90. Contracted Partner

Dante and Abigail now had their stomachs filled and with this fact, Abigail glanced toward Dante.

The Arctic blue-haired witch had an expression of a sad little girl hoping her wishes could come true as she asked Dante. "So what do you say?"

"My answer remains the same," He replied bluntly.

Dante noticed the sad expression on her face enabling the young man with silver-colored hair to heave a sigh.

He pondered about the duration of time she had known him to be her future contracted partner and so he asked.

"How long have you known about this?"

Since Abigail was a witch, her contract partner would have been revealed to her in a dream.

"It's been five years now," The cute sapphire-eyed witch paused and then continued.

"At first, I had hoped my levels would reach beyond Platinum rank before coming in contact with you but it appears I am still..... "

Dante chimed in while Abigail was still talking.

"Blocked by a large golden gate after strolling down along what looks like endless spiral stairs leading to a dark abyss,"

Feeling aghast by how she wasn't the only one who had noticed and experienced such a thing, Abigail turned towards Dante.

"That's exactly what I felt,...you've noticed it too?"

"It's the same for everyone who has reached the peak of what is perceived to be the unrivaled rank of all beings,"

Dante continued.

"But...."

"But what?" Abigail asked, shifting closer toward him as she felt enthused by what he was saying.

"But the fact remains unknown to so many that the golden gate is the beginning of a path,"

Abigail turned her adorable little head in confusion and asked. "A path?"

She couldn't comprehend what Dante was trying to say and so she asked again.

"Towards what?"

"Immortality,"

"....." Abigail became flabbergasted.

"Eehh!!...What?... Really?"

Dante nodded in response.

'Wait! Does this mean I won't have to be worried about dying of old age?' She thought to herself.

'Wait!! Will I remain young forever?'

'Will I be granted divine powers?'

Abigail couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was a little bit excited to hear about this massive news. Her mind was currently filled with a million questions enabling her to feel a slight headache.

To cool her mind, she decided to take the glass of water placed right in front of her.

"I was able to ascertain my theory right after I fought against Vladimir,"

*Ptui!!* Abigail spat out the water she was drinking.

She turned towards Dante in disbelief at his sudden declaration... "Eh?! Vladimir?"

"Y....you mean t....the first d....demon Lord?" Abigail's mind was spinning in circles right now, she could only stutter as she tries to ask Dante.

"Mm...mm," He nodded.

Abigail calmly placed the glass cup she held in her trembling hands on the table. She tried desperately to compose herself before asking.

"W...when did this happen?"

*******

Innumerable minutes passed by and Dante had explained everything she wanted to know. About how he had been inadvertently summoned into another dimension through Dodo's red liquid that had been splattered on the floor containing a demonic sigil inscription.

Dante also explained the events that occurred on the other side and the words exchanged in that place also.

"S....so that was why I felt demonic energy oozing out of the room you came out from," Abigail cupped her face with her hands, her eyes were dilated and she was currently battling a nervous breakdown.

Her mind was stressed out by the volume of information she had listened to.

*Sighs*

After what seemed to be an eternity, Abigail's mind had cool down a bit now. "Are you sure about doing this D?" She asked, placing her head on the table as she glanced towards the floor.

" Hmm?" He tilted his head towards her.

"Taking on Vladimir?" She asked again.

"..." Abigail tilted her head to view Dante's eyes which remained resolute and unwavering towards his aim.

"*Sighs* Honestly, I wish I could have the courage to stop you but since I'm to be your contracted partner, I've got no choice but to support you on this,"

Hearing her words, Dante looked towards the top of the dining room to view the huge crystal chandelier that illuminated the whole room.

He then glanced towards Abigail through the corner of his eye and said. "If you knew there was a chance we both become stronger if we were to become contracted, why then do you choose five years to come to find me,"

Abigail herself had stated her desire of rising beyond the ranks of Platinum and since this was her goal, then something must have occurred for her to have canceled her original plan.

Abigail raised her head and took another glass of water before replying.

"As a witch, I should have sought out the one who was meant to be my partner once his image had been revealed to me but I chose to get stronger so that I could stand against my enemies myself,"

"..."

"This was my goal because every witch knows that the word partner means nothing to the demon royal families once we were contracted with them,"

She continued.

"I aim to eradicate all those that led to the massacre of thousands of sentient lives in the dwarf kingdom a few years ago,"

She paused a bit, clutching her hands together which were trembling a bit as she remembered a horrifying memory of her past.

"Every witch was afforded the luxury of choosing between becoming a contracted witch for themselves." She continued.

Since the goal of all witches aiming to become contracted witches was simply to be granted infinite power, they were willing to form a pact that involved a member of one of the seven demon royal families.

Forming this pact means that they were willing to provide their partner's full leverage to treat them however they seemed fit. This meant they could also be forced to do things against their will.

In other words, the contract was nothing more than a pact between master and slave. Dante knew this much, hence why he couldn't accept the idea initially.

"But something happened a few months ago that made me change my mind, I had a premonition," Abigail looked straight into Dante's eyes.

"About me?"

*She nodded*

She then hung her head downwards while clenching her fist tightly on her lap as she inhaled and exhaled deeply before mustering the courage to continue.

"In four years, you will be dead." Dante's eyes became dilated as he heard those words.

Of course, he wasn't new to her ability to view images of the future and so he knew whatever Abigail saw could be a reality.

And if there's one thing he had learned after witnessing Abigail's ability, is that the path to the future isn't a single track but were many and with each of them having different outcomes.

He squinted his eyes and asked. "By whom?"

If he were to die, he certainly wouldn't want it to be at the hands of Vladimir himself, and if Vladimir was to be the one to end him, he would very much like to know.

Abigail noticed his serious tone and she replied honestly. "I don't know,"

"And you believe forming a contract could in turn increase my chances of survival in the future,"

*Abigail nodded once again,*

*Sighs*

With each of them having their own goals. Moreover, with the way Abigail was calm about the whole thing, he could guess that she knew she was in safe hands if he were to be her contracted partner.

Dante sighed and replied.

"Fine, I'll sign the contract," He stood up from his seat.