I went to bed after the shower. I was getting exhausted often here in hell.

Actually, this time that might have had to do with the fact that I was rescued from my slave chambers at about 1:00 AM. I wondered if everyone else was sleeping.

I fell asleep a few seconds after thinking that.

I woke to the bell of my room door ringing. Seemed like all hotel rooms (and apartment rooms?) in this city of hell had doorbells. 

I blearily stumbled over to the door and opened it to see Bjorn.

He wasn't dressed in a skintight black one-piece like last night (now I slightly regretted not staring more as I thought about it), but rather in a pinstriped gray suit with a blue tie. I was glad that I slept clothed, even if the reason I started sleeping clothed in the first place wasn't really a reason I liked to think about.

"Hey, I'm just here to remind you that we have an initiation in one hour, at nine," he said, a faint smile on his face. "Remember to be there. The location of the dining hall, where we'll meet, was sent to you using your soul panel."

"Of course," I said, and shut the door. 

I just realized that was a rude thing to do and reopened it. 

"Sorry--thanks for telling me, have a nice day, uh, I mean nice morning," I said, flustered.

He looked bemused. "Uh... you're welcome and thank you?"

I rubbed the back of my neck and quickly said, "Bye." My cheeks felt hot.

That was embarrassing. I was spazzing out in front of the only cute boy who would ever show even a slight level of interest in my damaged self. Good move, Amaro.

Ah well. That's all he was. A cute boy showing a professional interest in me. It's not like I was cut out for anything more in life with any person.

I mean... it wasn't like even Anton and Emryth, if they wanted to be my friends, would actually stay my friends. I did wonder where they were, and how they were doing. I was fond of those two, but friendship between me and anyone wouldn't last. You can't have a bond when one side is broken.

A thought suddenly struck me.

By doing what this agency wanted me to, neutralizing Giovanna and Satan...

...I would actually have a purpose.

I would be worth something.

I might be...

...admired.

I was the savior, as proclaimed by Bjorn Sorem. And that meant I could have... admiration. I could change the tide of this battle these people were fighting. I could be someone important.

Well... it wouldn't last. Something would always go wrong. I'd mess up any public image I created. I'd hurt someone. I'd do something wrong.

Never mind.

I took a shower and got ready and then went down to the dining hall, as specified by my soul panel. 

It was crowded with people, their voices a vague hubbub. They were in clumps around the room, chatting, and there seemed to be a line like a cafeteria line for food in the corner.

But everyone began to fall silent when I walked in. In unison (well, not really, but it felt like it), they turned and looked at me.

Bjorn made his way over to me. He walked over to my side, and quietly said in my ear, "Sorry about... that. Again, I'm sorry for--"

"Apologies don't solve anything, Director Sorem," I said. "What are we here for?"

"Well..." he turned to look at everyone, his arm seeming to naturally just go around my shoulder. "This is the meeting where everyone who wants to apply to become an agent of the U.S.I. will talk to us about it. Today, we will hold tests to determine how much training each person who applies will require. I understand most of you intend to eat breakfast, so the application will happen in exactly one hour."

"I'll apply," I said, sighing. "Don't worry."

"Well, you did promise," said Bjorn. "Though, with the types of people who are actually here in hell, promises don't always mean much."

His eyes connected with mine, his face very, very close to mine. I could feel a blush coming on my cheeks. The sensation of a demon's gaze was more a tingly feeling than anything visual, since you couldn't tell where the pupil of a demon's eye was, and it was more intense than a human's gaze because of it. Warmth spread through my body.

"I don't think you break promises, though," said Bjorn. "I don't know you well, but I feel like I can trust you."

"I don't trust people," I said, my voice breathy from his closeness, "so don't expect me to return that sentiment."

Though, truth be told, part of me wanted to trust him. Part of me was telling me to just trust him.

The other part of me was saying that my mind was addled because he was hot and... uh... masculine pheromones.

That was probably the correct part. I knew nearly nothing about Bjorn except that he was trying to liberate imps, and all this connection I was feeling to him...

I had read too many romance novels in life. That was it. I had to keep Bjorn at arms distance because I knew so little about him, and because his looks, his manner, they would affect me. I didn't even know what sin brought him here.

He was being nice to me because I was this 'savior.' To him, I wasn't as much a person to have any interest in as I was a tool for his revolution.

That's what I was to him.

Someone to use.

I stepped away from him slightly and his arm fell from my shoulder. He looked puzzled and then said, "I guess you should eat breakfast."

I took one look at the throng of people and decided, "I'm not hungry."

"Then... you can start your test early," he said. "If you want." He shrugged. His eyes hovered around my face a bit, but never directly met mine.

As if it mattered what I wanted. I was going to have to do what he wanted at some point, anyway. The only question was whether I did it willingly or whether he had to coerce or force me. As savior, I was a tool. Frankly, anyone christened as a 'savior' was a tool. 

My stomach growled, and he frowned. "Okay, if you don't eat before the test you will most surely fail. You need energy."

I looked back at the line of people and paled, and then gulped. I tried to steel myself. I did it before, at that cafe where Joseph worked...

"I'll get you a breakfast," said Bjorn, apparently picking up on my feelings. He reached out to pat my shoulder, and then apparently thought better of it, withdrawing his hand and giving me a quick smile before walking to the line.

I was surprised for a second, and then I realized I hadn't thanked him. "Thank you!" I called as quietly as I could but loud enough for him to hear, hopefully. He did hear and shot a smile over his shoulder at me.

Bjorn returned with a plate of what seemed to be pancakes (envious pancakes?). I took it from him with another muttered thank you and began eating quickly.

"That was... crazy fast," said Bjorn when I was done. I usually ate quick, a habit I had picked up living with that monster woman, who would usually come and beat me if I wasn't where she wanted me to be at any given time.

"If only I had other talents," I said in response. Self-deprecation. The mother tongue of my mind.

He looked at me, his expression unreadable. "I guess... since you had breakfast... do you want to...?"

"Start initiation?" I said. "Why not."

Bjorn looked at me uncomfortably for a second and then beckoned me to follow him out a door in the side of the room. 

"So, the test is pretty simple," said Bjorn. "You just have to acquire three items and bring them back to the 'base' area. There are androids designed to simulate enemies who might hinder you. Now... I'm assuming you don't know illusion magic?"

"You remembered," I said.

"Yep... well... it's probably pretty important," he said. "We could get you a few tokens that the, uh, 'sugar daddy' ifrits made--"

"Wait, 'sugar daddy' what?"

"There are a few ifrits, tier-four demons, secretly giving us magical tools to help our revolution," said Bjorn. "Like that portal we used to escape the mansion."

"Oh," I said. 

"It's risky for them to help us, so they don't really get involved," said Bjorn. "We usually call them the 'sugar daddies.'"

I giggled before I could help myself.

"It's a weird name," said Bjorn, chuckling. "But anyway, since I know you can't cast illusion spells I'll mark that down for your training. I'll adapt the course to work around your lack of knowledge in that area so we can test your other skills. Oh, here we are.

"Welcome to Initiation Chamber 72."