Realm Wars

Thanks to Rosa's spell, Lucian and the others room were protected throughout the night. But not could be said about the other mercenaries who didn't sleep a wink for fear of being attack again.

At just the break of dawn, Lucian woke up and stretched. However, he didn't have a good night's sleep. He did take a nap, but not for long. 

He looked outside his window and found that the storm had passed, but the outside was still dark with stars blanketing the sky.

Not thinking of going back to sleep, Lucian washed his face and changed his clothes to training robes. He'd have a quick swing in the deck before the others woke up.

Stretching as he went towards the main deck, he yawned but soon found his sleepiness disappeared at the sight of a beautiful woman sitting at the edge of the wooden railings.

Her translucent skin was sparkling beneath her scarlet robe, reflecting the waters below. Her lips formed the perfect heart when she opened her mouth. And her hair, oh her hair was so long it cascaded to the wooden floor like pouring night with shining stars. 

She was mesmerizing in every way!

But it was not the perfect features that Lucian dwelled. Not the darkest flickering eyes nor the perfect scarlet red lips. .. Something was drawing him to her. Lucian didn't know if it was a charm spell because he found that he couldn't avert his gaze on her.

Was there a beauty like her on board before? Was she a mercenary? 

The desire to getting to know her overwhelmed Lucian's mind that he didn't know he was walking near her until he was but an arm's length.

"What do you want, boy?"

Her voice was soft and pleasant to the ears, though it held nothing but coldness.

Lucian blinked and said in stammers, "Y-you might fall."

".. ."

".. ."

Lucian never wanted to hit himself so bad to the point of fainting from the force than now. He never lacked a situation where he conversed with women before. 

Why now of all times that it seemed it was his first time conversing with a woman?

The beauty chuckled, and Lucian's heart wanted to crawl towards her.

"My face looks nice, but I'm not," she said and got off from the railing. "Be careful who you mess with."

Was her warning before she swayed in the opposite direction? She walked in slow motions like time stopped just for her, and Lucian never saw a woman so alluring as her.

"My name's Lucian." There. He said it –– a first attempt to get to know her.

She didn't turn towards him, though. She didn't even spare him a glance as she walked towards the stairs and disappeared below deck.

Lucian was in a spell and before he realized what happened the woman was gone and her name was lost with her.

Lucian wanted to chase after her even though they might still each other if she was one of the mercs on the ship. But he didn't wish to dally because he had a feeling that he wouldn't see her again.

"Stop."

Raphael appeared and blocked Lucian's way.

"She's a demon," Raphael said, and Lucian only registered the seal between the ample cleavage of the woman. 

Why hadn't he noticed before that she was a servant? The enormous breasts of the woman that almost slip from her robe were what hammered in Lucian's head. That's why.

"Haven't you realized it?" Raphael asked in a condescending voice. "It was obvious that I even felt it. You should have sensed it."

Yes. Lucian sensed it. But his heart acted first than his brain. 

Lucian shook his head. "Sorry. It must be a charm spell that every demon-possessed." He could only make this an excuse so Raphael would drop the topic.

The sharp edge of Raphael's brows rose, and his white hair flopped over his white eyes when he raised his head a little.

"It's pathetic that you've been under a simple spell if that is the case."

Lucian suppressed his annoyance and said instead, "It won't happen again."

Raphael only looked Lucian in the eyes before his body disappeared. 

"I hope so. You don't want your grandfather to know that a demon's slave captured your interest."

Lucian swallowed his groan, and he took in his lips between his teeth.

He already knew that. 

But still. .. that woman burned in his mind and startled his heart.

----

'What are you doing?'

"The squirt's asleep, so I took the time to get some fresh air," Ferris answered the voice in her head after she locked her door and made sure that no one eavesdropped in her room.

'That's not what I'm asking. If I hadn't stop you there, you might have done something to Leonell's Azura's grandson.'

Ferris flopped on the bed and yawned. "Since when did you care about his grandson?" Ferris laughed. "Rather. Have you seen his face? He looked like a love-struck fool!"

Ferris licked her lips and cupped her breasts in her hands. "Though can't blame him since no one could resist this charm."

She smiled then her expression fell off from her face. "Though that Angel is an exception."

'I don't care what you do. But before you kill him, make sure that you can defeat that man, or else you'll just get us in trouble.'

"Your nagging is what will get us in trouble," Ferris murmured and said, "Don't you think I know that already?"

'Then act like it and don't cause unnecessary attention.'

Ferris snorted. "Are you afraid of that angel?"

.. .

.. .

'You know it's not him that I'm afraid of.'

Ferris bat an eyelid. "On a side note. Is Ryu my mate?"

'.. .'

'Where did this came from?'

"I'm asking since it's rare that you're awake now," Ferris said and murmured, "I sometimes wonder how you can be awake at a perfect moment when I want to do something."

'.. .'

"Well? Is he or not?"

'*sigh. .. You probably know it already. His human side is your mate. You don't feel intensely about it since you're half."

Instead of shock Ferris laughed, and said, "I thought so. I mean, it's very unlike me to protect that boy!" 

She had an inkling that it was the case, but she never wanted to find out because it would just complicate things.

"Funny how I have a mate when I think nothing but myself. And you. .. you're nothing but righteous and obedient and such, but you don't have your other half."

'.. . It's the world saying that you need a leash. Besides, not all demons have a mate. It just happened that you have one. .. like your father have one. . .'

Ferris's mood plummeted. "Our father."

'.. .'

They didn't know who their father was. But at least they were one hundred percent sure that he was a demon based on their inherent knowledge. A high ranking Demon since only high ranking beings could transfer their knowledge, spells, and skills to their children at birth. 

Ferris turned to her back and draped an arm over her eyes. "I find it hilarious that in the vast Septverden, I, Ryu, and Cecily met. To make it worse, our fate intertwined."

.. .

.. .

"You asleep already? Or you chose to ignore me?"

.. .

.. .

Ferris curled to her side. "Fucking Angel."