Chapter 63

Chapter 63: Three Vows

"I'm here." With a voice, a figure suddenly appeared in the room.

Like those present, he was draped in a thick, dark-brown cloak, though the fabric clearly differed from what Ji Huan had been accustomed to seeing lately. The color was subdued, but the material exuded an obvious extravagance.

As the man spoke, he pushed back the hood of his cloak, revealing a pale face. Judging by human standards, he was a man in his forties with a plain appearance and a strong, square jaw that left a lasting impression.

"You're as punctual as ever," Ajin said, closing the literacy book in his hand. He placed it casually on the dining table, seated at the end facing the door.

The newcomer's gaze flickered over the book's cover. Though he couldn't read the words, the illustrations gave him a general idea of its contents. Shifting his eyes to Ajin's face, he commented calmly, "And you still read anything and everything."

Ajin smiled slightly and gestured amicably to the food on the table. "Let's eat first. Today's main course is your favorite Kom beast meat, cooked using a special method from the place I visited before." He tilted his head slightly. "Of course, assuming your taste hasn't changed in the past hundred years."

"My taste doesn't change easily," the man said, taking his seat across from Ajin without hesitation.

Though the food had grown cold, both men finished every last bite. Here, people never wasted food – it was a principle ingrained in their bones, unchanged by the wealth they might have accumulated later in life.

The two lean men cleared the table of all its food. After wiping their mouths with napkins, they looked up at each other simultaneously.

It's time to discuss serious matters.

"The house you entrusted to me is now officially returned to you. Here's the deed," the figure pulled out a wooden box from beneath their cloak and tossed it gently, sending it in Ajin's direction. "As agreed, no one has set foot in this house all these years. Today marks my first visit as well. Thus, our first pact has been fulfilled."

Ajin caught the box with one hand and opened it, revealing two pages of paper that had yellowed slightly due to age but were still well-preserved.

The top sheet was the deed, while the bottom one was a custodial agreement. The custodian was Jin Murphy Felzahar, and the ward was Rockafini Gumuro. The custody period was three hundred years. The agreement stipulated that if the custodian did not return within the specified contract period, all items entrusted to the ward would become the ward's property.

At the bottom of the papers were the signatures of both parties, along with two emblem seals, one blue and one red.

The badge was intact, indicating that neither party had breached the agreement.

"Very well," Ajin said softly. Extending his middle finger, he pressed it onto the badge beneath Zen Murphy Felzahar's signature. With a faint sizzling sound, the mark slowly faded away. Beside it, another badge also gradually disappeared from the paper.

"The first pact has been fulfilled. Thank you for your loyalty, Locke," Ajin lifted his head. "However, the ownership of this deed needs to be revised. Since all changes to the deeds require your signature, let's take care of it today."

"Oh? You're selling the house?" The man called Locke remained as still as a mountain.

"No, not selling, but gifting. I'm going to give this house away to someone else."

"Is it the person currently residing in this house?" The man was aware from the first day that Ajin had brought someone back with him.

"Yes," Ajin nodded slightly.

Unsurprised by the response, the man pulled out another piece of paper from beneath his cloak, signed it, then tossed it to Ajin.

Ajin examined the text, filled in two lines, and placed this sheet along with the previous two into a wooden box.

"Next, it's time to confirm our second pact."

With that, Rockafini suddenly stood up, his cloak sweeping down to reveal a black attire underneath. He walked straight up to Ajin, bowed his head, and extended his gloved left hand. Removing the glove, a red mark covering his entire palm was exposed to the air.

It was an identical emblem to the one on the first contract they'd just seen!

The imprint was so large that the man's entire palm appeared crimson – that was only what was visible!

"One hundred and three years ago, we sealed this pact. You entrusted your 'Power' to me for safekeeping, allowing me to use it at my discretion during that time. I have fulfilled that agreement, and today, I return it to you." Rockafini opened his hand, gazing intently at Ajin, who remained seated at the table. He spoke each word deliberately.

Ajin, after studying the unblemished emblem on the crimson palm for a moment, also rose to stand eye-to-eye with the other man.

Fixated with eyes as still as stagnant water, Ajin inquired softly, "Did you kill that person with your own hands?"

In this instance, he was asking, "Did you personally slay that individual?" rather than "Is that person already dead?" After poring over two dozen days' worth of old newspapers, Ajin was well aware of the man's demise.

"Yes, I did it with this hand, right here," the usually composed Rockafini responded, his voice tinged with sudden agitation. "With the 'power' you lent me, I took his life myself!" As he spoke, a faint red hue began to tinge his gray-blue irises.

A gentle curve formed at the corner of Ajin's lips. "Very well."

Staring into the dark eyes of the man before him, Ajin slowly raised his left arm and extended his left hand, clasping Rockafini's hand, which had been suspended mid-air for what seemed like an eternity.

In the air, it was as if an explosion of energy had suddenly erupted.

A tremendous surge of energy flowed from Rockafini's body through their clasped palms into Ajin. The transmission of "force" was excruciatingly painful, like an impending explosion! Rockafini pressed his lips tightly together, veins bulging on the back of his hand. His arm trembled increasingly, and finally—

With a popping sound, a vein on his wrist burst, spewing a torrent of blood that instantly turned to black ashes upon contact with the air. Then, something even more incredulous occurred: As the "force" continued to transfer, Rockafini's appearance began to change dramatically. His once taut skin loosened, his dark golden hair gradually tinged with frost, and wrinkles appeared on his exposed skin. In an instant, he transformed from a man in his prime into an elderly figure!

Opposite him, Ajin stood unaltered in appearance. However, only he knew that beneath his clothes, a couple of decaying spots were still present. With the sudden influx of "force," those rotten flesh parts turned to black ashes, scattering between the seams of his garments. Fresh flesh rapidly grew in their place, and his formerly withered body seemed to have received unparalleled nourishment, instantly gaining strength.

Yet, it wasn't enough... Far from it... He was still a long way from his peak condition!

Ajin released his grip, and almost instantly, the tall man across from him faltered, collapsing to his knees. He gasped for air on the floor for a long while before slowly rising back up.

He was now an entirely different person from when he had first entered.

His face was etched with wrinkles, his hair turned completely white, and his once-upright posture now hunched. His knees seemed unable to straighten, bent as they were. He appeared to be a frail, elderly man on the brink of his twilight years.

"Thank you for your loyalty, Rock," Ajin extended a hand, offering assistance. "With this, our second pact is fulfilled."

Shaking his head, Rockafini declined the offer and retreated back to his original seat. With a trembling hand, he reached for the cloak draped over the chair's back. It took him considerable effort to put the cloak back on, covering his head with it. Now, he looked much like he did when he first arrived.

"In that case, I must take my leave."

But things were no longer the same. His voice had become raspy and aged. When he spoke, there were wheezing sounds coming from his throat.

Ajin remained silent, watching him make his way slowly towards the door.

As the hunched figure reached the entrance, it paused abruptly. Without turning back, Ajin heard the voice beneath the cloak:

"Before... seeing you return, I was genuinely happy."

"I might not understand your thoughts, but to me, you're the only friend I have left in this world."

"Wish you well on your journey."

With those slow, deliberate words, the man left without hesitation, pushing through the wooden door and disappearing from sight.

Standing there for a moment, Ajin returned to his original seat and picked up the wooden box, his expression as composed as ever.

He sat in the darkness for a long time.

When dawn was breaking and he saw the mess of empty plates on the table, Ajin finally stood up, rolled up his sleeves, and resolved to do something.

Thus, when Ji Huan woke up according to his usual routine, he found Ajin bustling around in the kitchen.

"Huh? Ajin, did you buy new plates?" Noticing the unfamiliar white plates that Ajin was carefully placing into the cupboard, Ji Huan immediately remarked on their color, which he had never seen before in the kitchen.

The plates in the kitchen came in matching sets – one set red, the other deep blue with exquisite golden patterns. They were quite different from the aesthetics of Ji Huan's previous home, exuding an exotic flair.

"Um... I was a bit too vigorous while washing them, and the red part got rubbed off. Just consider it a new set of dishes," Ajin, usually so composed, revealed a rare awkward expression. Swiftly shaking it off, he slid the last plate into the cupboard and smiled at Ji Huan.

Ji Huan: -=-

Feeling that it wasn't quite right, Ajin went out the same morning to procure a set of exquisite tableware, more delicate and intricate than the one he had ruined. It was evident that they weren't the kind sold at the local market they usually visited.

Along with the tableware, he also brought home a large bag of seeds and a crate of books.

Incredibly, he even purchased a pair of reading glasses better suited for Ah Ye's vision and an infant onesie!

Together with a deed to a house, Ajin presented all these gifts to Ji Huan.

"Ajin, are... you planning to leave?" Ji Huan stared at all these items, suddenly realizing something.

Ajin nodded gently. "We'll leave shortly."

Without any prior preparation, Ajin simply up and left!

Ji Huan was taken aback. "How did you finish so quickly... Just wait for me a moment." He mumbled, then suddenly turned and rushed towards the kitchen.

Perched on his usual rocking chair, Ajin tilted his head, observing the rare sight of the flustered young man and then turned his gaze to the small black imp sprawled amidst a pile of belongings, sniffing here and there with an air of curiosity.

Ajin offered him a gentle smile.

The little monster instinctively recoiled, and then, after a moment, it unexpectedly raised a tiny paw and waved it at him.

Ajin stood frozen for a moment before realizing that this was a form of "greeting."

The young man named Ji Huan was exceptionally skilled at training this little demon creature. After recently teaching it to greet others, he insisted on having it greet him every day. The little demon was terribly afraid of him; it would freeze up at the sight of Ji Huan. Every time, Ji Huan would have to lift its tiny paw and shake it on its behalf—unwillingly, of course.

He had actually managed to learn it!

Gazing at the tiny monster who, despite his evident fear, persistently waved its claws at him, Ajin suddenly lost the urge to frighten it. He extended his hand and mimicked the gesture, waving back at the little creature.

After this somewhat childish action, Ajin unexpectedly chuckled. It wasn't his usual restrained smile; instead, it was a bright and slightly naive grin.

"Goodbye," he waved once more at the little monster.

Ajin departed during the peak of the radiant light.

He carried with him a beautifully woven grass basket, packed with provisions prepared by Ji Huan.

It was said that this was woven by Karas himself, using those dried "weeds" from outside.

Sitting on the truck driven by a blond driver with a straw-woven box in hand, Ajin's mind suddenly conjured the image of a young man named Ji Huan.

Before leaving, he asked himself a question: "Why... are you so kind to us?"

At that time, I didn't give an answer.

Not that I don't want to speak, but rather, I don't know how.

But upon reflection, the reason was likely very simple.

"Perhaps it's because I'm a kind and gentle person?" He murmured to himself, gently stroking his chin with his index finger and thumb.

Throughout his life, he was the only one who had ever described himself in such a manner, and not just once. As a result, he didn't want to shatter this perception of him and aimed to maintain the image of a "kind" and "good" person in front of the other party.

That was probably why, right?

The car swiftly exited the boundaries of Ye Falar.