To Be A Power In The Shadows!

Zack was struggling hard with his throat in my grasp, but my fingers didn"t budge .

“Cough… ghrr…”

Finally seeing fear welling up in the man"s eyes, I slightly loosened my grip .

“What do I gotta do…”

“Right… I"m going to need a room, can you get me that?”

“N-not right away . I"ll need a month . ”

I looked into his eyes as he spoke . He didn"t seem to be lying .

“I see . Well whatever . Actually, suddenly getting myself a room will make me stand out . I just need a roof over my head is all . I"ll sleep in the hallways I guess . ”

“Sure thing . I"ll get you a spot…”

“Also, I"ll need meals, well balanced meals . If you can"t get that, I"m afraid I won"t need you . ”

“Y-you won"t need me…?”

“Nope, not at all . ”

I tighten my grip momentarily .

“Oh, Ok, ok ok! I can do meals, three meals a day, no problemo!”

“Thanks a bunch . Next… info yeah, I"ll need that . This place looks like it"ll be fun . Lots of intrigue . ”

“… I"ll answer anything I know . ”

“Then, let"s talk about our relations.h.i.+p . You said you"re with the Doem Camp, yes? I don"t want to pick a side just yet . I"ll be Trash . ”

“… Then I suggest you don"t talk to me in public . How am I getting you the food?”

“I"ll have it in this room . I can come in without anyone noticing, so it"s not an issue . ”

“… Sure . ”

Zack had on an extremely bitter expression .

“Yeah, that"s enough for now . I"ll find you when I need something again . ”

“Yeah, you do that . ”

I let go of his neck . He sat down and looked up at me while ma.s.saging his throat .

“Who the h.e.l.l are you? How come you"re this strong when we"re not supposed to have mana…”

“Who can say…”

“You"re no student . A spy… no, someone from the underworld…”

“Perhaps, but would I really reveal that?” I said, putting some strength in my gaze .

“…Tsk” Zack tsked and looked away .

“f.u.c.king politics… whatever, I ain"t involved, just do whatever you gotta do . ”

“That I will, Mr . Zack . That I will . ”

“… Yeah, sure . ”

I turn my back to the dejected Zack and grab the door handle .

“Ah, right . I don"t think I need to tell you, but do keep this on the hush hush . ”

“… I know . ”

“Just a friendly warning . You see, I honestly don"t care if I have to kill you and everyone else in your little Doem Camp—” I said, momentarily releasing a strong helping of mana and bloodl.u.s.t .

“—Wha!? But your mana"s supposed to be…”

“As if this trinket can seal me…” I said finally, opening the door and exiting the room .

“… f.u.c.k me with a sledgehammer . I just had to pick up a freakin" monster…”

Listening in to Zack"s muttering from the other side, I did another mental fist pump .

Zack was struggling hard with his throat in my grasp, but my fingers didn"t budge . .

“Cough… ghrr…”.

Finally seeing fear welling up in the man"s eyes, I slightly loosened my grip . .

 .

“What do I gotta do…”.

“Right… I"m going to need a room, can you get me that?”.

“N-not right away . I"ll need a month . ”.

I looked into his eyes as he spoke . He didn"t seem to be lying . .

“I see . Well whatever . Actually, suddenly getting myself a room will make me stand out . I just need a roof over my head is all . I"ll sleep in the hallways I guess . ”.

 .

“Sure thing . I"ll get you a spot…”.

“Also, I"ll need meals, well balanced meals . If you can"t get that, I"m afraid I won"t need you . ”.

“Y-you won"t need me…?”.

“Nope, not at all . ”.

I tighten my grip momentarily . .

 .

“Oh, Ok, ok ok! I can do meals, three meals a day, no problemo!”.

“Thanks a bunch . Next… info yeah, I"ll need that . This place looks like it"ll be fun . Lots of intrigue . ”.

 .

“… I"ll answer anything I know . ”.

“Then, let"s talk about our relations.h.i.+p . You said you"re with the Doem Camp, yes? I don"t want to pick a side just yet . I"ll be Trash . ”.

 .

“… Then I suggest you don"t talk to me in public . How am I getting you the food?”.

“I"ll have it in this room . I can come in without anyone noticing, so it"s not an issue . ”.

“… Sure . ”.

Zack had on an extremely bitter expression . .

 .

“Yeah, that"s enough for now . I"ll find you when I need something again . ”.

“Yeah, you do that . ”.

 .

I let go of his neck . He sat down and looked up at me while ma.s.saging his throat . .

“Who the h.e.l.l are you? How come you"re this strong when we"re not supposed to have mana…”.

“Who can say…”.

“You"re no student . A spy… no, someone from the underworld…”.

“Perhaps, but would I really reveal that?” I said, putting some strength in my gaze . .

“…Tsk” Zack tsked and looked away . .

 .

“f.u.c.king politics… whatever, I ain"t involved, just do whatever you gotta do . ”.

“That I will, Mr . Zack . That I will . ”.

“… Yeah, sure . ”.

 .

I turn my back to the dejected Zack and grab the door handle . .

“Ah, right . I don"t think I need to tell you, but do keep this on the hush hush . ”.

“… I know . ”.

“Just a friendly warning . You see, I honestly don"t care if I have to kill you and everyone else in your little Doem Camp—” I said, momentarily releasing a strong helping of mana and bloodl.u.s.t . .

 .

“—Wha!? But your mana"s supposed to be…”.

“As if this trinket can seal me…” I said finally, opening the door and exiting the room . .

 .

“… f.u.c.k me with a sledgehammer . I just had to pick up a freakin" monster…”.

 .

Listening in to Zack"s muttering from the other side, I did another mental fist pump . .