Molting
Drip. Drip. Raindrops trailed down the window.
No way she'd actually come here in person.
There was no reason she couldn't, but they weren't exactly on friendly terms either. It was awkward, after all—he'd been the one dumped with a one-sided breakup notice.
"Master?"
Watching the rain on a day like this just stirred up old memories. Back when he was around sixteen, maybe? They'd been pretty close up until then. Her turning ice-cold had come completely out of nowhere.
"Hello? Master...?"
Sure, now she was his ex-fiancée and their bond was worse than strangers. But once upon a time, she'd been his one true confidante. The only one in the family who smiled at him despite everyone else ignoring and abandoning him.
So when she'd hit him with that abrupt breakup, it'd shattered his mental defenses in a way that wasn't like him at all. It was as good as her rejecting him despite having smiled at his cursed looks.
"Hey!! Dante!!!!"
He snapped out of his uncharacteristic daze, staring blankly out the window lost in nostalgia, as a familiar voice boomed in his ear.
"...Huh? Lilia? When did you get here?"
"When did I...? I've been calling you since earlier."
Oh, right. He'd been so deep in memories that he'd completely missed Lilia's voice right beside him. Mages were said to spend more time in contemplation as their circles advanced... was this what that felt like?
"Sorry. Got lost in thought."
"What were you thinking about so hard?"
"Just old stuff."
Memories over three years old now. He'd mostly forgotten them, but running into her earlier had made them sharpen vividly.
"Seeing that look on your face, Master, it seems like you're thinking about a girl."
"...Can demons sense that kind of thing?"
"Nah. Just a woman's intuition."
Lilia shrugged playfully, a smile tugging at her lips. A woman's intuition that pierced even beyond insight? Scary stuff.
"...So? Who is it?"
"Huh?"
"You were thinking about another woman, right? That's why."
In that instant, Lilia's soft eyes sharpened. Her red pupils gleamed, piercing right through him. He flinched involuntarily.
"Celine Valencia."
"...Never heard the name."
"Guess I never mentioned it. She's my ex-fiancée."
"Oh."
Come to think of it, he'd never brought up her name before.
"She came by after you left earlier."
"She came here? Your ex-fiancée?"
"Yeah, caught me off guard. It was so sudden."
It was their first real talk since he'd arrived at the academy. They weren't exactly the type to enjoy seeing each other's faces.
"She just asked if I was okay and left?"
"Huh."
Lilia tilted her head, equally puzzled.
"Right? Threw me for a loop."
"Maybe she still has feelings for you, Master?"
"Feelings?"
"Call it my intuition... but coming to check on you after the breakup? Sounds plausible."
"No way."
Logically, the one who'd forced the split couldn't have lingering regrets.
"Well, normally yeah... but you've had a total glow-up, Master."
"Oh."
"Forget skills—even demons would fall for that face."
A bit exaggerated, but he agreed. He'd never seen anyone in the empire handsomer than himself.
Is that really why?
She'd been the one who smiled at his old looks, so maybe not. But Lilia's theory seemed most likely for now.
"Anyway, even if that's the case, it doesn't matter to me."
"Huh?"
"I've got you. That's enough."
Like it or not, they were bound in a relationship that could never be severed. As long as she stayed by his side, Celine's existence meant nothing.
"...You're one sinful guy."
Lilia, who'd been gazing at his face, whipped her head away and muttered sidelong.
"Don't say stuff like that so casually, or it'll really cause trouble."
"I mean it."
Dead serious.
Time flew by. Or rather, cooped up in the hospital room focusing solely on recovery, he hadn't even noticed its passage until vacation was right around the corner.
"Eh... this should be good enough."
Not quite 100%, but close enough. Maybe because he'd absorbed the Pure White Heart and Beelzebub into the Seal of Original Sin, but even short of peak condition, he felt noticeably stronger than before.
...Feels less human with every upgrade, though.
Not that it was a bad thing. He was undeniably getting stronger.
"7th Circle is right around the corner..."
Half a year since he'd formed his first circle, and now the 7th loomed. Astonishing speed, even with all the lucky breaks.
"You sure you're okay with this, Master?"
Arcadia Academy's private training room. Lilia stood before him, smiling.
"I asked for it, didn't I?"
"Got it. No take-backs later, okay?"
"You too."
Discharged today after near-full recovery, he'd decided to test his body with a light spar against Lilia.
Thanks to Beelzebub's pocket watch, she'd regained some demonic energy. No holding back on his end, then.
Talent: Master of Myths stirs.
Trait: Seal of Original Sin greatly boosts your stats against 'Demons'.
Fewer notifications than before, but his body felt instinctively far stronger.
—Vrrrrrrrrrr!!!
A foreign power boiled up from his heart. Mana and aura. Divinity and demonic energy. All unified by the Pure White Heart into one alien force.
"Hup...!!!"
Short leap, wooden sword slashing at Lilia. Sharper, faster than ever.
"Starting with close range... As expected."
—Kagagagang!!!
A crimson-black barrier flicked the blade away. Not reaction—pure prediction.
She's watched me long enough to read me perfectly.
His usual patterns wouldn't land. So...
Another swing blocked by the barrier; he absorbed the rebound, leaping back. As distance opened in a flash, Lilia faltered briefly.
Rail Lightning.
Six circles bloomed behind him, unleashing thunderbolts.
—Kwang!!!
Kwagagang!!!
Seemed to hit... but...
"You didn't think I'd just defend, did you?"
"...Figured as much."
A dark crimson magic circle flared before his eyes. About a dozen by peripheral glance. Demon magic unbound by circles.
"You've grown a lot."
Spears of demonic energy rained from above. One hit from her would knock him out cold—not great for a master's pride.
Talent: Master of Myths assists your immersion.
Slowly, time seemed to stretch. Falling spears slowed; his senses sharpened.
Deflect them all with the wooden sword.
Impossible a month ago. Possible now.
"Hup..."
Short breath out, wooden sword whipping fast. Once, twice. Spears rained down with each swing.
"Even so, that wooden sword'll snap. Pure magic battle? I'm still ahead."
As Lilia smiled leisurely, the sword shattered. And yeah, pure magic against her? Slim odds. Her raw magic prowess outclassed his.
"Who says I need a sword?"
"...Pardon?"
No sword? Make one.
Once impossible, but with the Pure White Heart unifying powers, no more divinity-demonic clashes to worry about.
His first original spell formed: divinity and mana gathering in his hand, aura shaping it into a blade. Impossible with divinity alone, but blended with mana and aura.
A miracle mimicked.
"Holy Sword manifestation."
The demon-slaying blade in his grasp.
"...Master. That doesn't look human at all."
"I know."
Smiling, he charged Lilia.
"What kind of magic...!"
Her demonic spells tore under the holy sword. It didn't take long to reach her.
"How's that? I win."
"...Haha. Yeah. Can't beat you for real now."
Dealing with demons so much had sparked ideas. A weapon tailored to crush them.
"Alright, off to the vacation ceremony?"
"Yes, Master."