Harvey said coldly, "I don't like tossing around words like revenge, grudges, or hatred. Only cowards use fancy language to cover their own incompetence or twist words to justify their rage. But now, I'm a necromancer in a foreign land. I have no past, no future. Corpses aren't just my materials; they're my home."

He added, "I don't care about long-term gains. My mood is the only thing that dictates my actions."

Iger raised an eyebrow. "Clearly. Just by seeing you eat Moon Candies every day, it's obvious you only want a short-lived life. Are you planning to take revenge on Annan?"

"Maybe," Harvey muttered, chewing on his knuckles. "It depends on my mood at the time. If I run out of candy, even a little resentment could ignite my cold, burning fire. By the way, the night I escaped Shattered Lake Prison, I swore I'd turn anyone who aspired to be my superior into a cute subordinate the way I like.

"I'm not saying this to invite you into a hundred-day revenge plan early. I just hope that when the time comes, you can at least watch from the sidelines. I don't want to fight you, not because you're troublesome, but simply because I don't want to."

Ashe blinked. "Honestly, I'm kind of touched. After all, the first time we met, you were discussing how to make my corpse markings look better..."

Harvey's eyes gleamed. "If you let me do a little preparation, I guarantee that whenever you die, beautiful black roses will bloom across your body."

Iger said coolly, "Don't worry, Necromancer. I won't oppose you, but I also won't join in your foolish revenge. I admit, I still hold some resentment, but if Annan makes enough amends in the coming days, I could let go of this minor grudge. Moods are unreliable. Even the fiercest enemies can change."

He paused, then abruptly shifted the topic. "By the way, Harvey, aren't you worried this room might be bugged? Annan could already have heard your revenge declarations."

Harvey slapped his head. "Ah, right... Damn. Looks like I've been eating too many Moon Candies."

Iger turned to Ashe. "And you? Do you want revenge on Annan?"

Ashe tilted his head thoughtfully. "Knowing it might be overheard, you still want me to talk behind someone's back?"

He considered for a moment, then added, "Honestly, more than revenge, I'm curious."

"Curious?"

"Yes. Curious about how she plans to use us. Being a player who controls the board is one thing, but even as a pawn, I get to watch the player move with skill and strategy up close."

"But she sold you to the Four Pillars Cult first, and then tricked you into a slave contract. Surely you'd feel some degree of resentment?"

Ashe sighed. "A little, yes. But when the butler bought me briefs earlier, a lot of that resentment melted away. I'm an honest man with weak willpower, easily swayed by small kindnesses. Honestly, I'm worried Annan might use her charms on me..."

Iger chuckled. "If Fernandez heard you call yourself honest, he'd probably claw his way out of the Sixth Layer of Hell in anger."

"So, you're not planning revenge?" Harvey asked.

"If I were to take revenge, it wouldn't be for the grievances of the first day," Ashe said, gazing out at the neon-lit city. "It would be for the disappointments accumulated over the next 101 days."

He turned to them, eyes sharp. "As for that contract, I don't really care. Do you think a simple piece of paper can bind me?"

Hearing such arrogant words, Iger instinctively wanted to mock him, but looking at Ashe's side profile, half in shadow and half illuminated, he felt intimidated and found himself unable to speak. Is it the weight of his deeds as a former cult leader that convinces me? Is it his undeniable strength? Or have I simply come to realize that Ashe Heath is the most terrifying presence among us? Beneath his human skin, I can sense a latent malevolence, poised to erupt like a storm, a windmill spinning in the name of calamity—

Ashe said casually, "I'm a national-level master of backing out at the last minute, a professional slacker, an annual client of the company bathroom, a platinum-salary petty thief. I'm terrible at work, but number one at taking dumps. Trying to make me work under a contract alone seriously underestimates me."

"..."

Iger lightly slapped his own face.

Harvey chimed in, "But Ashe, besides the 101-day contract, you also have a lifelong contract with that little girl. Are you ready to be a dad?"

At that, Ashe's face darkened. By now, he was fully aware of why the little girl named Lys had singled him out. She had exploited his soft heart to boldly demand those two absurd promises.

People like Annan and Iger, hardened, calculating, and unflinching in nature, would never have signed such a ridiculous, overbearing contract. Only someone like Ashe, a worn-down office drone accustomed to exploitative contracts and ruthless bosses, could be caught off guard by her cuteness and end up completely bound by it.

Annan allowed Ashe to sign the contract with Lys simply to avoid taking on an extra burden herself. While she could ensure Lys didn't make unreasonable demands, keeping contractual promises to a minimum was always preferable.

Iger glanced at Harvey with mild curiosity. "Do you still not know what being a dad really means?"

Harvey shrugged. "I know. It's just kind of fun to tease Ashe about it."

Spotting Ashe's sullen expression, Iger cleared his throat and said casually, "The contract system here isn't like Blood Moon's, and Annan isn't about to create some grand ceremonial contract. At most, it can bind a Two-Winged sorcerer. If I have some time to study it, maybe I could—"

His words were cut off by a knock at the door.

The young butler opened the door politely. "The Lady requests that you come to the hall for a discussion. If you prefer to rest tonight, the meeting can be postponed until tomorrow."

Iger said coldly, "I have no idea whether I'll be selling my body or my soul next, so I won't be sleeping. Lead the way."

He decided not to make any promises to Ashe just yet. Rule Six of the Trickster's Code stated that intentions should never be revealed unless the plan was certain to succeed. Unless dealing with a client they meant to deceive, hope was never handed out lightly.

They followed the butler, but Ashe's thoughts were elsewhere. He had accepted his new identity quickly and agreed to follow Annan's temporary leadership, not just out of a resigned "since I'm here, I might as well adapt" instinct, but because he had suddenly acquired a strange new class.

Class

- Everlasting Wanderer / Socially Idle Individual

Class Trait 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

- Luck checks are +5 under normal conditions, -50 in critical moments. A higher chance of triggering mysterious events, unexpected complications, attracting the hostility of fate, and causing catastrophic failures. Spirits eat less; feeding costs reduced by 50%.