Bloody, half-ripped out nails, he took one heavy breath after the other, forcing his tired body upward while holding onto his broken ribs. That was the state our new friend Leon was in. I should clarify that none of that was our fault. The broken ribs came from the woman who kicked our ass, while the nails seem to be the price for his contract, since they weren't in that state when I first helped him.

"A contract of absolute loyalty. Neither of us can betray each other, directly or indirectly, nor plot to do so by proxy. The punishment for abrogating is immediate death. Do you agree to those terms?"

I get the feeling that the explanation was more for my sake than his.

"I'm okay with that, but let's make a deal first. We need to get to know each other if we'll be working together in the future, so how about a one-for-one? I answer one of your questions, you answer mine, so on and so forth."

"A deal? Do you think you can demand a contract?"

"No contract, I'll just trust you to be truthful with me, and in return, I'll be honest with you."

"Two-for-one."

"Deal"

He didn't even try to negotiate. Was that his way of showing goodwill?

"What's your name?"

"Leon Thols."

She looked at me, as if asking if I had a question. I thought I'd just watch, but why not? I'm curious about some things.

"Wassup with your nails? They weren't like that when I was fighting the tonfa lady."

"Oh, this? It's just a payment for my contract."

"What do you want to know?"

"Don't say it like that, it makes it sound like I forced your hand."

"Speak."

"Ok, I got it."

His expression tightened, and his tone, previously bumbly and erratic, became cold and steady.

"Why did you kill Nak?"

"..."

"He was my friend, it's not like I had that much love for him when he was alive, but now I find myself constantly thinking about him, pretty hypocritical, isn't it?"

"Death has a way of changing how we perceive others, so I don't think it's that odd."

If someone were to ask me why I believe that, I'll have to shrug, but I feel very strongly about it for some reason.

"I have no intention of going back on our deal, but she'll have to sign a peace contract."

"What did I do?"

Mary looked at her through the mostly empty cup.

I mean, I understand why she would ask something like that, but isn't that basically admitting that she's afraid of her?

"Marie won't interfere."

"I'll totally interfere, but you should be good as long as you don't kill him."

"Marie!"

He said with a tearful voice.

"Valise sans poignée I swear, I won't let you die till you get out of here."

"So you won't interfere?"

"Yeah, I won't help either side if it's just some rough play, but I won't let anyone die in my hotel."

"So you would not mind signing this contract."

"I won't sign it."

"Marie. Please."

"No is no."

She didn't change her mind despite Leon's plea.

"No one dies in my hotel, that's final."

"So you won't cooperate."

May's hostility was far too obvious. I guess I'll have to slow Mary enough for her to run away. I should be able to heal in time if I pop a sword immediately.

"Hey, relax!"

Leon cried out.

"Just make a pacifist contract with them. You can take them both down without killing them anyway."

"Fine! But I don't like her attitude."

May wrote something down and handed Leon the paper. He gave it to Mary without sparing a glance. Why's May so agitated by her? It's not like her to be so emotional. But then again, it's not like I know her that well.

"Now that that's done, could you answer my question?"

Her expression remained stoic as she looked at him.

"Of course."

She told him everything. Starting from how we met Nak to how we got to Rahma, and even our meeting with Zakaria, and what he surmised. I thought she'd lie at least a little, maybe she's still cautious of Mary.

"Self-righteous mother fucker."

Leon had the same smile that Zakaria had made.

"Of course he'd do something like that, and Zak's probably right about his reason. Despite how those two always complained about teaming up, they always worked much better together. It's just like Zak to ignore his will and kill you."

"What will you do?"

He looked at me with a conflicted expression.

"I'll follow his will, that's the least I can do."

"So you'll help us?"

"Sure, I don't know how much help I can be, but I'll help in any way I can."

He said in a tone that made him sound slightly more reliable than usual.

"Now, for my question, what's your name?"

"A.C.28.D."

She answered swiftly. Leon seemed to be in deep thought after hearing her elaborate code name.

"That explains why he would go so far..."

"What are the contracts of the Black Typhoon members?" May interjected

He looked at me, then back to her, before pressing his lips.

"Sorry, I can't tell you that."

"So you will not abide by your own rules?"

"I said I can't, not that I won't. Loyalty's our guarantee."

"A contract?" I surmised.

"That seems to be the case."

"Can I ask him the next question?"

She nodded.

"Who was that woman trying to kill you?"

"She's not relevant."

"I got my ass beat, I'd say that's relevant, plus we need to get to know each other, right?"

"She wants to kill me, just me."

"Why?"

"I won't answer that."

"You won't, but you could."

"Yes, even if you consider that a violation of our deal, I won't change my mind."

"Acceptable."

"Is it?"

"He will not be able to betray us as long as he signs the contract, so he can keep his personal affairs to himself."

"I guess."

Leon took the paper and pressed his bleeding ring finger on it.

"Congratulations! You're our new tour guide."

"I didn't agree to be a tour guide, that's just unpaid labor."

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"So why did we have to use this guy? He's still part of them."

I still had doubts about him, this guy is unreliable no matter how you put it.

"It's specifically because he's a Black Typhoon remnant."

"Sorry, I'm not following."

"Leon, what happens to one's contracts when they die naturally?"

"Why would you ask that?"

Leon seemed baffled by the question.

"Humor me."

"Most of them disperse unless it's part of the contract to get passed down. But particularly strong ones remain in the body."

"Specifically the blood, correct?"

"Yeah."

He still seemed confused about the purpose of this conversation.

"Excuse the change of topics, but what do you know about Arthur 18th's recent movements?"

"Is this some kind of test?"

"Maybe."

"Fine. Arthur moved the family house from Rabat on the 3rd platform to Tanja. There are some rumors that he might move to the Hayat Republic, which would make him the first Arthur to move out of Rama in its history."

Now that he thought it was a test, he wasted no time rattling off information.

"But that's not the case, isn't it?"

"Why would you ask me?"

"Because Black Typhoon had a close relationship with the Arthurian family."

"You know about that? But I haven't talked with Arthur for a few years, so I honestly don't know."

"How long would it take them to build a new family house?"

"He started last week, so I'd say 20 more days or so."

"Did he already move in?"

"Yeah, and a few servants."

"So he left the family heirlooms in the old house?"

"Yeah..."

"What are those heirlooms?"

"Painting, sculptures, and..."

"The blood bank."

Leon seemed to realize something, looking at May with a horrified expression.

"You can't be serious."

"It carries the blood of every generation's Arthur, all in one place."

So that's what she was implying, I guess the explanation was for my benefit.

"So we're gonna rob the place?"

"That's the plan."

"Hell no! Are you both crazy!?"

"This is the best time to realistically pull it off; Arthur is on this platform, there are fewer guards than usual, and we could disguise ourselves as part of the moving team if Leon takes the job."

"Why Leon?"

"With his contacts, he could get in by tomorrow. We will disguise ourselves as workers, get into the blood bank, take Arthur 17th's blood, and get away quietly."

"No! He'll kill me, I don't know about you, but I like my head where it is."

"So you're refusing to cooperate?"

"That's just unreasonable, stealing from Arthur's a death sentence."

"That's unfortunate."

"Well, I'm glad you understand."

"But we should at least part on good terms."

Leon relaxed his shoulders, looking at us with an easy-going smile.

"So I took the liberty of putting a bounty on that woman."

"What!?"

His shock was too intense for something he should've been happy about.

"Jean Irted."

She pulled out another paper from her right pocket, filled with the same terrible handwriting as the paper she had handed me at the hunter's office.

"Jean, the only survivor of the largest massacre in Maarifa's last decade, not considering the ones they're responsible for, 56 soldiers, including a captain and two lieutenants, were mercilessly slaughtered, all by one man, Leon Thols."

"This Leon!?"

It was hard to picture him killing one person, let alone 50. But judging from Mary's reaction, or the lack thereof, it must be true.

"If you know that, why are you putting a bounty on her head? You should be helping her kill me."

His tone was resigned, as if he had lost his will to live.

"Jean had a 50 million bounty on her head for just over a day, approximately from the time we killed Nak until yesterday evening, when it was retracted by the same party that put it on her to begin with. Why would they do that?"

"I don't know, ask them."

"Before I passed out, Zakaria said that he'll make sure King doesn't collect the bounty."

"When I heard that from Jack, I had thought that someone was pushing the Black Typhoon remnants into killing her, but why would it matter if they withdrew by themselves, and why would he want to save somebody who wanted to kill him?"

"So Zakaria was obscuring that King put the bounty on her to make Leon cooperate?"

Looking back on everything, it seemed to strangely fit.

"So he agreed to help them catch us as long as they withdraw the bounty and agree to only kill the one who directly killed Nak."

"That's all conjecture." Leon interrupted. "How would they even know when Nak died?"

"That could easily be explained by a post-mortem contract; they can be especially powerful, and the more you know about them, the more wary you become of such contracts."

"... What do you want?"

"Help me get the blood, and I'll withdraw the bounty."

"Fine."

"It is?!" I couldn't help but scream. "She's trying to kill you man, it doesn't matter if she has an amazing muscular structure or beautiful eyes."

"Take it as you will, I'll help you, so spare me the questions."

"Weirdo"

"We need his assets, his motives are of no concern."

"Aye, captain."

"Guess I'll have to go out."

Leon got up while scratching his neck.

"Jack will go with you."

"Sure..."

May took me aside and started whispering.

"Don't let him out of your sight, and don't let him go to the hunter's office."

"Alright, but why do you want that Arthur 16 shit?"

"Arthur 17th was one of the few mortals who fought a god and survived. But more importantly, He's the only mortal in history to have injured a god permanently."

"Injured, huh, so nobody even came close to killing them."

"And no other Arthur accomplished that feat either, so it's not part of the family contract that passes from one generation to the next."

"So the contract in his blood is what allowed him to injure a God?"

"I've always wanted to obtain it; this is a perfect opportunity."

In the end, the reason didn't matter, if she wanted it, I'd do it.

"How's your contract's progress?"

"Oh, about that, you got any advice? I feel like I hit a wall."

"That's not something I can do."

"Why not?"

"Contracts are forged based on one's cognition and preferences, so even if I suggest something, it'll be like showing you how to get the right texture when we have two different potatoes at different stages of the cooking process."

I chuckled at the weird comparison.

"Alright, I'll be making roasted potatoes in no time!"

"Keep an eye on him."

"Yeah yeah. What'll you be doing?"

"I'll take care of the other preparations."

"Alright!"

I ran to Leon and grabbed him by the neck.

"Take care!"

She nodded as I left M&M's hotel-bar with Leon at hand.