Making a plan was one thing, executing it was another. Now, Renayor had begun putting his plan into motion. The first thing he needed to know was the state of Daniel's affairs, was there any pressure from his wife, his siblings, his mother? Any hint of a need for children?
To get this information, Renny took cautious steps in observing Daniel's life. This time, he made sure not to fall at the mercy of his soul guard. Instead, he researched the watchers and how they operated, discovering that they mainly acted when there was a direct confrontation to the soul. However, when a soul's faith dropped to a certain level, they would automatically investigate possible reasons for the decline.
For now, he was only after information, so he didn't need to worry. For days and weeks, Renny watched Daniel's life through the shadow realm, at work, at home, and even during his visits to the orphanage, where Renny learned the boy's name was Eli.
He wasn't surprised to find that Daniel's wife and parents didn't pressure him over his inability to have children, nor did they push him to adopt. Samantha had agreed to this life before marrying him, so there was no family pressure. Daniel's love for Eli was genuine, but he had no intention of adopting him.
That, however, was something Renny planned to change. His strategy was to create longing in Daniel's wife and mother, the two pressure points he could exploit. Demon seeds would be the perfect tool for this. Placing one in Daniel was out of the question due to the soul guard, and Samantha was equally risky, being close to Daniel and protected to a certain degree. His mother, however, had more influence and no soul guard.
After confirming she was unguarded, Renny chose her as his first pawn. He began searching for a demon seed that could inspire her to wish for a grandchild, but quickly realized the way Hell worked, seeds weren't available in every store. As a demon of destruction and dominion, seeds tied to longing or desire weren't part of his standard arsenal.
That was a serious obstacle. Where would he get such a seed? Kev couldn't help, being a demon of violence and wrath, he had no related seeds. Renny's research on the demon marks revealed that only demons of the Velzira family, with their lust and temptation abilities, would have the kind of seed he needed. The challenge now was convincing a Velzira to help him, knowing they would definitely demand something in return.
His reputation since arriving hadn't exactly made him friends. In truth, if he hadn't helped Kev on that first day, he'd probably have none by now. He sighed, weighing his options, frustration creeping in as he crashed onto his bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling.
Just then, his phone buzzed. For a moment, he thought it might be Tela, and he quickly checked, only to see it was a group message from the association council. They were organizing an event at the Construct Bureau called Public Service.
***
Renny arrived at the bureau to find the lobby packed with Grade 1 demons. Around forty-five of them were gathered, the space buzzing with murmurs and scattered conversations. The reception hall was large enough to hold them comfortably, and still had room to spare.
Renny stood with Kev, casually swapping progress reports. The air was thick with murmurs until the elevator chimed and a figure stepped forward.
Agent Kaviru.
He clapped his hands once, the sharp sound drawing every eye to him. His posture was straight.
"Alright! Ladies and gentlemen," he began, voice smooth but commanding, "I want to appreciate you for taking the time to be here despite your contract obligations. I assure you, this will not take long, and it will benefit you very well."
He paused, letting the silence hold before continuing. "We have decided to grant Grade Ones the opportunity to take on side contracts. These are entirely voluntary. The tasks are very difficult, but they will give you a chance to earn extra contract points. Collaboration is permitted. If you wish, you may share the work and split the rewards."
He adjusted his cuffs before explaining further. "You are already aware that a soul key is a precious thing. Possession grants its wielder control of a soul. But if a soul regains strength, if its faith climbs above fifty percent, it may call back its soul guard. That guardian will come for the key. Which can often be very troublesome for us, and honestly I don't like problems. To prevent this, keys must be stored somewhere even a soul guard cannot easily reach."
Kaviru's eyes glinted. "That place… is the Pit of Hell. The domain of hell beasts. Countless creatures dwell there, and in them the keys are hidden. The only way to secure a key inside a beast is to subdue it first, they will not accept it willingly. The same is true if you wish to retrieve one."
He let that sink in before continuing. "Your task, should you choose it, is simple in theory. An agent will assign you a beast to locate in the Pit, along with a key. You will subdue the creature, lock the key inside it, and ensure it remains there. These hunts are excellent training. They will sharpen your combat skill, your endurance, and your ability to work in a team."
Finally, his tone lightened slightly. "If you are interested, speak to the agent handling your main contract. They will provide a side contract for you. If you are not interested… no problem. The choice is yours."
With that, he stepped aside, signalling the end of the gathering. Some demons moved quickly to seek out their agents, eager to begin. Others muttered about preparing first. A few scoffed, saying their main contracts already left them with no time to breathe, much less hunt hell beasts for extra points.