"Queen Stella, me would like to offer you The Contract." Jake declared.

The queen, Stella, the prime minister and the navy general raised their eyebrows hearing it. The captains were confused and so are the two female Court Wizards.

"I figured this would happen." Owen sighed. "You kept challenging Master Miriel over and over again last year."

"Ruze-senpai, what is a Contract?" Rin asked. Her gloomy expression replaced with one of curiosity. Alicia also nodded in agreement.

"Well now, lass." Jake showed them the blue parchment floating above his hand. "This thing here is a piece of paper that will let me and you ta help defend me country!"

"Ahem." Owen coughed, taking back the lead of this conversation. "The Contract is a treaty signed between the Court Wizard and the other party. Once signed, anything inside The Contract takes effect."

What Jake said was inaccurate. Contents of The Contract can be anything, but the use of maneg to interfere with minor affairs was the most common.

"I brought ya guys here to be me witness," Jake added.

One rule of The Contract is that the signing of it requires another Court Wizard to witness the signing.

"Well, are you sure about this?" Owen asked. "Remember what happened two years ago all because of The Contract."

""Hmm?/Uhn?""

"Aye, me didn't ask Master Miriel to fight for nothin'." Jake turned to the girls. "What happened two years ago ain't something we like talking about, maybe later. The point is, The Contract ain't something you can make willy nilly."

The Contract is very sacred to Court Wizards. To be eligible to offer one, one needs to be a Guardian or a Duke/Duchess. For non-Guardian, they have to challenge the Guardian until the Mother Soul recognizes them.

"Whatever was signed in The Contract, it cannot be retracted. Every Court Wizard will adhere whatever was stated, no exception. The Contract is the highest form of relationship with whoever."

"Aye, me will make this Contract here to beat back those Laegar bastards and defend me beloved kingdom!"

The Contract is a way for Court Wizards to be able to use their power to protect what they care in their own world. It is an actualization of the ninth Rules of Engagement: Preserve your duties, loyalties, and wishes. A Court Wizard who is a loyal citizen of a kingdom is a loyal citizen of a kingdom first, then a Court Wizard; or the other way around.

However, The Contract does not 'magically' bind all Court Wizard forcing to follow it. It's simply a fancy signed treaty between the two parties. Court Wizards can still disobey The Contract. But as The Contract was typically given to your non-Court Wizard best friend as a sign of friendship, doing so is basically a slap to the face to the Court Wizard who gave The Contract. Furthermore, that would be a violation to the sixth Rules of Engagement: Cherish your partner, comrades, friends and those whom you care.

"Then Celeste can be saved?" Rin asked.

Jake simply grin while nodding to her.

"Truly?"

"Can we be saved now?"

"Thank lord..."

The captains sighed in relief. Maybe the kingdom was not lost any time soon.

"Then if you knew that Jake will propose this, why say what you said before?" Alicia asked.

"Well, I need an opportunity to teach you guys about this. The mentoring style of the Otherworldly Court is explaining things about it as the need rises. We don't sit and teach class very often, I need a situation like this to tell you guys something important." Owen replies with a blank tone.

"Eeh~?" Rin pouted.

"Really now? You had Rin sad all for this?" Alicia complained, glaring at her childhood friend like a mother who had seen her child misbehave.

"Eh, sorry..."

In the midst of the return of the hope of survival, Stella spoke up, "Sir Jake, is it fine for us to receive The Contract? I do not feel like we deserve it." Now that kinda ruined the mood.

"Aww don't be shy!" Jake chuckled, slapping his knee. "Me fully intents to give ya one to begin with. Why else would I challenge me Master Miriel on every freakin' chance? Besides, me pops actually gave one to your pops back then. Me is here to renew it since your pops' restin' in peace and me would like to keep it that way."

"Really?" Stella widened her eyes.

"Well yeah, The Contract was written for me pops ta wash'em Laegar bastard ta davy jone's locker when they first invaded back then!"

"I see. Very well, I will accept The Contract."

"Well said, my queen!"

"We will now commence the signing of The Contract," Owen said in a very formal accent.

The table and chairs in the war room were moved to make an empty clearing. The navy general, the captains, and the prime minister stood in the sidelines watching Jake in front of their queen with a blue parchment floating on his hand. The other Court Wizards are on the other side looking between them.

"I, Owen Ruze, Ice Court Wizard of the Otherworldly Court will witness the signing of The Contract."

"I, Alicia Bell, Fire Court Wizard of the Otherworldly Court shall witness the signing of The Contract."

"Y-Yes. I, Rin Fujiwara, Light Court Wizard of the Otherworldly Court will also witness the signing of The Contract."

"You may start."

"Queen Stella Orion Celeste." Jake declared. Unlike before, he spoke in a formal tone. The blue parchment hovering on his hand began to shine.

"I, Jake Rhaims, Water Court Wizard of the Otherworldly Court would like to offer you, Stella Orion Celeste, ruler of the Kingdom of Celeste, The Contract. A sign of the height of my trust to you.

"The Contract state as follows:

"1. Jake Rhaims, pirate loyal to the Celeste crown may defend his kingdom as Jake Rhaims, Water Court Wizard of the Otherworldly Court, and so those any other Court Wizard under his consent.

"2.The Otherworldly Court will never perform their duties in favor against the Celeste kingdom."

As the words spoken came out of his mouth, a blue quill materializes in front of the glowing blue parchment and began to write exactly what he had said. Each word engraved shone a white light.

"For this is a sacred treaty to us Court Wizards, we will not violate this contract no matter the circumstances. I trust you to not abuse The Contract for your personal gain at the cost of the destruction of this world.

"Failure to comply will yield consequences that of betrayal and treason once The Contract ceases to exist.

"Do you accept?"

With the final sentence spoken, Jake grabbed the quill and written his name and signature on the bottom right of the parchment. Then the quill floated to the other party.

The queen of Celeste was quite surprised that the pirate, who she knew since she could start keeping memories, could speak in such formality. She was intrigued with the last two paragraphs he made, but since she would never intend to break her friendship with him, she does not hesitate.

"I, Stella Orion Celeste, ruler of the Celeste kingdom accept the terms of The contract. I swear to not abuse this contract for my own gain which would inadvertently cause the destruction of my world, thus breaking your trust in me."

Picking up the flying quill, she wrote her name and signature to the space given on the bottom left part of the parchment. Once it was done, the quill gave a tug, prompting her to let it go which she did. The quill shone brightly as it wrote more words below the two signed names, the parchment itself grew to house this space.

The Contract has been made. It shall exist indefinitely until either Jake Rhaims, pirate loyal to the Celeste crown and Water Court Wizard of the Otherworldly Court's soul perishes or Stella Orion Celeste, ruler of the Kingdom of Celeste's soul leaves the living world.

When the day that it happens, The Contract shall appear before you and shatter. This will be the proof of the end of The Contract.

May the signing of The Contract will never be regretted.

Witness(es) to The Contract:

Alicia Bell

Owen Ruze

Rin Fujiwara

"Please sign beside your names." Jake beckoned as the quill flew to them. Each took the quill and put his/her signature then gave it to the other by the order of each name.

With that, the quill disappeared. The Contract rolled up, broke into tiny blue nodes, and was absorbed into Jake.

Wait, is The Contract made out of loyal maneg?

Yeah, it is. Our Maneg Souls will be able to create The Contract when the Mother Soul lets it. That's also more reasons that it's sacred. (Owen)

Ooh...(Rin)

Yes! Yes! Once we're a Duchess, you can give one to your best friend in another world!

"With that, The Contract's complete!" Jake cheered.

CAPTAIN THE LAEGAR BASTARD HALFWAY OUT OF FIRE

"Well now, we still have some time before preparing to react to the invaders." The navy general explained. "Though I suggest we wrap this up quickly. We will form a battle plan with our new addition in mind and move out quickly!"

"""Yes, sir!""" The captains shouted in unison.

"Now me know what yer thinkin', lass, but me don't give me consent ta help fightin'." Jake asserted, making an "Eeh~" from Rin.

He did explicitly stated in The Contract that other Court Wizards can join in only in his permission.

"Why not?"

"Cuz' me is more than enough ta stop'em." The pirate clarified. "Also, you lasses ain't ready and shouldn't be going ta someone's war."

"Rin, we always make sure to make it so that others have to get our permission in our Contract," Owen added.

"Ok, I understand..." The black-haired Court Wizard nodded.

"We wasted enough time," Owen announced. "We're leaving."

After a little bit of complaint, the girls at least get to say their farewells with Stella and they promptly left.

"Have fun splashin' ta water!" The pirate grinned as he spoke his parting words. Owen winced and Voice laughed until her stomach hurt inside Alicia's mind. All but Rin understood what he meant.

At the port, twelve warships were anchored there, with two of them completely different from the rest. Their crew was present and have prepared the ships to sail. However, they looked tensed. People gather around the docks with a worried look.

Then, on one of the ships, particularly a ship with a grey-scale like hull which was the second-largest vessel, a man in a blue trench coat and a tricorne fell from the sky. "Incoming!" He said. Anybody there retreated to make an empty space in which the falling man blasted it with a spray of water coming out of his feet, slowing his fall. Everyone in that area turned their attention to him.

Making a 'superhero landing', he stood up and shouted, "Boys! Raise the sails and flags of the Kraken! The shooting star!" He paused for a moment, catching his breath. Everyone in the docks stayed silent. Then the man raised his right hand to the air, a cutlass with a blue pommel and a 'water motif' on the blade appeared from it, "And the scale over the spear and shield!" He also pulled out The Contract, "Me got permission from OC right here!"

And the crowd cheered. The people of Celeste knew of Court Wizards because of the late Edward Rhaims, a Court Wizard. By a series of a chain of events (a story for another time) happening by chance, Edward, a pirate, made deep bonds with the previous ruler of Celeste. With the signing of The Contract, he had defended the kingdom by invaders from all sides coming for this land's riches.

However, after he and the previous ruler passed away The Contract shattered. Jake Rhaims, his son could not use maneg to defend this minor kingdom because of his second allegiance. Only the current ruler and her close aides knew specifically why, the meaning of the shattering of The Contract and why Jake Rhaims couldn't just make a new one; The citizens only had a vague idea about it, but they understand demanding that privilege was too much. But now, he seemed to have 'earned the right' to sign The Contract and use maneg to fight the invading Laegar kingdom.

The Celeste kingdom went on to defeat the attacking Laegar kingdom. With the once again forged alliance, the Celeste kingdom grew into a powerful nation, in a manner that did not break their alliance, that it does not need to rely on it anymore. But the Celeste royal family still maintained a healthy relationship the Otherworldly Court, specifically the Rhaims family of Court Wizards. However, that will be a story for another day.