CHAPTER 8: PALE MOON

The black cat lifted its little paw. Wayne, drawn by the white particles appearing in his body, closed his eyes to follow the trail, finding a light source in the boundless darkness.

It was a moon.

The gentle, clear light shimmered softly and serenely like a creek, its embrace achingly tender. It was so comforting and soothing that he got lost in it. It felt as if the Goddess of Moonlight was pulling him into Her embrace, Her fair hand caressing his face. There was nothing he wanted more than to cast away the infinite darkness to fall into an eternal slumber in Her warm, supple bosom.

Yes, bigger is always better. The Goddess of Moonlight is clearly legit.

As he inspected the seed of mana, the Book of Greed made its presence known. It cast its gaze at the moon, the large eyeball etched in the center of its cover darting around restlessly, pulling Wayne’s gaze along.

In his changed perspective, his vision suddenly became grey and hazy, and a pale moon replaced the clear one, pixelated like a pirated movie. It cast everything in monochrome, and gone was the grace and serenity. The pale light was uneven with dense spots of black and grey.

The bleak, lonesome moon seemed sickly, lifeless, and corrupted. The longer he gazed at it, the more anxious and deranged he felt.

(一`´一;)

Damn book! Now you’ve done it! Turn Her beautifying filter back on!

While Wayne lamented how all the gods seemed slightly sketchy, the Book of Greed’s bumpy cover heaved rhythmically like it was breathing, draining the grey and black and reverting the world back to its high-definition display. The moonlight seemed sacred again.

Now the filter’s back!

The glimpse into Moonlight’s true nature made him lose all respect for the deities of the world, and he had already lost quite a lot when the Death’s followers made their hasty surrender. He shifted his gaze from the silver light to the Book of Greed.

A smaller eye opened beside the large eye in the middle. It was pale, dim, and lifeless.

He blinked in surprise, wondering what the implication could be. Had the book leveled up? But no, the pages were the same as before.

Something must have been added...

The seed of mana Monica planted in him was still there. The Book of Greed didn’t touch it since it no longer craved mana from anyone but its master. Wayne sighed in relief. As expected of an item he had personally coded, the book was too honorable to scarf down food donated by others, just like its master.

The substantial mana donation left Monica exhausted. Though it wanted to lie down and rest, it didn’t want to stay too close to him. That gave William the chance to grab it and pull it into his arms.

“Wanna fly, Monica?”

Thud!

“Oww!”

Just like before, Veronica subdued William with incredible strength and took the black cat from him.

Monica didn’t comment on their scuffle. It said to a mediating Wayne, “No rush. It takes time to manifest mana, and rushing will do more harm than good. Relax. Do not get too tense. Feel the seed I left you with, and the Goddess of Moonlight will guide you to find your mana.”

Wayne opened his eyes to glance at the cat before nodding and closing his eyes once more, turning his senses inward. Monica was invested. It was its first time mentoring someone, and it got nervous like a new teacher would, even though they hadn’t officially established a mentorship. It jumped out of Veronica’s arms in favor of circling Wayne’s feet.

Veronica shot him an envious look and huffed. She beckoned William over. “Clean up. Put these guys into a container. Remember to knock them out.”

William nodded. They were still students, and students could fight, but not kill.

Veronica said that they had to prevent the followers from running to the Deathwalker and warning him, so they should lock them up in containers and imprison them in the warehouse. The next day, a messenger bird would be sent to notify their academy, and the teachers would take care of the rest.

They had to catch the Deathwalker themselves and lift their curses, the sooner the better. They were going to graduate soon. There was no time to waste.

Nevertheless, Veronica didn’t set out for the suburban town Klofron immediately. Although she was feeling the time pressure, Monica needed to rest and regenerate her mana. At the earliest, they would be setting out tomorrow morning.

***

Shrouded in mist and illuminated by dim lights, the city of Londan had gone quiet not long after the night descended; or it would be more accurate to say that the humans were no longer the ones bustling about.

The shift was especially pronounced in the warehouse area. Workers had long dispersed, some to homes, others to crowded bars, or out into the streets in search of carnal connections and the meaning of life. As such, the area was more or less empty. The flickering street lamps painted an eerie picture.

Gusts of wind weaved through the warehouses and the paths, wailing like spirits. Whether it was merely his overactive imagination at work, Wayne wouldn’t know, but he was certain that he was surrounded by ‘people’. He could sense many eyes gazing at him.

Having a strong supernatural sense wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. He had a feeling that ghosts were crowding him no matter where he went, as if a blind grab into the mist would’ve pulled many of them to him.

For security reasons, he trailed after William closely.

After a while, William turned around and muttered, “Can you not stick so close to me, Wayne? It’s making me nervous. Why don’t you walk before me?”

Haha, not a chance!

Wayne ignored his request and insisted on walking behind him. Veronica, holding the black cat, asked, “Do you have a car, Wayne?”

What, do you not? Can’t a mage just hijack a car?

“I don’t have a car,” he said with a shrug. “I can get one, but how quickly I can do it will depend on money. The more I receive, the more efficient I can be.”

“Can you drive?”

“Yeah, but not very well.”

“It’s good enough.”

Nodding, Veronica took a wad of money from her wallet and handed it to Wayne without counting the bills. She also gave him a list of items to acquire in addition to the car before ten o’clock tomorrow.

He took the money and asked, “Am I going, too?”

“You don’t have to,” she said slowly. “But no one can tell when you’ll get to lift your curse if you miss this chance. If fortune doesn’t favor you, this can turn out to be your only chance.”

Seriously? Wayne turned to William for confirmation without thinking. Only when he got a nod did he believe Veronica’s assessment.

Shit, he realized. I’m trusting the bear over the pretty lady!

Wayne had lied about the curse. He didn’t actually crave mana. However, the hunger was very much real. The Book of Greed hadn’t devoured the curse, and his only chance of lifting it would be following Veronica and William.

As if in agreement, his stomach growled.

Londan was undeniably dangerous at night. News of residents going missing from being outside at night was frequent. That and the esoteric urban legends painted the city’s night in a mysterious light.

In comparison, though, poverty was much more terrifying. Nightlife was lively for residents of the rich Western District and the Northern District, and even more so for Inner Londan—the Central District. There, lights stayed on throughout the years, and the indoor establishments only became livelier as night deepened. They were little paradises that the outsiders would break their necks to enter.

Luckily, Wayne managed to hail a taxi to take him back to the agency before he died of hunger. Out of guilt, William made a feast, but before Veronica could even pick up her cutlery, Wayne had already finished all the scrumptious food.

Veronica stared at William with a long face. “What are you waiting for? Go back to the kitchen!”

“I’ve used up all the ingredients I bought in the morning,” he responded. “We’ve only got potatoes.”

Both Veronica and Wayne looked at him in silence.

Potatoes will do, Veronica thought. It’s better than nothing.

I’ll mercifully give you another chance to prove yourselves, potatoes! Wayne grumbled.

***

After filling his stomach, Wayne continued to reach inward for his mana. Monica, being the responsible mentor it was, lay on his desk with its paws stacked together, tutoring him and guiding the lost little lamb to the merciful Goddess of Moonlight.

Moonlight shone at night and guided the way through the mist thanks to Her blessings, or so said Monica.

Wayne couldn’t help but question that after his glimpse into the goddess’s true form, but he kept his doubt to himself. His mentor’s words were law. His obedience made Monica feel a great sense of achievement.

Goddess, this man can be your loyal follower!

Two hours later, Wayne patted the black cat on the rear and asked what brand of dried clove fish it preferred, which made Monica turn its tail and leave in a huff.

His keen eyes spotted the two little bells under its belly. Ah, yes. He should seek out a lewd female cat for his mentor when no one was around.

Since going to bed too late was bad for health, he decided to forgo sleep altogether. It didn’t end well. He dozed off near dawn and fell into a nightmare. It was short, but it scared him awake.

Or it would be a hunger-mare, if such a thing existed.

In the dream, he inhaled one dish after another like a ravenous spirit. Someone with no prior knowledge of his curse would’ve thought that he was trying to kill himself by choking on potatoes. Next to him, William busied about making a variety of potato dishes. He broke into a happy and bashful beam as Wayne finished everything.

As soon as he woke up, Wayne buried his face in his hands. He knew that dreams often reflected reality, so it made sense for him to be hungry in his dream, but why William? Wouldn’t Monica be a better companion with its feline grace?

Just then, he heard noises from the kitchen and couldn’t help the warm and fuzzy feeling blooming in his chest. As the saying went, while men-loving men could be after his manly behind, at least they were ready to warm him up first.

Take William as an example. Despite his intimidating appearance suggesting a violent tendency, he was gentle and kind-hearted. The considerate use of defensive magic and the early homemade breakfast proved him to be a good man to get to know better.

He’s alright...

(는_는)

Dammit, Wayne. Wake up! That’s his diabolical trick!

Boys must stay alert in this situation. Do not give him the chance to flank you and catch you off guard!

“Wayne,” William called out. “Come eat. You have an errand to run!”

“Coming.”