D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

Chapter 406: Back With Boss

Kat was now staring across the table at Boss. Kamiko was shaking in place, as he stared her down and Kat could feel her own aura trying to flare up to calm her down. *I'm just not sure if that's appropriate though… I don't want to make things worse for her… It's also not like Boss is trying to be intimidating… or at least I don't think he is…*

Boss, for his part was simply taking a long look at Kamiko as if to ensure that she was only telling the truth. The reason this was occurring was that Kamiko had mentioned the likely valuable socks. He confirmed as such by asking again. "Socks? Really?"

Boss deep voice seemed to vibrate through Kat and Kamiko shivered noticeably more, so Kat decided that despite Kamiko's prior instance she'd explaining, having cited knowing more about the organisational system then Kat, it was time to step up. "Yes indeed Boss. Socks. We tested them as best we could and from what we determined the chance they are something that should be in a low tier box is rather small."

Boss let out a low grumble. It sounded somewhere between a cascade of coins and the grinding of rocks, and Kat wasn't sure what it meant. *I mean… is he just clearing his throat? Is he annoyed? Is this just how he breaths? Probably not that last one considering I don't think he sounded like that when using his cigar… but I'm not sure it's a real cigar anyway. Dammit.*

"That is somewhat disturbing to hear… what made you reach that conclusion?" asked Boss letting out a particularly large smoke cloud as she did. Kat was half expecting to smell some of it or breath a part in, but the cloud simply disappeared into the air. *Ok, you can't just do that! Is the whole cigar thing just an elaborate illusion? I feel like I shouldn't be as considered about this as I am but I can't stop thinking about it.*

"Testing it on both Kamiko and myself produced different results, namely perfectly cool, or perfectly warm in my case. In could even sustain this temperature during and just after being hit with our cold demonic flame. We couldn't test other types as we are both ice attuned. Still, the socks in question didn't so much as gain an ice crystal, it was the air around it that started to freeze" relayed Kat as calmly as she could.

*Let's go over my memories.* Boss took another long breath of the cigar before letting out a small cloud this time. While this was happening Kat scanned the conversation with Boss from last time, paying particular attention to the cigar, and noting that despite the flashes of fire and the fact that it looks like it was shrinking… it hadn't changed size at all.

*Dammit it is a trick cigar. Just… why? Does it taste like anything? Is it part of his body? That might seem silly except for the fact he's MADE OUT OF COINS. Is it just part of the look? If it is why not use a real cigar? I doubt someone made out of coins could ruin his lungs using cigars…

Except if you are made out of coins perhaps it's more obvious? I mean his teeth and… what neck? Body? Whatever you can see in his mouth, would that get stained black from the cigar? Now that I think about it, if he does care about appearances maybe it matters all the more that his cigar is actually fake.*

"Hmm" Boss' humming sounded rather normal, something Kat would be thankful for if she was busy having an existential crisis about the nature of his cigar. "That does make a compelling point. I trust that you didn't remove it from the warehouse?"

*Another thing is… does the cigar count as part of his demonic attire? Could that be the reason it seems endless? If that's the case then surely it can't be fake… unless a fake cigar is part of his demonic attire?*

Kat, luckily, was paying enough attention to respond. "We left it off to the side but within the warehouse, noting it as odd but we didn't think it would be right to remove it to bring it to your attention."

*Another thing to consider… is has he always had the cigar? I can actually imagine a younger Boss with a real cigar and blackened insides from the habit needing to get it all cleaned out at some point. Then again… if his family all look like that, what are the chances they warned him about it? Unless it's some kind of rite of passage maybe?*

"I'll commend you for that forethought. Please leave it aside for now and bring it with you this afternoon when we have our final discussion. It seems I'll have to test that product myself at the very least" said Boss.

*I'm still hung up on if it counts as part of his attire though. Then again… I guess when I consider it fully is it really any different from his hat? Or my sash? It's not really part of the outfit but I do need it to keep it together. Heck, my shoes count as part of my outfit despite them not really touching my body.*

*So does having it in your mouth qualify? Like, if I had an old timey pipe that could blow bubbles would that have become part of my attire? Ok now that I think about it, that sounds like a lot of fun. Note to self, when I unlock the ability to have multiple sets of attire, acquire a pipe… and maybe a hat as well.*

"Thank you for that. I believe that was the only item we had major issues with. Some we may not have totally catalogued the features off, such as the fake wands we found, but I don't believe them to be an issue." Said Kat

*Wait, Boss just tapped his cigar and ash fell off. Did that ash go anywhere?* Kat stole a quick glance at the only slightly visible ash tray sitting on Boss' desk. Sadly, the angle was bad and she couldn't make out if anything was in it.

"Tell me more about these wands. If they are strange enough to warrant mentioning at all, I may was well cover it with you just in case" said Boss.

*Though, given that there is an ashtray at all, doesn't that imply there is ashes? He wouldn't need one if the ashes just disappeared. Wait, but if the ashes are real, doesn't that mean the cigar has to be. Unless he's got infinite ashes somehow, which I doubt, because they'd still be worth a tiny bit of money…*

"One of the boxes we looked through had a number of different sticks in them, which we found to produce a number of different effects depending on what words you say." Explained Kat. "It is doubtful we found all the activation words, but we know of a few such as the water and fire settings."

*Then again, maybe the ash just lasts for a little while? It could be enchanted or something to be a closed loop? Similar to how a water fountain can get by with mostly recycled water. It could be a very long lasting cigar that uses the leftovers again and again… though I'm not sure that would be a good cigar? I… I don't think I know enough about them to tell.*

"That is fine." Said Boss. "My main concern is simply a preliminary listing of the items. As long as you can figure out in rough terms what a given item does, as well as at least a few ways to use it if the item has multiple you are free to move on. I'm not expecting perfectly detailed analysis from either of you. I have other people to do that job."

Kat nodded and looked over at Kamiko who said. "Understood sir" after seeing Kat's hint.

"Good. Have another pleasant day. I will see you before you leave" said Boss, stamping out the cigar in the ash tray. As Kat turned and headed to the platform though, she saw that the cigar had stood up fine, and wasn't being crushed under Boss' hand.

*God dammit. That really doesn't answer anything does it.* Thought Kat as the transportation took her. As soon as they stepped out into the room, Kat asked. "Hey Kamiko was that cigar real?"

"What?" asked Kamiko bewildered

"Was the cigar Boss used an illusion? A real cigar? Part of his demonic attire?" questioned Kat.

"Ah… well I don't know? I didn't really think about it I guess. I do know that consumables can't be part of your attire… but if it was a prop instead of a working cigar then it certainly could be," said Kamiko.

*Curses! I didn't even consider that limitation. The fact that it is a consumable makes it vastly different then socks! I just got caught up in the fact he always seems to have it on him. Though… I guess I'm no closer to finding the answer.*

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