Twenty minutes had passed signing various contracts before he re-emerged into the opulent lobby having successfully assigned all his newly acquired slaves with tags to ensure they would be brought over, it was further explained that they would show up automatically three hours after arriving home or upon activation of his half of their tags, his half now securely and protectively kept in his spatial bag.
Oleg and Sweet Bell were exactly where he'd left them, Oleg beaming with a large smile well Sweet Bell, sitting on his shoulder sent him a look filled with curiosity. Oleg, true to his word and promise pulled what seemed like a shimmering card and deftly completed the transaction. His grin was wide, almost a challenge. "A bit less than half my little human friend?" He asked confused, his gaze switching between John and Peter before slowly turning into a frown. "Was there a problem with the people he had in the stock or was there some kind of other problem?"
A subtle grimace crossed his features. "None of that, as stupid as it sounds my gut just didn't settle with the others like it did with them and I felt it wouldn't be good to take to many all at once to build a foundation. Also," he added, looking directly at Oleg, his gaze somewhat firmer now "I'm not one to take undue advantage of kindness, even if it's as some kind of exchange or repayment you already did a lot for me. I originally only picked five, but it seems two others had their own reasons for adding themselves to the roster." He paused, a slight sigh escaping him. Oleg's previous frown turning into a wide smile as he chuckled. "What a lucky dog you are," he declared, shaking his head with a mixture of amusement and envy that caused John to roll his eyes good-naturedly.
"Speaking of things, I could use and I know I already said I don't want to take advantage but, well." John began, his hand instinctively rubbing his flat stomach looking at Oleg slightly nervously. "You wouldn't happen to have any magical items, potions, or some enchanted food that could... well, fatten me up a bit or return me to how I was before would you? Some arcane culinary marvel or something similar? I really do despise being this lean and toned. A rock-hard stomach and taut muscles are hardly what I'd call 'cuddly' and its actually uncomfortable, its so far from how I want to be and comfortable with."
Oleg burst into a hearty laugh, the sound echoing lightly in the large lobby, his own ample form jiggling with mirth well Sweet Bell shook her head, clearly having already expected this question, Oleg having already said it was coming well they had been waiting for him to finish.
Oleg finally managed to compose himself, wiping a tear from his eye. "Alas, my little friend, that particular request is beyond me. But I'll ask around! I have a lot of connections and might know someone who could help." He then brightened, a new idea sparking in his eyes. "In fact, next week, I'm hosting a rather exclusive gathering. It's a meeting for the Honorable Order of Respectable Noble Youngsters. We call ourselves H.O.R.N.Y. for short and one of them should be able to help you!" he pronounced with an air of immense pride, completely oblivious to the double entendre or perhaps deliberately ignoring it as Sweet Bell groaned and facepalmed.
He continued, not paying attention to the fairy's reaction. "I would be absolutely delighted if you could join us. Each and every one of us, you see, is a man of culture, each blessed with the true bodies of Adonises!" Oleg boasted, patting his own rather substantial gut, which rippled with each tap seemingly in pride. John privately doubted Oleg had any real grasp of what the mythical Adonis actually looked like, but he held his tongue and oddly finding himself agreeing with him on some level. Similarly, he chose not to highlight the rather unfortunate acronym, understanding that some battles were simply not worth fighting, especially if the small fairies reaction was anything to go by.
"I'll certainly try to be here to meet and hopefully join. Though I'm never entirely sure where my... metal plate will land me in this grand mall of ours as I kinda got it from someone else." Oleg simply waved a dismissive hand. "Don't let that bother you. Once you're in the mall, you'll be found one way or another and somehow find your way to us or us to you. We have many mysterious ways afterall."
Before John would have continued the conversation but an insistent pull similar to a invisible tether seemed to tug at his very essence. The familiar sensation of his waking consciousness asserting itself began to take hold. Offering a final, grateful thank you to the still-beaming Oleg and the now-less-confused Sweet Bell, John's form began to waver. He shimmered, dissolving into the air like water evaporating in the midday sun.
The instant John vanished, Sweet Bell rounded on him, her usual playful demeanor replaced by a sharp, almost accusatory intensity as she hovered directly in front of Oleg, her tiny fists balled well practically glowing with indignation. "Oleg!" she demanded, her voice tight with a mixture of annoyance and genuine bewilderment. "Why did you go so far for that human? I mean, you despise them! You've slaughtered entire cities back home because of what they are and now you've not only helped him extensively but even extended an invitation to your private group? Using that precious single pass you've been saving?" She narrowed her luminous eyes. "And don't think for a moment I didn't notice you intentionally caused that commotion at the start to get his attention and then just so coincidentally had him brought over to that soul mirror? Spill it, Oleg. What is so exceptionally special about him?"
Oleg merely chuckled, unfazed by her outburst as he folded his hands over his ample stomach, his expression shifting from jovial to one of shrewd calculation as he gave her a serious look. "Yes, I despise humans," he conceded, his voice losing its usual lightness. "After what they did, they deserve to be eradicated from existence regardless of age or sex. But I also know, realistically, that can never truly happen, not with the delicate balance of races and the cosmic laws governing such things. But to answer your rather vehement questions, let me pose one of my own first." He leaned in conspiratorially. "What, my dear Sweet Bell, makes you so certain that his human?"
A gasp escaped Sweet Bell, her eyes widening for a moment before he continued, his tone brimming with confidence in his perceived logic. "What human can not only survive, but effectively shrug off a god's remnant control and its accompanying erosion? Especially after it had taken root so deeply? Or survive it being ripped out in the manner that you used? He admitted its influence over him, but his subsequent reaction, his very survival, shows he faced whatever primordial horror that energy originated from and he walked away from it. What human, of his apparent strength, could truly face a fragment of a god and emerge from the encounter not only sane, but largely intact?" He paused, letting the weight of his words settle over her. "Furthermore, this… event… clearly left a remnant attached to him, a powerful one from what I could feel. Not some lingering echo, but a substantial piece that something, probably multiple elements have begun using as a bridge to get to him." As he spoke, he reached into his own storage, producing the gem he had gotten from John in trade.
Sweet Bell stared, her confusion giving way to a dawning, wide-eyed comprehension as she gazed at the gem. "He didn't even seem to realize it was there until after I showed him in the mirror, remember?" Oleg said, a sly, almost predatory smile spreading across his face. "The intrinsic value of something like this my little friend, is not insignificant. I could trade this for an entire planet and if I can manage to get it properly refined? then perhaps even an entire realm wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility. All I gave him in exchange was clearly me taking advantage and he didn't even seem to realize it, everything from the mirror to his reactions to my offer for trade was me testing him, seeing if he realized the true value of things. You should know by now I don't do trades where I will end up losing out in the end." His words hit her with such force that she nearly tumbled out of the air, genuine shock etched into her features as everything began to now make sense to her well raising other questions.
"But that's beside the point," Oleg continued, regaining his jovial swagger. "I'm choosing, quite deliberately, to take a calculated gamble on him and will become a sort of sponsor towards him. He seems… intensely interesting and his hatred towards those 'gods' burns almost as brightly as my own well still being so very young. Another, admittedly far more selfish reason though is that if this is the type of item's I could potentially extract from him, or, more cooperatively, help him acquire and trade with me for goods I no longer need or want? well," he spread his hands wide, a grand gesture, "I think it will be more than worth the investment and help both of us out in the long run." He let out another booming laugh.
"Once more, your illustrious title of 'Green Greed' shines through," Sweet Bell sighed, though the edge of her annoyance had significantly dulled, replaced by an undeniable spark of curiosity. "So, now you're going to be that human's sugar daddy huh?" She paused, seemingly having a thought strike her. "Still, I won't deny he is interesting. He definitely had a strange, almost ancient feeling about him, a subtle resonance that caught my attention too." She straightened, a new resolve in her shimmering form. "I'll try to find a way for us to observe him later. Perhaps call in some favors with the Watchers to make it happen and get some eyes onto his world." Oleg's words, despite her initial skepticism, had undeniably piqued her own investigative instincts regarding him.
"I'm certain the others will feel the same way once they learn of him," Oleg said, his grin returning in full force. "Besides, his soul is naturally a fatty, just like the rest of us and he actually wants to regain his good figure. But unlike those pitiful fat humans whose girth comes from pure gluttony, his fatness is more for comfort, for an innate sense of well-being and oddly a means of self-preservation and protection. I suspect it might even be a concept that I, unfortunately simply cannot explain to a skinny." Oleg finished, a triumphant glint in his eyes as he looked at her. Sweet Bell's expression seemed to rapidly cycle at that, from confusion to exasperation and finally, a surge of righteous indignation. With a sharp, decisive motion, she slapped him, the sound a faint thwack against his thick cheek that sent him jiggling. Oleg merely threw his head back and laughed once more, thoroughly enjoying the moment. But she couldn't help but slightly worry though, she hadn't brought it up but when the mirror had cycled previously she had seen that pair of bright yellow eyes, they unsettled her and for the brief moment that they were there seemed to be looking at each of them before settling on John, she felt as if the mirror had only changed to the next scene once it allowed it to rather than in a natural changing way. She chose though to keep it to herself, mentioning it now would no doubt end up further increasing Olegs curiosity and would, in turn have him urge her to contact the watchers as soon as she could to try and look further into his newest interest.