Became the Unjust Contract Slave of the Archamage’s Book

Binaeril and the others looked down at the ruins of the fallen Inya tribe’s village.

“That place is…”

“I told you. It’s been a hellhole for a long time.”

Inyakan let out a sound that could have been a sigh or a groan, and the other Barbaroans were no different. Compared to the monsters that had ravaged their village, the creatures down there seemed like mere child’s play.

“Now I understand why you called it hell.”

The place was filled with all sorts of monsters, tearing into something or baring their fangs at each other in a frenzy. From a distance, the densely packed creatures looked like a writhing black mass.

Cherokikan asked, his face showing shock, “Inyakan, did you survive in there?”

“When the village fell into that state, I was on the frontlines. By the time I returned, it was too late.”

“And you just endured it, Inyakan?” Cherokikan asked, his tone accusatory. It was as if he were asking why Inyakan had survived when the rest of his tribe had been slaughtered.

Inyakan let out a deep sigh before replying, “I wanted to avenge my family too. I returned to the village, consumed by rage, and fought with Sikrun until I was utterly exhausted. But my strength alone wasn’t enough.”

“Survived that? That’s a lie!” someone shouted from among the warriors.

Inyakan looked around at the group and said, “I swear on the name of Inya that I do not lie. Whether I’m telling the truth or not will be clear soon enough.”

“Let’s stop this. We’re not here to argue,” Binaeril intervened.

But the proud Barbaroans ignored Binaeril’s words. They rarely listened to anyone who wasn’t one of their own, and Binaeril was no exception. Inyakan had to handle all communication with them, even though they had shown some gratitude after being rescued from the underground prison.

“Alright, everyone, listen up. I’ll go over the plan one last time,” Binaeril said, nudging Inyakan in the side.

Inyakan then relayed Binaeril’s words.

“Everyone, listen up.”

“The mage and I, along with Priya, will stay here. Kan and the rest of you Barbaroans will move to the eastern side of the Inya village.”

“We’re heading over there.”

“Wait until our initial strike lands. When the monsters are thrown into chaos, that’s when you should reveal yourselves.”

“Keep your heads down and charge in when I give the signal.”

“…Why?”

“Don’t charge in, Inyakan. It’s suicide.”

At that moment, one of the Barbaroian warriors raised his hand to ask a question.

“We should switch roles. You civilized folks look too weak.”

“NARR! Do those guys look like they could survive the monsters’ attack?”

“What! NARR! Are you trying to start something?”

“You can’t trust the civilized. Leave everything to us instead. With this many warriors gathered, we’ve got a chance.”

“No. Absolutely not.”

It was clear that no matter how many Barbaroi warriors gathered, whether ten or a hundred, they wouldn’t be able to handle even a tenth of those monsters. The Barbaroi warriors had no real sense of the danger posed by the creatures. To put it kindly, they were warlike; to put it bluntly, they were reckless.

‘Inyakan is the reasonable one here,’ Binaeril thought, finding himself appreciating Inyakan more each time he interacted with the other Barbaroi. At least Inyakan, having wandered the continent, had acquired some common sense.

Inyakan, stomping his foot to draw attention, banged on his bracer and shouted, “Silence! The orders come from this little one here. Anyone who disobeys will be considered as having a problem with me.”

Fortunately, no one was foolish enough to challenge Inyakan.

“I’ll take that as agreement from everyone.”

“Then let’s move out.”

After some consideration, they decided not to disperse the decoys but to gather them in one place. There were two reasons for this decision. 

First, the monsters didn’t know how to cooperate. There was no way that creatures of different species and characteristics would band together to attack the decoys. It was certain that while charging at the decoys, the monsters would end up fighting among themselves.

In contrast, the Barbaroi, though rough, were still thinking beings. By concentrating the decoys in one area, their allies could cooperate while also causing confusion among the enemy.

The second reason was that if the monsters gathered in one place, it would naturally reduce the area that the mages had to target, allowing them to focus their firepower.

“Hold on a moment.”

Priya stopped the Barbaroi who were about to leave.

“Let me cast a protection spell on you.”

“You prepared that too?”

Binaeril was already exhausted from spending the past three days planning the strategy and coordinating spells with her, but it seemed Priya had found even more time to prepare additional measures.

Priya pulled a pipe out of her coat. The pipe was a new custom-made item she’d had created over the past few days.

“Whoo—”

As Priya exhaled the smoke from the pipe, clouds billowed out, forming a dense mist that gradually enveloped the Barbaroi. They were startled as the unfamiliar fog approached them, but seeing Inyakan standing still, the others cautiously allowed the mist to envelop them.

“It’s done,” she said.

When the thick fog dissipated, everything around them seemed as it was before.

“?? What was that?”

“Nothing seems to have changed.”

Inyakan was just as puzzled as the others. 

“Is this how magic usually works?”

Though they couldn’t feel it, Binaeril clearly sensed the magical aura surrounding them. 

“It’s a spell that shields you from danger and conceals your presence. It won’t make you completely safe, but it’s better than nothing,” Inyakan explained, though the other Barbaroi remained unimpressed. They had heard the explanation, but without any noticeable effect, they seemed to lose interest.

“Don’t rely too much on magic, though. It won’t last long. An hour, at most.”

“Then that hour will be our deadline,” Binaeril responded.

“If it goes beyond an hour, I can’t guarantee your survival,” Priya added, causing murmurs of discontent among the Barbaroi.

“We protect our lives with our own hands, not with your damn magic.”

“Of course you do. Just don’t come crying to me for help later,” Priya retorted.

As soon as the decoys left, Priya immediately began chanting a spell. Once Binaeril confirmed that the Barbaroi had taken their positions on the eastern side of the Inya village, he gave Priya the go-ahead signal. She then began to recite the final incantation loudly.

Binaeril placed his hand on her shoulder, channeling his mana in preparation. Priya felt a dizzying rush as the overwhelming force of his mana flowed into her, even though Binaeril had yet to fully unleash his power.

‘I knew the fragments of mana were immense, but this… this is beyond what I imagined…’

She steadied herself and completed the incantation.

“O vast rift upon the earth!”

As she finished the spell, the mana began to move. Binaeril supplied the energy needed to bring her design to life. Priya stifled a groan as her shoulder, gripped by Binaeril, felt as though it were burning.

‘It hurts…’

The spell was aimed at the Inya village, far from where they stood. Additional mana was needed to transport the spell to its target. Priya clung to her focus, determined to see the magic through to completion.

‘It’s… done!’

The ground beneath the monsters began to split open. Inyakan and the Barbaroi waited in their designated position.

“Do we just stay here and wait?”

“But how are we supposed to get the signal from them? What are we supposed to look for to charge?”

“Weren’t you listening earlier? We’re not supposed to charge in.”

“Then what are we supposed to do?”

“We’ll need to shout or something to lure them.”

The Barbaroi looked displeased. They were accustomed to direct combat—flesh against flesh, steel against steel—not to strategies that involved waiting in ambush.

“What can those two frail-looking mages possibly do…?”

The one grumbling soon fell silent as the ground began to tremble. Even from their hidden position, away from the Inya village, they could feel the powerful vibrations.

“What’s going on? An earthquake? A landslide?”

The Barbaroi were sensitive to natural disasters, which in the frozen tundras they called home, were forces no mere humans could resist.

“Don’t panic. It’s the kid’s magic starting. We won’t get hurt, so stay calm,” Inyakan said, maintaining his composure.

He didn’t know exactly what was happening either, but he knew enough not to lose his cool. 

The source of the tremors soon became clear. The Barbaroi could see it with their own eyes—the monsters were being sucked into the ground as it split apart beneath them.

“The ground… the ground is splitting!”

A disaster feared by all who lived in Barbaroana, a crevasse, was forming right before them.

“It’s a crevasse!”

“Everyone, run!”

“Don’t run! Stay put! It’s just magic, you NARRs!”

Inyakan shouted at the panicked Barbaroi, trying to calm them down.

The crevasse was growing larger as it cut through the Inya village. The monsters caught at the beginning of the rift soon tumbled into the abyss below. 

The more perceptive monsters trampled over others in their desperate attempt to flee. Smaller creatures squeezed between the legs of larger ones, trying to escape. While many of the monsters instinctively sensed the danger and tried to retreat, their lack of coordination led to chaos. Those that were weaker or too slow were overpowered by others and ultimately fell into the yawning chasm.

The crevasse, like a vast maw, continued to swallow everything in its path.

Inyakan looked at the Barbaroi, who were staring with their jaws practically on the ground, and said, “Anyone still want to charge after seeing that?”

The warriors shook their heads in unison.

“Don’t underestimate our little one. He may look frail, but he’s a terrifying one.”

Seeing the Barbaroi, who had previously dismissed Binaeril, now looking shocked and awed, gave Inyakan a sense of satisfaction. The seemingly endless crevasse and the tremors had finally come to a halt. The monsters that had been swallowed by the rift were gone, without even a dying scream to be heard. 

The remaining monsters were either paralyzed with fear or seething with rage. This was the moment.

Inyakan suddenly stood up and shouted, “Rise, warriors! Now it’s our turn! It’s time to avenge our families!”

The other warriors sprang to their feet, shouting in unison.

“INYA VAISA!”

“CHEROKEE VAISA!”

“AINU VAISA!”

Each one cried out the name of their tribe as they roared their battle cries. The monsters’ attention snapped toward them, and the enraged creatures began to leap over the crevasse, charging toward the Barbaroi.

The mages were watching this unfold as well.

‘Inyakan timed that perfectly, drawing their attention,’ Binaeril thought.

“Binaeril, it’s time to begin,”

“Let’s prepare the next spell,”