My mother was right; human life is so fragile...

Well, to be fair, she had always been right about everything. But I believe she was especially right on this particular topic.

One wrong step, one wrong move, a miscalculation, a misjudgment, something unexpected... and poof, just like that, a life is gone, forever and ever, never to return. All the efforts, all the time, the joys, the sorrows, the memories... everything, gone, dissipated in the blink of an eye...

That's what I was doing in this city right now; a harbinger of death extinguishing lives without a warning. They do not expect that, and yet, it happens. Six lives... no, seven. I forgot about the first girl; my demon didn't eat her heart. She was probably expecting to return home that night, yet she didn't.

Do I feel remorse?

No, not really. I had to do it for my demon, after all, and my mind was already consumed by other concerns to be worried about something like that, such as morals... I had to move forward.

"Bianca."

On this day, the sun was about to rise. And just to be sure, I killed another one.

Still, the demon raised no claws and gave no signal.

"Well... okay..."

To say I was quite perplexed by the lack of reaction, or any indication that its demands were fulfilled, would be an understatement.

"I will try to use the spell later, I guess... Better get back to the guild now."

I had ventured quite far for this kill; a long walk back awaited me.

As I stepped back into the guild, I redirected into the kitchen; the sun was now pretty high in the sky, casting a warm glow over the building, while my stomach felt hungry, threatening to bite back at me hadn't I fed it soon.

Inside the kitchen, Crimson caught my eye first, but Joey and Elizabeth were also present.

Elizabeth sat with a sad expression, looking at the felicat blissfully nestled on her lap. Joey noticed her mood and took a seat beside her.

"Is something wrong, Elizabeth?" he gently asked her.

"Hmm... lately, it seems like my mom and dad had a pretty big fight," she murmured.

"Not surprised," Crimson commented as she continued to rummage through the biscuits. "With a failure of a daughter like you, what parent wouldn't argue? It's a wonder they haven't divorced already."

"That's not true..." Joey said, trying to tone down Crimson's words. However, Elizabeth seemed quite hit by those words, as she got up and fled away clutching Rosemary in her hands. "Wait, Elizabeth..." Joey hurried after her.

Now I was alone with Crimson...

"Are you still mad at me, Snowflake?" she nonchalantly asked, casually popping a biscuit into her mouth.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I replied.

"Come on... Are you that pissed at me just because I jokingly called you my fiancée?"

"I think you forgot what you called me after that..."

"Oh, is it for that? I didn't think you were such an easily offended person."

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This girl's natural talent for getting under my skin was astonishing.

"Alright..." Crimson said, resting the box of biscuits aside and stepping toward me, grabbing my wrist.

"Piss off!" I immediately countered.

"This is the only way to get you to listen to my apologies," she said, seizing my other wrist and forcing me to face her.

There had to be some trick to why she was able to effortlessly hold me in place while I tried my best to break free.

"Does this look like a way to apologize to someone?!" I snapped.

"Look at me in the eyes," she commanded with a calm and serious voice.

"No."

"Fine... don't. You're forced to listen anyway," she said, pressing her body against mine until my back met the wall.

"You can fuck off, Crimson."

She ignored my insults, and leaned in close to my ear. "I'm sorry for calling you a slave, Snowflake," she softly murmured.

"Oh yeah, sure... I can totally see that!" I scoffed.

"I mean it, and I'd prove it if you gave me the chance. But it doesn't seem you're willing to. I have no other way to approach you like this..."

"Maybe... just maybe, I haven't given you a chance because you don't fucking DESERVE ONE!"

"The more you act like this, the more you'll be trapped like this."

I sighed. "Well, you've given me your apologies. I heard them. Now, let me go," I calmly told her, keeping my anger in check.

"I won't release you until you look at me, Snowflake," she softly replied.

As it seemed like I had no other choice... I slowly turned my head, raising it up to meet her gaze, our eyes now reflecting each other.

"I'm sorry for the way I treated you," she softly repeated.

"I heard it..." I remarked.

"The first time, you made the wrong call. Yet, we started over," she said. "Now, I made it. We're even. But we could start over again, what do you say?"

"What would it change?" I asked.

"Many things could change," she replied.

"Oh, I don't think so. I had already warned you that night, and you still managed to ignore it just for some amusement. You said you were joking. Well, it wasn't funny for me. And I'm sure I made it clear, yet you continued..."

"What if I wasn't joking?"

"Huh?!"

"What if I really want you to be my fiancée?" she asked with a subtle smile.

I looked at her in disbelief; the nerve of this girl... I sighed, putting on a forced and angry smile, purposely showing it. "I don't care about what you want, but were that true... you would be listening to me."

After a brief moment, she suddenly released her grip, slowly backing off, leaving me both surprised and confused, still back against the wall.

"You're right," she said, maintaining her distance. "And I'm fine with that, if you're willing to start over. I'll listen to you, and I'll prove that I'm serious."

What was this...? Some sort of mental game I wasn't understanding, or a genuine move?

Of course, I did not fully believe that. For people to change, something drastic would have to happen to them; that's what my mother told me, and I believe it to be true. Still... my mother also told me that people do fight, and that it is after a fight that they understand each other better. And Crimson's behavior seemed strange enough to be noteworthy just now. So, as crazy as it might be, maybe...

"... Okay?" I replied, still partially perplexed. Besides, the premise seemed interesting enough not to ignore it... "We could try that..."

Crimson grabbed back her box of biscuits, eating one before extending the box to me. "Want one?"

I reluctantly looked at the box, still wondering what kind of weird and bizarre game she was playing.

"... Thanks," I replied, taking one.

The biscuits had little, crunchy chocolate drops that made them delicious and fanciful to eat. While I was still chewing on it, Crimson poured some tea into a cup.

"Eat them with this, they're even better," she offered with a smile.

"... Thanks," once again, perplexed, I followed the suggestion.

I sipped the tea; it was still warm, and indeed a great complement to the taste, leaving me wanting for more.

Crimson, in the meantime, was looking at me. "Want to eat me as well?"

I sprayed the tea out of my mouth at the comment, coughing because of her continuous and stupid teasing.

"You..." I glared at her. "You waited on purpose to ask me that, didn't you?"

She looked at me with a smug face, barely holding back her laughter. "No way..."

That was the most blatant lie I'd ever heard!

"Anyway, no," I firmly replied with a pissed glare.

"Hm, worth a shot," she shrugged.

"Give me more biscuits," I demanded afterward.

I returned, cautiously, eating.

"By the way, you're brimming with mana again. Seriously, what have you been up to lately?" she asked, tilting her head.

It appeared I had grown accustomed to it very well, as such quantities of mana didn't bother me anymore.

"It's none of your business," I replied, reaching for another biscuit.

"It is if we're a couple," she countered.

"We are nothing, Crimson."

After the annoying chat with that criminal, I finally made my way out of the city, intending to find out what my third spell does.

I reached my usual safe spot, casting my first spell as a precaution. And then, at long last... my third spell.

"Felincloak."

... I collapsed again.