“Marcie Xanderson? Leader of the mercenary group my father hired to fight the war against the Fiend Forgers?” Aria asked. Her expression shifted to confusion for a moment before realization dawned. “Is she related to you?”

  “Ahem, Your Highness,” Hilda coughed gently.

  “It’s fine, Hilda.” Aria waved her off. “I’m sure he already knows. And since we’re working together, trust is important.”

  That confirmed it. She was indeed Tkarion’s princess and her knight. Only the Protector and his close aides knew who my elder sister’s true client was. Publicly, the story was that a wealthy merchant had hired Marcie to support the war. The real reason? I didn't know. But I had my guesses.

  Politics is a headache in any world.

  “Yes, she’s my elder sister,” I said with a nod. “So, before I give you the method, I need you to make an oath. No matter the outcome, you will not punish my family if the method fails. I’ll take full responsibility.”

  “…You’re saying your life is as important as Her Majesty’s?” Hilda’s eyes narrowed.

  I didn’t back down. I met her gaze steadily. “A life is a life.”

  I braced myself for the negotiation to fall apart. In my experience, there were always people who valued resources such as reputation above all else. But instead of anger, Hilda threw her head back and laughed. Pulling out a wine bottle from seemingly nowhere, she took a big gulp.

  “Young man,” she said with a grin, “why don’t you join the Blazing Blade Brigade?”

  I replied flatly. “No thanks. I have my own things to do.”

  Hilda chuckled, swirling the bottle in her hand. “You want collateral to guarantee we won’t harm your sister, right?”

  “That’s correct.” I nodded.

  “How do you plan on doing that?” she asked, raising a curious brow.

  “With a contract crafted using Runes."

  Hilda eyed me intently, then burst into laughter, slapping her thigh. “Well, call me a dummy and hit me with a training sword. A [Level 12] can make a Soul Bound Contract.”

  So the Restriction Deal is called a Soul Bound Contract in this world. Noted.

  “Do we have a deal?” I extended my hand, allowing them to misunderstand the mechanics on their own.

  “It’s a dea...” Aria stepped forward but was abruptly interrupted. Hilda grabbed her from behind, lifted her effortlessly, and tossed her onto the nearby bed.

  “You got yourself a deal, young man.” Hilda clasped my hand firmly, shaking it in Aria’s stead.

  For a moment, nothing happened. Hilda’s eyes darted down at our hands, then back to my face. “Is that Soul Bound Contract thing just a lie to see our rea...”

  Before she could finish, a runic symbol appeared on the backs of our hands, glowing with golden light.

  Since I hadn’t prepared a contract beforehand, I asked the Frost Elf’s World Tree to do it through the golden leaf it gave me. Turns out, communicating with the tree through its leaves was quite convenient. It was like a mobile phone. But the only speed dial in the list was toward the tree.

  Focusing on the newly-formed Runes, I allowed my consciousness to dive into the Rune Space. The contract’s structure emerged before me — a circular design like other Runes in this world. Its rim was composed of words stacked in layers, forming cryptic, incomprehensible sentences. Inside the circle, countless runic symbols detailed the contract’s content, with two empty spots glowing at the bottom.

  Those must be where our Mana signatures go to seal the deal.

  Following that realization, I placed my navy blue, smoke-like Qi into the right spot while Hilda infused her Mana on the left. Her Mana glowed in vibrant shades of orange, red, and yellow, burning brightly like a raging flame.

  Once the contract was sealed, the runic symbols on our hands sank into our skin and disappeared. An electric sensation shot down my spine, digging into my very soul. I clenched my fist instinctively as the energy settled.

  The burning words etched into my mind appeared to stem from various types of Runes. Some seemed connected to the soul, while logged into the mind. My hypothesis was that the soul-bound Runes served as an “execution blade” of sorts, while the mental Runes functioned as a monitoring system to ensure we followed our part of the deal.

  *Ding

  [Runes Crafting Level up: Level 4 –> 5]

  Interesting. Crafting Runes wasn’t the only way to deepen my understanding of them.

  “Impressive.” Hilda held up her hand, turning it as though inspecting the now-absent symbol. “You actually did it.”

  “All I can say is that I didn’t create this Soul Bound Contract myself. So, I wouldn’t overestimate me too much if I were you.” Drawing attention was good for building rapport, but too much of it usually brought unwanted trouble.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  “Hilda, what did you agree to?” Aria grabbed the knight’s hand, her voice edged with concern.

  “It’s nothing, Your Highness. He’ll teach us his method to dispel the crimson fog. If it works, we’ll protect his elder sister to the best of our ability. If it doesn’t, and we harm his family in retaliation, I’ll simply die for breaking the contract.” Hilda shrugged like she’d agreed to go out to buy bread.

  “What?” The little princess snapped her head toward me, her expression fierce. “Sir, don’t you think that’s too overbearing? We of the Leonheart bloodline never break our promises. How could you impose such a condition on our Champion?” Her words were heavy with indignation.

  “Previous Champion, Your Highness,” Hilda corrected with a playful smirk, pulling gently at Aria’s cheeks. “I retired. Remember?”

  “Whose side are you on, Grandma Hilda?” Aria grumbled, rubbing her reddening cheeks.

  Copying the knight’s earlier nonchalant shrug, I watched as Hilda burst into hearty laughter. She really seemed to enjoy laughing from the bottom of her heart. I liked that.

  Before Aria could continue her rant, I interjected with a smile. “Shall we proceed?”

  *****

  After teaching Aria and Hilda the method I had shared with the Frost Elf, I handed them three World Tree leaves and left. As I closed the door, Sera's voice caught my attention.

  "I've been looking everywhere for you," she said, puffing her cheeks. "Who would have thought you were off doing something indecent while I was running around doing all sorts of work."

  “What do you mean by ‘indecent’? I was helping out our elder sister.” I raised an eyebrow.

  “Helping out by making connections?” Sera waggled her eyebrows playfully, wearing a smug grin. She made a perverted gesture with her fingers — forming a circle with her left hand and repeatedly poking her right index finger through it.

  …I forgot my sister is a pervert. Well, I suppose it’s better to be lively than to end up withered like me.

  “No,” I said flatly. “It was a straightforward deal where both sides benefit. Nothing like what you’re imagining, pervert. Did you finish what I asked?”

  “Of course,” Sera replied, handing me the Image Keeper. Then, with a slightly hesitant tone, she added, “…Do you really think this will help big sis Elfina? It’s… kind of sad.” Her expression turned complicated.

  I understood what she meant. This wasn’t something to celebrate, but it was something that needed to be done.

  “It’s not about making her happy,” I said, tapping her arm. “It’s about preserving the memories of our loved ones.”

  Sera nodded. “Yeah. Let’s finish this before tomorrow.”

  *****

  The next day, the small trading festival began.

  In the square, people displayed their modest collections of items for trade. The Frost Elf primarily offered fruits and herbs, while my clansmen brought mead. Members of the expedition team contributed everyday necessities like clothes, hides, leather, knives, hammers, and iron ore. Seemingly mundane items but invaluable in the north, where such items were scarce.

  The festival itself had minimal decoration. A few vines hung from the surrounding igloos, and at the center of the square stood a massive log cabin-style bonfire, towering twice the height of a man. Its warmth radiated through the chilly air. Around the fire, Elves had placed flower crowns, adding a touch of charm to the scene.

  Those not selling goods roamed the square, eating fruits or sipping on purple wine made from the World Tree’s fruits. Just as Thnari had said, they truly knew how to celebrate, especially with their willingness to offer their special wine freely.

  It wasn’t elaborate enough to be called a festival by most standards, but it was perfect for us. Smiles filled the square, laughter echoed through the air, and people were simply enjoying themselves. That was all that mattered.

  After setting up the Image Keeper and Image Caster, I headed toward the place I was most curious about — the Huskil breeding ground.

  Tucked away in a corner to the left of the Frost Elf’s garden, adult Huskils lounged lazily while their pups darted around, nipping at one another in playful bouts. The Huskils resembled enormous huskies, with glowing yellow wolf-like eyes that gave them an otherworldly aura. Despite their fur appearing coarse and sandy, it was surprisingly smooth and soft to the touch. They were happily munching on fruits from the garden and meat from animals hunted during trips with the hunters.

  As the baby Huskil I was looking for ran up to me and bit my shoe, I picked him up and rubbed his belly. He let out an adorable yipping sound, his little body squirming with delight. For a moment, I let myself relax, enjoying the playful energy of the dogs. Who knew if I would ever have the free time to do this again?

  “Are you here to check on him?” the garden caretaker asked, peeking out from behind a tree.

  “No, he’s already in good hands,” I replied, shaking my head. “Is everything ready?” I wanted to confirm things one last time.

  She smiled warmly and nodded. “Everything’s set.”

  “Then I’ll go finish things on my end.” Putting the pup down, I gave him a gentle pat on the head before heading back.

  By the time I returned, the festival was winding down, and the mood had shifted. It was time for the closing ceremony.

  Around the central campfire, twenty Elves sat with flower crowns resting on their heads. The atmosphere grew solemn as they held leaves from the World Tree and began singing their sacred song. The gentle harmony of their voices reverberated through the square, carrying a sense of reverence and unity that even the cold northern wind couldn’t touch.

  “? I call upon your light tonight,

  Guardians of land and sky,

  Watch over all we’ve sown beneath the stars.

  Let the fields forever grow, rivers gently flow,

  Keep the winds that blow soft and slow,

  Close your eyes and grant us all your grace,

  Shelter this place.

  When does, the seed become the harvest?

  When does, the rain become the song?

  When will the sky protect the weary?

  When does the shield hold when, the nights are long?

  When does, the earth find calm in sorrow?

  When will the day bring us tomo-o-orrow? ?”

  When the golden leaves floated upward, glowing as if imbued with life, I realized this song was also in tune with Harmony — just like Sera’s singing.

  *Ding

  [You have experienced Eldoria’s native Harmony. Level up: Level 12 –> 13]

  I raised an eyebrow and commented, “Well, that was random. Thirteen, huh? Hope I’m not jinxing myself here.”

  “Is everything ready?” Sera asked, standing beside me.

  “Ready as it’ll ever be.”

  I turned to see Elfina talking with her parents. She was smiling, but her eyes betrayed her true emotions.

  Are the people of this world born strong, or do they simply have no choice but to become so?

  As the closing ceremony song came to an end and the singing Elves quietly departed, Thnari stepped forward, standing before the giant log cabin fire. He glanced at me, then at the elders gathered behind him, giving a silent signal to begin.

  It was time for Eldoria’s first video.