Chapter 109: Rhydian Did What?
Every shifter carried a beast within them, that much was understood. But there was something fundamentally unsettling about the serpents.
Dragons inspired fear by their very presence, wolves overwhelmed with sheer dominance, but snakes waited. They watched until the perfect moment arrived, then struck before anyone realized they had been in danger at all.
Perhaps that was simply written into their blood.
"To what do I owe this visit, Venus?" Maverick asked, deliberately studying the young man standing before his desk.
Venus looked immaculate in the deep green academy uniform of House Ophidian. Not a wrinkle marked the expensive fabric, and even his silver tie pin sat perfectly centered beneath his collar. Like every serpent Maverick had met so far, the young man carried himself with unnerving precision.
"You’re supposed to be in class," Maverick remarked, unable to ignore it.
"I will be," Venus replied. "Just as soon as you sign this."
He crossed the office and laid a thick, leather-bound document on the desk before sliding it toward Maverick.
"What is this?"
"The liability and indemnity agreement concerning tomorrow’s match."
Venus folded his hands neatly behind his back.
"It ensures that His Highness, Prince Caelis Cobryn, House Ophidian, its affiliates, and the arena management bear no legal, financial, or civil responsibility should you sustain injury, permanent disability, or death during tomorrow’s bout."
"No shit," Dimitri muttered under his breath.
Maverick ignored him. He had almost forgotten he was scheduled to fight Rhydian tomorrow.
Pulling the document closer, he opened the cover. The title alone stretched across the first page.
VOLUNTARY COMBAT PARTICIPATION, LIABILITY WAIVER, ASSUMPTION OF RISK, MEDICAL CONSENT, CONFIDENTIALITY, AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
His eyebrow lit up with intrigue. Beneath it sat several paragraphs of meticulously drafted legal language.
The Undersigned Participant acknowledges that participation in the combat event conducted within the Arena Network is entirely voluntary and undertaken without coercion.
The Participant understands that combat between beast shifters carries inherent risks, including but not limited to fractures, internal injuries, paralysis, permanent disability, psychological trauma, loss of limb, or death.
The Participant voluntarily assumes all foreseeable and unforeseeable risks associated with participation.
Maverick slowly turned the page, then another and another. His expression gradually shifted from curiosity to genuine admiration.
There were sections covering medical authorization, emergency treatment consent, arena conduct, confidentiality clauses, and independent witness certification.
He stopped halfway through the document.
"How many pages is this?"
"Thirty-two," Venus answered.
Maverick was stunned. "Thirty-two pages just for me to beat Rhydian unconscious?"
"Twenty-nine," Venus corrected. "The remaining three are signature pages and medical disclosures."
Maverick sighed. "I don’t approve of you students participating in underground fighting..." He flipped another page. "But I have to admit, this is exceptionally well drafted."
His gray eyes lifted to Venus. "Caelis wrote this?"
"He supervised it," Venus answered without pride or modesty. "His lawyer handled the technical language, while His Highness personally reviewed every clause."
Maverick looked back down at the agreement.
There were provisions protecting spectators from liability, compensation policies for accidental property damage, clauses governing disputes, and even a section requiring fighters to disclose any performance-enhancing substances before entering the arena.
It was absurdly comprehensive.
"There seems to be no loopholes," Maverick murmured.
"Very few," Venus corrected. "For obvious reasons, His Highness dislikes expensive lawsuits."
"So what does Caelis do with all the money?" he asked casually. "I’ve heard he charges Rhydian a ridiculous amount every time he fights in the arena. Speaking of which, shouldn’t I be paying some sort of participation fee myself?"
"What His Highness does with his finances is not my place to discuss, Professor Maverick," Venus replied with unfaltering politeness. "As for your participation, there is no fee."
"There isn’t?"
"Prince Rhydian has already covered it."
Maverick’s eyebrow climbed. "How generous."
Or perhaps that was simply what happened when one belonged to a species infamous for collecting wealth faster than they spent it. Dragons had arrived in this world with nothing, yet somehow they always seemed to possess fortunes that rivaled old families.
The irony wasn’t lost on him.
Maverick tapped the cover of the agreement with two fingers. "I’ll still need to go through this carefully. I’d rather make sure there isn’t anything hidden in here that comes back to haunt me later."
"You won’t find anything of that nature," Venus assured him. "The agreement exists to protect the arena. Our reputation has taken years to build and his Highness has no interest in compromising it through questionable contracts." He spoke without defensiveness.
Maverick nodded slowly. "It still deserves a proper reading. I’ll look through it later. You can return later."
"I’m afraid I can’t." Venus remained perfectly composed. "His Highness instructed me not to leave without your signature."
Maverick looked up. "He specifically said that?"
"Yes."
"And if I refuse?"
"I’ll wait."
The answer came so quickly it almost amused him.
"We have a match to prepare tomorrow. There isn’t time for unnecessary delays."
For several seconds Maverick simply stared at the young serpent before letting out a weary sigh.
His father had drilled one lesson into him from childhood. Never sign a document you haven’t read yourself. And absolutely never if it came from a serpent.
He pulled the agreement back toward himself."Fine."
Venus inclined his head once. "I appreciate your cooperation."
Maverick resumed reading, turning another page while Dimitri wandered toward the window, absentmindedly scrolling through messages on his phone.
The office settled into silence that lasted less than a minute.
Dimitri’s phone rang. He answered without much thought.
"Yes?"
He paused just as his entire posture stiffened.
"...What did you just say?"
There was another pause right before his voice rose.
"Hello? Hello!" The line had already gone dead.
Maverick immediately looked up.
"What is it?"
Dimitri slowly lowered the phone, his face drained of color.
"We have a problem."
A knot formed in Maverick’s stomach.
"What happened?"
Dimitri swallowed.
"Rhydian..." He hesitated for the briefest moment.
"...Rhydian apparently cornered Aria inside the women’s restroom."
The document hit the desk with a loud slap and Maverick was already on his feet before the sentence had fully registered. His chair scraped violently across the floor as he crossed the office in long, purposeful strides, every muscle in his body drawn tight.
The air itself seemed to grow colder.
"Professor—" Venus called after him.
"What about the agreement?"
But Maverick didn’t answer. Not when the office door flew open, striking the wall with enough force to make the frame shudder before he disappeared into the corridor without a backward glance.