Chapter 10: The Pact is Freedom

The sorceress got up from the ground. She looked deep into my eyes before bowing to me —I had become her master, her fate now tethered to mine.

Awwwn, it felt good to be worshiped, but I can't keep her bound. I had promised myself that when I met her, I would set her free. 

As I wanted to speak, deep inside, a flicker of uncertainty gnawed at me—if I freed her, what if she leaves without saving Akrifous?

"So you are the sorceress" I said

Her gaze met mine.

I looked away.

"Yes, master" She knelt up in front of me. All of a sudden she felt too close. 

"Don't call me that. My name is Damian" I shifted awkwardly further from her.

Her eyes softened, but there was something guarded behind them. For a moment, she hesitated, as if choosing her next words carefully.

She lifted her chin slightly, her pale hair shimmering in the light of the rising sun. 

"You stink master"

"Whaaaaa–"

The nerves of this woman!

I sniffed myself and indeed, I smelt like rotten meat. I had not taken a bath for days.

"There is a river close by, you should have a bath" She said

"I..I have no clothes to change into" I replied. 

My clothes were still torn apart from the wolf's attack, my chest was exposed, my thighs up to my upper thighs area was exposed. The only thing properly covered was my crotch area.

I thank my ancestors for not letting my clothes tear past that.

The Sorceress slipped out some clothes from underneath her white fur coat.

"Oh!"

She was prepared for this.

♤♤♤

I walked into the river nearby, eager to wash the stench of blood and sweat from my body. The sorceress, stayed a respectful distance away, giving me some privacy. As the warm water lapped around me, I let out a sigh of relief, scrubbing away the grime from the battle.

Suddenly, I felt something shift beneath the surface. At first, I ignored it, thinking it was just a ripple in the water. But then, before I could scoop up more water, something large and fast moved violently toward me.

"Ahhhhhh!"

 I screamed, leaping out of the river in sheer panic—naked.

The sorceress rushed toward me in alarm, her eyes wide with concern. 

"What happened?" she asked breathlessly, her voice steady despite my sudden outburst.

"There's something in the water!" I panted, gesturing wildly. 

But then I realized her gaze had suddenly dropped, her cheeks reddening.

Oh. Right.

I was completely naked.

I fumbled to cover myself, my hands awkwardly shielding my crotch. My face turned crimson from sheer embarrassment. 

"Uh..." I stammered, feeling utterly exposed and vulnerable.

The sorceress, still looking at the ground, quickly turned away. 

"Master, I will… give you your privacy," she said, backing off without lifting her head.

"Aisshh," I groaned, slapping my palm against my face. Could this get any more humiliating?

Once I finished washing, I hurriedly put on the clothes the sorceress had provided. Surprisingly, they fit perfectly—a cream-colored shirt and sturdy leather pants. I slipped back into my boots, which had miraculously survived the wolf's attack, and walked over to where the sorceress was sitting, her back to me. She was calmly sorting through some fruits she had gathered.

Still mortified by the earlier incident, I cleared my throat, trying to regain my composure. "Ahem." 

She turned, her eyes as dark as rich soil and framed by long lashes. 

"Yes, Master Damian?" she asked innocently.

I tried to sound casual. 

"Did you, uh... see anything back there?"

A mischievous glint flickered in her eyes as she pretended to think for a moment. 

"Hmm… just a little," she replied, holding her fingers close together.

"Whaaaaat?" I gasped, my voice shooting up an octave. "A little?" I was half tempted to pull down my pants and demand a reassessment—but I wasn't that insane.

The sorceress, still appearing as innocent as ever, smiled. 

"Did you want me to see more, Master Damian?"

My face burned as I spluttered. "No! That's… that's fine." I sat down beside her, trying to shake off the embarrassment.

"I picked some fruits," she said, offering me an apple.

The memory of the bitter apple I'd tried earlier came rushing back, and I instinctively recoiled. 

"No! It's bitter!"

"Huh?" she blinked, then casually took a bite of the apple. "Mmm, it's juicy."

I watched her chew with disbelief and cautiously picked up another apple from the pile. I took a bite—sweetness flooded my mouth. 

"What... how?" I sputtered. "How are these apples sweet now?"

The sorceress smiled slyly. "It's magic, Master."

"Magic?" I repeated, wiping juice from my chin. 

"Yes, I cast a spell to make the apples taste bitter, just for fun. I lifted it for these ones." She said it so casually, as if messing with my food was all in a day's work.

Still chewing, I realized something. "You still haven't told me your name."

"My name is Agartha."

"Oh..." I trailed off, trying to process everything. 

Then she looked at me with a serious expression. "Master Damian, I saw your mind."

My stomach dropped, and I nearly choked on the apple. "What? What do you mean you saw my mind?"

"When I read your thoughts," she continued calmly, "I learned about your mother, Sussana. You're her son, aren't you?"

"How… how do you know about my mother?" My voice was shaky, trying to hide the panic rising in my chest.

"And I saw the beast that's ravaging your kingdom," she added, as if casually listing facts. "You want me to help defeat it, right?"

I could only nod, frozen in place. She knew so much about me, about the very thing that had haunted me for weeks.

She set her apple down and looked at me with a penetrating gaze. "Let's make a pact, Master Damian."

I swallowed. "A pact?"

"Yes. I'll help you defeat the beast, but in return, I want my freedom. I want to be free as a sorceress."

I exhaled, relieved. "That's fine. I've always planned to give you your freedom if I found you."

She nodded, almost expectantly. "I know. But… there's more."

I raised an eyebrow. "More? What more could you want?"

Her expression darkened, her eyes clouding with old memories. 

"It's about something your mother, Susanna, had with her."

I blinked, confused. 

"Wait. You talk about my mother like you've met her before."

Agartha's gaze sharpened, her tone suddenly somber. "That's because I have. Your mother and I… we were childhood friends."

I stared at her, completely stunned. "You knew my mother? How old are you!"