Three days after the military parade Damon awoke from his slumber, stretched his back, and cracked his joints. His everyday life had steadied ever since coming here. Although he had a rough start, he didn’t think an assassination job could feel so relaxing. Perhaps he should stop practising his magic skills and stay a low levelled assistant.

Plus, he made decent cash. And since he’d accumulated seven gold coins already, he wanted go shopping and help develop consumerism in these undeveloped lands.

But before he could head out, someone knocked on the door. Although Damon was about to leave, he ran back behind the counter and adopted his store clerk demeanour.

However, when he saw his new client, he didn’t know whether to hide in fear or beg for forgiveness. A young man with black hair and greyish-blue eyes entered the store with two guards in tail. The second son of the viscount had come. Hopefully, it wasn’t to arrest him, but what else. Did he need recovery potions for his troops or aphrodisiacs for his slaves? Perhaps even a cleaning potion for his armour.

Damon bowed, “What may I get for you my young lord?”

The young man still had a large smile plastered on his face. “Hello, I’m just really interested in alchemy.”

“Is that so,” said Damon with a bright smile, “I’m honoured to hear that?” What a load of crap “May I know your interest? Recovery potions? Cleaning products for armour or maybe the collection of materials?” Damon tried to act as excited as possible and even added a slight fumble to his words. His acting skills made himself proud. Perhaps if he’d gone to theatre camp, his future would have been much brighter.

“Oh yes, collecting material. I’m curious about that, should we go?” asked the young lord.

Damon’s mind raced as his time slowed to a stop. What the hell did he want? It doesn’t make sense unless he wants me to get out of the city to capture me. However, his attitude does not match that in the slightest. But if not to kill me what else? Who knows, he might just be as good of an actor like myself. This is a fantasy world after all, he might have gone to theatre camp. But I still refuse to believe anyone’s talent in acting is better than mine, but I digress.

“A young lord like yourself shouldn’t be bothered with such trifling maters.” Damon tried to escape the situation diplomatically.

“No don’t worry it’s my pleasure.”

It’s my pleasure. For fuck’s sake, it’s sure as hell ain’t mine if I’m about to be tortured and killed. However, Damon couldn’t refuse the invitation from the Viscount’s son.

“Yes, it will be my pleasure. Let me get my equipment and tell my master. I’ll be right back.”

Damon headed towards Alexandros’s room but remembered that Stolas could tell him. While Damon went to grab his equipment, he said, “Stolas, for some reason the target invited me to a hunt. He said he’s interested in alchemy but that sounds like bull. They might have found us out.”

“Yes, that’s serious, for now remember that if anything weird happens tell them your parents are from Lazare.”

Damon nodded internally and said, “Yes, but still don’t let me be captured again. Plus, can’t I summon you or something? Are you not my familiar and not the other way around?”

“Stop complaining, you’re still alive so I’m doing my job fine. Now, get back to the target.”

When Damon got back to the store floor Damon followed the young lord outside. And parked in front of the store there were four lizard beasts tied recently planted wooden stake. “Is this mount for me?” asked Damon as he approached the smallest lizard.

The young man nodded emphatically, “Yes. Now let’s go.” Everyone jumped on their saddles and the lizards started to proceed down the road.

“If I may ask, what is your name?” asked the young lord.

“It is Damon my young lord.”

“Damon? I’ve never heard that name. Is it elvish? Oh, you may call ma Loberto.”

Damon didn’t know how to answer Loberto’s question. He could be tricking him to check whether he was a spy; however, since the owl hadn’t said anything about this, he went with it. “Yes, it is.”

Loberto’s eyes widened, “Is that so? Are you perhaps from the elvish continent?”

Elvish continent, that sounds interesting, but I have no clue where, nor what it is. Damon would have to go with what Stolas told him to say, “My parents are from Lazare.”

Suddenly Loberto went quiet, “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” It’s admiring to see how you’ve recovered.

Damon’s heart stopped, what is Lazare? What did Stolas make me say? Well, it’s served its purpose so it’s all good. While Damon’s heart steadied itself Lomberto continued to talk.

“I know elves live a long time so could I know how old you are?”

“I’m rather young, only twenty years old.” Damon decided to remove two years off his age since his levels were so abysmal.

“Is that so? Well, I think elves are incredible, they only eat what grows in the ground. I also find your long ears beautiful, and your long face more elegant and attractive than that of humans.”

Damon didn’t know if this was supposed to be flattery, but it certainly made his stomach churn. However, this also came with a sneaking suspicion he knew what was going on and why Damon sent him here.

Lomberto continued, “I also find the lean body of elves much more attractive, and your hair always shines whether at night or during the day. Elves live in the forest and are at one with nature and beasts.”

Oh God, this fucker’s an elf weeb. Damon thought as it was all revealed.

“Look at us we live in squalor. You’d never see feces on elvish streets, well you probably don’t even have roads. Forest spirits probably make bridges from tree house to tree house. It’s truly a wonderful life.”

Damon didn’t even know if what he said was true or not. Probably not, but he had no clue and this infatuation with elves would only be beneficial to his mission, so he went with it. “It truly warms my heart to hear your love for my people.”

Loberto nodded frantically, “I do.”

Damon simply hoped that Loberto didn’t fetishize elves so much he’d ask to sleep with him. Other than that, he could endure.

The four of them proceeded through the city gates town and into the forest. Loberto kept talking about elvish culture and asking Damon for his confirmation once it awhile. Two hours later they found an orc camp and Loberto asked Damon to stay on the side while he killed the beasts for him, his words were, “Elves are too beautiful to soil their hands with beast blood.”

But didn’t he say elves lived in harmony with beasts? So why you go out of your way to kill them in front of my very eyes. However, that didn’t matter. Damon continued to smile and play his part.

When Loberto finished, he didn’t bother asking Damon how alchemists collect materials and immediately turned back in the direction of the city while he continued to talk about elves. When the sun reached its zenith, Loberto made the group halt to take a mid-day snack. The guards, or in this case maids took out a pick nick set from one of their bags, laid down a white cloth on the soft grass, and placed six sandwiches on a plate next to two cups of water. They left soon after.

This is a date. This guy wants to fuck me because I’m an elf. I think he’d fuck an orc if someone told him it was an elf in disguise. Did the guards not care, do they think this fetishization is normal or have they given up?

“Can I touch your ears?” asked Loberto.

Fuck. Damon had to find a way to turn this around or he’d get assaulted at the very least.

“I’m sorry my Loberto, I would,” I said in a soft tone, “but elves must only be touched when the spirit from their birthplace approves it. Or else their hair will lose their shine; their ears will turn to that of humans and their body will lose their elegance.

Loberto quickly backed away. “I’m terribly sorry, that was close. Perhaps when I become viscount, we can do that.”

Damon nodded, he couldn’t say no, less he loses his head, nor say yes, less he puke. And there, Damon learned for the first time how the abuse of power manifested itself.

#

When Damon reached the shop, he immediately locked the door and ran to his room. At first, he didn’t fully understand, nor believe the reality he faced, but he knew that his lie couldn’t last. Loberto would find a way to have his way.

Desperate, Damon decided to contact stolas, “Stolas, can I leave the city, Lomberto will assault me.” Damon went straight to the point he didn’t want to stay here a second longer.

“Damon, Damon, Damon, why do you think I sent you here? To sell potions and sleep all day. No, it is to kill him. Do you think I’d give you a mission you couldn’t fulfill? Of course not. If Alexandros could do it himself, he’d do it himself, alas, we need your intervention.”

“But then why is Alexandros here?”

“To make the poison.”

Damon hesitated, “poison?”

“Yes poison. Loberto always has two levels six mages as guards, he is a level four mages with plenty of defensive magical items, and lives with maids and guards who’ve been with him since birth. The only way to get close to him is a honey trap. And you are that. Remember you aren’t an alchemist; nor are you an adventurer. Your part of a demonic sect, you are a black mage, you are an assassin. This isn’t an easy job and no job will be easy or else we wouldn’t be employed. You might die at any time. But you do this because you don’t have any other choices and you get paid well. Tell me about the magical item in your mouth. Do you know how much it costs?” Stolas waited for a second and continued, “fifty-eight gold coins. An adventurer at your level would need to work for five years at the very least before he could afford it. Now choose. Live as little more than a beggar or kill a rapist.”