章節 269: [54.4] The Demon who Wants to be Caught
[Author's note: The rest of this chapter isn't from any character's perspective. This chapter contains a mildly graphic scene of an injury that some readers may not find comfortable.]
…Earlier that day…
Atta skipped through the alleys of the slums while the Swordmaster and Cyrus sparred at his estate. Ever since they arrived at the Capital, she would go to the slums and patrol them like some kind of guardian. Whenever she encountered a crime taking place, she would beat up the culprit, tie them up, then deposit them on the doorstep of the Royal Knight's prison. It would always come with a handwritten note for Captain Lou like some kind of twisted love letter.
Each time it would incite Captain Lou to chase her down, and each time she would effortlessly evade him. It was a game of cat and mouse yet no one knew who the cat was and who was the mouse.
Whenever Atta wasn't doing that, she would search for her older brother. However, he was so successful in hiding that she found herself giving up.
Plus… She was recently more interested in playing with Captain Lou than she was in finding her brother.
As she skipped through the alley, she suddenly felt a familiar presence. Before she could react, Atta suddenly collapsed, fast asleep.
In the dream, she sprung up, ready to fight. She found herself on top of a mountain surrounded by sparring figures that the Great Fairy once gave her. She touched each one gently, taking care when she pushed the fake arms that were on a spinning mechanism specifically designed for her.
Her master gave her so much and she would forever cherish that.
"Atta."
She turned and saw a small girl with black hair and a single silver streak. Astra didn't meet her eyes, "I have to tell you something."
Atta grew impatient and wrote on her chalkboard: "Tell me where Moni is!"
Even in her dreams, she didn't have a voice.
Astra ignored her and bit down on her lip, "Atta."
Atta rewrote: "Do it or I will get mad!"
"Rose is dead."
Atta's hand paused.
Astra's voice trembled, "Rose is dead, Atta. Dead. Do you understand what that means?!"
Atta blinked silently. Her hand didn't move to erase the last message she wrote.
Astra's vibrant red eyes finally raised to look at her, "It means she's never coming back. Just like Koale. Just like Hephie. Just. Like. Master. Do you understand?!"
Atta looked down at her chalkboard.
In a way, Atta didn't understand.
Death was something she couldn't comprehend.
She understood the feelings others felt about death, but she never understood just what it meant.
That's because when the body died, no emotions lingered.
Astra shouted at her, "Are you happy?! You cared SO much for bringing Moni to justice that you treated all of us as criminals!!! Now Rose is DEAD! You'll never talk to her again! You'll never have the chance to reconcile! She died thinking YOU hated her!!!"
Atta clutched the board in her hands.
Astra clicked her tongue, "Whatever. Why am I wasting my words on you? It's not like you understand. You may feel what we feel, but you won't ever understand it."
A doorway appeared and Astra took a step into it but paused. She spoke over her shoulder, "Her funeral is tonight. I'm only inviting you because I have faith that you won't cause any problems…"
She gave a self-deprecating laugh, "Although I doubt you care."
Atta watched as Astra left her all alone in her sparring field. Her eyes looked down at her hands and found the chalk had been turned to powder and her board was cracked from her tight grip.
The dream ended and she was brought back to the present.
She sat up from the dirty ground where she had collapsed, ignoring the men around her that were clearly considering turning her in for a profit. She ignored them and hopped onto the nearby roof where she stood, watching the sunset.
After a while, a voice came from behind her, "AHA! I have finally caught you!"
Atta knew the owner of the voice without having to confirm it.
Captain Lou declared loudly, "Today is the day I bring you back!"
As he charged at her, Atta jumped around and ran away. Captain Lou gave chase just as he always had in the past. However, today Atta didn't have the heart to treat it as seriously. She ran out of the city slower than usual, arriving at the forest on the very outskirts.
Atta's footsteps gradually slowed down until her running came to a complete stop.
She stared up past the sparse trees and saw the darkening clouds in the sky. A single raindrop landed on her cheek, but she couldn't bring herself to wipe it away.
Captain Lou finally caught up to her panting for air.
This demon could outrun him any day, but now he's finally caught up!
His eyes betrayed the crazed exhilaration behind them, "I've finally caught you!"
He lunged forward to grab her, but she spun around to face him at the most inopportune time.
His hand glided across her face, causing the scarf hiding her lower face to become detached.
The scarf gently floated in the air until it softly landed on the ground.
Captain Lou's sword dropped from his hand, clattering against the ground. His mouth was wide open and he was shocked frozen.
With the scarf gone, the truth could be seen.
Perfect skin turned to a tattered, black, and scarred mess. It was so hideous, the skin itself had decayed due to lack of care, revealing holes in a mouth that should have never been exposed.
A beautiful face destroyed by the evil that lurked in humans.
Atta covered her lower face with her hands, her eyes trembling so pitifully until she burst out into tears. She sat on the ground sobbing while hiding her face.
Captain Lou was hit by a strange sensation and tears started to roll down his cheeks as he stared off into space.
A moment of hesitation.
A moment of weakness.
If it had been a real battle with a real enemy, he would have been killed on the spot. He was shocked to have even allowed this demon to catch him off guard.
He silently berated himself, calling himself every single insult he could think of.
However, his tears still rolled down his cheeks, syncing perfectly with the demon at his feet.
He bit down on his lip trying to ignore the rising concern for the one destined by fate to be his enemy.
He slowly bent down against his better judgment, considering whether he should try to comfort her or not.
His fingers twitched, "S-Stop crying! Or e-else I will- I will do something!"
She looked at him with tearful eyes and tried to speak, "Ugee. Onn ook."
However, because of her lack of lips, her words seemed more like baby talk than actual words.
"Huh?" Captain Lou pressed his eyebrows. Then, thanks to his years of experience with children, he understood. His eyes widened, "Oh! No, no, no! You're not ugly!"
He immediately wanted to smack himself.
What was he saying to a demon!? A demon!
Was he becoming a demon sympathizer!?
Was it genetic!?
His mother was right!
He was just like his father-NO! There would be no way he would become his father.
Just as he was about to remain steadfast to his beliefs, Atta looked up at him with tearful eyes, mighty enough to trap any man.
She attempted to speak, "Eally?"
He felt as if he had been stabbed in the chest.
How could he have the heart to say otherwise!?
He shouted, "Yes! Don't question me! Y-You-"
Atta carefully removed her arms from around him and hesitantly touched his cheek.
Captain Lou felt another strange sensation he could not explain and in an instant, the tears stopped.
Atta flinched out of his arms and retreated from him quickly. Her face burned red as she focused on the ground at her feet shyly.
Skin-to-skin contact.
She could always feel what someone was feeling if she did that.
She knew when people were lying and when they weren't.
And just now…
He certainly wasn't.
He really found her beautiful.
Captain Lou didn't find the disfigured jaw that grotesque as he had seen much worse when he was assigned to the front lines as a teen. That's why he wasn't at all grossed out by the wounds she received when she was thrown into a fighting ring to train new recruits much like a lion to a gladiator.
His face reddened as he tried to stop the onslaught of embarrassment, "D-Don't get the wrong idea! I'm not a demon sympathizer! I'm a Royal Knight! So don't get mistaken by my compliment! I'm only letting you go temporarily! I-In the future I will surely capture you and bring you in!"
Atta wiped at her tears before staring tearfully at Captain Lou. Seeing his red face and watery eyes, she quickly misunderstood his meaning. She burst into another wave of tears and wrapped her arms around his neck before burying her face in his chest to sob ruthlessly.
Captain Lou was taken completely off guard, "G-Get off! Or else I-I-I-I will surely take you to prison! I-I will! Don't t-test me!"
Atta didn't understand the meaning of his words as she was overwhelmed by the feeling of pure joy at being accepted despite her looks.
As she calmed down, she pulled out her blackboard and slowly wrote on it. Captain Lou was clutching his chest secretly cursing the wiles of demons when she held up the board.
He read it out loud, "Will you go to my sister's funeral with me?"
He was taken aback by this and couldn't think of what to say.
She erased the message and wrote, "I don't want to go alone."
Seeing the feeble expression she was making, he was suddenly reminded of the pouting faces of his siblings and spoke without thinking, "Sure-"
He immediately smacked his mouth and cursed himself, "Why did I just agree to that!?"
Atta's expression lit up and she dove in for another hug. She placed her cheek against his on both sides before rubbing her nose against his.
Captain Lou was frozen, his brain couldn't compute the affection he was just given.
…There was no way he could take it back now.
Oh, but couldn't he just take this as a reconnaissance mission?
With that idea, Captain Lou decided to play along.
創作者的想法 
Nekoru
Nekoru Captain Lou: I'm not a demon sympathizer!
*Atta starts crying*
Captain Lou: I... I might be a demon sympathizer.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票