Instead of answering right away, Lucien reached out and tapped the contract papers with two fingers.
“Can we write the contract first?”
Edric paused, brows drawing together.
“Is it that sensitive?”
“Yeah.”
There was no trace of humor in Lucien’s voice this time. His expression had flattened, eyes steady.
If word got out that he could purify Corruption, he doubted he'd have the strength to fend off anyone who tried to claim him for themselves. Relying on the Twilight Covenant wasn't a good option either. He didn't fully understand how they operated, and worse, they already had a special binding contract on him, that even a half-Inferni could still get killed if he breached it. If they saw him as a liability, that same contract could easily become his death sentence.
“I’m not exaggerating when I say this could get me killed,” he added, his tone low but firm. “So I need the contract to reflect that.”
Edric’s frown deepened, his fingers tapping against the armrest as he considered it.
“...That’s a big risk,” he said, doubt etched in his tone. “Are you sure this solution of yours actually works?”
“It’s been done a handful of times,” Lucien replied, meeting his gaze without hesitation. “And yeah—it works.”
Technically, that wasn’t a lie.
From the original Lucien’s memories, he already knew he could reduce Corruption levels. It just hadn’t been significant enough to make himself known as a purifier, especially as a half-Inferni.
Now, though…
Lucien’s eyes flickered briefly, something more calculated settling behind them.
Now I can actually use it.
If the System worked the way it claimed, anyone he marked wouldn’t be able to talk. And to do do that, Lucien first needed to complete a session of purification with the target. From what he read in the System, that meant roughly an hour of intimacy. After that, all it took was placing his palm against them with the intent to mark.
Edric had connections... If I played this right, finding corrupted targets would get a lot easier.
"If you're still unsure, you can give me a few people to test it on," he added. "Ah, and just so we're clear, this method only works on women."
Physical intimacy was the most effective method, but intimacy in a broader sense could work too. The problem was, he had no proof for that to pull from his memories. Even if it did help, it would take time that Seren clearly didn't have. Physical intimacy, on the other hand, was something he could at least back up with experience.
His gaze drifted briefly to Seren.
She had straightened slightly, some of the earlier haze clearing from her eyes. When she looked at him, her expression remained mostly neutral, but there was a faint shift there, enough curiosity to be noticeable.
“Can you tell us what the method is like?” she asked.
Lucien gave a small nod. “As a comparison? Yeah, I can do that much.”
He leaned back slightly in his seat, taking a moment before continuing, choosing his words with care.
“The method is… physically invasive,” he said. “But unlike what the Illuminators do, there’s no risk of amputation, permanent scarring, or disfigurement. It might be harsher than what the Lifebringers offer, but physically, you walk away intact.”
He paused.
"The real cost is psychological. Think of it like surgery without anesthesia. The procedure itself won't kill you, but it can be uncomfortable—maybe even painful—depending on the person. It removes the root of the problem, regardless. The recovery is what you should be concerned about. Depending on pain tolerance, past trauma, and mental resilience, some people can handle it and move on quickly, while others carry it for days, weeks, months, or even longer. But if you can assess those factors beforehand, you can at least predict the aftereffects."
Both Edric and Seren fell quiet after that, the room settling into a heavy, thoughtful silence.
If Lucien’s analogy was even close to the truth, then it was already enough for them to work with. Compared to gambling on uncertain chances outside, where even the state of the Asterian Empire was unclear, this was at least something they could understand.
Edric’s gaze shifted to Seren.
As usual, her expression gave very little away. She sat still, hands resting loosely in her lap, her posture composed but faintly tense. She had always struggled with showing what she felt, but even so, he could catch a trace of hope buried deep in her eyes. It struck a quiet chord he didn’t want to think about.
Seren… I can’t let her end up like Lira.
His jaw tightened before he looked back at Lucien, his expression settling into something more resolute. "How long would you need to experiment? You know we don't have much time. And what kind of payment are you asking for?"
"To completely remove the Corruption, it'll probably take a few days to a week," Lucien answered. "But even within a day, I should be able to reduce it enough to get her out of a critical state. You can choose to start now or test the method on someone else first. Though, I'll be honest, that might be harder than it sounds once you know what the method actually involves. I came here because I know Seren really needs this."
He shifted slightly in his seat, his posture relaxing just a little.
“As for payment… some Weave Instruments, a few vials, things like that. We can sort it out later with a separate contract.” He gave a small shrug. “I’m not too worried about it. We’ve known each other a long time, so you can take it easy.”
Edric went quiet for a moment, then let out a small sigh, his shoulders easing.
“You really are a good kid.”
Lucien grimaced faintly. “Come on, don’t get sentimental on me now. You’re making this weird.”
That earned a quiet chuckle from Edric, the tension in his face loosening a little.
“Fair enough.” He turned to Seren, his expression softening. “Do you agree with this?”
Seren gave a small nod, her gaze steady despite the fatigue behind it.
That seemed to settle it.
“Alright,” Edric said, straightening. “I’ll prepare the contract.”
He leaned forward and began writing, the quill scratching steadily against the parchment. The paper itself was just ordinary parchment. What made it binding was the signatures and a sworn oath under the authority of the Lady of Order.
Once he was done, Edric handed it over.
"Take a look."
Lucien accepted it and read through everything carefully.
It covered all the essentials; what information had to remain secret, the consequences of voluntarily revealing it, a few reasonable exceptions, the agreed compensation, and more.
He nodded once, satisfied.
"This works. We can sign it right away."
Edric let out a visible sigh of relief, while Seren released a quieter one.
Lucien raised his right hand to shoulder level, elbow bent, forearm angled upward, palm open and facing forward. Edric and Seren mirrored the gesture. Together, they spoke the required words to seal it.
"I enter this oath freely. I understand what I am agreeing to. I understand the consequences of breach. I invoke the Lady of Order, Sýnthesis, as witness and enforcer—Lógos estí désmē."
The moment the final words left his mouth, a sudden tightening sensation wrapped around Lucien’s heart.
It didn’t hurt, but it was impossible to ignore.
A heavy, invisible pressure settled deep in his chest for a brief moment before stabilizing, leaving behind a lingering awareness that the oath had taken hold.
Seren lowered her hand first, her gaze snapping back to him with a sharper focus than before. There was a hint of impatience now, breaking through her usual composure.
“Can you tell us the method now?”
Lucien nodded, giving a slightly awkward smile, already knowing how this would sound to them.
"Yeah. It's intercourse."