Whoops

I FUCKED UP.

Big time, and I’m not talking about Cerys or any of the girls.

It’s about Aesarith, the Goddess of Contracts.

“What do you mean you used a fake name?” asked Amelia, aghast.

“My name isn’t John Doe,” I confessed. “Back when we met, I was being cautious and gave you a fake one, and it kinda stuck.”

“Why in the world didn’t you mention it before!?” she exclaimed.

“I never used my real name back home!” I argued. “Everyone called me some nickname or another, so it slipped my mind!”

“Faydan preserve us…” Amelia muttered. “Aesarith will have our heads for this.”

“How bad is it, Cerys?” I asked, turning to her.

“Well, the deal went through without any of us getting smote,” she answered, a hint of nervousness slipping through her façade of composure. “Had you truly offended Lady Aesarith, she would’ve punished you on the spot.”

“I doubt she’s angry,” Xana chimed in. “We all got magic from John, which was part of the contract. She wouldn’t have allowed otherwise, would she?”

“That’s impossible,” Amelia replied. “Gods play by the rules, more so than any mortal. Especially Lady Aesarith, given the nature of her domain. Being dishonest, with her of all deities, is utterly unacceptable. Even she couldn’t overlook it.”

“But nothing is obviously wrong with us,” Xana noted. “Cerys, can you check?”

“Yes,” Cerys replied. “John, stay still for a moment. I’ll examine you.”

“Oh boy,” I said, hoping and praying for the best. If she decides to mete out punishment, I’m the one most likely to be affected, given I’m the one who lied to her.

I gulped with anxiety, and Cerys placed her hands on my shoulders, pouring a gentle stream of mana into me. It circulated through my body, permeating every nook and cranny as Cerys meticulously scanned for anomalies.

Finally, she let out a sigh of relief.

“She went easy on you,” she concluded, letting go of me.

Whew.

“What did she do?” Amelia asked with a stern face.

“She revised the contract,” Cerys replied. “Most of the terms remained intact, but she revoked the clause about having us serve John. In other words, we get to benefit from each other’s power, but without any binding obligations to him.”

“That’s… surprisingly lax,” I noted. Of all the things she could’ve done to me, the Goddess gave me a slap in the wrist.

“It’s terrible!” Amelia disagreed.

“How come?” I asked. I don’t see anything wrong, to be honest.

“It breaks the terms we agreed to,” Amelia replied. “The contract is lopsided in our favor if we keep it like this; that’s why I added the clause to guard you.”

Back when we were discussing the terms of the contract, Amelia wouldn’t yield about including a security guarantee. She said her honor wouldn’t allow her to accept power from me without an oath of protection in return, and try as I may, I couldn’t dissuade her. Then lo and behold, Aesarith removed the clause anyway.

“It’s fine,” I said, trying to assure Amelia.

“It’s not,” she insisted. “Let’s reforge the contract, Cerys. Properly, this time.”

“No, not a chance,” I stepped in. “I don’t want to face Lady Aesarith again, right after pissing her off. She was generous enough to let me off the hook, so I’ll take the deal as it is and call it a day. I like it better like this, anyway.”

“You’ve given us too much power, John,” Amelia argued. “I can’t take it like this.”

“Amelia, look,” I started. “I understand you want to give me a guarantee that you’ll stick by my side. That’s how it’s done in the military, and I get it. But we don’t have to form a contract with a Goddess for that. You’ve given me your word, as a friend and as a party member, and that’s all I need. I trust you.”

Amelia fell silent, taken aback.

It seems she wants to protest, but can’t find the right words.

“You’re more reliable than you give yourself credit for,” I added. “You’re the one who looks after the rest of us the most, without pause and without question. So if you say you’ve got my back, I believe it. And I’ll be right here, next to you too.”

Amelia’s face was conflicted. Her cheeks were flushed, and she didn’t make eye contact with me. Rather, she shuffled her hands restlessly.

“I need a moment,” she finally said, before taking her leave. She’s still in turmoil, but I’m positive she’ll come to accept the contract as it is. It’s for the best, too.

“Her heart was throbbing,” Xana said impishly, the moment Amelia was gone. “You’re a heartbreaker, John. I never thought I’d see her, of all people, so lovestruck.”

“It’s not love,” I denied. “She’s not used to praise, I think.”

“Loyalty is a given, both in the Guild and in service to the Crown,” Cerys noted. “Amelia is used to demonstrating her fealty through oaths and pledges, so it must’ve been surprising to see you turn down the contract, in favor of her word alone.”

“We’re polar opposites in that regard,” I said. “I’m more the type to make a deal over a good drink and a handshake. This whole thing with Aesarith was alien to me.”

“Welcome to Krysterios,” Cerys replied, smiling. “Having said that, Xana might be right. Don’t be surprised if Amelia warms up to you at some point.”

“Like you did?” I asked, the kiss she gave me earlier still fresh on my mind.

“Exactly,” she replied, leaning closer.

“She’ll have to get in line, though,” Xana added, cozying up to me.

I get the feeling we’ll get impertinent if things keep going down this road, so…

“Say, how about we try out the contract?” I proposed. “We’ve got plenty of stuff to experiment with, and I don’t want Amelia to murder us when she returns.”

“Fufu, you’re right,” Xana replied. “She might get jealous.”

“Shame,” Cerys said with a suggestive look. “Xana got ahead of me last night, so I was planning to compensate.”

Gulp.

“Let’s stick to training for now,” I replied. “I like my head where it is.”

I shudder to think what Amelia would do if she returned to find a spectacle in the basement. I’ll have to pass for now.

“Magic it is, then!” Xana replied with enthusiasm. It took her a few years, but she has finally become a spellcaster, and she looks about ready to make the best of it.