Chapter 191. An Unexpected Relationship. (2/7)

“Extend… my lifespan? How?”

“Answer the question first. Yes, or no?”

“If it was something easy then yes, why wouldn’t I?”

“I see. Do you think of yourself as some sort of monster that doesn’t belong anywhere, Man Killer?”

“That is…” She looked away and hesitated to answer.

“That is what?”

“I look like some sort of monster to you? I mean… I understand.”

“I’m asking what you think of yourself.”

“I mean… look at me. I’m a freak… aren’t I? One pink eye, one black eye. Half my hair is pink, the other half black. My skin is pale and lacking any color. My tongue is long and like this. What else am I other than a monster that doesn’t belong anywhere?”

“I see. So you do think of yourself that way.”

“Of course I do. I even kill people for a living. Isn’t that exactly what monsters do?”

“You’re not even close to a monster. Come talk to me when millions of deaths weighing down on your back don’t even phase you.”

“M-Millions!”

“Yes, millions.”

“You’re saying you couldn’t give a damn if millions of people died because of you?”

“No, I don’t give a damn. It wouldn’t even make a dent in my conscience. I didn’t even cry when my own mother died.”

“Man Killer... I… am a devil. A true monster without a heart. One, who like you, has no country to consider a home. I may have been born here and given citizenship, but that does not mean I was wanted by the country I was born in.”

“I was deported out of this country along with my mother when I was an infant and we returned to her homeland. But I didn’t belong there either. I was looked at and treated like I was some sort of monster as I was an outsider. As for why, it was simply because I didn’t look like the others there.”

“When I one day returned to the country I was born in, I experienced the exact same sort of environment. I was treated the same way as ever, nothing changed, only the location where said treatment continued. This was the case all the way through elementary school. You and I are not so different in that we do not have a home country we are attached to, Man Killer.”

“If you wish to live… then sell your soul to me.”

“Sell… my soul?”

“Yes. I’m not telling you to sell it for nothing. I will give you a future. Not one where your life will be constantly uncertain. One where you have a skill beyond simply pleasing others sexually or senseless killing. Aside from being a devil, I have one more identity. But before I can reveal it to you, I need your answer. Are you willing to become completely loyal to me, to never reveal my secrets to others and keep them only to yourself?”

“Are you… being serious about being a devil?”

“If you want to laugh it off and treat it like a joke, go ahead and forget everything I’ve said here today. But… if you do so, you will lose out on the greatest opportunity you will ever be presented with in life. Whether you choose to believe I am a devil or not will decide the rest of your life. Do you choose to believe, or not?”

“It’s… hard to believe if I’m being honest.”

“Is that so? Then forget everything I said.”

“Wait! I didn’t say I wouldn’t believe it… it’s just… do you have anything to concretely prove that you are a devil like you claim?”

“No, I do not. It’s not like I can use magic on a whim or anything. A devil’s only weapon is his words. His ability to deceive and exploit the weaknesses in one’s heart. To pick at the darkness enshrouding someone and convince them to make a deal. A deal with the devil where the contractee sells their soul to him.”

“If I believe… are you really able to do as you say and you won’t betray me?”

“So long as you are loyal to me, keep all of my secrets to yourself and never betray me, I will never betray you in return.”

“Then… I will believe. I will… be loyal to you, keep your secrets, and not betray your trust.”

“Well then, I suppose we’ll need to write up and have you sign a contract with the devil then.”

I took out a piece of paper from my bag and got to work writing out all the conditions I had for her and what she received in return.

When I was done I presented the contract to her and said, “All you need to do now is sign on the dotted line.”

“Is it fine if I read it all first?”

“Sure. Feel free to.”

She started reading through it. When she got to the conditions she read them out, “I solemnly swear to keep all your secrets. I solemnly swear to be loyal to only you until the day I die. I solemnly swear to never betray you. I will sell my soul to you. In return, I will receive a future. I will no longer age. I will be taught a skill beyond just killing and sex. A normal job that makes use of the skill you teach me. A means to earn some extra money while still in the academy…” She continued reading through everything until she reached the end.

“You can really fulfill everything you’ve promised in this as long as I sell my soul to you?”

“I wouldn’t be a devil if I couldn’t solve such simple problems.”

“I see. You’re offering me a lot for a dirty soul like mine.”

“Dirty? What makes you think your soul is dirty?”

“Isn’t it? With the things I’ve done?”

“You have a very beautiful soul, you know. One of the most beautiful I’ve ever come across. I can’t help but want it for myself. If I didn’t, would I even bother striking up the contract with you?” It was naturally all just lip service as usual. To begin with, I couldn’t even see such a thing.

“It’s… not dirty?”

“No. If it was dirty or worthless, would I be asking for it? I don’t like making crappy deals and taking the short end of the stick. Your soul is very precious.”

For the first time, I saw a trace of embarrassment on her face. It was an unusual expression to see her display.

“I’ll… sign… my soul away to you if you promise to take proper care of it…”

“Sure, sure. I’ll treasure it until the day I die.”

She accepted the pen I held out to her and signed the contract... but something was off. There was no reaction. A deep frown inadvertently formed on my face when I didn’t feel anything. Was it unsuccessful?

Wisteria noticed my expression and asked, “What’s wrong?” 

“Hey, can you let me see the contract?”

“Uh, sure.”

“You signed it as Man Killer? Your code name?”

“Yeah. Was that wrong?”

“Not your codename as an assassin, what’s your real name? You never told me what it was.”

“I… don’t know if I have one.”

“What do you mean? To transfer to my school, you obviously had to have a name, right?”

“Well… I actually seduced some girl’s father and got him to give me a copy of his daughter’s birth certificate. I used her name to enroll.”

“Hmmm… would that work?” I was unsure. I hadn’t encountered a situation where someone didn’t have their own name.

I rewrote the contract on a new piece of paper and handed it over to her.

“Try signing with the name you use at my school.”

She confirmed the contract was identical then signed it. Nothing happened though.

“What did they call you at that institute you were created in?”

“Test subject 69.”

My face warped in rage when I heard that. Those horny bastards, give the girl a proper name!

“Try… signing with that then.” I wrote out the contract again and gave it to her.

After she signed it there was still nothing. I ripped and crumpled the three contracts up in frustration.

“Is the contract not working because of my name?”

“It looks like it. The academy you go to, do you have another name you go by there other than your codename?”

“Hmmm. There are a few things people call me. I even made up something random myself that I give people sometimes as my name.”

“What is that?”

“Sassi Noas.”

“Huh? What’s with that? It doesn’t suit you at all.”

“It’s just assassino if you rearrange the letters. It means killer in another language. I thought it was clever.”

“Clever my ass! Come up with a name that fits you! Not one that describes what you do! Whatever, try that one as well.”

The fourth attempt was a failure as well.