บท 43: Chapter 43: Negotiation

"Emilia! I can still fight, let's head back." Henry who was being helped to move by Emilia gritted his teeth before speaking towards Emilia who wore a serious look of concern on her face.

"Henry, you of all people should know that isn't a good idea. Do you think I want to leave them behind? You can't fight like this, I don't have my weapon and he clearly isn't alone or has some tricks up his sleeve that we don't know of. No matter how you look at it the best choice is to get reinforcements back at the airship." The usually cheerful Emilia spoke in a tone of deep worry as she tried moving as fast as she could, but the thickening fog had now begun to cloud her vision.

'This isn't good, maybe if I fire a blast of fire upward someone on the airship will see. Dammit, we should have planned better for this.' Emilia thought as she was now completely lost in the fog, unsure of where to turn or go.

"Emilia, you need to escape and get help, moving in this fog with me will only slow down. I can heal myself, it'll only take far longer. There's no point if we're all caught." Henry spoke to which Emilia nodded before settling him down slowly, but as she turned to leave, a hand gripped her tightly by the neck and slowly lifted her from the ground.

"You're far too easy to read..." Aron's voice resounded in their ears as the once heavy fog began to quickly fade, revealing his figure to them.

Emilia gritted her teeth and held onto Aron's hand without much struggle, not because she couldn't but she knew full well it would only worsen things at that point.

"Let her go, whatever it is you're after it can be negotiated. Killing us will only bring you problems in the future." Henry looked at Aron seriously and explained to which Aron just raised his brow slightly before letting Emilia go.

"People like you are always so quick to seem humane when the tables are turned against them. I wouldn't trust their words, Aron."

As the last of the fog cleared, Jin appeared from the forest and walked onto the path Aron stood with Henry and Emilia in front of him.

"The lower families perhaps but us big families always honor our words, I promise you that." Henry turned to Jin who had appeared and explained but Jin only looked at Henry and shook his head.

"It's the same big families that are the worst of you lot, but I suppose even their children wouldn't know. Do what you will Aron just don't trust their words, that's my advice." Jin crossed his arms and stood beside Aron who seemed to have been contemplating something.

'It's not about nobles. It's just your nature as humans, perhaps the most cunning and deceitful of all races. It's why father said to never trust them or anyone else.'

"Hold it right there!"

Suddenly another voice resounded on the scene that caused everyone to quickly turn to the source.

"Anastasia! Argh." Henry called out before gripping his chest in pain.

A few meters away from them, Anastasia had emerged from the forest as well but with her was Scarlett who had a blade being held against her throat.

"You... release them now or I'll slit her throat." Anastasia threatened causing Jin to show a look of concern while Aron still remained the same as he walked closer to Henry and gripped him by the hair.

"Do what you will, you take the life of one commoner I met during the journey and I take the lives of four important individuals to you. I'm fine with that." Aron expressed casually causing Jin to look at him with concern while Scarlett grit her teeth.

"Bastard!" She yelled out but Aron didn't retort.

"I've only known these people for a few days, do you really think their lives mean anything to me?" Aron said in a plain tone causing Anastasia's expression to turn to that of a worried look causing her to slightly lower her guard.

"Jin, take this one and join Jagu along with Scarlett." Aron gestured Jin towards Emilia and instructed but Jin showed a confused look as Scarlett was clearly in a tough position.

"Release Henry and Emilia or she dies, I kid you not." Anastasia threatened with a serious look but Aron remained unfazed as he looked at her before replying.

"Do it, if you can move your limbs that is." As Aron said these words, Anastasia's eyes widened as she felt her body was frozen in place. Scarlett then quickly used this opportunity to break free and push Anastasia back who quickly tried to grab Scarlett again but felt she couldn't move her limbs at all.

"What is this!" She yelled out in anger and confusion as Aron brought Henry to his feet and began walking towards her with him.

"Restrictive Glyphs I had placed on your clothing long ago as a precaution. At best I can only have them restrict your movements up to four times but it seems two were enough." Aron explained leaving not only Henry, Emilia and Anastasia surprised but also Scarlett and Jin impressed.

"What is it you want?..." She asked worriedly but Aron didn't immediately answer but instead gave Jin and Scarlett a look. Jin nodded at this before taking Emilia and leaving along with Scarlett.

Just as they left, Aron struck Henry on the chest causing him to fall to the ground in great pain with blood trickling down his mouth before he fell unconscious. Anastasia reacted quickly to this and wanted to approach but she knew she couldn't.

"Don't do this, whatever it is you want we can provide it." She desperately offered but Aron remained unmoved.

"He's not dead and provided we come to an agreement he won't be but he doesn't have long. The agreement is simple, perform a ritual of servitude with me and I won't kill your brother.." Aron offered plainly while Anastasia's eyes widened at this.

"You want me to be your slave!?" She asked in an angry tone but Aron shook his head at her.

"I have no interest in having a slave. But I have no reason to explain myself, do you or do you not agree. Your brother doesn't have long." Aron didn't bother trying to persuade Anastasia with long-winded words as the situation was already dire for her. She could only clench her fists and nod her head.

"Fine, what do I need to do?" Anastasia quickly blurted out to which Aron raised his hand in response and placed it on her forehead.

"Let my blood be the ink, my body the paper, and my soul the signature as I invoke this contract of servitude. Do you Anastasia, swear servitude to me and only me?" As Aron spoke this short incantation a strange runic crest formed in his eyes as he looked at Anastasia who was reluctant to answer, one glance at her dying brother, however, was enough for her to nod and reply.

"I swear." With that little bit of acknowledgment, little did Anastasia know she had just agreed to a binding like no other. The same crest that had appeared in Aron's eyes appeared in Anastasia's as well before both completely faded and the ritual came to an end.

"It's done, you got what you asked for now let me take my brother and I'll carry out whatever sick twisted ideas you have for me." Anastasia quickly rushed to the still unconscious Henry before saying this while looking at Aron with pure hatred in her eyes.

"For now just do your best to ensure I'm no longer bothered by your so called friends and carry on as you normally would. I unfortunately don't have time to ask you questions here." Aron stated as he walked away from a confused Anastasia.

Unbeknownst to her and his shipmates, his plan had worked out as perfectly as it could. From the time he found out Anastasia held a deep care for her brother, he had planned to use her as his piece in the aristocratic community.

In a world where he couldn't trust anyone, from his shipmates to Ariel and more especially aristocrats, he needed to establish such a contract with someone influential enough to get him the information and resources he may need.

Thus when he had gone to visit Anastasia just before the trap had begun, he reduced the power of the glyphs and runes that kept her hostage so that by the time he left the airship she could even see the barrier flicker before breaking it easily. He did fully aware that Oxin and Scarlett may have been killed by her which wasn't at all a loss in his eyes as they had nothing special about them.

'It's unfortunate that she didn't outright kill Oxin and Scarlett. To think they'd so blindly trust a stranger after a few good acts...' With the battle over, Aron finally let out a sigh and showed a look of satisfaction.

[ Rule#13: Never Trust Humans ]