Chapter 46: Once More

Aziel rested lazily upon a raised stone platform; his hands tucked comfortably behind his head as he stared into empty space.

Sprawled across its hard surface, his knee-length, double breasted brown overcoat lay spread out loosely across his body, covering a charcoal black turtleneck shirt.

Below his torso were slim fit black jeans riddled with distressed rips trailing down the front, an intentional design that appeared both striking and of high quality.

And to top it all off, black slip-on loafers that possessed a silver buckle in place of laces fit snug around his feet, made of a soft material that closely resembled suede.

He was outfitted quite casually, though his current location bore a sharp contrast to his attire.

Towering, thick redwood trees surrounded him, standing erect with a sturdiness that seemed impenetrable. 

They were about as wide as ten ordinary trees put together, making for quite the awe-inspiring sight. 

A tranquil atmosphere blanketed the entire forest, peaceful, drowned in complete silence without any sign of other living beings.

Releasing a soft breath of air, Aziel yawned languidly, slowly blinking his moistened eyes.

"Ah…what the hell..."

Reflexively clicking his tongue in annoyance, he sat up straight, leaning back with the support of his arms as he remembered something unpleasant. 

He absentmindedly swept a hand across the stone platform's smooth, hard surface, his expression indiscernible.

"...It's about that time. They should be heading back soon."

A calm voice escaped his lips, a soft tone that did nothing to disturb the serenity around him.

After defeating the Arachne Queen, the trio had naturally descended to the next floor, which was also the exact place he currently resided.

He estimated that the next floor would also be the last one, the final room where the Hydra was located, so he wanted to move quickly and complete this labyrinth at once.  

However, the two girls, Yue and Suzu, had both unanimously decided to conquer this floor without his help, leaving Aziel to toil about all on his own.

Since he was far too monstrous for any of the creatures dwelling within this labyrinth to put up even the slightest bit of resistance, the two opted to keep him away from the battlefield entirely.

After all, neither of the girls were comfortable with being virtually carried from floor to floor.

They too, wanted to pull their own weight, no matter how small.

And for Suzu in particular, this was especially the case.

Although, on the surface, that seemed to be their primary purpose for going without him, Aziel knew it wasn't the only reason.

However, this fact alone wasn't what caused Aziel such discomfort.

"...I don't know. I don't wanna think about it. Fuck…"

Unconsciously wrinkling his brows, he voiced in a bewildered, slightly irritated tone. 

Yue's fight with the giant spider still remained at the forefront of his mind, recalling specific details that gave him a peculiar feeling, one he hadn't felt in quite a while.

It was persistent.

A dull sensation which couldn't be forgotten.

*

*

*

An overwhelming stench of blood permeated the vast room, putrid, almost sickening.

Corpses of human sized spiders littered the ground, often forming small hills in more areas than one.

Standing afar, a young man, tall and captivating in appearance, stared at the ghastly scene ahead.

Two entities clashed, a deadly duel to vanquish the other and attain absolute victory.

And yet—

With no change in expression, the young man, Aziel, watched his vampire progenitor get swallowed up by the Arachne Queen, leaving no trace behind.

For a moment, it felt as though time itself had ground to a halt.

The Arachne Queen, Suzu, who stood beside him—the entire world…was frozen in place.

His fingers twitched.

Akin to a single droplet of ink seeping into clear waters, a tainted seed had been sown.

Slowly, it spread, within the confines of his heart, tendrils ran amok like blood dyeing the open sea.

Swimming freely, it festered, begging to be released, promising ruin, havoc, nought but pure destruction in its wake.

A scale of apocalyptic proportions. 

A chaotic feeling, not completely unfamiliar yet somewhat foreign. 

"Haa…"

But, a breath of hot air that nearly produced visible steam escaped his lips, returning him to his usual calm, aloof…frigid bearing.

Or perhaps, not completely.

"...!!!"

Alarmed, the girl at his side, Suzu Taniguchi, suddenly looked up at him with a mixture of shock and horror, quickly grabbing hold of his large hand in an effort to stall this potential eruption.

The reason for this was naturally—the frightening wave of bloodlust that threatened to spill out at any given moment.

A tsunami like no other, fully prepared to crush everything under its weight, had surfaced due to a sole person's influence.

An expression that still hadn't changed, remaining tranquil from start to finish, terrifying.

However, the young man turned his gaze downward, looking at the beautiful white-haired girl who attempted to comfort him through her warmth.

At once, his sunken pale golden eyes and slightly constricted pupils briefly returned to normal upon meeting her troubled stare, something she immediately took notice of.

Even while such murky bloodlust coiled about his frame, there was no sign of it as he looked at her. 

A transition that was like day and night. 

A realization that was akin to a rush of dopamine and euphoria, as though her heart had been doused in sugary sweetness.

Still, what took precedence at that moment wasn't her feelings, but the unusual response from Aziel himself.

After a few seconds, he finally disengaged eye contact and returned his attention back to the scene ahead.

Although killing intent could no longer be felt, his mere presence oozed a sense of fatal danger.

He wasn't one to hesitate normally, but because he could hear his vampire progenitor's breathing, feel her pulse, and smell her flowing blood, he didn't dare to annihilate the Arachne Queen with her still inside.

As much as he wanted to brutally torture it till it no longer wished to breathe, he ultimately refrained from interfering.

In a way, the filthy creature was quite lucky that it had perished the way it did, for the treatment it would've received at Aziel's hands was far worse than anyone could ever imagine.

And at the same time, he had also recognized his own peculiar reaction to this situation, giving him a slightly conflicted feeling.

—Her figure bathed in blood, showering in dark green.

Even as a child, he never really cared too much about others. With the exception of his mother, everyone else was nothing more than mere acquaintances. 

—Reflected in his eyes was his vampire princess, his progenitor.

Yet, how was it that this girl, no, perhaps both of them, were capable of stirring his emotions so profoundly.

—She looked at him, her expressionless face belied a tender affection.

Killing, deceiving, blackmailing, he used to think it was strange that he performed these actions so naturally, but as time went on, he eventually stopped caring.

—Wreathed in an aura of majesty, she stepped toward him, a small stride.

However, this was the reason behind his confusion. Was it truly alright for him to care?

—A bewitching countenance, she arrived at his side, a gentle smile tugging at her lips.

And yet, at this moment, none of that mattered.

Only the naked girl in front of him had his attention.

"I'm back…" 

Yue spoke, a hint of longing in her gaze.

"You are…"

He responded casually, giving no indication of his previous inner conflict.

"Took you long enough…" 

Suzu chimed in, grumbling to herself.

Briefly glancing at her out of the corners of her eyes, Yue ignored the girl and continued.

"So… What did you think?"

"About…?"

He began walking slowly, placing a hand atop her head as he passed by, prompting both girls to follow after him.

Despite being completely naked, Yue showed no hint of embarrassment.

—A reddish hue dyed the tips of her ears.

Well, maybe just the slightest bit.

"...You know…that."

"I have no idea what you're talking about…"

"Mrgh… Don't tease me, Aziel."

She pouted, knowing he was playing dumb.

Then—

"Ah…?!"

Yue suddenly found herself in his arms, lifted into a princess carry.

She stared up at him with a slightly flustered expression, confused as to why he did such a thing.

"You did well. Yea…I liked it, but…"

However, Aziel continued, answering her previous question.

Registering his words, she nodded slowly, looking into his eyes.

"What am I supposed to do when I see you get eaten like that…?"

Yue stiffened immediately, sensing the underlying malice in his tone.

He looked down at her.

"I won't lie to you, it pissed off."

She averted her gaze, not knowing how to react to this unfamiliar situation, and instead, opted to change the subject entirely.

"...But why like this, why hold me…?"

Gesturing to his arms, she asked in a small voice.

"...Can I not hold you?"

"...That's not it."

"I just wanted to hold you, should there be a reason?"

"...You don't have to say it if you don't want to."

"I'm about to put you back on the ground…"

Swiftly shaking her head, Yue buried her face into his chest.

"I'm sorry, Aziel."

"..."

"I won't let anything else eat me but you…"

In response to that, Aziel paused for a moment before nodding.

"You're on the right track."

*

*

*

Shaking his head, Aziel attempted to shake off these encroaching thoughts and leaned forward, taking one of his knees into his embrace as he sat comfortably.

He stared silently at the lush field of colors around him, an image of both girls formed inside his subconscious.

Before they had advanced to their current floor, he'd ended up leaving behind a powerful magic spell, one that nearly collapsed the entire room.

…Right.

In hindsight, he couldn't make much sense of his actions, and even felt a bit repulsed by it.

He wasn't an impulsive or emotional person, and always thought about the outcome of his decisions before following through.

Everything he'd done thus far was because he wanted to, not because he was coerced or forced into it.

He always lived within his means, seeking out assistance when he needed it, knowing when to make concessions when the situation called for it, there was no fear of failure.

In essence, emotions held the smallest influence in his actions.

That was why he was conflicted.

Going through life, there were scarcely few people who could occupy his thoughts.

But now…

He had to admit it.

These two girls, their feelings, they weren't one sided.

He—

He liked them.

Perhaps a bit too much.

*

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*

Standing in front of a mangled corpse that was no less the size of the Arachne Queen were two distinct female figures.

Blood stained the vibrant green grass beneath their feet, and toppled red-wood trees that were akin to mini skyscrapers lay strewn wildly across the ground.

What remained of the guardian of this floor were merely chunks of flesh, pelt, and torn limbs, indicating the brutality in which it was dealt. 

"It was supposed to be a 'Great Ape King' but seemed more like a crippled baboon. What a buzzkill."

A slightly high-pitched voice rang out, originating from a petite girl with snow-white hair.

Lowering her gaze in mock despondency, she turned to look at the other figure standing beside her.

"Now… Do you mind telling me why you insisted on coming with me, even going so far as to leave your 'beloved Aziel' behind…?"

Hearing this, Yue side-eyed her expressionlessly, her silence speaking louder than words.

"Not talking doesn't make you mysterious. Say what you have to say or don't, I don't give a damn—"

"I don't like you."

Yue suddenly spoke, cutting off Suzu's irritated rant which caused her to gaze back quietly.

A few seconds passed like this, neither saying a word, before—

"Well, the sentiment is shared."

Suzu mumbled, kicking away a small pebble.

"...You aren't my rival."

"Am I supposed to care…?"

"No… You don't have to, but Aziel likes you. So, we'll settle this once and for all."

Incredulous, Suzu squinted, trying to make sense of Yue's words.

"And I'm guessing this means you want to fight…?"

"Correct."

Yue answered without hesitation.

"...Pft~ Hehehehahahaha~…!"

Suzu held her stomach, her laugh a melodious tune of madness and glee.

Even like this, she possessed unmatched beauty, only rivaled by Yue herself.

"Haa~ It's funny you should say that. I…I've been waiting for this day, the day I could pummel your annoying ass face in."

In an instant, her voice turned cold, emotionless, and uncaring. 

The atmosphere became tense, each side enveloped in a dreadful aura.

Until—

"Well, the sentiment is shared."

Yue mocked indifferently, signaling the start of a fierce battle.

A duel never before seen by anyone of this world.

This was…a fight for true dominance.