Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

1711 Recommendation Token

Jivem asked Eren before bringing his wine glass to his lips.

He took a deliberate sip and allowed the wine to mingle with his taste buds for a bit before sending it down his throat. Then he looked at Eren, waiting for his answer.

"I'm glad you think so highly of me, Archpriest Jivem. I really do." Eren swirled the wine in his glass and inhaled its aroma before speaking further.

"But I'm afraid I'd have to turn down your offer. Not because I don't want to keep working with you. But because some other things take priority."

Eren patiently told Jivem about his plan to leave the Naahak kingdom. He wanted to go to the Aksar kingdom, which was still within the jurisdiction of the Kaisaayan empire. However, it was practically at the opposite end of the empire, far away from Brol.

Eren told Jivem that he wanted to become a bona fide Demon Slayer recognized by the empire. And joining Kaaysaayan's Demon Slayer Corps that was headquartered in the Aksar kingdom would be an ideal start for him.

Jivem could understand why Eren had taken this decision.

To someone as capable as Eren, joining the Demon Slayer Corps presented him with promising opportunities. He could acquire a Tantra for himself without being associated with a particular faith. He could get premium-grade Ranking resources while slaying demons. That too without additional strings attached to him.

"Maybe I would come back to you in a few years after getting recognized as a Demon Slayer," Eren emptied his wine glass and placed it on the table before speaking further in a determined voice. "However, I need to see what the Onianum continent has to offer to me first. I'm sure you understand how I feel."

"I… I do," Jivem sighed as he reclined in his chair. "So that's it, huh? I have to say that this region is bound to get more chaotic than before without your presence. And I'm not trying to guilt-

trip you into staying here. I'm merely stating the facts."

Eren smiled before speaking to Jivem in a subtly cheerful voice.

"I'm sure the Ishgaar's Templars in Brol will eventually be able to figure things out. The foundation you have established wouldn't get shaken because of a mere mercenary leaving your fold.

If nothing works, you could always ask for God Ishgaar's temples in other regions for help."

"Things aren't as simple as you make them out to be, young man," Jivem shook his head in denial.

"You know about the eventual arrival of the Hvergelmir Springs, right? The unrest that you have witnessed in Brol is omnipresent in every corner of the world these days. Everyone is busy saving their own house here. Who has time to douse the burning abode of their neighbors?

Plus, there's politics involved if I start asking for help from others. This is the kind of politics I don't want to deal with for as long as I can avoid. Why do you think I started employing mercenaries like you in the first place?

I… I won't bore you with problems that I have to sort out on my own. Let's just say that an Archpriest's seat is not as comfy as one imagines," Jivem looked as if he was lost in his own train of thought for a bit. But he snapped out of it just as quickly before asking Eren.

"Anyway. I wish you all the best for your journey ahead. Is there anything I can do besides giving you your dues for a job well done?"

Jivem asked as he looked at Eren. Since Eren had made up his mind, Jivem didn't try to change it. It was better to maintain a cordial relationship with a future member of the Demon Slayer Corps after all. Jivem could use this connection with Eren in the future if the latter really turned out to be successful.

"Actually," Eren sat upright in his chair before speaking.

"There indeed is something you could do for me.

You… you could give me a recommendation token from Ishgaar's temple. I know what it means for you to extend such a courtesy to me, if and when you agree to it. Let's just say that I'd be grateful if your answer is yes."

Eren stated his demands disguised as requests unabashedly. This was one of the primary reasons why he had been grinding so much for the past five months.

The recommendation token he could receive from Archpriest Jivem and Ishgaar's faith by proxy was bound to help him in the future as he entered the Demon Slayer Corps. It could bypass a lot of tedious and potentially dangerous hurdles attached to his identity, enabling him to be a part of one of the most prominent non-faith-based organizations in Labh Salem without blowing his cover.

The manhunt for Aleph's inheritor had begun in Labh Salem. Eren wanted to adopt a safer approach by integrating himself with Labh Salem's society. And receiving a recommendation token from Ishgaar's temple was a firm step towards that integration.

He knew that he was only delaying the inevitable. If not a year, then a decade. If not a decade, then a century. Someday his enemies would be able to track him if and when they organized their search efforts. But the "when" part of that inevitability mattered more to Eren than anything else.

Usually, the recommendation tokens weren't something that one could demand. And they were certainly not for someone who had been linked with a prominent organization like Ishgaar's temple for a measly five months.

However, Eren had successfully created an unforgettable impression in Jivem's mind. He had increased his value as a potential ally in his eyes in an organic manner. He had spent his time and efforts in making sure that Jivem understood the value of investing in him.

"Oh!" Jivem chuckled before ensuring Eren.

"Hahaha. So that's how you want to do things. It's actually not surprising when I think about where you come from.

Rest assured– you'll get your recommendation token. Just wait for a couple of days and it'll be given to you along with the rest of your payment and rewards."

Eren and Jivem chatted for a while after sorting out a few things. In the end, Eren bid adieu to the Archpriest, retiring to the same inn he had been occupying intermittently for the past five months.

One could say that the meeting ended on a good note for both of them.