Lawrend pulled a gold coin from his pocket and passed it to him. The cloaked man accepted it and Lawrend was sure that he saw the cloaked man smile under his eyes.

Lawrend felt pissed knowing that he has been taken advantage of. Aleshia glanced at Lawrend and confusion formed on her face.

She just saw Lawrend notice that he was being duped by somebody when he didn't even notice it happening to him before back in the village.

Lawrend threw the cloaked man's smile to the back of his mind and wrote the terms he wanted in the blood contract paper.

Firstly, he wanted to be able to be protected from her attacks. Of any form whatsoever. This was something taught to him by his past tutors, to always pay attention when writing a contract. Otherwise, a loophole might backfire on you.

Secondly, he wants her to protect him with her life on this journey. He didn't want her to half-ass her work in order to kill him.

Thirdly, he wants to be protected from her future attacks unless there was a legitimate reason for her to attack him. For example, he insulted her. This would rule out the possibility of her attacking him later after completing the blood contract.

Fourth, he would like to have her continue being his maid throughout this journey.

There were more, but those were basic common sense that didn't need to be mentioned.

Aleshia grabbed the blood contract papers and looked at the terms that Lawrend wrote. She particularly focused on the part where it mentioned that she should continue being his maid.

"Hoh? You want me to be your maid that badly?"

Aleshia asked with a sneer. It was absurd in her opinion for Lawrend to keep insisting that she be his maid. It almost seems like he has a sinister plan for her.

"Then it's my turn to write my terms for the contract."

Firstly, Aleshia would like to be guaranteed that he would not pursue her and Ella after this journey. It would otherwise be meaningless if he hired some adventurers to track her down and kill her.

Secondly, she would like to be given enough money to buy a decent house inside a city in the neighboring kingdom.

Thirdly, she wanted him to treat her well even if she's his maid. He would not abuse her or anything.

Aleshia added some more minor clauses that do not deserve a mention as it was also some basic common sense.

Lawrend grabbed the blood contract papers from Aleshia and read them. He was particularly surprised that she agreed to be his maid. He couldn't help but do a double-take when he looked at her.

"What?"

Aleshia raised an eyebrow after seeing Lawrend look at her oddly.

"Nothing. I'm satisfied with this blood contract."

Lawrend replied. So far, he saw nothing wrong with it. In fact, it seems to be just right.

"Then, we should initiate the contract."

Aleshia answered and she pulled the black dagger hidden under her skirt.

"D-dagger?"

Lawrend stuttered as he looked at the black dagger. He was having flashbacks of what happened between him and Aleshia. When that black dagger almost stabbed his heart and almost slit his neck multiple times.

"Yes. I need to make a small cut on your finger and you would sign the blood contracts with your blood."

Aleshia explained to Lawrend. When signing a blood contract, both parties mix their blood together which they would then use to sign the blood contract. After doing so, the blood contract would be immediately effective.

"Okay."

Lawrend closed his eyes and nervously moved his finger towards her. It was shaking quite violently as he was still very traumatized by that black dagger.

Splat

Lawrend heard a water drop fall and he opened his eyes to see a long cut on his index finger. It was leaking blood in vivid red droplets that fell onto the bottom part of a blood contract paper.

Aleshia made a cut on her own and her blood dropped on top of Lawrend's blood. Aleshia used the feather pen from earlier and mixed the two blood together before signing the blood contract.

Aleshia passed the feather pen to Lawrend and Lawrend signed the blood contract too. The same was done to the other blood contract paper and before long, they were finished.

"The only step left is to wait for the blood to dry."

Aleshia and Lawrend waited for a while and when the blood dried, the blood contracts glowed a whitish-red. It blinded Lawrend for a bit and when he looked around he didn't see the pair of blood contract papers anymore.

"Where did they go?"

Lawrend asked her in confusion.

"Look at your palm and imagine the blood contract appearing on it."

Aleshia replied to him. Lawrend looked at his right palm and closed his eyes to imagine the blood contract appearing.

Suddenly, words formed on his palm. It was quite tiny but it contained all of the terms written in the blood contracts.

"So this is the blood contract?"

Lawrend raised his head and looked at Aleshia. There was amazement on his face. It was very surprising for him that something like this exists.

"Close your eyes and feel the connection between you and me."

Aleshia told him. Lawrend did what he was told and he immediately felt a faint but existent connection between him and Aleshia.

"So, anyone who violates any of the terms would be punished by dying of bleeding from the seven orifices."

Aleshia smirked as she explained to Lawrend. Lawrend jumped back in fright after he heard what she said. He couldn't imagine the pain of dying from a stab, more so for bleeding on the seven orifices. His mouth, eyes, ears, etc. would bleed, and thinking of that raised Lawrend's hair.

"Can't we change that?"

Lawrend smiled awkwardly. He felt like he made a mistake when he heard that it was the punishment. If only he knew, he would have not agreed so readily.

"We can't. Why? Are you scared?"

Aleshia teased him. There was a victorious smile on her face. She finally gained some leverage against Lawrend. She could now rest at ease being with him on this journey.