was nothing—an uncanny stillness. The mages sensed that something was amiss. The barrage of spells they had unleashed seemed to vanish into the air as if oxidizing.

“What the…?”

[What just happened? Fire again!]

This time, it wasn’t Priya who spoke. Someone else gave the order, and the mages unleashed their prepared spells once more. But the result was the same. The raiding party’s magic disappeared, leaving behind only a ripple in space, as if sinking into water.

In that moment, Priya realized the truth.

‘That’s the power of the Fragment.’

It was the unique ability of the artifact she once possessed—the “Earrings of Clarity.” Only she knew its true nature. It was an item that had been taken by Yunnaeril.

[Everyone, stop! Cease your magic!]

Priya’s desperate cry spread through the raiding party, who had already sensed something was wrong and halted their attack. The scenery before them began to unfold.

The Earrings of Clarity had the power to block a plane of space, nullifying any magic from outside. Moreover, it could overlay an illusion to deceive the senses. Priya had forgotten that Yunnaeril possessed such a power until this very moment.

As the illusion unraveled, the scene revealed an armed army watching the mages intently. Standing at the forefront was the commander of the army, Binaeril Dalheim.

“I knew you’d target this place, Priya, and the mages of Elfenbine.”

Even amidst the roaring rain, Yunnaeril’s voice was clear.

“Finally… I’ve got you!”

Behind Yunnaeril, five Paladins had gathered. Priya realized they had fallen into a perfect trap. The moment communication with Binaeril was cut off, she should have recognized the situation and retreated.

The soldiers’ furious gazes locked onto each mage, one by one.

[Retreat, retreat!]

“No chance.”

“Aargh!”

A scream rang out from behind the mages. One of the rearmost mages looked down at his chest in disbelief, blood trickling from his mouth. A dagger, sharp as an awl, had pierced through his chest.

Silently, Scylla and his special forces had approached, encircling the mages from the rear.

“This will be your grave.”

“All troops, kill the mages of Elfenbine!”

The soldiers, driven by rage, surged forward.

“Get out of my way! I’ll take at least ten of their heads!”

Paladin Pascal charged, his eyes bloodshot with fury.

“Retreat!”

“There are enemies behind us too! We can’t escape!”

“Break through!”

The mages desperately cast spells at the soldiers blocking their retreat, but they too knew this could be their final battle. A tug-of-war ensued between those trying to break through and those determined to hold the line.

And time was not on Elfenbine’s side.

The sounds from all directions were those of the mages being overwhelmed.

[Binaeril! Where are you, Binaeril!]

Priya continued to call for Binaeril as she struggled to push back the soldiers blocking her path, but there was no response. Sparks flew before Priya’s eyes as she called out for him. Yunnaeril had somehow closed the distance and was now right in front of her.

“Step aside, woman!” Inyakan shoved Priya out of the way and intercepted Yunnaeril’s sword. There was a glint in Yunnaeril’s eyes, a flash of surprise. The recoil from the clash was not to be underestimated.

“Get a grip! If we succumb to fear, we’re done for! Focus on breaking through the retreat route!”

Annihilation.

The remaining mages all sensed it—their impending doom. Yunnaeril was no fool. Just as Binaeril had feared, they had prepared one final, decisive move.

“Think about getting at least one person out alive! KSHTAL YA!!”

Inyakan shouted, trying to snap the panic-stricken mages back to their senses as he continued to engage Yunnaeril.

“Who are you?”

“I’ve been waiting to meet you. I am the father of the family you slaughtered.”

“Are you a warrior of Inya? They should all be buried in the ground by now.”

“As long as I live, Inya will never die!”

Inyakan fought Yunnaeril to a standstill, matching him blow for blow. But the overall battle was a disaster. The mages were falling one by one to the swords of the Paladins. Those who were desperately trying to carve out an escape route were being picked off by Scylla’s ambushes, their numbers dwindling rapidly.

“Hold the line!”

Both sides, fueled by desperation, clashed fiercely, locking the battlefield in a deadly stalemate. Amid the chaos of spears, swords, magic, and divine power colliding in the fray—

Bwoooo—

A horn blast echoed across the battlefield.

“…What is that!”

The torrential rain had drastically reduced visibility.

Bwoooo!

The horn blared again, continuously.

“Where is that sound coming from?”

It wasn’t from the Church. Nor was it a signal from Elfenbine.

Bwooooo!!

“Protect the mages! Crush those Church scum!!”

Voices shouted, many voices.

It wasn’t the Church. It wasn’t Elfenbine’s mages. A third force was approaching the battlefield.

“I have arrived, you Church bastards! It’s Duke Torben Dux!”

The Duke of Dux had returned to the battlefield after ensuring the evacuation of his people.