"Although the boy has had extraordinary power, magical spells and a long life since he was a child because of the sealed demon, he will eventually grow old. But he doesn't want to change the life forms of cats and dogs like he did.
He also changes himself. After all, he also knows that this is probably what the devil wants.
So time passed by in a hurry, and the man who had embarked on the journey since he was a child and shouldered the responsibility of his grandfather finally became an old man many years later. He knew that his time was running out, and once he died, the terrifying existence would be restored.
Release. So he decided to take the initiative to find the next person who volunteered to seal the demon before he died."
"I'm afraid it won't be easy. This kind of responsibility is too heavy."
Shade commented again, reaching out and turning over the card in front of Mr. Asmon. When he saw that it was Moon 5, he put it aside.
Mr. Asmon nodded slowly:
"Of course it's not easy. Especially, what the old man wants to find is a child, so that he can seal the devil for as long as possible. As for what happens next, that's not what he should care about. Let's go through it.
After a long life and a long journey, the old man knows that people cannot be too greedy."
"This is better than most people today."
Shade continued to turn over the third card. After seeing that it was the 4 of the Sun, he put the first three cards together, and then went to bring the black tea in front of him. The black tea in the club tasted very good, and outsiders had a high opinion of it.
evaluate.
"The old man knows that it is difficult to find the ideal candidate, but compared to when he voluntarily made that heroic choice, at least he is strong enough now. He has no purpose, just traveling forward with cats and dogs. Finally, under a
On a snowy winter day, the cat ran out to play and brought good news: Hey, I think I found the right person for you.
The old man and the dog then followed the cat into the farm, and found a seriously ill woman in the cold woodshed, a young girl who fainted from hunger, and a teenager who had returned with black bread given by a kindhearted person.
boy."
Shade shook his head and took another sip of black tea, but this time he was not in a hurry to lift the card.
Mr. Asmon clasped his hands together and placed them on the table. He was telling a story without touching the drink in front of him:
"The old man then knew what the cat meant, so he took the cat and dog into the woodshed and said to the boy: Son, maybe I can help you.
Although the boy was wary, he looked at the weather-beaten old man with a longing expression: Can you help me cure my mother?
The seriously ill woman did not know that a stranger had arrived in her 'home', while the young girl was sleeping next to her mother due to cold and hunger.
When the old man saw this scene, he smiled and nodded: Of course, I can not only cure your mother, but I can even make them live a prosperous life. But you have to promise me one thing.
, my child, there is no room for regret.
As he said that, a roll of parchment contract appeared out of thin air in the old man's hand."
"Mr. Asmon, wait a moment!"
Shade turned over the fourth card and threw it aside and asked:
"What is this contract? Is this mentioned in our story?"
The second floor of the library is quiet, and the aroma of coffee and black tea can easily make people feel drowsy. Even though both of them lowered their voices, their conversation was still very clear. The surface of the wooden table has been fully polished and polished.
It's almost reflective. Compared to telling stories in a pub or in the rain before, this time it's quiet but very stylish.
"Mr. Watson, you should be aware that the long symbiosis with the devil has allowed the old man to master part of the devil's power. So in the previous story, he even exchanged the girl's soul."
Mr. Asmon tapped the table with his fingers:
"Okay, let's continue the story this time - holding the parchment contract, the old man who came from the snow with the cat and dog said to the boy: Child, if you want to realize your wish, just sign this contract and then follow
I traveled far away, never to return, and forgot your mother and sister. When I die, you will bury me, and with the powerful power I gave you, you will swallow and keep my soul in the form of a living person."
Xia De nodded in understanding and praised:
"So that's it. The old man obviously didn't transfer the demon's power. After all, he just sealed the demon with his wish. And if he took the initiative to release the demon, I'm afraid the demon would no longer ask questions like 'Do you want to make a wish' to the boy now?"
.
But if the boy voluntarily swallows and keeps the old man's soul, the boy will be equivalent to inheriting that wish and becoming a new 'old man'. Although there may be some problems with this, this method at least sounds feasible."
Mr. Asmon looked at Shade and shook his finger:
"The boy asked again: Sir, what kind of power can I get?
The old man replied: The most powerful power you can imagine, sign the contract, and you can have it now. You have the opportunity to become a hero, a warrior, and get everything, but the price is to forget everything you have in the past and use it in the future.
Go on a never-ending journey throughout your life until your life reaches its end.”
Opening the fifth card, Shade, who found that he was still not the king, sighed:
"Why does this old man act so like a devil?"
"No, Mr. Watson, he did not seduce the boy."
Mr. Asmon's black eyes were still staring at him, and the corners of his mouth were raised in a weird smile:
"The old man then told the boy everything he was carrying, the story of his respectable grandfather and the story of his life, and advised the boy to think clearly. The boy confirmed: Sir, the contract was signed,
Can my mother and sister live a happy life?
The old man nodded, but at this moment, an accident happened!"
Shade was worried about hearing words like "I'll talk about it next time", but fortunately the demonologist only paused for a moment:
"The old man who was awake just now was instantly swallowed by his shadow, so the devil appeared from his shadow and temporarily took control of his body. The wish the old man made back then was coming to an end, and it could briefly come out to move around.
"
"Oh, isn't this another tragedy?"
Xia De asked regretfully, but the "scholar" with only hair on his head did not give an answer immediately:
"'It's very interesting,' the dark demon said to the boy. 'Promise to his contract, but do not abide by it, let alone devour his soul. You will lose your power because of this, but I promise you that your soul will become a great person after death.
existence, then you will still have great power and can come back to find your mother and sister. The price is just breaking your oath.'
The evil spirits that appear because of people's thoughts do have such power. The boy looked at it with hope, and then nodded: I promise you.
He made a pact burning with black fire with the devil.
The cat and dog witnessed all this, but they could not tell the old man who woke up from the shadow and didn't know what happened.
The boy then signed the old man's contract, and then watched the old man cast a spell to cure his mother, and use his power to completely change the lives of mother and daughter. After everything was over, on that snowy morning, when they were about to leave and travel far away
On the last day before his death, the boy wanted to take one last look outside the castle window at his mother and sister living inside."
"Wait a moment."
Shade said again, throwing away the sixth card:
"Why do I have a bad feeling again?"
The unreadable expression on Mr. Asmon's face was even worse, and he continued:
"The old man left first with the cat and dog, leaving time for him. Soon after, the soul with a distortion so powerful that it surprised the old man found the old man: I'm sorry, sir, I violated the contract I signed with you, but I abide by it.
Another contract.
The boy reached out to the old man and used his own power to turn the old man back into the child he was before. Then the boy's soul was shattered because he had fooled the strange evil spirit, leaving only the child guarding the devil, together with the cat and dog, surprised.
Standing in the heavy snow."
"this"
The story ended faster than Shade thought. He did not rush to reveal the remaining card, but put down the teacup in his hand:
"Am I wrong in my understanding: The contract between the boy and the old man who guards the devil is to devour the old man's dead soul while the boy is alive in order to take over the responsibility of guarding the devil. After all, only the soul cannot compete with the devil; and he and
The content of the contract signed by the devil is that if he violates his contract with the old man, the reward is that the boy will become a powerful being after death."
Shade took a deep breath:
"So he took the initiative to commit suicide? This means that it is absolutely impossible for him to complete the contract with the old man, so he completed the contract with the devil all at once?"
Mr. Asmon nodded slowly:
"Is such that."
Shade shook his head. The turn of the story came too suddenly:
"Let me summarize the ending of this story:
The boy's mother and sister got a happy and prosperous life; the old man who guarded the devil turned back into a child due to the influence of the devil's own power, and could continue his responsibilities for a longer time; the devil still wanted to fulfill the old man's childhood wish and continue
was sealed; but the boy who helped his mother and sister change their lives, and helped the old man realize his wish in an alternative way, left."
"That's right, Mr. Watson. This is a story related to demons. Don't use common sense to speculate on its connotations."
Mr. Asmon nodded, while Shade frowned, really not sure how to evaluate this story:
"I would love to say this is another tragedy, but when I think about it, it doesn't seem particularly tragic."
Sean Asmon's eyes narrowed slightly, and his low voice still sounded like a snake's neighing:
"Mr. Watson, at least the devil is still safely sealed by the boy. This is a good thing for everyone, isn't it?"
"Yes."
Shade nodded slowly:
"I was just thinking, that kid, no, is not the one who still sealed the devil, but the one who signed two contracts. He is too, well, too brave."
"Children are always brave and innocent. They are easy to be deceived, but they are also easy to do things that adults cannot do."
The demonologist admitted, finally picking up the teacup in front of him. Shade also picked up the teacup, letting the smoke linger in front of him.
He spent some time reviewing the story this time and finally came out of the ending:
"Then the old man in the story turned back into a boy and continued his journey with cats and dogs, right?"
"Yes.
"So what's their next stop, what's their next story?"
Shade asked, and Sean Asmon looked at him. After at least five seconds, he shook his head slightly and took back his notebook:
"Don't be too impatient, Mr. Watson, that's a story for next time.