543 Sweetheart

"Damn..." Nik rubbed his forehead as he read the first chapter of the so-called— Tales of Demons and Gods— and boy! Everyone is damn stuck up! After a short while, Nik closed the entire tab itself. He had lived that very timeline. How it would grow under Nie Li as a champion is something that Nik didn't care but there was something that truly made Nik feel a little pity. Missions! He had lost the completion rate of his hidden quests from Reincarnation Paradise but that was a small matter. Everything would become quite irrelevant once it becomes past and for Nik, Reincarnation Heart alongside the countless death-penalty quests were his past. A past he would soon learn to forget.

"That reminds me... I have yet to set an age for myself for the next travel... hmm... 17? No, 18 sounds nice... Nah, eternal 17 it is..." As it looked like, tough choices really took a toll on Nik but he still soldiered through them. Setting the age into the Transmigration Heart, Nik closed his eyes and rested his head against his crossed arms. Yes, he decided to start reading on various scientific articles since he now had the ability to understand almost everything but... "Ahhh," heaving a distressed sigh as he entered a rare but expected bout of procrastination, Nik shook his head, "Who wants to study shit the first thing in the morning? I am not a student... no customers to keep me company, too... Kaya is busy, too... Yuuko is washing the dishes, too... Why am I so good that I simply don't have work to keep me occupied..." Nik muttered with a pout. This was an image he didn't let anyone besides his spirits and now... Lola, see.

It wasn't a matter of image, no. He simply didn't feel like procrastinating stuff when it came to his partners but for personal stuff... let's say, that if he could, he wouldn't want to get out of his bead. "But it isn't so bad... having a job, having a life..." As Nik continued to fantasize about what kind of world he would begin his adventure in, his thoughts were cut short as a man tapped against the counter where Nik sat with his head lowered. "Hmm?" Nik tilted his head up, finding a rough youth. No, probably a man in his twenties. Small and thin stubble below his chin as he wore a simple black t-shirt with a pair of fashionable denims. The fact that he didn't wear anything warm, like Nik, just for the appearance's sake, allowed Nik to realize that the man is either pretending to not feel cold or maybe more mysterious than he looks. Nik's gut made him bet on the latter. A pair of violet and brown eyes met before the newcomer exclaimed in surprise.

"Ah, are you the salesman?" Nik blanked for the tiniest moment before nodding his head with a sigh. "Quite the smart one, aren't you? What can I assist you with?" Nik inquired as the man rubbed his nose sheepishly. "I am looking for a map of the country. Would this store have one of those?" The man inquired, making Nik look at him once again. 'Where is your smartphone, buddy?' Nik let out a silent inquiry but he didn't mind selling one of the least purchased products. "Would you like one with the catalog for tourists?" Nik continued as he sat up from the counter and turned to rummage through the row of catalogs provided by different suppliers. The man didn't look like a particular Japanese. His accent was a little Indian.

"Yes, thank you." The man nodded.

"Here you go. That'll be 348 yen and that's the discount included."

The man paid the amount down to the single penny in change before nodding in gratitude. "Thanks a lot and please take care." The young man then took away the catalog and left under Nik's watchful gaze. Nik continued to trail the man with his pheromones until he actually left the market and stopped at an empty plot to gaze through the map. Nik, of course, had to keep his tabs on the man since he was the exorcist who took care of the ghost the last night. 'What the hell... don't exorcists enjoy the charm of the modern tech?' Nik mused as he sat down.

"Did you just attend a customer?" Yuuko entered the storefront with slightly humid palms. Nodding, Nik stood from the counter to let her take the seat and then sat on one of the chairs for the old and disabled customers. "Yep," Nik smiled, "A Tourist Map." Yuuko raised her brows in surprise before nodding and checking through the receipts and then counting the cash in the counter. Trust in Nik was one thing but she still had to take the responsibility of the owner of the store and double-check if there wasn't any weird stuff going on. You know... financially.

"So?" Yuuko took a deep breath, "You wanted to discuss something, right?"

"Yes," Nik smiled, "I feel that you are giving me too much advantage based on my relationship with Megumi... I don't want to make you feel like I am... you know, taking advantage of you."

'But I want you to!' Yuuko almost groaned in need but restrained herself and coughed, "I don't feel like that but continue. You are a model salesman... and we both know that this store is pretty much driven by you. So, what can you do to provide to the store?"

With a wide grin that took Yuuko's heart for the umpteenth time, Nik announced, "I can provide a 'stress-free' boss to the store." His words pulled a frown from Yuuko but Nik continued, "I don't mean to replace you with someone else, of course... however, I can help you relieve your... stress. I think that me being in a one-sided open relationship with... a few girls is known to you. So, I was hoping to extend the same arrangement to you."

Since one promise was broken, Nik felt appropriate to break the second one, too... at least, partially. His words struck Yuuko speechless. She fantasized to fuck Nik from the moment of his last return. He had grown mysteriously yet 'deliciously' and now, hearing him saying such things in a straightforward fashion really stopped Yuuko's gears for a moment. "W-wait, wait! What—" Nik grinned and broke her thin layer of pretense, "I have known that my boss loves to peek and observe her employee going down in action... I don't truly mind. From where I come from, sexual relationships are more common than emotional ones," Nik stated while obscuring quite a lot of things about himself.

Once again, Yuuko kept her quiet, now, slowly feeling hot from embarrassment. Her face, too, warmed up as she looked down. While she had been wanting to bust Nik in the act, it turned out to be the opposite and she was busted in fact. Still, knowing that this was homeworld and instead of taking things at a crazy speed, Nik continued with a calm understanding. "Boss. I know that being a single mother is a tough task in itself. Quite admirable, even. All I want you to know is that if you want sexual relief without any strings attached, I am your man. If you want to turn up the notch... I am still there. I enjoy this shop and I enjoy hanging around you even more."

Almost exploding with sheer happiness, comfort, embarrassment, confusion, and pride from being praised, Yuuko continued to avert eye contact and kept on looking down at the counter. Finally gaining a little bit of courage after a period of silence, Yuuko inquired in a whisper, "So... you, Mitsuko-san, her daughters and... others... is it just an 'arrangement'?"

"They don't mind sharing me and I think... it may be partly due to their past experiences and partly... ehm, me..." Nik scratched the back of his head. "Aren't you afraid that they might not be satisfied fully... I have read that infidelity is quite common in younger couples and..."

"It won't happen," Nik shrugged, "Anyways, don't take it personally, but I truly don't enjoy discussing my actual relationships with others. But please think about what I can provide. And you can count on me to keep things normal even after the act. I am quite stable, you know, emotionally. By the way, please don't fire me if you don't want to use me!" Nik mocked the tone of begging and clasped his hand together. Hearing the last part in the jesting tone that truly reduced the heaviness of the surrounding, Yuuko smirked a little reservedly, "We'll see about that!" While Yuuko was burning in curiosity about the true situation between her daughter and Nik, she refrained from pushing her nose in. Years of parenting a growing girl had taught Yuuko that if her daughter isn't into drugs and didn't show any signs of acting over her age, then it is always good to give her daughter a little privacy in the more... intimate matters. That even included giving Megumi pieces of advice based on her periods as it took quite a long time for Yuuko to wear Megumi's defenses down regarding the matter.

Standing up from the seat, Nik took the clothed duster in his hands once again. "Anyway, we have a customer. I'll start another round of cleaning and you should take care of the customer. He's your old one." Nik smirked as Yuuko finally blushed. The newcomer was actually one of Yuuko's many admirers that she had smitten to keep herself from going under and as the balding man entered, he glared at Nik and finding that pompous youth with the womanizing face was actually working his butt off, the man finally felt like spending money. To the remaining male customers, actually, it wasn't Yuuko only who attracted them to buy stuff but also the sight of Nik working. It gave them petty enjoyment that Nik did not mind.

After all, if he could help in selling stuff while cleaning the store at the same time, there's nothing more efficient than that!

---

Nik looked gazed at Yuuko's backyard with a calm expression. It had been a long time since he came here. Now, with the sun overhead and the customers close to nill, Nik manipulated his pheromones and made the full-stomached Yuuko who had just eaten lunch sleep. Meanwhile, he took out a small orb that instantly vanished into the center of the backyard before a dark purple portal with streaks of red and gold within the swirl of energies appeared. This was the summon portal from where his summons would arrive. There still wasn't a single piece of information regarding this fact aside from the purple dialogue box in front of him.

[Please summon a being of your choice. If the summon does not exist, the host will be notified and asked to summon once again.]

Sighing to himself, Nik closed his eyes as he walked closer to the portal on the ground and placed his hand into the silent vortex. He didn't need to, of course. He just wanted to feel what it feels like since the Legacy communicated that it was safe to interact with the portal. With his eyes closed, Nik felt like his hand had entered a lake. Of course, the substance surrounding him wasn't water but some form of dense liquid.

Not willing to waste any more moment, Nik willed and summoned for one of the most beautiful existence in the world aside from his partners and little daughter.

---

In a dense forest, a dark, reptilian figure shot through the forest. She was sad. Her dull and thick scales surrounding her body showed how much she grieved after her master disappeared for almost 3 days! She loved to enjoy eating straight from her master's palms and then let her thin and long tongue flick against his skin. He was sweet, caring, and didn't always keep her close as a steed. These were the most basic evaluation of the giant salamander's memory. A thick scar running along the left side of her face. A fresh wound that almost touched her eyes. Of course, this wound was from another dirty salamander. The kind that had lived in the wild for as long as it could remember.

Right now, the salamander was looking for something to eat. Though weaker than her wilder and feral counterpart, she wasn't incompetent and soon, she had a long-eared squirrel in her mouth. The blue blood seeping through the wounds formed by the jagged jaws of the salamander and the blood simply pooled within the salamander's mouth, providing a great taste that ignited her hunger and it was then, suddenly, her vision turned dark and within seconds, she felt herself healing, cleaned, and understanding that her master came for her!

He is back!

---

[G-Rank Forest Salamander summoned.]

[Appropriate connections felt. The summon complies with serving the summoner. Establishing contract.]

[Please name the summon.]

"Ignit." Nik grinned as he could see Ignit sleeping within him. Now, aside from his spiritual world, energy pool, consciousness realm, and simulation room, there was another space directly connected to his [Legacy— Idle Summoner] where he could see Ignit in a comatose state and the best part was, he could summon her at a moment's notice!

[Name appointed. Description Generated.]

[Idle Summoner

Host: Nik Faran

Summons:

1) Ignit

Bloodline: Forest Salamander

Rank: G

Points: 5/day

Store]

[Store Activated.]

[Summon Portal— 1000 Points

Friendly Tranquilizer— 300 Points]

'Only two items?' Nik raised his brows in amusement as the portal slowly vanished out of existence. Nik didn't care though. For the rest of his day, he was completely exhilarated! His sweetheart had returned and he planned to make sure to giver her some tender loving!