Hankel POV…
In an old village, there was a beggar who looked awful and smelled terrible.
From his youth, he had always searched for work, but was constantly rejected because of his appearance or his clothes. He lived in the same village his whole life.
Living was a challenge for that beggar. Sometimes he wanted to end everything. One day, while rummaging through the trash for food, he saw a newspaper.
There was this divine being they called that entity or person, but no one knew how to summon it. It wanted people's souls.
I've never done anything bad. Even though I'm 25 now, I've always been kind to everyone.
I prayed to this being, hoping it might help me, but nothing happened. But one day, when I was starving, a shimmering meal suddenly appeared before me.
When I ate the food, I cried. It was the best meal of my life, and its magical effects strengthened me.
I loved that entity. When it emerged five years ago, I was already 20.
I wish I'd discovered it sooner. That entity gave me food and didn't even ask for prayers in return, because the meal purified and empowered me.
I promised myself: Whenever I see someone in need, I'll help them.
I understood...
That entity was kind, but no one wanted to see the truth behind it. I found a job at a fruit vendor.
There, I carried the heaviest loads. After work, I had a small rented house on the outskirts of the city.
One day, a beggar knocked on my door, begging for a bowl of soup.
My salary was low anyway; helping people strained my pockets.
But I didn't give it. I hated him.
He resembled my old self, and I hated the beggar for reminding me of that. I punched him.
I could have given it, but no, because while I'd left my past behind, this person appearing reminded me of it.
But then something happened. Time stopped. Leaves falling from the trees, even my shadow froze.
The beggar vanished. That's when I realized.
That entity was testing me.
"Ah, Hankel, you know you've disappointed me," the entity said, smiling as they described him in songs.
I stammered. My name was Hankel, yes, but that name had been forgotten long ago: "My lord, please, I'm human too. I've tried my best to help people."
Hankel knelt, because that entity had tested him.
But he failed.
The entity stroked my hair as I knelt on the ground. Its touch was cold yet so warm: "Well, Hankel, tell me—if I gave you the power to help everyone, would you?"
"I would! I swear!" Hankel shouted with all his might.
He knew he was being hypocritical, but that entity kept its word in stories—at least that's what he'd read.
"Now, Hankel, state your wish," the being spoke, but Hankel was scared…
"I just want to help those in need."
"Everyone?" said the being.
Determination shone in my eyes: "Everyone…"
The being smiled and pointed to my hand: "Whatever you touch with your hand will turn to gold. Do you want that, Hankel?"
I nodded vigorously. This deal meant infinite money, and what should I do when someone offered me infinite wealth? I accepted.
"Now, the deal: If someone asks for help and you don't give it, I'll take your soul, Hankel. This deal has no expiration time," said the entity, producing a paper.
The contract was signed in blood…
Now, everything I touched turned to gold. I deposited the gold in the bank and became one of the richest men. I donated to charities.
But it wasn't enough...
Something awakened inside me. Whenever I saw beggars, I realized I was disgusted by them.
But I held back and buried my hatred. Then things changed, and I gathered those beggars. Their mouths were sealed, so they couldn't ask me for anything.
They all turned into golden statues. I laughed maniacally.
No one cared about their disappearance. Behind me, I wrote in my diary day by day, but it was well hidden—so it would be found only if I died, and people would truly know that entity beauty.
I was invited to Emperor Richard's birthday. That day, I went. As long as I didn't touch anyone with my gloved hands, no problem.
The birthday went smoothly, except for that woman named Victoria and the butler behind her.
I returned home. I turned beggars into golden statues and sold them.
At least now they had value. When the guards started suspecting, I stopped anyway. I had 20 victims.
Then, while at the market on the street, I encountered a beautiful woman.
I fell in love. I kidnapped the woman by force, and I bound her mouth by force, too.
But then the bound loosened: "You filthy bastard, go die!!!"
The woman screamed.
I was shocked: "Shut the fuck up!" and I screamed at her.
But time stopped again. This time, that entity appeared once more. The entity who smiled even when I hit him now felt like it would burn me if I touched it.
"Ah, Hankel, I gave you a chance to change your life. I changed your fate. I could have made it so that even if you didn't want to, everything your hand touched turned to gold—like if you touched your own dick, it'd turn gold. But I didn't. I gave you control of your power—as long as you wore gloves, nothing would happen."
"I'm sorry, my god, please forgive me." I knelt, begging for mercy because I knew it had come for my soul. The girl asked me to kill myself, and I refused.
Then the entity touched my shoulder: "Hankel, how many families have you destroyed… How many people have you orphaned… Yes, you helped, but out of obligation… Your soul is mine now, Hankel."
Then I felt my shoulder burning. I tried to escape its grip, to hit it, but nothing landed. I couldn't even struggle.
That was Hankel's end.
The entity—that is, Raul—was tossing Hankel's skull into the air and catching it.
He was whistling and singing a song.
"His laugh rings like dawn on a meadow in May, He lures you with honeyed words, bright as the day.
Each dream that you breathe, he swears he'll make true, Crowns you with rubies and rivers of blue.
But debts have their season, and seasons must turn, He'll stride through the dark when the last embers burn.
No mercy, no laughter—just iron and flame, To flay every promise and brand you with shame…."
Raul POV.
I'm torturing Hankel in my subspace, burning him in hellfire. Quite fun.
I pitied this little bastard. He prayed to me, so I made a magical meal appear before him.
I saw him at the Emperor's birthday anyway, but he was pitch black.
His sins were too many. If not for that woman, I'd probably have had to trick him.
I'm not at the duchy right now because even if it's far, no one can escape me. I don't create clones because if they gain consciousness, there's a high chance of rebellion…
I usually tell Victoria I have business and disappear.
I'm burning Hankel's soul and his sins in hellfire, I absorb when only empty soul energy remains—because if it contains consciousness, it could be dangerous. But I've specialized in that, and now even if I ate it directly as a pill, nothing would happen. But pure soul energy is always better.
I'm playing with the skull, tossing it up like a volleyball and catching it.
Seriously, Hankel, I had hopes for you, but the bastard went full villain mod.
Why does everyone I give power to turn evil? Plus, I didn't even add a side effect for him.
That was an experiment…
But Hankel failed the class, and as his teacher, I'm disappointed.
Power really corrupts people—that's so true.
Even the heroes we see in stories are just that because they're stories. Otherwise, I gave chances to many, but no one looked at what I gave; they focused on what I took.
I sighed and reappeared in my room, lying on the bed. For some reason, I don't feel like working.
I hate this life.