10 Elwin Grabenstein

Elwin watched Nerys devour the pies that his friend Leslie gave him, his mind wandering off as he sat on the chair opposite Nerys.

Nerys had told him he was a Chthon, summoned by someone whose identity he didn't know. He came from a family of non-violent Chthon that mortals could summon in exchange for a sacrifice or offering.

The nature of the offering, however, was negotiable and depended on the agreement between the summoner and the underworld entity.

Over their three years of friendship, Elwin and Nolan had witnessed strange occurrences—and even taken part in strange events themselves.

Elwin knew there was always something unknown lurking, whether beneath the earth or above the sky, and Nolan had helped him uncover some of those mysteries.

Nolan's peculiar interest scared him at first. But his mere innocent curiosity was easily transformed into a desire to try it himself.

Elwin moved to the countryside with Nolan and decided to live a solitary life.

Nolan was the one who influenced Elwin about his interest in mysticism and dark magic activities. As they became friend, he became the subject of Nolan's experiments.

It may sound a little harsh but, he was glad that Nolan's skill was not good enough. His life had been spared somehow.

 Elwin grew up without friends and received no affection from his parents. His father was an alcoholic and addicted to gambling. This caused their family to suffer in poverty.

His mother was no different either, being the subject of beatings of his father, she would indulge herself as well in drinking and drugs as a form of escape from the suffering she was receiving from her abusive husband.

They neglected his education and used him for labor to support their addiction to alcohol, drugs, and gambling.

 Despite the complicated life, Elwin grew up believing the positive side of things, regardless of the emotional, physical, and verbal abuse he would receive from his parents. Nolan couldn't fathom how he was still vibrant despite everything he was experiencing and the suffering he had been through.

Shouldn't suffering mold a person into something cold and cruel?

Their first encounter was still a fresh memory for Elwin.

"I can put a curse on him for you."

 Nolan and Atticus were strolling in the densely populated and most underdeveloped area of the Empire's capital.

They were in search of the black market that was infamous amongst the heretics, and Nolan was looking forward to purchasing materials for his next concoction for a potion.

The poison he had concocted was not successful. He was adamant about making poison that should make the person drink it die but should not leave any traces of the cause of the death. It should be as if the person was just sleeping but already not breathing.

The dog he had used to drink didn't die but suffered some kind of illness instead.

The poorest area of the empire was teeming with all kinds of poverty-stricken individuals. His nose hurt from the overpowering bad smell of the place. He knew that such a place existed but it was his first time seeing the other side of reality.

As he scrutinized the area, suddenly, Nolan stopped in his tracks. Just ahead, a boy about his age was being beaten by an old man.

It was Elwin receiving punches and kicks from his drunk father.

"Useless brat! F*cking useless brat! What are you even good for?!"

Elwin curled up on the ground, shielding himself with his bruised and beaten-up arms. Tears swelled up in his eyes but he was biting on his lower lip to hold back his cry.

"Where do you think I can get money for my drugs now?!" His father cried in rage and stomped violently on his face. Blood streamed on Elwin's nose and his lips were cut wounded.

His meager weekly salary from the factory he worked at was stolen by his mother last night when he was asleep, and his father was fuming because of it.

"That wench! I'm going to kill her!" screeched his father, releasing his anger on his son.

Nolan stayed on his feet, watching the abuse unfold. After a series of assaults on his own son, the bastard left him lying on the ground, almost unconscious. 

Elwin hissed and groaned as he pushed himself up from the ground. As he lifted his face, his eyes met Nolan's. Perhaps it was the excruciating pain that had dulled his senses, leaving him unaware of Nolan's approach.

"U...uhm...am I in the way? I-I'm sorry." Elwin's heart quickly beat faster as he noticed Nolan's appearance and his clothes.

 Nolan examined Elwin's face. His freckles stood out against his swollen, plump cheeks, and a cut at the corner of his mouth was still bleeding. A dark bruise shadowed one eye, while his swollen, battered brows added to his disheveled appearance. Elwin looked completely beaten down.

"I can put a curse on him," Nolan said to him.

Hearing Nolan's words, his freckled and beat-up face turned scared. Why was this noble stranges talking about cursing his terrible and useless father?

 "That's…That's bad." He muttered softly and looked down, embarrassed to have someone his age see his terrible state.

Nolan squatted in front of Elwin, trying to look into his face, "Who was that?"

"That's my father. My mother stole all of my salary from yesterday while I was asleep last night, so he beat me up when he found out I've got no money to give to him…" Elwin blushed and shyly scratched his cheek with his finger, flinching as he felt the pain from his bruises.

 Nolan's eyes flickered when he heard him.

 "That asshole is your father?" He asked.

The contempt in his voice startled Elwin as he carefully shuffled a little further away from him.

"I…I need to go. I have work today…I can't be late, or the factory owner will deduct my salary."

 Elwin felt scared and incredibly embarrassed. The person in front of him wore clothes only aristocrats could afford. He had not been outside their area, and it was the first he saw an aristocrat wandering in their poverty-driven area.

 "I can curse him to die." Nolan once again said, in his most normal and casual tone.

 Elwin almost lost his balance as he was pushing himself up. Good thing his hands immediately grasped onto the wall near him for support as he finally stood up.

 "Please… You're scaring me…Why are you here anyway?" He tried to strike up a conversation to stir Nolan's attention.

Nolan looked up at Elwin, his gaze sweeping over his appearance. His dirty, worn-out clothes hadn't been laundered in days, and his shoes were falling apart, barely clinging to his feet.

Elwin's toes curled up. He had never felt so embarrassed and humbled in his life, he wished for a bolt of lightning to strike him so he could just die.

Nolan stood up, "Atticus," he called to his butler.

"What is it, Young Master?"

Elwin almost screamed in fright when Atticus suddenly just appeared on Nolan's side.

Was the handsome butler had been there? He didn't notice him!

"Let's cancel the Black Market for now. Let's get back and let's bring him with us."

"B-black…Black Market?" Elwin asked in shock, his body almost shuddered.

"You know of it?"

"Do I know of it? That place…I don't know where exactly it is, but that place is dangerous!"