"Are you able to reverse engineer it?" Micah asked as he ran his finger over the human dummy on which Claude Noir's tattoo was imprinted.

Tavonneth regarded him with a steady, unassuming gaze. "By reverse engineering, you mean…?" she let the question hang in the air.

"I want to create a runic tattoo with a similar magical encryption," Micah clarified. "One that can be transferred between lives and dimensions."

The room fell quiet.

"I'm afraid that's in the realm of the hypothetical," Tavonneth replied after a moment. "I managed to replicate the tattoos but didn't detect any magical encryption. I looked."

Micah sighed and released the mannequin. "No matter."

"We'll find a way," I offered.

"Indeed," Micah said with a faint, almost consoling smile. "At least the information is here."

Tsk.

I glanced over the intricate black print on the mannequin.

Yes, the tattoos were there but still needed to be deciphered. We hadn't yet uncovered anything.

"Shall we move on to the third matter?" Tavonneth suggested.

"Yes," I said, gazing out the window at the sunny, beautiful day that was going by faster than I would have wanted.

I still need to hatch Leona, introduce myself to Sarka and Leo, and head out toward my grandmother's villa.

"Yes, let's move on," Micah echoed. He grabbed a large linen cloth and tossed it over the mannequin, concealing it from view.

He opened his office door and called, "Gerald, tell Louis to bring the snake. And have some food and tea brought over."

"Right away, young master Micah," Gerald responded.

A short while later, the three of us were joined by Apophis, who remained securely locked in his cage. The snake hissed and slithered, its gaze fixed on Tavonneth, though it seemed more curious than communicative.

"So this is the snake in question?" Tavonneth asked, her expression lacking any emotions. I expected a request for a promise tattoo between a human and a snake to elicit some surprise, but she appeared entirely unfazed.

I wonder what, if anything, could shock this elderly mage.

"Yes, this is Apophis," I introduced the snake.

"Mmhmm. I'm ready to begin when you are," Tavonneth said, motioning toward the large table where she had laid out parchment and inks.

I carefully placed Apophis' cage beside her, and Micah took up a position across the table, arms crossed.

"We'll go over the contract details first," Tavonneth explained. "Then I'll draft the promise tattoo based on your needs and run a test to ensure there are no errors. If it passes inspection without issues, I'll transfer it to Luca Frey and Apophis."

"Understood," I said.

Tavonneth dipped her quill into the black ink, the tip hovering just above the parchment as she turned to us. "Before we proceed, let's ensure we're all clear on the terms of what is required for a quality promise tattoo. The contract needs to be exact, or the magic won't hold and can elicit a dangerous response."

Micah nodded, his expression serious. "The agreement is as follows: in return for Luca rescuing the children imprisoned by The Alchemist in a future loop, Apophis will share his knowledge on mastering Chaos Magic and provide insights as a Celestial being with Luca. Is that correct?"

Apophis, still locked in his cage, hissed softly as if in agreement.

~Yes, that will suffice.

His voice sounded into my mind.

"That's correct," I confirmed, crossing my arms as I leaned forward slightly.

"There's a number of areas that are far from straightforward," Tavonneth said. "To start, what is considered as 'rescuing'? And how many must be saved to meet the condition?"

"All of them," I replied at the same time as Apophis hissed.

Tavonneth's quill began to move, taking down notes that I would have presumed as cryptic symbols, but I soon realized to be simply messy handwriting.

"And by 'loop,' how is that defined?" she inquired.

"The moment I awake and realize I'm reliving my life from an earlier point than I initially was at," I replied.

"Mmmhmmm," Tavonneth's quill continued to jot down notes. "And this knowledge—what specifically are we talking about? Just general insights or something more actionable?"

"Actionable," I said, my voice firm. "I don't want vague information. Apophis will provide clear guidance on how to gain mastery over Chaos Magic. And as a Celestial, he'll offer insights that could help me understand how to deal with others like him, especially in the context of the Players and the realm."

I had access to plenty of books from Lisa on Chaos Magic, but if Apophis was truly a former God of Chaos, I could find no better teacher. He had offered to provide me knowledge that could allow me to take over the world, but I neither trusted such a vague promise nor did I care to take over anything, such as the world, as he had initially suggested. I was attempting to prevent a takeover, if anything.

"I need further context on some of the terminology, like the use of 'Celestials.'" Tavonneth's grey eyes gazed toward Micah. "I don't require every nuanced detail, especially if this information is considered confidential, but I do need enough to form the contract wording correctly."

Micah's eyes narrowed. "Celestials are beings that rule over realms where Players exist," he relayed what I had previously told him, albeit in a more refined manner. "Given the risks that Players pose—beyond the scope of this Game—that knowledge could be invaluable. Luca is not just seeking a philosophical discussion. He needs practical, usable information from Apophis."

Tavonneth nodded, her quill continuing to dance across the parchment. "Understood. Apophis, you are to provide Luca with truthful and actionable knowledge—specific techniques, strategies, and other relevant insights on Chaos Magic and the nature of Celestials and Players. Do you agree to these terms?"

Apophis let out a low hiss.

Yes~ I agree.

"He agrees," I said, my eyes fixed on the parchment with the various scribbles.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

Tavonneth paused, looking up from the contract. "One final question: Is there a time limit for this contract? A point at which it becomes void if not fulfilled?"

Micah and I exchanged a glance.

No time limit.

Apophis replied himself.

Based on Tavonneth's and Micah's gaze on him, it appeared he telepathically replied into our minds at once.

~Hahhh. The contract is binding until both parties fulfill their obligations. Luca will save the children; I will provide the knowledge in return. The contract will dissolve naturally once both ends are met.

"Very well," Tavonneth said, her voice not betraying an ounce of surprise as she wrote her final notes. "I'll first draft the contract, then the tattoo itself. Once I'm done, we'll test it to ensure there are no errors before applying it to you both."

I nodded, watching as she meticulously worked. Standing across from me, Micah remained silent, his focus entirely on the contract that would soon bind Apophis and me in a pact.

As Tavonneth completed the initial contract, she finally looked up. "If there are no objections, I'll design the tattoo, and we can proceed with the test phase."

I tilted my head at the contract laid out before me. The parchment was covered in neat, precise handwriting, with the ink still slightly glossy and filling the air with a faint, metallic tang. Unlike Tavonneth's prior chicken scribble, the letters were clearly written out in neat handwriting and in simple language.

[[ System, please read the contents to me. ]]

It might have been in neat handwriting and simple language, but reading them would have nonetheless wasted too much time.

My eyes shifted away from the parchment and toward the series of blue boxes that appeared courtesy of the System, offering a breakdown of the contract.

In addition to the requests we made, Tavonneth had implemented a series of stringent safety measures. Layer upon layer of restrictions were placed on Apophis to ensure my protection. Notably, Apophis was bound to provide only truthful information, and we were forbidden from betraying or harming each other until the contract was fully honored.

It is sufficient for me.

Apophis responded first, his voice slithering through our minds.

"It seems fine to me as well." I looked to Micah, whose judgment I trusted far more than my own in these matters.

He had a slight frown on his face but ultimately appeared in approval.

"No objections." Micah gave a brief nod after inspecting the contract, his gaze meeting mine for a moment before he turned back to Tavonneth. "Make sure it's flawless," he added.

"Of course," Tavonneth replied. "It will require me a bit of time."

She set to work immediately, tracing intricate runes and symbols onto the parchment. The room filled with the soft scratch of quill on paper as she alternated between different inks—each a different shade, some shimmering with an iridescent glow, others dark and rich like fresh blood. The scent of the ink, sharp and slightly acrid, mingled with the underlying mustiness of aged paper.

I walked over to the food tray that all of us appeared to have forgotten about and quietly grabbed myself a sandwich and some hot tea while awaiting the final result.

She meticulously completed the tattoo draft, then began transferring the design onto three parchments embedded with runes. As her quill moved, the runes sparked and shimmered, reacting to the magic being infused into the ink.

"It has passed the three tests," Tavonneth announced. "We can proceed to the final stage of implementation."

Ahhhh~ What sort of bullshit is this? If that's supposed to be the promise tattoo, I object.

Apophis coiled tightly in his cage, his purple eyes narrowing as he hissed in displeasure.

I blinked and turned to him.

"What is the matter?" I asked aloud, as I suspected he had spoken into everyone's minds, not just my own.

This sort of promise tattoo will disappear upon the next loop. Either this mage is incompetent, or one of you is attempting to deceive me.

Apophis's gaze darted between Tavonneth and Micah, his displeasure evident.

"I'm afraid creating a promise tattoo that'll remain in place across another lifetime, or loop as you call it, is purely hypothetical," Tavonneth replied, her voice steady despite the accusation. "I don't know if such a tattoo is even possible."

~So it is incompetence, then.

Apophis's gaze fixed on Micah.

Let me out, and I'll show this incompetent woman how it's done.

"Very well." Micah didn't hesitate. He pulled out a small key and approached the cage.

"Micah, is it safe to let him out?" I asked. "He's been caged for a reason, after all."

However, Micah seemed unconcerned as he nodded. "The cage was just a formality. Ridley inspected him yesterday. He's sealed and has no abilities beyond speaking into our minds. Even if he was something more before, he's just a snake now."

"But a long-lived snake," I muttered, eyeing Apophis warily.

If someone had an infinite lifespan, wouldn't that mean an endless supply of life force?

Micah smiled at my concern. "He's no warlock if that's what you're worried about."

With a soft click, the cage unlocked, and Apophis slithered out, his movements slow and deliberate. He made his way to the parchment.

I raised a brow.

How will he show Tavonneth how to do anything without the ability to cast magic and being stuck in the body of a snake?

However, just then, Apophis presented a skill that was on par with the shock of Leona having opened up her tiny beak and swallowed a carriage whole in the round prior.

With fluid grace, Apophis dipped the tip of his tail into an ink bottle. Then, with the precision of a master calligrapher, he began to trace runes onto the parchment, his tail moving like the tip of a fine paintbrush. The room fell silent, all eyes fixed on the snake as he demonstrated a skill that left us all stunned.

"I–I see!" Tavonneth showcased her first burst of emotion. Her gray eyes widened like that of a child having just learned something new.

To be perfectly honest, I didn't understand the depth of what Apophis had shown. To me, it appeared like highly detailed drawings, which was impressive for a snake, but ultimately, I didn't have enough insight into promise tattoos to differentiate between what Apophis had drawn out and Tavonneth's initial sketch.

All that matters is that the expert promise tattoo artist understood.

"This is truly remarkable," Tavonneth gushed like a teenage girl in love. It was a strange sight, given that she must have been at least eight decades old. "And this part here will remove all traces of the magic, so others cannot replicate," she pointed her wrinkled finger to a small part of the drawing.

~Naturally. This is child's play for me. I'm impressed you noticed that detail.

Apophis began to explain the magic behind the runic drawing to her further, but seemingly only into her mind, as his voice disappeared from mine. He seemed to have warmed up to Tavonneth amidst all her sincere praise.

My eyes drifted to the nearby clock. Time was slipping away, and I had other matters to attend to.

"Micah, who is the fastest and most able rider?" I turned to my brother, who had a slight smile on his face.

He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Blake, most likely. But why do you ask?"

I held up the green journal I had prepared for Arnold Bumblefudge. "I need someone to ride to the Town of Ascot and deliver this to Arnold, a cook in our grandmother's kitchen."

I had intended to deliver it myself, ensuring it arrived safely, but if Arnold was to use the recipes in this round, he needed them sooner rather than later. The only real risk was losing the journal, but it could always be recreated. Only Arnold would understand his notes and bring those recipes to life anyhow.

"Then Blake would be especially good, given the dangers of the Humpton Forest," Micah stated.

I nodded, having seen him in action when the carriage was attacked.

"Luca Frey, we are ready for you," Tavonneth called out from the table.

Micah took the journal from my hand. "I'll see to this. Any other instructions?"

"Yes," I said. "Have him relay to Arnold that he is to study and prepare the meals listed in the journal to our grandmother."

Micah nodded, then left the office to handle the task.

I joined Tavonneth and Apophis at the large table, bracing myself for the promise tattoo ritual.

The process was far from pleasant. My upper arm itched fiercely as the tattoo was etched into my skin and Apophis'. The sensation was uncomfortable, and though it felt like it dragged on for an eternity, it only took a few minutes, given that Tavonneth was simply copying over the drawn-out promise tattoo with magic.

"So, it's done?" I asked, eager to have it over with.

"It is done," Tavonneth confirmed.

I turned my arm over, inspecting the intricate design now engraved in a thin band on my upper left arm. The lines were delicate and almost alive. I felt a strange mix of awe and apprehension. A promise tattoo was nothing to take lightly, after all.

What now, Master? I'm bound to you now and unable to betray you, so I'll follow you wherever you wish.

Apophis hissed into my mind.

I smiled at him and stretched out an arm toward him.

[[ I don't suppose you've ever met a phoenix? ]]

Apophis slithered up my arm and coiled himself atop my left shoulder.

Oh HO~ I have, but it has been a long time since I last met one. Silly but powerful creatures, those are.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

"Did that meeting help?" Micah asked, having returned to his office. His brother was gone.

Only Tavonneth remained in one of the armchairs, sipping a cup of tea.

"That was certainly insightful," she replied. "It helped me understand how that was done."

Her gray eyes drifted to the covered-up mannequin.

As Micah had suspected, Apophis's suggestion of implementing a promise tattoo that accounted for loops had unveiled a magic similar to what Claude Noire had utilized.

Micah walked over to his desk and pulled out a prominent red leather journal. "Shall we get started, then?"

His eyes twinkled in delight.

It's time I secured my position and influence in all future rounds.