It didn’t look like Baldas was going to wake up any time soon. So Micah continued inspecting his ability and the system window that seemed to have improved a little. But mostly, he just sank deep into thought as he pondered on his ability.

The message he got from the system said it was going to help him control and master his ability. Maybe he only had one page because he hadn’t mastered his ability. He had just awakened it, so it was only natural that he wasn’t an expert in using it.

However, he didn’t really know how to increase his proficiency other than using his ability. But flipping through the book didn’t seem like it would do anything, which meant he had to use the ability on the first page, Persuasion. But that required him to talk. And Micah refused to talk out loud to himself.

Besides, it wasn’t like it was urgent. Micah could just wait until Baldas woke up to get answers. So, he found a decent spot on the hill’s slope where he kicked back and relaxed with Baldas sleeping like a kitten on his belly.

It didn’t take long until he dozed off. It had been a hectic day for Micah, after all. Although he had gotten his youthful body back, he had still died and experienced a lot of new things. He had even partaken in multiple fights. And while he was technically immortal since he couldn’t die, at least not permanently, and he didn’t have to eat and stuff to continue living, it was hard to escape feelings of fatigue. His body might feel fine, but his mind was certainly beginning to feel exhausted.

Micah hoped that Baldas would have recovered by the time he woke up again.

After a little while, Micah woke up again, and he slowly opened his eyes. He didn’t have a way to tell time if time even worked the same in Hell, but he guessed that he hadn’t been asleep for that long. If he had slept for longer, he would have felt it in his back. The ground he slept on wasn’t the most comfortable, even if it was smooth enough to let him doze off.

Micah lifted his head and looked at Baldas, who had curled his wings around himself and made him look like an egg. He seemed a little healthier than before, which was a good sign since it meant Micah could wake him up without having to worry about losing his guide. He still didn’t know whether demons could resurrect like humans could, especially weak ones with barely any pol like Baldas.

“Hey. Wake up. Come on. Baldas. Assistant. Guide. Demon. Rise and shine. You have work to do.”

Micah said a lot of words to both annoy Baldas and test out his Persuasion. But Baldas didn’t wake up, and he couldn’t tell if there was anything different with his voice, so it was a major failure.

But Micah didn’t give up. He continued talking and urging Baldas to wake up while also poking at him. He even tugged on his leathery bat wings and eyelid to see if Baldas would respond.

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Micah couldn’t get a reaction at first. But soon enough, Baldas stirred.

“Mmm. Five more minutes, please.”

“Well, it looks like my dear servant exhausted himself beyond recovery. It’s a damn shame to lose someone so young, but he’ll live on forever in my memory. Or a couple of days at least.”

Micah ignored Baldas’ sleepy murmur and put him on the ground next to him while he began digging a pit with his hands.

“I am a little worried about how I’ll manage the Hell Restoration Project, but I’m sure I can do it on my own, thanks to Baldas’ valiant sacrifice.”

Micah continued digging while spouting lines that one might say at a funeral.

Eventually, the pit was about the size of a human head, which meant that it was big enough to fit the slightly-larger-than-a-fist Baldas. With a solemn look on his face, Micah picked up Baldas and gently placed him in the pit he had dug out before scooping back the dirt to fill in the pit with a face that looked like he was holding back tears.

“You will be missed, Baldas.”

Micah was about to take another handful of dirt and push it down the hole onto Baldas when Baldas’ eye flung open, and he flapped his wings like a crashed bird.

“Ptui, ptui.”

Baldas spit the dirt out of the mouth he didn’t have as he flew up and left the pit with a scowling eye.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, you mannerless brat? Burying someone who’s still alive? And a demon at that?”

“Baldas! You’re alive!”

Baldas avoided Micah’s hug since it was obviously a trap based on the fake joy he displayed on his face and with his words.

“Of course I’m alive.”

Baldas wanted to continue glaring at Micah, but something weighed on his mind and prevented him from doing that.

“So? Did it work?”

“You tell me.”

Micah stood up and stood next to Baldas so that he could show him the system window.

“Wait, you can see this, right?”

“Yep, now show me.”

“Can other demons as well?”

“Nope, now show me.”

Since Baldas refused to elaborate and was just eagerly flapping his wings as he waited for Micah to show him the system window, Micah sighed and tapped the ability tab.

The holographic book and the same words appeared.

“Negotiation Tactic Handbook…”

Micah waited for Baldas to say something more.

“Well, are you gonna open it?”

But Baldas disappointed Micah by asking him to show more instead of saying something about his ability. Micah sighed again before opening the book and showing the first page with his Persuasion.

“Hmm. Interesting. And next?”

This time, Micah didn’t sigh as he almost looked forward to what kind of face Baldas would make when he saw the blank pages.

Micah flipped to the next spread of pages.