Cursed to Infinity Chapter 16

Both Anya and Alyx went off to bed and after a few minutes, the super-groomer had arrived probably via Ui Ui teleporting her here.

I came up to the door, and after looking through the peephole I saw the two girls silver hair and I opened it up with Ui Ui smiling and giving me a small wave as Mei Mei spoke confidently. "I have come up with a full Binding Vow and through the use of some contacts I have written it up into a contract and I think that we can both be happy with it."

"Come on in, let's sit down first." I said with a raised eyebrow with the two girls following me into my apartment

And then she held out a manilla envelope and my lips twitched as the contract was several pages long and filled with completely bullshit legal nonsense I couldn't even slightly read.

Without a change in expression, I tore the papers in half and then quarters before I threw the pieces into the trashcan beside me before I spoke calmly. "Ok so where is the real binding vow?" 

Mei Mei chuckled as she said with an easygoing smile. "That was just a bit of a testing joke... If you signed that, it would have been quite funny at least with how the paper is technically a cursed tool making the signatures into a multi-person binding agreement."

'Huh, kinda forgot that multi-person binding vows weren't much of a thing.' I mused before I refocused on Mei Mei who took another envelope from Ui Ui with her handing it over to me.

And the contract was a lot more summed up... But I still wasn't exactly that happy with it

-

Jake Bariss, (hereinafter referred to as the "Master")

Mei Mei,  (hereinafter referred to as the "Servant")

Article 1

Scope of Service-
Mei Mei shall serve Jake Bariss in all matters pertaining to combat, protection, and strategic execution. She shall act in his interest, executing his commands with precision and without hesitation.

Duration of Service-
The period of service shall extend indefinitely, commencing upon the signing of this contract. However, the Servant may invoke specific clauses for release under predefined conditions (see Escape Clause, Article IV).

Loyalty-
The Servant must exhibit unwavering loyalty, providing her utmost power and expertise. Any act of betrayal or purposeful defiance shall constitute a breach of this vow and invoke the penalties stipulated in Article V.

---

Article 2 Power Exchange

Enhancement of Cursed Energy-
Upon signing the contract, Mei Mei shall receive an immediate amplification of cursed energy, calculated at a 20% increase from her baseline abilities. This increase shall remain in effect as long as the vow is upheld and her loyalty is untested in all cases even the escape clauses.

New Curse Technique-
The contract shall also grant Mei Mei access to an exclusive ability related to Jake Barris's enhanced cursed speech, and Jake Bariss is incapable of extracting the technique.

Article 3 Master's Obligation-

Preservation of Autonomy-
Jake Bariss agrees not to interfere with Mei Mei’s personal interests, financial operations, or endeavors unless they directly conflict with his own needs or commands.

Article 4 Escape Clauses

Conditional Release-

Mei Mei may invoke the 'Golden Parity' clause to release herself from the contract if she is able to procure a cursed object of equal or greater value than the sum of Jake Bariss’ power multiplied by the number of years served.

Substitution Of Service-

The Servant may offer a substitute of equal strength or skill to replace her in service to Jake Bariss, provided this replacement is accepted by the Master.

Battle of Liberation-

Should Mei Mei's loyalty waver, she may challenge Jake Bariss to a single combat. If victorious, the contract shall dissolve, and no spiritual penalty shall be incurred. However, if she loses, her mind will be ensnared and bound permanently to Jake Bariss.

Article 5 Punishment for breach of Vow

Penalty Of Broken Vow-

Should Mei Mei attempt to break the contract through means not specified in the Escape Clause, she shall suffer irreversible loss of cursed energy, her spirit bound to the service of Jake Bariss for eternity as a cursed spirit, stripped of autonomy.

Master's Breach-

If Jake Bariss fails to uphold his end of the agreement, Mei Mei shall retain the full enhancement of cursed energy while being freed from the terms of service. Additionally, Jake Bariss shall forfeit 10% of his own cursed energy to her.

--

I read the contract for a long while... And there were several issues with it obviously. First nothing was stopping Mei Mei from whispering. 'I challenge you' and then asked me I wanted a coke from the fridge and then after I said yes. She just knocked my head off my shoulders.

I wasn't stupid. Mei Mei was hot sure, and Ui Ui also was hot my type in being a subby maid... But that wouldn't mean I would accept this.

"You see, one of the biggest issues I have with this is this trial by combat. There is nothing stopping you from doing some trick to make me to agree to some challenge and then when I am not paying attention you knock my head off." I said bluntly.

With Mei Mei's confident smile dimmed slightly before she said bluntly. "You can rest assured that should our contract fall through. The last thing I would do is kill you, I may still have need of your healing. That... And Toji himself will tear me limb from limb for killing his golden goose." 

The first part, I very much didn't care for. She was a mercenary obsessed with money, power, and... Control.

The word 'control 'made me tilt my head to the side and I looked at Mei Mei for a long moment and then I smiled mirthlessly and said. "So Mei Mei, does the name Makima mean anything to you?" 

And Mei Mei blinked before she said curiously. "Makima? No, I don't think I ever heard of her." But the clincher was Ui Ui.

I saw her eye twitch and her that that was resting demurely in her lap twitching as she gazed at me with her eyes empty of thought.

'Well well... Looks like Makima already prepared for this meeting.' I thought coldly as I realized that Mei Mei didn't have a single clause in the list about time locking her body so she was no longer aging.

That was the whole point of the deal in the first place besides her getting a new curse technique after I engraved one of my shouts into her soul like I did to Ui Ui.

"Hmm... Mei Mei, do you mind if I just add a small add-on to the contract at the challenge part so you will need to give me five minutes to prepare for the challenge?" I asked calmly.

And Mei Mei simply nodded and I added that part, and then in another part, I wrote in shorthand that Jake Bariss was the only one Mei Mei would be bound to serve. 

"I am glad you accepted this contract Jake." Mei Mei spoke as she signed it and I could see her hand twitching ever so slightly as she signed her name in blood with a cursed tool that she then handed to me.

'Whelp... Locked in a house with a mind controlled sock puppet, I gotta sign this and hope for the best that my trick worked. As unless I straight up kill Mei Mei, I am fucked, and if Makima is controlling Ui Ui, who knows if Makima can make Ui Ui break her Vow to not use her powers offensively.' I thought as I held in a wince at the pain of using the cursed tool.

And then the moment the contract was signed by both of us it light up into flames burning my wooden table with Mei Mei staring at me unblinkingly as the contract burnt itself into ashes.

"Jake Bariss, I chal-" She started flatly and then abruptly a hand shot up and Mei Mei seemingly punched herself in the mouth making me blink.

"That... That was markedly unpleasant. Thank you for that Jake." Mei Mei spoke as she held her jaw and I saw some blood leaking from her mouth from where she had bit her tongue.