The rain flowed like a raging tide covering the land, vision impaired as the cold, wet scent of dirt filled the air. Yuina and the demon knights claid victory against the pope and empress. Despite the calls for celebration...
There was a heavy curtain that dulled the obvious delightful celebration.
"Where is Asmodeus?"
"Princess Yuina, it seems he is still in the forest." A knight covered in blood answered, their dark eyes lowered.
"I see, when you have recovered. Send people to find him, understood?"
Yuina wished to rush to his side right away, but the mont she felt that dark, heavy pressure vanish. She felt anger—another force appeared, even darker and filled with terrifying power.
It wasn't the enemy who put that pressure on her, but Asmodeus—she could sense his bitter feelings sohow.
'Asmodeus's heart was clouded with anger and the sense of defeat...' She felt the faint emotions, barely tangible in Asmodeus's presence. "Your Grace."
"What's wrong, little fox?" Alice responded with her lips curling into a smirk.
Yuina was the only one who called Alice by her official title, even if she teased her or asked her not to. "Will you take command? I wish to go find Asmodeus." She whispered without moving an inch, and no one else seed to notice anything wrong except those two.
"You want to find him, but what about Vinea, Ciela, Liana and the girls who are his lovers?"
Alice spoke in a low tone as her eyes narrowed like a snake gazing upon a small mouse. "Are you sure you want to get in the way? Those girls might seem nice, but if you go too far. They will fight back."
There was truth in her words, and Alice just wanted to make sure that Yuina understood the fierce fight to monopolise Asmodeus. Though it might seem they were all friends and kind to each other.
But the clashes happened out of his sight because they knew it would upset him.
"I understand, but I believe he wouldn't wish for the other won to see him right now."
"How would you know that?" Alice opened her eyes, lifting her eyebrows, while seeming to be intrigued by Yuina's confidence. The beautiful fox princess then wiped the blood from her cheek and narrowed her eyes.
A fierce and powerful look. "I can feel Asmodeus's emotions right now... those heavy and dark feelings are sothing that could damage the relationship Asmodeus had with them."
"I don't know why you are so confident... no, maybe being the twin sister of Lady Yumiko is the reason."
Alice didn't change her look but watched the beautiful fox princess. She felt a tinge, a sudden pain in her chest. It felt heavy and tight. 'What's this...' The duchess knew little when it ca to her feelings since the mont she beca cursed, those feelings a young woman would nourish vanished.
Yet the pain she felt while watching Yuina's eyes filled with confidence and her tone that was sure she knew about Asmodeus more than anyone else. It made her irritated, a feeling of anger... as her chest tightened and teeth bit together. Alice just wanted the fox to vanish from her sight and felt confused by her actions.
She took a deep breath. "Alright, I'll give you this chance..."
Alice wanted to shout—there was an urge to attack Yuina, yet she knew it was sothing she couldn't control or felt was irrational. Thus, her cold, logical mind stopped her from acting out on these feelings.
Yuina bowed. "Thank you." Her tone seed apologetic before leaving Alice behind, and the Inukami spear maidens watched her back, unable to follow behind without noticing the strange actions. "You all must help with treatnt both the nobles of Fenrir and our knights."
'Why does it hurt?'
The feeling still grew inside her chest, and Alice could only touch her chest and bite her lower lip.
"Frustrating."
***
anwhile, Asmodeus knelt in the middle of the ruined forest, burned ground, cracked, super-heated earth lacking all moisture as the rain sizzled from the sudden descent of phisto. He looked up at the sky as the rain poured down heavily onto his face. Experience more on empire
The cold wind, along with the rain, beat him.
phisto showed him the true power of the divine, sothing Serena seed too gentle to reveal.
'All this ti, were you hiding the gap?'
His confidence in defeating a spirit beast shattered—the difference between a divine being and Baku... must have been double or triple the current strength.
'This is ignoring the power of that divine energy that limited my power... and made mana tremble.'
Since that mont, Serena stopped responding to him, yet in his heart. Asmodeus was happy that she didn't speak; he felt miserable and pathetic... it was like all his big talk and bravado caught up with him and slapped him in the face.
'A sha... truly.'
He did not understand himself anymore.
He let himself fall into the trap of pride after fighting against simple beasts that do nothing but fight. Why did he fight against the enemies, and when did phisto begin to toy with him?
This victory against Johan and the two Apostles blinded Asmodeus, who always held confidence and calm in fights...
'Yet now?'
"Why did I lose my composure, and forget that there would always be soone above... I beca idle and complacent." Asmodeus's fists balled up tightly, crushing a rock underneath, and he wanted to scream, yell, curse, cry and throw things around.
Yet he just stared at the empty spot where the god of Death vanished. 'Why did I beco so full of myself?'
Rustle—!
A sudden sound from the forest made his head snap towards it, though with such low energy. He gazed towards the path, vision hazy until he saw a golden fox with five tails walking toward him.
"Asmodeus!" Yuina cried out when seeing his bloody form on the ground, kneeling before rushing to his side, hands on his bare chest.
"Where are you hurt?!"
"Show !"
Her voice was soft and filled with a warmth that made his bitter feelings falter... like the sun kept darkness at bay. "I'm fine, princess..."
"It doesn't look fine! Tell what's wrong?"
The look in her eyes said everything he needed to know; it wasn't just pity or fear... it was a genuine worry for him. Yet... that gentle look that lted through all the frustrations and dark feelings made him want to push her away and embrace her at the sa ti.
'Why, I don't want to be seen in this pathetic state... Those won, they all trust , count on ...'
"I am a failure..." His voice, a whisper escaping his lips as if to resist and rebel against his thoughts.
"No! No, no... You fought and tried your best..."
Yuina's hands brushed his cheeks, covered in a sticky, murky fluid. Her face didn't change despite the sour scent or slimy sensation in her hands. Instead, she brushed it away.
Asmodeus shook his head, eyes downcast, showing bitterness at failing to live up to his standards. His body tensed as a sense of anger flared within him—a force that desired destruction but had nowhere to unleash it. If he could, he'd have lashed out at any target around them and unleashed his frustration. And yet...
And yet, here she was, looking directly at him.
Beautiful blue eyes, like the calm ocean surface, stared into him, making him freeze, unable to act. "How can you say such a thing about yourself? When even you don't truly know what happened?" A hand grasped his, fingers interlocked as the warmth flowed freely.
The hand wrapped around his was slender, delicate, and white. Yuina's smooth skin and the sweet fragrance of her perfu reached his nostrils.
'She is fragile, like a precious treasure made of thin ice.'
That was his first thought when he t Yuina—the fact she acted strong was irrelevant; he saw her like a glass figure shining under the sunlight.
However, now he felt those thoughts were immature and foolish... covered in dried blood. Her lips cracked from the cold air. Soaked hair from the rain, yet her eyes were vibrant. There was a fierce resolve within them.
Asmodeus lowered his gaze, staring into his hand. It was huge compared to hers. She was easily able to break it with just a light squeeze.
"You weren't there."
"And neither were you when we fought the empress! Or struggled to survive!" Yuina cut him off. Though the beautiful Fox princess sounded polite, there was a firmness that prevented Asmodeus from talking back.
"So you cannot deny my claim! Nor can I reject yours!" She grabbed his face firmly, directing his attention back toward her intense eyes.
"Do you really think you failed, that you are a useless man?"
There was silence between them, broken by the heavy rain beating against the burned ground, sizzling water evaporating into a thick mist. Asmodeus's breath was visible like cold, heavy air around him, swirling and mixing with Yuina's warm breath.
"I lost to phisto if he wanted... I..."
Words lingered unspoken as he looked into those eyes once more. They held him firmly, refusing to let go, drawing him closer like an irresistible force.
"Who cares! If you lost, if you were weak!"
"W-What...?"
Her presence surrounded him, engulfing him, leaving no escape, forcing him to confront himself, the reality before him.
"If you lost once... so what!? There will co a ti when you overco that defeat!" Yuina pulled his face closer to hers.
"Do not ever think you are a loser, nor a failure. There is none such a thing when one tries their hardest!" Her words were harsh yet soothing as a subtle hint of rage swirled within her bright, azure eyes.
Those eyes conveyed a stern, unwavering ssage. 'Do not call yourself a failure.'
"Even when everyone else thinks you are worthless, you can still prove them wrong!"
"If nobody believes in you, even yourself..."
"I will believe until the end!"
His gaze locked onto her, almost forcefully, as Yuina's eyes overflowed with tears. Each word carried a relentless passion.
"Nobody is perfect. Yet I won't allow the man I love to be so pathetic!"
Hearing those words hit ho; her tone matched her fierce stare as if declaring she would never retreat nor run away from anything.
Yuina's sneaky confession also caused his chest to flutter with a strange emotion.
Like a brutal hamr crushing his walls, an overwhelming feeling that surged within made him feel powerless... vulnerable as a tear rolled down his face.
"Can I really do it?"
It started slowly and then increased as his vision beca hazy. 'Damnit, how can she make like this?'
Her thumb quickly wiped away the drop, a small yet intimate gesture conveying comfort amidst the storm of emotions.
"Does it feel different, being on the other side of a confession, Asmodeus?"
Yuina's whisper caused his eyes to widen, a strange feeling as he normally took control, comforted, and helped them. For a mont, he was on the other side, being held up and comforted by soone else.
Not knowing what to do, his head felt heavy, letting out a sigh, dropping on her shoulder. A chuckle escaped her mouth, hugging him tightly without complaint.
"Isn't this my win?" She had a cheeky voice, but the true intent behind her words made him feel his heart pounding.
User Comments
0 comments from readers