As I downed the vial of dead mana I started to feel unusual changes, they weren't bad though. It felt like I was getting stronger, and I was less hungry. I saw a mirror through the corner of my eye and saw the veins near my wrist, and on my neck, darkening.
I then put down the empty vial, "So, how was it? Does it fill up to you're standards?" Octavius asked.
"...Yes, I think I'll purchase a few vials, how much are in the bag right now?"
"24 of a mid-high grade quality, each is 3 gold coins," Octavius replied.
'Hmm, that'd be about 100,000 yen…'
"Alright, then I'll take the whole bag. That's 72 gold coins right?" I confirmed.
"Oh? A big buyer, and yes you are right. If that is all then you can just take the whole bag!" He said while putting the other vials back in the small black bags.
"Are you sure, it's a spacial bag isn't it?"
"Please, I have much more where that came from," He said putting on another sly malicious smile.
"Haaaa, then here," I said dropping my coin bag onto the table and taking the black bag with the dead mana vials from him.
"Haha! Thank you for your patronage, please come again!"
I then turned around and walked out while waving at him, that was quicker than I thought. I then left his lot and headed somewhere else, there was a certain weapon in the novel that I needed to get my hands on no matter what.
The weapon was called Morpheus' Scythe, and it could create mist which would then put people in a trance. In the novel the demon had one of his spies come and buy it for him, he then later used it to put a whole city under his control with the weapons ability.
It was something that was important in the defeat of the demon king, so I absolutely had to take it from him. Plus it's looks sounded really badass in the novel. And I was just lucky enough to have the right amount left over of what the demon king's servant bought it for in the novel.
Turning down the street, I saw the stall that sold it. The stall was stationed right outside of a smithery, the smithery was nice compared to the rest of the buildings in the underground.
Walking up to the stall I was greeted by a young-looking dark elf, but I knew her features deceived her age.
The dark elf had long black hair, gray-blue eyes, and caramel skin. She was wearing a standard merchant's outfit, the only thing that stood out to me was her suede boots, which looked as if they could belong to the nobility. I saw a pouch at her side, which I assumed had runes in it.
"Why hello there dear customer~ what can I help you with today?" She said with a cheery voice. Her voice sounded deep though, I could have mistaken her for a man if I didn't know.
"I'm looking for a certain weapon…" I once again looked around to see if anyone was listening in, even though the market was quite busy, "It's a scythe with the ability to put someone in a deep trance."
"Hehe, well then, come in. It isn't best to do those kinds of deals out here, theives are quite common here," She said beckoning for me to follow her into the smithery.
I decided to trust her advice and followed her when I got inside she told someone else to go out and man the stall, after that, she led me to a room in the back. The room wasn't exactly big but also wasn't small either. There was a table in the middle of the room with a satin cloth on it, and mounted on the wall behind it was the very scythe I was looking for.
The scythe's blade was surprisingly long with a green glow to it, and the pole to it was almost taller than me and was made out of some sort of dark purple wood. It had feathers and a little bone collage where the hilt and blade met, and there was a chain coming down from it and wrapping around the handle down to the bottom where there was a purple and green gem.
'Damn, that thing is badass, and almost as tall as me!'
Given that I was around 6'2, I was shocked to see that it was so large. The novel described it to be about five inches shorter than the demon king, making me wonder how tall he was.
"You like it huh?" The saleswoman said from behind me.
"Huh, oh. Yes I do, it looks better than I thought."
"Good, but with that being said…should we get down to business?"
***
A few hours later I returned to the Duke's estate with all that I needed, i then cleared a spot in my room to lay everything out, but it was almost sunrise so I had to be quick with what I was about to do.
I first laid my new weapon on the floor, it was still in the wrapping the Stall owner put it in. I then put down the bag full of the vials containing the vials of dead mana that I got from Octavius to the right of the Scythe. And lastly, I had bought the bones of a baby Hell hound from a vendor so I put that down to the left of the scythe.
Then I grabbed the scythe and unwrapped it, after I grabbed a few of the vials of the dead mana, I consumed two and used three others to infuse the bones with. I opened the three vials and focused my mind on what I wanted to do with the mana in it.
The next thing I knew was that it attached itself to the tips of my fingers like it was silk coming out of it, and then I connected itself to the bones and made a formation similar to where its veins would be.
'What the hell?'
I was shocked considering that I hadn't seen or experienced anything like that before, so it took me a while to get my mind back together.
Though I eventually knew what to do, I envisioned in my mind how I wanted the bones to move, and then using my hand that had the string-like mana on it, I moved like I was moving the strings attached to a puppet.
"!"
To my surprise it worked, the baby hellhound then got up and started moving how I had envisioned it. After that, I detached the mana strings and infused them with the bones, then I took my scythe and made a small scratch in it.
But I had to be very gentle, though the bones had dead mana in them, it wasn't completely reinforced. So I made just one small scratch on them, and after that, I stood back and tried the same technique I had with the mana strings. But it didn't work.
I tried to think of the reasons why, then it came to me. Somewhere in the novel, very briefly, the Demon King mentioned how it was a demonic weapon and he needed to make a blood contract to use its ability. Remembering that grossed me out, it wasn't the thought of blood or having to use my own, but the thought that the weapon itself could somehow take over my mind. But I knew it was the only way, so I laid the scythe back down on the ground.
"Haaaa, here's to hoping this works," I mumbled to myself.
Then I grabbed my dagger and cut my hand, before the 'Saints Healing' could react I hovered my hand above the scythe and let my blood drip onto it. Not even a moment later the weapon started to glow, it flashed green and was so bright that I had to shield my eyes from it.
When I noticed the glow was gone I unshielded my eyes I looked down at the weapon only to find it not there, but instead a key the same color as my hair and with a skull in the middle of the handle.
Kneeling I decided to pick it up and observe it a bit, I flipped and turned it in my hands.
'Is this the scythe? Did it become like this because I made a contract with it?'
Having come to that conclusion I then stood up and turned the key in my hand with a motion of unlocking a door, then the key flashed and the scythe reappeared in my hand.
"Damn," I cursed with wonder writin on my face.
I then quickly knelt back down to remake the small scratch on the bones, after that, I turned the scythe back into a key and put it into my pocket. Closing my eyes, I focused my mind on what I wanted the bones to do, and a moment later I felt a rough surface touch my hand.
My eyes fluttered open and I smiled with delight, "It worked! Ehehehe!" I squealed like a little girl who just got a mechanical doll for her birthday.
'Crap that was a little embarrassing.'
I then returned to reality and focused back on the hell hound bones, I imagined it chasing its tail, or what it had left of one, like a dog. It did and I once again smiled from ear to ear.
I noticed that it was almost time for the sun to rise so I stopped playing with my new 'toys' and hid them away, then I got back into my pajamas and went back to bed.
***
A couple of days had passed since my secret outing, and right now I was having an awkward breakfast with Duke Oryn Casilda. I could tell he was beaming with anticipation with the way he was smiling and tapping his foot.
"Haaa, is something bothering you Duke-san?" I asked, wanting him to stop the tapping.
"No, I'm just excited, after all, today is the day that I give you your gifts and you forgive me," He announced with a beaming smile.
"...Who said I'd forgive just for some dumb gifts?" I said harshly while going back to eating.
"Huh? You did, did you forget or something, is your age perhaps getting to you?" Oryn teased.
"Hmph, I'll have you know I'm not quite that old for my age to start messing with my memories, and I don't ever remember saying that to you, so if anything I think you have something wrong with YOUR memories," I lectured.
"How mean…and yes you did i remember it crystal clear you said 'Alright, I suppose I could give you another chance, on one condition. I would like some herbs, and considering I am now a Lieutenant, I would like some new armor and technically a uniform. Do that for me, and I will forgive you' That was exactly what you said."
'Damn, how did he remember that so clearly, is he a psycho or something?'
"Haaa, fine, I suppose I did say that then, alright bring them to me, then I shall decide whether it is worthy of forgiveness or not."
"Alright! Asher you heard the man, retrieve the gifts. I know you'll love them, and they will look especially good on you," He jested while winking at me.
"..." I just sat there silently with a scowl on my face, and a couple of minutes later Asher returned carrying a few gift boxes.
Oryn then got, up took the boxes from the secretary, and approached me, "As I promised, I got the things you asked for," A few maids then cleared the table so that the Duke could lay down the boxes in front of me, "I suggest you open then from smallest to biggest."
I then did as he suggested and opened the first box, which had herbs in it, the second box had a black and purple lieutenant's uniform, and the last box had some armor in it.
The armor was black and green, the box contained a left Pauldren, a right best plate, a set of gauntlets and elbow plates, and lastly knee guards. The set of armor has the amount I was imagining, and just light enough for my fighting styles.
"..." I was left speechless.
"Ah, and I have one last personal gift for you," He said pulling out a box from his pocket, "Here, open it, it isn't much but I tried my best!"
"Alright then…" I then opened the box and pulled out a Crimson red handkerchief that had a black pheonix with green flames and a snake wrapped around it, "You… embroidered this?"
"Yeah, I tried my best to remake the Andsrate crest, but it didn't exactly come out good…" He said scratching his head and looking nervous.
"Hehe, it looks good, thank you I didn't think you would do all of this," I got up and stood in front of Oryn, "Honestly I think this is worthy of more than a few thank yous."
I then leaned toward the Duke and put my hand on the back of his head, "Huh!?" he said.
Then I gave him a little peck on the lips to show my trust in him a bit, after that, I returned to my room with a flushed face of embarrassment and to get my luggage.