Die Already! Skaya's Ruthless Courtship

"Die!!!!"

The old Skaya had built a fortress around romance. She'd rather hole up in her room nursing a drink than date anyone, claiming booze suited her better—dumping near-60% alcohol straight down her gullet and declaring she'd shack up with liquor during wartime. I didn't have many close folks beyond those four, so she made a solid drinking partner. Her rants and chats meshed well enough with mine. Yeah, that was our deal: booze buddies, or a solid crazy bitch to call when no one else picked up.

But what the hell was she saying now?

"Mm, still... I prefer reinforcing with mana over bulking up muscles. Being all burly isn't bad, but a body that's just right to hold and enjoy? That's my type."

Was that Skaya seriously talking about raising me up just to devour me? For real?

I'm not dead yet! Though honestly, given the situation, I'd kill to drop dead right now...

You think you'd just accept it if a woman you'd shared decades of ups and downs with suddenly showed up saying, "Hey, marry me" out of nowhere?

Yeah, got it..!!

"Suddenly going quiet... What's up?"

"When you hear total bullshit, normal people just... *cough*!!"

"You're such a tease. Even I was once famed as the world's most beautiful."

"Looks don't matter if your... personality's that messed up... *cough*!!!"

Fuck! I couldn't even speak properly! Skaya's mana had spread through my body, restricting my movements and warping my words with her own thoughts mid-sentence.

"Anyway, you need to get stronger. Got it?"

"Why the hell are you deciding that!!"

"Because it fits me perfectly."

...Had she done a complete 180?

If she could've snapped back to normal like that, she would've ages ago.

Spear had bolted the second she saw Skaya like this, utterly fed up. Vivian tried to flee but got caught in the spreading mana field, sprawled helpless on the ground. She was hitting the deck extra hard today. Hang in there, Vivian...

"And I believe you can overcome it."

"What?"

Overcome what? I was still a fledgling who hadn't even properly awakened my unique mana. Whose mana was I supposed to fight? This psycho principal.

"Ah, it probably doesn't feel real yet."

With that, Skaya suddenly withdrew her mana. And what emerged from me was...

"Huh?"

My unique mana, fully manifested.

Unique mana doesn't just awaken that easily. Ordinary mages struggle for years to unlock theirs. Even a basic elemental affinity skyrockets your proficiency, understanding, power, and efficiency overnight—who'd pass that up? It had taken me over a year to reclaim mine in most regressions. How the hell...?

"I forcibly awakened it with Dominion Magic. That's the least a wife can do, right?"

"Urk... gross..."

Wife? That word made me wanna hurl. She was dead serious, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and it was disgusting.

"Nerooos!!!!"

Nero, who'd watched the whole spectacle, gathered curses and fired them straight at Skaya. I channeled my pure, reclaimed mana circuits for the first time in ages, pushing full throttle.

"There we go. A little rebellion's more fun to raise than total obedience."

"Quit your bullshit!!"

Who was raising who?!

The cyan blade, infused with destructive mana, glowed with a faint red hue unlike usual. Topped with Nero's curses, it formed a single scythe.

"A Scythe of Destruction and Curses, huh. You handle mana and curses well—got talent there too?"

Ignoring her, I swung the scythe at Skaya's neck. But it didn't even graze her—my magic fizzled into harmless mana.

Knew it!!

"And Nero's weakened since dying and reviving via curses. But mastering rituals? Impressive growth. All on Lian's own merits. Congrats."

Nero's claws bounced off Skaya's magic. Treating a special-grade Spirit like a toy—could she even be human?

Knowing curse attacks wouldn't land, Nero shifted to physical buffs with curses, whipping her tail...

"Nice—your physicals feel like the old days now."

Skaya caught the tail one-handed and hurled Nero's massive frame right at me.

"How's a mage better at this than a plain brawler...?"

"Lady's basic etiquette. Right?"

Your lady etiquette can go die.

"Nero, you okay?"

Nero's wounds were superficial—no real damage. She'd precisely inflicted pain to toss Nero my way, aiming to sideline me without killing or crippling. No murderous intent.

"Still, no real combat experience shows—you're weak."

"You are too strong. Don't call others weak."

"Fair point."

Infuriating. I wanted to smash my fist into that smug face right now.

"Hup!!!"

"Whoa, aiming for a lady's face? So rough."

"Die!!!"

Thought turned to action. My destruction-infused fist rocketed straight at her face, but Skaya coated her hand in Dominion Magic, absorbing and stealing it. My follow-up side kick to her ribs? Blocked by knee and elbow. Then she uttered:

"Fly!"

"Gah!!!"

I soared from her relentless strike. She landed silently before me, then soon spoke.

"Again?"

"Raaagh!!!!"

After that, I got utterly demolished before blacking out.

*****

"Haa... haa... Won't even let me land one hit?"

"Your moves sharpened as we went, though?"

This time, I'd poured everything in: mana, stamina, curses. Every tool at my disposal. The sheer release felt exhilarating, gut-punchingly refreshing.

...Though facing Skaya made winning irrelevant.

"See? My eyes never lie."

"Bullshit..."

"We'll fix that mouth later."

I don't curse much around you anyway?

At least the gods watching these scraps tossed coins my way—decent side income. And the donation tiers felt bumped up overall?

"So, seriously—no thoughts on becoming my husband?"

"Eat shit."

I flipped her the bird loud and clear. Grateful? Sure. Love? Not a fragment.

How do you say "I love you" to someone you don't?

"Figured as much. No biggie."

"Then why the hell...?"

"You won't forget me now."

"...What?"

Skaya slowly ascended, strolling into the sky.

"Most humans cling longer to bad memories than good ones. Ask any academy grad their most memorable moment—orientation's always top."

When lethal magic blasts fly at your face? Only a rare few forget that casually. Hell, I'd even learned a secret technique just to try slicing one.

"Bad impressions are hard to shake, but they stick forever."

"No way... You pulled that stunt just to burn a bad image into me?"

"Obviously..."

"Just die already!!!!!!!!!!!"

Seven hours later—after getting thrashed and carried by Skaya—the tale of Rain hearing it from her and kicking off the blankets was a bit in the future.