Chapter 9: Contract of Fate

‘When will she come?’

It was the third day since I finished organizing the store.

The haphazardly piled dolls had been neatly arranged in the display case, each posed properly.

The cheap dolls were all stuffed into the workshop.

‘How awkward would it be if she felt uncomfortable seeing those?’

Only the highest-quality, most expensive dolls were left on display.

With that, the cramped shop felt more spacious.

In the newly cleared space, I placed a table for customer service, even splurged on a magic-enhanced chair.

Everything was perfect—except for the lack of customers.

The so-called guest had not shown up, though random people did wander in occasionally, just the usual riffraff.

Sitting behind the reception desk, I pulled out a book: Circuit Installation Made Easy for Three-Year-Old Wizards.

It was a comprehensive guide to doll-making, reportedly created and distributed by a legendary dollmaker from ancient times! I’d picked it up from the underground market yesterday.

The seller had no idea of its worth, allowing me to snag it at a bargain.

I wasn’t sure if it was genuine, but the knowledge it contained certainly was.

I had been so excited that I stayed up all night reading it.

Each page was filled with new revelations: designs for various dolls, methods for configuring optimal circuits, and techniques for efficiently storing magic.

Once I mastered all this, my magic would undoubtedly soar to new heights.

I was absorbed in the book, wrestling with its contents, when suddenly, the shop door opened.

***

“Hmm?”

None of the dolls I’d stationed around the shop to act as sentries had signaled any intrusion.

If someone bypassed my surveillance system, it could only mean they were on a higher level than me.

Setting the book aside, I straightened my posture.

The one who entered was a petite girl, barely reaching my waist.

Her long, golden hair gleamed as if spun from sunlight, and her emerald eyes sparkled like jewels.

She was an exceptionally lovely and adorable young girl.

But my insides churned with unease.

Beneath that cute exterior was a terrifying amount of magic power.

She was none other than Irien, the wizard and adventurer who had annihilated an entire drug syndicate in a single night three years ago.

“Welcome!”

I greeted her crisply, quickly moving to her side.

“Lady Irien, it’s been a while. Please, come this way.”

I guided her to the customer table.

She followed me, glancing around as she walked.

After seating her in the magic chair, I manipulated my mana to awaken the heart of a hospitality doll.

The doll skillfully served tea and snacks.

She began munching on the treats.

“Oh, these are delicious.”

“Of course,” I thought bitterly.

‘Those cost a mana stone for just ten pieces. They’re delicacies crafted by a dedicated mage to aid mana circulation.’

I hadn’t dared to eat one myself—they were too precious.

‘I should’ve tried at least one,’ I regretted silently, forcing a smile while rubbing my hands together beside her.

“Thank you for visiting, Lady Irien. If I’d known you were coming, I would’ve prepared something even better. I apologize for offering such meager refreshments.”

“It’s fine. This will do for next time, too.”

For a moment, my smile nearly cracked.

‘Next time? Damn it, I’ll have to stock up more.’ I bowed my head gratefully.

“May I ask how your recent expedition went?”

She often liked to boast about her exploration results whenever she visited.

‘She must enjoy showing off. If she’s going to brag anyway, I might as well ask and earn some points.’

“Yes, it was a success.”

She grinned smugly as her mana abruptly tore through the air, pulling a small bell out of a rift.

I swallowed hard.

I hadn’t sensed anything until the bell suddenly appeared before me.

It radiated immense, murderous energy, clearly no ordinary item.

“This is the result of my latest expedition. It’s full of captured monsters.”

“Congratulations!”

I clapped vigorously, along with the hospitality doll.

My enthusiastic applause seemed to please her, as she smiled contentedly.

“By the way, what about the dolls I sent you?”

“Oh, the dolls? They’re all broken.”

“Her magic flowed back into the spatial rift, retrieving what appeared to be the remnants of the dolls.”

“Sneaking glances, I saw there wasn’t a single intact part—everything was in ruins.”

“Sighing inwardly, I summoned cleaning dolls to collect the debris.”

“I’ll do my best to make the next dolls more durable.”

“Yes, put in more effort.”

She nodded firmly, her bluntness startling.

‘The dolls I sold weren’t designed for combat. ‘

‘None of them were.’

‘They were meant purely for user convenience.’

‘How could they have ended up like this?’

“May I ask what brings you here today?”

She was still munching on snacks as I asked.

‘She’s here to buy dolls, right?’

I eagerly infused magic into the prepared dolls, ready to demonstrate their features.

‘Once she sees their performance, she won’t be able to leave without buying something!’

I waited for her to ask about the dolls.

But instead, she stared at me silently while continuing to eat.

‘What is this?’

A cold sweat ran down my back.

‘Is she not here to buy dolls?’

Finally, she spoke.

“You failed your university entrance exam this year, didn’t you?”

Gulp. The unexpected question threw me off. Quickly recovering, I replied.

“Yes, I failed because I was lacking.”

I watched her expression closely.

‘Why is she bringing this up?’

“Yes, and the dolls you provided last time were subpar, too. They’re far from what’s needed to get into a university.”

I shut my eyes tightly, unable to understand her intentions.

‘What did I do wrong? Should I run away?’ My mind raced with thoughts.

She continued to stare at me in silence.

Unable to bear her gaze, I lowered my head to the floor.

After a long pause, she crossed her arms and spoke.

“You might just be suitable, after all.”

My ears perked up at her cryptic words.

‘What does she mean by that? Suitable for what?’

“Here, take this.”

She pulled out a stack of documents from the rift and handed them to me.

Cautiously, I took it and began reading.

It contained detailed information about me—my life over the past twenty years, including events on this island.

My face turned pale.

‘Who the hell investigated me?’

“Someone who raises five swords gave this to me. The strongest person here.”

‘That bastard!’

“Evan, I’ll never forgive you!” I shook with rage.

“I needed someone to use for an upcoming matter, and I was going to ask him. But he’s already attended university. Such a shame. Then he recommended you and handed me this. Your dolls are crude but interesting enough. I’ll take you instead.”

‘Damn him! He said he’d send me a recommendation, but I never imagined he’d go so far as to hand over all my information. That swordsman used me as a sacrificial pawn!’

‘Take me for what?’ I struggled to maintain a smile, though my lips trembled slightly.

“I don’t see how someone like me could be of any help to you, Lady Irien.”

I spoke hastily.

She ignored me, picking up another snack and popping it into her mouth.

“You won’t be much help,” she said.

“But all the better candidates have already gotten into university.”

Critical hit! Her sudden verbal attack left me reeling.

“It’s easier to use someone desperate like you. Plus, your dolls are amusing. I haven’t seen anything like them, even at the university.”

Fear consumed me as her words sank in.

But something caught my attention.

University? I looked at her with trembling eyes.

Now that I thought about it, her constant mentions of the university seemed significant.

“Are you affiliated with a university?”

I had thought she was just a wandering mage.

She tilted her head slightly.

“Didn’t I mention? I’m a professor.”

A university professor! Not even a student—a professor.

She was someone truly extraordinary.

It suddenly made sense why she kept calling my dolls crude.

From her perspective, as a professor, they were likely no better than garbage.

But why would a university professor keep buying my dolls? I couldn’t make sense of it.

More importantly, she had said she needed me.

A university professor needed me.

‘Could it be?’

“Are you saying you’d help me get into university?”

“Exactly.”

She nodded while sipping her tea.

University! For someone like me, who hadn’t even gotten close to a university in the past ten years, it was like a dream come true.

“How long until the next entrance exam?”

She asked. I quickly calculated. Two months had passed since the last exam, leaving about ten months to prepare.

Hearing this, she pulled out a piece of paper.

“What’s your name?”

“Evron.”

“Alright. I, Irien, will teach Evron and ensure he gets into university. In return, Evron will serve Irien at the university until his graduation. This agreement remains in effect until Evron completes his studies.”

Her magic enveloped the paper, forming words.

The glowing text mirrored exactly what she had just said.

It was a contract. Nervously, I swallowed hard.

In my life, I had encountered many contracts.

The first one was with Ojo, which bound him to his clan for 200 years.

Since then, I had seen countless contracts.

I’d even signed a few myself.

Those experiences had taught me one unshakable rule:

Never enter a contract lightly, no matter how tempting the reward.

But this was about university.

The glowing words on the contract were crystal clear.

It promised what I had dreamed of my entire life, what I had failed to achieve for the past decade.

It offered to make that dream a reality.

I couldn’t stay rational in the face of such an unexpected situation.

‘What should I do? What could I do? Or rather, what exactly was happening?’

I stared blankly at the contract.

It was an alluring offer.

But I didn’t truly know this person.

Serving her might end up being a nightmare, like what happened to Ojo.

I opened my mouth to refuse.

But at that moment, my hand moved on its own and infused the contract with my magic.

What?

That wasn’t me!

Panicking, I checked my body.

The sapling in my chest was acting up.

It had used a technique called “Magical Deep Breath,” taking partial root control of my body.

My tree had betrayed me!

I tried to withdraw my magic, but it was too late.

The contract, now balanced with my full consent, was complete.

Irien smiled in satisfaction and tore the contract.

The magic forming the contract dispersed, embedding itself into our wrists.

[Upon successfully entering university under Irien’s tutelage, Evron agrees to serve Irien until his graduation.]

The contract was sealed.

Breaking it would mean the tree in my chest would rot away.

‘What just happened?’

I interrogated the tree, but it merely sucked up more magic as if nothing had happened.

Its nonchalant demeanor infuriated me. ‘Why had it done this?’

Suddenly, I understood.

‘Could it be that the tree believed I would never get into university on my own?’

I collapsed onto the floor.

Even my own tree didn’t have faith in me.

‘Was my talent truly that unimpressive?’

“Interesting. I didn’t expect your tree to seal the deal for you.”

Irien stared at my chest with curiosity.

I could no longer hide my expression and looked at her with a deeply distressed face.

“Alright, the contract is done. Starting tomorrow, I’ll begin your lessons.”

She sipped her tea leisurely.

“I’ll be staying here until the next exam, so prepare a room for me. Immediately.”

Her words were like a bolt from the blue.

I stared at her, dumbfounded.

I had just planned to sell a few dolls and make some money.

Now, in the blink of an eye, I had signed a bizarre contract and was on the verge of losing my house.

But I couldn’t protest.

A contract required mutual agreement, even if my tree had acted on my behalf.

Finishing her tea, she frowned slightly.

“What are you doing? Get moving already.”

At the same time, her magic growled ominously.

I snapped out of my daze.

Whatever the case, what’s done is done.

Regardless of the hidden terms, one thing was clear: this person was a university professor, and she was going to get me into university.

I had to do my best to accommodate her.

“Yes! I’ll start cleaning right away!”

I got up and awakened the dolls I had prepared in advance.

I’d intended to sell them, but now they would be used for cleaning.

I needed to create a space that would satisfy the professor as quickly as possible.