[Maid 1]- A Devil’s Mercy

While Caelus and company were attending their audience with the Emperor, a meeting of a different kind was soon to take place under the shade of the Elder Wood. Standing silently while gazing out towards the palace in the distance was a certain girl of curious fashion sense.

This girl was of course Lillianne whereas a few metres to her right, Ciara was looking at said girl with an air of bemusement mixed with a healthy dose of exasperation.

『Honestly little flower the boy will be fine I checked the fruit myself before he left, there was no poison in it.』

『Even still, Cael seems to have a bad habit of getting himself into trouble. What if someone with impure motives tries to take advantage of him?』

Of course to Lily the ridiculousness of her own statement failed to register but with only the mother-daughter duo present there was obviously no one around to retort her on such a thing in the end. Returning to the present Ciara soon found herself rolling her eyes with a groan as the mother had quickly given up on convincing her foolishly lovestruck daughter on the futility of her stalwart vigil.

To Ciara it almost seemed like after meeting her first man Lily wasted no time at all becoming a hopeless person at least that’s how it looked from the old nymph’s perspective anyway. Deciding to focus on something else Ciara eventually managed to bring up the topic she was, before then at least doing her best to avoid.

『So…』

『Mn?』

Unused to the idea of her mother ever beating around the bush whenever she wanted to ask a question Lily found her current behaviour rather confusing all things considered, as such she merely gave a cute head tilt when met with such awkward prompting. Recalling who was the adult between them however Ciara finally bit the bullet and said what needed to be said understanding that her daughter was not known for her social finesse.

『How do you feel? You know, being pregnant and all?』

『EH!?』

Noticing how intense a reaction her words elicited it seemed that Ciara was indeed correct in assuming Lily didn’t realise yet the current state of her body.

『So I guess you were unaware. Makes sense I suppose as a nymph I’m more sensitive about this sort of thing then most afterall.』

Feelings of shock, fear, happiness and countless others that Lily wasn’t even sure she had names for all ran up and down throughout her being at that moment. In the end though the strongest of all was a feeling of protectiveness that she felt on a primal almost instinctual level no doubt the same feeling her mother kept for her.

(I would do anything to protect this child.)

This was the thought Lily had at that moment. And it was this one thought that would haunt her nightmares for an eternity to come.

『Ah~ I guess a nymph would be better afterall. I mean even I didn’t notice til ya said something y’know~』

Turning to the source of the playful voice Lily saw a girl. A girl so beautiful even her mother the most beautiful woman she knew seemed like nothing but a cheap harlot when held in contrast.

『Well~ I had business with the little kindred anyway, so don’t feel too down about it. I would’ve paid this home of yours a visit in the end regardless though~』

Realising the girl was talking to her mother instead of herself Lily turned to the woman in question for answers. When she did so however the sight she saw was an unbelievable thing to the silkie who grew up under the protection of her nigh invincible caregiver.

Kneeling deeply along the ground in a combination of reverence and fear was Ciara as she dared not make eye contact with the dreaded being in front of her. For Ciara her terror at the very idea it would take offence at even the smallest of slights was more than sufficient to quell any lingering pride she may have held as a grand spirit.

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『This lowly one’s name is Ciara. Nymph born in service to the All Mother, guardian of the Elder Wood and …』

Waving her hand in dismissal Aria did not care for Ciara’s introduction.

『Yes, yes, yes, heard it all before from that fellow who used to be here boring~ Nooo, the one I want to see is the silly little girl who thinks they can play with my things without my permission.』

At those words the Nymph’s heart dropped for she knew that whatever Aria wanted with her daughter there was literally nothing she could do regardless of how hard she fought to the contrary. Lily herself saw the girl finally turn to face her and she couldn’t help but unconsciously stare into her void like eyes.

The sheer blackness and depth the two orbs contained was not something mortals were ever supposed to gaze upon for periods extended. Due to her perhaps latent survival instincts Lily was luckily able to look away in time before any kind of permanent damage could be done.

All the while this was happening Aria watched on in barely contained amusement.

『I know my eyes are pretty but do try to listen when I’m talking, y’know~』

At that seemingly gentle reminder that may as well have been wrapped around a jagged knife she felt her breathing speed up, Lily was afterall beginning to understand the gravity of her current situation. Without wasting even a single second more the silkie copied her mother’s movement and genuflected in submission to the being she now understood to be the harbinger of change, one of the most powerful existences in the universe, Aria the Goddess of Chaos.

『H-H-How m-m-m-may I-I-I b-be of a-a-a-assistance? M-Milady?』

『Hehe you stuttered~ how cute.』

Lightly giggling at Lily’s slip up Aria seemed to be in no hurry at all for whatever business she had with the girl. As such Ciara began thinking maybe the situation was more salvageable than she initially thought; she was wrong.

『Makes me almost feel bad for what I’m about to do to you; almost~』

Gazing down at the shivering form of Lily kneeling in the dirt below her, Aria’s mischievous smile slowly morphed into a kind one like that of a saint. In feigned concern Aria picked the girl up from the ground as if trying to reassure her everything would be alright while speaking softly into her ear.

『Don’t worry so much I won’t kill you. But a pregnant girl really shouldn’t be kneeling like that y’know~』

Almost not believing her ears Lily looked up visibly relieved.

『Here~ I’ll fix that for you. 』

Slowly placing her right hand onto Lily’s stomach before the words she just said could be properly processed a quick light flashed and she just as casually returned her hand to its natural place by her side, the girl seemingly none the worse for wear.

『There now you can kneel all you want. Am I not kind?』

It was quiet following that line, so quiet it were as if even the birds and insects had retreated from that place. Lily did not move at first for she did not understand but as the seconds passed her eyes widened ever so slightly and her own hand slowly reached for her stomach where Aria touched her.

Mouth fumbling for words trying to open only to close soon after Lily following great effort managed to ask what she did not want to know in a voice barely above a whisper.

『What … did … you … do?』

『Exactly what you think I did. Honestly, did you think you could treat Caelus as a toy without consequences? Did you think you could ever have Caelus’ child? These were all nothing more than your delusions. Caelus is mine, he was always mine and he will always be mine in the future. Do you finally get it you silly-little-girl?』

(Jealousy? She did such a horrible thing to me for such a stupid reason!?)

In the end it was all too much not waiting for the monster wearing the face of a girl to speak again Lillianne leaned to the side. A stream of tears pouring from her face as she threw up uncontrollably over and over barely stopping to breath and way past the point of caring.

Her wails echoed far and wide clawing at the heart of her mother who could only watch on from the side. For even with her great powers there was nothing Ciara could do to ease her child’s suffering.

Time passed and eventually the wails slowed Lily too tired, too broken to continue. Aria though it seemed was not done just yet.

『Do you know why I didn’t just kill you?』

Looking up in far from concealed hostility Lillianne answered with a voice drowning in venom.

『Why?』

Entirely unphased Aria continued.

『I didn’t kill you because I’m a woman who can learn from her mistakes you see and although Caelus has been reborn again it will still be some time until his memories return. To avoid another Arcus-like situation I’ve decided a symbol would be good.』

『 … A symbol?』

『Yes, like those totem things the young blood elves put outside their caves.』

『You mean I'm supposed to be, what? Some kind of warning?』

『Exactly~ See you’re so smart that’s why you’ll be perfect for the job.』

『What a joke. Unless you’re asking me to help you in the form of assisted suicide I’m not doing anything for you. Threaten me, torture me, it won’t matter I’m done with your shit so you might as well just finish me now.』

Raising both her hands in a “I-know-something-you-don’t” look Aria shook her head in exasperation.

『I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss me. It’s a good deal for you too y’know~』

『Don’t care. Fuck off.』

『Haa~ Such foul language. Well doesn’t matter to me if you accept or not I can just wipe your memory and make you do it anyway. But you see, it really is a good deal y’know~』

. . . . . . .

『What do you want?』