Novel Lived
875. The Season of Love
875. The Season of Love
It had been days since Frost and Jury got married.
By now the couple had left the Nexus for their honeymoon. But not without taking Nav to a secret place in Grandis.
Snap was supposed to follow them, but they had a different plan in mind.
“Would you like a grape, or cheese? Hehe… don’t choke.” Carpalis spoke tenderly to a recovering Evergreen.
Snap scaled the heights of Carpal Tower and recorded the two through one of its windows. Evergreen was still physically fatigued, which was rare considering she was both Healed and her pain should have been shouldered by Carpalis.
However, Evergreen’s pain was her own to bear as a Puritas.
“You don’t have to keep doing this for me. In fact, I’d like it if you stopped.” Evergreen pouted. “Benevolent Carpalis… are you still upset because of what happened to me?”
“I can’t do that. When your pain is no longer my burden, then how can I not worry? It’s your job to stay here. On my lap. Don’t mind the groans of my Faustian Bargain. It won’t snap. Hehe…”
Carpalis sensed Snap’s presence. Her eyes flicked towards the camera as she wore a creepy smile. Then, she looked back down at Evergreen. Her long, delicate fingers played with her green hair. It had become slightly lighter since she became a Puritas. Her hair was half dark green and light green, making her look like a fern bush in a way.
“I can’t be yours forever. I don’t want to see you keep carrying our burdens. How many thousands of wounds did you have to shoulder?”
“As many as it takes for there to be peace.” Carpalis sincerely answered before plopping a grape onto Evergreen’s lips.
The woman blushed when Carpali’s fingers brushed against her lips. Evergreen held certain feelings towards the Beholder, but it was unclear if Carpalis was aware of this to reciprocate her feelings. Or was this her way of flirting with Evergreen?
No one could tell what Carpalis was thinking. Those hollow eyes always seemed so empty.
But Evergreen could see her reflection in them as clearly as day as she looked up at her benefactor. Some would call Carpalis terrifying or hideous. However, Carpalis was breathtakingly beautiful up close.
There was no equal to her.
“… Fine. More grapes… please.”
“Hehe~ Finally playing along. Would this be considered cannibalism? Are fruits plants?”
“Fruits are fruits. Just because they come from plants doesn’t make them our children.”
“They don’t?” Carpalis tilted her head. “I thought fruits were the equivalent of ovaries for plants.”
Evergreen was at a loss for words.
Her pitiful Beholder couldn’t possibly be this cute.
“Also – Benevolent Carpalis…”
“Why won’t you just call me Carpalis? Don’t break my heart. Unless that’s what you want.”
“Carpalis… Did you happen to see the flowers? There were blue dahlias blooming in the gardens.”
* * *
Alice and Hellen have lived comfortably ever since the Wonderland incident. Nothing changed for Hellen, but Alice hoped to join the Academy of Magic. Her encounter with the supernatural sparked her desire to seek the unknown. A piece of the White Rabbit’s tail was in her possession as well.
“Let’s go, Dinah~ To another adventure! Onwards to the grocery store!”
“Just a second Alice!”
The Cheshire Cat followed her after waving goodbye to Hellen. The purple-haired cat woman was Alice’s second guardian and a construct of Wonderland. But she was allowed to live with Alice through the powers of the White Rabbit. In a way, it was the White Rabbit’s way of keeping her eye on her.
Hellen didn’t mind her at all. The name ‘Dinah’ was also oddly familiar to her. She remembered that they did have a cat named Dinah before…
“Hmm. Could it be a coincidence?” She wasn’t a stranger to how the world worked behind the scenes. In fact, she had suspected this for a long time now. It was why she easily let the Cheshire Cat live alongside them.
“It’s fine if Alice is happy. Now then… When will Ara return?”
Snap had tried searching far and wide through H5, but they could not find Ara’s whereabouts. It wasn’t until Frost mentally relayed that Ara was currently with Oboros Infinitas for ‘personal reasons’ that she did not want to share.
It was undoubtedly related to Raoul.
Alice plucked a blue dahlia along the way, hoping to give it as a gift to Ara when she returns.
* * *
“You haven’t found your Teacher, have you?” Deiman said to Autumn as they walked around H5’s mesmerizing harbor.
Mae could be seen in the background petting various aquatic animals and fawning over the touchy Aquatids. Unlike Demi-Humans, she enjoyed how clingy they were. This was how she had always believed their Instruments felt when they were being tortured.
“Not yet. But, oh well.” Autumn shrugged. “So, Deiman. Got anything you want to do? Like aspirations? A Demi-Human like you has all sorts of doors opened up! Plus, we got the cash from the Nexus to live our lives going from inn to inn.”
Deiman didn’t have any aspirations at all. Autumn became flustered when Deiman’s eyes lingered on her. Any longer and it felt like he’d drill a hole through her.
“W-What? Got something to say to my face?”
“I’m just happy to be here. With you.”
“A-Ah… Hey…”
“And Mae.”
“O-Oh… Haaah. Since when were you a smooth talker.”
Her hopes and dreams came crashing down in an instant. However, Deiman caught up to her and wrapped her waist with his tail.
“… So, Autumn. What about you. What do you want to do?”
“Er, well… I guess the next logical step is getting into the Academy. I want to climb the ranks and get away from my old nomadic life. I’m actually thinking about settling down in the Nex Megalopolis. Do work here. Plus, we’re close to the Nexus. It’s just that… Ugh, I got no leverage to use! Who’s gonna believe that we know the Amalgam by name!?”
She complained, although a part of it was an act to hide her flustered face from Deiman.
“I guess I could do something about it.”
“You?”
“I was the Founder of the Golden Dawn's apprentice. Thelma."
“… I’m way out of your league, huh.” Autumn muttered to herself self-deprecatingly.
Deiman stopped in his tracks immediately, allowing Autumn to walk ahead.
“Haah. If you don’t mind, then sure. I’ll use you. But… Can I really? Look, I get you see me as an opportunistic snake, but I’ll have you know that I do have some sense of dignity.”
She had the perfect opportunity to enter the Academy of Magic. But using Deiman suddenly annoyed her. She had no problems using him to get closer to the Amalgam, but now why did her heart hurt so much?
“Autumn.” Deiman suddenly called out, causing her to freeze.
“W-What?”
“I might as well head to the Academy too. Being associated with me will give you access. I guarantee it. I also have something I want. But I’m not sure how I’m supposed to approach it.”
He approached Autumn from behind. His shadow engulfed hers as Autumn gulped.
“Would you show me how?”
His tail was wrapped around her waist again. Autumn had come by countless Demi-Humans, and not once had she seen them act like this. Various eyes fell on them. She didn’t know why, but there were gasps and some applauded, like this gesture held a special meaning.
“If you’re willing to tolerate me… Then do what you want…”
She fluffed his tail as Deiman stood by her side. She looked up to smile at him, only to find that he was looking away. No amount of staring could get him to turn around. Then, she noticed it; the soft, red blush on his cheeks.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
“It’s not about being able to tolerate you. I just enjoy being around you.”
Autumn internally squealed.
This couldn’t be happening.
Right here?
Now!?
Autumn’s heart beat like it was about to burst out of her chest. She had never felt like this towards another person before. Nevermind a Demi-human. A part of why she denied her feelings was because she felt guilty for taking advantage of Deiman, and that there was a large social stigma against loving a Demi-human.
But she wasn’t in Grandis anymore.
Everywhere she looked were not just Demi-Humans, but Elves, Insectids, Arachnids, Aquatids, Dragonkin, Dwarves, Mycelli, Humans… The pairings were endless, and no one batted an eye.
If it was here, in the Nex Megalopolis, then there was no reason to be afraid.
Slowly, she felt something else wrap around her waist.
It was Deiman’s hand.
“If it’s uncomfort –”
“It’s not!” Autumn yelled, causing Deiman to turn to look at her.
She calmed down instantly as they shared an intense stare.
“It’s fine. I don’t mind it.”
Her body instinctively leaned against him, now appearing like any other couple present.
“Deiman. Am I allowed to believe what I’m thinking right now?”
He held her closer, almost possessively to confirm how he felt. Autumn had heard how much she meant to him when he manifested his Corrupted Persona. But it wasn’t until now that she understood what it entailed.
“You can. I don’t want us to go our own ways.”
“If you’re fine with a bumpkin like me, then I can’t really say no, can I?” Autumn looked up at him.
Why did humans hate Demi-Humans in the first place?
Autumn wondered long and hard about it. Deiman was no different from a human. His warmth, his affection, his heartbeat…
She stood up on her toes and brought her face close to his. But she was not tall enough to reach his lips. Seeing this, Deiman leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. Their first kiss was awkward and tasted of an awful combination of meat and candy.
But they savored the sweetness of their happiest moment.
Mae suddenly entered the frame. It looked like she was about to intrude. Realizing that they were having a moment, she turned, took several steps back, then watched on with fond eyes.
“Almost stopped something nice. Can affection be shown like that too? I’m learning so much. First the Insectid musicians, and now this. Just what have we been doing all this time?”
The cliché of the friend coming in to interrupt a moment of passion was not going to happen here. Her attention was suddenly caught by the pleasant scent of a rose. She turned to a flower store.
People flocked to buy a type of blue flower she had never seen before.