The Beginning of Discord
When Allen returned from foraging mushrooms, basket in hand, he walked into a scene straight out of a nightmare. Serina was hurling attack after attack at Lilith. The spells might as well have been raindrops for all the damage they did, but to Allen they looked like the savage assault of a witch against a helpless, fragile woman.
“Die, you bitch!”
“Serina!”
He dropped the basket and sprinted forward, throwing himself between them to shield the frail woman with his body. Serina faltered, visibly shaken. It wasn’t just the fact that he was protecting her target that surprised her; she was equally stunned that he had dodged her magic.
“How did you dodge that?”
“Serina. What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“What am I doing? Do you even know what kind of woman she is?”
“Woman? You’re calling her a bitch after she just nearly died?”
“Hero… I really thought I was going to die…”
Lilith clung weakly to Allen’s sleeve, sobbing in delicate, heartbreaking waves.
“Are you all right?” Allen asked her gently, then turned to Serina, voice heavy with disappointment. “Serina, I’m truly disappointed. For a little while I actually believed you were different. But you’re just another merciless witch after all, aren’t you?”
“What? Allen, she’s a demon named Lilith.”
Serina jabbed an accusing finger at the woman behind him.
“Serina, you don’t just go around slandering people like that. Where exactly do you see a demon?”
“Hero… I was so scared. She asked my name and I only said ‘Lily,’ but she attacked me without warning… If you hadn’t come when you did, I’d already be dead.”
Lilith hid behind Allen’s back, playing the part of a delicate, trembling flower with infuriating skill.
“Lily, don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”
“Ugh, look at this clown. Allen, are you seriously believing that bitch?”
“Serina, enough. Lily is hurt. No matter how selfish you are, this is crossing the line.”
“Hah… So it’s her or me. Answer me. Now.”
“Why are you even making this a competition?”
“I said, is it her or me?”
“Serina, why are you always like this? This is your fault. Apologize to her right now.”
“What…? Apologize? Did you just tell me to apologize?”
“Yes. You were wrong. Apologize.”
Serina pounded her own chest in frustration. Behind Allen’s back, Lilith shot her a mocking little smirk.
“You demon bitch. Are you laughing at me?”
Enraged, Serina extended her claws.
“Serina!”
“Ha… Allen… why won’t you take my side…? This is so unfair I could actually cry. Really… sob… Do you really not trust me at all?”
When she realized Allen wasn’t buying her story, Serina’s voice cracked with genuine-sounding tears.
“Serina. If you’re going to treat people this way, I think it would be better if you left.”
“You’re telling me to get out?”
“Yes. This woman is genuinely ill. Why can’t you understand that?”
“You… You’ll regret this.”
“No. I won’t. I can’t stand by and watch you act like a tyrant anymore.”
“Hah… Hah… Haaa…”
Serina looked like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her face went blank, utterly lost for words.
“Hero… ugh… my head hurts so much. Lily is terrified. My heart is pounding so hard I can’t calm down… Could you please put your hand here for just a moment?”
“Allen. If you put your hand on her, it’s over between us.”
“B-but she says she can’t calm down.”
“It’s really over. Do not put your hand there, Allen. I’m warning you.”
Serina’s eyes were wide, and at first glance they seemed filled with fury. But someone else might have seen fear in them. And just as much as Serina’s gaze trembled with anxiety, so did Allen’s. Only his wasn’t fear of her. It was pure anger at watching a woman in the same vulnerable position he once occupied being threatened by Serina.
This was the first time he had ever shown such open rage toward her, and Serina was visibly shaken by it.
She must have realized it then—the possibility that Allen could leave her, reject her. Or that her power might no longer be enough to keep him in line. Which fear weighed on her most, no one could say.
But Serina refused to show any of it. She lowered her threatening hand, kicked the door open with a violent bang, and stormed out, making as much noise as possible. She kicked pillars, scattered stones across the ground. Maybe she was hoping he would chase after her.
She walked at an oddly slow pace, completely unlike her usual stride. When she had gone far enough, she grumbled loudly enough for him to hear, half-turning her head before quickly snapping it forward again. She had already checked with sidelong glances whether he was following.
He wasn’t.
It didn’t look like he had any intention of stopping her at all.
“Hero… you can feel my heart pounding, can’t you?”
Taking advantage of Allen’s stunned silence, Lily grabbed his hand and pressed it firmly against her upper chest. Caught completely off guard, his fingers sank into soft, warm flesh. He could feel the rapid thumping. But he couldn’t tell whether the frantic beat was his own heart or hers.
“Can you feel it…?”
“Wow… it feels like it’s about to burst.”
“My chest?”
“Y-yes…? It does feel like it might burst… the sound, I mean.”
“I’m only joking… This is my first time.”
“First time for what?”
“Letting a stranger touch such an intimate place.”
“I-it’s my first time too. Hehe…”
“You’re just so wonderful, Hero, I couldn’t help myself…”
Allen’s voice had gone embarrassingly stupid. Lilith’s shy, delicate smile was more than enough to stir something deep inside him.
The claim that it was her “first time” felt strangely believable. Her pure, innocent appearance made it impossible to associate her with the name Lilith. Nothing about her suggested lewdness or lust. Those words belonged to the women who worked the red-light districts.
Yet her purity wasn’t the whole story. The gentle upward tilt of her eyes carried a subtle, lingering sensuality. Allen found himself captivated by them.
“Hehe. I never thought of myself as the type to chase that sort of thing.”
“Chase what? You’re embarrassing me. People often misunderstand because of my wide hips.”
She subtly emphasized her figure. Allen swallowed hard, staring openly at her pelvis. Despite her delicate frame, her hips flared out dramatically, wide enough to evoke the image of a fertile urn. It was a body worthy of Lilith, goddess of fertility.
“Hehe… W-what’s wrong with having wide hips! It just means you’d be good at bearing children. That’s wonderful.”
“Really? Other people tease me and say I look slow and dull.”
“Who would dare say something like that…”
“Aing. I don’t know~”
With that shy smile, Lilith continued to toy with Allen’s heart. Even so, he couldn’t stop worrying about Serina.
“Lily, I’m sorry, but could you wait just a moment? I need to go find Serina. There must have been some misunderstanding. She’s not usually like this.”
“So suddenly…?”
“Yes. I know she isn’t the kind of person who would do something like this without reason.”
“Isn’t that dangerous? I heard that witches sleep with human men and then devour them.”
“Come on, she’s not like that.”
“She is. You’re being deceived right now.”
“She really isn’t. If you insult Serina one more time, even if it’s you, Lily, I won’t stand for it.”
“Eh…? Ah… I’m sorry.”
“I’ll be right back.”
His feelings toward Serina still hadn’t cooled. Allen stood and rushed outside to find her.
The moment he was gone, Lilith’s expression twisted into pure disbelief.
“Is he impotent? He held back even after seeing a body like mine…? Is my seduction lacking? Do I not seem sensual enough…? That can’t possibly be it…”
“Serina! Serina!”
Allen called her name as he searched the places she might have gone.
“Woof! Woof woof!”
Melo’s frantic barking. The dog wouldn’t be making that much noise for nothing. Following the sound, Allen found Serina squatting beside the pasture. Melo stood in front of her, barking nonstop.
“Go away, you stupid mutt.”
“There you are, Serina.”
“…”
She refused to even acknowledge him. Her lips were pushed out in a deep pout, arms folded tightly.
“Serina.”
“Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be groping that bitch’s tits?”
“I wasn’t groping anything.”
“Whatever. Just leave me alone.”
“Let’s go back inside.”
“No. You told me to get out, remember?”
“That was because you were threatening an innocent person.”
“So you still don’t believe me.”
“It’s not that I don’t believe you. I’m saying you misunderstood the situation.”
“Hah… You don’t believe me.”
“I keep telling you that’s not it… How many times do I have to say it?”
“Then if I prove she’s a demon, you’ll believe me?”
“There you go again. How exactly are you going to prove it?”
“I have my ways.”
“Fine. If she really is a demon, I’ll apologize.”
“An apology won’t be enough.”
“All right. Do whatever you want until you’re satisfied.”
“Good. I’ll show you the true face of that disgusting demon bitch.”
“But Serina.”
“What?”
“If she isn’t a demon, you apologize immediately.”
“What?”
“If it was a misunderstanding, apologize right away.”
“Why should I apologize?”
“If you misunderstood her, you should apologize. You’re just going to ignore it?”
“That won’t happen.”
“Exactly. Since it won’t happen, if it turns out to be a misunderstanding, apologize immediately.”
“Fine. If that bitch isn’t a demon, I’ll become her personal servant.”
“Good. And if you were wrong, you’ll take care of Lily with all your heart.”
“Whatever. I’m going to rip that demon whore’s tits to shreds.”
With a confident smirk, Serina marched back toward the house. Allen watched her go with deep worry in his eyes. She wouldn’t actually do anything crazy… right?
The moment they stepped inside, Serina immediately shouted at Lilith.
“You lewd little clam bitch!”
“A-Allen!!”
Lilith’s scream rang out. Allen rushed into the house in a panic.