Eye that Peeks at the End
Delitoph, the evil god who found the world of harmonious peace unbearably boring and bestowed curses and gifts simultaneously upon a few mortals who disrupted that harmony. In stark contrast, Esperanna, the goddess who sought to create a world free of suffering and always guided mortals like a beacon. The favor of gods and transcendents whose power far surpassed mortals, the Myth Shop where one could acquire their mighty relics using grace. I already knew all of it.
After all, I'd seen it countless times while playing Shadows Choice.
Even so, I couldn't help but be shocked by the message that appeared before me.
Why the hell is it showing this to me?
It was natural for gods and transcendents to hold special favor toward individuals. Some even played important roles in the original game. But seeing that favor directly and using grace to buy special relics from the Myth Shop was a privilege exclusive to the protagonist. Specifically, it was an ability the protagonist somehow gained after getting caught in the event that kicked off the main story in the prologue.
Why did Vermin have it?
Maybe it was a glitch in the message. I moved my fingers through the air to open the Myth Shop, expecting an "access denied" error.
Contrary to my expectations, the Myth Shop I'd seen in the game materialized right before my eyes.
Acquire relics from gods whose favor you've earned using grace.
Seeing the Myth Shop with my own eyes only made my head spin even more.
It made sense not to buy Delitoph's relics and just stockpile grace. True to his nature as an evil god, each relic granted immense power alongside a horrific curse. Even in the original game, no matter which villain route you took, you never bought Delitoph's relics. Purchasing even one sent you straight to a solo annihilation route where destruction, revenge—none of it mattered.
Maybe Vermin had seen through that and acted shrewdly.
The real problem was Gema listed above him.
Gema was the primordial god, the creator at the pinnacle of the world's pantheon. As such, Gema never appeared directly, and you couldn't build favor or earn grace to buy relics from him.
Yet there it was, plain as day: Gema's Myth Shop entry. And with enough favor to actually use grace.
Unable to contain my curiosity, I opened Gema's shop.
Grace Held: 100
A relic I'd never seen before, and the description didn't make its effects entirely clear. I had 100 grace, and it cost 50... Should I just buy it?
I purchased the Eye that Peeks at the End from Gema's shop.
As I waited to see what it did, a new message appeared.
Would you like to view the end of another choice?
[1] Yes [2] No
Did it mean it would show the ending from the other choice earlier—the one where I freed the slave?
Vermin's ending if he freed the slaves? Perfect, that's exactly what I wanted to see.
As soon as I selected the option, scenes began playing out like a movie.
A barren wasteland night where not even animals or plants could be seen. A group of people huddled around a single torch.
While one slave dug into the barren soil with a shovel, veins bulging on his gnarled arms, two men in black clothes standing nearby smoked and chatted idly.
"Lately, there've been so many pests crawling around. They think the world's chaos makes them heroes or something?"
"Yeah. Instead of profiting off the chaos, they throw their lives away. Pathetic."
"Imports are already down, and the future looks bleak. Time to plan a new business."
"Don't worry. There's still plenty of ways to make money."
The two men cackled among themselves. Meanwhile, the large sack at their feet kept wriggling.
One man casually stepped on the sack and pressed down, then said to the slave, "That's deep enough. Come out now."
The slave climbed out of the narrow, deep pit, and the man dragged the sack over, tossing it in. It hit the bottom with a thud, wriggling even more violently.
Looking down from above, the two men dropped their pants and pissed on the sack.
"Should've stayed quiet. Know how much money you cost us? If you were gonna get caught, at least go down easy—or be weaker."
"World's in chaos, so you're strong, suddenly wanna be a hero? Fucking idiot."
After finishing, they flicked their cigarettes onto the sack one by one and ordered the slave, "Cover it."
A sticky mixture that would soon harden began piling over the sack. Just before it was completely buried, one man looked down and laughed.
"See ya, Vermin."
A chill ran down my spine.
The outcome of freeing slaves was the other slave traders ganging up on a penniless, friendless me. Choosing the "good" option just earned the villains' grudge.
I'd nearly fucked up big time. That choice had literally decided my life or death.
As I froze in shock, another message appeared.
[!] Delitoph yawns, calling it an obvious ending.
[!] Esperanna sighs.
Your self-inflicted infamy, but she seems to understand you had no choice at the moment.
Esperanna's Favor +1
Using the relic apparently affected the favor of the gods who watched the ending with me.
Understanding even this—truly, a benevolent goddess is different. The evil god, on the other hand, seemed utterly unimpressed.
"Master Vermin?"
The voice snapped me back to reality with a start. Yenika had approached without me noticing and was looking up at me.
"You didn't respond, so I came to check. Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing."
Yenika gazed at me for a moment, nodded, and turned to lead the way again.
I tabled my questions about the Myth Shop for now and hurried after her.
Following the echoing noisy corridor around a corner, I saw a man rampaging with a sword in hand.
Yenika quietly stepped back, as if her role ended here, and I walked forward toward the troublemaker.
Spotting me, he immediately pointed his sword and shouted, "You're Vermin, aren't you?!"
"Yes."
"You call this shit slaves and sell them?!"
The man waved his sword threateningly, visibly agitated. The blade, over a meter long, was intimidating aimed at me, but nothing compared to what I'd just witnessed. Thanks to that, I kept my cool and asked in a low voice, "Who are you, and what the hell are you doing in my place of business?"
"Who am I? Allen, northern swordsman majoring in swordsmanship at the Imperial Academy!"
Allen. First time hearing the name. Majoring in swordsmanship at the Imperial Academy meant above-average skill, but in a main story crawling with monsters, he was probably just a passing extra.
An Imperial Academy graduate buying slaves at a black market? What a world.
As I stared silently, Allen burst out in frustration. "I bought ten female slaves here last week, and every one was lifeless and scrawny! Don't you even train them properly?"
"Bought them here?"
"Yeah! I have the transaction receipt! Selling trash like this—give me my money back!"
"Ha."
I couldn't help but chuckle at his nonsense. I knew how the Slave Warehouse operated from the original game.
"Laughing?"
"This isn't a place that sells lively slaves. The ones here are rejects, mostly for sacrifices or experiments. If you wanted what you're after, you should've gone to another warehouse."
"Even so...!"
"You come here because you can't afford premium stock, yet expect well-trained slaves? No money, no conscience."
Allen, speechless at my words, gripped his sword tighter after a pause. Not content with being broke and conscienceless, he'd lost his fear and patience too.
"You fucker, I'm gonna kill you."
Allen growled like he meant it right then. Survival was my top priority—threats like that? Unacceptable.
Yenika, now beside me, offered the sheathed sword from her belt. I smoothly drew it. First time holding a real blade, but my body moved with uncanny familiarity, every muscle remembering how to wield it.
I naturally aimed it at Allen and warned, "Lower your sword."
"You dare threaten a northern swordsman?"
Choices appeared. Refund annoyingly, or teach Allen a lesson. So obviously tilted, no hesitation.
"If you won't lower it, I'll make you."
With those words, my arm twitched—or so it felt. I almost doubted I'd swung.
But the air tore with a rip, and Allen dropped his sword. More precisely, the hand gripping it fell to the floor.
Allen didn't even notice at first in the blur. Only after the sword clanged did he scream belatedly.
"Aaaagh!!! My hand, my hand!!!"
As Allen clutched his wrist and rolled on the ground, I sheathed the sword in Yenika's scabbard and asked her, "Any healers here?"
"Yes. One on standby for healing self-harming slaves."
"Cost of healing?"
"Per the contract..."
"Not free, got it."
I glanced at the trembling Allen sprawled on the floor, turned away, and said indifferently, "Collar that bastard and throw him in a warehouse too. No need to heal the wrist."
"Understood. That makes 388 in this Slave Warehouse..."
"Did I ask?"
"My apologies."
I walked past the bowing Yenika.
For now, I had to play the villain. At the same time, I needed power beyond crushing small fry like this—strong enough to survive any monster attack.
Something fulfilling both? As I walked the corridor, it hit me.
"Yenika."
"You called?"
"Black magic trades lifespan for power, right?"
"Yes."
"Perfect."
Destination set. I'd acquire black magic earlier than in the original and grow powerful.
"Be cautious, sir. Those who wield black magic live at most a decade."
"That's more than enough."