“I can't really think about any others. But that doesn't mean you should be careless. A lot of powerful demons don't stay in Lucille's Light, and you never know when they might be in the city again.” Ashmodai says in a serious tone.

“Why would you leave?”

“The reasons differ, of course. Most demons do tend to leave in search of even more power or just because they feel unsafe inside the city.”

“How can I become stronger?” I decide to ask, giving him no break.

“There are many ways: kill other demons, survive certain situations, perform rituals, practice your mana.”

“How do you get stronger?” I say, remembering how he killed another demon and seemed to be able to eat some sort of energy.

A smirk appears on his face. “I'm what you would call a soul devourer. When I kill someone, I trap their soul inside a card and afterward consume it. It grants me more power than I would get from normally killing him. Yet it does carry a risk.”

“What's the risk?”

“Firstly, people are wary of opponents who won't grant someone the afterlife. Secondly, if you were to consume too many souls, your own would break, and you perish.”

“.....”

I just stay quiet, wondering if I should ask him how to become one.

“Do you wish for this ability, my faithful ally?”

'Dammit! He's reading me like a book. It's probably that ability called great insight.'

“Now don't look so gloom, I'm merely trying to help you, my friend.”

“Since when did we become friends.” I say, agitated from the fact that I can't seem to conceal my thoughts in front of him.

“Let's see: We have played cards together, I have promised to be a stone ward ally, I've bought you drinks, given you some information. I would say this qualifies us as a blossoming friendship.”

“That's a two-way street, and I don't intend to bring anything to the table for this friendship.”

“Oh, but you have already provided more than enough, my precious friend.”

I stand up from the table as it seems our conversation will lead to nothing interesting anymore. Plus I'm a bit creeped out by the fact that a devil so proudly talked about “our blossoming friendship”. I look around and ask one more question.

“How much did you notice during our game?” Knowing after talking with him today, that he should have noticed my foul play easily.

“I wonder how much did I see? I was quite distracted by that wound on your hand. Plus, the lighting wasn't really that great.”

“Why did you allow it?”

“I love to gamble.” he says while looking at me with his mouth slightly curved and his eyes watching me intently.

I continue walking towards the exit when Ashmodai shouts again.

“If you wish to learn that trick we discussed! Then you will need this!”

I catch the item that he threw and look at it. It seems to be the same card that he used to eat his less lucky opponent's soul. He gives me a quick nod as if confirming my thoughts. When I finally make my way out of this tavern, searching for more information.