The conditions Souhait created always coincided with someone’s wish. That was how he came up with the ones that matched Arcturus’s wish. He also did the same with Sayaka when she had arrived in the Contract Room.

He thought about Sayaka and how she was a troubled soul that yearned for freedom. When he had spoken of the conditions that came with her wish, she accepted them all without any hesitation. It told him how much she desired for freedom.

When he looked at Kori, he could tell that both Arcturus and Sayaka had influenced Kori in some ways; they all desired for something so strongly and it amazed him. The number of conditions all differed depending on the person. Arcturus had three conditions; Sayaka had two. For Kori, he only had one in mind.

“There is only one condition for your wish. I myself cannot grant immortality. However, with your wish, it could be possible for Arcturus to live on eternally. That condition is to exchange your life for his.”

“How do I do that?” Kori questioned.

“You must save him from death three times. After the third time, your life span will be given to Arcturus. However, when that happens, you will disappear from existence.”

Kori’s eyes widened. Souhait knew it was a cruel condition, but that was what it meant to grant a wish; it was a risk that must be accepted. He knew very well that Arcturus and Sayaka could come to despise him for this in the future; he was ready to accept any form of hatred from them when the time comes.

Souhait noticed how human Kori seemed when he was fretting. He liked the current look on his face, honestly. It was rather cruel of him to think such things.

“Can…can I ask you something?” Kori muttered.

“What is it?”

“What sort of conditions did you give Sayaka when she was here?”

Souhait found that an unusual question, but he knew Kori was curious. Accepting conditions was a careful decision. Normally, giving away personal information was confidential, but he let this one slide because Sayaka had been a part of Kori.

“Sayaka’s wish was to be free. In order to grant that wish, her conditions were to never leave the Spirit Realm and to forget how she died.”

“Why did you give her those conditions?”

“An outside force is taking away passing souls from the Spirit Realm. In order to stop her, I need to find a way to restrict her from doing so. If I can put a condition on a passing soul when I grant their wish, maybe that can be a way to prevent it from happening.”

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“The outside force means the Invader, I presume?”

“Yes. She has been taking souls from the Spirit Realm forcibly and I need to find a way to prevent her from doing so. If I were to put this condition on a passing soul like her, maybe I can stop her schemes.”

“I see…”

Souhait noticed he didn’t ask about her second condition; he assumed Kori already understood why. He wondered if Kori was ready to accept the condition. He wouldn’t mind if Kori wanted more time to think it over.

“Conditions cannot be rescinded?”

“Never. If you want them rescinded, it will cost you your life.”

This was how he wrote his laws of wish granting for this world. Wish granting was the very purpose of his existence. Forming a contract meant that he was giving a part of his existence to the contractor as proof. Rescinding a wish would be the equivalent of rejecting his existence and the power of wishes. That was why he made it so that rescinding would equal a life. He was someone who took rejection harshly.

Kori nodded as he uttered, “I see…” He paused again.

Time did not flow in the Contract Room, so the stillness he saw in Kori could have lasted an hour or so at most. He did not mind.

Kori then spoke up. “I’ll accept the condition.”

“And your reason?”

“I thought about it, and I ultimately came to the conclusion that I won’t regret giving eternal life to Arcturus if given the chance. I was afraid of the fact that my existence would disappear after the third time, but I know that if I stay in Arc’s memories, I’ll live on.”

Kori was telling the truth. He had no fears in him. However, Souhait realized Kori failed to mention one important factor: if his existence disappeared, Arcturus would no longer remember him. Believing his friend would still remember him despite that made Souhait find it admirable; he also envied it too. Kori was willing to die for someone he cherished despite living for around four years. In Souhait’s eyes, he was very human.

“Very well.”

Souhait used a talon to cut into a portion of skin in between the scales on his tail. He then lifted it so that it was directly under Kori. Since Kori could not drink, he found an alternative. “Kori, gather your hands together.”

Kori did as he was told. A drop of lavender blood fell onto Kori’s hands. It quickly absorbed itself into the skin. He suddenly started to shake erratically, as if he was malfunctioning. A snowflake tattoo emerged on his left lop ear, where his earring used to be once he calmed down.

Kori fell back on the chair and stood up while staggered. “What just happened?”

“Our contract has been formed. The proof is in your left ear.”

Kori stretched his left ear to see the proof. Souhait held back a chuckle because he found the sight rather cute. He then eyed the door behind Kori that changed from a lavender hue to a white one.

“Open that door behind you. Return to your realm. Observe Arcturus and do what you must to save him from death three times.” Kori turned around to see the door. He looked back at Souhait, nodded and then stood up. Without looking back, he opened the door, entered and closed it.

Souhait was alone now. He took a deep breath. He felt a small force within him growing.

“Kori, thank you for allowing me to grant your wish.”