The Contract of Blood

"Did you find any weak point where we can break through the siege?" asked Captain Isolde, the soldier in distinct armor. Her voice was calm, but her eyes were sharp as she struck down two enemy soldiers with precise strikes.

"I am sorry, Captain Isolde, but I was unable to find any weak point to escape the siege," the soldier, Astrid, replied, a hint of guilt in her voice. Her sword did not waver despite her words as she continued to fend off the attackers.

"It's not your fault, Astrid. The enemy had made thorough preparations and besieged us from all sides without giving us enough time to prepare," Isolde said, her tone firm but reassuring. Her sword moved in a deadly arc, taking down another enemy soldier.

Astrid nodded, determination hardening her features. "The only way remaining is to cut down all the enemies as quickly as possible so that we can reinforce Freya and the rest of our sisters," Isolde added with a steely expression.

"Yes, Captain," Astrid said, her resolve unwavering as she plunged back into the fray.

Isolde and her sisters were private soldiers of the Brightblade family in the Aleria kingdom. Officially, they were ordered to defeat scouts and smaller enemy outposts and report the stronger ones to the family. But beneath that facade, a darker mission loomed. The Brightblade family had struck a secret deal with the Grimmore family from the Draconis kingdom. The Grimmore family wanted an heir of a rival noble family eliminated, and the Brightblade family agreed to carry out the assassination.

Last night, Isolde and her sisters succeeded in their covert mission. They had killed the heir, but the aftermath was brutal. The heir's father, a formidable rank 1 fighter, was kept busy by the Grimmore family. In his stead, he sent a contingent of soldiers to hunt down his son's killers. These were the soldiers now surrounding Isolde and her sisters.

"We're just pawns to them," Isolde muttered, slashing through another enemy soldier. "Expendable pawns."

Astrid, fighting by her side, nodded grimly. "The Brightblade family won't lift a finger to save us."

"But that doesn't mean we give up," Isolde said, her eyes flashing with determination. "We've survived worse."

The soldiers of the Brightblade family were no strangers to being sacrificed for their masters' schemes. Each bore scars from past missions where their lives were treated as currency. Yet, they fought on, driven by a fierce will to survive and return to their family, no matter the odds.

As Isolde was busy cutting down enemy soldiers mechanically, she heard a sudden commotion from the enemy ranks. The Draconis soldiers were dying in waves from four sides.

On one side, arrows shot out of nowhere, each one claiming a life with deadly accuracy. On the second side, soldiers dropped silently, faint traces of blood around their necks indicating a swift, lethal strike. On the third side, a girl with beast-like ears—clearly a beast kin—appeared, her eyes closed but her sword moving with unmatched precision, felling soldiers effortlessly. On the fourth side, another beast kin girl emerged, her sword striking down soldiers swiftly while she occasionally hurled fireballs that exploded among the enemy ranks.

Within five minutes, the Draconis soldiers lay dead, and the four unknown girls stood quietly in front of the beleaguered Aleria soldiers. Isolde noticed the Aleria insignia on their arms and realized they were mercenaries.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Isolde stepped forward. "Thank you very much, my ladies, for saving us from this predicament. I will forever remember your grace," she said with deep respect, bowing slightly.

Though exhausted, her soldiers mirrored her gratitude, their eyes filled with admiration and relief. The swift, decisive intervention saved their lives and rekindled their hope despite overwhelming odds.

Their saviors didn't respond verbally but instead stood silently, waiting. Isolde noticed an RV approaching. When it stopped near them, a man stepped out.

With her instincts honed from seventeen years of relentless fighting, Isolde sensed that his strength was formidable despite the man being a mortal. The four girls revealed themselves to be his subordinates. She guessed that Drake was a noble scion on an adventure, with the four girls as his guards prepared by his family.

However, what puzzled her was the way his companions looked at him. Their gaze wasn't one of mere duty-bound guardians but of genuine respect and devotion, a look that couldn't be forced.

For a moment, Isolde felt a pang of jealousy. She envied the four girls for willingly serving someone with all their hearts while she and her sisters were bound in servitude to the despicable Brightblade family.

Pushing aside her feelings, Isolde stepped forward, gratitude evident in her eyes. "Thank you, my lord, for saving us. We will forever be grateful."

Drake acknowledged her thanks with a nod and a smile. Emboldened by his kindness, Isolde made a bold request. "My lord, may I ask another favor? Half of my sisters are still besieged elsewhere. Could you please help us save them?"

Drake's smile widened. "Of course. My companions will take care of it."

His companions moved swiftly and efficiently, and within twenty minutes, the rest of Isolde's sisters arrived, looking relieved and grateful. The strength and kindness of their newfound allies bolstered Isolde's hope and determination.

As they rested for some time, Isolde and Drake chatted. She shared the fabricated reason for their presence, feeling a pang of guilt for lying to her savior. However, the contract's constraints prevented her from revealing the truth.

Drake listened intently, his eyes showing understanding. "It's good to know we're on the same mission," he said. "We should travel together."

Isolde was impressed by his leadership and strength. After a brief thought, she agreed, eager to spend more time with such a remarkable lord, even temporarily.

The following five days were nothing short of amazing. Together, they defeated multiple outposts, venturing into the Draconis Kingdom's territory. Ambushes were frequent, but Drake and his companions efficiently handled them each time, their efficiency leaving Isolde in awe.

On the fifth day, Ayame informed Drake of a nearby force of one hundred thousand soldiers. Isolde's heart would have sunk at this news before meeting Drake. She and her sisters would have resigned themselves to fighting to the death, determined to take as many enemy soldiers with them as possible. But now, a strange calmness settled over her. With Drake, she felt that even an impossible situation like this could be resolved.

"Isolde, do you believe me?" Drake asked her while she was lost in thought.

Believe? If not for the damned contract, she would have long before pledged her loyalty to him. And her sisters would have done the same.

"My lord, you don't even need to ask. Just give the order, and we will execute it," Isolde replied with unwavering confidence, showing no fear despite the approaching large army.

Drake nodded, appreciating her trust.

After Drake told her Aria was also a military advisor, her respect for Aria increased even more. And thereby, for Drake. For a second, she didn't believe that Drake was lying. Her trust in him was more than that.

Aria quickly devised a plan using the information scouted by the twins. She ordered their forces to harass the enemy separately, driving them towards known monster groups. The monsters, agitated and provoked, attacked the soldiers, decimating their numbers.

Once more than half of the enemy army was destroyed by the monster attacks, the remaining soldiers tried to regroup. Aria anticipated this and had prepared for it.

"That's when we launch our final assault," Aria said, her eyes gleaming with determination.

She turned to Drake and said, "Young master, please take the attention of the extraordinary fighters and the gunners. The rest of you attack from the back."

The plan worked flawlessly. Drake distracted the enemy's strongest fighters with his formidable combat skills while Isolde and her sisters launched a surprise attack from behind. The enemy, caught between two fronts, fell quickly.

After the battle, Isolde felt a sense of fulfillment she had never experienced before. They had defeated an entire army of 100,000 soldiers, a victory that would be remembered forever.

Isolde looked at Drake, her eyes filled with admiration and gratitude. "My lord, today was the best experience of our lives. Thank you for leading us."

Drake smiled. "We did it together. Your trust and skills made it possible."

A few of her sisters were injured, but nothing serious. With the potions provided by Drake, they were soon as good as new. On the other hand, Drake had suffered many injuries, including bullet wounds. Despite his efforts to dodge all the bullets, a few still hit him. After the battle, he used healing potions to heal most wounds. The bullets were mainly in his limbs, so with a sterile knife that he heated, he removed the bullets himself, gritting his teeth against the pain.

After the intense battle, they rested and ate together. Isolde and her sisters' admiration and respect for Drake soared. His leadership and bravery had cemented their loyalty to him.

When Drake saw their reactions, he secretly smirked. His companions noticed, but Isolde and her sisters did not.

Name: Isolde Ravenshadow

Loyalty: 90 (Loyal)

The same loyalty was reflected in her sisters. Suddenly, Drake stood up and looked toward them, his expression serious. Isolde, followed by her sisters, quickly stood up respectfully.

"Can you girls do something for me?" Drake asked, his tone calm and serious.

'You don't even need to ask,' Isolde thought.

"My lord, you just need to order. We will do anything you ask," Isolde said with conviction. Her sisters mirrored her seriousness, nodding in agreement.

When she said anything, she meant it. As long as Drake didn't ask them to betray the Brightblade family, they would do anything for him. It wasn't that they were loyal to the noble family; instead, they hated them to the core. But because of the contract, they couldn't retaliate and only listen to their orders like puppets.

Drake smiled brightly upon hearing that and said, "Then, please die."

As soon as Drake spoke, Isolde and her sisters were suddenly transported to a dense forest. The abrupt change in scenery and the cryptic nature of Drake's words left them bewildered and anxious.

THUD

They heard that something big was walking toward them. A few moments later, a colossal ice monster appeared before them. They all became afraid, as they could feel that the monster was Extraordinary and very powerful.

"Captain," Freya said, looking both scared and solemn.

Isolde understood the thoughts of her second-in-command and the vice-captain of the group.

She also couldn't understand why Drake wanted to kill them. But instead of thinking more about that, she suddenly smiled.

"Isn't it better to die for lord Drake instead of the Brightblade family," Isolde shouted so that all her sisters heard that.

The confusion in everyone's eyes evaporated. Her words resonated with them. For them, dying for Drake, whom they came to respect immensely in the last five days, was better than dying for the Brightblade family.

Unexpectedly, despite Drake's betrayal, no one resented him. Even their loyalty points didn't decrease. Isolde looked at her sisters, their faces resolute and calm despite the looming threat.

"Sisters, this is our last fight. Let's give it our all. Even if we have to die, we will bite a piece from this monster before dying," Isolde roared, her voice filled with determination.

"Yes, Captain!" all of her subordinates shouted in unison.

They charged towards the ice monster, their swords glinting in the cold light. They fought bravely, and their coordinated attacks showed their training and unity. However, bravery alone couldn't bridge the immense power gap between them and the extraordinary beast.

One by one, they fell. Each sister died with a smile on her face, a final testament to their release from the nightmare of servitude.

Finally, only Isolde, Freya, and Astrid remained. The battlefield was littered with the bodies of their sisters, some broken, some encased in ice, all smiling. It was as if death was a release, a freedom they embraced.

The monster's fist sent Astrid flying into a tree. She slid down and died with a smile, a serene expression on her face.

"Astrid," Isolde whispered, her heart aching. She continued to fight, her resolve unbroken.

"It was an honor to serve under you, Captain," Freya said, her voice filled with sincerity. She pushed Isolde aside just as a giant ice lance impaled her. Freya fell, her lifeless body bearing a smile of contentment.

"Freya," Isolde choked out, her voice filled with emotion. Even in their final moments, none of them resented Drake. Their loyalty remained intact, and their gratitude for the release from their past suffering was evident in their smiles.

Isolde ran toward the monster, dodging its massive fists and striking its leg, but her efforts left only a slight mark. An ice wave engulfed her, and she was frozen in place. Her final expression was a beautiful, serene smile.

The ice monster disappeared, leaving the sisters' broken bodies and ice sculptures as the only evidence of the intense, one-sided battle. The forest returned to its tranquil state, the only proof of the massacre slowly fading away as the bodies disappeared.

In the silence that followed, the memory of their bravery and loyalty lingered, a testament to their unyielding spirit.

Then, one by one, the sisters returned as if their deaths had been an illusion. They looked at each other, confusion and disbelief etched on their faces.

Isolde also looked bewildered. She didn't want to believe that everything had been an illusion. As she pondered, she felt lighter, as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders.

Her eyes widened as a thought struck her. Could it be possible? She concentrated on the feeling, and tears began filling her eyes.

Freya noticed Isolde's tears and asked worriedly, "Captain, what happened?"

"The contract… it's gone," Isolde said, her voice trembling with disbelief and joy.

At first, Freya didn't understand what Isolde meant. Because of the contract, they had always felt invisible chains constricted their souls. But now, when she focused on it, she realized her soul felt free.

Starting with Freya, everyone checked one by one. Laughter and tears of joy erupted as they hugged each other, overwhelmed by the liberation they never thought possible.

"Captain, is it because of Lord Drake?" Freya asked, her voice filled with awe and gratitude.

"Who else but him? It is he who gave us new lives," Isolde said with conviction, her heart swelling with appreciation for their savior.

Freya and the rest of her sisters nodded in agreement. Their gratitude and reverence for Drake surged, their loyalties skipping the devote realm entirely. Each of them became his fanatic, their devotion unwavering and absolute.

Seventeen years ago, the Brightblade family captured thousands of orphan girls aged six to ten with no one to ask for them. They were locked in cells and starved, promised food only if they signed a contract with their blood. Many signed immediately, and those who refused were forced to sign after days of starvation.

These contracts stripped them of their freedom. They endured five years of brutal training, where defiance was met with deadly consequences. The contracts of rebels were destroyed before everyone's eyes, and moments later, they died. That was the day they realized they had sold their souls to the devil for a piece of bread.

Out of thousands, only less than three hundred survived to become the Brightblade family's private soldiers. They were given increasingly dangerous tasks, sent beyond the territory to hunt for resources, and treated worse than animals. Over twelve years, they lost dozens of members, leaving only two hundred twenty survivors.

Just as destroying a contract would kill the girl bound to it, her death also destroyed the contract. Thus, their deaths destroyed their contracts, and they were free forever with their rebirth.

"Hey girls, I hope you like my gift. You will all stay here for twelve days, equivalent to three days outside. See you in three days. Have fun," Drake's voice echoed from the sky.

Upon hearing him, they knelt in reverence. The realization of their freedom settled in, bringing tears of joy and relief. They were finally free from the chains of the Brightblade family.

As they stood, the sound of various roars filled the air. They readied themselves, eager to face whatever challenges their lord had prepared for them in this new place