Chapter 292: More Contracts

My mouth slightly agape, I stared at the very first Contract window before me.

Contract Details

[F*cking Female Heroes Makes Me Strong?!]

Adult Serialisation

Protagonist: Hugh Mungus | Chosen One

Tags: #Mature #Fantasy #Action #MaleProtagonist #ConfidentProtagonist #CarefreeProtagonist #R18 #Harem #WeakToStrong

Difficulty: ★★★☆☆

“…”

I was, frankly, lost for words.

Needless to say, I had no idea that such stories would even be something that I could travel to, but with the very real fact that they, too, had Protagonists, it was undeniable that they were worlds that fit that very loose criterion.

And hence, here it was.

A porno.

“Librarian, you’re not allowed to look at this one, okay?”

“Hm? Why…?”

Seeing her tilt her head inquisitively like that in response, it didn’t seem like she had witnessed much of the “contents” of the story. At the very least, that was a relief.

In that case, she must have simply judged it by the Protagonist not being particularly strong as well as the reward payout.

“You just can’t. Forget about it for now.”

“Roger~!”

I wouldn’t rule out taking it on just because of what the story revolved around, of course. But, for her sake, even if she was “just” a clone of the far older Leinth, it would have been a massive hit to my conscience to take it on with full knowledge of what she might see.

With that in mind, let’s just move on.

Contract Details

[Lonely Hero: Why Must I Be Executed After Slaying the Demon King?]

Manga Serialisation

Protagonist: Annalise Lichtental | Hero

Tags: #Fantasy #Action #Psychological #FemaleProtagonist #KindProtagonist #OverpoweredProtagonist #SwordsAndMagic #MonstersAndDemons #Betrayal

Difficulty: ★★★★☆

This time, it was a 4-star Contract. That amount was still intimidating, but having already cleared one just a day ago, I couldn’t deny that I was feeling quite confident.

However, I couldn’t let myself grow reckless.

Hubris was exceedingly dangerous, and if I wasn’t careful, I could make a severe mistake at any time.

‘”Overpowered Protagonist”…’

In particular, there was one tag that caught my attention.

This was the second time I was seeing that tag, the first time being back whenever that 5-star Red Contract first popped up. That Contract was actually still available right now, but I don’t think it needed explaining why I had no plans of taking it on any time soon.

Still, seeing an #OverpoweredProtagonist in a 4-star Contract was interesting. It couldn’t have meant the Protagonist was incapable of killing me, obviously, and that lent credence to the possibility it was in fact due to the Protagonist’s other personal tag.

#KindProtagonist

――Was it that she wouldn’t kill me, rather than couldn’t?

Otherwise, the environment or some other unforeseen circumstances could be to blame.

In any case, a 4-star Contract was sure to net me a lot more World Stability than any of the other options, so it was worth considering.

The last two Contracts were both 3-star Difficulty.

Contract Details

[Starfall]

Film Adaptation

Protagonist: Leopold Rigel | Hero

Tags: #Sci-fi #Horror #Mystery #MaleProtagonist #CourageousProtagonist #LeaderProtagonist #Survival #Aliens #Betrayal

Difficulty: ★★★☆☆

Contract Details

[Reincarnated as the Most Pitiful Newt Monster “Wibble”, I Will Become an Unstoppable Dragon Lord So I Can Live the Badass Fantasy Life I Always Dreamed Of!]

Light Novel Publication

Protagonist: Merabi | Reincarnator

Tags: #Fantasy #Action #Adventure #MonsterProtagonist #DeterminedProtagonist #SelfishProtagonist #Evolution #WeakToStrong #Monsters

Difficulty: ★★★☆☆

The first was a sci-fi, the second a fantasy.

It was my first time seeing the sci-fi genre appear as a Contract, and for that reason I was certainly a little intrigued, but at the same time, the unsettling reality of ‘alien existence’ made me hesitant.

The setting had the tag #Survival, likely meaning I would have to put up my guard for a prolonged period of time. God only knows what manner of alien creatures were present, and though the Difficulty indeed indicated not much to worry about, it was still an unknown.

Finally, another Light Novel Publication.

The name wasn’t so long this time, but this Protagonist was also a Reincarnator. And, surprisingly, not human, but a monster.

“Evolution… If it’s been put there specifically as a tag, that means it’s something to worry about, right?”

That wasn’t necessarily true, and I knew that. Nevertheless, I couldn’t help but think so.

In any case, it couldn’t be denied that nipping a potential concern in the bud before it became a real problem was the smart thing to do.

I had already paid the price for putting off something I shouldn’t have once before, and coincidentally that was also related to the Reincarnated Protagonist of a light novel.

‘I won’t make the same mistake twice.’

And so, the choice was made.

“Librarian, I’ll take this “Wibble” monster Contract. Just wait a sec, I’ll buy a Trait real quick then you can send me over.”

“Affirmative~ Understood!”

Performing an endearing twirl followed by a salute from atop her stool, I smiled and moved my attention briefly back to the Shop window.

Trait – [Heart of a Witch]

You possess the heart of a witch; magical, mystical, and eternally scorned.

Witches are despised. They are burned at the stake for being wicked and heartless. Will you also follow that path, or will you show them wrong?

It is a burden not in fact for the kind to bear.

(Your heart becomes that of a true witch)

Price : 5,000 U

Without hesitation, I made the decision.

And, somehow, in a fashion that went immediately against what I had just now promised myself…

Trait purchased

―――Ba-dump-!

All of a sudden, at that very instant, my heart pulsed loudly in my ears.

[Heart of a Witch] added to Status

“Kgh…!?”

Thud.

Subsequently, with tightly gritted teeth I fell to one knee, subconsciously clutching at my chest which I could only tell was in excruciating pain.

At the same time, my vision began to darken.

“E-Enki…! Are… alright…?!”

Alongside that was a rapidly faltering sense of hearing, the Librarian’s high-pitched, evidently panicked voice cutting through in pieces.

“Fret not… certainly… live…!”

I couldn’t tell what exactly was happening within me, just that it hurt more than almost anything.

My state rapidly worsened before I could even get a proper grasp on my own condition, and eventually…

Everything stopped.

❖─────☆☆☆☆☆─────❖

Right after swearing not to, I immediately committed the same mistake.

Was there anything I could’ve done even if I knew that would happen? Probably not, but still, it would be a lie to say I even considered that something bad might happen to me when I made the purchase.

It was a stupid mistake, and again, I paid the price for it.

“But… Where is this…?”

When I woke up, I found myself in a mysterious flower garden.

All that was around me were petals of blooming silver, although perhaps they were truly white, simply reflecting the silver glow of the large moon looming above.

If one thing was for sure, it certainly felt magical―was it then related somehow to the Trait I had just acquired?

“―Thou art correct.”

As if to answer my nonverbal question directly, a voice then sounded.

Turning to face it, my eyes widened at the sight of a very tall, mystical woman.

“Aradine…?”

Unexpectedly, the White Witch Queen herself appeared before me.

…Or, considering what this place might have been, maybe it wasn’t so after all.

“How are you here? No, where even is this?”

“‘Tis natural for my presence. Thou art he who borroweth a witch’s heart, rather heeding not the consequence. Mine, to be precise.”

“…Uh…”

To be honest, there was nothing I could really argue against. I wasn’t even surprised that she could immediately tell my heart was now not only that of a witch, hers. She was absolutely right in that I didn’t think about what might happen before purchasing it…

“So, you’re here because I have your heart?”

“‘Tis so. Yet. This is the realm of thy spiritual plane alone.”

Moving her blindfolded gaze from me to the surroundings, she seemed to sweep her attention briefly over the vast field of white-silver flowers, spreading out infinitely, as far as the eye could see and likely even further beyond.

“――A place familiar to thee. Correct?”

A moment of silence flowed following her question, though it felt more like she was confirming a fact she had already determined to be true.

In fact, she was right.

“…I guess, vaguely. It only sort of reminds me of a certain place…”

This was a place familiar to me. In a sense.

“But, the flowers there were red―Carmillas, I think they were called. And the field wasn’t endless, either.”

A place I hadn’t visited in a long time.

Except, now that I had the image of that place in my mind, I couldn’t stop the feelings of nostalgia from welling up.

“It would be the case. This place is purely spiritual, and thus it shall not be identical to any real world. Moreover, thou hast a peculiar case: a separate source of energy doth interfere with the settling of thy magical energy in thy heart.”

“A separate…? Oh, you mean divine energy? I guess that makes sense. I have both that and magic energy in my blood, so…”

‘Is that why the moon is so much brighter here? And the white reflectiveness of the flowers…’

“Anyway, what is this place even for? Seems like I unlocked it because I have a witch’s heart, and witches are spiritual beings, right?”

“…In some measure. ‘Tis a place for–”

Suddenly, Aradine’s words cut off. Shutting her mouth, she turned to me.

“It appears thou art being summoned; an urgent cry.”

She stated as such, and I could imagine what she meant.

‘Librarian…’

She was probably worried, seeing what happened to me. Well, from the looks of it, everything’s fine, so I guess I can put my questions about this strange place on hold for a while.

Following Aradine’s then-stated instructions, I closed my eyes and focused on an intent to return to the Library.

“Enki…!”

However, upon said return.

“Librarian! I’m back, I’m back, so don’t worry. I’m all good now, so–”

Despite making her fully aware that in fact nothing bad had happened to me…

“It’s bad!”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Her panicked words and palpable sense of alarm did not wane.

I quickly realised the reason why―

“Look, look!”

―When the Librarian revealed a Contract scroll steeped in a deep, stygian black.