Chapter 10

The Mass Murder at Dionaea Salon and Spa 5

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In the short time Theo has known Nichola Rasputin, he has come to understand that she had extremely poor people skills.

She was as blunt as a brick and had very little concern of what others think of her.

While she wasn’t rude, she was lacking on common sense and had a very different sense when it came to manners.

Example: The two of them was about start their discussion while they had tea.

Juno volunteered on preparing the drinks.

So far, so good.

However, there was only 1 chair in Nichola’s room and that was the one she was using.

Theo was sitting on a large jar containing a severed torso of some demonic entity.

The table they were using for tea was a see through casket with a bound person, probably a dwarf, desperately screaming at Theo for help. Since the box was sound proof, Theo couldn’t hear a single thing from the dwarf.

Was Theo freaked out of such outrageous furniture?

The answer was HELL YES!

However, he did his best to keep his poker face in place.

He was the beggar here.

“So… what do you want?” Nichola asked bluntly

“Straight to business then. I would like to acquire your services in constructing an item called ‘The Incubus Eye’. If I provide you with all the things you need, will you be able to make it?” said Theo

“The Incubus Eye…. Yeah I can make it…. But don’t expect me to work for free.” Said Nichola with a hint of aggression in her voice.

“Naturally. Since you are capable of providing the service I desire, me paying for your help is already set in stone.” Replied Theo, much to Nichola’s surprise.

“Huh…. People who approach me for help often assumed I’m evil because I ask for something in return” said Nichola

“I am not like those fools who believe that helping others for nothing is natural. Life is a series of compromises. Give-and-Take is expected”

Theo couldn’t help but pat himself in the back.

As per Miss Samantha’s teachings, Theo always had a large library of one liners that would be used depending on the personality of the person.

Using this particular line for cynical people was effective.

Nichola’s face filled with suspicious softened considerably.

Or at least that’s what Theo assumed.

It was really hard to gauge her facial reaction due to her skinless condition.

“Well then, let’s not mince words. What do you want in return for your services?” Asked Theo

Nichola began playing with her hair while she stared at Theo.

Was this her thinking pose?

At that moment, Juno arrived with their drinks. Due to lack of cups, she used beakers instead.

“For Nichola, black coffee. I still cant understand why you like something so bitter” said Juno

“Hmph. Leave me alone.”

“For Theo, ice cold chocolate.” Said Juno as she sat beside Theo

Theo couldn’t hide his shock.

He never told Juno anything, yet she knew exactly what he wanted.

“I know you like sweets and hate hot things. No need to thank me.” Said Juno with a sweet smile.

It took a pro at information gathering like Miss Samantha about 2 weeks to figure Theo’s taste, yet Juno got it right despite meeting him only a few minutes ago!

How she found out and what else she knew about him was a mystery, but the level of info she had on him was disturbing to say the least.

“Tch. Get a room.” Said the grumpy Nichola as she drank her coffee.

For now, Theo pushed his worries out of his mind.

“Ahem… Anyways, have you thought of your compensation?” said Theo

After taking a sip of her coffee, Nichola said…

“2 Things. First is 100 Rooks as payment. Second is an undamaged head of an Incubus.”

100 Rooks was surprisingly cheap.

There had to be a catch

“Dead or Alive?” asked Theo

“I prefer if it was alive. I’ll give you the Incubus Eye as promised, while I get the rest of the body for experimentation. This is why my price is so cheap.” Replied Nichola

Now it made sense.

The cheap labor cost for a relatively high level item was the payment for getting a Guinee pig.

“Seems fair. I approve of the conditions. Oh, by the way, how ‘alive’ does the incubus have to be?” asked Theo

“You can beat it within an inch of its life for all I care, as long as it doesn’t croak. Magic beings are tougher than normal humans. It will survive as long as its heart and brain are safe. Hurt it as much as you want.”

Nichola’s words took a load off Theo’s shoulders.

If that was the case, then Theo can blow the target’s limbs off without any worry.

Nothing was more convenient then a more compact luggage.

“Last question: Where do I find an Incubus?” said Theo

“Hmm… wild incubi are normally found in areas with high negative energy concentration. In big cities like Vermilion, that’s normally the most polluted area possible. The deepest part of the sewers is your best bet”

Theo groaned in response.

“Afraid of a little filth?” teased Nichola

“I’ve been through the sewers a couple of times now. The filth is manageable….. it’s just that I kind of made some powerful enemies down there…” said Theo

The girls tilted their head in confusion before Juno remembered something.

“Oh? Did something happened between you and those teenage mutant ninja rodents?” asked Juno

Theo sighed in relief.

It seemed that Juno didn’t know everything about Theo after all.

“Squirrels actually. But yeah… Something like that… I don’t want to talk about it”

Due to a misunderstanding on both sides, Theo and the squirrel’s master ended up fighting to the death.

The result: Theo won by the skin of his teeth by collapsing thousands of tons of concrete on the old rat.

While he suffered a fair number of broken bones and a few crushed organs, the Omnigel made sure that there were no complications.

The squirrel’s master was fertilizer.

Theo felt very guilty about that and would love to make up for his transgressions.

Unfortunately, the squirrels wanted Theo dead.

A very reasonable reaction.

Hence Theo’s predicament.

As much as he want to make amends with the squirrels, he had no intention of dying.

Thus Theo was making sure to avoid them.

While disgusting to look at, the squirrels were good people that had just cause for revenge.

Unfortunately, the next time Theo meets them, they WILL die.

And Theo wants to avoid that as much as possible, but that placed him a bit of a bind

“Do you know any other places where we can find incubi?” asked Theo

“I’m no outdoor person. I cant even tell you where I regularly call for pizza delivery. As much as I want to help you, you’re on your own on this one” replied Nichola in an apologetic manner.

It seemed that she really wanted that incubus guinee pig.

“Actually, I know a place where we can find High Level Incubi.” Said Juno

This caught Theo and Nichola off guard.

Wild Incubi were your typical trash mobs.

High Level Incubi were demons that were indistinguishable from normal humans.

This made them extremely hard to find and even harder to kill due to being shielded by the law. They were ‘normal humans’ after all.

It was hiding a tree in a forest.

Yet Juno somehow knew the location of one of them?

“Really? Where can I find them?” asked Theo

“If you want to know where, I need something from you.” Said Juno with an impish smile.

“…. What do you want?”

“First, give me your number. I’ll send a text as to what I want you to make for me. Second, you’re going to take me on a date!”