Bab 7: Idrelas
~~ Author Note ~~
https://discord.gg/6PBf4ccNCT
Hello, readers.
Sorry for the delay on this chapter. I was lazy— er— I mean busy.
Seriously though, writing dialogue is hard, or maybe I'm just stupid. Maybe both? I don't know.
Anyways, nothing much to note other than the story should pick up more next chapter. I finally got through the dialogue-heavy chapters for now.
As always, I hope you enjoy the chapter.
~~ End Author Note ~~
***
"I would love to praise your findings, but I have no idea what a Shikon Jewel is." Dianthus' face remained impassive upon hearing of her supposed treasure.
"Hehe... Oops," Eruza rubbed the back of her head. "Kinda forgot that boss isn't from this world."
"The Shikon Jewel is a treasure to all demons," said Ui. "Possessing it can grant immense strength."
Semiramis scoffed. "If those small fragments are anything to go by, the full jewel will do more harm than good."
The three yokai women were confused. They had heard from many demons about how great the jewel was. Their former boss claimed that they would be at the apex of strength if one possessed the artifact.
"What do you mean?" inquired Eruza. "The demon we took the shards from was far stronger than normal."
Dianthus answered Eruza's question. "What Semi means is that the Jewel is cursed."
"Cursed?" the three demons echoed in sync.
The young girls were also listening to their conversation. They were curious. Many of the greedier humans they had seen also craved this treasured gem.
"Cursed is the simplest way to explain it," said Dianthus. "In truth, the jewel looks to be corrupted by malice. Should it be used in its current state, the gem will erode the user's soul. Of course, that's if the full Shikon Jewel is in a similar state."
"What would happen to the holder after prolonged use?" questioned Roxanne.
"They would suffer from loss of self," Semiramis stated. "The holder would become nothing short of a mindless beast."
"Though if they had enough willpower and strength," interjected Dianthus, "the holder might be able to withstand the effects. The other option to use it would be through purifying the jewel."
Dianthus stretched out out his hand and retrieved the two fragments from Eruza. "However, I wouldn't rely on either method." Dianthus reopened his hand, showing the two shards on his palm.
The soft pink luster of the fragments had disappeared, and in its place was an eerie black hue. The previously dormant pieces now gave an ominous sensation when looked upon.
Semiramis frowned at Dianthus. "I thought you decided to move on."
"Haha..." Dianthus nervously laughed. "I have, but that doesn't mean it's easy."
The goddess sighed and thought to herself, 'I may have taken the situation lightly. It looks like I'll have to speed up the search for his wife and daughter. That should help to stabilize his condition.'
Ignoring the goddess who was nodding to herself, Fremy posed the question all of them were thinking. "What happened to the jewel shards?"
Ignoring his surprise at the seemingly antisocial girl asking a question, Dianthus responded. "The jewel shards swallow negative emotions from the holder. When these feelings are strong enough, the fragments will become black. Should these black shards be used, you'll fall into depravity."
"Repairing a soul that has fallen is a difficult task," said Semiramis. "Also, purifying the jewel would require the holder to have an impossibly pure soul. Very few possess the qualifications. Of course, there are other methods. However, it wouldn't matter. Eventually, the jewel will absorb negative emotions once again."
Hitomi immediately followed up with another question. "Why did the shards become black when you held them? Does it have anything to do with her talk of moving on?"
Dianthus remained silent. Semiramis decided to push the topic away until he was ready to share his past with other people besides herself. "Don't worry about that for now. Unless, of course, you'd like to experience some of my new homemade poisons." Her soft smile and kind eyes didn't match the words that left her mouth.
Hitomi shivered. She was still curious, but she didn't wish to anger the goddess. The others were in a similar position. They believed they had their reasons for not sharing. However, the three demon girls weren't happy to know that negative emotions plagued their boss and perhaps their future lover.
Realizing that the mood had soured, Dianthus attempted to remedy the situation. He once again adorned his warm smile and clapped his hands together. Once he had everyone's attention, he spoke. "Instead of worrying about this accursed jewel, let's have something to eat."
It was a poor attempt at restoring the mood, but everyone nodded. None of those present wished to endure the strange atmosphere that was engulfing them.
"Since cursed jewel fragments replaced our meal," Dianthus looked at the demon girls, "I'll have to improvise."
The girls were embarrassed. In their excitement after finding the jewel fragments, they forgot their task of acquiring food.
Since this was Dianthus' domain, he controlled everything contained within. As if sensing his intent, the world created a flower bud in front of each woman.
Dianthus tapped his index finger on his armrest. The buds responded to his action and bloomed.
Each flower had six dark purple petals surrounding its pistil. Adorning each petal was a plethora of small white four-pronged stars. The flower's pistil and stamen were midnight black. The perfect details gave the flower an ethereal look.
The girls were smitten with the flowers. The plant was reminiscent of a star-filled midnight sky.
"What kind of flower is this?" asked Shinoa.
"The flower is called Idrelas. I created this plant many years ago," Dianthus said. "The petals are edible and quite filling."
Semiramis took a petal from the flower in front of her and placed it on her tongue. "Mhmm... I see it's as delicious as ever."
The others seeing the goddess' blissful smile, decided to taste the plant themselves. Upon placing a petal on their tongues, the girls were assaulted with an almost overwhelming sweetness.
The flavor tasted of a mixture between sweet berry jam and honey. The petal itself didn't require chewing as it melted in their mouth. Once gone, their mouth was left with a lovely floral scent.
"Incredible..." said Roxanne. "It's like eating a fruity dessert that melts in my mouth."
Fremy and Shinoa nodded with sparkling eyes. Since they had arrived in this world, their meals consisted of stale bread and rotting vegetables. If they were lucky, they would acquire wild fruits. Although they were eating flower petals, for them, it was as if they were in heaven.
The three yokai women were just as amazed with the taste. They had been following Dianthus for some time now, but they usually ate what they could find. Dianthus wasn't one to cook, and Semiramis' food was radioactive.
Dianthus smiled at their reactions. "I'm glad you all enjoyed it. Should you ever want more, look in the flower fields. They grow throughout this realm."
All of the girls enthusiastically nodded. Each girl planned to stuff themselves with this sweet flower until they grew sick of it.
Once they had finished eating, Dianthus decided to address the younger girls. "You three will have to leave with Semi. She'll be repairing your souls for you. You can figure out your plans once you're healed."
The girls nodded. "When do we leave?" asked Roxanne.
"Right now," Semiramis answered. "Repairing your souls may take a couple of years, so be prepared."
Not waiting for a response, Semiramis flicked her hand. An invisible force pulled the three girls into a fracture that appeared in the ground.
The goddess waved her hand towards Dianthus. "Do be ready to deliver my reward, darling." She stepped forward, disappearing in the fracture after the girls.
"What about us, boss?" questioned the cheetah girl still on his lap.
Dianthus rubbed her head. "You three need to attain your full human form. As for me, I'm going to look into this jewel some more. Maybe it'll lead me to what I'm searching for."
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone