Chapter Text
‘Have you gotten it yet?’ the cloaked man asked demandingly.
‘Took a few slit throats, but yes.’
Rummaging in the folds of his clothes, the bandit held out a small golden item that the handmaiden couldn’t make out from her hiding place. Shuddering at the bandit’s comment, she desperately wanted to move, to run away, but if she alerted either of these men to her presence, she was dead. There was nothing to do but continue sitting here in the closet, stiff with fear, her clothes sticking to her with cold sweat, and hope she would go unnoticed.
‘Finally. It took you long enough.’
The cloaked man reached out to snatch the golden item from the bandit’s hand, but before he could, it was moved quickly away.
‘Ah-ah-ah!’ the bandit tutted. ‘Payment first. Just like we agreed.’
‘I’ve got it.’
‘It’s fresh? Drawn right from the vein?’ the bandit questioned eagerly.
The handmaiden frowned in confusion. She couldn’t understand what they were talking about.
‘Of course. Who do you take me for?’
In one smooth motion, the cloaked man slipped something into his palm and tossed it towards the bandit, who held it out to examine under the light of the lantern. The handmaiden squinted to see what it was and hurriedly clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle a shocked gasp when her eyes fell on a slim vial of pitch black liquid substance. She had heard of this before, tales of those with magic so thick in their veins that their blood ran black, but privately did not believe it could be true. Surely, she had thought, this was only one more of those fantastical claims people made about mages. Yet here it was, gleaming that undeniable black right in front of her.
‘Pleasure doing business with you,’ the bandit smirked, handing over the golden item.
‘You as well, oh King of Thieves.’
This time, the handmaiden could not stifle her sharp exhale and pure terror rushed through her when she saw the King of Thieves ears’ twitch and the cloaked man turn in her direction. He stepped forward and moved towards the closet, opening the doors wide open. He was close enough to the handmaiden for her to see the face hidden beneath the cloak’s hood and the shock of it cut right through her building terror. Not because he was disturbing to look at in any way, though part of her had expected it to be so. No, the cloaked man was not a man, but a boy her own age… and he was beautiful.
‘It seems,’ he drawled, ‘we have a little rat scurrying around.’
- “The Snake and the Silken Dagger”, Prologue
As soon as their eyes met, Kalim heard the System’s chime in his head.
[Contact with the protagonist: confirmed!]
[Jamil Viper profile: unlocked!]
The relief was immediate.
Stood in the front of the cage bars was the entire reason for Kalim’s trip to the zoo. He was small and rather thin, wearing a well-worn men’s shirt coloured a faded red that, on him, looked something like a dress. It hung down to his knees, barely obscuring a pair of patches on his raggedy pants which ended in loose thread just above his ankles, like they had been unevenly hacked short. He set a bucket of water down at his feet. Kalim recognised his face instantly – and just as quickly banished that train of thought from his mind. It didn’t matter who he looked like or otherwise resembled, just that he was here. Finally seeing his favourite character in person was worth every bit of pain and terror Kalim had endured so far.
Kalim watched in breathless awe as Jamil unhesitatingly held out his hand through the bars to gently pat the tiger’s head. He didn’t fear the man-eating beast at all and the tiger not only tolerated his touch, but leaned in to it, chuffing. There was no hint of that terrifying growl that scared the wits out of Kalim moments earlier. It was like Jamil had worked magic on them both with just his presence.
‘Don’t worry,’ Jamil said to him, ‘she won’t eat you.’
‘B-but… the zoo…zookeeper s-said…!’ Kalim stammered.
‘The zookeeper is a fool.’ Jamil dismissively.
‘So she isn’t a maneater?’ Kalim asked hopefully.
‘Oh she is.’ Jamil said, seemingly oblivious to the look of horror on Kalim’s face. ‘But she never eats kids.’
The tiger chuffed at Jamil. Kalim eyed her warily. It didn’t look like she was going to eat him anymore, so he supposed he would have to take Jamil’s word for it.
‘I know you, but he doesn’t. He thought you were going to eat him!’ Jamil scolded, turning back to her.
‘You’re… speaking to her?’ Kalim asked in wonder.
Speaking to and understanding animals was a real thing in the world of SASD, just like magic was. Gathering information from animals was a plot point more than once and he’d known the protagonist could speak to tigers and snakes specifically. But wasn’t he supposed to learn that skill much later, long after he’d already left the zoo behind? Kalim was pretty sure he remembered that being mentioned at some point.
‘Yeah, I can understand her.’ Jamil nodded. ‘I can’t speak like her too well yet, but she’s intelligent so she understands me anyway.’
Well, it wasn’t too important a detail. Kalim could be misremembering. The important thing was that the protagonist had stopped the tiger from eating him! He’d saved Kalim’s life when there was no benefit to doing so. He was such a hero!
[User, do not forget that the protagonist is a villain.]
‘He’s not one right now, is he? Saving people is a heroic thing to do!’
[The protagonist always has a hidden motive; he does nothing without receiving some kind of benefit in return.]
‘Tell me, what “benefit” could there be in saving a thieving street rat? Jamil is getting himself into trouble by doing this, as far as he knows! It’s not like he has any idea who I am. And anyway he’s my hero and that’s the important part!’
‘You’re the smartest boy I’ve ever met!’ Kalim said, ignoring the System’s exasperated sigh.
Jamil visibly preened for a moment, before catching himself.
‘You must know a lot of stupid people then,’ he said.
‘I think I’m the stupid one.’ Kalim confessed mournfully. ‘I’m the one who went and got myself thrown in here because the zookeeper thought I’m a thief – I’m not though, I swear! I never stole anything!’
Jamil stared at him consideringly.
‘I believe you,’ he said.
After the unceremonious way he’d been blamed for something he didn’t do just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, those words were sweet to hear.
‘I kept trying to tell the zookeeper I didn’t do it, but he didn’t listen. He just kept on blaming me for stealing some stupid magestone. And he just… threw me in here to die.’ Kalim said, shuddering at the memory of the malicious glee on the zookeeper’s face.
‘He does that a lot.’ Jamil told him. ‘When he bought the tiger, he took her cub away from her and sold him to a hunter. I remember him wearing this ugly cloak made of baby animal hides, all sorts. It nearly made me sick when I saw it.’
The tiger growled and snapped her jaws. Kalim’s heart sank. He understood the implications without needing them spelled out for him.
‘You can’t mean…’ he breathed in shocked dismay.
Jamil nodded solemnly, grimacing.
‘She went crazy after that. Didn’t let anybody near her, even to give her food. That’s why he forced me to start doing it – he owns me, so I’m expendable. I think he thought she’d kill me.’
Clearly, that wasn’t what ended up happening. The tiger seemed to really like Jamil. Though Kalim still didn’t believe she wouldn’t have eaten him if he didn’t intervene when he did, after hearing that awful story, he couldn’t help feeling bad for her. The novel mentioned the whole “selling animal hides” thing a couple of times, but never in such horrific detail. Killing and skinning a tiger cub for its pelt? It made his stomach turn just thinking about it. Kalim didn’t understand how anybody could do such a cruel thing just to get some money. The zookeeper had deserved exactly what he got in the novel and Kalim wouldn’t let him get away with it here either if he could help it.
‘That’s awful.’ Kalim said softly.
‘The zookeeper is just that kind of man. He’ll do worse to you if stay here.’ Jamil said.
He reached down into the bucket of water at his feet, fishing out a large key.
‘I’m going to let you out of here. And then you have to leave.’
‘Won’t you get into trouble for letting me go?’ Kalim asked.
‘I have a plan.’ Jamil said.
‘What kind of plan?’
‘It’s none of your business, is it? Don’t you want to get out of here before the zookeeper notices something’s wrong?’ Jamil said pointedly.
‘But I want to help you!’ Kalim said.
Jamil gave him a once-over and snorted.
‘What could you possibly help me with?’ he rolled his eyes.
No way could just let the protagonist kick him out after going through all this. He was here to free him, not abandon him in the zoo, of all places. Kalim had to convince him he was worth keeping around. Unfortunately, there was only thing he could offer Jamil at the moment. So Kalim put his hand behind his back and reached into his personal storage, taking out the money pouch he’d hidden in there for exactly this purpose. He opened it slightly to let Jamil see inside and held it out, just out of reach.
‘How about this?’ Kalim said.
Jamil’s eyes widened. He glanced between the money and Kalim.
‘Where did you get it?’ he asked sharply.
‘I didn’t steal it! It’s all mine.’ Kalim said.
‘You could just be lying to me.’ Jamil said, doubtful.
‘I’d never lie to the one who saved my life!’ Kalim insisted.
‘What if I said I wanted the zookeeper dead? Still want to help?’ Jamil challenged.
‘I don’t care! That man is the worst and you’re completely in the right to kill him!’ Kalim declared passionately.
Startled, Jamil stared at him like he’d grown a second head. Kalim wondered if maybe he’d gotten a little too carried away. It was too late to take anything back though and he was only telling the truth, wasn’t he?
‘We’ve only just met and you’re willing to commit murder with me?’ Jamil said incredulously.
‘The zookeeper threw me in a cage for his tiger to eat and you saved me! I don’t care what happens to him, okay? I just want to help you. Come on, I’ll do anything!’ Kalim pleaded.
Jamil stared at him.
‘Anything huh?’ he repeated thoughtfully. ‘Give me that money then.’
Without a second thought, Kalim put the pouch into Jamil’s hand. Jamil frowned at it, counting the amount.
The System chimed with a notification and its red screen popped up in front of him.
[Achievement unlocked: Fateful First Meeting!]
After that, the red screen shifted.
[Story Quest unlocked. Would user like to accept the Story Quest?]
‘What’s the reward, System?’
[Story Quest: “Under the Snake’s Thrall”.
Objective: Aid the protagonist in his revenge on his cruel master.
Reward: The protagonist’s trust, 350 R-Points. Story Progression: 0%]
The title this time was about as ominous as it’d been for the Tutorial Quest, at least if you knew the story of “The Snake and the Silken Dagger” as well as Kalim did. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what it could be referring to. For a moment, Kalim debated how willing he was to go through with this.
The System prompted him again, its display showing a yes or no button.
[Would user like to accept the Story Quest?]
Then again, was this even really a choice? It wasn’t like he had a goal other than giving Jamil a happy ending and earning his trust was vital to that. Kalim was willing to do whatever it took regardless. Accepting the System’s quest only meant he would be given some of those mysterious R-Points for it and finally be able to afford something from the shop. This was a no-brainer. Thinking little of it, Kalim tapped the yes button on the System display.
[Story Quest: “Under the Snake’s Thrall” Successfully Accepted!]
Jamil finished counting and hid the money pouch in the folds of his clothes.
Kalim’s heart leapt when Jamil stood on his tiptoes to push open the latch, shirt riding up just enough to reveal the rope cinching his pants at his waist, and inserted the key into the keyhole. After a moment of fiddling, he turned the key and unlocked the cage door, tugging it open. Kalim wasted no time scrambling to get out, tripping in his haste.
Jamil reached out to steady him with one hand, the other clenched tightly at his side.
‘Careful.’
‘S-sorry.’ Kalim said, flushing in embarrassment.
He stepped out of the cage’s shadow, relishing in being free and alive. Never before had the heat of sunlight on his face felt so good. Kalim had almost resigned himself to a horrific end, but it looked like he could still complete his plan! Jamil saved him from the tiger, so he had all the justification he needed for helping to free him from slavery. All that was left to do was help him in his plan to take down the zookeeper, which Kalim had absolutely no objections to. The zookeeper was a cruel and vile slave-owner who should not be allowed near kids or animals.
Not to mention, he was doomed to die at the protagonist’s hands eventually anyway, Kalim would only be helping speed that process along. The faster that man died, the less time he had to abuse others. And maybe after this, Jamil would regard Kalim more positively. He wanted to prove he could be helpful, that they could get along as friends. It was a shame the first step would take such drastic measures, but Jamil had been hurt many times throughout his life, it made sense he would need a security net first if he wanted to let someone in. Kalim only hoped it wouldn’t take too much out of him to cast the spell… though what was he even thinking? Jamil wasn’t like him, he always thought things through.
‘You’re not some street kid at all, are you?’ Jamil said.
‘No, I’m not.’ Kalim confirmed.
‘I thought you were lying before, but… that really is your money you gave me, isn’t it? You must be some kind of rich kid.’ Jamil said confidently, before looking him over and adding: ‘Even though you don’t look it.’
‘How did you know?’ Kalim asked.
‘You trusted me too easily. Gave me all that money without thinking twice about it. No street kid would ever do that.’ Jamil said.
‘Oh.’
Kalim had thought he would have to try and prove his identity as the Asim heir somehow and here Jamil was, realising the truth himself! He never should have underestimated the protagonist’s intelligence. Of course he would figure it out without needing to be told anything. He was so smart!
Jamil sighed.
‘Honestly, what were you thinking? I could’ve just taken the money and left you in the cage to rot, you know.’
It’d never occurred to Kalim that might happen. He smiled sheepishly.
‘Oh. Right. I didn’t think of that!’ he admitted.
‘What’s your name anyway?’ Jamil asked.
‘I’m Kalim Al-Asim!’ Kalim said.
‘”Asim” huh… Well, then. I’m Jamil Viper.’ Jamil introduced himself.
‘It’s nice to meet you!’ Kalim said cheerfully, smiling for the first time since he arrived at the circus.
‘I wish I could say the same thing.’ Jamil said coldly, eyes narrowed in mistrust.
Kalim’s smile faltered. He knew what was coming already but seeing that expression on that face would never not hurt.
‘W-what?’
Out of the corner of his eyes, Kalim spotted the glimmer of a magestone in Jamil’s clenched hand.
His eyes flicked back to Jamil’s.
‘You…’ Kalim breathed, remembering why he had been thrown into that cage in the first place.
The moment their gazes met, he heard Jamil cast the spell.
‘The one you see before you is your master. Answer when I ask, obey when I command. Snake Whisper.’