CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 34 – THE CONTRACT THAT BITES

Recap

The City of Golden Chains shimmered with temptation. Jemil barely had time to explore before a golden-robed stranger whisked him into a private chamber. There, on a low table, pulsed a glowing parchment that promised impossible power.

But contracts in this city are never free. And when the stranger whispered that the price was possession, Jemil laughed—until Kaelina’s silence froze him. Her trembling hand revealed a secret she’d never spoken aloud: she once signed a contract like this. And the chains had never let her go.

Main Story

The chamber smelled of incense and molten gold, sharp and intoxicating. Smoke curled lazily through the air, glowing faintly in the candlelight. The floor beneath Jemil’s boots wasn’t stone—it was polished plates of pure gold, engraved with looping sigils that writhed faintly when looked at too long.

The parchment on the table pulsed like a heartbeat. Its words were deceptively simple:

"Sign here."

Jemil leaned forward, squinting. "You know, most bad deals at least pretend to have fine print. This feels like walking into a dungeon labeled Totally Safe Cave of Happiness. I’ve seen enough JRPGs to know that’s code for instant death."

The golden-robed stranger smiled. His teeth gleamed too white, his lips too smooth, and his voice oozed honey. "You misunderstand. There is no trick. The Vault of Beasts needs no lies. One signature, and it opens to you. Creatures lost to myth, powers beyond even your imagination—you will be the only Summoner alive with the right to touch them."

Jemil raised a brow. "Uh-huh. And what’s the catch? Because I’m not exactly eager to find out if the golden glow here doubles as a soul-sucking aura."

"Or maybe a pleasure aura," Nyssa purred.

The fox spirit had draped herself across the back of Jemil’s chair, her nine tails curling around him like lazy flames. She leaned close enough that her breath tickled his ear. "What if the contract only wants a little piece of you, Master? You’ve given me plenty already."

Jemil sputtered. "Why do I let you talk?"

Kaelina’s hand slid to her sword. Her sharp black eyes glared at the stranger. "Enough games. What is the real price?"

The robed man didn’t flinch. He spread his hands, golden sleeves spilling like liquid metal. "No trickery. The price is... possession."

The word slithered through the chamber like a curse.

Lyra’s flames surged instinctively, spilling from her palms. "Possession of what?"

The stranger’s gaze lingered on Jemil—too long, too intimate. "Him, of course."

Four beast wives erupted at once.

"What?!" Lyra nearly leapt across the table.

"Over my dead feathers!" Astra’s chair scraped sharply as she stood.

"Touch my Master and I’ll gut you alive," Kaelina hissed.

"...Possession, not ownership," Nyssa mused, tapping her lips thoughtfully. "There’s a difference, you know~."

"NYSSA!" Jemil roared.

The fox only giggled, her tails brushing his cheek. "What? Don’t act like you wouldn’t enjoy being bound to me for eternity, Master."

Jemil dropped his face into his hands. "This harem is going to kill me..."

The stranger’s chuckle was low, pleasant, and deeply unsettling. "Indeed, the contract does not take your freedom. It binds you. A bond of chains—unbreakable, eternal. You will serve the Vault, and the Vault will serve you. Every summon, every evolution, every ounce of power—flowing into you without limit."

"That sounds way too convenient." Jemil squinted. "The last time I got something for free, I ended up half-naked in a slime dungeon. And not the fun kind."

Kaelina shot him a glare. "Not the fun kind? You enjoyed it until the slime started whispering about cuddles."

"Traitor," Jemil muttered under his breath.

The stranger leaned closer, chains jingling faintly from within his sleeves. "Think carefully, Summoner. The Vault of Beasts holds powers even your wives have only whispered of. The Phoenix Reborn. The Ten-Tailed Demon Vixen. The Dragon Queen who devoured suns. Imagine—fusing their essence into your summons. Imagine what you could become."

Jemil’s throat went dry. His system flickered with a notification:

[Hidden Quest Available: Accept the Golden Contract]

Reward: ???

Warning: Unknown Binding Detected

His pulse quickened. This was it—the kind of power-up every protagonist dreamed of. The kind that could propel him from "barely surviving dungeons" to "world-ending badass."

But when he glanced at Kaelina—his breath caught.

The tsundere swordswoman wasn’t smirking, blushing, or scoffing. She was pale. Her hand clenched her sleeve tightly, hiding something.

"Kaelina," Jemil said slowly, "you know this contract."

Her lips pressed into a thin line. She hesitated—then tugged back her sleeve. A thin golden band circled her wrist, glowing faintly.

The room went deathly silent.

"I signed one," she whispered. "Long ago. Before you. It’s why I... can’t leave you. Even when I tried."

The words hit Jemil like a blade. His wives froze. Lyra’s flames sputtered out. Even Nyssa’s playful grin faltered.

Kaelina’s voice cracked, though her eyes stayed defiant. "The Vault doesn’t steal your body. It steals your will. Every choice you make, every bond, every kiss—it all belongs to the chain. You think you’re free. But the chain whispers. It tugs. It owns part of you."

Jemil’s chest tightened. "You’ve been chained this whole time? And you didn’t tell me?"

Her cheeks flushed with shame and anger. "Would it have mattered? You would’ve tried to save me. And you couldn’t."

The stranger’s smile turned cruel. "She speaks truth. The Vault’s chains never break. They only multiply. Now, young Summoner, you stand at the threshold. Will you sign... or walk away weaker than you came?"

The parchment pulsed brighter, its heartbeat syncing with Jemil’s own.

His system chimed again:

[Choice Detected: Sign the Contract / Refuse the Contract]

Warning: Either path shapes your destiny

The chamber trembled. The walls rippled with golden veins. Chains slid like serpents across the surface, rattling softly as though eager to strike.

Jemil swallowed hard. His wives’ eyes were on him—Nyssa curious, Lyra furious, Kaelina terrified.

And all he could think was:

"Well. This is awkward."

Next Chapter Preview – Chapter 35: Chains on the Heart

The golden ink glows brighter. Kaelina’s secret past now binds Jemil’s choice, and his wives are divided—temptation versus fear. If he signs, he risks losing himself. If he refuses, he might lose Kaelina forever.

But the chamber isn’t waiting. Chains are waking, slithering free of the walls, their metallic hiss echoing like snakes. Someone—or something—else is watching from the darkness. And it doesn’t want negotiation.

It wants Jemil’s soul.

✨ Call to Action (Expanded)

The contract burns with temptation, Kaelina’s chains are revealed, and Jemil stands at a crossroads. Would you risk signing away your freedom for the Vault’s impossible power? Or would you walk away—and abandon Kaelina to the chains forever?

🔥 Drop your predictions below—what should Jemil do?

⚡ Smash POWER STONES if you’re hooked on this arc!

❤️ And brace yourself: the next Chapter isn’t about bargains anymore. It’s about survival. The chains are no longer waiting for Jemil to decide. They’re coming for him.