Card Apprentice Daily Log

Date- 5 April 2321

Time- 04:14

Location- Southern Region, Blossom district, Sky Blossom City, Outskirts

"Alright, if you want my recommendation that badly then I will tell you the price. Two special mortal souls, not just any special mortal souls I want your and her souls, that's the price you will have to pay for my recommendation to devil merchant code for you to become a demon merchant," Belphegor answered me grudgingly, he seemed to be a little thrilled and looking forward to what I will say next.

"Belphegor, what are special mortal souls?" I asked looking at the devil with a sneer.

Now that the devil had asked special mortal souls in exchange for its recommendation it had made my questions relevant and related to trade, this way Belphegor had to answer my question to the best of his knowledge.

"..." the jet-black monster worm glared at me silently for a while and I did not rush it as I was enjoying its irritation. Afterward, it said, "Special mortal souls are mortal souls that have undergone enlightenment or mutation to gain unique abilities. When these special mortal souls enter the river of souls and step into the cycle of reincarnation, they can carry the unique abilities they had gained through enlightenment or mutation to their next life and other lives to come."

Listening to the explanation of the jet-black monster worm I understood what characterized a mortal soul as a special mortal soul. But I wondered if my soul was a special mortal soul even before I mutated it into a mutated soul with multiple consciousnesses. Since my soul had transmigrated to this world with no notable side effects I would like to believe that even if it did not meet the criteria to be a special mortal soul according to Belphegor's definition, it had something special about it.

They say we are born with nothing and die with nothing but the special mortal souls proved that saying wrong. So I felt good knowing that I will be able to carry my mutated soul to the next life if I have one.

Now I knew what a special soul was but I did not understand why these special souls were an attraction to the devil so much that it was willing to suffer such humiliation and embarrassment under a mortal's hand. I mean being able to be reborn with unique abilities was good and all but why does the devil care so much about it? What use does the devil have for these special mortal souls?

Speaking of people with special mortal physiques I knew three people who would fit this description, Corey, Clown Mask, and Cortney. I am not so sure about Clown Mask and Cortney but Corey definitely had a special mortal soul.

Wait, wasn't Corey park a demon in one of Corey's past life? Maybe I should talk to her about this. Hopefully, she will have the answers to my questions. Because as much as I would like to bicker with Belphgor and get the answers I wanted, I don't think Anna's body would be able to hold that long. So it was about time I commenced my plan.

"Belphegor, I don't feel that your recommendation is worth two special souls, especially not mine and her souls. How about a 1000 median quality soul jades? That sounds fair," I said pointing my monster worm head at the semi-demigod sneak attacking Anna non-stop.

"1000 median quality soul jades for a devil's recommendation to become a demon merchant, have you lost your mind? And you have the gals to call it fair," Belphegor lashed out in rage, hearing the price his customer put forward he felt like the customer was shaming him.

"What about you, how is it any fair price to ask two special souls for a recommendation?" I snapped back at Belphegor.

"Fine, then, what do you think is the fair price for my recommendation to the devil merchant code to make you a demon merchant?" Belphegor let me decide the price for his recommendation.

"As if you would trade with me if I were to state the fair price," I said enunciating to the Belphegor that he only said this to check my bottom line and did not plan to make a trade with me.

This way Belphegor could deliberately state a price higher than my bottom line forcing me to take a loan with high-interest rates. In a fair trade, this practice would be called malpractice but the devil merchant code had no rules against this. This was why I said the devil merchant code favored the devil/demon merchants over the customers.

"Kid, in witness of the devil merchant code, I, Devil Belphegor, promise you that if the price you are willing to pay for my recommendation is fair, I will make this exchange right away," Belphegor said so because he felt that with the realm of his customer, he would not be able to fork out anything except his special mortal soul that would be considered as a fair exchange for his recommendation. If the customer were to exchange his special mortal soul then well and good, it aligned with his interest.

Was Belphegor not worried that his customer would be able to fork out something of valve other than his special mortal soul? After all, it was wearing an SSS-rank item on its body. No, he was not because he knew this item did not belong to the customer but to his sponsor. And not to mention a devil's recommendation to the devil merchant code was worth a lot more than an SSS-rank item. Belphegor was confident that even his customer's sponsor wouldn't be able to come up with an item that would be considered a fair trade for his recommendation quota.

"Wait, what?" I was taken aback by Belphegor's sudden promise with the devil merchant code was a witness because for devil merchants this was similar and as serious as the card apprentice taking oath in witness of the world's will. Meaning if I were to come up with something fair in exchange for his recommendation, as long as I want him to, Belphegor would have to undergo the exchange.

Why would Belphegor do this to himself? Did he suddenly get cocky thinking that someone of my realm will not be able to get something of equal value in exchange for his recommendation for the devil merchant code to make me a demon merchant? If he did that then that would be a really dumb move for a devil but a lot easier for me to achieve my agenda.