CONTRACT (Azul x Reader) [Twisted Wonderland]

Chapter Five

“Leona Kingscholar has four weaknesses.”

You picked at your pancakes as you recapped this to Azul over lunch.

“The first is his nephew.” A mere child. Threats could work for a contract like this, but you felt ill at ease leveraging a six year old, and making a threat always meant a chance of having to go through with it, so this was out of the question—or, it would be if it were up to you.

“Yes, I'd definitely rather not kidnap any children,” he grimaced, cutting open his omelet with precision while still eying you disdainfully. You were equally grateful that he didn’t promote this option.

“The second, is his laziness.” He was inclined to take the easy path over the hard path. Of course, he wasn't stupid, so this wasn't something you could exploit in isolation.

“If it were that easy, I'd have already done it on my own.” Azul took a small bite, but looked a little squeamish. As one should be, eating in front of a demon.

You dipped your pancake in syrup and had a taste. Very sweet. Not to your preferences. You favored a syrup that was more natural and mapley.

“The third weakness is his ambition.” It was squashed and shriveling, but the thing Leona wanted most of all was power. Political power, to be precise. His brother's throne. He'd long since given up on it, but it wasn't entirely out of his mind, only out of reach. A backup plan, but not the easier route.

“I don't think he'd be okay with someone killing his brother.”

“I wasn't suggesting it.”

Azul raised an eyebrow. “Then what else do we have?”

“His fourth and final weakness. Pride.”

He pokes his food, not enthused. “And what could you possibly do with that?”

“Pride,” you say, “makes men do stupid things.” Like summoning demons, you think, but don't venture to say aloud.

Azul still looks skeptical. “You're saying all this like you already have a plan.”

“I do,” you say. “I just need a little extra permission. And I need you to be there.”

XxX

You sat down in front of Leona, prompting him to put down his book and examine you. “Hm?” He lifted his lip in annoyance. He already disliked you? That sucked. You'd tried every trick in the book to get him to like you better. One of your new, lionish ears flicked as you gave a tiny, faux-genuine smile.

“Hello, Leona!”

He didn't react. He didn't know you, but you were acting like you knew him anyway. You figured he was a big enough name that it wouldn't throw him off to be in that position. Your appearance didn't seem to grant you any camaraderie either, but so be it. You only needed to appear unassuming and innocuous, not concordant.

“Azul, come sit over here!”

Leona's features clouded with further displeasure. He really disliked Azul? That wasn't surprising, Azul didn't like him either. That was why you were working the middle road. You opened your picnic basket, offering Leona a sports drink. He was already done with practice, and you had noticed he was out of water, and conjured this up before approaching. All smiles, you handed one to him and then to Azul, who came to sit beside you.

Azul was dressed in spelldrive gear, like you had instructed him. He appeared uncomfortable in it, though that wasn't to say it didn't suit him. He looked nice in a high collar. Azul opened the bottle and faked a sip. Unnecessary. It wasn't like you had poisoned it.