The Devil's way of business

Chapter 16 : Witches and demons

Reed sat inside his dream as his friend or the other Count visited " Oh are reading the books I gave you ? " " Yeah there is so much history I am learning from " " Of course you would be learning a lot from it after all I'm the one who wrote it "

" I know but this is really amazing how some of our history isn't true ? " " Of course , they aren't human beings who like to tell lies for their benefit but in the end it is just a means to an end it's nothing very important "

" Are there other life out there ? " " Yeah but I stopped visiting they have nothing special there not like this world who has something that attracted like you " an appendage stretches to mess with Reed's hair a little .

" But isn't it time for you to cut your hair I heard winter ended so it would be in your interest to have it cut " " I could just tie it " " You could huh then I'll grab a book for you to read " " But this book is already good enough " " Come on you know your dreaming time is vastly different than others "

" Yeah I know but I think I like having one book first " Reed said as he continued reading excited for it " " Alright I'll take care of however is outside " " There's people outside the house ? " " Of course , they want to kill you I'll give you a book about all the recorded assasinations "

Count disappeared as they went to mess with the assassin's mind and then Reed sighed continuing his reading as Count returned eating some kind of body that looked like Reed " Ehh what why are you eating that ? "

" It's what they envisioned I got rid of it to get them away of course I made sure to implant some memories inside them " " That's just like magic " " Oh yeah there is magic but recently they seem to be reducing it's probably got to do with getting magic from other worlds "

Reed felt an interest as he told Count " I'm gonna buy as many magical artifacts as it doesn't matter if they are cursed and all " " How reckless " " But you will protect me right ? "

Count smiled " Sure little Reed I'll help you however don't dabble with the magic arts after all there were a lot of things like selling your soul to the devil "

" I won't I'm just gonna learn anyways plus with the money and influence required to find these I'm sure I can get some witchcraft I heard some innocent women were accused of witchcraft when they couldn't even read "

" You could just have me eat up their suspicions " " Yeah but you eat the branches not the root of the problem maybe I can buy them under the pretense of interest and to remove the suspicion of innocent women having done witchcraft "

Reed excitedly said as the dream changed " Don't forget to read the books you said you wanted " " I know knowledge is power " " Your knowledge of assassins would help you prepare and maybe find some bodyguards to take care of them " " But I have you "

Count smiled as they recalled what Reed had said " That's true but I take care of the branch not the root of the problem " " Ahh you used my words against me " Reed said upon realization of what Count had said " That means I helped you the same way you helped me "

" Oh that makes sense then should I look into educating the illiterate after I collect witchcraft materials ? " " Sure but you may as well expand your influence first if the people start being suspicious of you they might revolt "

Reed agreed " If they live a good life they might be fine with having business with the devil " " Oh the little angel Reed Count is calling himself a devil " " Hey you would have been called a devil too you know " " I would wouldn't I "

Count laughed as Reed thought about education " Say how do you know a lot about the world ? " " Same way I know about you " " Ehh memories ? Does the world have a will ? " " No it doesn't but the world can forget it's past think of it as a much higher plane than this plane and I have access to it "