The Broken Halo

Simon’s gaze remained on the Biggest Kev, but part of his attention settled on the plain ring around his finger.

There was a reason he had considered Kev’s offer, and that’s because the Miser’s Ring had once belonged to Zaglur.

The Daegrin merchant had given it to Simon shortly before his death, and when Zaglur died, the ring became completely bound to Simon. That bond was one of the reasons the Grave Lords of the Shadowgrave Clan never took it from him. Removing it by force would have required killing Simon or damaging him in a way they had not been willing to risk at the time.

Simon had never taken the ring for an appraisal while he remained in the Shadowgrave Clan.

Allowing the clan’s appraisers to study it would have revealed its abilities, its structure, and perhaps every secret hidden inside it. Simon had preferred possessing an unknown treasure to handing another weapon against himself to the Grave Lords and the clan.

After escaping, other matters had constantly demanded his attention.

Recovering from his injuries. Entering Velmora. Black Banner. Crownless Dawn. The invasion of Earth.

Having the Miser’s Ring professionally examined had simply never become important enough.

But that did not mean Simon had never been suspicious of it though.

Whenever he had enough privacy and time, he studied the ring himself. He examined the way it responded to his demonic energy, tested whether some hidden formations would awaken, and searched for any remnant of Zaglur’s Will.

He had once considered the possibility that the ring contained a tracker capable of leading the Daegrins to him.

There had even been moments inside the Shadowgrave Clan when Simon wondered whether the Daegrins would suddenly descend upon Blackwind Valley because of Zaglur’s death.

Another possibility had been worse.

Perhaps the Miser’s Ring was Zaglur’s final means of survival. A fragment of the Daegrin merchant’s soul might have been hidden within it, waiting for Simon to become stronger before attempting to possess his body.

Simon had considered traps, curses, hidden formations, delayed possession, and methods he did not yet understand.

Yet the Miser’s Ring had remained painfully normal.

It simply halved the demonic energy required whenever Simon used a skill, technique, or ability.

That normality bothered him slightly.

Zaglur was the demon responsible for the downfall of Simon’s tribe. Simon did not believe such a demon would suddenly become sentimental and hand him a precious artifact without another motive.

Perhaps Kev could find what Simon had missed.

The Biggest Kev’s ability to identify the ring’s general purpose without touching it had already proven that his knowledge was extraordinary. Allowing him to study the artifact under supervision could uncover a danger, hidden function, or history Simon had never discovered.

The favour was valuable, and the appraisal itself might be just as valuable.

Kev’s helmet remained tilted as he considered Simon’s terms.

”One favour,” he repeated. ”With no restrictions?”

Simon’s lips curved faintly.

”If there were no restrictions, you would refuse. State them.”

Kev folded his thick arms.

”I will not knowingly act against the survival of the Darkness Kingdom. I will not help Black Banner destroy Velmora or the kingdom, give the rebels military secrets, or hand them one of my bonded artifacts.”

His dull-yellow eyes remained on Simon.

”I will not accept a task that requires my certain death, and one favour means one defined task. Not years of service disguised as a single request.”

Simon considered each condition.

”’Act against the Darkness Kingdom’ is too broad. Almost anything can be described that way if we think about it deeply..”

Kev gave a low grunt but did not disagree.

”I will accept that I cannot ask you to deliberately destroy the kingdom, cripple its capital, or give out an information whose loss would threaten its continued existence.”

Simon raised one finger.

”As for Black Banner, you may refuse if the favour directly and knowingly supports their cause. You cannot refuse merely because a rebel benefits indirectly or because one happens to be present.”

Kev became silent.

”And danger is not the same as death,” Simon continued. ”I may ask you to take a risk. You may refuse only if the task is clearly suicidal or if I deliberately hide a threat that makes your death almost certain.”

”You negotiate boundaries as though you already know what favour you want.”

”I know what I might need.”

That answer earned a quiet laugh from behind the Blood Jaguar helmet.

Kev lowered his arms.

”I will also not surrender the artifacts bonded to me.”

”I would not ask an artifact-obsessed demon to do that. You might choose death instead.”

”I would.”

The immediate answer made Akaza glance at him strangely. Even Sonya could not help but have a strange expression.

This demon really loved his artifacts.

Both of them thought at the same time.

Simon continued.

”I accept that the favour will be one specific task and not a lifelong service.”

Kev studied him for a few seconds before nodding.

”That is good.”

”There is another condition,” Simon said. ”You fulfil the favour before I allow you to study the ring.”

The Artifact Channels beneath Kev’s armour stirred as he frowned with visible displeasure in his eyes.

”You expect me to complete an unknown favour first and trust that you will honour the agreement afterward?”

Simon’s expression became almost innocent.

”You are a Half-Step Demon Lord. I am only a mere Archfiend.”

Akaza’s mouth twitched.

Sonya turned her face away, but the faint movement of her lips revealed that even she recognised the shamelessness in Simon’s tone.

”If I allow you to study my precious artifact first, you could obtain what you wanted and decide the agreement no longer benefits you,” Simon continued. ”What would I do then? Complain?”

Kev stared at him.

”Meanwhile, if I refuse to honour the agreement after you complete the favour, you possess the strength, influence, and ridiculous number of artifacts required to find me and force me to cooperate.”

”You are using my strength as an argument for why I should trust you.”

”Exactly.”

A deep laugh filled the room, and it lasted for several breaths before Kev finally shook his head.

”You are an unpleasant negotiator.”

”I prefer effective.”

Kev looked at the Miser’s Ring again.

His curiosity eventually defeated his suspicion.

”Fine. One favour within the boundaries we agreed upon. I fulfil it first, then you allow me to study the ring under your supervision.”

Simon nodded.

”You may not damage it, remove it, interfere with its bond, or attempt to copy any part of it without my permission.”

”Agreed.”

The word came firmly, then the room became quieter and less tense.

Simon turned the plain ring once around his finger.

”To show my sincerity, I will give you something now.”

The dull-yellow eyes behind Kev’s helmet immediately brightened.

”The name?”

Simon nodded.

Kev leaned forward slightly, and even the metallic clicks within his armour seemed to become expectant.

Simon looked down at the artifact Zaglur had left behind.

”The Miser’s Ring... That is its name.”