The Golden Ram, Herolf, said, "Sign this contract, and I’ll tell you what to do next!"
He was confident that Charlot Mecklenburg would sign the contract.
Charlot pondered for a long time before replying, "I need a few more days to think about it."
Taking the magical contract book, Charlot turned and left, exiting the presence of the mirror.
Herolf was on the verge of collapse. He had never imagined Charlot would pull such a move!
Wasn’t this outright fraud?
He had agreed readily enough, yet after grabbing the contract, he just walked off!
...
Back in Cappadocia, Charlot examined the magical contract book for a while. Though he couldn’t spot any obvious flaws, he decided to seek advice from Menielman Soumet, Sabastine, Tumisan, and High Priest Auguslatin. After all, "Two heads are better than one."
These individuals were all sharp-eyed and well-versed in various domains, and their combined insights would certainly be more effective than his solitary contemplation.
Without delay, Charlot set off for Saint Michael Island.
His first visit was to Sabastine, the saint-ranked female pirate. She greeted him warmly, saying, "What brings you here?"
Charlot offered an awkward smile and handed her the magical contract book, recounting everything that had transpired. Sabastine’s expression turned wonderfully vivid. With a half-smile, she asked, "Are you planning to give me this chance to ascend to the divine rank?"
Charlot shrugged. "If it means becoming the island’s guardian spirit, I’d prefer you didn’t."
Sabastine retorted, "What if it were a complete divine rank?"
Charlot hadn’t really considered this. After all, he’d never thought that far ahead. But being a mathematics teacher in his previous life, his quick thinking kicked in, and he replied, "If you’re willing, I’ll do everything I can to help you reach the divine rank."
Sabastine was deeply moved. Although she knew Charlot had recently "given away" a magical alchemical warship to Menielman, she was still greatly touched.
With a sigh, she said, "This is almost an irresistible gift!"
"But..."
"I’ll have to decline."
"Even if Herolf is telling the truth, this secret ritual can only lead to an incomplete divine rank, not a true one."
"The soul of a divine being cannot be worn away—it can only be shattered. So, even if one occupies that divine vessel, they wouldn’t achieve a complete divine rank. They’d still be disturbed by the fragmented soul of the divine being. Moreover, transferring one’s soul comes with enormous risks and severe aftereffects."
"In short, at best, you’d be a divine puppet that remembers its name."
Sabastine continued in a low voice, "You know, despite all these drawbacks and uncertainties, the temptation of immortality is still immense."
"I wouldn’t advise discussing this with Tumisan or High Priest Auguslatin."
"Perhaps they won’t be tempted, but what if they are?"
"You likely don’t realize it, but the allure of immortality is a hundredfold for ordinary people—and infinitely greater for those of saint rank."
"Every saint-ranked individual harbors hopes of reaching the divine rank. Yet, since the Age of Gods, those who have truly ascended can be counted on one hand. Many so-called ascensions are merely rumors, with no verifiable truth."
Charlot agreed, acknowledging he had indeed overlooked this point—a common oversight for transmigrators.
He asked, "Does this magical contract book have any issues?"
Sabastine examined the book for a while before bursting into laughter. "This contract has eight traps. First, its clauses are not locked. Before both parties sign their names, the terms can still be altered, and Herolf hasn’t signed his name yet."
"Second, it lacks a heading. A formal magical contract document should invoke the authority of the Master of the Court of Fate—‘Ruler of Extraordinary Rituals, Knower of All Mysteries, Wanderer of the Time Stream.’"
"Additionally, the wording contains ambiguities and hidden loopholes..."
Charlot’s eyes lit up. "So it can be altered?"
Sabastine replied, "Of course!"
Charlot asked, "Then why don’t we directly negotiate a contract with that divine spirit?"
Sabastine was startled, never having considered the possibility.
"Sign a contract with Saint Michael?"
Charlot nodded firmly. "Right now, Herolf’s sole leverage is this guardian spirit. While the protective barrier of Saint Michael Island remains a minor threat, it’s not insurmountable. If we directly sign a contract with the guardian spirit, Herolf would be like a frog in a pot—cooked however we please!"
Sabastine shook her head. "That won’t work. Controlling Saint Michael Island requires the golden ring. Unless it’s destroyed, it can’t be used against the guardian spirit. And if someone could destroy it, they wouldn’t need to fear the spirit in the first place."
Hearing this option dismissed, Charlot thought for a while longer. "Could it form a contract with an evil god?"
Sabastine chuckled. "Of course! The Nine True Gods hold authority above all evil gods. But how would you make an evil god listen to you?"
"They’re masters of manipulation, with countless tales of them deceiving humans—but none of humans deceiving them."
Charlot thought, "That’s about to change."
...
Charlot consulted Menielman, Tumisan, and High Priest Auguslatin next, avoiding any mention of divine ascension and only asking about the contract’s flaws.
Menielman asked where the contract had come from. Charlot truthfully answered that he’d taken it from Herolf. Menielman merely smiled without further inquiry, identifying the same eight issues as Sabastine.
Tumisan, the old leopardman, fared worse, spotting only two flaws—one of which was debatable.
High Priest Auguslatin, however, proved highly professional, identifying two additional issues and teaching Charlot how to lock the contract’s clauses. He suggested modifying it into a quasi-master-servant contract, placing Charlot in the dominant position. Once locked, it could be used in negotiations with incomprehensible entities.
"Who knows," the high priest added, "it might just work."
Charlot gave the high priest a mental thumbs-up and casually asked, "What would it be worth if sold?"
Auguslatin replied meaningfully, "Such an item would never be sold by anyone who possesses it."
"You never know what it might accomplish."
Initially, Charlot had only thought to use it against Herolf. But the high priest’s words inspired him. "I see now."
"I’ll save it for something big."
"Wasting it on someone like Herolf isn’t worth it."
That evening, Charlot returned to Herolf. His first words were, "Apologies, Mr. Herolf. I accidentally lost the magical contract book. Could you provide me with another copy?"