Apparently, black mages had originally emerged as a profession to oppose beings like this hamster. Back then, those beings had been called ‘demons.’
Some black mages had even been capable of forcibly contracting with them and using them as ‘familiars.’
However, the hamster claimed that none of them had manipulated souls the way Evan did.
The Sacrificial Rite was supposedly an elaborate ritual involving a complex procedure.
“I’m serious. I’ve never seen anyone handle souls like you. I’ve never even heard stories of someone controlling a familiar without performing any Sacrificial Rite.”
“How many black mages did you meet before making that claim?”
“Do you remember how many loaves of bread you’ve eaten?”
“Hmm.”
It bothered Evan that the creature was spouting a line he had heard somewhere before, but its meaning was not difficult to understand.
“You’re saying I’m different from the other black mages.”
Well, it did not matter.
There were no other black mages besides Evan anyway, so what meaning was there in dwelling on it?
Putting that aside, perhaps this hamster would prove quite useful.
There was no way the knowledge of a being that had lived longer than almost anything else would be useless.
“You want to get away from me, don’t you?”
“I have no interest in repeating the obvious, shit-for-brains.”
“Then help me.”
“You have to die before I can be freed, yet you expect me to help you? Don’t spout such ridiculous nonsense…….”
“My objective is to leave this world.”
“……What?”
“Once I go to another world, you’ll be free again. Am I wrong?”
“…….”
For a moment, Evan observed the exceedingly bizarre sight of the hamster resting its chin on one hand as it sank into thought.
Soon, it raised its head and looked at Evan, baring its teeth.
“I clearly saw you throw yourself into danger to save that human child. Wasn’t it because you wanted to stop me from killing and eating it?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“The moment I’m freed, I’ll go straight back and find that child again. I’m asking whether you’re still fine with that.”
Evan paused briefly, but answered almost immediately.
“I don’t care.”
A smile appeared on the hamster’s face.
The emotion behind it was difficult to describe, but it felt close to amusement.
Evan saw its expression and nodded.
“Then we have a deal—”
“……We’ll see. Did you think I’d immediately say, ‘Understood. We have a contract, Master’? Yeah, I saw straight through that softhearted little assumption of yours, didn’t I?”
“You little rat bastard.”
SMACK, SMACK.
“Graaaaaargh!”
After administering an appropriate lesson, Evan grabbed the hamster by the scruff and picked it up.
Dangling from Evan’s fingertips, it spoke.
“Uuurgh…… I have a condition.”
“A condition? You still haven’t learned your lesson.”
“Just listen! Give me a portion of the souls you collect.”
“Why should I? Are you plotting some strange trick to escape?”
The hamster looked at Evan.
“You know perfectly well that I can’t escape. The reason is simple. I’m hungry. Were you planning to starve me?”
“If you can survive without eating, I’d gladly starve you.”
“It’ll benefit you as well. The more souls beings like us consume…… the stronger we become.”
That was enough to capture Evan’s interest.
“You become stronger?”
“Who knows? Perhaps I might become useful to you somehow. I am your ‘familiar,’ after all. Aren’t I? Hehehe.”
Evan organized his thoughts for a moment before nodding.
Then he carelessly stuffed the hamster into an inner pocket of his cloak.
‘So it’s a familiar.’
In the end, he had even acquired a familiar.
The feeling that he was gradually becoming more and more of a black mage brought him a peculiar sense of satisfaction, although it also left a bitter taste.
In any case, he was satisfied that he had taken even a small step toward finding Yender’s Amulet.
That day, Evan filled his stomach with a hamburger at a reasonably decent restaurant and spent the night at a respectable lodging.
Despite being quite satisfied, he still had more than 160,000 credits remaining.
Evan woke late, around noon, and headed to the Rosegold Pub.
The front entrance was locked, but Tumble greeted him at the back door.
“You have arrived at precisely the right time.”
When Evan entered, he saw a familiar face in addition to the usual Rosegold family.
“Oh, brother!”
A bald head, a bushy beard, and sunglasses.
Evan’s first client, whose entire right arm had been replaced with cybernetic parts.
He had been sitting with a cigarette clamped between his lips, but the moment he saw Evan, he approached with his arms spread wide.
“Who do we have here? If it isn’t the ‘Church Purifier’ himself!”
“What purifier?”
Stella, who was operating an old-fashioned computer off to one side, answered in his place.
“It’s unfortunate since you seem like someone who dislikes becoming famous, but the story about the church spread all across the intranet. That church was quite famous throughout Asle. People recently held their first service there.”
“The church is operating again? Already?”
“This is a neighborhood where many people can’t survive without something to depend on. District C especially. Well…… it’s a good thing. Probably bad news for the drug dealers who used to conduct business there, though.”
A muttering voice seeped from inside Evan’s cloak.
“Hehehe, a black mage being called a purifier. What a fucking joke. Kekekeke.”
Evan secretly pressed down hard on the pocket several times.
Screams followed, but no one else appeared able to hear them.
“Does everyone know I was the one who did it?”
Stella shook her head.
“Probably not. We only know because we knew you accepted the request. And…….”
Resting her chin on one hand, Stella turned her head slightly toward Evan and smiled.
“That outfit. I can’t recommend it as a fashion choice, but it isn’t bad if your goal is to avoid attention. In Asle, hiding your identity is more natural than revealing it.”
Evan reflexively looked down at his cloak.
Stella beamed when she saw his reaction.
“Well, I’m sure that was your intention.”
Stella returned her attention to the monitor.
Evan thought, ‘Is it really that bad? I don’t think it’s that terrible,’ but did not say anything aloud.
Jurgens took Evan’s hand and shook it.
Naturally, he used his left hand.
Had it been his right, Evan would have torn out his soul in an instant.
From Evan’s perspective, it was almost impressive that Jurgens could still act like this after what had happened to him.
“You handled the job magnificently!”
“Did you receive the item?”
“It was delivered without a single scratch. Completely Grade A! There was some blood on it, but who cares about that? In Asle, bloodstains are just decoration. Right? Hahaha!”
He appeared to be in an exceptionally good mood.
Perhaps he was delighted because he believed he had practically obtained the item for free with a mere 600,000 credits.
“I can’t keep using a brother who works this well for a mere 600,000. This Jurgens has a reputation to maintain, you know. Let’s see…….”
Jurgens rummaged through his bag and pulled out a silver package, which he offered to Evan.
“Take it, brother.”
The package was made from a sturdy material and tightly sealed, but Evan immediately knew what was inside.
“A cybernetic part?”
“Of course. You can tell just by looking, can’t you? It’s a polite expression of my desire to maintain an ongoing business relationship.”
“What body part?”
“An eye. From one look at you, brother, I could tell you didn’t have a proper ocular part.”
“Hmm.”
“I can’t provide the implantation surgery too. You know that, right? You have some money now, so find a suitable MedTech. Even a neighborhood like this should have at least one MedTech around.”
Jurgens patted Evan on the shoulder.
“This is my way of asking, ‘Please keep treating me well from now on~.’ I hope our brother will look favorably upon me.”
“I don’t refuse gifts.”
“I’ll take that positively. Then perhaps I should be going. I got what I wanted—”
Evan accepted the cybernetic part package.
Still smiling, Jurgens hoisted the cross over his shoulder and waved cheerfully.
“Enjoy the new eye. I hope we meet again. Heh heh, sucker bastard…….”
Would Jurgens contact him again later?
The answer came sooner than Evan expected.
It happened while Evan was practicing black magic after returning to his lodging.
【SYSTEM: You have unread mail.】
A system message appeared before his eyes.
His inbox normally accumulated nothing but spam, but this time, the message was from Stella.
Sender: Little Redhead from the Bar (Stella Bright)
Mr. Evan.
That Jurgens bastard or whatever his name is came here and is causing a disturbance…….
He says he has business with you.
He keeps demanding that you hand over whatever was inside the cross, so please stop by when you have time.
Evan considered whether he should go.
If he did not, the pub might be unable to conduct business properly……
More importantly, he could not suppress his curiosity about what expression was now on the face of the man who always grinned and pretended to be such a chill guy.
Evan rose from the worn-out bed and headed outside.
He had chosen lodging close to the pub, so he arrived quickly.
The moment Evan opened the door and entered, the face that was normally always grinning turned toward him, seething with rage.
The man shrieked.
“You fucking con artist!”
Evan shrugged, pulled back the hood of his cloak, walked over, and sat across from him at the table.
“Stella.”
“Yes—customer.”
Stella approached with a tray held against her chest and glared sharply at Jurgens.
Judging by how furious she looked, they must already have exchanged words before Evan arrived.
“What would you like?”
“A glass of water.”
“Certainly. I’ll bring a complimentary snack as well……. And I’d appreciate it if this gentleman would finally quiet down.”
“Do I look quiet to you?!”
“I told you to shut the hell up. Can’t you understand words? Want me to throw you out?”
“What? Try it! Throw me out if you can, bitch!”
“This bald bastard’s really running his mouth. Is that why all your hair ran away too?”
“Are you done running your mouth?!”
Jurgens raised his voice, but he took no action.
He was clearly watching Evan’s reaction.
After observing their argument, Evan crossed his legs and propped an elbow on the table once Stella walked away.
“Is there a problem?”
“You shameless con artist. Of course there’s a problem!”
Jurgens slammed the Golden Cross onto the table with a CRASH.
Its formerly impressive appearance was gone. It had now been broken into several pathetic fragments.
“You spent a fortune obtaining it, only to smash it to pieces? You should’ve given it to me if you were going to do that.”
“You kept the thing I actually needed. What meaning does this shell have?”
“Do you mean this?”
Evan took out a small data chip.
Jurgens’s eyes flashed. He nearly reached out before flinching and sitting back down.
“……Give it to me.”
“Why should I?”
“You violated our contract. I submitted a legitimate request, and you accepted it.”
“The condition of the request was the Golden Cross.”
Evan glanced downward, indicating the shattered Golden Cross.
“I fulfilled the stated conditions faithfully, and the client was satisfied. You must have been extremely satisfied, considering you even gave me a bonus.”
Evan waved the still-unopened cybernetic part package before Jurgens’s eyes.
“I don’t see any problem with the completion of the request. Am I the only one?”
“Oh my, now that I hear it, that sounds completely correct. Am I the only one?”
CLACK—
Stella set down the cup and joined in.
“Ugh……. You damned bastards. Fine. Then I’ll…… buy it. How much do you want?”
“It isn’t for sale.”
“That’s ridiculous…….”
“Do you think I don’t know what’s stored inside?”
Jurgens stared at Evan, rendered speechless.
For Evan to know what the chip contained……
That was impossible.
Even while thinking that, Jurgens could not bring himself to ask.
Evan slipped the chip back into his pocket and continued.
“I’ll examine the contents first. If I end up needing your help, I might hire you then. Some scraps might fall your way in the process. If you want even those, you’d better prove your value. Do you understand?”
Evan already knew Jurgens had come from the city.
If he had traveled all the way from the city to Asle, he undoubtedly had a purpose.
There was also a strong possibility that he possessed the means to accomplish that purpose, whether those means were money, connections, or information.
To find Yender’s Amulet, Evan would need a long-term connection to the city.
For that reason, Jurgens had considerable potential to become a useful tool.
“……Brother. What you did this time was extremely impressive. I’ll consider it a lesson learned.”
Jurgens looked at Evan with a complicated expression before giving a bitter smile and rising from his seat.
“……I’ll make sure we have reason to meet again. Without fail.”
Evan watched him leave, then took out the data chip again and examined it from various angles.
His first priority was deciphering the data stored inside.
“I’m going to be busy.”
Muttering to himself, Evan lifted his glass.