CHAPTER 188: SLAVE CONTRACT

The magic contract brought out by Mirelle was like the final nail in the coffin.

Wesley grabbed the contract and read through the clauses. The term was just like what Leonard had said.

It was a slave contract, which put his life and death completely under Leonard’s discretion.

"You cannot sign this, Lord!" Ethan urged on the sideline. To sign the slave contract was equivalent to forfeiting everything he had worked hard for to this point.

However, the moment he spoke up, Curtis had already made a move.

He arrived behind Ethan and quickly restrained him. He unsheathed his sword and placed it next to Ethan’s neck.

The coldness of the sword made sure to let Ethan know how close he was to dying.

"The Crown Prince didn’t permit you to speak." Curtis coolly said. "One more nonsense from you, and I don’t mind sending you to the underworld."

"There’s no need for such a threat." Wesley suddenly raised his hand and said.

"I have lost this game of chess." He admitted. Never once had he expected that multiple small incidents would all be used and escalated to unimaginable consequences.

Leonard also didn’t plan on making things difficult for himself. He gestured for Curtis to halt his action.

Curtis obeyed and swiftly returned to his side, leaving Ethan in disgrace.

"Ethan is still young and only knows how to wield the sword. Do pardon his offense." Wesley promptly explained. Ethan was someone whom he had picked up in the slum when the former was struggling alone as a kid.

His perseverance and unwillingness, as depicted in his eyes, were what caught Wesley’s attention. It reminded him of his past and the struggles to climb to this position.

Therefore, he might have constantly lectured and even scolded Ethan frequently. He only wanted the latter to learn and not be stumped by the mistakes he encountered.

"Wesley, do you think I’m not young then?" Leonard asked.

’It seems like the Crown Prince wants something more in exchange for Ethan’s life.’ Wesley sighed. His wealth and position were already stripped.

The only thing missing was his signature on the slave contract.

He took a deep breath and exhaled, his hand reaching for the pen.

His action quickly prompted Ethan to react, but he couldn’t do much as he sensed Curtis’s killing intent. Needless to say, if Ethan really attempted to disturb the process again, Curtis would eliminate him on the spot.

Sometime later, Wesley retrieved a small knife and made a small cut on his finger.

As the blood dripped down on the slave contract, it began to glow subtly.

Soon, shackles made of pure mana struck Wesley’s chest.

"Ungh," he grunted slightly and noticed his heart, magic circle, and other important organs were restrained by these shackles.

The deed had become official!

If Leonard wished for his life, he could simply will it, and Wesley would cease to exist.

"You have made a wise decision today, Wesley." Leonard smiled.

"Thank you for the praise, Master." Wesley lowered his head and acknowledged Leonard as Master.

When the former noticed Ethan was still out of touch, he promptly maneuvered the surrounding mana and forced Ethan to bow as well.

One must learn to accept and adapt to unforeseeable circumstances.

"Alright, I won’t beat around the bush now that you’re part of my rank." Leonard’s eyes gradually turned cold as he snapped his fingers.

Soon, Mirelle retrieved a stack of documents and placed them on the table.

Startled, Wesley calmly picked up a few papers and began browsing through them. Initially, his expression remained indifferent, but as he flipped through more pages, his pupils constricted.

"T-This is..." His mouth trembled slightly.

What was recorded on the document was about the list of disappearance and robbery cases on the Sunfire Road.

Besides them, it also listed what happened to the victims and what the motive behind it was.

"Live human experimentation on the Wrathbane Extract to construct a large number of disposable soldiers." Wesley’s breathing turned hazy. Although it wasn’t explicitly stated, it was beyond obvious that someone was definitely planning a rebellion or something equivalent in scale.

"No wonder Marquis Darius was able to rapidly expand into territories elsewhere." He muttered.

For a Marquis to be able to expand his territory at an extreme speed meant that something else was in play. He just never expected the factor to be on this kind of level.

Even though he controlled Velastra, he reckoned that he wouldn’t be able to intervene or even interrupt them.

’It appears that I would have been devoured whole by this mysterious third force if it weren’t for the Crown Prince’s appearance.’ Wesley truly found himself laughable.

On the surface, he seemed to have everything under surveillance and in his complete control. Alas, the reality was that he was nothing but an ant.

An ant that could be squashed to death at any given moment. Maybe the reason he remained alive was that the time wasn’t ripe.

Sometime later, Wesley finished reading through the stacks of documents.

With his caliber, it was a breeze to completely absorb and comprehend the expansive information.

"What do you want me to do, Master?" Wesley asked, clearly ready for the big reveal.

"It’s not what I wanted to do, but what you wanted to do from the start." Leonard corrected.

"..."

Startled, Wesley’s body shook. He looked at Leonard with a horrified expression.

"Y-You already knew I plan on commencing a purge?" He asked in a hesitant voice.

"I have eyes everywhere, too." Leonard stood up and casually reminded him.

"You are hereby granted the privilege to commence the purge. Curtis will show you the list of targets to be purged. Remember, I don’t want it to affect the normal citizens. They had just gotten through a tragic event already."

Having finished his remarks, Leonard promptly exited the room alongside Mirelle, leaving Curtis behind to inform Wesley of the targets.

As Wesley watched Leonard’s silhouette disappear from the vicinity, he had a cold chill running down his spine.

’When did the Crown Prince have me under surveillance?’ He pondered before recalling Mirelle. His body jolted from the sudden realization. During the banquet he held, this woman had vanished for some time.