WHIIRRR!!
The automatons imdiately reacted to Augustus’s death, their systems processing the fatal attack on their charge. Red lights blazed across their tal fras as targeting protocols activated.
"PROTECTED SUBJECT TERMINATED. ANALYZING HOSTILE—"
"Stop," Rey commanded calmly, his voice carrying an authority that seed to freeze the chanical guardians mid-motion.
The automatons’ processors whirred, confused by the conflicting data. Their last registered ally had just killed the one they were programd to protect.
Yet that sa ally had been specifically authorized by Augustus himself re monts before his death.
"ANALYZING... AUGUSTUS DESGARRON DESIGNATED SUBJECT AS TRUSTED ALLY. FINAL COMMAND REGISTERED BEFORE TERMINATION. CONFLICT IN PRIORITY PROTOCOLS."
Rey stepped over Augustus’s cooling corpse, his expression unchanging. "I am now the highest-ranking Desgarron ally within your recognition system. With all family mbers deceased or absent and no other authorized personnel present, command authority defaults to ."
The automatons processed this logic. Their artificial intelligence, designed to protect the Desgarron bloodline, found itself in unprecedented territory.
Rey was right.
Amara was absent.
All other mbers of the family were dead.
The security systems had been compromised. And the only remaining individual with system authorization was the one who had just killed their final charge.
After a long mont, the red targeting lights flickered and died.
"ACKNOWLEDGED. COMMAND AUTHORITY TRANSFERRED. AWAITING ORDERS."
The courtyard erupted in shocked murmurs.
Logan stared at Rey with a mixture of horror and grudging admiration. "He planned this. He got Augustus to authorize him specifically so he could seize control of the automatons."
Serena’s eyes narrowed dangerously. "Which ans he’s not joining us out of ideological conviction. He’s playing his own ga."
Rey turned to face the Sunlit Order, three towering automatons moving to flank him in a protective formation. The remaining twenty-seven Order mbers suddenly found themselves facing not a potential ally, but a wild card with significant military assets.
"Let’s be honest with each other," Rey said, his voice cutting through the tense silence. "You don’t trust , and I don’t trust you. But we’re both standing in the ruins of House Desgarron with a narrow window of opportunity before this entire situation explodes into a kingdom-wide crisis."
"What are you proposing?" Serena asked carefully, her whip still coiled and ready despite her exhaustion.
"A temporary alliance," Rey stated. "You need my automatons to help secure the manor’s treasures before reinforcents arrive. Without my cooperation, they would attack you or defend the Manor, which would be inconvenient for your goals. As for , I need your numbers and knowledge of what’s worth taking. We work together, split the proceeds, and then go our separate ways."
Logan stepped forward, his expression calculating. "And what’s to stop you from ordering those automatons to attack us all once you’ve gotten what you need?"
Rey smiled thinly.
"The sa thing that will stop you from using your overwhelming numbers to destroy once the automatons are damaged or depleted—mutual assured destruction. I may have superior firepower now, but you have the numbers and coordination. Any fight between us would be costly for both sides."
He gestured at the burning sections of the manor, the distant sounds of alarms finally beginning to echo through the city.
"And more importantly, we’re running out of ti. Every minute we waste posturing is a minute closer to Noble reinforcents arriving."
Serena exchanged glances with Logan and several other senior Order mbers.
A quick, silent communication passed between them—the kind that ca from years of working together in dangerous circumstances.
"He’s right," Serena finally admitted. "We can’t afford an internal conflict right now. But I’m not accepting a simple verbal agreent." She reached into her robes and withdrew a scroll covered in intricate symbols. "We draft a proper contract. Curse Art Binding Technique."
Rey’s eyebrows raised slightly.
"A mutual non-aggression pact?"
"More than that," Logan interjected, producing his own scroll. "A full alliance contract with specific terms. Duration, territorial boundaries, division of resources, and consequences for breach."
This was exactly what Rey had expected.
The Sunlit Order hadn’t survived this long by being naive or trusting. They would want ironclad guarantees, and Curse Art contracts were notoriously difficult to break without severe consequences.
Knowing them, their contract would be sophisticated and would leave little to no room for compromise.
"Fine," Rey agreed. "But I want input on the terms."
What followed was a tense negotiation conducted amidst the carnage of the courtyard.
Serena, Logan, and two other senior Order mbers huddled with Rey, drafting terms while the remaining mbers kept a nervous watch on both the automatons and the surrounding area.
The contract took shape quickly—necessity
The general gist was that neither party could attack the other or use external ans to initiate an attack.
For example, Rey using the automatons.
That, and many other scenarios were well accounted for and forbidden.
Rey read through the terms carefully, his enhanced ntal processing allowing him to analyze every clause for potential loopholes or traps.
’Clever,’ he thought. ’The Curse Art binding ans I can’t simply betray them and seize everything. But the ti limit and territorial scope an I’m not permanently shackled to their cause.’
The percentages of the spoils were weighted in the Order’s favor, but not unreasonably so given their numbers.
And the priority on one Major Artifact was actually quite generous—it suggested they either didn’t know what treasures the Desgarron vault contained, or they were confident the intelligence and docunts would be more valuable to their long-term goals.
’Or they’re planning sothing for after the alliance expires,’ Rey considered. ’But that’s a problem for future .’
"I have one addition," Rey said. "Article VII: Information Sharing. Any information discovered during the looting that pertains to threats against any alliance mber must be imdiately disclosed."
Serena frowned. "Why?"
"Because if we stumble across evidence of a Noble manhunt forming, or counter-revolutionary asures being planned, we all need to know. Self-preservation."
Logan nodded slowly. "That’s... actually reasonable."
The clause was added.
"Any other concerns?" Serena asked, clearly eager to finalize this and get moving.
Rey scanned the contract one final ti, then shook his head. "This is acceptable."
Serena produced a ceremonial dagger, its blade inscribed with Curse Art symbols. She pricked her thumb, allowing a drop of blood to fall onto the scroll. The blood sizzled and spread, the symbols glowing with purple light as the Curse Art activated.
Logan did the sa, followed by the two senior mbers.
Afterwards, the other Sunlit Order mbers followed suit.
Then the scroll was handed to Rey.
He hesitated for just a mont.
Curse Art contracts were serious business—the mystical enforcent was automatic and rciless. Once signed, there would be no backing out without suffering the consequences.
Unless he had a corresponding Null Art or Curse Art Technique, he was screwed.
But the benefits outweighed the risks.
Access to the Desgarron treasury, protection during the most vulnerable phase of the operation, and ti to assess the Order’s true capabilities and intentions.
’Besides, I still have my contingency...’
Rey took the dagger and pricked his thumb. His blood—darker than it should be, carrying the taint of his Undead nature—dropped onto the scroll.
The contract blazed with light, and Rey felt sothing settle into his very essence. A binding, woven through with Curse Art, that would enforce the terms they’d agreed upon.
Just like that, another Curse Imprint was on him—the Binding kind.
Under Rey’s orders, the automatons registered the Contract and the Ether signatures within the scroll.
Thus, they updated their protocols accordingly.
The Sunlit Order mbers were now temporarily classified as allied forces rather than threats.
"It’s done," Serena said, relief evident in her voice despite her attempt to remain stern.
"We’re allies. For the next seven hours."
Rey nodded, flexing his hand as the pinprick healed with supernatural speed. "Then let’s not waste ti. We have a manor to plunder."
Logan pulled out a hastily drawn map, spreading it on the ground.
"The main treasury is here, in the basent level. Three separate vault doors, each with different security asures. Then there’s the study where Dreyfus kept his records—that’s our primary intelligence target. The armory is on the second floor, likely containing additional Artifacts, scrolls, and weapons. And there’s a secondary storage area near the servants’ quarters where they keep trade goods and bulk valuables."
"We split into teams," Serena suggested. "Cover more ground, grab more resources before ti runs out."
"Risky," Rey countered. "If we split up too much, we’re vulnerable if sothing goes wrong."
"Two teams then," Logan proposed. "One for the treasury and armory—that’s the heavy lifting, needs the automatons. One for the study and secondary storage—faster, requires less firepower."
Rey considered this. "I’ll take the treasury with two automatons. The third stays with your team as insurance."
"Insurance?" Logan’s eyes narrowed.
"Proof of good faith," Rey clarified. "You get an automaton to help with heavy lifting and defense. I keep two because the treasury security will be the toughest to crack. Fair division of military assets."
Serena studied him for a long mont, then nodded. "Acceptable. Logan, you lead the study team. I’ll go with Rey to the treasury."
The teams were quickly organized.
Logan took fifteen Order mbers toward the manor’s upper levels, heading for Dreyfus’s study and the intelligence records. One automaton accompanied them, its heavy footsteps echoing through the corridors.
Rey, Serena, and twelve Order mbers descended into the manor’s depths, two automatons lighting their way with built-in illumination systems.
As they moved through the ransacked hallways—bodies of servants and guards sprawled where they’d fallen during the initial assault—Rey couldn’t help but marvel at the magnitude of what they’d accomplished.
The Desgarron Family, one of the 24 Noble Households in the Land of Nether, had fallen in a single night.
And now he was about to claim his share of their legacy.
’The Sunlit Order thinks they’ve bound with their contract,’ Rey thought, watching Serena’s back as she led the way. ’They think they’ve secured an alliance that will last exactly as long as they need it to.’
’But they don’t understand what it is I’m actually planning.’
The automatons marched in perfect synchronization, their tal feet crushing debris underfoot.
’For now, I’ll play along.’
They reached a massive reinforced door—the first barrier to the Desgarron treasury.
’And when the ti cos...’
Rey smiled in the darkness.
The door groaned open, revealing corridors of wealth beyond imagining.
’...They’ll realize their mistake.’
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