Married To The Villain
Chapter 79: The Deal Gets Messy

Chapter 79: The Deal Gets Messy

Chapter 79: The Deal Gets Messy

Raphael froze mid-step, his back stiffened as he turned around, twisting his mouth and eyes into an irritated glare.

"What now?" he snapped.

"You’ve already dragged me into the middle of a forest like some common criminal. Haven’t I humored your little rebellion enough?"

Pedro snorted, stepping in front of him with a smirk that could rival a cat cornering a mouse.

"Oh, Raphael, you really think we’re just letting you go back to your shiny castle without a leash? Come on, you’re smarter than that."

Raphael’s eye twitched. "Leash? You dare—"

"Dare?" Pedro interrupted, grinning wider. "Oh, buddy, you haven’t seen daring yet."

Kael stepped forward, raising a hand to silence Pedro.

"What Pedro means," he said with mock diplomacy, "is that while we appreciate your sudden bout of cooperation, we can’t exactly trust you not to slither back to your old tricks the moment you’re out of our sight."

Raphael scoffed, crossing his arms. "I already gave you my word. What more do you want, my crown?"

"That’d be a start," Pedro interrupted.

"Pedro," Kael said sharply, but he couldn’t hide the smirk tugging at his lips.

Gabriel stepped forward, his tall body casted a long shadow over Raphael.

"What we want," he said in a lower tone, "is assurance. You’re not going anywhere until we’ve secured your promise the right way."

Lirian arched an eyebrow.

"The right way?" she asked, crossing her arms. "What does that even mean?"

"A magical contract, of course." Kael explained.

Raphael’s lips parted with horror. "A what?"

"A magical contract," Kael repeated, almost gleeful.

"Something binding, unbreakable. Once you agree to it, you won’t be able to go back on your word without facing... unpleasant consequences."

Raphael stepped back, his hands raised defensively.

"Absolutely not. I refuse to be shackled by some ridiculous spell."

"Ridiculous?" Kael asked, feigning offense.

"I’ll have you know this is top-tier magic. It’s elegant, sophisticated, and, most importantly, airtight. Trust me, it’s more reliable than any royal decree you’ve ever signed."

Pedro leaned toward Lirian, whispering loudly enough for everyone to hear, "He’s probably just upset he can’t use the same loopholes he uses with his knights."

Lirian snickered, earning a glare from Raphael.

"You’ll regret this mockery," he growled.

Gabriel stepped closer.

"The only one regretting anything will be you if you don’t cooperate, Raphael. This is your last chance. Agree to the contract, or we’ll find another way to make sure you stay in line."

Raphael’s lips pressed into a thin line as he glanced between them.

Finally, with a frustrated sigh, he threw up his hands.

"Fine. If it means getting out of this absurd forest and away from the lot of you, I’ll do it. But mark my words, you’ll regret underestimating me."

"Perfect," Kael said cheerfully, clapping his hands together. "Now, let’s get started."

Kael pulled out a small leather-bound book from his satchel and began flipping through it, muttering to himself.

"Ah, here we go. ’Magical Contracts for Stubborn Royals.’" He winked at Raphael. "This one’s just for you."

Raphael glared. "Charming."

Ignoring him, Kael knelt by the campfire, tracing a circle in the dirt with his finger.

As he chanted softly under his breath, the circle began to glow faintly, shimmering with a golden hue.

Symbols appeared in the air above it, swirling and shifting like liquid light.

Pedro leaned over Lirian’s shoulder, whispering,

"You think he actually knows what he’s doing?"

"I can hear you," Kael said without looking up. "And for your information, I’m a certified magical contract specialist."

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "Certified by whom?"

Kael smiled. "Myself, obviously."

Pedro burst out laughing, and even Lirian couldn’t suppress a small chuckle.

Raphael, however, looked less amused. "Is this some kind of joke to you?"

Kael stood, dusting off his hands. "Not at all. This is serious business, Your Highness. Now, step into the circle."

Raphael hesitated, eyeing the glowing symbols warily.

"And what happens if I refuse?"

Kael shrugged.

"Nothing... except you’ll stay here in this forest with us indefinitely. And trust me, Pedro’s snoring isn’t something you want to experience more than once."

"Hey!" Pedro protested, though he didn’t look particularly offended.

Grumbling under his breath, Raphael stepped into the circle.

The glow intensified, casting his face in sharp relief. He glanced at Kael nervously. "This better not harm me."

Kael’s grin widened. "That depends on your definition of harm."

"Kael," Gabriel warned.

"Fine, fine," Kael said, holding up his hands in surrender. "No harm, I promise. Now, repeat after me."

He began reciting the contract’s terms, each word was with magic.

As Raphael repeated them, the symbols in the air solidified, forming a chain of golden light that wrapped around his wrist.

"...And I swear upon my mana and my title," Raphael finished through gritted teeth, "to uphold my end of the agreement."

The chain glowed brightly before sinking into his skin, leaving behind a faint mark on his wrist.

The circle faded, and the forest was plunged into silence.

Kael clapped his hands together, looking pleased.

"And there we have it! One magically binding contract, fresh off the presses."

Raphael scowled at the mark on his wrist. "This is humiliating."

Pedro smirked.

"No, humiliating would’ve been making you wear a leash. This is just insurance."

Lirian shook her head, sighing. "Can we focus, please? The contract’s done. Now we need to figure out our next steps."

As they gathered around the campfire, Raphael sat apart from the group, sulking silently.

Gabriel ignored him, focusing on Lirian and Kael.

"We still need a way into the castle," Gabriel said.

"Even with Raphael’s cooperation, we can’t just walk through the front gates."

Kael rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"True. But now that we have our princely friend on a magical leash, we could stage a... dramatic entrance."

"What do you mean?" Lirian asked.

"We march him back to the castle as if we’ve found him. Play the part of bounty hunters bringing inside. Once we’re inside, we improvise."

Pedro raised an eyebrow. "Improvise? That’s your plan?"

Kael shrugged. "It’s worked so far."

Lirian groaned. "This is insane."

"That’s what makes it fun," Kael said with a wink.

Gabriel, however, nodded.

"It’s risky, but it might be our best shot. Raphael’s presence will give us some legitimacy, and once we’re inside, we can figure out a way to reach Meylo and then ruin Raphael’s order."

"Assuming Raphael doesn’t betray us," Pedro added.

"Which he won’t," Kael said confidently, pointing to the mark on Raphael’s wrist.

"That little beauty ensures he stays in line."

Raphael glared at them from across the campfire. "I despise all of you."

"Aw, we love you too, buddy," Pedro cheered.

Lirian sighed, rubbing her temples. "I can’t believe I’m saying this, but... fine. Let’s do it."

"Excellent! Now, get some rest, everyone. Tomorrow, we storm the castle."

"And Gabriel," Raphael spoke, "the order wasn’t under me."