The offer was undoubtedly tempting.
After all, Ashveil was currently the lord of an F-rank territory with four villagers, no soldiers, and enough food to last three days.
If the woman inside the crown could truly provide him with the power to establish a kingdom, accepting her contract might be his only chance of surviving the Monster Tide.
Unfortunately, there was one small problem.
Everything he built would belong to her.
What kind of bullshit contract was that?
He would be responsible for developing the territory, gathering resources, recruiting soldiers, and fighting wars.
Meanwhile, this mysterious woman would sit comfortably inside her crown and claim ownership of everything.
Even the most shameless landlords back on Earth would shed tears of admiration.
"Little lord, have you finished considering my offer?"
"Yeah. I think I’ll pass."
"How foolish. Do you understand what you’re refusing?"
"Probably the worst employment contract in human history."
Before the woman could respond, another notification appeared.
[Hidden Quest Triggered!]
[Objective: Destroy the Crown of the Forgotten Sovereign, a potential threat to the Lord System.]
[Rewards: 1,000 Gold Coins | 20 Elite Soldiers | Territory Grade F → D]
Ashveil froze.
"Wait a fucking minute."
For someone in his circumstances, these rewards were practically a gift from heaven. Twenty elite soldiers would completely transform his territory’s military strength, while a D-rank territory would give him a much better chance of surviving.
And all he had to do was destroy a crown.
Wasn’t this a little too generous?
The system had been perfectly happy to give him the worst possible territory during the Awakening Ceremony.
Yet now, it was offering enough rewards to completely change his circumstances.
Something didn’t add up.
Interestingly, the system hadn’t described the woman as evil. It simply considered her a threat.
If destroying the crown was worth twenty elite soldiers and an entire territory upgrade, then how valuable was the woman herself?
Perhaps far more than the rewards being offered.
Of course, there was also the possibility that she was an extremely dangerous monster who would kill him the moment he accepted her contract.
That would be rather unfortunate.
"Little lord, why have you suddenly fallen silent?"
"Just thinking."
"About what?"
"How much money your head is worth."
The woman paused before laughing.
"I see. So those fools are still attempting to erase me."
Ashveil’s expression changed.
She knew?
He focused his attention on the crown.
[Crown of the Forgotten Sovereign]
[Grade: Unknown | Type: Ancient Inheritance]
[Current Power: 0.01% | Status: Severely Weakened]
Zero point zero one percent?
"...Lady. Are you actually dying?"
"How rude."
"Your status says you’re at zero point zero one percent."
"That is merely a temporary inconvenience."
"Sounds like a medical emergency to me."
"Mind your tongue, little lord."
Ashveil ignored her warning.
Although the system refused to reveal her grade, it had confirmed something important. She was severely weakened, which explained why she was so eager to establish a contract.
She needed someone to restore her power, while Ashveil needed someone powerful enough to help him survive.
Their circumstances were surprisingly similar.
The only difference was that she had apparently once possessed enough strength to threaten the Lord System itself.
Meanwhile, he had three lumberjacks and a grandma.
The comparison was rather depressing.
"Tell me something. Why do you need a contract with me?"
"Through our contract, my remaining authority can be connected to your territory. As your domain expands, the restrictions upon my power will gradually weaken."
Ashveil considered her explanation.
That wasn’t necessarily a bad arrangement. The problem was whether she could actually provide enough benefits to justify the risk.
"Then prove it."
"Prove what?"
"That you’re worth more than the rewards they’re offering me."
The gemstone embedded in the crown began glowing.
Purple light gathered above the altar, gradually forming an armored soldier. Its body was covered in ancient black armor, with purple flames burning inside its empty helmet.
[Unknown Unit Detected!]
[Forgotten Guardian | Tier 3 Ancient Military Unit]
[Combat Ability: High]
Ashveil’s eyes widened.
A Tier 3 soldier!
And she had summoned it using only 0.01% of her original strength.
However, before he could examine the soldier further, its body suddenly trembled. The purple flames flickered before the armored figure collapsed into black dust.
"..."
"Lady?"
"What?"
"Your soldier just died."
"I am aware."
"Was that supposed to happen?"
"My remaining power is insufficient to maintain a physical manifestation for an extended period."
"Right..."
Despite the disappointing ending, the demonstration had proven something important.
If he could help her recover, he might genuinely obtain an army capable of competing with higher-ranked territories.
"Alright. I’ll help you recover your power, and you help me develop my territory. But everything I build stays mine."
"How ambitious. A little lord who possesses nothing wishes to negotiate with a sovereign."
"Well, you’re not exactly in a position to be picky either."
The crown’s gemstone suddenly flashed.
An enormous pressure descended upon Ashveil, making his entire body stiffen. For a brief moment, he felt as though something unimaginably ancient was staring directly into his soul.
"Do not mistake my present condition for weakness, little lord."
Ashveil swallowed.
He had almost forgotten that the woman he was negotiating with wasn’t an ordinary human.
Nevertheless, he couldn’t afford to surrender ownership of his territory.
After a moment, the pressure disappeared.
"Very well. I shall entertain your proposal."
[The Forgotten Sovereign has proposed a revised contract.]
[Contract: Sovereign’s Pact]
[1. Ashveil Sunday shall retain ownership and authority over his territory.]
[2. The Forgotten Sovereign shall provide her remaining power, knowledge, and military inheritance.]
[3. Ashveil Sunday shall assist the Forgotten Sovereign in recovering her lost power.]
[4. Neither party may deliberately betray or inflict malicious harm upon the other. Mutually beneficial exchanges of power are permitted.]
[5. The contract shall remain in effect until both parties agree to terminate it.]
Ashveil examined the conditions.
They were considerably more reasonable.
There were still risks, but twenty elite soldiers might only help him survive the first Monster Tide. What about the next one? What about the powerful lords who had started with A-rank and S-rank territories?
If he wanted to compete with them, he needed something extraordinary.
"One last question."