Cultivator in a World of Angels, Demons, and Super Heroes

(cont'd)

"… Do you understand?" Tezguniuth asks.

"Y-yes, sir." Sayuri is consoled.

"Very good." Tezguniuth nods.

Suddenly, he spots someone from over Sayuri's shoulder, staring at him. He would have ignored the stranger, but the stranger's stare is something he knows quite well. For now, however, he takes his attention back to his new employee.

"But that doesn't mean you are at liberty to make mistakes that would cost me huge money." He says to conclude his consolation for Sayuri.

"Of course, sir." Sayuri understands well what Tezguniuth means.

"By any chance… This pressure you're putting on yourself. Is you being recommended by your brother to me, have something to do with it?" Tezguniuth asks.

"No, sir." Sayuri denies.

Tezguniuth softly scoffs. He has lived for millennia and he can easily see if a person means what they say.

"Heh. All your brother did was to make sure that I read your resume, and assure me that you leaving your previous job is not your fault, that's all. He had no say, or influence in my hiring of you." He tells Sayuri.

Sayuri is taken aback, but at the same time, she is both relieved and proud. Relieved that her job performance will in no way affect Fumio, and that she got her new job because of her experience and skills.

"I've seen your resume. I also had some people… look into the ledgers of the businesses you've managed…" Tezguniuth pauses and he sips on his wine.

"…" Sayuri clenches her butt.

"And I figured that your management style is conservative. Do you agree?" Tezguniuth asks.

"Yes." Sayuri admits.

"Were you forced to? Or was it your natural style?" Tezguniuth asks.

"More like… forced to follow my former clan's way of conducting business. Preventing losses and having stable profits, no matter how small, are more important to them than doing something fresh and new." Sayuri explains.

"Didn't follow trends?" Tezguniuth asks.

"Not until the trends were at their peak." Sayuri shakes her head.

"Were there any successful trends that you wanted to follow early on, but didn't because your clan stopped you?" Tezguniuth asks.

"Only a few." Sayuri says humbly.

"Oh? Looks like you have an eye for them." Tezguniuth gets interested.

"I don't, sir. In fact, if I had been more in control in those businesses, I might have driven them to the ground." Sayuri bitterly denies.

Tezguniuth sees that Sayuri is not trying to be humble, but is simply being honest. He was a bit let down, but shrugs it off.

"Oh well. What I need for now is stability of operations, and your expertise is exactly one of the things we need with that."

"Uhh…" Sayuri wants to ask something but stops herself.

Tezguniuth meanwhile, notices.

"Please. I'm open to any questions. We're both learning the ropes here. If it can help you perform your job better, I'm willing to help." He encourages.

"So far, we are currently constructing five branches our coffee house in five different cities. And these branches are not small too. What makes the owner so confident in opening this many branches all at once? And at a time when coffee loving population is in a tight grip of a few and powerful café chains?" Sayuri asks.

"Ah…" Tezguniuth nods in understanding. If he does not know Red, he would also wonder the same thing.

"All I can tell you for now, is that our beverages will be superior in quality than other café chains', and will have a competitive price at that." He defends vaguely with a mysterious smirk.

"O-oh…" Sayuri feigns understanding while suppressing her skepticism.

"uhuh…" Tezguniuth knows what Sayuri is feeling but decides not to address it for now.

His attention instead is on the man that has been staring at him for a few minutes now.

"I'm going for a smoke." He excuses himself from Sayuri and makes his way to the stairwell right outside the restaurant.

After climbing half a flight of stairs, he stops by the window, watches the view of the city from it, and waits.

A minute later, the stranger from the restaurant joins him with a greeting. "I can't believe you're still alive."

Tezguniuth turns around to look at the stranger more closely. An average looking man who looks to be in his early thirties. The man's quality office suit, nice watch, and the general air around him, tells Tezguniuth that he is a corporate drone of some sort.

Tezguniuth however knows that the man is not just an average corporate drone.

"I'm one of the few unlucky ones." He says in the demon language.

"'Unlucky'… Ah… That's right." The man chuckles.

"Demons of Sloth of your strength rarely ascended. So when you decided to ascend, all of those who knew of you were more than surprised. After all, aside from the Prince of Sloth himself, you are the last demon to take such an action like that. But when I heard you say, how did it go?... 'I am here to explore the bigger world, and search for my eternal slumber' Those words of yours would have been enough to explain that decision."

Tezguniuth nods. He does not remember saying those words, but he knows that it is something he would say.

"You oddly know a lot about me. Do we know each other?" He asks.

"I'm sorry. Greetings, sir. I'm Vaskumus, a soldier. We might not know each other personally, but we crossed paths a few times in Hell, and I saw you ascend to the mortal realm a few days before I … was purged from my original body and forced to my long slumber." Vaskumus introduces himself.

"When did you fall?" Tezguniuth asks.

"Around the fourth year of the Great War, sir." Vaskumus asks.

"You said we crossed paths? Either my memory is fuzzy, or you're simply mistaken. I don't recognize you." Tezguniuth says.

"You are quite famous, Ser Tezguniuth. The embodiment of sloth only second to the Prince of Sloth himself. As for why you don't recognize me, I simply do not have the fame. If my original body wasn't destroyed, you might recognize me." Vaskumus says respectfully before flaring a bit of his demon aura.

"Ah…" Tezguniuth softly exclaims, finding the aura familiar.

"You were under Galgredol's command." He says.

"Yes. Ser Galgredol is my unit's leader." Vaskumus is glad to be recognized.

"Well. It's good to see you alive, and found a new body." Tezguniuth does not want to speak with the demon any longer.

"Ah. Yes." Vaskumus notices, and he is more than disappointed from the reaction of the demon who he once fought alongside with.

He does not want to let go of Tezguniuth yet however.

"Ser. I have news."

"What news?" Tezguniuth gets curious, seeing Vaskumus's expression.

"Ser Galgredol still lives, and has recently awoken." Vaskumus reports.

"And she walks among humans?" Tezguniuth asks.

"Yes. And she is quickly gaining strength." Vaskumus confirms.

"As expected. Send her my regards." Tezguniuth nods.

"Y-y…" Vaskumus is taken aback by Tezguniuth's disinterest.

"Ser Tezguniuth. This modern world was already dangerous despite the efforts of the powerful superioris clans and groups to limit information about us. But everything changed after that jester in red's… activities.

"I saw children's playgrounds littered with demon traps and wards. I've seen homeless people have anti-possession talismans in their person. I've seen housewives carry fruit knives engraved with demon-killing runes. Everything has turned perilous for us. Do you really want to walk amongst humans alone?" Vaskumus starts swaying Tezguniuth.

"It is not too hard to guess that you and her already formed a little group. How many of you are there?" Tezguniuth asks.

"Aside from Ser Galgredol, we have seven scamp-ranked demons and three soldier-ranked demons including me, in our group. Your chances of survival during these times will increase if you join us." Vaskumus proudly reports.

"Hm… sounds like a nice little group. I wish you luck. I hope you all survive 'til Hell ascends again." Tezguniuth nods.

"Y-you… Do not want to join us?" Vaskumus cannot believe that he was refused.

"I am doing fine on my own."

"Are you not afraid?"

" 'I am here to explore the bigger world, and search for my eternal slumber'. Even though you had to remind me, those words are true to myself. If I get caught, and killed. I welcome that. At the worst I will only find it a shame that my time in this interesting era is cut short. Ultimately, I will achieve what I ultimately want."  Tezguniuth shrugs.

"Do you not want to see a former comrade at least?" A woman's voice suddenly rings out from behind Tezguniuth.

"And here I thought you'd simply drop eaves and let your subordinate do all the talking…" Tezguniuth turns around with a smirk.

"Galgredol." And greets in acknowledgement, but his face freezes.

"Tezguniuth." Galgredol greets back, amused at Tezguniuth's expression.

Tezguniuth recovers and almost cackles.

"…hah… Of all the flesh suits you can get…"

Tezguniuth is taken aback by Galgredol's human body; a petite Japanese woman in her late 20s. A huge contrast to her original seven-foot fat demon body.

"This girl's bowels have malabsorption that allowed her to eat kilograms of food in one sitting without getting fat." Galgredol explains.

"How luck for you." Tezguniuth shakes his head.

"And this girl… was she willing?" He asks.

He knows that B-Class Superiori, which are the ideal bodies for Knight-ranked demons, are not easy to give up on life.

"Of course. The poor girl. A physical type superioris like her already needs loads of food. But having a malabsorption disorder on top that? The amount of food she would need... Her social life suffered because of it, making her miserable." Galgredol recounts.

Tezguniuth finds it plausible.

"Ser let the girl's soul go." Vaskumus adds.

"Huh…" Tezguniuth is more than surprised.

"You? A demon of gluttony?" He can barely believe it.

"There are things that might overwhelm our desires and natures. My gratitude for the girl kept me from eating her soul is an example of that. Another example is your desire to stay asleep in Hell is overwhelmed by your interest and curiosity of the mortal realm …" Galgredol pauses and her eyes change.

"Just like how something has made you lie just now." She adds.

"What do you mean?" Tezguniuth raises his brows.

"Something has changed in you. It feels like you have put on hold, your search for your eternal slumber you so desire. Or dare I say…" Galgredol steps closer to Tezguniuth and looks at him straight in the eyes.

"… that desire is no longer there?"

"…" Tezguniuth simply stares back.

"Which one is it, Tezguniuth? And what suppressed that desire?" Galgredol asks.

"It seems that you don't know me as well as I thought you did, old friend." Tezguniuth answers vaguely.

"Then let me think outside of what I know about you… Is that young lady back there at your table your new desire?" Galgredol asks.

"Isn't that a bit farfetched?" Tezguniuth smirks.

"As you know, my desire to sleep was suppressed by my curiosity. But there is a desire that was forcefully suppressed even back in hell."

"Oh?" Galgredol challenges.

"Yes. You know, after I've woken up, I realized something. No more Generals or Lords that have me in their beck and call. No more 'big mission' to take part of. My longest desire to be left alone, to be allowed to do whatever I want to do… has all come rushing back." Tezguniuth grins.

"S-Sacrilege…" Galgredol cannot believe it.

Tezguniuth smirks. Knowing Galgredol, he already knew that she wants to raise forces, and she wants his help.

"To who? To what?" He asks.

"To our responsibility to demonkind." Galgredol says through gritted teeth.

"What responsibility is that exactly? To feed human souls to your Lord? Your Prince? Why? What has your Lord and your Prince done for you?" Tezguniuth continues to challenge.

"…" Galgredol is speechless.

"My old friend. With the gates closed, your Lord's hold on you has been cut off. What's stopping you from doing what you want to do?" Tezguniuth asks.

"Wh- … Are you not afraid of following through Zograthan's footsteps?" Galgredol asks in frustration.

"I'm not. Unlike him, I want the gates of hell to open once again." Tezguniuth says, making Galgredol and Vaskumus's jaws drop in shock at the unexpected statement. Their minds are spinning at the dissonance of his words.

"What do you really want?"