I read the letter several times to understand what it was about.

“Mr. Gift? King of Crossroads? Is he some sort of demon? Am I making a deal with a demon… again?

In any case, I wrote down the prayer at the bottom of the letter onto a small piece of paper that I had with me and set the original on fire.

Once I was sure that there was nothing more of it, I took off the gloves I had already on and put the new ones on.

I felt nothing from them, they just looked like normal leather gloves to me.

Slowly, ready to tear it off my hands the second I felt something strange I put them on.

I clenched my fingers, but I felt nothing strange.

“At least it will be a good way for me to protect myself.

Next, I took the mask and examined it more closely.

As I expected it was made from gold.

When I took the mask into my hands, I felt something pulsing inside of my chest, calling out for it.

“This isn’t good!”

Afraid of what would happen to me, if I put this thing on, I tried to put it down, but my arms didn’t obey me.

As if I was a puppet with its strings being pulled, the mask was getting closer and closer to my face till it reached my face.

…

….

…

“…Nothing?”

[[Necklace of Nergal] reacted to artifact]

[Commencing absorption]

For a second, I felt nothing, but soon it started to burn.

I screamed and screamed as I was trying to pull the thing off, but it stuck completely still, and couldn't feel the edges of the thing.

The worst thing was that I believed that the burning metal had entered my bloodstream, as I could feel the pain moving through my body.

It was so altrose, that I fell to the ground, seizing as I was screaming my lungs out.

[Absorption Complete]

[New skill received: [Face Switch]]

[Skill [Plague Mist] Been connected to skill [Face Switch]]

Maybe it became so painful that I couldn’t feel it, but slowly I couldn’t feel anything.

Shaking, I slammed my hand on the table and hoisted myself to stand.

“Last time… Last time I accepted any gift from anyone! The next time it happens, I will put it through fucking testing!”

Drip.

Something fell from my face.

It was a small drop of a black liquid. The wood around the liquid was quickly covered with my mold and started to spread.

“Great. Just what I need.”

I looked around the tables till I found a mirror so that I could examine the degree of damage.

“Found it!”

I grabbed the hand mirror and examined my face.

“… Da fack?”

The hole was gone, and I had a human face.

I had a nose, two eyes, and even hair.

I was human.

Well closer to it.

The nose was normal, but my mouth stayed the same creepy smile.

My eyes were the holes with two glowing flames in them, with a constant flow of the black liquid, my blood dripping out of them.

My hair was once again green, but this time, I couldn’t tell the difference between them and regular hair.

In the middle of my forehead was the same cross-looking mark as on the mask, seemingly bottomless.

Carefully I swept my fingers over it, making sure that it wasn’t another hole.

Big mistake.

The moment I did that, something happened, this time I saw everything in the mirror.

The cross suddenly grew, absorbing my newfound eyes and hair into it, returning to my old self.

At the same time this happened, my body… ripped apart.

As if my atoms got loose from each other, my body turned into a gassy state. yet I still kept my original shape somehow.

No. it wasn’t gas.

There was a… buzz to it.

I could hear the sound of something buzzing coming from me.

I looked loosely; I saw things.

Moving amongst the tiny black particles were insects.

Flies.

My entire body was now composed of flies and black particles that I suspected to be spores.

I could feel them moving in me. I could see the world true through their eyes, and even hear their thoughts.

They wanted to eat. Eat and spread in the rot that is coming.

That I am bringing…

“No… Turn back… I want…. I WANT TO BE HUMAN!”

I screamed, hitting the space where my head was, wanting to turn back.

Sure, enough I felt my body returning to normal, well normal to my standards.

On my knees I looked down at my hands, my tears of blood falling on my hands.

“Who-What am I?”

Everything I do backfires. I create something that becomes a weapon. I create a new race; it becomes a disease. I create a human body to escape and the gods themselves forbid me to use it.

Is this a punishment for the sins I have committed? Am I so tainted that I am unable to fix myself?

In sorrow, I clenched my fists together and closed my eyes.

“F-Father in heaven… Forgive me.”

*****

In the dining hall, the sounds of tableware chinning could be heard in the aquand silence.

At the table, the nobleman and his family were sitting on one of the sides of the table while the guest was on the other side.

There were the third and fourth brothers, with the others too occupied or afraid to be there.

Sharon expected this since these two of her siblings were the most successful of the lot, having connections to the church and government as well.

When they tell this night to their connections ( because this will definitely happen), they surely will be able to meet more influential figures, further strengthening the family’s name and reputation.

The apostle, Joshua Riker, still smiling, took a sip from his wine and glanced at the daughter of the noble.

“ Lady Sharon, you seem to be in a high mood even in these dire times. May I ask why they are so happy?”

Sharon looked at the apostle, a radiant smile on her face.

“Isn’t it obvious? Since sir Riker is here, it means that we can finally -“

Before the young lady could finish speaking, her mother butted in.

“What my daughter meant, is that you are being here is the best thing that happened to her. An envoy of the gods! What a blessing upon our family!”

Riker smiled and started chatting with the mother, while his companions continued eating in silence.

Sharon looked down at his plate, swallowing down the anger she felt burning in her heart when she saw it.

The shadows on her plate started to move as if it was alive turning into letters that became a text.

WE NEED TO TALK.

When she read it, the shadows dispersed and moved away.

Following her with her eyes she saw them move to the man in blank who was slowly cutting a piece of bloody stake.

The noble girl's radiant smile for a second turned into a bloodthirsty grin, with her teeth turned into sharp fangs, with her eyes turning blood red.

*****

The man in his black suit was sitting alone in a dimly lit room, sipping his tea with calm composure.

“Is the tea for your taste ?”

The only door leading into the room slowly opened and the young lady in a red dress walked in, her radiant smile seemingly illuminating the entire room.

The man put down his tase without looking at her.

“It's alright. I have drunk worst.”

Not seeming to be offended, the girl walked to paste the stranger and sat down on the sofa in front of the man.

“Next time, a heads up would be nice. I almost screamed in excitement when I saw you with that brat.”

“Believe me, this wasn’t planned. If it were up to me, the three of them would be roadkill already.”

“Then what stopped you?”

“That clergywoman that accompanied him. She is always with him and she is incredibly sensitive to bloodlust. Each time I ever thought of killing him, she would be there, looking at me.”

“Then kill her with him.”

“…”

War smiled, realizing what was happening.

“You are scared that you will mess it up. “

“…This is my counterpart we are talking about. If we have the same strengths, then I need the perfect chance for a decisive strike.”

“And you came running to us, bringing the enemy into our base.”

The man leaned slightly forward.

“That brat wants to purge the mess your friend created. I recommended this place for rest. Once they are asleep, we can kill them with one fail swoop.”

“ I have a better idea.”

From behind the girl a figure appeared.

Long limbs, a greenish-black suit, its head wrapped in bandages, which seemed to be stained with a blackish liquid.

“Hello. Name’s Darwin. But you may call me Mr. Rot.”

The girl looked behind with a puzzled look.

“Aren’t you Putrefaction? You look horrible by the way.”

“Thanks, I feel like shit too. As for the name, it’s too long to say. Plus, the two are basically the same.”

The bandaged-headed man coughed and spoke in a clear voice.

“Since they are here, why not allow me to occupy his helpers. With the girls out of the image, you and war can go and take care of that guy.”

“….There are still risks that need to be considered. Having Lady War’s family learn about her true identity may cause us unwanted problems.”

The man started tapping his cup, as a slight black smoke escaped from his body.

“Then what if we infect them with my spores while they are sleeping. With a direct injection into the brain, they will die immediately and become our servants. “

Rot looked down at the war, who was smiling creepily after saying something like that.

“War, I know that you want to weaponize MY mold, but please think before you speak. The mold was only tested on normal people and monsters. I have no idea what effect it could have on apostles or people with the same strengths as them. As much as I want to see the results, having the possibility of strengthening them isn’t something I want to deal with.”

Rot breathed in deeply and sighed.

“But speaking of servants… Mr. Darkness, was it?”

“Damien. Since we meet in person there is no harm in exchanging our names.”

“Alright then, Damien. I am Darwin Tim Right and I have a plan.”

+

+

+

[

Name: Darwin Tim Right 'Plague Father'

Race: [ True Kayeri (Mechanically Augmented)] LV: 1/10 000 (1/10 000)

Main Class: [Dark Apostle of Putrefaction]

Sub Class: [Life Father]

MP: 6000/6000

Blessings: [Blessing of Nergal] [Blessing of Airmed]

Active Skills: [Basic Steady Hand] [[Hive control] [Hive Absorption] [Hive Repulsion] [Mold Field] [Basic Spirit Voice] [Aether Vision] [Steam Engineering] [Dagger Arts][Presence Concealment] [Lock Picking] [Mold Manipulation] [Fly manipulation] [Plant Manipulation] [ Decomposing touch] [Rot Embodiment] [Inorganic conversion] [Plague Mist] ! [Face Switch]!

Passive Skills: [Body Knowledge] [ Plant Knowledge] [Medicine Knowledge] [Stamina Enhancement] [ Movement Enhancement] [ Reflex Enhancement.] [Basic Sponge Mind] [Perfect Stomach] [Hive Mind] [Music Instrument Knowledge] [Healing Hands][Medical Senses] [Medical Mind] [Surgical Precision] [Mechanical Skeleton] [Toxic Air] [ High Regeneration] [Organic Clockwork] Demon’s Presence]

Affinities: [Basic Farming Affinity] [Basic War Affinity] [Basic Pestilence Affinity][ Basic Fire Affinity.] [Basic Life Affinity] [Basic Death Affinity]

Titles: [The One Who Saw a Thousand Worlds] [Knowledge Driven] [Chosen by Flies] [Medicine Pioneer] [Hive Master] [Giver of Life] [The 13th Dark Apostle] [Father of New Race]

]