Second day

It is a fine day. I- Yusof Harim, slept really well last night. I woke up today being more refreshed than any other day waking up in my previous life. One of the reasons is because l am motivated to start a new day, also because I want to fix my habit of waking up late and unenergized.

The sun barely came out, if I had to make a guess of what time it is, I'd say 5:30 am. I remembered that I should have my phone in my pocket, I can use that to check the time. However I jumped into a lake so it got wet, it might be broken for all I know. However I won't know until I try, I tapped on my pocket lightly.

Huh? My phone isn't here, did it fall off somewhere? I didn't notice at all.

Well that's one hell of an inconvenience. Well, it's not like anything is going to happen if I lose it anyway. Not only is the screen broken, but once it runs out of battery, it's pretty much useless since I can't charge it here.

I got up and sat down from my previously sleeping position and stretched. It feels good, this is probably the best start of a day I've had in years.

I stood up and took a look through the window. There are only a few people awake and they look like they're getting ready to open up shop.

I went outside of my room and looked around. It was quiet, it seems no one else is awake yet. The hallway is still dark since the sunlight hasn't shined bright enough through the window yet.

I saw 6 doors. I don't know exactly what those rooms those doors lead to. Two of the doors in front of nameplates on them.

One of them is decorated with blue flowers with the name 'Mira' in the center in black. This must be Mira's room. The door was closed shut and I assumed it was locked. The door next to Mira's room also had a nameplate. It was decorated with dark purple flowers and the name 'Luno' in the center in black too. Luno's door is also closed. I assume they're both still asleep. The other doors are open. It seems that Mikra was already awake because I couldn't see him in any of the open rooms.

I walked along the hallway and went downstairs. The scenery of the tavern is just like last night, except there was a little light entering from the windows. It was quiet, it appears I am the first one to wake up.

I will wait for Mikra to show up.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I heard sounds of fire and plates moving around in the kitchen. Oh? Is that Mikra? Is he making breakfast? I walked to the chair in front of the counter and sat down. It was the same place I sat down last night. I'll wait for him to come out.

I waited for a while and during that time I heard some kitchen utensils falling and hitting each other, sudden bursts of flame, and it smells like something got burnt. What the hell is Mikra doing?

Hearing all those concerning sounds I went to the kitchen door behind the counter but before I was able to open it, the door opened from the inside and black smoke came out of the kitchen.

"*cough* *cough* *cough*"

I heard coughing sounds from inside the kitchen, it belonged to a woman. So it wasn't Mikra.

"Hello? Are you okay?" I asked in a concerned manner.

"I'm.. *cough* ... Fine." A girl's voice replied to me. This voice? It was familiar. I wanted to go in the kitchen and see who was the person making all those sounds. However as I was about to go in the kitchen but the culprit came out herself. I was surprised.

"Luno?" So Luno was the one in there. Her door was closed so I assumed she was still asleep, it appears I was wrong.

Luno was still coughing intensely as she walked out of the kitchen. It had smoke coming out so it wouldn't be weird to think there was a fire. Luckily there wasn't.

Luno regained herself and looked at my face.

"Oh! Yusof.. *cough*..Good Morning." Luno greeted me and forcefully smiled. However, she started coughing again.

The smoke was obstructing most of my view of her. She walked out of the kitchen until she was out of the smoke. I can see her clearly now.

However, something was different from yesterday. My eyes widened at the sight of her current appearance.

Luno wore different clothes today. She was wearing a dark purple shirt that almost matched her eye color. She also had long black leggings that she was wearing under a dark purple skirt. Her hair is still tied up in a ponytail, that didn't change.

Her armor and battle pants yesterday covered a lot of her figure but she still looks cute. However, right now she is a girl of incredible beauty possessing a voluptuous figure that men would worship. Her chest is also well developed, the thought occurs that her breasts might fit perfectly in my hand….. What am I thinking! Now is not the time for thiiiiiis!

I shook my head to clear my mind that was currently admiring her beauty and erotic figure because right now there is smoke coming out of the kitchen. I asked her as I tried my best to be calm.

"What were you doing?"

Luno stopped coughing since she was outside of the kitchen and she replied to me.

"Cooking breakfast. It was my turn today."

Oh, so she's cooking food there. Well it certainly looks like she didn't produce a good result. I made a wry smile as I tried to reply to her in a way that wont hurt her feelings.

"I see. Is it done?"

"Umu! I cooked fried eggs and chicken soup, do you want some?" She nodded, making a happy face and offered me some of the food she cooked.

"Sure." I was feeling hungry anyway. I agreed to her offer and her face got happier than it was before. She ran back into the kitchen and I also went back to my seat.

"What was that sound?" I heard a scream shortly after I sat down.

I turned back and saw Mira running down the stairs in a hurry. When she reached the bottom she noticed me and the smoke that came out of the kitchen. She looked at me with a scared face as she asked.

"Is Luno.. cooking?"

"Yes. She is."

Mira's fearful face became even more intense. She gulps and walks towards the chair next to me as she sits down. Her expression changed into a fearless one but I can see the sweat dripping down on her face.

"What's wrong.." I asked her because she looked very scared. Mira, without turning her face to me, replied.

"It's just... Luno is a-"

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Before Mira could finish, Luno came out of the kitchen with a cheerful expression while holding onto a plate with eggs and a bowl of soup. Mira immediately shut her mouth, she didn't finish her answer.

"Oh Mira-chan! Good morning! Do you want something to eat too?" Luno asks Mira as she walks towards my direction.

"No thanks. I don't feel hungry this morning." Mira refused her offer.

"Nuu, are you sure? You'll never grow bigger if you don't eat." She continued as she placed the food in front of me.

"Ack!" Mira twitched at Luno's comment and her face became a surprised one. She immediately made a sick expression and wrapped her arms around her stomach. She is trying to fake a stomach ache.

"Guh.. N-no thanks Luno, I really don't feel like eating right now. My stomach is really hurting me. Sorry." Mira rejected Luno's offer again.

Mira, that's the dryest stomach ache acting I've ever seen in my life. Luno must've seen through that effortlessly.

As I thought, Luno made a face as if she saw through the acting, but shortly after she went back to being cheerful.

"Okay then! Make sure you eat a lot though, you need your food to grow big." She replied, unknowing that Mira is actually faking it. She seriously fell for that.

I looked at the food that Luno served me. It was just like any food I used to eat. I took the spoon that came along with the dish and took a piece of egg. I glanced to the side and Mira was making a face that was saying ' it was nice knowing you.'

I disregarded it and prayed thanks for the food before I put the egg in my mouth. As soon as the egg entered my mouth. I felt its taste surge right to my brain.

It was... Salty. Really salty. Extremely salty. It's like salt was made into the form of an egg. The saltiness made the insides of my mouth lose moisture. I can't swallow this. I can't. If I did, I am sure that this amount of salt would kill me.

I want to spit it out but Luno is making a happy face. I didn't want to ruin her joyous expression.

In panic, I took the soup and brought it closer to my mouth in hopes of nullifying the salt. I drank it vigorously because the saltiness is killing my mouth.

I was dead wrong. IT IS HOT AND SALTY.

Not only was my mouth in pain from the heat from the soup that I drank without thinking a second time, it is also suffering from the abnormal amounts of salt inside it.

I had tears in my eyes and the desire to spit out the acidic concoction in my mouth was the only thing my brain could focus on.

However spitting it out would only create a mess and it would sadden Luno. So I strengthened my will and swallowed it like the man I am.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"

I swallowed it and I can feel the salt reaching all the way to my stomach. I let my mouth open and exposed my tongue, the dryness of my mouth robbed my hunger.

"I'm not hungry anymore Luno.. thank you." I told her. My voice was hoarse and it was not as audible as my normal voice but it seemed to have reached her.

"Are you sure? Are you okay?" Luno asked as she made a concerned expression.

"Yes.. Thank you for the food. Can I have some water please?" I replied and asked her to give me water.

"Okay, wait here." Luno replied with a smile as she took my dishes and went into the kitchen again. I looked to my right and I saw Mira grinning. After Luno ran into the kitchen she burst into uncontrollable laughter.

"Hahahahahaha. Sorry.. it's just.. your face... Hahahahahaha." She was laughing hard and a tear fell from her eye.

"You knew about this didn't you." I asked her still in my hoarse voice.

"Luno doesn't know what most of the seasonings do. All she knows is salt."

Well that explains it. It's like the only thing she puts inside this cooking is salt. A lot of it too. As I was in pain and Mira who was still laughing. The door suddenly opened. It was Mikra. He was holding a paper bag and when he went inside he noticed us.

"Ah, I see you're both awake. Good morning." Mikra greeted us as he placed the paper bag on the table closest to the door.

"Good morning." I replied. Mira was still laughing at my misfortune so she wasn't able to reply to Mikra.

Mikra noticed that her daughter is in a good mood. He made that smug face he did last night when we first met but this time he raised his left eyebrow and made an even wider grin.

"Oho? Yusof? Making moves on Mira? It appears I was wrong about you."

Wrong about what? I'm not going to hit on your daughter, she's 13 for god's sake.

"Don't take it the wrong way." I retorted but my harsh voice with low volume isn't helping much. I'm not sure if it even reached him.

Mira on the other hand, stopped laughing and shot a sharp glare at Mikra. It seems that this wasn't something she appreciates.

"Hahahah. I'm just joking." Mikra laughed as sweat ran across his face due to his daughter's dangerous look.

"Stupid Old Man." Mira flat out said to Mikra.

"That hurts Mira.. but I guess it was my fault." Mikra replied as he made a bitter smile hearing the insult. The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. 

That awkward moment lasted a while and was finally relieved when Luno came out of the kitchen with a mug filled with water and gave it to me.

"Here, Yusof, your water."

I took the mug. I drank the water and I felt really refreshed. My mouth is now moisturized.

"Thank you Luno." My voice is back to normal now. I thanked her with a smile. She replied to me with a smile and looked at Mikra.

"Oh! Boss! You're here! Good morning!" Luno greeted Mikra in a cheerful manner and bowed slightly.

"Good Morning Luno, I see you're in great spirits today!" Mikra said. For some reason, he isn't telling her to not call her boss like last night.

"Umu" She replied with a nod.

"That's great. Now..."

Mikra turned his eyes to me and gestured towards the paper bag he brought in with him. He continued.

"Yusof, we're about to open up the tavern. Put this on and wait for my order."

This? I stood up and walked towards the paper bag to what was inside. I took a look and inside the bag was clothes. A pair of clothes that I couldn't really recognize because it was all folded.

"What is this?"

"I can't have you serving customers wearing that. This is what you will be wearing"

Wait.. so that means.

"You're letting me work here?"

"Yes. You'll be our waiter, I could use an extra pair of hands."

"Oh! Yusof is going to work here! Welcome!" Luno was surprised and greeted me as a new co-worker with a happy expression.

"That was unexpected. I guess you can reduce our workload, Welcome." Mira was also surprised but didn't have much of a reaction like Luno.

This news made my day. It's only the second day in this world and I already have a job. My gratitude for Mikra was overflowing as I held both of his shoulders and looked at his face with tears running down my happy face while thanking him.

"Thank you, Thank you Mikra. Please take care of me."

"Okay okay. You better be working hard if you want to have something to eat!" Mikra replied as he released himself from my grip. It seems he was weirded out a bit but that's okay because I got a job here.

I regained myself and replied to Mikra.

"Yes sir!"

"And don't call me sir!"

Mikra hit my head with a chop as he scolded me. That hurt. I touched the spot he hit, it had a stinging feeling.

"Now go."

"Yes!" I said enthusiastically as I was about to go upstairs to change clothes.

"But you should go take a bath before you do. You stink."

"Yes, I think you should. You smell like dried sweat."

"Ugh.. O-okay."

Mikra and Mira remarked. I was powerless to go against that order. It felt like I was a kid who just got told by his parents to go wash off with the hose outside because he was playing and got dirt on him.

"The bathroom outside at the back. Be quick, we're about to open soon." Mikra pointed at the door at the far end of the tavern.

"Y-yes." Still shaken from being called smelled like dried sweat. I lifted the paper bag and went outside to shower.

____________

After I showered and wiped my body with my work clothes since I didn't have a towel. I looked into the paper bag to take out the clothes that Mikra bought for me.

It was a round neck white long sleeved shirt, another black short sleeved shirt with a V-shaped cut on the chest decorated by few white stripes on the shoulders, collars and hip. The shirt was followed by a white cloth belt of some sort. I assume I'll be wearing the black shirt on top of the white shirt. There was also a pair of trousers, a pair of ankle height leather shoes and underwear..

I have to thank him for being considerate, I was worried about having to wear the same underwear. Which is disgusting in itself but especially gross after it dried up from being drenched in lake water.

I put on the clothes except the white belt because I don't know how. After fixing my shoes, I stood up and stared at the mirror on the wall. I observed my appearance and it fits me really well. I don't know the fashion for my age in this world but I can't lie I look pretty good. Probably better than I ever was back then. In a happy mood I walked out the door carrying the white cord and my other clothes.

When I left the bathroom that was bigger than my living room in my previous life. I encountered someone, he seemed to have been waiting there for a while. It looked like a man, I am unable to discern his facial features apart from he has silver hair because he was covering his face with a hood.

He was wearing a short sleeved shirt and trousers that were both light blue. On top of them was a brown half cloak with a hood which he used to cover his face. He was wearing leather shoes that looked identical as mine.

Looking at him, he is trying to use the bathroom. He might be Mikra's guest. To be polite, I tried to greet him.

"Hello sir, how are you?"

He didn't answer me and just walked past me into the bathroom. He was silent the whole time he was doing this. Just before he closed the door, I heard him whisper something.

"Monster."

Monster? Was that directed at me? I didn't understand what he meant, but he closed the door behind me already so I couldn't ask him. I disregarded it and went back inside.

When I went inside from the back door, there was no one in the tavern. I went upstairs to place my dirty clothes inside my room but there was still no one. I went downstairs again waiting for Mikra's orders.

When I arrived downstairs, I saw Luno had just come out of the kitchen. Once again I was bewildered by her beauty but I didn't let that get over me. I'm not awkward when talking or being around girls anymore, which was proved earlier this morning. I must say this is good growth towards my character, although considering my age I should have gotten over it a long time ago.

Never mind that!

As I arrived at the bottom of the stairs, Luno noticed me and waved her hand. Damn, she's cute. I walked over and we exchanged pleasantries before I asked a few questions.

"Where is Mira and Mikra?"

"When you went outside, Mira-chan said she's going to be studying in her room, Boss is in the toilet right now."

"I see. So.. What are we waiting for again?"

"Ah, we are waiting for people to come in. We're open and it is a tavern after all. Hehe."

Luno answered my questions.

After a while of talking, Luno noticed that I am still holding onto the white belt.

"Ah! Yusof! Why haven't you worn your belt?" Luno asked as he stared at the white fabric belt.

"Oh. Ah. That's because.. I don't know how." I replied, making a slightly embarrassed face.

"Have you never worn one before? Here let me help you." Luno offered me as she tried to take the belt from my hand.

"Ah no need, no need." I rejected her offer with my cheeks a bit red. It was really sudden.

"No no, you must watch, learn this from Luno!"

".. okay..." It was my defeat, I couldn't fight against her. She took the belt from my hand and straightened it.

"Now hold this end." She said as she placed the first end on my stomach.

"Okay.. be careful where you're touching!" I do not wish to be tickled by the sudden touch of a female.

"Umu, okay." she nodded. I felt at ease for a moment.

It seems I was too naive.

She turned my body to make the belt go around my waist. I usually would be able to do this myself but Luno insists that she does it. Needless to say, she made mistakes such as folding the belt on itself, making the belt go too high or too low. She fixed these mistakes but in the process she touched many different parts of my body.

"Luno, no! Stop! Hahaha! It tickles!"

"Hold on, I'll have to make this go a bit lower." She said as she placed her hand on my back to make the belt go a bit lower as she turned my body again.

"Okay it's done!" After multiple attempts, she finally fixed the position of the belt and I also finally made a complete turn.

"Now, look closely as I tie the belt. Hehe." She says confidently as she smiles.

"I'm counting on you." I replied weakly with a bitter smile. My mind is tired from having my body touched all around. Now all I need to wait for is for her to tie the belt.

I observed Luno tying the belt this time. Unlike her previous happy expression, this time she was more serious in tying it. It seems she really is trying to be a good teacher for me. I paid close attention as she tied my belt and I remembered everything until the last knot.

"And... There. Hehe!" Luno made the final knot on the belt. She stood up and looked at me with a proud expression before she asked me.

"Did you catch all that?"

"Yes, Luno-sensei. Thank you." I indeed have learned how to tie a belt, thanks to Luno. I replied and gave my thanks.

"I'm glad." She said with a happy voice, it was somewhat a little different from her usual cheerfulness. It feels like she was genuinely happy.

"You look really good Yusof." Luno complimented my appearance, she then placed her right hand on my shoulder.

I jumped for a second from this sudden touch. Uh! Luno-san! What are you doing? I tried my best to stay calm. I replied to her.

"Thank you. Mikra picked these clothes for me." I replied scratching my cheek.

"Is that so? You look very nice! I'm looking forward to working with you!"

Her right hand was on my shoulder and her left hand was still on my belt. It was honestly a weird scene. If anyone were to see us like this.

Then there was the sound of a door bursting open.

"Ah that felt really nice!" Mikra's voice rang out as he came out of the toilet massaging his stomach. The first thing he saw was Luno putting her hand on my shoulder and belt, which was on my hip. Mikra stared at us and made a sad and surprised expression.

"Luno.. so you're into that kind of man.."

Luno finally realized what she was doing with me. She let me go and went back a distance and replied to Mikra with a flustered expression.

"No! Boss, don't misunderstand, I was just teaching Yusof how to tie his belt."

"Don't call me boss now! Not after what I just saw." Mikra raised his voice to Luno, although it was still in a tearful manner. He looks like a father who just saw what kind of man her daughter likes.

"Uuuh! Uuuh!" Luno was panicking, not knowing what to say. I faced him and tried to tell him what she was doing.

"Mikra, she was just helping me ti-"

"Yusof. Quiet"

He told me to stay quiet in a serious voice. Scary, I immediately shut up and took a step back from this. Upon doing so, suddenly the front door opened and two men came in.

"Yo! Mikra! Is the place open? I'm feeling like drinking!"

"Hahaha! Are there any? I'm treating this drunkard here for a drink!"

"I'm here because it's my day off! That's why I accepted your invitation!"

"Hahahaha. Got me there pal!"

They called Mikra asking if the tavern is open, they must be customers. The way they were talking to each made them seem very close, reminded me of someone I used to be that close with.

"Yes, New barrel just came in 2 days ago. Take a seat." Mikra addressed the customers. His face quickly changed from his teary eyed face to one that is fitting to serve customers.

"Haha! That's good!"

"It's our lucky day! Oh? Who's this young man? Never seen him here before?"

One of the men noticed me, made a puzzled expression and asked.

"Ah, he's my new worker. Introduce yourself Yusof." Mikra replied to the man and told me to introduce myself. Which I did in a slightly nervous manner. I bowed and Introduced myself.

"Ah right! Ah my name is Yusof Harim. Nice to meet you!"

The man looked at me, he was making a straight face. However, it lasted just for a moment, he made a cheerful expression and laughed as he replied.

"Hahaha! This boy here got spirit. Though.. something feels weird about him."

His expression suddenly became suspicious towards me as he came closer. He was trying to examine me? Is there anything to examine about me? I was letting him come closer to examine me, However, before he was able to do that, Mikra pushed him away as he spoke to the man.

"It's just your imagination. It's probably just someone you have never seen here before."

"Ah true.." The man went back to his friend and let me be. After he did so, they took a seat on a round table of their choice. As soon as they sat down, the other man called out to me with a loud voice.

"Now! Boy!"

"Yes!" I jolted in surprise from the sudden call.

"Get us the ale!"

"Yes! Coming!" I ran towards the bottom of the counter to fetch 2 mugs. I quickly filled the mugs with the contents of the big barrel nearby which I assumed was ale. I rushed over to the two customers who ordered the ale to give it to them.

"Here's your ale sir!"

"Hahaha! Thanks boy!" The man smiled as he received their ale.

Mikra and Luno smiled as they saw me working hard immediately. Soon, more customers started showing up. Mikra and Luno started working too. Mikra as a chef and drink maker and Luno as a waitress.

'It was a start to a good day.'

That was the last thing I thought before I was called by the two men for a refill.

Thus began my first day of working as a waiter in Tavern Mikra.

____________

Somewhere in the forest outskirts of the Kingdom.

A man was running away from something, he doesn't know what it is, or where it is. All he knows is that he must run, otherwise he will be caught.

*SHOOT*

A light sound of a bow being fired can be heard, it barely misses the man. The man  was able to see the arrow almost hitting his leg, this causes his fear to grow even more. He continues to run, not looking back nor changing directions. He kept running, slowly tiring out.

"Please! Please! Stop! No!"

He used whatever left of his energy begging for mercy from his unknown attacker. His breath was almost out, his legs were weak and his vision was blurry. He is exhausted, but he keeps on running.

After a while, the man was unable to run anymore, he had to stop to catch his breath. He looked around, it was all trees, he was far into the forest. The Kingdom can no longer be seen, he believes that he lost his attacker.

"Haha.. hahaha!" He laughed to himself, happy that he survived whatever was that situation just now. However he would find that he celebrated too early.

*SHOOT*

The sound of another arrow being shot was heard, this time, the man was a sitting duck, which resulted in his right thigh getting shot.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH"

The man screams out in pain as he finds out an arrow had pierced his leg. He lost his footing for a second but strengthened himself and focused on his left hand which had a peculiar ring on the index finger.

"Nullify"

He said this word and his left hand emitted something akin to a shadow, it had an irregular shape that he manipulated. He quickly placed his left hand on the place with the injury and his thigh was wrapped in the darkness and used his right hand to pull out the arrow that was pierced. He did not feel pain, for the spell he casted was one that removed the sense of pain from where the darkness touched.

No longer having an arrow stuck in his leg, he removed the darkness wrapped around his thigh. It still hurts a lot however there was a little darkness remaining inside the injury that reduced the pain which made it more bearable.

"Dark Magic." A voice of a young man was heard, the man who had been shot turned around. He saw a man with an average build wearing a light blue shirt and trousers. He was covering his face with a hood from the half cloak he was wearing, however his silver hair can be seen. His bow and arrow case can be seen placed behind him, which instantly confirms that he is the one who attacked him.

"Who are you?" The man asked, he slowly put his right hand behind him and took out a knife, hiding it behind his back. He did not reveal the knife yet, it is a defense precaution.

"Me?" The hooded man replied without emotion. He slowly placed both of his hands behind his back and took out two white single edged twin swords that were around the length from his hand to his elbow. He entered the battle stance as he continued.

"I don't want to introduce myself to a monster."

"Screw you! Take this!"

The man who was hiding his knife finally revealed it and rushed towards the hooded man holding it in a stabbing position in hopes of catching him off guard. However his attack was easily evaded and he was kicked by the hooded man on the back, which caused him to lose his balance.

"Agh!"

The man who was kicked, quickly regained his balance and turned around with the intention of attacking him again. However when he turned around, he couldn't see him.

"What? He was just the-"

Before he could finish his sentence, he saw a glimpse of the hooded man. He was on his left and though brief, he could see that the sharp edge of a blade was coming down fast on his left elbow.

*SHNG*

"aah.. aaaaAh. AAAAAAAAAAH." The man screams in pain and horror witnessing his left hand coming off clean from him. Blood flooded out his severed arm like a waterfall. The stinging pain was the most extreme he has ever experienced. He needed to stop the bleeding otherwise he would die from blood loss. In desperation, he lifted his right hand to cast the magic from before.

"Nu..llli..fffy…. Huh?"

He was confused for a moment. Then he remembers that the object that allowed him to cast the magic is no longer on his body, which was the only requirement for casting. No- more precisely, it was still on his finger, it was just the arm of the hand that had the finger worn on was forcefully removed from his body.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA." He fell on the ground, in extreme pain and weakness from the blood loss.

The hooded man walked towards the severed arm and lifted it. He notices a peculiar looking ring on the index finger and cuts it off. He then placed the finger inside a small sack that he took out from his pocket.

"Aaa..aaaa.aaaa." The man's cries become weaker. It seems that he lost too much blood, his vision is blurry and he can't feel most of his body anymore. Not long after he completely ceased movement, he was quiet. The man was dead.

The hooded man walked towards the corpse, he opened his hood and revealed his face. He looked at the dead man with remorseful eyes.

"Why.. do people turn out this way."

He was sad, not sad because he died, not sad because he killed him.

He was sad because of a dark truth that led this man to commit his actions.

"Is power really everything that matters?"

"So much that you'd sell your soul?"