IVPCB 08

Chapter 08

“If it gets too hard living as a gardener, just send me a letter. Your father is Count Porsha.”

Those words were incredibly reassuring.

As expected, being born with a silver spoon in your mouth is a good thing. It’s just that because of the karma I’ve built up, surviving while maintaining my status as Count Porsha’s daughter is the difficult part.

“Father…”

Overwhelmed by a wave of emotion, I unconsciously called out to Count Porsha like that. Count Porsha’s shoulders flinched slightly.

I pushed the pouch back into the Count’s embrace and whispered.

“If this money is truly for me, then please use it to buy up all the commercial buildings around 32nd Street on Poplar Lane.”

“Why all of a sudden? Have you taken an interest in real estate?”

Count Porsha frowned slightly, looking confused.

*’Because that’s where the Raven Trading Company is located, and within the next three years, thanks to Luna and the Crown Prince, the Raven Trading Company will experience unprecedented prosperity and buy up all the buildings in that area.’*

It was one of the pieces of information I knew as a transmigrator’s privilege, but I couldn’t tell Count Porsha the truth.

“It’s just… there are a lot of excellent jewelry shops around that area. I want to be able to use them for a long time even after I return.”

“Sigh, I should have known. Still, I’ll do as you say. The jewelry from the trading companies around Poplar Lane is of good quality, so you’ll at least get your money’s worth.”

Count Porsha, though looking displeased, promised to do as I said.

*’I can’t exactly tell him that land prices there will go up at least tenfold in the near future. This is frustrating.’*

It was a bit vexing, but since I got what I wanted, I brightened my eyes and nodded.

“It’s truly time to go now.”

At that moment, Aegir intervened, fiddling with his pocket watch.

“Please take care of your health. I’ll write.”

“Alright. I’ll be waiting.”

Since I couldn’t linger any longer, I bid Count Porsha a final farewell.

Aegir, who had started walking ahead, moved quickly, and I could barely keep up with him with my short, hurried steps.

Finally, upon reaching Aegir’s side, I asked a question.

“Excuse me, I think this is a necessary question to ask.”

“What is it?”

“What should I call you? I can’t keep calling you ‘excuse me’ in the future, can I?”

—

[(Timidly) ‘Sarcasm’ has been activated!]

—

‘Sarcasm’ was indeed a passive skill.

Anais was a child adept at embarrassing or irritating people with her words. Her main target was usually the poor Luna.

In fact, through the original game, I already knew his true name was ‘Aegir Casis,’ but since I had never been formally introduced to his name, it was a valid question.

Well, I can’t say there was no intention to mock him for not even telling me his name, despite him being a convict.

“…Just call me Master.”

“Okay. My name is Anais del Porsha. You can just call me Anais.”

“A noble name. Unbecoming of you.”

“…?”

I was speechless. Even if they weren’t my biological parents, Count Porsha and his wife must have put some thought into naming me.

“How rude. Why are you evaluating my name so arbitrarily?”

“Who knows. Fine, from today on, you are ‘Anis.'”

However, ignoring my protest, Aegir continued.

“Changing a name is the easiest way to make a covenant and proof that you have become a different person.”

“Honestly, I haven’t understood a word you’ve said since earlier, Master.”

“I will explain this only once, so listen carefully.”

*’Huh? He’s going to explain so readily?’*

Honestly, I expected some insult like ‘stupid,’ so this was unexpected.

“Everything in this world, ‘Um,’ moves by will. And words carry will.”

So far, it sounded like general common sense.

“Your name, which is language expressed in writing, also carries will. No, it’s not just will. Having been called by someone dozens, perhaps hundreds of times, it can be seen as a rather strong aggregate of will.”

It was a quite interesting theory. Since I had only seen this world as a game, I had never thought about its operating principles or the foundations of the world itself.

“As I said earlier, I judged that your name did not suit you, and therefore, I intend to execute a covenant—a magic that uses language with your name as the offering. To make you a gardener.”

“That’s a bit difficult.”

It felt like he skipped a step and jumped ahead from the previous explanation.

“Don’t worry. You will understand soon enough.”

With an indifferent expression, Aegir snapped his fingers once in the air. Soon, a curtain of water began to rise from the ground, centering around me and Aegir.

It wasn’t clear, translucent water, but a dark blue curtain reminiscent of the deep sea.

The ceaselessly rising curtain of water was so high that its end was invisible even when I tilted my head back as far as it would go. Enough to create the illusion that I had fallen into a dark abyss.

*’I knew from the game that Aegir was a mage who handled water attributes, but seeing it in person is truly awe-inspiring.’*

For a moment, it was such a marvelous sight that I even forgot the fact that he had arbitrarily trapped us within this barrier.

“What… what is this?”

“A simple barrier. I don’t want to be exposed to the outside.”

“Exposed to the outside in what way?”

To my question, Aegir did not answer. Instead, he raised his left arm and lightly placed his index and middle fingers on my forehead.

*’Huh…?’*

Before I could resist, my body froze. Then, a blue light seeped from the tip of Aegir’s fingers, and a chilling sensation began to spread from my forehead.

—

[Due to powerful magic, only a portion of the ‘Iron Wall’ effect is activated.]

[Warning! Breathing is restricted.]

—

A metallic system voice echoed in my head like an alarm.

*’Kgh…!’*

And then, clutching my throat, I felt as if water had filled my nose and mouth.

The restriction on my breathing drove me into primal fear, and the fact that my mind remained clear amidst it only terrified me more.

“Then, I shall now form the ‘Covenant.'”

The beautiful and cruel mage glanced down at me and spoke.

“One, ‘Anais del Porsha’ shall henceforth bear the new name of Gardener ‘Anis.'”

Up until now, Aegir’s speech, while relatively monotone, still sounded like a normal conversation between people.

But his voice just now had no inflection whatsoever. It was as if a priest was reading scriptures before a god.

“Two, Gardener ‘Anis’ shall henceforth become the disciple of ‘Aegir Casis.’ That is, Anis must obey Aegir’s commands and shall belong to Aegir for ten years.”

*’Belong?’*

I shuddered at the instinctive repulsion the word gave me. At the same time, my spine stiffened and every muscle in my body hardened.

Belong. Isn’t that a word usually used for objects or inanimate things?

Isn’t a master-disciple relationship usually one where the master imparts teachings and the disciple receives them?

*’Kgh, kkgh…!’*

I needed to retort, but because of my agonizing state, no words came out of my mouth.

—

[Warning! Please breathe.]

—

I know. I want to breathe too.

But Aegir’s cold declaration continued without end.

“Belonging means that Anis’s life is bound to Aegir. In other words, it includes the right to life and death.”

Right to life and death?

Though the meaning of the words was understood intellectually, my heart couldn’t accept it, and I frowned slightly while glaring at Aegir.

In response to my defiant gaze, a hint of mockery appeared on Aegir’s face.

—

[Warning! Please breathe. If this state continues, you will lose your life.]

—

Now even the system’s voice sounded like a dull roar.

*’I might really die if I stay like this.’*

And the moment I thought that, the blue light that had been obstructing my breathing was withdrawn, and I could breathe again.

“Hah… haah!”

I was slumped on the ground, unable to even lift my head. I felt a lukewarm sensation on my cheeks. It must have been tears I instinctively shed from the sudden rush of fear.

“You said earlier that you didn’t understand what the covenant meant, didn’t you?”

Aegir had regained his usual calm tone and asked.

*’Is this bastard a psychopath?’*

The thought crossed my mind, and I almost blurted it out.

It was probably fortunate that my ragged breathing hadn’t settled, and my voice wouldn’t come out through my throat.

*’He nearly killed a person, and he casually continues answering the question I asked?’*

In ‘S.H.D.’, he wasn’t this kind of character. But then again, the fact that he wasn’t like this in ‘S.H.D.’, and the fact that I’m not Luna, and our meeting was off from the start—maybe it’s only natural for him to be different from the original.

…Well, I suppose mages that appear in fantasy media often think differently from ordinary people, so maybe this is just that kind of thing. Even if it’s really hard to accept.

Desperately, I racked my brain to find a reason for Aegir’s strange behavior.

If I didn’t at least try to soothe myself like that, I felt like I truly wouldn’t be able to handle Aegir. And we’re going to have to keep seeing each other.

“I define a covenant as a promise that exerts binding force through language. When the caster infuses their will into words, coercive binding power is exerted.”

Regardless of my condition, Aegir continued his speech.

Ah. I can’t stand listening to this anymore.

“…Excuse me, I’m sorry to interrupt, Master.”

Struggling to regain control of my vocal cords, I began speaking with difficulty.

“Yes, go ahead. Disciple.”

Aegir looked at me, even flashing a smile.

Seeing that shameless face made all my efforts to understand him seem futile.

“…I almost died just now, you know.”

*Grind.* A sound of my teeth grinding escaped, as I failed to control my emotions.

“But you didn’t die, so isn’t that what matters?”

Aegir shrugged nonchalantly.

“You said with your own mouth that you’re my master and I’m your disciple. What master and disciple in the world establishes their relationship by intimidating someone like this?”

At that moment, for an instant, Aegir’s blue eyes wavered. He quickly regained his composed expression, but I saw it clearly.

“Is that… strange?”

Aegir stared intently at me and asked.