Chapter 5 - Acceptance

"What's with your terrified face, Contractor?"

Xagan asked after seeing his reaction. This demon probably felt that it's normal to prey on humans.

However, Cyril is worried… He's not a mad man who would wish for an apocalypse to happen. If he would die, he wouldn't want others, especially tons of people, to die with him!

He then took a deep breath to calm himself again.

"Don't worry about me, Sir Xagan… I just realized that this world would be doomed once I've died."

"Oh? What about it? Once that happened, you're not in this world already. You don't have to care, Contractor." Xagan replied.

However, Cyril only smiled wryly at him as he thought of another question.

"I just noticed that you're right here with me… I mean, literally here… Are you not capable of attacking other humans aside from me, right at this time?"

"Oh… Is that what you're worried about? Don't worry, you'll know once you touch me…"

"Mhmm?"

"I'm just a magnificent projection… I'm still imprisoned within the Artifact that was assimilated to your body. You're the only one who can see me due to your Contract with me…"

"Then, what about the book you're reading?"

"Fifteen days, contractor… I can answer you if you give me fifteen days in your remaining life…"

"Ugh…"

Cyril felt conflicted. He wanted to know the limits of how Xagan could affect the real world without him making a wish. This is why he wanted to know how he got the idea of wearing a tuxedo, reading glasses, and a book…

After all, he's completely different from the demon he had seen.

"Alright, it's just fifteen days… It should be fine. Tell me your secret. I accept the deal."

"Kukuku! I accept your offering, Contractor…"

Then, Cyril felt something from his body being removed… It didn't hurt him. It didn't leave any unpleasant feeling whatsoever aside from the sensation of removing some warmth in his body.

After that sensation, everything returned to normal.

Cyril blinked his eyes and looked at his body… Nothing had really changed.

Just like that, he now only has 3,330 days remaining.

He then looked at the grinning Demon as he waited for him to answer.

"You've been unconscious for about three hours, Contractor. So I decided to look around within your room… This book I'm holding is a copy of the one that you have under your bed… and before you ask, no… I didn't touch it… But you can say I can scan some things to view them. I can not affect the real world as of now but it doesn't mean they can hide from me."

The Demon explained.

"Oh, this is my fifth book, by the way…" He added.

"I see… So if I wanted you to scan some things for me---"

"Yes, but with a price, Contractor."

"I thought as much… But I don't think it's worth the price. That's still fifteen days."

"Well, at least you learned how little I can affect this world." The demon smiled mischievously.

Anyway, he is right…

He confirmed that the demon is pretty much just a useless projection… His power can only be unleashed if he paid him with his life span.

'I still have a month before my Awakening… I guess I still have plenty of time to see Aunt Bonnie…'

Cyril thought of returning to the province after realizing that he doesn't have that much to do until he Awakened.

His aunt is the only relative he has. Aside from that, she was the one who raised him after he lost his parents when he was only eight.

He then checked his mobile phone to see how much money he has left on his card.

19,300 Ains.

It wasn't much but enough for him to live for three or four months depending on how he will save. Nevertheless, once he awakened, he should be able to easily earn more money so he wasn't that worried.

He already stopped studying and barely living through working three part-time jobs.

At this time, his previous self should be planning to slowly save money to continue his study since he knows that he doesn't have a future working as an Awakened.

After all, even though everyone would have a chance to be Awakened in their lifetime, it doesn't mean that they'll be successful.

Thinking about it, he just started working hard and forced himself to work as an Awakened because of that woman. The pay for each mission was still equal to some other professional jobs which is a good deal for him who didn't graduate.

'Haa… I really worked hard that time…' Cyril pitied his past self a little. Nevertheless, he knows that he is about to change his life so he felt a bit better.

He then washed for a bit and changed his clothes before leaving the house. The place is a shared house and there are four of them renting this… All of the three have jobs and would only return at night.

It's only nine in the morning so he's currently alone.

As he walked out, he noticed Xagan following him. There is no sound in his footsteps like he's a ghost…

It's an interesting sight for Cyril as he recalled that Silent Steps would be such a powerful ability in one of the Arcane Worlds.