Bright. So, darn bright. Joe scowled while pain forced his eyes shut. It didn't help that right now he was but a soul and had no physical eyes, the brilliance emanating from the summoned soul lit up most of Darkness domain.

And it also made her sizzle.

"Are you the necromancer?"

Asked the shining being.

"Wasn't my choice but yeah, I am. Oh and, tone down on your sparkliness. You risk melting your benefactor."

Of that Joe wasn’t so sure but the smell of roasted octopus was starting to annoy him.

The apparition did not respond but after a moment of silence, the force of light pressing against Joe's body lessened.

"Thank you. Now, let's get straight to the point, you want vengeance while I don't give a fuck. You were forced on me. I wish to have nothing to do with you and I can see the feeling's mutual so, let's cut all that crappy quest line and come to some understanding that would benefit both of us. The sooner we part our ways the better."

He explained, studying the radiant soul of a woman floating before him. While her face did not betray any emotion, Joe felt her hate and disgust aimed at him, seeping in through her slave seal. Without that chain binding her to his will, she would attack him.

"Look, I can feel you don't want to be my property and believe me, I don't want you either but your quest keeps us from going our merry way. Do us both a favor and amend your expectations. We can discuss what you want and what l am willing to provide. After that we will meet somewhere in the middle."

"Am I dead?"

The woman asked ignoring his monologue. Not gonna be easy huh?

"Well, No. Technically you’re still alive just your soul is having an out of body experience… of sorts."

No point in telling her they were stuck inside an abyss of Darkness. Or whatever the heck this place was. I theory his skills allowed him to summon souls to the real word but that was annoying and cost him mana to maintain the summoned spirit. Here they could take as much time as they needed without paying a dime.

"Then return me to my body, cursed necromancer! Then we will talk."

Joe sighed.

"Can't do that. I don't know how much you remember but your body is… not serviceable at the moment."

Joe really didn't want to know why the system kept insisting she was alive. Her body or rather all her remaining bits would fit inside a five-gallon bucket. And slosh… His own thoughts made him queasy.

Given the wave of feelings that rolled over her face and into his mind through her slave seal, she did remember. Also, given whatever fame necromancers had in this world, she wasn't happy about her future prospects. That much Joe felt coming from her soul.

"Hey, pipe down that murderous aura of yours.”

For the first time since he came into this world, Joe used the full power of his slave seal, binding the soul before him.

“I'm not going to let you die and no, I am not trying to turn you into some undead monstrosity.”

Even the thought of that was beyond repulsive. A woman should be a slick creature of strategically placed bouncy bits that combine into a perfect eye candy…”

[*DING!* Your pervert title has evolved into a Master Pervert! Title bonus: Drooling lvl.99, Hands of Pleasure lvl.Max, Call of the wild lvl.69, The Knot lvl.Max+…]

Annoyed, Joe pushed the screen away without reading it.

“I can patch up your old meat bag or make you a better new one if you want but I will need time. Time your quest is not giving me.”

Even while outside her body and fully restrained, Zaleria’s killing intent gave Joe goosebumps.

“I'm going to relax control over your speech now so, think well of what you do with it."

Expecting an instant assault, Joe withdrew his will and let her speak again. To his surprise, the sword master did nothing. She just floated there and drilled him with her stare.

"Um, maybe she needs another cake? Ask her is she wants one."

Darkness whispered into his ear when nothing happened.

"Who else is there!?"

The woman shouted at him and once more released her radiance, seeking what else hid inside the void they occupied.

"Our benefactor. Look, you'll meet her when she's ready to speak with you but right now restrain yourself before I do it for you. I’m an agreeable man and I can tolerate much but if you keep making my life difficult, I will just destroy your soul and be done with it. No quest reward is worth that much trouble."

That got her attention. For the first time in her life Zaleria felt fear. Fear she would fail her liege. Anything but that! Although… Her eyes once again studied the apparition cloaked in demonic darkness that stood before her. The necromancer. The cursed owner of her soul. How much truth was there in his words?

“If you give me a month to fix your old body and swear an oath to leave me and my party alone, keep my existence secret and not cause me any trouble in the future, I will release you.”

The necromancer spoke as if reding her mind.

Um, Joe?

A tentacle poked him in the back while Darkness gentle voice entered his mind.

Destroying souls is a no-no. A big no-no. D is extremely strict about enforcing that.

Huh? Who do you take me for? Necromancy or not, I can’t do something like that.

But I thought you said you would if she won’t listen… oh! Is that a trick? You are tricking her into thinking you’d do it?

Joe grinned. Seems like his plan was working in more ways than he thought it would. He was curious what will happen when he starts using the name he choose for her but that will have to wait.

“… ten thousand gold and…”

Huh? Joe turned his attention back to the sword master.

“What did you say?”

“Heal my body back to its prime, provide me with the equipment I desire and ten thousand gold for my expenses and I will consider the quest complete. All of it.”

J-Joe!

Darkness shook his limp soul. Ten thousand gold was a fortune he could not part with. Not to mention the cost of equipment she might request.

“Ten thousand gold?! Are you insane? That’s a year’s worth of salary for a lesser noble! I cannot fart out such sum on top of whatever equipment you need.”

The soul thought for a moment.

“Very well, five thousand gold and an artefact that will hide my true identity.”

[*DING!* You have found a hidden ending to the “Buried Love” questline. To activate it you need to restore Zaleria’s body and provide her with sufficient equipment, 10 000 gold (or 5000 gold for expenses, and an artefact that can hide her true identity). You will have 90 days to complete this otherwise the quest will fail. Do you accept? Yes? No?]

Ten thousand gold… That’s more than a month worth of sucking fat out of some obese nobles. Well, its still better than insta-death within the next half an hour. Joe sighed pushing the yes button.

“You got yourself a deal now, go back to sleep. I’ll wake you when all is ready.”

He waved away the glimmering soul then fell on his knees and cried.

“There, there…”

Darkness rubbed his head with one of her wiggly tentacles.

“Those are just some shiny stone Joe. You can always get more of those…”

Darkness’s words, and the amount of work ahead of him made Joe wail even harder.