The Devil's Contract Lover - Chapter 21

“Suit yourself.” The young man seemed to have lost interest, leaning back in his chair again to rest with his eyes closed.

“Don’t mind him.” Lin Xiaoyu took out a business card and handed it to her: “If you need anything in the future, you can send a letter here.” The card was gold-embossed, with the name and room number of a hotel printed in elegant handwriting, and a pattern of ocean waves and pearls, similar to a noble crest.

“Thank you.” Yao Yuan suppressed her restless curiosity and took the business card with both hands.

Once everyone was seated, Lapis Lazuli nodded to White Quartz. Staff members emerged from the back and helped lower the heavy steel doors around the room.

“You’re actually using steel doors!” someone among the guests complained.

White Quartz stood up and walked towards the protruding podium at the front: “Please remain calm, everyone. This is merely a measure to isolate magicules.”

“Come on, listening and surveillance magic fails even through a thick wooden door.” The person casually mentioning magic made Yao Yuan’s worldview a little shaky. However, looking around the room, she was pulled back to the present by the modern setting.

She couldn’t help but shake her head. In the first twenty years of her life, she had only encountered minor supernatural events, but now she was sitting on a boat listening to people discuss magic. If she weren’t sitting next to a genuine devil, she would definitely think these people were mentally ill.

“Ladies and gentlemen, can’t you feel the magicules getting denser?” White Quartz scanned the audience: “At the current rate of recovery, it won’t take a thousand years to return to the age of magic.”

Someone quickly broke the silence: “What does something a thousand years away have to do with me? Please hold the meeting after 1,000 years.”

“May I be so bold as to ask what mindset you came to this gathering with?” White Quartz didn’t seem annoyed as she looked at the person who interrupted.

The middle-aged man she was looking at scoffed disdainfully: “You youngsters play house all day and have no common sense. The current magicule concentration is useless. Let’s do something substantial instead.”

“You are pitiful,” White Quartz replied bluntly: “You have God-given talent yet despise magic, destined to be unable to cross into the new world.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Lapis Lazuli appeared behind the man and pressed down on his arm.

“Be careful, I’ll call the police! I know exactly how much magic can do—” The man’s threat was instantly silenced. He watched in disbelief as his phone flew out of his pocket and shattered on the spot. Startled, he allowed Lapis Lazuli to drag him to the back.

“He did have a point. The reason I am holding this meeting is because…” White Quartz looked at everyone: “Everyone wants the age of magic to descend earlier, right?”

This time, no one interrupted her, and a projector displayed images taken at different locations on the clean white screen.

“I currently have a plan that requires everyone’s support. Due to various reasons—primarily trust issues—I do not intend to disclose the plan now, and I hope everyone understands.”

Lapis Lazuli returned from the back and picked up the conversation: “The purpose of White Quartz-sama’s gathering is for everyone to get to know each other and to serve as mutual assistance and supervision after registration.”

“Exactly. Not everyone wants the age of magic to arrive early. After all, those with talent are only a tiny minority.”

White Quartz spoke sincerely, maintaining her position, but Yao Yuan felt something was off.

Also, what’s with the title “Sama” [Adult/Lord]?

“Please sign your names first.”

Four slots simultaneously indented into the tables. A scroll of parchment surfaced from each.

Lin Xiaoyu was the first to pick up the paper, examining it carefully: “No tricks, indeed.”

“It’s not that guy again,” Mephistopheles said with a lack of interest, not even glancing at the paper, and never looking at White Quartz the entire time.

“It’s alright if you don’t wish to sign. You can leave directly through the front door.” As she said this, the steel doors slowly lifted.

“What are the benefits if I sign?” Finally, someone asked the question everyone wanted answered.

“Firstly, money. If I need everyone’s help, I will naturally offer a fair price,” White Quartz said calmly: “And also future development. When the age of magic descends, I will remember the contributions made by the participants.”

Seeing that some were still hesitant, White Quartz added: “Don’t worry about this paper; no spell has been cast on it. The current magicule concentration is very low. What power do I have to manipulate everyone?”

Time passed bit by bit. Some people pushed their chairs back and left immediately, while more signed their names on the paper. Neither Lin Xiaoyu nor Mephistopheles signed, but no one led them out either.

“Xingkong, can I sign?”

After the devil nodded, Yao Yuan left her name on the paper. She was quite curious about the subsequent developments. Maybe she could seize the opportunity to learn magic.

“So your name is Yao Yuan.”

Yao Yuan put down her pen and looked back. The person who spoke was very delicate-looking, but as soon as she looked away, she would quickly forget the face with neat features. She had to stare to remember it.

“My name is Chuyan.” Chuyan stared intently at Yao Yuan, seemingly trying to engrave her face into her mind.

“Hello.” Yao Yuan felt a prickling sensation on the back of her head. Every word needed to be cautious.

“May I ask where you live?” she approached Yao Yuan, enunciating each word: “Perhaps I will pay a visit.”

Xingkong placed her right hand on the table, tapping her fingers with seeming impatience.

Chuyan quickly withdrew her extended hand, straightened up, and stopped pursuing: “It seems now is not the time. We will meet again.” Her deep brown eyes held emotions that were hard to decipher.

Back in the room, Yao Yuan took the quickest shower. For some reason, she felt sticky all over.

“Xingkong, do you think we need to get involved in this matter?” She couldn’t help but jump out with a towel on her head to ask.

Xingkong threw pajamas at her: “No need. Do it if you find it interesting.”

What’s interesting or not… Yao Yuan stuck out her tongue and retreated to the bed: “I’ll take a nap first. Call me when it’s time for lunch, okay?”

It was raining.

She woke up after an unknown amount of time to the sound of continuous rain. When she got up, Xingkong was not in the room.

Yao Yuan stepped out in her slippers and opened the door. Xingkong and Chuyan were talking in the corridor with their backs to the rain curtain.

The devil’s expression was as indifferent as ever, but Chuyan showed unusual enthusiasm—Yao Yuan really disliked the outfit Chuyan had changed into, whether it was her imagination or not…

She was wearing a Bohemian long dress in the restaurant, but now she had changed into a small black dress. The style is so similar to mine; is she deliberately clashing outfits?

“Xingkong, what are you two talking about~?” She felt a little jealous inside and casually walked over.

“She’s awake, so I won’t bother you anymore.” Chuyan smiled and turned to leave. Watching her back, Yao Yuan suddenly felt a burst of annoyance.

“Xingkong, tell me quickly, what did she say to you?” She suddenly grabbed the devil’s wrist and shook it.

Xingkong curled her lips mockingly: “She wanted to make a deal with me.”

“How did you answer!” Yao Yuan was a little nervous. My luck is terrible; my identity was seen through by the strangest person.

“I mocked her stupidity.”

Hearing the heartless reply, she let out a sigh of relief: “That’s great. You can’t be half-hearted about things.”

“It’s not impossible to fulfill multiple contracts simultaneously. The important thing is that she is not worthy.”

The two walked back into the room and closed the door. Yao Yuan eagerly pressed: “Is it possible to make a deal without signing a contract?” Wouldn’t that be like working without a labor contract?

“Of course. The signing of a formal contract will attract the attention of a certain adjudicator, and this part of the cost is paid by me.”

Although being valued by a devil probably wasn’t a good thing, she still felt happy: “I see. What wish did Chuyan make?”

“She hoped I would give you up.”

The fleeting sense of luck she had just experienced shattered. Yao Yuan’s smile instantly vanished.

How can someone be so wicked? I only met her for the first time today, didn’t I? No, could she be the super Virgin Mary type, hoping to save a pitiful soul tempted by the devil?

Xingkong’s second sentence completely destroyed her guess: “The other part of the deal was that she wanted me to collaborate with her.”

Collaborate? Doesn’t that mean eating, living, and playing together? Damn it, this person is trying to poach me! Yao Yuan was immediately enraged, like an upside-down sunfish: “Where would this person find a corresponding price for such a wish?”

The devil scratched her chin: “She offered your soul to offset part of the price.”

“What kind of joke is that? What does my soul have to do with her?!” The sunfish completely flipped over and could even float on the water surface in anger.

“Don’t worry, the contract between us is paramount. I also don’t approve of her underhanded proposal.”

Cheek was getting closer and closer to cheek. Yao Yuan closed her eyes with a blush, waiting, but the touch never came.

She couldn’t help but open her eyes, only to see Xingkong’s thoughtful gaze.

She lightly stomped her foot: “What do you mean?”

“I’m thinking…” The devil’s lips were close to her ear: “Why haven’t you prepared yet?”

Yao Yuan was stunned for a few seconds, finally understanding what Xingkong meant, and her face flushed bright red.

“You, you’re mean, you’re awful!” The sunfish’s foot stomped down softly.