When I returned to the half-ruined tower, I found Vergo sitting on the threshold, his head hanging low.

  "What’s got you down?" I asked.

  You should’ve seen his face. I thought his eyes were gonna pop right out of his skull.

  Handing him the knife, I said, "This should be enough. If it was too little, or if dried blood didn’t suit you, I knew where to find a few puddles of the fresh stuff." I delivered my report calmly and sat down beside him.

  Without taking his eyes off me, he took the knife. The fact that I was completely naked made the scene ten times more ridiculous.

  "Why are you alive?"

  "Hold your horses. Your part of the deal first. Tell me everything you knew about the Tenth Titan."

  "Are you the devil? Do you want the Titan to destroy the world?" The historian’s jaw dropped, his face pale. "Know this—they would never grant such a wish!" he stammered, breathless and visibly shaken.

  "No clue how you jumped to that conclusion, but no, I’m not the devil, and I’m not planning to destroy the world. As for my real wish… Ever heard the saying that if you speak a wish aloud, it’ll never come true? Think on that. Now, let’s get to business."

  "Fine," he swallowed nervously, finally tearing his gaze away from me. "I don’t know much, so don’t blame me if it’s not enough. And this is the honest truth. Most consider the Titan of Desires a myth, but there are a few stories that prove they exist. First, it’s said the Titan resides at the highest point in the world. Second, to have your wish granted, you need the blessings of all the other Titans."

  "And why the hell is that?"

  "Long ago, a mortal found the Tenth. They granted his wish, and he gained power rivaling the other Titans. In the eyes of the Pantheon, that’s unacceptable. So if you want to find the Tenth, you first have to earn their trust."

  "That’s it?" I pressed when he fell silent.

  "That’s it. In my travels, I’ve heard countless rumors, poems, and songs. But the only consistent details were the highest peak and the blessings. Personally, I can confirm the story about the man who gained power. That’s why I’m certain the Titan of Desires is real. But how to find them… I’m afraid you’ll have to figure that out yourself."

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  "No problem. The important thing is they exist," I exhaled in relief.

  So I’d have to meet the other Titans? Guess I really needed to expand my database on them.

  "That concludes our contract. Now, answer me—how did you survive?" He scratched his stubble uncertainly.

  "I’ll answer if we make a new contract."

  "Huh? What’s the point of that?"

  "I’m not talking about your magic. I mean human trust."

  "I don’t follow…"

  "Just tell me—can I trust you?" I put a hand on Vergo’s shoulder.

  "We barely know each other…" He hesitated, but at least he’d stopped trembling. "But even so, I won’t betray your secret. You have my word."

  "I’m immortal," I answered instantly.

  Was it stupid to reveal my secret? On one hand, yeah—if he broke his promise, others would find out, and some of them might not take kindly to it. On the other hand, I die so often that people would figure it out sooner or later anyway. So what’s the point of keeping it hidden? That’s why I wanted to "trust" Vergo and use his knowledge. If the gamble paid off, I could avoid trouble down the road.

  "Impossible… No such power exists." First, he didn’t believe his eyes. Now, he didn’t believe his ears.

  "After everything you’ve seen, you still don’t believe me?"

  "Wait…" He frowned, lost in thought. "Maybe it does exist…"

  Seemed he’d reached some conclusion but chose not to voice it.

  "But more importantly—I don’t know why I’m immortal. I don’t know anything. One day, I just woke up in this body with no memories." I lied about some parts.

  I wanted to break the cliche and tell him I came from another world, but he’d lose his damn mind if he heard that. Besides, after dying so many times across countless worlds, it didn’t even matter anymore.

  I hadn’t had a home in a long time.

  "That’s why I need your help," I continued. "I want to learn more about what’s going on around here. Can you be my temporary guide?"

  I needed to adapt to this new reality.

  I needed to prepare for the journey ahead.

  Vergo took a moment to think. Slipping a hand into one of his bag’s pockets, he fished out what sounded like a coin purse.

  After five minutes of silence, the historian finally spoke. "Truth is, my travels have dragged on, and my purse has suffered for it. I’m barely scraping by as it is, let alone affording hired help. If you’re willing to assist me for free, I’m ready to take the risk and trust you. Besides, if you wanted to rob me, you’d have done it already…" He rubbed his chin.

  "Can I take that as a yes?" I extended my hand first.

  Again, he hesitated. Couldn’t blame him.

  "Ah, if only my students were half as interested in my stories…" Vergo shook my hand.

  And just like that, we became temporary companions.