Chapter 124: Dance Macabre: The Man-Eating Ritual [2]  

Adam Seacord

Editor: Weasalopes

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…I was scared. But, somewhere in my mind I understood that this was the best course of action. I would die at this rate. My magic, knowledge, and memories would all disappear. The method to most effectively carry on all of those things, was this one.

Miyabi didn’t know that. She would be enraged. I would have to let Daria handle that. Astarte would be disappointed, but Sara, while she would be enraged, would understand. How about Shiro? Nubia and Nem? Diana and Chana? Dora, and the other girls at the Temple and Spider’s Web…? Still, if I could help Olivia’s chances even a little bit… I was okay with it.

「Da…ria… Keep… going…」

Every time I spoke, blood poured out. Daria continued the ritual without a word. Even in a situation like this, my body was still feeling pleasure. I could also tell from the flow of magic from her that she was nearing climax.

The ritual was almost over. Before it was, I wanted to at least say…

「It’s… okay… Now… you… will…」

I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t breathe. Daria and looked up, and our eyes finally met. …She must have been crying the whole time. Her reddened eyes were soaked with lust, pleasure, and sorrow. In her hand, she held the same dagger from before.

「Master… I mean, Elliot-san.」

I thought so.

Daria’s memory had returned. Whether that was fortunate for her or not, I couldn’t tell.

「I never meant to tell you… I’m… sorry…」

I wanted to tell her it was okay, but I couldn’t move my body nor say a word. All I could hope for was to give all of my magic to Daria before my life would come to an end.

…I’m sorry, Olivy.

Daria slowly raised the dagger. Miyabi froze in shock, but she couldn’t make a move. Daria might have told her something beforehand.

Now, hurry.

「I… Have always… Loved you.」

In that moment, Daria struck the dagger…

Into her own chest.

???

Explosive magic flooded into me. My eyes blurred, and a scream came out. It took a few seconds to realize that I was the one screaming. This ritual ends by one life devouring the other. Daria’s magic, and her life, flowed into my dying body.

「Stop. Stop it… Daria!」

I could shout. Which meant that my body was rapidly regenerating.

「I loved you… I… still, love…!」

Daria’s voice echoed. Not through the air, but through my body.

「I always thought, that I must be content with watching from afar. When you told me to come with you, and took me… And kept me by your side even after you turned me into a monster…」

A steam of her memories flowed into me. After her death, when she was treated like livestock by the people of her homeland, Daria was always crying… And watching me. The bloody, busy, but exciting days after she was turned into a monster. I wondered how much even those screwed up days meant for her.

「Just being next to you… I thought I couldn’t be happier… Olivia-san and Astarte-san… They all love you. So… I thought that… If I could just be next to you… I would be happy…」

I got up, and held Daria. The edge of her body was already cracking, and beginning to crumble.

「Don’t say! I know, I knew all that! So…!」

So, I wanted to draw out more of Daria’s desires. I wanted her to want something. Even if that was just what I wanted.

「Elliot… Please… kiss… me…」

I held together Daria’s crumbling body, and laid my lips on hers. Tears poured out of Daria’s eyes, and trickled onto our lips. While I closed my eyes and held her tight… As ashes of a bonfire turn to white, as fresh snow fall from the branch of a tree, Daria crumbled away.

…Devoured by me.

「…Daria… Daria…!」

I could hear Miyabi trying to hold back her tears. Even if she wasn’t told, she must have understood it on some level. She must have felt the regret of not stopping Daria, and the hopelessness that she couldn’t do anything. I knew all that, and I couldn’t do anything for her.

I was just staring the spot where Daria was a moment ago, trying to feel for any piece of her inside of me. But it was all swallowed up by my body in no time. I had turned her into a monster with my magic in the first place. Of course, we were compatible. My wounds were far from healed, but the bleeding had stopped, and they were slowly closing. Magic was nearly overflowing, and my physical strengths were returning to me, too.

It was just like the time I devoured Arachne. Slowly, Daria’s powers were being transplanted to me. The texture of my skin shifted, becoming a little harder. My body restructured a little, enough to ignore any debilities from the pain and poison.

I open my mouth, but nothing came out. All I wanted was to scream, and I couldn’t make a peep. I knew somehow that, once I could let out my voice, I wouldn’t be able to stop.

I was just staring the space in front of me.

Then, I heard a voice.

「What…Daria…? I… Where…?」

With a dumbfounded, blood-drained face, Layla whispered, still on the ground. She looked she was having a nightmare. As she slowly regained her minded and started recalling the events leading up to this point, her expression distorted, she gritted her teeth… Until she looked like she was holding back tears.

「…You! It’s all your fault! That’s why Daria…! Daria!」

Miyabi couldn’t control herself any longer, as she grabbed Layla, still on the ground. With her strength, she lifted Layla and half of her armor still clung to her body, then slammed her down on the ground. Layla either couldn’t or didn’t move, as she barely resisted. The rest of her armor shattered and scattered as the joints broke. At this rate, Miyabi would kill Layla in her rage.

「…Miyabi.」

Barely, I could utter that much while holding back unintelligible screams at the back of my throat. It wasn’t even a question. Giving way to wrath and killing Layla here would only burn the evidence for them.

So what? Daria’s gone. Layla was being controlled, and I didn’t know it. That’s why Daria died. To save a useless man like me.

I couldn’t think. I couldn’t control my own rage against Layla as it thrashed.

Then, I heard Layla.

「Elliot, I’m sorry… Because of me, that girl…」

Collapsed on the ground, Layla wept.

In that moment, something inside of me broke.

All that came out was a beastly howl. I didn’t know what I was saying. There were countless things to do, like determine Layla’s responsibility, or investigate the truth of the incident, and worst of all, I knew all along that Layla was being used.

But all of those thoughts had vanished. I couldn’t forgive myself. I couldn’t control my rage. I just pinned Layla down to the floor, and ravished her without so much as foreplay.

Looking back on it, it was possible that the overflowing magic inside of me had exceeded the capacity of my body, and I was just looking for another container. Still, when I devoured Arachne, I was able to control my actions.

This time, I was helpless. Every time Layla screamed in pain, it made me more violent. In her vagina, in her colon, in her mouth… I shot my sperm into her countless times.

Even while she was being ravished, Layla didn’t stop apologizing. To me, to Daria, to Lubreo, to her father, to Nunna, to god. Every time she whispered an apology, I was enraged, and ravished her again. Never once did she resist.

…I was the worst. I didn’t even realize that I was crying on Layla’s shoulder the whole time.

「…You still, can’t hold it back… Can you?」

Layla regained her rationality long before I did. I came to when I heard her say this, but she must have been repeating it to me as I ravished her over and over.

It was a horrible sight. Layla’s face, covered in semen, was crumpled up with wounds, tears, and unwanted orgasms. I guessed that my face looked as bad or worse.

「…Layla…I…」

I regained the ability to speak while I was still over Layla. While we were still intertwined.

「It’s all right… I, took Daria from you. And… I turned my blade against my Lady…」

She seemed to have recalled everything she had done. From every part of our bodies that we touched, I could tell that she was shaking.

「That…! That was Gratina’s trap. Layla, you didn’t do…」

「But, the one who… it might have been you, but… I was the one who stuck my blade in Lady Olivia… Wasn’t I?」

Layla wasn’t foolish. She understood fully what had happened. Layla’s future as a knight in Abram had been utterly extinguished.

「Layla… Be mine.」

「What…? What did you…?」

It came out of my mouth, and I meant it. Now I could finally think again, I was beginning to map out my next steps as well. From what I must have been doing, which was to ravish in a tantrum, I switched to try giving some form of pleasure to her. Layla’s body reacted, reciprocating a gentle squeeze.

「You know already. You have no place to go. He used you up and threw you away. All that’s left for him is to use you as the culprit for Olivia’s assassination attempt. …I know that you knew I wasn’t exactly normal. And I don’t need to hide it anymore. Be mine. This is where you belong, Layla. That’s an order.」

Of course, I was in no position to order Layla to do anything. Still, I felt that I had to be this assertive to reach Layla. Every time I spoke to her, her vagina contracted, stimulating me.

「But why… Why a girl like me?」

「Because I want you. Because I had you. Because, I want to make you mine.」

I considered turning her right then and there, but my body and mind hadn’t recovered enough to pull that off. My magic overflowed, and poured into Layla without even being used.

「Elliot… Elliot, Elliot… I, I…!」

Her body trembled. She must be nearing climax, and it wasn’t the first that night. Her long legs wrapped around me, ensnaring me. Layla orgasmed with ease… And a little later, I released my semen into her. I had lost count.

I must have drained all my strength, as I collapsed into her bosom. Her butt, which I had been holding slightly above the floor, dropped. Her legs untangled from me. We were sprawled out on the floor on top of each other.

Only our panting echoed in the room. Neither of us said a word until Miyabi brought us a towel.

「…I, have to go back.」

Layla said, as she sat up wearing what were now rags.

「Why? He… used you, made you up to be an assassin…」

「Stop. Say no more. No more… Please.」

It almost looked like Layla was crying. But, somehow, I thought that it was my fault rather than Lubreo’s.

「You’re right, I think… But I’m still a knight. If there’s still a chance that it was all a mistake… I can’t forsake my duties of a knight.」

It was a pure, sad smile.

Maybe I could have tied her down. Maybe I could have kept her locked up for a few days, and ravish her until she was a monster. Until she was mine.

But I couldn’t. That wouldn’t get me the Layla I had grown so fond of.

「…Take Nunna-san and get out of Abram while it’s dark. You could leave your name behind, and even make a living as a mercenary or an adventurer. I could introduce you to a trustworthy mercenary, if you’d like.」

It was dirty. Still, her nanna may be able to stop her. Layla wouldn’t be able to ditch Nunna-san, either. It was calculated.

「…Thank you, Elliot. If only, I had met you before everything.」

「…Miyabi. Escort Layla to the exit by the shop, please.」

Miyabi looked like she had a lot to say, but she obeyed me without a word.

That was the last time I spoke with Layla the knight.

MIyabi and Layla disappeared into the depths of the underground waterways, and all I could hear was the sound of my own breathing. I finally noticed the thirst in my throat, so I walked over to the cabinet at the end of the room, and picked up the pitcher.

Among the few cups by it, there was one that Daria had always used. It was one of the first pieces we had gotten after coming to Abram. A simple cup with little decoration. It was the first thing Daria had picked out for herself.

My knees gave out. My vision blurred.

She was gone. I devoured her.

That’s what Daria wanted. I knew that, I had no right to complain about what had happened. I knew it all.

All I could do was howl.

…Daria was gone.