Chapter 16: Contract

Walking out from a room, was a figure, a young girl, seventeen years of age, with blood-red hair and molten gold eyes that currently appeared dull and swollen. She wore a sleeveless white shirt and black jeans, though the outfit did little to hide the damage beneath.

Jessica walked. No—Jessica limped. Her movements were stiff, pained, the movements of someone who had been thoroughly, systematically, and enthusiastically beaten.

Bandages wrapped around parts of her head. More bandages covered her right arm. Purple bruises peeked out from beneath her clothes, a roadmap of violence that covered most of her body like a macabre painting..

She approached a figure waiting in the hallway, a young woman with jet-black hair cascading past sharp, elegant features. Deep purple eyes carried an almost expressionless face, if not for the impressed gleam hidden within them. A satisfied smile curved the woman’s lips, a smile Jessica had already mentally labeled as the ‘Devil’s Grin’. The woman wore a black sleeveless shirt and black leather jeans, arms crossed as she leaned against the wall with the patience of a predator.

“What took you so long?”

Veins bulged on Jessica’s forehead.

‘What took me so long?! WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG?! You VILE BEING! You DEMON INCARNATE! You—you ALMOST KILLED ME! That’s what took me so long!!’

The internal scream was magnificent in its fury. Outwardly, Jessica said nothing. She simply remembered.

She had been sleeping peacefully. Her prince charming had been dancing with her among the stars. It was perfect. It was magical. It was—

The vilest being in existence had spanked her. Actually spanked. Not metaphorically. She had physically, repeatedly, enthusiastically spanked. With shadow-enhanced hands. While smiling. Smiling like a monster, like this was entertainment, like beating a defenseless girl half to death was her idea of a morning workout.

And that was how Jessica had ended up looking like she’d gone three rounds with a freight train and lost.

She stopped before the shadow lady and forced words through gritted teeth.

“Good… morning.” The growl was barely concealed.

The woman’s smile widened. “Good afternoon, brat.”

She materialized a vial filled with glowing red liquid and tossed it casually to Jessica.

“Here. Drink this. Let’s get going.”

Jessica caught it midair, staring at the vial with deep suspicion. A screen materialized in her vision.

[ITEM]

+

Name: Health Potion

Rank: Junior

Description: Heals wounds

Usability: One-time

+

She stared at the vial. Then brought it to her nose, sniffing delicately. Then held it up to the light, examining it from multiple angles. Then sniffed it again.

All the while, she cast sidelong glances at the shadow lady, glances that were almost unnoticed. Glances that burned with a very specific thought:

‘Not only did you beat me half to death, you also want to poison me with this fraud of a health potion to finish the job. You WICKED WITCH!!’

The shadow lady’s patience, already thin, snapped at the obvious suspicion.

“It’s just a health potion. Hurry up and drink it.”

Jessica’s glare intensified.

The woman sighed, the sound of someone reaching their absolute limit. “Alright.” She began cracking her fingers, shadows coiling around her hands. “It seems you want me to feed it to you, righ—”

The vial was empty.

Jessica stood there, pale-faced, having downed the entire contents in less than a second. She hadn’t even registered moving. Her survival instincts had simply activated.

Warmth spread through her body. The purple bruises receded like tide pulling back from shore. Her arm straightened with an audible pop. The bandages suddenly seemed unnecessary as her body became whole again.

Before she could celebrate her restored existence, the shadow lady spoke.

“Let’s get going.”

Jessica squinted.

‘Wait a minute… Did I even ASK where she’s taking me?’

Her mind raced through possibilities. Sacrifice Dungeon? Execution chamber? Monster arena? All seemed equally plausible from this woman.

She arranged her features into an expression of pure innocence.

“Uhm, Miss… Where the hel—I mean, where are you taking this poor, fragile, innocent soul of mine?”

The shadow lady paused mid-step.

“Oh, right. I almost forgot to tell you.” She turned, her purple eyes glinting with something that might have been amusement. “We’re going to my husband’s workshop. To finalize something.”

‘Something.’

The word was a red flag, a warning siren, a flashing neon sign screaming DANGER AHEAD.

She had a very strong suspicion that “something” meant a contract. A binding, dangerous, probably lethal contract. The kind designed to keep untrustworthy clients in check. The kind that, if broken, resulted in death, or worse.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

‘Good,’ she thought with glee, surprising herself. ‘Let them try. If it’s a contract, I’ll be protected too. I can’t trust them any more than they can trust me.’

Her thoughts churned with dark satisfaction at the prospect.

Then another word registered.

‘Husband?’

She stared at the shadow lady anew. This woman didn’t look much older than Jessica’s current body. Early twenties, maybe. Certainly not old enough to have a husband in her lonely point of view.

“You’re married?” The question slipped out before she could stop it.

The woman frowned. “Why wouldn’t I be?” She continued walking down the stairs, her voice flat. “I’ve been married for more than thirty-five years.”

CRASH!!

The sound came from behind her.

The shadow lady turned to find Jessica sprawled halfway down the stairs, bandages flying everywhere as she stared up with utter disbelief.

“And you’re THIS YOUNG?!” Jessica’s voice was incredulous, almost accusatory.

The woman’s expression shifted from confusion to fury in less than a heartbeat.

“Brat! I’m FIFTY-EIGHT years old!” Her finger stabbed toward the scattered bandages. “And don’t litter those on my floor! Pick them up and put them in the trash, for shadow’s sake!”

*****

Jessica walked calmly out of the house’s exit door, the afternoon light washing over her for the first time since… well, since ever in this new existence. The shadow lady locked the door behind them and immediately began walking through the cobblestone street, nearly forgetting Jessica who was staring blankly at the scene before her.

‘Is this really inside the nightmare realm?’

The question whispered through her confused mind.

The street before her was busy and lively. Humans, actual, walking, talking humans, moved in every direction. Most wore adventurer-style clothing. Others sported armor, some simple leather, some full plate that clanked with each step. Robed figures wove through the crowd, their faces hidden in shadow.

Just as Arafel had told her: every human who entered this nightmare realm averaged [Level 10] and above.