“Shall we draft the contract, then?”

Gremory took out a parchment.

As she unfurled the rolled-up parchment, words were revealed upon it.

1. Kaiser shall become the contractor of Gremory, one of the 72 Demon Lords.

2. This contract shall remain in effect until the ranking battles of the 72 Demon Lords come to an end.

3. Kaiser may reside in his original world until the next ranking battle.

4. Upon the establishment of this contract, Kaiser shall be healed of all physical injuries, including his wrist.

5. Gremory shall not cause harm to nor allow harm to come to Kaiser while he is in the Demon Realm.

6. This contract may be nullified through mutual agreement.

7. Upon termination or nullification of this contract, Gremory shall return Kaiser to his original world.

8. If Gremory violates this contract, she shall lose her status as a demon lord.

9. If Kaiser violates this contract, he shall lose his soul.

“What do you think?”

“Hmm. I’ll need to look over it a bit more.”

He read through it thoroughly and determined that there was nothing in it that would put him at a disadvantage. Even if he were to lose, no penalties were explicitly stated.

However, upon reviewing it once more, he froze at clause number 2.

‘The contract remains in effect until the ranking battles come to an end?’

She had clearly mentioned before that the ranking battles of the 72 Demon Lords never truly end.

His gaze then shifted to clause number 6.

This contract may be nullified through mutual agreement.

In other words, unless both parties agreed, the contract could not be nullified.

“I have something I’d like to ask.”

“Ask as much as you wish.”

“How long does this contract last?”

“Until the ranking battles conclude or until it is nullified through mutual agreement.”

“And if you refuse to agree?”

Gremory smiled.

“Then, naturally, forever.”

“And by forever, do you mean until I die?”

“Even after death, it will remain.”

“Excuse me?”

Lee Shin was shocked, and Gremory spoke as if it were the most natural thing.

“It is only natural for a demon's contractor to remain by their side for eternity, even after death.”

Lee Shin felt a chill run down his spine.

She spoke with such a kind and gentle tone, yet the words she uttered were terrifying.

With a radiant smile, Gremory continued,

“This is not a bad thing for you. While you remain by my side, you will be treated with the utmost care. No one will be able to harm you, and you will be able to enjoy anything you desire. A contractor of a demon lord holds a status that high.”

“But the idea of eternal servitude, even after death, is unsettling.”

“Why? You could live a life of unparalleled luxury at my side.”

“Perhaps because I am human. I’d like to add a clause to the contract.”

“What kind of clause?”

“I want to be able to decide to end the contract after each victory.”

Since there was no telling when these ranking battles would end, Lee Shin needed some kind of safeguard.

“That is absolutely unacceptable!”

Gremory suddenly raised her voice firmly. Her pale face turned red with embarrassment.

“For a demon lord to have their contract nullified by their contractor is an immense humiliation. I would become a laughingstock!”

“I was unaware of that.”

Lee Shin was taken aback.

It was as if she had been rejected after a heartfelt confession—her reaction was filled with wounded pride.

“Even if you are released from the contract, it must be by my permission. I absolutely cannot allow that clause.”

“Then I cannot enter into this contract.”

Lee Shin pushed back firmly.

As much as he desperately wanted his wrist to be healed, he knew he had to stand his ground here.

“You are so cruel.”

Gremory pouted with a disappointed expression, making Lee Shin feel dizzy.

She was, after all, a demon. Just seeing her expression was enough to make him feel guilty.

“I apologize, but I have no choice. The idea of an endless eternity is too terrifying for a human like me.”

“Haa… It can’t be helped.”

Gremory sighed as if she had no other choice and spoke.

“Then I will add two more clauses.”

“What are they?”

“Look at the contract again.”

Lee Shin glanced at the parchment and saw that some of the contract's terms had already been altered.

10. Kaiser may terminate this contract upon achieving 10 victories. However, his number of victories must exceed his number of defeats.

11. If Kaiser loses in the ranking battle, he cannot return to his original world until he wins the next ranking battle.

‘I have to achieve 10 victories?’

Lee Shin, curious, asked,

“How long does a ranking battle typically last?”

“It usually doesn’t exceed two hours before a winner is decided.”

‘Only that long? That’s a relief.’

Lee Shin had feared that each ranking battle would take years to complete, so he felt reassured.

The condition of needing 10 victories seemed acceptable.

‘And having a win rate above 50% is reasonable enough.’

However, clause 11 carried a deeper implication.

“I’d like more details on the part about not being able to return.”

“Currently, only your soul has been summoned to the Demon Realm. Your physical body remains asleep in your original world.”

“Then am I still asleep right now?”

“At the moment, I’ve frozen time on that side. But if you lose, I won’t keep time frozen until you win again.”

Gremory smiled with a playful glint in her eyes and added,

“If you're lucky, it could be just ten days. If unlucky, up to three months. If you keep losing consecutively, it could take even longer. Since you made such demands, isn’t it only fair that there be a penalty as well?”

“……”

Lee Shin hesitated for a moment.

But his internal conflict didn’t last long.

“Is this ten-day to three-month duration based on this world’s time, or my world’s time?”

“Time flows the same in both.”

“Alright. Then I’ll accept the contract.”

“If you’re afraid of the penalty, we could still proceed with the original terms.”

“No need.”

Lee Shin said firmly.

“Victory is only meaningful when the sting of defeat exists.”

“What a wonderful sentiment. Then, please place your blood here.”

Gremory pointed to the bottom of the contract.

“Blood?”

Surprised, Lee Shin flinched, and Gremory gave a gentle smile.

“A contract between a demon and a human is sealed with blood.”

“I see. Then, I shall…”

Lee Shin tried to bite his finger to draw blood, but he hesitated at the last moment.

Seeing this, Gremory let out a small chuckle and pulled out a tiny needle from her sleeve.

With a light prick, she poked Lee Shin’s thumb. A sharp sting made him flinch slightly, and he saw a single drop of blood well up.

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

Lee Shin pressed his blood onto the contract.

Gremory did the same.

At that moment, the words inscribed on the contract began to wriggle and shift.

1. Lee Shin shall become the contractor of Gremory, one of the 72 Demon Lords.

2. This contract shall remain in effect until the ranking battles of the 72 Demon Lords come to an end.

3. Lee Shin may reside in his original world until the next ranking battle.

4. Upon the establishment of this contract, Lee Shin shall be healed of all physical injuries, including his wrist.

5. Gremory shall not cause harm to nor allow harm to come to Lee Shin while he is in the Demon Realm.

6. This contract may be nullified through mutual agreement.

7. Upon termination or nullification of this contract, Gremory shall return Lee Shin to his original world.

8. If Gremory violates this contract, she shall lose her status as a demon lord.

9. If Lee Shin violates this contract, he shall lose his soul.

10. Lee Shin may terminate this contract upon achieving 10 victories. However, his number of victories must exceed his number of defeats.

11. If Lee Shin loses in the ranking battle, he cannot return to his original world until he wins the next ranking battle.

The name ‘Kaiser’ had been entirely replaced with ‘Lee Shin.’