Jinn BLADE
Chapter 138 | The Decision

Chapter 138: Chapter 138 | The Decision

Just as they entered the room, a familiar face then greeted Venedix.

"Hail Battlemaster Venedix," the individual saluted towards Venedix with a stern and snappy motion before continuing.

"How may of service?"

"Commander Emerith," Venedix nodded before shifting her eyes towards a table filled with parchment.

"Bring me the contract for the slaves and place it on the table, I shall be modifying things."

"At once battlemaster," Emerith nodded before quickly going to another room.

Just as Emerith headed on the other room, Troy and Zendrell then began to lounge at the nearby couch.

Zendrell placing his massive sword just at the edge of the couch while Troy himself started to close his eyes as he sat still, seemingly meditating and cconcentrating his eidra.

Jinn and the rest meanwhile stood, just at the corner whilst Venedix herself sat on the chair behind the table filled with parchments.

A few moments passed before the door opened once more.

Commander Emerith returned, holding a thick scroll wrapped in crimson bands and marked with a golden seal bearing the sigil of House Sorellia—the very sigil that represented Venedix herself.

He stepped forward with a respectful gait and placed the scroll carefully on the center of the table.

"My lady, as you have requested," Emerith said, his voice formal and steady.

Venedix nodded once without looking at him.

"You are dismissed."

"At once," he replied before turning on his heel and exiting the room, the door hissing closed behind him.

Venedix extended a hand and broke the seal of the parchment, unfurling the scroll until it stretched across half the length of the desk.

Dozens of lines filled the document, the ink gleaming faintly with faint traces of eidra—likely embedded as part of the contract’s binding power.

Jinn stood still, his eyes narrowed, feeling an odd pressure pressing against his chest. He didn’t know why... but something about that scroll unsettled him.

After a moment of silence, Venedix finally spoke.

"This... is the final draft of the Slave Reclamation Act issued by the Imperial Council," she said, her eyes still scanning the document.

"It grants me full discretion over the fate of the slaves I captured from severa colonies—this includes you all."

Verhedyn’s eyes widened. "Wait... what do you mean fate? You already brought us here."

Ophelia stepped forward slightly. "What are you trying to say?"

Venedix looked up from the scroll, her gaze sharp.

"I mean," she said with finality, "I have the right to free every last one of you... to release you from your chains, effective immediately."

The room went quiet.

Jinn’s heart skipped a beat.

"But," Venedix continued, rolling the parchment back slightly as her tone dipped into something colder, more commanding, "in exchange, one shall remain."

Everyone’s gaze snapped toward her, especially Jinn’s.

"That one," she raised a hand slightly, pointing at Jinn without hesitation, "is you."

Jinn blinked.

"...What?"

"I will release your companions. Garan. Biyo. Hector. Vox. Kain. Orin. Ophelia. Verhedyn. All the others. Every single slave I claimed during the slave campaign will walk free."

Venedix then leaned forward slightly, resting her hands on the desk.

"But only if you, Jinn... remain under my command. You will serve the Empire. You will become my official apprentice under imperial decree. Your name will be marked, your chains not of iron, but of duty."

"No." Verhedyn stepped forward.

"You can’t be serious!"

Kain clenched his fists. "That’s not a choice, that’s a sentence!"

Jinn’s jaw clenched tightly.

He didn’t speak.

Not yet.

Venedix’s expression did not shift.

"This will be the first time I’ve done such a thing... and it will be the last. I do not make exceptions. You, Jinn, are the only one for whom I will bend this rule."

Troy opened one eye and looked at the room.

"She is not lying."

Zendrell grunted in agreement. "When she says first and last, she means it."

"You said I’d be your apprentice," Jinn finally spoke, voice low.

"But this... this feels like another cage."

"No," Venedix replied.

"This is an exchange. One life for many. You were meant to die on that cursed world. I gave you another path. Now I’m giving all of you another."

Ophelia stepped forward, her voice trembling.

"No! You can’t do this. You can’t just take him like this!"

"He’s not a thing," Vox added, stepping up beside her. "He’s our friend. We came with you for him!"

"I won’t let you take him like some imperial asset," Hector growled.

Venedix slowly stood up from her seat.

"I already have," she replied.

Jinn turned his back to her briefly, staring at the floor, his thoughts racing.

He heard the heavy breaths of his friends, the disbelief, the frustration.

The tension in the air was enough to crush mountains.

And then he turned back.

"I’ll do it."

"Jinn!" Ophelia snapped.

"No," Orin stepped forward. "Don’t you dare—"

"I’ll do it," Jinn repeated.

"If it means freeing everyone. If it means you can all live your lives, without chains, without looking over your shoulders, then I’ll stay."

Garan scoffed with a toothy grin, his lion-like features exuding both pride and mischief. The thick mane trailing down his back shifted as he crossed his arms, tail flicking lazily behind him.

"Hah... I knew you’d choose something like this," he said, voice filled with that usual gruff tone he carried. "But I respect that. It’s your path—no one else can walk it."

Biyo stepped forward next, his hand resting firmly on Jinn’s shoulder for a brief moment before he faced Venedix.

"Then allow me to speak," Biyo said calmly, his voice now laced with the responsibility he had silently taken on.

"I will take Jinn’s friends. All of them. Including the rest of the slaves you’ve granted freedom to."

Venedix’s gaze flicked to him with an arched brow.

"You?" she asked, tone dry.

"My empire—Skjöldheimr—will accept them. No slave shall be turned away. We have means, infrastructure... hope," Biyo added, standing tall.

"They’ll have better lives than being war dogs or discarded trash."

Venedix stayed silent for a moment, eyes locked with Biyo’s. Then she let out a quiet hum, closing her eyes before leaning back into her chair.

"I suppose that makes this cleaner," she said. "I will grant you temporary command over the freed. You’ll guide them out of Zerafhon space, and you will not speak of Jinn’s identity or power to anyone. If I catch wind of any word leaking..."

Biyo nodded. "Then I’ll take the responsibility. I give my word."

He looked at each of them in turn—Biyo, who nodded in silent respect.

Verhedyn, whose fists trembled with suppressed rage.

Orin and Vox, who both looked like they were seconds away from shouting.

Hector, jaw locked.

Kain, eyes shimmering.

And finally Ophelia, who stepped toward him and grabbed his arm.

"You’re not thinking clearly," she whispered, her voice shaking.

"You’ve already been through so much..."

Jinn raised his free hand and placed it over hers gently.

"I am thinking clearly. For once, I get to choose. And I’m choosing all of you."

Venedix walked around the table and placed the scroll in front of Jinn.

"Then mark it," she said.

"With your eidra. So the Empire may bear witness."

Jinn glanced at her, then at the scroll.

He didn’t hesitate.

He stepped forward, raised his hand, and let a small current of his eidra flow from his palm.

A thin transparent and white thread of energy seeped into the parchment, burning into the ink with a soft

*hissss!

And then it was done.

The pact was sealed.

Venedix rolled the parchment up once more and tucked it beneath her arm.

"I will deliver this to the imperial archives personally," she said.

"By this time tomorrow, you will all be freed. Your names will no longer be on the slave registries."

Everyone stood silent for a moment.

It was hard to believe.

It felt surreal.

Zendrell finally stood up from the couch, grabbing his blade.

"Well... I guess this Chapter’s ending," he muttered. "And a new one begins."

Troy smiled faintly. "As always."

And Jinn?

He stood quietly, hand still trembling from the seal he had just made.

The chains were gone for his friends.

But for him... a new kind of chain had just begun.