Paladin of Shadows Chapter 21

Ereshkigal's funeral home was built in a sloped circular style that gave it a lot of internal room but no windows merely only a couple of chimneys broke through the roof of the circular building which were belching snow-white smoke.

"Hmm, little Eresh must be rather busy if she is still burning remains even still." Freya spoke

I nodded slowly as I was well aware that Orario for the most part did cremations as the walled-in city had a premium on land.

Alpha however remained silent just the same as when we did our early walk through Orario without being bothered thankfully.

We then entered [Kur's Final Stop] and as we came into the funeral home I saw a big titty goth Pallum who was on a high seat sitting with a clipboard in hand.

And with us entering the store, the pallum looked up with tired eyes that had obviously worked through the entire graveyard shift. "Welcome to the final rest stop... We are running a two-for-one cremation deal right now while the ovens are hot. What can I do for you?" 

My lips twitched at the way she said the 'ovens are hot' But Freya using her social grace just removed her hood with the pallum's eyes dilating and I could see in real time her nipples becoming hard points in her thin black goth dress.

"Hello young pallum, I am here to see Ereshkigal for Familia business." Freya spoke with her charm naturally leaking out.

The pallum's mouth moved without her being able to speak before she audibly swallowed and said. "Haza yessum? Lady Eresh is dis way please." 

I raised an eyebrow at how blasted the Pallum was at Freya's passive charm that she wasn't even putting out on purpose and I heard Freya sigh with some annoyance as she flipped back up her hood.

The obviously mentally blitzed pallum brought us through the funeral home and soon we entered the back area and I could see as the half or so dozen visible members of the Ereshkigal Familia were hard at work stoking the flames of the furnaces.

The furnaces were filled with the corpses of the dead civilians and adventurers of Orario in any case. This was something I was surprised as I imagined most dead adventurers obviously didn't get to leave the dungeon.

A couple of minutes later we were brought to Ereshkigal herself as the Pallum threw open the door and she announced. "Lady Ereshkigal! Another goddess has come to do business with you!"

And I saw from over the Pallum's much shorter head was Ereshkigal herself. Wearing a tight-fitting dress that had gold metal spikes adorning some places. I could feel her divine weight like Freya and Hestia had when her crimson eyes snapped up to mine.

Then her lips pursed as she saw when Freya pushed back her hood and said with a small smile. "Hello Ereshkigal, I was hoping to speak with another goddess of the dead when I arrived here in Gekai."

And hearing Freya speaking of the dead Ereshkigal's expression actually softened before she asked curiously as she looked at the nervous Pallum. "I see that my little Ishla has led you here, and Ishla head on out. I rather your soul not be tainted by Freya's charm." 

The pallum looked almost mutinous but Ereshkigal stared her down and she nodded and left the room with the door slamming behind her with Ereshkigal sighing and saying with annoyance.

"Clearing her soul of your charm is going to be annoying Freya... Now what do you want?" Ereshkigal asked flatly.

Freya looked to the side towards me and Alpha with her eyes remaining on Alpha for a minute before she looked back to Ereshkigal and began speaking.

"My darling here. Jake Bariss has a very special skill of his own, and I want to share it with you and if possible. You can both profit from the skill in question."

Ereshkigal raised an eyebrow before she spoke bluntly. "He is still just a level 1, even if his skill is something extremely useful. That doesn't change the fact his level is so low."

Freya smiled and then explained how I could make contracts with the divine which would grant me a skill/spell based on the domains the divine held sway over.

"Jake already has a healing spell that he gained from me that is based on my domains over warriors being brought to Valhalla back in Tenkai. He also gained something that will also affect your familia as well Ereshkigal." Freya finished in a voice filled with temptation.

And even though Ereshkigal, being a goddess of the dead was far more aware of souls and more resistant to Freya's beauty and charm. The reality was that she was ensnared purely out of her own divine curiosity as all gods came down to Gekai to be entertained first and foremost.

"And what contract is this Jake? What do I get for basically allowing you to get a skill or magic from me?" Ereshkigal asked as she looked back at me after a moment of thought.

I raised an eyebrow as I looked at her and I asked her in turn. "I think... If I turned around and walked out of this room without making a contract, you would be the one disappointed, to say the least. But beyond you being one of the best caretakers of the dead, I don't know what to offer you frankly."

There was a pause as I knew Ereshkigal wasn't going to be like Hestia, there would be a price to this gift but then Freya spoke aloud.

"With a contract made with Jake. Hestia's contract of a growth skill will also apply to your familia as well Ereshkigal. Even though it would be lesser in potency."

I wanted to whip around and demand why the hell she was sharing that to this goddess that I didn't even know... But then Ereshkigal coughed and said. "Fine I uhh have the contract I want!"

Pausing at hearing that I took a breath and asked calmly. "What do you want is our contract Lady Ereshkigal?"

Those divine eyes peered into mine for a long while before she spoke. "It doesn't matter where you are or the circumstances. Should you find a dead body of another of gekai's inhabitant you will bury or cremate them if you can't bring them to my temple." 

My lips twitched as I imagined killing off some asshole adventurer and then having to bury them within the dungeon and actually pray for them.

But after a minute I realized that although it was a bit inconvenient, it wasn't something too extreme. So I nodded and I felt my skill activate as I spoke again.

"In return for your blessing Ereshkigal, I will treat the dead of humanity and other sentient races of Gekai with the respect they deserve." 

I saw Ereshkigal's eyes widen and she made a hand motion and I shivered at a phantom sensation as she muttered. "I see... It's almost like the connection between a mortal, their falna, and their parent divine. But it's far more condensed." 

Her eyes went back up to mine and I felt the contract snap into place as she said. "I agree to the contract you have offered me Jake Bariss."