27. The Eve Before the Stormy Pure Love
"Arcade, what the hell is this? Explain yourself right now."
I shook my arm, the one wrapped in the whip, to show him exactly what he'd done. Arcade didn't drop his smug, relaxed expression for a second. I hadn't expected him to explain anyway, but this attitude was pissing me off. So damn annoying.
"You're awfully relaxed. You know better than anyone how powerful this whip is, don't you? You've seen it up close with Tyranno. It wasn't a pretty sight, that worthless little brat taking down magical girls with just a whip."
Every word was laced with thorns that scraped at my nerves. The whip's tip slithered like a snake, coiling around his neck. Two loops, three loops—it tightened, but he didn't dodge or block.
"A neck tougher than rebar. Is this really organic flesh?"
Arcade murmured, gauging the strength through his fingertips. I couldn't help but snort. That's why you can't escape being just another two-bit villain. A body tough enough doesn't even compare to rebar.
"This is choking me. Untie it now."
The rough whip chafed against my delicate skin, making it itch. Even in cat form, this never happened. Why is human skin so damn fragile?
"Who's giving orders to whom here?"
"You think I'd ask you nicely?"
"You're really relaxed to the end."
His voice dripped with exasperation. My legs ached from all the walking. Too annoying to care, I plopped down on a rock.
"You're getting on my nerves."
"Fine, before you die, at least tell me why. What the hell were you thinking, pulling this on me? Tired of living?"
"What else could it be? The ambition of a subordinate stabbing his boss in the back—same throughout history."
Ambition. What a grandiose word to dress up betrayal.
"Without you, that brat Tyranno is nothing. Without you, the Doctor's just a convenient puppet. Without you—without you—I could take the Korea branch manager spot."
"Branch manager? You did something this stupid over one branch manager position?"
It wasn't that great a job. I'd seen it up close next to the Doctor.
"Tyranno being nothing without me? Sure, I'll buy that. But the Doctor as an easy puppet? You serious?"
"All she's good for is stamping papers—and even that's half-assed."
How did a guy who knows zilch about politics climb to a key Darknis position? He crushed countless faction wars with pure skill. No way this clown could control him.
"And you botched the biggest premise. Tyranno and the Doctor would have to kill me first before making a move. How exactly are you gonna kill me? What's your brilliant plan?"
"Like this."
The whip around his neck tried to snap his spine, but it didn't even scratch the skin. A bit tight, but I could breathe fine.
"Can't kill you with ordinary methods, huh."
Now it squeezed his throat. He was trying his hardest, but it felt like watching a kid play.
"Enough. I've seen what you can do. I get your level now. It's so pathetic, it's making me wanna die."
Arcade couldn't wield the whip properly anyway, but just in case, I let a few attacks land. If he weren't up against me, he'd have some bragging rights. But against me? No threat.
I grabbed the whip around his neck and pulled. It resisted a few times, then went slack.
"This... this can't be happening. Why? How did it end up like this? It shouldn't have... "
His "master plan" had fallen apart so easily—he looked utterly defeated. Hell, it was embarrassing to even call it a plan. Stealing the whip? Success. But he didn't know its mechanism, didn't test it, and charged straight at me. Pathetic, not knowing his place.
I approached step by step. No need to transform into a lion for trash like this. Drawing a weapon would be overkill.
"Stay back."
Arcade's face finally went pale. He swung the whip wildly, emotions taking over, but I had no reason to dodge.
"Get lost!"
Lions on the savanna love cornering prey. It's instinct—push them to the brink, induce panic, then sink teeth into the nape. With lion blood in me, I herded this prey—hostile to Tyranno and the Doctor—into a park corner.
"No, this can't be. Tyranno got insanely strong with this thing's power. I should be way beyond him if I'm using it."
Cornered, Arcade ranted like a madman. Was he talking to me or himself?
"Idiot. That's why the Doctor gave the whip to Tyranno."
"What do you—"
I snatched the whip from his hand.
"It doesn't absorb just any emotion. Only one kind—the desire to discipline a mesugaki."
"Only the desire to discipline a mesugaki...? Why the hell does a weapon like that even exist...? They're insane... "
What was he on about? Wanting to discipline a mesugaki is just common sense, right?
"The Doctor worried it'd be misused in someone else's hands. Magical girls getting it, or another villain betraying and stealing it—not ideal. So she insured it for mesugaki Tyranno only. And she was right."
Like a bow-tied detective cornering the culprit, laying out the MO—I trampled Arcade's pride with words. Felt damn good. Bet that's why detectives love verbally dismantling perps.
"You didn't lose to me. You lost to the Doctor."
I jabbed his forehead hard with my finger. Must sting, losing to the Doctor he looked down on. Arcade clamped his mouth shut, trembling with rage.
"Part of me wants to kill you right here. But you went to Chae Sua's place to get this, and killing someone I've met once with Tyranno might give me nightmares. So I'll send you to the Darknis Siberia branch instead."
Siberia—where iced Americano addicts freeze to death amid corpses, forcing you to record 25-hour mesugaki VTuber maid ASMR live. Might make him wish for death.
"Si-Siberia...! Kill me instead! Better dead than that!"
Arcade convulsed, eyes rolling back. That infamous branch? No surprise. Meals are just shaved ice made from Siberian frost.
"I know. That's why I'm sending you."
Head down, Arcade slumped. As I bound his hands with chains instead of cuffs to drag to Darknis—
"Tyranno. It's because of him, right? You say you'd turn him into a living corpse if you could, but really, it's 'cause killing someone he knows would bother you?"
"... "
"What pure love. Makes me tear up. But you know what?"
Arcade looked up, whispering in my ear.
"That precious Tyranno of yours? He's probably getting fucked like a dog by Chae Sua right now."
Words can be weapons—I just learned that.
"What?"
"Vampires aren't great with smells, but one kind? Super sensitive. Blood. One drop, and we track from kilometers away. Like... virgin blood."
Crack! My fist flew before my brain caught up. It caved Arcade's face, but it reformed instantly.
"How'd I find Chae Sua's place? Even you couldn't."
"What did you do?"
The text on Tyranno's phone haunted me. Chae Sua Owner♥ Contraception. Pregnancy. I'd avoided dwelling, lest my heart shatter. How they met eyes, how it happened, why I didn't notice despite being right there—those questions would devour my soul. I just blamed myself for being slow, stupid.
But because of her?
"Trapping them in a motel was easy. Tyranno followed her like a puppy, clueless. Smelled her virginity, took a shot—worked better than expected."
Crunch! A tooth snapped in my mouth. Guts twisting, agony like my intestines ripping. This bitch. Because of her.
"Why glare like that? You didn't act. Your choice—why dump the blame and results on me?"
"Shut up."
"Scary."
Arcade regained his smugness. Hated that face—two punches, three. Face caved, flesh tore, but he kept smiling. Enjoying my torment.
"One more thing. You don't care about Earth stuff, but big event in Gwanghwamun today. Lured Tyranno with that. 'Can't ruin the people's event, go elsewhere.' He's such a good boy."
For some reason, Arcade's voice sounded distant. Birds chirping, drifting clouds, even the ground under me—all fading. Alone in the world. Abandoned.
"So I swapped the coordinates ahead... and coincidentally, it was Chae Sua's other hideout. Whether Tyranno knew? Who cares. Maybe he walked right in."
"Hey."
"Why not catch him sooner? Now Chae Sua's pussy's got Tyranno's dick in a vise♥"
Something snapped in my head. Came to—Arcade headless, body crumpled in the corner. My fists drenched in blood. Crows circled overhead, rare for downtown. Corpse stench. Blood reek. Fine. Vampires are tough. Five minutes, he'll recover.
With the whip and Arcade's corpse, I returned to Darknis. People recoiled at my blood-soaked state, but none stopped me. Lucky for them—and me. Anyone else annoying me? Might've killed for real.
Locked Arcade in prison, went to my room. Sat on the bed where Tyranno lay just this morning, trying to sort my tangled thoughts.
Chae Sua. Tyranno. Alone. What are they doing now?
Wanted to descend to Earth, find them—but I didn't know the location. Just pray Tyranno returns soon, wait here.
If I'd known, I'd have checked when he hid his coordinates. Mesugaki but kind, good—didn't want to ruin the festival, but didn't want to delay the op either. Said nothing when coords changed. Awkward 'cause lying to me hurt him.
Sorry, Tyranno. I'm sorry. Should've checked myself.
.......Why me alone? I've been with you since your first breath. Watched you grow day by day. Liked you since then. If I'd realized it was love, not maternal. If I'd noticed sooner.
Did you know, Tyranno? That those coords led to Chae Sua's place.
...If you did. If you went to her yourself.
What do I do? Past with Chae Sua? Water under the bridge. I'll do better from now. But if at the choice, you picked her over me. If I'm discarded.
"Can't give him up."
He's mine.
That night. Tyranno did not return.