When Keira heard this, her brows immediately furrowed, she lowered her head, and quickly fell into thought.
What is more beneficial—assisting a king or acting directly on behalf of Karl, the Grand Duke of Terra?
In terms of external status and authority, the Grand Duke is indeed a vassal of the king, nominally a level lower.
But she was not ignorant of nobility; even in peacetime, the king could not interfere in the affairs of a duchy.
Moreover, in times of war, a powerful Grand Duke is himself a strong contender for the throne.
Furthermore, Karl is not an ordinary Grand Duke; he is a talented sorcerer, good enough for Hen to take him as an apprentice.
Although the lifespan of human sorcerers is shorter than that of elven sages, the longest recorded is still about five hundred years.
And how long does a king live? Ten or twenty years; with luck, maybe forty or fifty?
He is also a subject of the king, and after the king's death, power changes, and a new king ascends the throne.
She finds it difficult to guarantee that she will still be valued; she might even be dismissed due to the "stains" of the past.
But serving a powerful sorcerer lord like Karl, as long as he doesn't die, she will always have access to the core of power and maintain her status and influence.
What is easier, what is harder—the pros and cons quickly become clear in Keira's heart.
During the few seconds she was thinking, Karl added, as if wanting to give her more room to think.
"You can make the decision without rushing. I'll give you a day to think it over, then answer after you've considered."
However, as soon as Karl finished speaking, the last doubt in Keira's eyes completely disappeared.
She raised her head, looked directly into Karl's deep eyes, and said firmly: "No need, Your Excellency Karl! I will choose the first option! I am willing to work for you!"
Karl nodded slightly, not surprised by Keira's quick and firm decision, and didn't even ask about the specific process of her internal deliberation.
Interests are always the primary factor driving such people to make choices.
He raised his right hand, his index and middle fingers together, and his mind moved slightly.
In an instant, the candlelight in the quiet room dimmed for a moment, and Karl's fingertips were filled with pure golden divine power.
The light quickly condensed and took shape in the air before him, and in an instant, transformed into a paper-like scroll, composed of divine power, suspended in the air.
Keira watched in a daze—a scene completely beyond her perception.
No materials, no incantations, only your mind to create paper with a divine, majestic golden glow?!
She opened her mouth, but was so shocked she couldn't utter a word.
Then Karl lowered his hand, and the suspended "paper," emitting a golden light, easily flew before Keira, as if alive.
Keira awoke as if from a dream, quickly extended her trembling hands, and grabbed this "paper," completely composed of energy.
She fixed her gaze on the content above—the words of light, written in the common tongue.
Keira Metz voluntarily becomes a vassal of Karl El and swears allegiance to him alone.
During the lifetime of Keira Metz, she is not permitted to betray Karl El in any form or violate his orders—directly or indirectly.
If Keira Metz violates any of the above conditions, Karl El retains the right to impose any form of disposition on the debtor, including, but not limited to, deprivation of life.
During the term of this contract, until the end of Keira Metz's life, if the contract is violated, her soul will automatically transfer to Karl El.
The final interpretation of this contract belongs to Karl El, with empty spaces below for signature and branding.
After reading the content of the contract, the shock on Keira's face quickly turned to suspicion.
What kind of equal contract is this? This is simply a complete bill of sale!
No, it's harsher than a bill of sale! Even the soul after death is marked in advance.
She abruptly raised her head, an uncontrollable irritation in her eyes, waving the light contract in her hand, and said to Karl: "Your Excellency, Karl! This... this is so unfair!"
"Why is this contract so strict with me, and I even have to sacrifice my soul?!"
"And there are no restrictions on you at all? This is a one-sided exploitative contract!"
Karl was unmoved by Keira's anger and accusations, and even a slight smile appeared on his face.
He replied: "Keira, I think you misunderstand something. I am giving you a 'choice'; you can choose to sign or not."
"Even if you don't sign, I promised earlier to have the Brotherhood of Sorcerers revoke your punishment and give you a chance to atone for your crimes, which still stands."
"As for whether you can rely on your ability to regain the attention of a certain king and become a court advisor again, that depends on your personal abilities; it has nothing to do with me."
Keira was speechless for a while; her chest heaved violently, but she couldn't refute Karl's words.
Yes, Karl had indeed "forgiven" her past sins, at least not on the level of personal grievances.
He had also promised to help her free herself from the Brotherhood of Sorcerers' punishments, and at first glance, he was keeping his promise.
But... Keira's heart was cold; she knew best the Brotherhood's style and the stereotypes and prejudices of those council members.
How easy would it be for a sorceress who had been officially dismissed, had poor behavior, and had the stain of "attempting to steal another's memory" to regain trust and be used again?
Those kings, knowing her criminal record, would dare to keep her by their side in an important advisory role? I'm afraid even the most basic trust could not be established.
The second path seems free, but in reality, the future is bleak, and there is a high probability that she will struggle on the margins and never return to the center of power.
And choosing the first path... Although this contract is incredibly harsh, like selling your soul to demons,
at least she is clinging to a sufficiently thick thigh with infinite possibilities for the future.
Karl's potential had long been known through the rumors she had heard through various channels during her six months of exile.
Following him, although you lose your freedom and ownership of your soul, you might be able to regain your strength and status.
Fear and strong ambition are contradictory in Keira's heart.
In the end, ambition and a clear understanding of reality suppress the seemingly precious but actually useless "freedom" and the ethereal anxiety about the ownership of the soul.
She looked at the golden contract in her hand, determining her future fate, and then at Karl's calm face.
She took a deep breath, as if trying to inhale all her hesitation, reluctance, and fear into her lungs and crush them.
"...Alright, I will sign."