43 Memories

Hector thought about offering her the job of being his bodyguard and he thought that there was a chance that she would take it. But he realized that she may not be ready yet.

And so he thought about another position that she would be fit for. He thought of acquiring ships and she would serve there but that would take time, and he is not strong enough yet to face the dangers that would bring starting his own cult.

When he turned to look around him he could feel her presence, as if that mist created a beacon with which he would be able to locate her.

'Well, that will certainly come in use. When I think about it gods do something similar, albeit somewhat differently.'

"I would have a job for you if you are interested," Hector said casually

"Is that so, and what it would be?" Aldith said excitedly as it would solve her problem.

"It is a multilayered job actually. You would work for me if needed as a bodyguard if I would go out for some business meetings, as an enforcer if times would demand it. And House guard if someone would come looking for problems." Hector wanted her to take his offer.

'Building beyonder an organization like the devil family is not easy and making another devil will take a lot of time as their mind must be able to keep my moral code even when they will lose their sense of guilt.' He thought as he waited for her answer.

"Me, so pretty much underling in like in those criminal organizations?" She asked surprised, she thought of doing legal work but she was comfortable doing even some less savory jobs. Even when she was an adventurer they would make choices that to others would seem as morally wrong.

"I would not call it that as I do not lead a criminal organization, and the wage is good, four pounds a week." Hector made wages based on Klein's weekly wage in nighthawks after he became beyonder and then added some more so it would be more tempting.

Hector could see that as she started to think about the offer. After a few moments, she smiled as she said, "You know what? Why not, pay is good and I'm indebted to the employer."

Hector was delighted that she took the job, and both of them started to walk out of the house. When they exited through the hole in the wall they parted ways.

But before they went their separate ways they talked about the finer details of her job and about her coming the next day with her stuff so she could be allocated a room.

After Hector watched her leave he himself decided to go home after all he was tired from the exploration of the tomb. He would need to tell her about his own sequence and he hoped that combination of her trust from being saved, small traces of corruption, proper explanation of the pathway, differentiation from other devil families, and already working for him would make her understand and continue to serve.

While he walked home he thought about those vines and how the crown was unable to take his soul. Or more precisely it could but there was nothing to take. He did realize that he was those vines, even when it sounded so bizarre he had no choice other than acknowledge its truthfulness.

He wanted to do a few experiments and tests on others but that would need to wait for the next day, as he did not feel like hunting some gangsters tonight.

While walking he was touching a black gem that was wrapped in cloth. He waited until he would get home to experiment on it as he thought that if he would get exhausted or wounded it would be better if it would happen in his house than on the street.

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When he got home he sneaked in and walked to the safe so he could store his loot from the tomb.

While he walked through the halls he observed his surroundings, 'Painting depicting night sky, a vase of some kind, another painting, another vase, another painting, flower, Albert standing in the corner, another painting, Wait... Albert standing in the corner?'

When he turned around he could see Albert watching him and when their eyes meet he simply bowed slightly then he returned to his previous position and continue to stand.

After Hector put beyonder characteristics and the crown in the safe he went to his room holding a wrapped black gem. When he entered his room he sat on the bed and started to unwrap the gem.

When he finished he looked at it and found that nothing changed with it, so he raised his right arm and then he touched the gem with his bare hand.

At first, he only felt a warm sensation from the gem, but then he felt a stirring inside himself. His perception started to shift as the vines started to expand from the heart through his hand into the gem.

He felt a melding sensation as it was being absorbed by him. His mind was flooded with memories.

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"Be not afraid... It is unfortunate but you died in that botched bus robbery. But don't feel bad, it was entertaining to watch." A man standing before him chuckled.

Hector wanted to retort but he realized that he can't move or speak. When he tried to look around himself he realized that he has no eyes or body.

"So you have realized it already. Yes, you have no body, and no soul too.

"You see when you died your soul would leave the body and move on into the afterlife but I have a proposition for you. As I have said already you have no soul, and yet here you are.

"What you are now is actually called Ego. I have extracted the Ego from your soul and given it a few more properties so we could converse.

"But back to the choices. First is to take my offer and be transported into another world, the world from Lord of the Mysteries. I know that given chance you would choose that world and I also know that you would choose to walk the devil's pathway.

"And how do I know it o creation mine? I know everything that is to know as I'm everything here. But I'm not there and so you will be there so partly I will be there. For I'm all that was, is, could be, and should not be." As he spoke he raised his arms and looked up.

"And to show you how generous I'm you will get sefirot of tenebrous world. Well... to be more precise tenebrous world will awaken you as its ego." When he finished Vilkar wanted to ask what was the second option he heard him, "I see... you want to know the second option.

"Well, that is by my estimation the worse option. I will send you back to your gurney to the afterlife, but as you no longer have a soul only ego you will dissipate to nothingness. And mind you it will not be a pleasant process..." at the end his voice became solemn as he continued, "You know what, if you would choose the second option... Look straight into my eyes, so you can witness the truth of reality and you can simply zero-sum. It will be less painful and the end result will be pretty much the same."

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When all the knowledge got absorbed Hector woke up panting as he thought of all things that he remembered. He thought about what he had learned from those memories. He thought about how to find more of those black gems to open more of his memories, 'If there is one there could be more.' was what he thought.