Chapter 11: Blood in the Ink -ll

Chapter 11: Blood in the Ink -ll

I unfolded the black scroll with care, lowering my head slightly as my eyes moved across the inked words. Both of my hands held the ancient parchment close for a detailed look.

At the top, the title stood out in bold strokes.

Blood Pact of the Nine Eternal Oaths.

So this was its name. I had no idea what it truly meant, but I could guess it was tied to the nine beings who created it, including Gramps Zach.

Still, I didn’t overthink it. I focused on reading the contents, and to my surprise, I felt relieved.

Nothing inside seemed to threaten me.

In fact, the entire contract appeared to favor me.

According to its terms, Gramps Zach and Szélanya would gain full parental rights over me.

I didn’t know what they hoped to gain from that, but I was clearly the one receiving the benefits. As my legal guardians, they would be required to provide for all of my needs, whether it involved wealth, inheritance, or power.

The contract felt completely one-sided. They were giving me everything and asking for nothing in return.

It made me wonder if they truly saw me as their child.

I glanced up at them briefly.

Are they really serious about this? Do they actually want to become my parents?

The moment my eyes met theirs, both of them flinched slightly, as if startled.

I ignored their reaction and continued reading.

After a few minutes, something about the scroll began to feel off. The more I read, the more it resembled an official record of birth or a legal document meant to register a child into a family.

It looked as if they were planning to formally inscribe me into their family lineage using this Blood Pact as justification.

Everything was written in a way that mirrored legal guardianship forms.

It felt so genuine that anyone could mistake it for a normal record.

If I had less awareness or education, I might have missed it. But I noticed immediately that this was not just a contract. It was a carefully designed trap.

These two are schemers. Did they rehearse everything just to make me drop my guard and agree to all of this?

Everything made sense now.

From the moment I stepped into this room, it felt like a stage.

I was meant to overhear their conversation. Every pause, every gesture had been calculated to make me believe this was all natural.

No one talks about important matters so openly unless they want to be heard.

And they played it perfectly.

Still, I chose to accept it.

It was a dangerous choice but still safer than refusing two beings who could crush me effortlessly.

I already knew the consequences of this contract.

The curse only activated if someone broke it, and they placed no harsh conditions on me. It truly felt like an opportunity.

I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Who would refuse the chance to become an instant millionaire? Anyone would jump at it. Even a block of wood would celebrate that kind of fortune.

I didn’t know why they seemed nervous or hesitant when it came to discussing this with me. Maybe it was taboo in this world to force a child into a family, especially if the child hadn’t agreed. Maybe people here valued consent in such matters. But I didn’t care.

This was my choice.

And I had already decided.

To become part of a mysterious and powerful bloodline.

To legally join the family of two incomprehensibly strong beings.

Who knew what kind of blessings or protections could come from that?

Even if it turned out to be a mistake, I would deal with the consequences later.

For now, I was going to enjoy the benefits and stop worrying about the future.

With that decision in mind, I slowly closed the scroll.

I let a slightly confused expression settle across my face and timed my breathing carefully so they wouldn’t detect any lie through the rhythm of my heart.

Then I placed the scroll quietly on the table and looked up at them.

Gramps Zach blinked in surprise. Szélanya was visibly tense, a thin sheen of sweat clinging to her temples.

But the moment they saw my expression, both of them relaxed.

A quiet relief passed between them, as if they believed I had naively accepted it all.

Seeing their reactions, I couldn’t help but smile to myself.

Exactly as I had expected.

Both of them seemed to realize something. Gramps Zach's expression softened slightly, and Szélanya, whose soft, plump thighs I was still resting on, held me closer and spoke in a gentle voice.

“I knew you wouldn’t refuse. That’s good. Now that you’ve agreed, everything is complete,” she said with a warm smile.

I silently questioned where her cold, commanding tone had gone.

Did she truly believe I was her real descendant? If so, then I had underestimated her. This woman was far more dangerous than I had imagined.

I considered how I might monopolize her favor in the future, but I quickly suppressed the thought.

Entertaining that kind of idea would only ruin the careful image I had crafted—the image of a cautious and wary woman.

With the wealth they had promised, if I were given an allowance, I could start a small business to secure my independence.

But for now, I waited quietly.

The blessings they spoke of were already coming.

I turned my attention back to the table, where Szélanya held the Blood Pact of the Nine Eternal Oaths, the ancient contract we had just signed.

I assumed she would store it as proof of our bond, but to my surprise, it began to glow.

The inked lines lit up with soft golden light, and a radiant aura rose from the parchment, lifting it gently into the air.

What was happening now?

The scroll floated above the table, threads of golden light unraveling into the air around it. I stared at it in stunned silence, completely unsure of what I was witnessing.

Slowly, I turned toward Gramps Zach, hoping to read something in his expression.

My stomach twisted when I saw him smirking quietly to himself.

What was this old man thinking?

That smile made my skin crawl.

Men like him were difficult to read. People with minds sharpened through discipline and years of scheming were always dangerous.

Their thoughts ran deeper than most, always weaving through unseen plans. I hated dealing with people like that, but it was too late now. Whatever had been set in motion could no longer be reversed.

I tried to calm the storm of thoughts spinning in my head and ignored the contract still hovering in the air.

Everyone else was watching it with awe, but I was too exhausted to care.

Sitting on Szélanya’s lap felt warm and strangely comforting. Her body heat made me sleepy, and the mental strain I had endured throughout the day dragged at my energy.

I had never experienced pressure like this before. It wasn’t the discomfort of being scolded by a boss in my old life.

This was something deeper, heavier. It had to be the mental force that powerful beings radiated.

I had felt it before, back when the goblins fought. That raw intensity around their bodies had been terrifying.

With Divine Vision, I could clearly sense it. Every living creature had a presence like that, though some were much stronger than others.

Even so, I pushed the thought aside and focused on staying awake. When the glowing light from the contract finally faded, both Szélanya and Gramps Zach looked visibly relieved.

They weren’t pretending. They had truly accepted me into their family.

I found myself nodding without thinking, just as Szélanya spoke again with a soft and affectionate tone.

“It’s done now. From this moment forward, you can’t call me Ancestor or Szélanya anymore,” she said with a bright smile, then added, pretending to pout, “You have to call me Mother.”

I blinked, caught off guard. She looked like she would cry if I didn’t say it right away.

The shift in her attitude completely threw me off.

Was she really taking this so seriously? Just because she believed I was her descendant?

Still, if I wanted to protect my future and live comfortably, I needed to play along.

I forced a smile, even as my voice trembled slightly.

“Mother, I’ll be in your care from now on.”

Her entire body trembled with joy. She hugged my waist tightly, even though our figures were nearly the same, both soft and curvy. She held me as though I were the most precious thing she had ever touched.

“So cute. I did not expect my daughter’s descendant to be a mirror image of her. The bloodline and the temperament are exactly the same,” she whispered, her eyes overflowing with affection.

Just how obsessed was this woman with her daughter?

Despite the overwhelming awkwardness of being embraced by someone I barely knew, I reminded myself that my future was safe now.

I only needed to endure this moment a little longer.

I nodded in satisfaction while I quietly began to form a plan.

There might be variables I had not considered, such as the possibility of someone tampering with the contract or deceiving me through some hidden method.

I tried to prepare for each one, but within seconds something shocked me.

My shoulder suddenly became unbearably itchy. The sensation confused me, so I looked down.

The moment I saw my skin, my eyes widened in shock.

It was not irritation. A tattoo had formed on my shoulder.

To be precise, a black lily.

What the hell is this?

I thought in confusion.

Szélanya noticed the change as well, and the moment she saw the tattoo her expression softened with clear relief.

That reaction alone made me realize this was probably the variable I had never been warned about.

To avoid suspicion, I created a believable reaction.

My eyes widened, my body trembled, and my face twisted with fear, as if the sudden appearance of the mark had frightened me into asking for answers.

But to my surprise, both Szélanya and Gramps Zach remained completely silent. Their lack of explanation sent a cold shiver down my spine.

They did not speak.

They did not comfort me.

They simply watched.

I turned toward Lynn, searching for even the smallest clue, but she did not react at all.

Her expression looked natural, as if she had already been told not to say anything.

My knees weakened for a moment. Everything felt wrong.

Still, I forced myself to suppress the panic and reassured myself with the one thought I could still hold on to.

So this is it. I was tricked, and they refuse to explain anything. It does not matter. I will eventually discover what this mark means.

I turned my attention to the system and asked silently.

System, any idea what this shit is?

After several breaths and no answer, anger surged through me. Asking that rotten system for help was the same as begging an emotionless enemy.

I was so damn angry.

Time passed slowly.

When everything settled, Gramps Zach gave a small gesture, and the maids entered with trays of refreshments.

A variety of sweets and delicate cakes were placed neatly before us.

I did not care much for sweets, but I had to maintain my act.

I forced my expression to soften. Panic now would only make them suspicious.

If I wanted to play the role of a sweet-natured daughter, I needed to play it convincingly. Even though I was still angry about them ignoring me earlier, I forced myself to follow along.

I was careful by nature, and there was no harm in acting the part.

“Nerine, come. Eat something. Do you like sweets, my daughter?” Szélanya asked brightly, still holding me close in her lap.

Nearly thirty minutes had passed, and she still refused to let me sit anywhere else.

It was becoming clear she had no intention of letting me go anytime soon.

She picked up a cookie and held it out for me, her eyes narrowing slightly as she watched my reaction.

I didn’t know what she was thinking, but I accepted the cookie and bit into it without hesitation. Who would dare poison me now? With the kind of backing I had, anyone foolish enough to try would be erased before they even got close.

As I chewed the cookie, already planning how I might take advantage of this new position, she continued brushing her fingers gently along my arms and waist.

Maybe she was remembering her daughter, but the tender way she touched me made me squirm.

Gramps Zach remained silent, sipping his tea, his expression as unreadable as ever.

Then Szélanya suddenly spoke again, this time with quiet curiosity.

“How strange. There’s life force gathering faintly inside your belly, my dear Nerine. What is this?”

She placed her palm gently over my stomach, focusing with precision. Gramps Zach looked over with a hint of surprise in his eyes.

“She must have already been pregnant when your spirit servant brought her back from that forest,” he said calmly.

Szélanya nodded thoughtfully, then turned back to me with a questioning look.

“My dear, is that true? How far along are you? I won’t ask about the father. That part belongs to your past. But I am surprised. Judging by the vitality, it seems to be a month along.”

I gave a small nod, though her words unsettled me.

Who was the father? I was both the mother and the father of this child. Was that really so strange?

Still, her words left me thinking.

A month’s worth of vitality?

“Mother, I’ve only been pregnant for almost a week,” I said softly.

Both of them stared at me in stunned silence.

Szélanya’s voice wavered with awe as she responded.

“That’s impossible. Just how exceptional is my grandchild? In under a week, it has already absorbed vitality equal to an entire month. Without a doubt, this child is a prodigy.”

So the child inside me, not even a week old, was already devouring vitality like a ravenous beast.

No wonder I felt constantly tired and mentally drained.

Could that really be the cause?

As I wrestled with the realization, Szélanya spoke again, her voice filled with emotion.

“I am overjoyed. I never imagined my daughter’s child would possess such rare talent. I will protect it with everything I have. I will assign my most loyal and trusted subordinates to stay by your side.”

Her words filled the room with warmth and certainty.

In that moment, the truth finally settled deep within me.

I was no longer just a guest under their roof.

I had become one of them.

And whatever waited ahead, there was no turning back.