"The price is ......," Cheese whispered to himself after listening to the older witch's words. It's a word that has been associated with the mage's life since he first came into contact with magic, and it has become almost the default rule for cheese to get help and pay the price. But the more he learned about this law of exchange, the more he realized that the price to be paid for getting help to solve the problem at hand must be very painful.

"Are you hesitating?" asked Greene, smiling.

"Shouldn't I hesitate?" If an ordinary person is asked by a witch like this, he will definitely understand this question as the other party is not satisfied with his indecisive posture. However, Cheese was not worried about losing Green's support because of this, and the mage even asked the other party a question.

"Your hesitation is naturally necessary. After all, it's always good for those of us to be cautious when faced with unknown costs. Greene looked at Cheese, and the smile on the witch's face intensified, as if she was pleased with the mage's reaction. Being too arbitrary and cowardly is a big no-no for spellcasters, but after all, spellcasters are still thinking with the logic of normal creatures, and in many cases they will make irrational judgments for various reasons. In this case, hesitation, which itself happens, means that the brain is thinking and weighing the pros and cons, even if the final decision of the thinker is still not the best answer, but it is much better than those who give up thinking altogether and leave their actions to instinct.

"Okay, but in that case, can you tell me a little bit about what it will cost me to stop this plague?" Cheese could tell that the witch was very appreciative of his answer, and the mage wanted to use the momentum to get more information from the other party.

"Hehe, you must have used or known someone who can use prophecy spells, right? Then you should also know that some things will happen when they are supposed to happen. Knowing your destiny too early is not a happy thing. Greene replied. The red-robed witch shook her head slightly, signaling to Cheese that she would not reveal any more information.

"But you don't have to worry too much. It may not sound so believable, but I'm on your side in this matter. To help you save the country, I can give you some more help. But......" Greene paused, and the witch poured herself another cup of tea, looked at Cheese and said slowly, "If you want to receive this gift, you must give something. ”

Cheese's expression didn't change much, and the mage didn't intend to get the help of the witch for nothing from the beginning. Although he and the witch have the same interests, as a door-to-door helper, it is understandable to pay the witch some reward. So Cheese has a certain amount of psychological preparation for this.

"Well, I'd like to discuss with you a little bit about the cooperation between the two of us. The mage said that the terms between spellcasters were sometimes very cautious, especially when dealing with a powerful caster like a witch. A strict and mutually agreeable treaty will not be offensive, but will show that it is a good way to show off its own thoughtfulness, which is a great opportunity for the caster community.

Since Cheese also said that he had no opinion, a long scroll of parchment with some words already written appeared on the table in front of them. Clearly, Greene has made a rough outline of what to do with each other. This made the mage realize that perhaps in this transaction, the witch's side also had a strong demand. Read carefully the words on the parchment, this special kind of writing is only used in the most serious deeds, and once the deeds are signed by both parties, everything in the world will bear witness to them. And the coercive power of this kind of contract is so strong that even the devil does not like to use it, and will write the contract in this kind of writing, which shows that the witches attach great importance to the content of the contract.

"Uh...... Are you sure you made a mistake about the part of the contract that I am going to pay?" Even fairly, it doesn't feel like a deal, and since the contract was made by an ancient witch, the details are added to the details. Aside from a few entries that had to be added by the mage himself, almost the entire contract had no problems with the responsibilities of both parties. What really puzzled Cheese was the part of the contract that was supposed to pay the witches, to be precise.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure I didn't make a mistake. And I'm sure you're right, that's exactly what we're asking for, and arguably the most important. Greene said, pointing to the terms that Cheese was puzzled about.

"Whew...... You should know that I will not be the best person to enforce this clause. There are a lot of people who would be a better choice than me. "The mage is still making his last struggles.

"Yes, but it seems to me that no one is better suited to enforce this clause than you. Greene was still smiling at Cheese, and from her smile, it was clear to Cheese that if she wanted to be helped, she would have to accept the terms.

"Okay, so skip that clause and leave it alone. I think these details could be changed......" Shaking his head in resignation, the mage began to focus on the rest of the contract, trying to secure as many resources as he could.

Long...... As time slowly slipped into the middle of the night, there was a not-so-strong wave of magic in the reception room where Cheese and Greene were talking. However, this magic did not dissipate into the surrounding environment as it should after a normal spell cast. Instead, it gradually expanded, like an invisible ripple, sweeping across a huge area at a breakneck speed. Those who perceived the magic were not sure where it came from, but they all felt in the dark that something that could not be questioned or changed had been established.

"Click. The door to the reception room opened again, and Kolandi, who had gone out to lay the dragon's blood, walked into the room indifferently. The room seemed to be the same as when she left, the fire in the fireplace still radiating a warm heat. But this heat can no longer restore the temperature of the lifeless body.

She left after signing the contract. Cheese said as he drank the hot tea in his cup and looked straight ahead. On the other side of the long table in front of him, Greene had stopped breathing. The witch ended her life, her body quickly withered and deformed after her death, and her original appearance had become a black-brown mass with only a vague human form.

"She knew it was her last day. She's just waiting for you. Calmly picking up Green's bones, there didn't seem to be much sadness on Colandy's face, but Cheese was keenly aware of the tears on her face that had obviously been wiped away.

"Will you bury her, or will you put her in flames? I can help, and though we have not been with her for long, she is a good lady worthy of respect. Cheese said.

"No need, we have been circling around the soup pot all our lives, and we should naturally become the raw materials in the soup pot after we die. Kelanti carefully wrapped her grandmother's body in the silk she had prepared, "By drinking the potion containing the bodies of the previous generations of witches, we will inherit their wisdom and will." This is a ritual that must be done. ”

"Really...... Then I hope she can make that pot of soup taste better. The mage silently replied that there are many races in this world that have their own special rituals and customs that look grotesque to outsiders, and in fact this phenomenon occurs in all races of humans. In the face of such things, the principle of cheese is to respect the will of the deceased, since everyone has a different understanding of the meaning of life, why should we care where we should end up?

"Yes. Colandy smiled reluctantly when she heard Cheese's words, "You can rest here tonight." Tomorrow morning, my mother and I will begin to fulfill our contract with you. ”

The mage nodded silently, letting out a long sigh as Kolanty closed the door.