"You can't do that El! I won't allow!"
"I'll do. I should… take responsibility for myself." Mom shook my body. It was hard to speak.
"But Angel will come to catch you! Let's me do it. If you have to sign a contract, let me do!"
"No, I will…"
The contractor was easily found more than Eccentric, they were caught like substitutes and received equal hated. Not just heaven, the public hated them too. Just a suspect of Contractor had to receive many hard things.
Lynched by villagers, forced to nude, tied with a rope, used to be hit, and burned.
I used to be treated like a toy every time in swimming class, so I knew a bit of feeling. The son of Hero that had a weak body wouldn't let it occur again.
"I'll be careful. Although I get a catch, it's ok. I… don't have many good things."
"Why you haven't, you're my son! We have money. We'll use it instead. I can do that, right? Can I pay for magic every time he uses without a contract?"
Mom pointed to her treasures.
"Unfortunate. We don't have that condition. You have to sign a contract before using our service." Number Forty-one responded.
"No way…" Her face turned pale.
"This my problem, just let me handle it."
"El…" She swung my arm.
"El always be like this. You keep everything in your mind and don't want my help."
"You more than me. You keep this along 26 years."
I laughed. Maybe I received this habit from her. Although she made trouble, I was still happy for receiving her help. This was the best solution. Holy Maiden who betrayed God would receive cruel punishment more than the son of Hero who lost the way.
"Trust me. I can do it."
I grabbed her shoulder and realized. She was shorter than me already, and a little bit… thin too. I should bring her to a restaurant sometimes.
Mom strong grabbed her staff and responded,
"I believe in you. If you have trouble, you must tell me. No matter Angel, or God, I'll send them crying back to bed. I won't allow them to hurt you!"
I nodded. Maybe she did it before. After made my mind, I almost forgot about the reason for the quarrel. When I started to ask, Number Forty-one asked instead.
"Are you sure to sign a contract?"
"Yes," I answered him.
"With me?"
"Yes."
"The son of Hero is going to make a contract with me! Haha! You're welcome! Very welcome! I'll prepare the documents. Please wait a minute!"
He ran away and bumped many things. When he was far from here, he shouted.
'Hooray! I got him! Lucky for today! Haha!'
...Did he truly Eccentric?
"What do you know about these people?" I asked mom while waited.
"I don't know much. When we made an agreement, we talked with Number Six. After that I contacted again, I met Number Seventeen (No.17), Number Sixty-one (No.61), and… It isn't normal pronounce I think it's... Number One-forty-two (No.142). They have a lot of people. I never met the same person, so I don't know how many of them.
"Only number?"
"Yes." Mom nodded.
Number Six from 27 years ago… he was still Eccentric?
They looked like an organization more than a thief or gangster. If the numeric name was an order of people, they must be a big group. I never heard about the Eccentric base a little bit.
They called themselves NUMBERS Cooperation…
What was the meaning?
'Haha.'
I heard Number Forty-one's laugh from a far distance around with some man and woman. With my curiosity, I let my ear touched the cold strong black space wall.
God. Let's me borrow your habit.
I focused on that whispering voice.
'That the son of Hero is the son of golden hair Hero?' Many people talked with Number Forty-one.
'Yes, top-level guy. I still can't believe he'll be mine. It'll be fun from now!'
'Hey, can you trade him with me? I will trade with A-Grade.'
'No way!'
'What is his job?'
'High~ Sage~'
'Wow! Give him to me!'
'Not in hell! High Sage waiting for me. I'm off!'
A footstep came close. I felt like I sold myself more than bought magic.
They used many words I didn't understand. A-Grade might be a level of things. This world had a simple degree. Low, Medium, High, and God.
What was A? I didn't know this word.
'Give him to me.'
Same sentence but the speaker was changed. He felt like an adult with a steady voice.
'But I found him. Long talk too.' Number Forty-one harden answered.
'Giving up. I'll buy your meal. What about Shabu[1]? I'll add dessert too.'
'Shabu already has dessert, you know!' Number Forty-one angry back. They might have some relationship.
… A Friend?
'Then what about a late-year bonus? It isn't late to get one success, but this opportunity doesn't come too often. It's well more than lost it for free… Think about it.'
Stranger's voice became tricky. Their conversation was stunned, but I still heard some footsteps and gossip from others.
'Ok ok. I choose a bonus. Not shabu, got it?'
Number Forty-one was upset. What was the bonus? What was the shabu? I didn't know anything.
'Got it.'
The stranger man quickly answered. I heard two footsteps came close and something that had wheels was dragging too.
"NUMBERS Cooperation at your service. I'm Number Nine (No.9). I'm ready to serve you."
What!
I stepped back immediately. His voice… was bass and sweat. It had so much attracted power and was different from what he used with Number Forty-one. Did he change his tune? What was the real?
At the same time, the message [No. XLI] changed to [No. IX]. I understood.
No. was Number. XLI and IX were Forty-one and Nine. I had to get more information to make sure of it.
Maybe it was some ancient language.
"Hello... Hello. Are you still there?" The baritone man added a playful sense.
"…I'm here."
"That great. I'll explain about our contract. Mr. Elliot Growing. I'll serve you instead of Number Forty-one."
This was the meaning of giving to me.
"What happened to him. Could I ask him back?"
It wasn't like I like him or believe in him, but I liked order things and the step-by-step process. For the one who took something from another wasn't good to relate with. I had to left him. Although Number Forty-one sold me, he was more straightforward.
'High Sage~ That's good.' Number Forty-one's voice was quieter than before.
"Number Forty-one has an emergency so he withdraws. Unfortunately. You'll never meet him again."
See? His unfaithful word.
"You're the son of Hero. It isn't good to give you a low-grade service, so he calls me instead. Please trust me. I'm his best friend."
Really?
It looked like a degree of service related to their name. A lower number might be a high grade. Perhaps this Number Nine was an influential person of NUMBERS.
"Before we thal about the contract, what is the service you want?" Number Nine asked.
'Using magic.'
"Oh! Using magic! That's right. It's so easy. This type of service is the most we expert."
I made squint eyes, "I still hear Number Forty-one..."
Immediately, the loud sound of the attack made mom and I startled. It came from the opposite of the black space. I kept listening I hear Number Forty-one's painful voice too.
"You won't see him again for the rest of your life."
I found the real Enemy of God.
Suddenly, the devil voice changed to a good service voice. He cleared his throat one time.
"Please believe in us! No matter what you want, we'll serve it to you. NUMBERS can do everything. Nice to meet you again. About the contract, you have to..."
"Wait! I want to listen to condition and detail!" He was so fast. Mom tapped on my shoulder and told.
"Don't forget to ask about Twist Magic."
I nodded, I wanted to know that too.
"So, you worry about it?"
"Why don't I worry? I know you can use the fire under the water."
The fire under the water was an example of Twist Magic.
The fire was extinguished by Water. Some Fires used special Water, but It stilled extinguished by Water. Even magic could create fire under the water for a few seconds because magic followed the rule of the world.
The power that could make supernature power, but its identity wasn't unnature. It had reason and described that why Sage's job was born.
The world existed by the balance of many rules. Twist Magic was the thing that would destroy those rules.
"I can't tell the deeper detail, but we can use normal magic. The importantly, we don't force you to use Twist Magic too."
"You didn't?"
"It's your right. Twist Magic will cause you trouble. Do you know we're an Enemy of God? When you sign the contract, you'll become like us. For your safety, I recommend you ask only suitable and reasonable magic to you."
"Ask? I have to ask for using magic?"
"That's correct. You called us Eccentric, but we don't give you power or magic spell. We 'create' magic for you. Just like a merchant, we sold the first-class sword to an infant."
That was a hell comparison. He was really an Enemy of God.
"Then about the magic fees. I have to give you some money or treasure, right?"
I didn't want to use mom's property. I got a salary. I used some for research, but it still left. I wasn't a wasteful person.
"It's not always like that. The other things that have value still right on trade."
"…Do you mean Information and Knowledge?"
"That's correct, High Sage."
I saw it. Eccentric had to hide from God's eye that's why,
"You want me to be your spy?"
"No need to do that. I want data about your daily life. All of you see, hear, touch, and discover. You just live as you want with me beside you. That's it is."
"What?!"
Something strange. Mom shouted immediately.
"Don't accept this El! I won't let you have a situation like me!"
She got a bit angry then Number Nine told,
"You're Miss Rita Branche, right? I'm so sorry, but no matter what contract you signed. You and Mr. Alexus Growing were under our eyes."
Mom was full of killing intent.
"With far distance place. Because you're close with God."
It decreased, but mom still wanted to kill him. Number Nine waited a bit then polite laughed.
"What do you think High Sage? With my service, I guarantee you can use magic like the same. Every time. Everywhere. I… Number Nine glad to be your magic."
Be my magic…
Did the stranger want to be my magic?
"Do you think who I am?"
"Hm?"
"Say it. Who I am?"
"High Sage Elliot. The son of the world-saving Hero."
Yes… I was High Sage.
Magic-User was divided into 5 ranks.
Mage, Wizard, Sage, Great Sage, and High Sage.
Sage's job started at rank three. Except for intelligence, we had to have skills in using magic. That's why we had to pass Mage and Wizard rank.
The life with theories was unpleased. Many magicians stopped their rank at Wizard while I already passed all ranks. I was on top of the magician route.
I graduated from Magician School and did a thing in the system process. Even I skipped to Wizard Rank, but everything was accepted by Magician Confederation. Usually, old age Great Sage would be promoted to be High Sage, but I wasn't.
"I'm the Youngest High Sage in history. Do you think you will replace my magic so easily?"
Funny but I couldn't laugh.
"I'm High Sage. My magic isn't something in the books and twists. My interest is the mix of balancing magic from many theories. It's about to create new possibilities."
That's what I did, the topic of my study.
"You told me you want Information and Knowledge from me, right? Then how can you do a thing that I 'didn't' complete it yet."
Answer me Number Nine.
It isn't that easy.
"Don't underestimate the magic. NUMBERS!"