I wasn't sure how much time passed.
It couldn't have been long since the night was still dark.
I also wasn't sure when I stopped screaming.
With my hands digging into her back, I just held on to Lethe and cried.
And when I was fine again, my head cleared up.
I had experienced 22 years of reliving my trauma, and then another two months of being brainwashed straight by Dantalian.
Even now, I wanted to be pampered a bit more.
But…
But holy fucking shit was it embarrassing.
I held Lethe tighter and buried my head in her chest.
A faint laugh rang out as Lethe stroked my hair. Fuck. I wanted this, but I also didn't. It didn't suit the image of the strongest man.
No. The strongest man can do whatever the fuck he wants. Write it down, half-wits. The to-be strongest has announced that crying in the arms of your girlfriend and being pampered is a sign of strength.
Heh. Not like others have girlfriends like mine.
Lethe ran her fingers through my hair and smiled.
"You seem to have gotten a hold of yourself now."
I nodded, not letting her go.
"I have."
She lightly pulled my head up with one hand and moved her veil with the other, her lips neared my forehead as she kissed me lightly.
I felt my cheeks burning up.
How cool.
Why was she so cool? I was losing again.
"I didn't think you'll come to me this roughed up, though," she said.
I tilted my head before light stinging pains like mosquitoes biting spread over my head. Right, I did topple all over the place like a drunkard.
"Do you have a potion, darling?"
"Shouldn't you be the one pulling it out?"
"How demanding. I don't have something as convenient as your spatial magic."
I'll let you know that takes constant effort to maintain. Any emotional instability affected the spatial dimension…
"I'll compensate you so hand it over…"
MY SPATIAL DIMENSION!!
I immediately closed my eyes and focused on my spatial dimension. The structure of something existing within me at all times yet not within me at any time made itself clear.
There were cracks all over the place.
Fuck fuck.
I immediately poured in all my mana and the cracks started to fill in, making the space more stable.
With a snap of my fingers, a potion appeared in my hands.
I wore a shaky grin and handed it to Lethe.
"T-there you go."
"I feel like you just messed something up?"
"It's not fair to know me this well."
Lethe laughed and rolled up the cap of the potion bottle. The raspy smell of the weak potion and also one of my lasts spread over my nose. Just as Lethe was about to pour it on my head, she stopped.
"What's this?" Her gaze was stuck on the bottom of the bottle.
I moved towards her embrace again and looked back at the bottle.
Strange writings filled the bottom, scratched onto the bottle.
"Is this a language? A language I don't recognize?"
How cute.
"It's thousands of years old," I said, taking the potion from her hands.
Lethe hummed in amusement at my words.
"What does it say?"
"Heh. It says 'Get a hold of yourself,'" A smirk left me at the words. Look at this now. I poured the potion over my wounds and let it cure. I didn't need to, but…
"You have to go back, right?"
I nodded at Lethe's words, a wry smile leaving me.
Somewhere in my heart, I didn't want to.
But my entire body was burning with rage nonetheless.
"Miss Angel… make sure she's fine."
"I will," I said. "I'll make sure she's fine, and then I'll atone."
Lethe smirked. Suddenly, she wrapped her hands around my back and pulled me closer again. I let it happen as she settled me on her thighs and patted my head.
"You don't have to leave right away. It's been two months, so stay shut."
I turned my head and buried myself deeper in her thighs.
It had been well over 20 years for me.
Such suffering. It was natural to fall in front of it.
Dantalian was the greatest foe I had faced yet.
She could not only always feed my mind with the worst of manipulations after weakening my defenses, but she could also read my mind at all times. Her skill worked on everyone, but she was placing all her focus on me.
I couldn't plan anything without her knowledge. I couldn't make any move without her knowledge. Even though she was the weakest of the demons, she was also one of the most fearsome.
"I can see why the original Eugene Hall fell for her tricks."
I would have too…
"Of course, he didn't have someone like me by his side."
Cool.
"So damn cool."
"What was that?"
I let out a deep sigh.
"I'm sorry," I said, grabbing her waist. "I didn't mean what I said that day. Forget one, I'll give up every single life for you."
Lethe's hand stopped on my cheeks.
"No," she said. "I should apologize. I should have never said all of that and trusted you. My faith was lacking."
"I would have done worse in your shoes. It's my fault."
"Then I would have hit you. But no, it's my fault."
"No, mine."
"My fault."
"Mine."
"My."
The two of us glared at each other.
"Pfft."
"Haha…"
This was why we stopped. This was why we didn't rush.
So that we could make mistakes, and so that we could adjust.
So that we could learn about each other, and so that we could change together.
""I love you""
Our voices overlapped.
Yes.
It was 'I' who loved her.
It was 'I' who she loved.
There was no room for anyone else. No thought for anyone else.
These were all my feelings, my emotions, my joy, and my pain.
I slowly pushed myself off her and stood up. Lethe took my hand and stood too.
"I should go back," I said.
She nodded.
"When… will it be over—"
"Today."
I held on to the end. It kinda sucked I couldn't play to the finish line, but I got to see her coolness up close so it balanced out.
"I'll end it all today."
After stretching my hand behind my back, I turned around.
"I'll make it up to everyone."
Today was the day of Agares' summoning.
"Wait! Before you go."
Lethe called out and I turned around—
—THWACK!
A loud bang resounded as she smashed a chair on my head. I didn't even twitch as the chair was blown to bits, leaving only me blinking in surprise.
"What was that for?"
"You apologized, but you still deserved it. For everyone."
"It… it didn't even scratch—"
"Don't talk about it."
How fucking cute.
I sneaked a peck on her cheeks and turned away again.
Today was the day of Agares' summoning.
"Bye~ take care."
"Stop interrupting my monologue…"
"Right right, whatever. Today was the day…"
"Bwah! That's my line! Mine! I'll tape your mouth if you stop me from being cool here."
Lethe laughed and waved her hands.
Finally, after a long sigh, I turned back and took a step out of the place.
Today was the day of Agares' summoning.
Today…
Was the day I had been preparing for, for the last two months.
No.
For the last twenty years.
Bad choice, fate or Dantalian or whoever.
Eugene Hall… Yujin Han… those names don't matter.
"You're finally back."
"Letheee!!"
***
That evening.
A soft sensation spread over my back as Dantalian hugged me from behind.
Below us.
Was the club island of the academy. With every single student associated with a club present inside, this was currently the largest and the most populous place in the entire Academy City.
"Do you see, Eugene?" Dantalian whispered in my ears. "The artifact we copied is slowly starting up."
Tick, tock, the sound of the clocks filled my ears.
"I can already smell the air of Hell, you can too, right?"
I nodded.
Tick. Tock.
She nibbled on my ears, and then licked my neck. I reciprocated by caressing her cheeks and meeting her lips.
"It's about to happen. In just a few minutes, every single student on this Island."
Tick tock.
"Will die and open the gates."
Tick tock.
"Then you can finally fight against fate."
Tick.
"You can finally be the strongest."
Tock.
A gust of wind spread through the place.
A bright red glow emerged from the ground before capturing the entire island in its wake.
"Huh?"
"W-what!?"
"What's happening!?"
At the bottom stood Jimmy Ferris, next to him Mohawk, also confused.
It was finally happening.
My betrayal was here.
The bright light enveloped the entire place and a dorm formed around the island.
"MWAAHAHA!" Dantalian laughed. "IT'S HERE! Eugene! Look! You did this, you are going to kill all these students!"
I snapped my fingers.
"You are going to betray the entire world—Ah…"
A mouthful of blood spilled from Dantalian's mouth.
She slowly turned her gaze behind her.
The dome of red stood tall, all over it, were images of a squirrel trying to steal nuts, the Don Chiik.
A smile spread over my face as Dantalian turned further back.
"Y…you..?"
Stabbing an axe through her stomach was a woman with a bright smile.
"How are you alive…"
Her black and white hair fluttered in the wind while her purple eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
"I wanted to stab you for so long, bitch."
"Noa… Roselle?"
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