For You This World I'll Destroy

Strength to Protect (1)

—16—

There's something suspicious at the Lantern Flower Shop.

Every step of my foot felt like stepping on a spiked field. Each breath of my breath seemed to suck the stifling ashes of fire. My eyes narrowed not caring about anything.

I, the owner of the Lantern Flower, know nothing about it.

Every month Luciel reports to me. With my photographic memory, I remembered every detail of it. But, I don't see any large number of Aether transactions. And also, there's no report of Aether's theft in the warehouse.

There's something Luciel's hiding from me.

The flame that I thought was extinguished is now back in my heart. The heat flowed all over my body as I clenched my hands together. Save me trying to suppress the fire with meaningless arguments. Luciel could have made a mistake, he might have forgotten to report it.

But.the darkness in my heart rejected him raw, devouring me with painful waves of disappointment.

I stopped in front of my shop and saw Luciel amiably serving my customers. The girl's blue eyes caught me outside and she sweetly smiled at me. But what is he hiding behind that smile?

I puffed my smile to lie to my heart. Right, all just a fake. Sweet promises are all just nonsense. Love only leads to betrayal. Relationships are only the bonds of mortal destiny. In the end, this road I have to go through even though the whole world is my enemy. Whether in this world or 10 million other worlds, I will always be alone.

… But I hope, this time despite only a million possibilities though, I can see a different epilogue of the story outlined for me.

“Dame Clair from where? It's noon, Dame must be hungry, right? Luciel has prepared food for you,” said Luciel who opened the door and greeted me.

I did not comment on the Homunculus' words and immediately stormed into my office. I scatter the documents there and blindly search for invoices and notes there. My little heart wishes it was just me being paranoid. But not for a minute looking for me to find him.

Notes with the scent of the world's traveler's body.

“Dame why?” asked Luciel worriedly.

I hit the note on the table and glanced sharply at the girl, “Why did you sell an Aether of this size without my knowledge?”

Raptured Luciel who stepped back, shaking his hand as he tried to answer, “A-A-I h-only—“

“... No need to fear, Luciel. I knew this was gonna happen. Six months without my supervision, of course, someone will take advantage of your innocence and trap you,” I said who let out a long sigh of mine,

“Since the beginning, I did not expect you to be loyal to me, Luciel,” continued me who also left the office.

But suddenly Luciel took my hand, “D-Dame, j-don't go, L-Luciel can explain it.”

“Oh yes? In that case, please,” said I who pulled my hand by force. Fold my hands together and look at the girl who was about to cry with a suspicious look. Of course, he did not expect crocodile tears to cover up his mistake, right?

Luciel held his heart and inhaled a deep breath. With certainty in his eyes, he replied,

“Ma Dame still remember about my purpose of living in this world? Semuai ni I did. for the sake of being someone who is able to protect a meaningful person in the life of Luciel.”.

I stroked my chin and thought, Who is that person that Luciel is referring to? His lover? Or is the friend he met for six months out of my sight? Whatever it is, the answer doesn't change anything at all.

I also challenged the girl, “How is that a valid reason for you to break my orders? Luciel, even after being caught off guard by me, you haven't said sorry to me at all. It seems... to you, I am not the first priority huh?” my many.

“A-Is Dame disappointed with me?” ask Luciel.

From behind the door I could smell Arthur's body, suddenly stopping the unpleasant entrance. Not wanting the child to be dragged into my troubles, I let out a long sigh and turned my back.

“Luck is a feeling when your trust is betrayed by reality. If that trust never existed, how could I be disappointed?” I answered the one who took my magician's hat strung up on the pole jacket in the office.

Tightening the hat, I also gave my last message to the girl who lowered her head with her hands clenched,

“Show me, Luciel. The power to protect your life purpose.”

— + —

A hungry group of fish approached me as my hand offered them breadcrumbs. Crouching down to see my bread run out in an instant, I inhaled the scent of autumn around me. The reddish leaves fell on the edge of the pond where I was, blown by the wind with the faint sound of children playing ball. At the edge of the iron fence that separates the road and the artificial lake, Daemons and humans spend their afternoons fishing there.

“Auntie's words are too cruel for Luciel,” said Arthur behind my back.

“Ara, really?” I said, feeding the fish's mouth there with breadcrumbs, “What makes you say that, Artie?” my many.

Arthur sat beside me and sighed, “Although only two days of work at the Lantern Flower Shop, I could see clearly how much Luciel was really doing his job there,” said the boy who was following along to feed the fish with me,

“In my opinion... alleging the faithfulness of the Homunculus, after all the sincerity he gave Auntie, is a very unfair thing.”

I smiled, “If you were at my side, how would you define that fair word, Artie?” my many.

“Once, I can't understand you. In my eyes, Auntie is a loving figure, but for some reason.The way Auntie conveys that affection makes me dizzy,” said Arthur who stared at the light of the Yggdrasil tree from a distance,

“As if Auntie is afraid to express that love sincerely.”

Laugh at me, duh, the kids and his wild imagination. A favor? Dalm myself? Haha. How can a demon like me have a concept that even humans don't understand?

“I don't understand anything you're saying, Artie. I am the wicked woman who left you, who is still innocent and innocent, in the den of wolves,” I said who also supported my body and relaxed hearing the calm waves of the pond,

“Love doesn't hurt but grow someone better. But all I know is how to hurt and destroy others,”.

“... Auntie guess, I didn't know that a week after ‘disappeared’, Auntie slaughtered that pack of wolves?”

“Ara, since when are you good at conspiracy theorizing?” I said that laughs a little.

“Without the magic book and Quartz Megistus that Auntie left behind, how could I have compiled Lumina to cover me all this time?” shoot Arthur again.

“You sure it wasn't your mom?” askaku.

“Mother is too busy helping others to care about the child of the woman who ruined her life,” says Arthur.

How'd he know? Haaah. Jun, you promised me. Basic, men can never be held by his words.

I snorted, “Iya, yes, I was unfair to Luciel. I knew that the intelligent girl would be suspicious of a figure who wanted to buy Aether such a large sum. Therefore, he pretended to sell the magic compound and watched the movements of the figure named Quina,” I said that took from my magician's hat and took some Aether powder there and scattered it in the sky,

“Each magic compound has a distinctive footprint. For a magician who was an expert in the field of alchemy, they were able to trace that distinctive trail easily. Likely, Luciel used this fact to trace the whereabouts of Quina.”

Arthur looked surprised,” If Auntie knew from the beginning, why scold Luciel?!”

“I want to see to what extent Luciel can live without me. Therefore, I gave him.. ahem, a little more encouragement, Uhh... maybe excessive anyway, so I became upset now and calmed down,” said I who also stood up and stretched my body, so that I was,

“Yeah, so now I'm here, watching Luciel and helping him, if that girl needs me. As for how, I am still the master who created the Homunculus. He's still in my charge.”

Arthur patted his forehead in wonder, “Jeez, clumsy Auntie's bottom.”

The awkward laugh of me scratching my neck, “Oh yes, if you come all the way from Junon, it means you brought it right?” my many.

Arthur bent his eyebrows, then stood up to open his robe. He handed me a black sword and asked, “I mean Auntie, the sword you used?”

I gladly received the sword and pulled it out. The sword blade darkened so that not a single light could stain it. An ancient letter was engraved on him, emitting a curse that could restore the magic back in its original form, energy and absorb it. With that sword I have defeated millions of enemies that stand in my way.

Artemisian.

“There is still time before Luciel strikes, what if we warm up first, Artie?” my many.

Pale Arthur's face as he shook his head, “N-N-No! I told you, I'm just a knight by the name of doang. If you fight the greatest Knight in Junon, you can battered me!”

Smiling grimacing I showed my fangs, “Araraa, take it easy, didn't you say, I am your loving Auntie?”

When I heard my words, it was clear on Arthur's face that he wanted to withdraw his words.