Chapter 7: The Weight of a Pact

“Do you truly believe mandatory training exists for no reason? This is precisely what happens when one tries to cut corners.

It’s only natural for contractors to develop an attachment to their contract holders. Why, there was even someone who, after drinking in the early hours, answered a summons and ended up kissing their contract holder.”

“That was because of the alcohol.”

“It seems Lee Doha is capable of kissing a man when he’s had a drink.”

“Are you insane?”

Lee Doha’s face crumpled in an instant. “See?” Kim Yoon-hye remarked, calmly scribbling something rapidly into her research log. Lee Doha, utterly stunned, didn’t even care to wonder what she was writing.

“Tell me more about it. What exactly transpired?”

“…I told you it wasn’t true.”

“Alright, I understand. How is Emperor Orphenos faring? I’ve heard his condition isn’t particularly good.”

“What? How did you find that out?”

“He truly seems to believe he’s the sole contractor in Oz. Iristirium is the most powerful nation in Oz, and can you imagine how many talented individuals converge upon its heart, the imperial palace? Among the many contractors who come and go, there are even Koreans.”

Lee Doha furrowed his brow, creasing it like a sheet of paper, and remained silent for a moment before answering in a somewhat strained, cracked voice.

“His complexion was quite poor… and he was even coughing up blood.”

“It’s that severe? After entering a contract, the consumption of magical power is significantly reduced, thanks to the contract holder’s special privileges. I’d assumed the Great Pact would offer even greater benefits.”

“…Perhaps it was because I employed my unique skill.”

“…Lee Doha, weren’t you only summoned for about fifteen minutes? Emperor Orphenos wouldn’t possibly find himself in a situation so perilous as to urgently require an Insodouble’s power.”

Lee Doha subtly averted his gaze, met with suspicious eyes that seemed to demand an explanation for his actions. Muttering off at the end of his sentences was a habit Lee Doha adopted whenever he had nothing to say but felt compelled to speak.

He was quite brazen, yet he simply couldn’t bring himself to admit that he had merely been fooling around, thoughtlessly playing a prank. If he confessed he hadn’t imagined his contract holder would cough up blood because of it, his status would surely be upgraded from mere delinquent to utter imbecile.

“Seriously, why can’t we bring cameras into Oz?”

A sigh escaped Kim Yoon-hye’s lips.

“Let’s retrace our steps from the very beginning. How was the summons? Is refusal not an option?”

“I don’t know. I simply opened my eyes and found myself in Oz; what was I supposed to do?”

“What was it like? Seeing it for the very first time.”

“I had no particular thoughts.”

“Lee Doha, you’re aware I live in the dorms, aren’t you?”

Kim Yoon-hye, ensconced in a peculiar armchair shaped like an emptied eggshell, appeared utterly at ease. In essence, it was a subtle threat that she could continue this interrogation all day long. Lee Doha felt his vision dim, burying his face into the fluffy white belly of the whale plushie and letting out a long, drawn-out groan.

“Come back in three days, come back in a week.” Even when a doctor issued such instructions, he’d ignore them countless times; Lee Doha was certainly not the type to diligently ‘punch his attendance card’ simply because Kim Yoon-hye told him to return in a week.

He had rushed here because his emotions were in turmoil. Each time he found himself in such a state, he felt an overwhelming urge to smash something—a wall, a desk, anything within reach.

However, with no one suitable to confide in, he had stumbled here, desperate to grasp at any straw, but now it seemed he had made a grave mistake.

“This isn’t our first rodeo; we’re quite good at this.”

Kim Yoon-hye lowered her head, her voice taking on an unnervingly chilling tone.

“Tell me, I’m eager to hear your impressions of truly meeting your contract holder for the very first time.”

However, this was a truly formidable question. Only after a long, arduous period of contemplation could Lee Doha finally offer an answer detailed enough to satisfy Kim Yoon-hye, and from that point onward, the questions came in a relentless torrent. By the time Lee Doha, utterly drained by questions that verged on requiring deep self-reflection, lay sprawled upon the sofa like a melted confection, the sun was already beginning its descent.

Aira’s research facility boasted an exceptionally large and towering structure, offering an unobstructed view of the sky. Lee Doha stole a glance at the sunset outside the window, watching the sky dye itself in beautiful hues.

“It doesn’t appear you’re strictly obligated to respond to every summons. A contract is fundamentally not a hierarchical relationship where one party holds absolute sway, so it’s unlikely the Great Pact would enforce such an imbalance. Moreover, Lee Doha possesses his unique skill.”

“Therefore, next time, endeavor to keep your wits firmly about you. And refrain from creating a spectacle in the company lobby in broad daylight.”

“Yes. I understand….”

A weary Lee Doha responded listlessly. With a decisive thud, Kim Yoon-hye closed the notebook—whether a diary or a log, Lee Doha couldn’t tell, though he had been glaring at it the entire time, wishing to incinerate its pages.

“Stay for dinner before you leave. I hear representatives from Energen will be arriving later.”

“Oh, no way.”

“Don’t behave like a petulant child. Are you intending to hoard your magical power only to let it turn to waste?”

“Whether I turn it into waste or sustenance, that’s entirely my prerogative. Am I some kind of power plant?”

“It would simply be more advantageous to settle things swiftly. As you say, it’s Lee Doha’s decision, but a power plant, after all, remains a power plant. If you were in Lee Doha’s position, would you simply leave it be?”

Kim Yoon-hye, who had already risen from her seat, promptly snatched the whale plushie, urging him to come eat. Lee Doha shivered, unnerved by her face as she peered down at him from above.

“If I were an Energen representative, I’d follow you even into the restroom.”

Lee Doha trembled, then pushed Kim Yoon-hye away as he rose to his feet. Having endured a full day of uncharacteristic self-reflection, his mind and body were utterly spent, leaving him feeling heavy and sluggish.

His spirit, too, was unwilling. Having to engage in such conversations on top of everything else truly filled him with dread.

“Let’s do this later, alright? Later. I doubt I’ll be able to swallow a single bite of food.”

“Suit yourself.”

Kim Yoon-hye didn’t nag him at length.

“Just know this: if Lee Doha leaves for home, I’ll simply come directly to your house.”

At these words, however, Lee Doha finally succumbed to resignation. Kim Yoon-hye’s words, after all, held undeniable truth. No one could compel him to enter a magical contract, nor to abstain from one.

But that was mere semantics; if he, an Insodouble who had now become a contractor, simply sat back and feigned ignorance, it was obvious he would soon become a public enemy of the world. At best, he could postpone it for a day or two. Therefore, from the outset, he had indulged in a newfound, albeit absent, desire for wealth, thinking, ‘Perhaps I should get rich this time around?’

“Since The Bridge will also be sending representatives, ensure you have a lawyer present. Don’t let yourself be taken advantage of.”

Kim Yoon-hye spoke, observing Lee Doha’s resigned demeanor. Lee Doha nodded half-heartedly, then posed a question.

“But why The Bridge? There are numerous other agencies for those with special abilities.”

“There are indeed many, but do you seriously intend to meticulously sift through all those smaller companies to decide on an agency, Lee Doha? They say that in such cases, bigger is always better.”

Bigger was indeed better, and a larger entity often acted like a bully. There were power struggles among companies, but the adult reasons—like The Bridge not allowing other companies to sign contracts with Insodoubles—didn’t need to be explicitly considered. Lee Doha briefly considered a rebuttal but soon conceded to Kim Yoon-hye’s point.

Lee Doha and Kim Yoon-hye headed to the nearest cafeteria. Having frequented the facility since he was eight, when he was first recognized as a special ability user, many of the employees they encountered were familiar faces. For them, both special ability users and contractors were merely part of the job, evoking not wonder but weary, casual greetings.

This time, however, curious, strange gazes lingered for a moment. These gazes, without exception, all fell upon the area beneath his eyes. Even for those accustomed to seeing special ability users and contractors daily, the contract name conspicuously etched beneath his eyes was undeniably peculiar. Lee Doha’s ears burned crimson with an unfamiliar shame that he simply couldn’t get used to. Just as he wondered if they might catch fire, they arrived at the cafeteria.

“Kim Yoon-hye.”

“Yes?”

“That… the affection a contractor feels for their contract holder, just how strong is it?”

As befitting its wealth, Aira’s cafeteria rivaled any decent restaurant. Lee Doha, having little appetite, simply brought back a plate of shrimp fried rice, while Kim Yoon-hye returned with a perfectly medium-rare steak, mashed potatoes glistening with gravy, and even a small bowl of cold noodles for dessert. Kim Yoon-hye chewed her steak thoughtfully before answering.

“Well, that varies from person to person.”

Her words were true, but they offered little help. Lee Doha picked at his fried rice with a distinct sense of unease.

“If you think about it, isn’t it like a soulmate? If they’re the same gender, they become inseparable friends, and it’s common for opposite genders to develop into lovers. There are plenty of movies about it, too.”

“But it’s an emotion born from the contract.”

“Yet, the contract itself was only possible because you were well-matched in the first place. We haven’t yet discovered what that ‘something’ is, but if it weren’t for it, all special ability users would become contractors. There are many special ability users in the world, but only a select few become contractors, and the reason for that is said to be the ‘resonance,’ or ‘wavelength.’ It’s because there are so few people whose resonance matches enough for a contract to form. There’s even a theory that every human has a ‘heteromorphic sibling’ standing on the other side of a mirror, but even that depends on being born at the right time to meet them.”

Lee Doha remained utterly indifferent. The untouched shrimp fried rice scattered dryly under his stirring spoon. Kim Yoon-hye clucked her tongue, like a grandmother watching her grandson sulk at the dinner table.

“And what does that matter, anyway? It’s a good thing to have someone so important in your life, isn’t it? Many people envy the special bond between a contractor and a contract holder.”

“I’m sure they envy Pokémon, too.”

Lee Doha jingled the keyring Kim Yoon-hye had given him from his pocket. The perfectly split white and red orb gleamed.

“Oh, you’re so cynical. Try to see the world more kindly, more positively.”

“Who gave me this again?”

“What’s wrong with Pokémon? Do you know how strong the bond between Pikachu and Ash is?”

“That guy’s trash.”

“That’s all just humor.”

Kim Yoon-hye said shamelessly.

“Anyway, since Lee Doha isn’t actually Pikachu, just try your best. All you have to do is not kiss anyone when you’re drunk, right?”

Lee Doha’s face instantly crumpled. Kim Yoon-hye burst into laughter.