Have Mercy ♱ JesBible ♱

Where Lines Blur

"Jes, good to see you," Lord Bas greeted him with a strange glint in his eye. Jes felt a prickle of unease at his smile—he'd never seen the Lord smile like that before. There's something he's planning, Jes thought, bracing himself for whatever was coming.

"Sit down," Lord Bas said, gesturing with a smirk toward the massive table in the dining room. Unlike most places in hell, this room wasn't dark; Lord Bas had a particular taste, and his colors were always... different. Jes took a seat, glancing over the table, which was set with fine wine and food as if for a celebration. He must've looked puzzled because Lord Bas caught it right away.

"You're wondering why I called you here," he said, his smirk widening as he signaled the servants to pour the wine. Several demonesses swept in, dancing their way to Jes's side, pouring the wine in elaborate, graceful gestures. Jes didn't spare them a glance, keeping his eyes fixed on Lord Bas, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the performance.

"Lord Bas, just tell me why you called me here. I don't have time for this," Jes said bluntly, raising an eyebrow.

"Well," Bas replied, "you've served your punishment, and now we can celebrate your release, can't we?" He lifted his wine cup to toast. "A toast to you, Commander Jes," he said, emphasizing the title with a slight smirk.

"So, as you may have heard, I'd like to offer you another chance as Commander of our most important army." His tone turned more serious.

"You want me to return to the Border?" Jes asked, watching him closely.

"Correct. As we both know, no one is as skilled as you when it comes to dismantling the heavenly realm," Bas said with a glint in his eye. "In your absence, we've taken some... losses. But I can see your dedication to atonement," he added, a note of satisfaction in his voice.

"The situation at the Outer Border—Limbus—is escalating," Lord Bas continued, pausing to take a slow sip of wine. "As you know, it's always been a contested area, but it seems the heavenly realm has gained the upper hand. In your absence, we've lost many of our finest warriors. So, it's not just about reclaiming our territory; we also need to build a new force."

Jes felt a familiar irritation bubbling up. There was always some reason behind Bas's summons—sometimes to execute one of his outlandish plans, and other times to clean up the messes he'd made. Jes wasn't exactly thrilled at the thought of returning to war, but he knew he didn't have much choice.

Besides, if he took this mission, it would keep him from drawing too much attention to his true purpose: finding Bible. War preparations would allow him to keep searching in peace, under the cover of duty. With that thought, Jes gave no objection.

"Well, I see I can count on you," Lord Bas said, lacing his fingers together with a satisfied smile.

"When do I start?" Jes asked without missing a beat.

"That's the enthusiasm I like to hear," Bas replied, clapping his hands together. "We'll meet tomorrow at the military base camp. There, you'll get a full briefing on the situation. We'll also introduce you to the new soldiers you'll be training." As Jes stood to leave, Bas called out, "Ah, and Commander Jes."

Jes paused, turning back.

"You won't find what you're searching for. You're dismissed," Bas said, raising his hand.

The words struck Jes in the chest like a cold blade. He cursed Bas silently with every name he could think of, forcing himself to stay steady. Bas was baiting him—Jes knew that much.

But what if he was right? The doubt crept in, no matter how much he tried to shake it off. Does he know where Bible is? Jes wondered, determined to find out. And if Bas had any clue, Jes would uncover it. There were plenty of people he could still ask, plenty of ways to keep searching.