The next day arrived quickly enough, thanks to Mammon’s new ability to sleep through the hours. He was still not used to that activity, to being so vulnerable for so long, but any novel experience after millennia of stale existence was something pleasurable for the demon. When he awoke, he saw that Wren hadn’t slept at all that night. Instead, the boy was gazing at his personal stash of coins, almost trance-like.
Mammon smiled. He felt his tiny Soul-Seed expand, and much to the demon’s satisfaction, he could tell that this Seed was about to sprout. Just a tiny bit of Greed was all it needed to germinate into something never before seen, and he could feel his anticipation of that event swell in his breast. But Mammon didn’t allow his impatience to cloud his judgment, because while patience was never a virtue that any demon employed, it was a necessity for the finer flavors of Avarice to bloom.
“Good morning, Wren,” the demon greeted before dusting some of the dust off his cloak, “I see you didn’t rest at all. That’s not a good habit to have, but I’ll let it slide today.”
“Sor-” the boy shook his head; good, he was learning, “I mean, um, I couldn’t sleep. Everything’s just so new.”
The demon smiled back, his perfect teeth glinting in the tiny ray of light peaking through the dirty window. “Perfectly understandable. But you’re still growing, and we can’t have too many of these sleepless nights. Remember, part of my job is to keep you healthy and in tip-top condition!”
“I know, Mona, thanks.”
“Are you ready to get out of his cellar and make for better pastures?”
Wren nodded before collecting his money and the tiny amount of material possessions he had stashed away under a loose floorboard. Mammon saw that all of it only amounted to was a few small trinkets that must have held some sentimental value and a small beat-up pouch. Once he placed everything in his new coat, the boy nodded to Mammon and headed to the door.
The two left the basement for the last time and walked through the slums, headed toward the more respectable parts of the town. Mammon almost jolted as a pleasant warmth entered his soul, it seemed to emanate from something down the street. Curious, he pulled Wren aside for a slight detour before the demon understood what had caused that sensation. The boy followed without question.
“What? You- no, that’s not right, I checked!” a familiar voice shouted. Mammon recognized that voice instantly and recalled that particular pawn shop owner quite fondly.
“You tried to cheat the boss,” one of the lackeys said, “You of all people should know the consequences of that.”
“No!” he pleaded, “It wasn’t… I mean, it was that harlot that sold me the gems!”
The lead goon laughed. “And we heard you the first time. There was no red-haired noble prowling the streets here. In fact, no one, not even our Eyes and Ears, had seen anyone out of the ordinary these nights. You’ll have to make up a better excuse, and you’ll have the chance when the boss ‘questions’ you further. Get him out of here!”
“No, please, I’ll give you your money back, no, I’ll return it two, threefold! Please…”
His pleas fell on deaf ears. It appears that there were strict rules around the slums, it was good to know when Mammon inevitably came back in the future. Wren didn’t make the connection between the pawn shop owner and Mammon, perhaps these sorts of things happened all the time around here, but just to be safe, the demon led the boy further away from the commotion. It was still too soon for Wren to see the truly dark side of humanity, or figure out that his new friend wasn’t as angelic as he thought.
There weren’t any other disturbances that early in the morning, and the two were able to make it to the business district without issue. Now that Wren was dressed in something presentable, the people didn’t dismiss the two outright, although Mammon did have to slightly alter his appearance once more. It would be hard to conduct business looking like a child.
He told Wren to wait for just a spell as the demon ducked into a nearby alley to change back into a more presentable form. After seeing the poor shop owner’s fate, and learning a little about possible spies, Mammon chose to present himself as an older man this time. He retained the same crimson hair, but a dark stubble formed on his otherwise handsome face.
A few wrinkles lined his features, and he changed out of his robe into a matching set of winter leathers. The clothes and the man gave off the appearance of someone wealthy and powerful without overtly flaunting that fact, it was just the look he was looking for. It took more effort than the demon initially thought to do all this, but there was no other choice. He'd have to limit changing bodies in the future, or at least until he acquired more power.
Once he was satisfied with his new appearance, Mammon walked out and waved at Wren.
The boy looked at the demon’s new form with wonder, but after the initial shock wore off, Wren simply nodded. “I forgot that elementals could change forms… I still like your old one better though, Mona.”
Mammon smiled, his voice low and baritone now. “I know. This is just temporary. We can’t get much done if both of us look like children. I’ll be back before you know it!”
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The boy nodded again. It only took a few minutes to find the types of business that suited Mammon’s needs, although it took a lot longer to find the right establishment. He had to feel the ambient Greed levels around each company, rejecting the more uptight ones before finally settling on a place with just the right amount of corruption. Mammon and Wren found themselves standing in front of a beautiful two-story building just off the outskirts of town. The sign read: Ashford Management Company.
“Okay,” Mammon said as he addressed the boy, “Just follow my lead and observe what I do from now on. We’re going to rent a place to stay, but I can assume that we’d need proper identification of some kind to do so.”
“Yeah… but we don’t have any of that, right?”
“Correct,” the demon continued, “But remember that you won’t be able to get very far in life if you allow every rule and regulation to stand in your way. As I said, watch what I do, and remember it well, Wren. You need to learn. Remember, don't speak this time; just watch and learn.”
A fierce look of determination appeared in the boy’s eyes. “Okay, Mona, I won’t let you down!”
Mammon gave him a confident smile and walked in the open doors. A professional receptionist greeted the two as they entered.
“Welcome to the Ashford Company,” the woman said in a pleasantly professional tone, “Can I help you?”
She had a basic staff uniform on, but something about the way that the woman presented herself made Mammon suspect that she was a lot more important than she led on. The demon decided to play it safe and treat this woman with respect.
“Yes,” Mammon replied with his own well-practiced smile, “We’re here to inquire about renting a place to stay, short term only, perhaps no more than a month or two.”
The faintest whiff of desire told Mammon that the woman was only mildly interested in the prospect of renting a place for the two. She was interested in the two well-dressed strangers, but only just.
Her disinterest didn’t show in her voice, if nothing else, Mammon thought, she was a professional when it came to making her clients feel welcomed.
“Of course, we have a variety of homes available, is there anything in particular you are looking for?”
Mammon walked closer and leaned on the counter, studying the woman closer. “Yes, I am on a business trip here, and I need somewhere safe for my son to stay when I am away. My job…”
Mammon gave the receptionist a dramatic pause before taking out his purse and spilling out the remainder of his coin on the counter. There was still over 190 gold in total, even after all of their spending and giving Wren his share. The Avarice emitting from the woman increased almost immediately and she gave Mammon a knowing nod.
“You require something discreet, correct?”
Mammon nodded and pushed a few of the coins over to the receptionist’s side. Understanding his action immediately, the woman pocketed a few of them before giving Mammon her full attention. “Well, you came to the right place, sir. If you would please come with me to the back room, we can discuss your options in more detail.”
Mammon grinned before putting his coins back. The woman took that time to shout something and another girl came scrambling out from the back. Some quick instructions and the new girl manned the front while the receptionist guided us to a small room in the back. She gestured for the two to sit while preparing them some tea and snacks.
Once everyone had something to drink, the woman gave Mammon a low bow before introducing herself. “I am Ashford, it is a pleasure to meet you, and I hope we can work together in the future”
Mammon returned her greeting with a nod of his head. “Please call me Amon. It is likewise my pleasure to meet the proprietor of this establishment.”
“Of course, Master Amon. Can I assume that your needs will be…”
“Completely under the tables, as it were, no traces of my presence at all,” Mammon finished, “I’m sure that you do not need the details of why this is, correct?”
Ashford shook her head. “I wouldn’t be in this industry if I pried into the lives of my clients, but my silence will cost extra.”
“I would expect nothing less,” Mammon replied before passing her even more gold.
Mammon was sure that this Ashford woman dealt with quite a bit more than just selling and renting housing, but he didn’t want to risk spooking the woman by asking for anything distinctly illegal, at least not before he earned her trust. The demon knew he needed a foot in the underworld eventually, if for no other reason than to acquire fake identifications for both himself and Wren, and Ashford seemed like just the person for that job.
“I am glad that you understand, Master Amon,” she replied, her smile still as professional as always. “But I do need to know some requirements so that I may properly find a location that meets your requirements. Please tell me what you can, good sir.”
Mammon took another sip of his drink before replying. “We need somewhere in a nicer part of town, centralized if possible. I’ll be busy with my job for a while, so we’d like a discreet location for now. I plan to get a nicer home once I’m properly set up.”
Ashford thought for a moment before nodding slowly. “Discreet and centralized… we have several options for that. Anything else?”
“Yes,” Mammon continued, “The place should be comfortable and fully furnished and we’ll be needing servants soon, preferably within the week. Do you know of a reputable local where we can hire tight-lipped workers?”
The woman grinned. “We offer those services as well, if you would like, and I can also guarantee that they will not speak of anything that happens during their stay. Of course, there are other companies that offer similar services, and I would be glad to refer you to some of them.”
“We’ll take your services,” Mammon replied quickly, “I don’t have the time nor patience to shop around, and money is of no concern to me; I value my time more than the few coins that I might save. I trust that your company also offers… other services as well?”
Ashford thought for a moment before nodding. “Yes… but those are services we only provide to long-standing customers. I hope you can understand.”
“Smart, I would expect nothing less.”
The lady bowed low again. “Thank you for understanding, Master Amon.”
“We’re not picky about the location of a temporary home,” Mammon continued, “Have someone show us to the location you think best, and we can seal the deal tonight if all goes well. You can have someone come in to assist us once my boy and I settle in. I hope I can also trust your company to assist us in securing a more permanent home in the future as well?”
“Only if you find our services satisfactory,” she answered with a smile. Ashford still appeared calm, but trying to hide the anticipation of a lucrative deal from the Archdemon of Greed was impossible. Mammon knew that he had her hooked.
“Excellent,” the demon said, “Please show us your recommendations.”