46 Walking on Eggshells (1)
Chapter 46: Walking on Eggshells (1)
Unbothered by the dynamics between Jeanne and Tsufaame, he knew that the Devil Princess had a prideful and arrogant personality, but deep down there were some semblance of 'good' emotions since she did what he told her.
Either because she was his contracted Devil or other reasons he couldn't care much, she did the bare-minimum in helping out Jeanne not get hurt by the Lasombra Vampires, and in his books this was a green flag that would count in the long journey they might have in the future.
Still, he had other business to attend with the Vatican and just approaching Xenovia and Irina he could hear their heartbeats increasing, sensing their nervousness and involuntarily taking in a wind of their alluring essence.
They were young beauties for certain. No wonder so many people would have a crush on them.
The young Exorcists could only see his villainous persona, and couldn't gauge what his true intentions were by walking to speak directly with them, but before he could even open his lips, Irina who was looking up and down at Carl and reminded of the handsome man she saw in the passing five days ago, took out her Rosario Amulet.
Instantly in contact with Carl's demonic aura it flared up in a deep red light, pulsing according to the danger she was facing.
"It's the same color. I was right all along, it was you who we passed by in the past," Irina muttered to herself, her voice barely above a whisper.
Xenovia just gave Irina an annoyed look, while taking a step forward to meet Carl head-on.
"It's really him, Xenovia," Irina confirmed, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "Hmm, this feels a bit tense, Xenovia. Are we going to fight against him?"
"Hey, you, can't you just smile a bit to put us at ease if you're not an enemy?" Irina continued, her violet eyes pleading for some form of reassurance from Carl's emotionless expression, but she just received a look from his icy crimson eyes.
"I really had a tiresome night, and also feel bad for not winning my fight."
"Irina, quiet. We don't know yet if he's hostile or friendly. Follow the teachings of the Mentor," Xenovia interjected, her voice firm and commanding.
"Well, I would like to believe what I see with my own eyes, instead of following some biased teachings," Irina retorted, her tone defiant.
"Wow, you broke the brainwash of your indoctrination? So, what do you think? Should we get ready for a clash?" Xenovia countered, her sarcasm dripping with disdain.
"No. That lady said we should judge him based on his actions instead of the stigma his Vampire race puts him under," Irina responded, her voice holding a hint of conviction.
Listening to those girls bicker about even if a possible danger in him loomed over their heads. This exchange between them reminded him of the DxD and how close those girls were, even in the future where Xenovia would become a Reincarnated Devil and Irina would join the Angels as a Reincarnated Angel.
'I'm curious about the Timeline of this Universe... How old are they? Just figuring their age, I can get an accurate estimate of where I am positioned.'
'I'll ask them after I reach a conclusion on what they want with me. Wait, but wouldn't it be awkward as fuck asking some kids their age without a reason? Maybe, if I tease them a bit about their 'Never-ending Faith' I might get to pull their tongues.'
'I mean who would let their teenage daughters to fight tooth and nail against Vampires and whatnot? That's child abuse. Poor girls.'
Carl was far taller than Xenovia and Irina who were in the 155-160 cm range, and even though his body looked handsome with the appearance of someone in his early 20s, there was his Vampiric Charm that made the girls more nervous to be around him.
They might descend into sin if they continue basking in his presence.
His crimson eyes shifted towards the Rosario Amulet that reminded him of an entire different genre. Because of his silence this whole time, their bpm raised a little bit once more.
"Come on, you don't know English? Don't Vampires have similar magic spells like Devils that allow them to speak and understand the universal language tongue?"
Irina again, for some reason, she felt attracted to this mysterious Vampire.
Carl only smiled a bit, he didn't know such a spell yet, and was looking forward to learning it so he wouldn't be constrained by the language barriers in his future travels. To alleviate the tension, Carl also turned off his Armor along with Sacred Gear, revealing his casual clothes that made him seem to be exiting from a magazine page since it fit him perfectly.
"Wingless Angel, why are you wasting your time on such questions with me?" Carl replied smoothly, his tone dripping with amusement. "Instead of preparing your speech to compel me not to punish you for pestering me with this obstruction of my freedom, you keep on with your childish talk."
Irina's eyes widened in alarm, sensing the shift in Carl's demeanor. She hastily tried to backtrack, her voice tinged with worry. "Wait, wait, you don't mean those words, right? Do you want to beat us? We didn't do anything bad, it was you who stepped foot onto Vatican territory."
Sensing the tension escalating, Xenovia intervened, pinching Irina's arm to silence her. "This must be a misunderstanding on our part," she said calmly, meeting Carl's gaze head-on. "First, let me express my appreciation for assisting us in defeating those Stray Vampires for intruding into the Human World."
Carl's expression remained impassive, but a glimmer of interest flickered in his crimson eyes as he listened to Xenovia's explanation. "Misunderstanding? Ohh, I see. You have my attention. Continue," he prompted, his tone cold and indifferent.
Xenovia continued, her voice steady and composed. "You might have your reasons for arriving in Graz, but because of an old pact between the Vatican and the Vampires of Austria, the entry of Vampires into controlled points of the Church is strictly forbidden."
"In this case, you would be deemed a Stray Vampire, just like those Lasombra guys," she added, her tone matter-of-fact. "The Vatican doesn't take any blame for executing them since it's a breach of the Ancient Pact."
"I presume you have your own reasons for walking into Graz, and I can empathize with you if the reason is you've been chased away by your people," Xenovia continued, her words carefully chosen. "We've read the reports of the Graz Branch, and apart from the unintended activation of the Holy Ward, there haven't been any supernatural-related murders."
Carl regarded Xenovia with an aloof expression, his crimson eyes betraying nothing as he listened to her words. Despite the casual nature of her investigation, he kept his guard high, unwilling to give room to interpretation that would lead to the Vatican pestering him with their chase.
It was enough he had most Vampires of the Carmilla Faction and Lasombra Clan chasing after him, it was self-sabotaging to incur the fury of the Zealots of the Church. However, this didn't mean he would give any ground to the young Exorcist in Xenovia.
He had to keep intact the aura of a Villain.
"We only want to know if your only reason for coming to Graz was to evade your pursuers and not just to hunt for blood like how most cases of Vampire entry into the Human World happen," she persisted, her tone firm.
Hearing this inquiry, he paused for a moment, his crimson eyes scanning over the blue-haired girl with a piercing gaze. He began, his voice cool and composed, "Ah, the age-old assumption that all Vampires are nothing more than bloodthirsty predators," he remarked, his voice tinged with amusement. "How quaint."
"You seem to have a rather simplistic view of the situation."
"It's not as if I simply strolled into Graz on a whim to evade my pursuers. Why probe me when you know my answers? I'm a fugitive of the Vampire Society. Escaped my prison sentence, drained of my powers. I have done what anyone in my situation would do to survive."
"I have no obligation to disclose more than I have already done so far. From the get-go, it wasn't my intention to disturb anyone, it's mainly the fault of whoever is in charge of the Cathedral for activating the Barrier without further investigations."
"Just because you receive a signal doesn't mean you should pull the trigger on it."
Xenovia's frown deepened at Carl's cryptic response, but she refused to back down. "Mr. Vampire, this doesn't help your case."
Carl met her gaze head-on, his crimson eyes gleaming with a hint of amusement. "And what, pray tell, would help my case in your eyes, Wingless Angel?" he countered, his voice laced with a touch of mockery. "Your investigation seems to be based on assumptions rather than evidence."
Xenovia bristled slightly at Carl's remark, but she refused to let it deter her. "We only seek the truth," she insisted, her voice unwavering. "If you can justify your entry into Graz and prove that you pose no threat to the city, then we will have no reason to pursue this further."
Carl's smirk widened at Xenovia's determination, though he made no move to concede any ground. "Just because you receive a signal doesn't mean you should pull the trigger on it," by this point he made sure his tone dripped with disdain. "Perhaps it would serve you well to remember that."
Xenovia's brow furrowed in frustration at Carl's enigmatic response, but she remained undeterred. "If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear," she stated firmly, her voice carrying a note of authority.
Carl regarded her with a cool detachment, his gaze unwavering. "I fear nothing, Wingless Angel," he replied, his voice tinged with a hint of amusement. 'Apart from Satan-level guys that might appear from nowhere and squash me, but that's unlikely to happen'
"Least of all your misguided attempts at investigation."
Xenovia's jaw clenched at Carl's dismissive tone, but she refused to let her emotions get the best of her. "Your stay in the city has already created a lot of disturbance for the Vatican with all of the Vampires pursuing you. If you're such a high-profile figure, why bother hiding in such a small city?"
Carl's lips curved into a faint smirk at Xenovia's questioning, though his expression remained impassive "Well, isn't that unfortunate. Maybe, you should question the churchmen who activated the Holy Ward without even bothering to investigate things."
"While I get that my presence might have scared him, as long as I didn't kill anyone in this city, why act so disrespectful to me?"
"I've created Trouble for the Vatican? Good. You've also dragged me into an unwanted mess. Do I seem to complain about it? No."
Xenovia's jaw clenched at Carl's taunting words, but she refused to rise to the bait. "We seek only the truth and the resolution of this misunderstanding." she stated firmly.
'Tsk, I'm going around in circles with her. She's quite the stubborn girl. Irina probably would have agreed to an easy resolution in an instant if she stood in my presence.'
'We might even have some fun later on. She's eying me like some prize. Poor church girls, they will be stuck with their pent-up sexual frustration.'
'Let's get this done. Better visit the priest in charge of this Cathedral and have him pull the curtains down. This leaves me out with only Karnstein and Lasombra waiting outside.'
'And that's a nasty job. Having to deal with annoying, prideful pricks who think they know better.'
"And what resolution do you propose, Wingless Angel?" he inquired, his tone deceptively calm. "Do you intend to continue this fruitless investigation, or are you open to finding a more amicable solution?"
Carl's demeanor shifted subtly, his once calm facade now giving way to a palpable sense of danger. A predatory gleam flickered in his crimson eyes, sending shivers down Xenovia's spine. The air seemed to grow colder around them, heavy with the promise of impending conflict.
With a low growl, Carl's voice took on a menacing edge, causing even Xenovia's staunch resolve to falter. "Oh, and if you push me into taking some responsibility," he began, his tone dripping with malice as he paused, giving the impression he was thinking of some nasty consequences for the girls.
Even though he shifted gears since he noticed that Xenovia was still the same stubborn gall as she was described in DxD, there was an age gap and he could make use of her weaker state to get his point across and finally get rid of this problem once and for all.
"Sure. I will take responsibility for Karnstein and Lasombra Vampires waiting outside the Holy Barrier. However, you two girls better make sure to remove this barrier, I will soon get bored and maybe I'll make a mistake I will regret later."
Xenovia felt a chill run down her spine at the sheer intensity of Carl's words. His presence seemed to loom over her like a dark cloud, suffocating and oppressive. She could sense the raw power emanating from him, a reminder that all the 'authority' she felt when questioning Carl was only because he allowed her to have her moment.
Irina who looked with curiosity at Xenovia and Carl having a clash of words, where she was mainly attracted by the charming Vampire, suddenly felt that the 'Handsome' turned into a 'Devil' when an aura of crimson light began to discharge from his body.
Her usually composed demeanor faltering in the face of Carl's bloodthirsty aura, while the air crackled with tension,
Despite the fear that gnawed at her, Xenovia refused to back down. Steeling herself against Carl's intimidating presence, she squared her shoulders and met his gaze steeling her heart to show the Vampire she wasn't afraid of him. "We seek a peaceful resolution to this conflict," she declared, her voice steady despite the fear that gripped her heart.
"And if that means meeting with the Bishop of Graz to resolve this misunderstanding, then so be it."
For a moment, it seemed as though he might refuse her offer, but then, to Xenovia's relief, he relented.
"Very well," he conceded, his tone begrudging. "I will meet with the Bishop of Graz and hear what he has to say. But make no mistake, Wingless Angel, you're still in my grasp."
With that, Xenovia turned on her heel and began to walk away, her posture straight but when she approached Irina who followed suit, there was a tremble of relief washing over her body. though the tension still lingered in the air like a heavy fog.
She couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had gripped her during their encounter, the primal fear of facing a creature that she couldn't challenge regardless of what she was doing.
Maybe Durandal would have managed to keep her alive for a brief seconds until she lost control of her powers and succumbed to the Vampire.
As she approached Irina, who had been waiting anxiously, couldn't help but smile at Irina's naivete.
"Phew, that was stressful," Irina murmured, her voice trembling slightly. "I thought he..." She trailed off, unable to voice her fear of what might have happened if Carl had decided to attack them.
"You did well, Xenovia," Irina continued, her voice filled with admiration. "Better than I could have done in that situation. That Vampire, for sure, is scary. The scum Vampires called him Krassius, but the blonde lady called him Carl. Do you know any Vampire going by the name of Krassius?"
Xenovia's brow furrowed in thought at Irina's question. "I've heard the name before, but only in passing," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "Griselda has told me about the dynamics of the Vampire World. Among the main factions of Vampires, Tepes and Carmilla, there are monsters that even Purebloods try to avoid."
"For Carmilla is Krassius Bloodriver, while for Tepes is Gasper Vladi."
"Still, let's not talk about it here," Xenovia added, casting a wary glance over her shoulder at Carl, who was watching them with a faint smirk. "He can still hear us."
Meanwhile, Carl watched their retreating figures with a faint smirk, his crimson eyes gleaming with amusement. "I'll see you at the Cathedral, Wingless Angel," he called after them, his voice carrying a hint of playfulness. "Make sure the church dogs have their leash. And prepare the Bishop for a disciplinary beating."
