"Normally, I wouldn’t have made a decision like this without hesitation," Yujin thought. He had no way of verifying whether everything Tiamat said was true.

If she were deceiving him, there wasn’t much he could do about it. This naturally made him cautious.

However, considering that there seemed to be no other way to escape this place, he decided that agonizing over it any further was a waste of time.

If the only method to leave was to form a contract with her and become a dragon, what other choice did he have? Even if her words turned out to be a lie, he still had no alternatives.

What if she was deceiving him? Did it matter? She wasn’t going to provide another way out.

Recalling that there was no way to escape a trap room unaided in the game, he concluded there was no use in resisting.

『Are you truly certain?』

"I don’t want to waste away and die here. If I’m going to die someday, I’d prefer it to be a peaceful end."

『Hmm...』

Hearing Yujin’s straightforward reasoning, Tiamat was unsure whether to laugh or cry. Was his reason trivial, or simply practical?

"And honestly, I want to help you, Tiamat. You said your goal was to free the dragons trapped in the labyrinth and restore their status to what it once was, correct?"

At Yujin’s words, Tiamat responded,

『Yes, that’s what I said. Even if their status remains secondary, I want my children to be free.』

"I see. Personally, I find that idea moving. A parent’s love for their children is always beautiful."

Yujin recalled his own parents, who had worried about him until their final moments, and spoke with a wistful tone. Hearing this, Tiamat sounded slightly flustered.

『Ah, uh, well... That’s true. But, uh, I should clarify… I didn’t give birth to them myself.』

"Ah, I see. Does that mean dragons don’t engage in typical reproductive activities as biological creatures?"

Thinking about how dragons passed on their powers through their hearts rather than biological offspring, Yujin wondered if they reproduced at all. Tiamat corrected him,

『Oh, no, that’s not it. Dragons can reproduce, but… let’s just say the window for laying eggs is very short compared to our lifespan, and the intervals are extremely long. Plus, the chances of conception are very low. You see, it’s difficult for beings as transcendent as us to bring forth new life.』

"Ah, I understand now."

『And, uh... You seem quite pure, but questions like that are… a bit inappropriate. For what it’s worth, I’m still a maiden, you know.』

"...I see."

Considering how ancient a being she likely was, Yujin found it surprising that she had never taken a mate. Was it because she had missed her chance due to age or other circumstances?

『You’re not thinking something terribly rude, are you?』

"Haha, of course not."

Feeling a chill run down his spine at the thought of being caught, Yujin quickly denied it with a relaxed smile. Hiding his emotions was one of his specialties.

『Suspicious...』

"By the way, how exactly do we form the contract? And you mentioned using your bones to reconstruct a body—how does that work?"

Quickly changing the subject, Yujin shifted the conversation to something more relevant. Fortunately, there was an appropriate topic at hand.

『...Right. Let’s begin with the contract. For now, channel your mana into my heart.』

"...Understood."

As a mage-class Awakened, Yujin had the ability to manipulate mana with ease.

Even so, he hesitated momentarily.

‘What if Tiamat is plotting to take over my body?’

It wasn’t a baseless fear. The possibility had crossed his mind.

But Yujin reasoned it out.

‘Either I die of thirst and starvation here, or I risk dying by her hand. At least the latter might be less painful.’

Whether he starved to death or had his body stolen, the end result was the same. And if she truly had ill intentions, he couldn’t do much about it.

As a scientist once said,

"To doubt everything or to believe everything are two equally convenient solutions that avoid the need for thought."

While the quote pertained to scientific hypotheses, it held true in logic and reason as well.

Without trust, nothing was possible. And for now, trusting her seemed the better choice.

With that, Yujin channeled his mana into Tiamat’s heart.

『My heart is a reservoir of mana, endlessly concentrated and stored. As your mana merges with mine, the two will intertwine, forming a connection between us.』

"...I see."

Even with his eyes closed, Yujin could feel the overwhelming power of her mana.

Compared to her refined and immense mana, his felt coarse, small, and insignificant. Yet Tiamat showed no sign of displeasure.

『Now, we are no longer merely conversing through the heart. Our souls are spiritually connected. Open your eyes.』

Hearing her words, Yujin hesitantly opened his usually half-closed eyes.

"...!"

『Well? Can you see me now?』

Before him stood an unimaginably beautiful woman.

Her long, flowing black hair shimmered with an otherworldly sheen, and her crimson eyes gleamed like the purest rubies as they gazed at him.

Her figure was both voluptuous and elegant, with a faintly wistful smile adding to her allure.

She possessed a paradoxical beauty—seductive yet ethereal.

Yujin couldn’t recall ever seeing anyone who came close to matching her beauty.

『I could have appeared before you in my dragon form, but I thought it might feel overwhelming, so I chose this human polymorph form instead. How do I look?』

"...You’re stunning. Absolutely stunning."

Unaware that his eyes had opened fully, Yujin replied in awe. Hearing his words, Tiamat laughed softly.

『Haha, thank you. Your eyes are quite beautiful as well.』

"...Haha."

Yujin realized that his eyes were wide open in surprise, and with a bitter smile, he adjusted his expression.

Then, narrowing his blue eyes slightly, he looked at her with a more composed demeanor.

Tiamat asked,
"Do you remember the terms of the contract I mentioned earlier?"

"Yes, I remember."

"From now on, I will initiate the Soul-Binding Contract. After I state the terms I must fulfill, you will recite the terms you are responsible for fulfilling."

"Is that all?"

"Yes, once the Soul-Binding Contract is cast, it will be complete. Initiating the contract is my role."

"I see... Is there anything specific I should be cautious about?"

"Rather than caution, I should mention what happens in case of failure. The conditions we each agree to uphold must be mutually agreed upon beforehand. If you try to impose an unapproved condition, the other party will reject it, and the contract will break."

"Hmm, I see."

A contract enforceable only through mutual consent... That seemed to eliminate most risks.

"Additionally, if the mana connection is severed, the Soul-Binding Contract will also break. However, in such cases, there's a risk of disrupting your mana circuits."

"I'll have to be careful, then."

"As for me, I'm a dragon, and currently just a heart, so there's almost no risk on my end. Unless you break it yourself, there won't be any danger. So, shall we begin?"

"Yes, please proceed."

"Then, I will now initiate the Soul-Binding Contract."

With those words, Tiamat began the contract.

Wooong!

The surrounding mana lit up, illuminating the area. At the same time, Yujin felt something deep within himself, a fundamental connection forming with Tiamat.

Tiamat spoke,
"First, I, Tiamat, offer my heart to Yujin."

Next, it was Yujin's turn.
"I, Yujin, become one with Tiamat as a shared destiny, forging a bond of souls."

As the terms were added, he felt the tightening sensation of chains around his soul.

"Second, I, Tiamat, will transform my counterpart into a new dragon."

"I, Yujin, pledge to liberate the dragons of the labyrinth and restore their glory to what it was before the Great War."

"However, I, Tiamat, will adjust my demands in consultation with Yujin. If any request is deemed impossible, Yujin's judgment will take precedence."

"Tiamat?"

This wasn’t part of their initial agreement. But the condition itself seemed favorable for Yujin.

"I thought it was a necessary clause. After all, it's unreasonable to force something impossible."

"...Understood."

Since it wasn’t detrimental to him, and it seemed Tiamat genuinely believed it necessary, the contract remained intact.

Clink!

The soul-binding chains extended further.

"And so, with this, the Soul-Binding Contract is sealed. We vow to fulfill and uphold each other's conditions to the best of our abilities."

"I swear."

Fwoooosh!

The glowing mana around them slowly dimmed.

"...Is it done?"

"Yes, the Soul-Binding Contract is complete."

"...Hmm."

The sensation of the chains binding his soul seemed to fade, though he was sure they were still there.

"Now, shall we proceed to finalize the soul connection? Restructuring your body and accepting the heart would be best done afterward."

"Wait, the contract and the connection are separate?"

Yujin had assumed the soul connection and the contract were completed together, but it seemed otherwise. Tiamat explained,
"The contract is just that—a contract. While the connection is also a form of contract... hmm..."

"Is there a difference?"

"...Well, if I had to explain it, the soul connection is more like... a marriage. A sort of spiritual marriage, you could say?"

"A marriage..."

When he first heard about the soul connection, the thought had vaguely crossed his mind, but he hadn’t expected it to resemble marriage so closely.

Perhaps sensing his thoughts through their mana link, Tiamat quickly added,
"Of course, it doesn’t mean we’re actually getting married! It's purely metaphorical, you see..."

"Haha, of course. I understand."

Yujin also figured she meant it metaphorically. After all, an actual marriage was out of the question.

"Good, I’m glad you understand."

"Shall we begin, then? Do I do the same as before?"

When Yujin asked, Tiamat shook her head.
"No, this isn’t like the earlier contract where we stated conditions. This is simply a process of binding our souls together. So..."

Tiamat extended her hand toward him and said,
"Take my hand. That will be enough."

"......"

Compelled by her words, Yujin reached out and grasped her ethereal hand.

Strangely, he could feel the cold touch of a woman’s hand.

"From this moment, I take him as my soulmate."

Without realizing it, Yujin echoed her words.
"And I take her as my soulmate, to remain by her side for the rest of my life."

A familiar sensation, similar to when their souls first connected, surged again.

This time, it felt stronger and more unbreakable, manifesting as a red thread that encircled their clasped hands.

Gradually, the red thread faded, leaving no visible trace.

"...Is it done?"

"Phew... Yes, we are now one in soul."

To be one in soul—it was an extraordinary feeling. Yujin opened and closed the hand that had held Tiamat's and then looked at her.

"Then, shall we...?"

"Yes, it’s time to make you into a dragon."

Thus began the process of transforming Yujin into a dragon.