Chapter 24
Xia'er found herself at a loss for words to describe the overly curious girl before her.
“How can you guarantee that you won’t go back on your word after you leave?” Xia'er shook her head, clearly skeptical of the girl’s assurances.
“We can sign an Order Contract, witnessed by the Eye of Order,” Aivina quickly replied.
“Order Contract?” Xia'er asked, puzzled.
Though Xia'er had become an extraordinary being, she was still a complete novice, unfamiliar with many terms related to the extraordinary. At that moment, the term “Order Contract” left her utterly confused.
“You don’t know?” Aivina blinked, seemingly surprised that Xia'er was unaware of the term.
In Aivina’s eyes, Xia'er was already a powerful extraordinary being, having undergone a complete Reproduction Ceremony and successfully digested a potion. Surely, she must have been taught by someone or received some formula or inheritance, and wouldn’t be ignorant of such basic knowledge.
What Aivina didn’t know was that Xia'er had only been exposed to the extraordinary for less than twelve hours.
Her curiosity about Xia'er grew, but she patiently began to explain, “An Order Contract allows both parties to sign an agreement under the witness of the Eye of Order. Once the contract is in effect, the party that breaches it will be punished by the Eye of Order. This is something all extraordinary beings can use. If you remember the prayer, you can draft the contract yourself.”
Perhaps fearing that Xia'er didn’t understand, she added, “The Eye of Order is the tangible emblem of the ‘Absolute Order’ that the Order Association believes in. You can think of it as... a seal?”
“Let me see it.” Xia'er released her grip on Aivina’s neck and stood up.
Aivina stood up as well, and Xia'er’s shadow loomed behind her. Any sudden movement from Aivina would result in her neck being snapped in an instant.
“Can I have a piece of paper and a pen?” Aivina walked over to the dining table and sat down, turning to look at Xia'er, seemingly unfazed by having been ridden just moments before.
Xia'er fetched a pen and a piece of paper torn from a notepad, handing them to Aivina.
Taking the paper and pen, Aivina began to write quickly.
Her handwriting was elegant and flowing, reminiscent of the script Xia'er had seen from noble ladies at the academy. Soon, a draft of the agreement was placed before Xia'er.
Xia'er glanced at it and quickly grasped its contents.
It was essentially a contract.
It listed the names of the parties involved and the rules they needed to abide by.
For Aivina, it stated that she could not reveal Xia'er’s identity in any form and must keep all of Xia'er’s secrets.
On Xia'er’s side, it simply stated that she could not kill Aivina in any way.
Xia'er frowned slightly.
“Change it to ‘harm,’ and add ‘as long as her life is not in danger.’” Xia'er pointed at the word “kill.”
“Sure.” Aivina readily agreed, promptly changing the wording of the contract.
She seemed confident that Xia'er wouldn’t kill her, so she wasn’t too worried about altering the terms.
After a moment of thought, Xia'er pointed at the contract again and continued, “Add a clause stating that you cannot harbor any form of hostility or negative emotions towards me.”
“Uh...” Aivina hesitated for a moment, but her curiosity about the truth outweighed her reservations. She nodded and added the clause.
Xia'er looked at the contract in her hands and nodded slightly.
She must keep any secrets Xia'er revealed and cannot harbor any form of hostility towards her.
If this contract could indeed be established, then Xia'er wouldn’t have to worry about Aivina betraying her.
However, this contract...
A thought suddenly flickered in Xia'er’s mind.
In reality, could this contract be exchanged in the system shop?
If it could be exchanged, would it still hold any effect?
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**Chapter 24: A Future of Great Use**
“O great Eye of Order, guardian of the light of justice,
With your endless wisdom and just power,
You maintain the balance and harmony of this world...”
“...Today, with reverence and awe,
We sign this sacred contract in your witness...”
“...Witness our vows,
Protect our promises,
So that we may never stray from the righteous path in your brilliance...”
After reciting the prayer for nearly half a minute, the ordinary piece of paper inscribed with the contract began to emit a faint blue light.
It was as if a blue, pictographic eye was being etched onto the top of the contract, watching over the words below.
“Please place your hand on it with me, Miss Xia'er.” Aivina placed her right hand above the eye.
Xia'er extended her right hand, placing it next to Aivina’s. The blue light suddenly extinguished, and the texture of the contract paper began to change, becoming rough as if several layers of crumpled paper were stacked together.
“It’s done.” Aivina withdrew her right hand and turned to Xia'er. “Can you tell me now, Miss Xia'er?”
“Can I keep this paper?” Xia'er pointed to the contract on the table.
“Of course, we can’t damage this contract. If any external force tries to break it, I’ll receive a warning,” Aivina nodded, watching as Xia'er tucked the contract away.
Once the contract was secured, Xia'er looked at Aivina and said, “I can tell you the truth, but I’d like you to answer some of my questions... mainly about extraordinary powers.”
“Of course.” Aivina nodded, turning her body towards Xia'er, her hands resting on her thighs, ready to listen intently.
Xia'er then succinctly recounted Du Wen’s betrayal, Thomas’s conspiracy with the Blackwater Party, and the sacrificial plan that had been in the works for half a year.
Aivina listened intently, leaning forward involuntarily when certain details aligned with her own suspicions. The way she stood on her toes showed just how engaged she was.
“Oh my... this could be the basis for a knight’s novel.” After hearing everything, Aivina took a deep breath and curiously asked, “How did you investigate this, Miss Xia'er? Didn’t they know you were extraordinary? Were you fishing for information?”
“That’s another story.” Xia'er didn’t intend to elaborate further; she only agreed to share her grievances with those individuals.
Aivina clearly wanted more; she sensed that Xia'er’s investigative process must have been the most thrilling part, likely tied to her Reproduction Ceremony.
It was even possible that this sacrifice was a three-layered nesting doll, with everyone else becoming Xia'er’s wedding dress, while others turned into sacrificial materials for her Reproduction Ceremony.
If that were the case, she was even more curious about the details.
Though Aivina’s face showed little expression, her heart felt like ants were crawling inside, akin to a thrilling knight’s novel abruptly ending with the author announcing a hiatus.
“It’s my turn to ask now.” After a moment of contemplation, Xia'er inquired, “Which church do you belong to?”
“Me? I don’t belong to any church.” Aivina shook her head, mentally strategizing how to extract more information from Xia'er. “In places like Bole City, there are many extraordinary organizations on the surface, such as the Order of the Divine, the Arcane Association, and the Dedton Manor. There are even more small organizations hidden in the shadows.”
“Are they all worshipping different deities?” Xia'er asked, intrigued.
“Some organizations are united by the worship of deities, while others adhere to the laws of pathways. But ultimately, whether it’s a church or another organization, they all act strictly according to the principles of different pathways,” Aivina explained, resolving a long-standing question in Xia'er’s mind.
It was indeed possible to gain power without worshipping deities; she was a perfect example, and it seemed her case wasn’t unique.
Aivina glanced at the old clock hanging on the wall, then looked back at Xia'er. “There are thirty minutes left. If I don’t return soon, my family will come looking for me.”
Xia'er had initially wanted to ask more about those extraordinary organizations and how to obtain potion formulas, but after some thought, she decided to change the direction of her questions.
With only half an hour left, she needed to ask something more immediately helpful.
“Regarding this murder, if I don’t want any extraordinary organizations to find out, what should I do?” Xia'er asked directly.
“Who do you want to kill?” Aivina asked, intrigued. Where did Xia'er get so many enemies?
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