"What's your name?" Albrecht asked. He was curious about the strange young man who was pretending to be a florist while being capable of healing magic.

  The man barely looked up from his work. "I am called Heinz."

  "How do you know Selene?" he asked in return, his tone casual, but there was an edge to it, like he was fishing for something.

  "I don't," Albrecht admitted. "We just met. She saved me, I think…"

  He frowned, the words tasting strange as he said them aloud.

  'I've been in this world for half a day, and I've already met a crazy swordsman and a manipulative woman who might have tried to kill me. Great.'

  But that was the part that didn't add up.

  'Why would she try killing me just to save me afterward? And why can't I remember being attacked?'

  None of it made sense.

  Heinz continued his work in silence. Albrecht had expected some kind of glow, a pulse of energy, or at least a tingling sensation from the magic. But there was nothing.

  No light, no warmth. Just Heinz holding one of his hands over his torn-open side like it was the most normal thing in the world.

  "Heinz," Albrecht started, watching the man's steady hands. "Can you tell me about magic?"

  Heinz snorted. "Why would I do that?"

  Albrecht resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

  'Asshole,' he thought. But it gave him an idea.

  "What if I tell you how I survived?"

  That got his attention. Heinz's hands stilled. His sharp, calculating eyes flickered up to meet Albrecht's.

  Greed.

  Curiosity.

  Albrecht had him.

  "I'm interested," Heinz said after a pause. "Let's make a divine vow."

  "A what now?"

  Heinz let out an exasperated sigh, shaking his head.

  "What, were you born in a place untouched by the gods?"

  Albrecht just stared.

  Heinz rolled his eyes.

  "A divine vow is a contract, usually between two parties. Both sides agree to a condition and a punishment if the promise is broken."

  That sounded useful, considering that Albrecht felt like only liars and mystery surrounded him.

  Heinz leaned in slightly.

  "So, are you interested? This way, we both get what we want."

  Albrecht considered it for a moment.

  "Alright. How does it work?"

  "I am calling for a celestial that will uphold the agreement we make."

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  Albrecht arched an eyebrow. "That easy?"

  Without further explanation, Heinz closed his eyes, exhaling slowly. It took only a few seconds before something happened.

  Albrecht felt it before he understood what was happening.

  The air grew heavy, not suffocating, but charged, like the atmosphere before a storm. An unseen force loomed over them, neither hostile nor welcoming. Just… watching.

  Heinz opened his eyes. "There. Now, state your terms."

  Albrecht nodded, choosing his words carefully.

  "Alright. I'll tell you how I survived, and I agree to truthfully answer any question you have about it. In return, you tell me everything I want to know about magic and that artifact Selene mentioned. You must also answer any of my questions regarding that matter truthfully."

  Heinz's lips twitched slightly, almost a smirk.

  "You already knew what a divine vow was, didn't you? There is no way that you just came up with these conditions."

  Albrecht shrugged. "Does it matter?"

  The truth was that he suspected that something like this existed, even if he had thought of it in a different way.

  "Maybe not," Heinz admitted, "but we still need to agree on the punishment for breaking the vow."

  Albrecht didn't hesitate. "Since we're both honest people, how about death?"

  Heinz blinked. Then he laughed. Then, he abruptly stopped laughing.

  "You can't be serious."

  Albrecht smirked. "What's the problem? You weren't planning to lie, were you? Then a condition like this shouldn't be an issue."

  Heinz's expression turned unreadable, his gaze assessing.

  He said, "Fine. But in that case, you also have to answer any questions I have about Selene. Truthfully at that."

  "Fine by me as long as I can ask the first five questions before we alternate," Albrecht said.

  A tense silence hung between them for a moment before Heinz extended his hand.

  "Alright, now shake."

  "Wait, I have one more condition." Albrecht suddenly said.

  Heinz narrowed his eyes. "What is it now?"

  "We both cannot tell anyone about this divine vow, but we are allowed to share any information we obtain from it. Just not where we got it. Also, the Divine Vow ends when we both agree on it or one of us breaks the conditions. "

  'Hopefully, I didn't push it too far,' he thought.

  Heinz sighed and rolled his shoulders.

  "I don't see the point of it, but alright. But in return, you only get to ask the first three questions before we take turns. No more conditions."

  "Agreed."

  Albrecht then grasped Heinz's hand, and the mysterious healer gripped back, holding firm.

  "The person shaking my hand and I agree to form a divine vow based on the conditions previously stated."

  But nothing happened.

  Albrecht raised an eyebrow. "What now?"

  "Now, we wait," Heinz said, his grip still firm. "The celestial overseeing our contract must finalize the terms."

  Albrecht frowned. "How long does that take?"

  "Typically a minute or less. Unless, of course, you made the terms a convoluted mess."

  A minute passed. Then another.

  It took around 5 minutes until Albrecht could feel something change. It wasn't painful, but it wasn't comfortable either. A subtle yet undeniable change, like an unseen thread, had been woven into his very being.

  A notification, no, more like a realization, surfaced in his mind.

  [Divine Vow Established]

  Participant A - Albrecht: Agrees to truthfully answer any questions from Participant B regarding the circumstances of Participant A's survival on the 14th of Aureth, Year 147 ACC, and any person Participant A knows as Selene.

  Participant B - Heinz: Agrees to truthfully answer any questions by Participant A regarding magic and an artifact called Chronos Watch.

  Both participants may freely share any information obtained through this Divine Vow, provided they do not disclose that the knowledge was acquired through the vow itself or reveal that a Divine Vow was ever made.

  Participant A has the right to ask the first three questions. After that, Participants A and B take turns, starting with Participant B.

  The Divine Vow shall be nullified if both Participants mutually agree to its termination, releasing them from all obligations henceforth. Additionally, the vow shall be immediately dissolved should either Participant violate its terms.

  If either party is unable to answer a question due to a lack of knowledge, the question is considered void, and the asking party may pose another question instead.

  Breaking the Divine Vow will result in death.

  This Divine Vow has been approved by Orithiel. She, along with her cloud and any allied clouds, shall enforce the agreed-upon conditions if necessary.

  [Divine Vow Established]

  Albrecht exhaled. "So, it's done?"

  "It's done. Ask your questions." Heinz said.