The conversation with the woman lingered in Vorgath's mind for the rest of his shift. He couldn't let this chance slip away. It was a golden opportunity.
"I need to gain three levels and boost my attributes... Since I can't kill any monsters, making contracts is the best way. But where do I find people willing to sign?"
That was the problem he faced. Mia had accepted easily because she knew him, giving him that trust. But a stranger? That was tough. If Vorgath were a higher level, he could probably convince people more easily.
At the end of his shift, he found Mia waiting for him outside the cafeteria. She smiled the moment she saw him. "I passed another test," she said. "I don't know how you did it, but it really worked."
Mia already knew the first test was a success, but she hadn't realized it would continue like this. Now, she was sure.
"It will last until your exams are over," Vorgath said. "After that, you'll need another contract if you want more help. And Mia, I need your help with something."
Mia was his only friend, so it was worth a shot.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I need a way to make new contracts to get stronger. Any ideas? I don't think a random person will believe in me so easily."
Mia didn't know how the contracts worked. "Get stronger? How does this artifact work, exactly? I mean, I didn't stop to read the contract."
"I'd rather not get into the secrets of my ability, but let's just say I get stronger through the contracts. I want a job as a mule with a guild, and for that, I need to be stronger by next week."
"A mule?" Mia said, her voice filled with concern. "You know that job is dangerous, right? Going into dungeons without being able to fight properly is a death wish."
"Relax, I'll be fine."
Mia didn't push it. She tried to think of a way to help. "You want to stay anonymous for now, right? Because if word about your ability gets out, everyone will be coming for you. So, we need a mask or something. And to find people, we can use the internet!"
She seemed more excited about the plan than he was.
They went to a mall to buy him some new clothes, a phone, and a mask. Inside the mask shop, one in particular caught his eye: a demon mask. Along with it, he picked out a dark, hooded cloak.
"Are you sure about that mask?" she asked. "It's a little macabre, don't you think?"
Vorgath felt a sting of offense. "No, it's not. It fits the whole 'offering contracts' vibe, don't you think?"
"Now that you mention it... did I make a pact with a demon? Are you a demon?" Mia stared at him intently.
"Of course not, that's ridiculous. But what's the plan with the internet? What can we do?"
"We can get on some of the lesser-known forums and try to advertise your services. If anyone accepts, then we can meet up. What do you think?"
The idea sounded promising.
Using Mia's laptop, the two of them browsed forums online. "Search for anything related to Dungeon Delvers," Vorgath said. "That's the best way to get known and offer better contracts."
"Wait, are you sure about that? How are you going to meet them face-to-face? You'll be defenseless. Do you really think that's a good idea?"
Vorgath paused. She had a point. Trying to make contracts with weaker people was the ideal move. He grabbed a pen and paper and drafted another contract for Mia. To his surprise, it failed.
[You can only perform one contract per week with the same person. The person you are offering the contract to has a very weak soul. Unable to grant you benefits at this time.]
His ability was impressive, but it had limits. Essentially, Vorgath grew stronger by offering something in return for a small portion of a person's soul power.
Mia's soul had weakened after the contract. It had been weak to begin with. In the end, the best targets for Vorgath were the Dungeon Delvers. There was no way around it. He explained some of the limitations to her.
Mia sighed. "That makes things harder. If you want to get stronger, you'll have to make contracts with people who have strong souls, or at least not-weak ones... But I guess we can test the contracts on a few more weak people and see how far you can evolve before we move on to the Dungeon Delvers."
"Sounds like a plan."
Mia took on the task of finding potential targets. All Vorgath had to do was wait for her message. He went back to the cafeteria and up to the second floor to his room. It was more than just a room; it had a bathroom and a small kitchen. Vince had shown him the space.
"Make yourself at home. You can grab some coffee from the stock downstairs if you want some at night or in the morning, just be sure to lock everything up. And if you hear anything strange, call me," Vince said.
Call him, not the police. Vorgath found that interesting.
The next morning, before his shift at the cafeteria started, a message from Mia popped up on his phone.
"I'm on my way to the cafeteria."
Vorgath went downstairs and opened the door for her. It was so early that the place was empty. They wouldn't open for another two hours. They went up to the second floor to talk in private.
"I managed to get three contracts at once! They're people from some kind of cult, and they want a few things. What do you think?"
One of the people was a woman who wanted to know if her husband was cheating. Another was a guy who wanted more defined muscles. The last was another woman who wanted to increase her attributes.
"Increase her attributes? Is she an adventurer?"
"Yeah, it seems so, but she's pretty weak. She seemed trustworthy, but we need to be careful. Should I confirm with them? It looks like they want to make all the pacts together, tonight."
Vorgath wasn't keen on making a pact with the guy, especially since he planned to take advantage of the opportunity for sexual relations with the people he contracted with. And he didn't want Mia to know that the sex part was optional—that he did it simply because he wanted to.
"You can drop the guy," Vorgath said. "You know why..."
"Wait, does the sex part have to happen?" Mia said, letting out a sigh. "I had no idea. Good thing I picked two women."
"Yes, exactly."
She seemed a little put out by that, as if she wanted what happened between them to be something special, just for them. After they talked, Mia left again.
Vorgath spent the morning working at the cafeteria. In the afternoon, he rested in his room, preparing the contracts. When night fell, he packed his bag, put on his black hooded cloak and his demon mask, and left the cafeteria to meet the group.