The door to the deck flew open. Avernus and Velvet swept outside. The shepherd noticed the squad on the other side of the boat while their rising murmur caught his attention. Avernus wandered over to them as he saw Edna, Eizen's little sister, was sitting comfortably near Laphicet. Laphicet's face was blushing but excited at the same time while he was describing something to Edna, although Lailah had a frustrated look on her face, scowling at the boy from afar.

Avernus patted Lailah on the shoulder, whispering in her ear. "Why are you so worked up?"

Lailah moaned glumly and closed her eyes, lowering her head. "It's nothing."

Magilou's suppressed a smile, twirling her index finger in the air. "This is obvious. Laphicet finally got to see his crush!"

Lailah groaned silently, and Avernus darted a brow as his lips twitched, nearly bursting into laughter. But then his eyes caught Eizen's little sister; Edna was squinting as she peered at him with hostile intent. She instantly marched towards Avernus and raised her umbrella. In a fit of rage, she swung and hit Avernus in the knee. Her umbrella rebound off his glass crystalline kneepad, and she nearly fell on her back. Avernus leaned and grabbed her arm, preventing her from collapsing.

"Hey, watch where you swing that thing." Avernus griped, narrowing his eyes at the troublesome little girl.

Avernus released her arm, but Edna smacked his legs a few more times. Her small figure struggled to keep with each swing, grunting and gasping after each hit.

Avernus sighed in frustration and massaged his forehead. "Are you done?"

Edna stopped and glared at him with a grievance indication. "This is why I despise humans."

"That we saved your life?" Avernus asked with a hint of mocking.

The little girl scowled. "Your friend kidnapped me, and no, you didn't save me. My brother did."

Avernus exhaled slowly through his pursed lips. Unfazed by her childish demeanour, Avernus scoped the people around him. "Speaking of your brother… where is Eizen?"

Eleanor gestured to the other side of the ship and took a deep, shuddering breath. "He's there… away from his sister."

Avernus turned to Edna once again. "Is it because of his curse?"

Edna looked away, breaking their shared gaze. She then immediately resumed her swinging out of nowhere.

Avernus rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and letting out a sigh in disappointment. "Really, Edna?"

Abruptly, they heard a voice that rang with power. "Let me at this oversized brute, fair maiden!"

Avernus' eyes instantly tracked Phoenix, leaping from behind and ready to punch him in the face. As the normin's eyes flashed with an eagerness to battle, out of the blue, Velvet's demonic arm snaked him effortlessly out of the air like a little ball. She curled her claws, trapping and squeezing Phoenix. The aggressive normin groaned in pain, struggling against her grip as his eyes grew hazier by the second. "What is this?! Release me!" He panicked. Velvet's arm slowly drained his powers, lowering his domain to nothingness. Phoenix's voice and eyes became weary, losing focus and consciousness to Velvet's therion power. "Re...lease… me th-." He mumbled and fruitlessly wrestled until his head fell with his mouth half opened as his energy was spent.

Velvet put his exhausted figure on a barrel, and he slumped on its wooden top, spreading his body like a ragdoll. Velvet reverted her arm, taking a breath and glancing at the normin. "No fighting on the ship, understand? Next time you try something similar, I'll devour you."

Edna whispered a moan to herself and went to Velvet's side, sitting down near the barrel. She curled into a ball as she hugged her legs, her eyes becoming distant. Avernus joined her, leaning against the wooden wall and stretching a leg. Edna turned away her head away in a discourteous move to avoid eye contact with him.

"We all came here as fast as we could. Eizen was..." Avernus gave his head a tiny shook to the sides. "...worried is not going to justify how much he was troubled thinking about you,"

"It's all your fault," Edna said scoldingly.

Avernus smiled and patted her head. "Yeah, this isn't anything new. But I'm relieved to see you well, little one."

Her pouting face turned to him as soon as she heard the word "little," but Edna was met with his exuberant grin, and her rebellious mood suddenly surrendered to his considerate attitude. "You've changed a lot," she said, checking Avernus' long hair.

Avernus skimmed a hand over it. "Oh, you mean the length of my hair? It grew even more during the past three years. But I decided not to touch it until my quest is done."

Edna's gaze swept all along his gold strand. "You wear feather earrings with a long white coat with a wide-open chest like…." Her eyes shifted back to him, grinning like a little miscreant. "Did you do it to impress the girls, hmm?" Edna jeered in a snarking tone.

Avernus narrowed his eyes slightly. "Of course not. Does it bother you, little miss earth affinity?"

Edna huffed in annoyance. Laphicet moved closer and nodded excitedly. "I like his look a lot! When I'm stronger and older, I will wear something similar! And I'll grow my hair."

Velvet raised her hand in objection. "No, Phi. You'll groom your hair properly. No more than over your ears."

Laphicet whirled his head at Velvet, frowning in objection. "Why Avernus can and I can't?"

Velvet winced slightly, taken back by his rebellious response. "Avernus is a-a different matter."

Laphicet frowned. "I'm not a kid. I'll decide what to do and how to look." He crossed his arms.

Edna swept a glance at the trio before focusing on Avernus as he watched Velvet and Laphicet debating with a smile on his face.

"So, this is how these two found their ways into your heart?" Edna suddenly blurted out of nowhere. Velvet and Laphicet both turned to Avernus at the same time.

The shepherd was quickly caught by surprise. "Could you not dig into my life?"

Edna shrugged and stared at Laphicet. He blushed. "You two are awfully lookalike. If I didn't know, I would guess that you'd be his older brother."

Magilou cupped her hands around her mouth and spoke in a loud stage whisper. "Or even a dad!"

Avernus shot Magilou a baleful glare. Magilou nudged her shoulders uncaringly. "So, what? Aren't you and Velvet consider him to be your little puppy?"

"No. Laphicet is his own man and no one else's. And he's grown." Avernus grinned. His vibrant eyes radiated with mischief. "Watch your back, Magilou, or the great wolf will take you."

A small hint of fear flickered in Magilou's eyes as she turned to face Laphicet and Velvet's mischievous smiles. Laphicet bared his teeth and let out a grunting sound, mimicking a provoked wolf. Magilou jolted into motion and escaped to the other side of the ship. "I-I'm going to check up on our supplies!"

Edna hummed insensitively. "I've read about you guys from Eizen's letters. I just didn't know that it was all true…." She stopped. Her eyes suddenly caught Grimoirh walking casually from the other side of the ship.

Avernus gave the madam normin a brisk nod, then leaned forward, lowering his voice so only Edna could hear him. "Mind if you tell me what were you doing at that temple near Aball?"

Edna's gaze shifted between his eyes, a feeling close to hopelessness glancing across her face. "I… I was looking for a way to cure Eizen's… condition."

"Guessed as much. But why? What made you go there?" Avernus asked.

"A voice told me. A woman's voice." Edna said, staring blankly as she remembered something.

"What did the voice tell you?"

Edna hesitated, regarding Avernus with a cautious gaze. Avernus patiently waited until she opened up, loosening a little bit. "She guided me to the Eastgand, telling me that I was like her because she scorned humans. She told me that she knew how loneliness hurt, and she would grant my wish to be with Eizen if…." Her lips twisted, but she dropped her head, staring at the ground as she hugged her legs. "If I help her restore her temple."

Velvet, Laphicet, Lailah, and Eleanor turned to Avernus, waiting for his confirmation. The shepherd exchanged fleeting, tense glances with them. "That's probably Tia," Avernus confirmed.

Edna raised her head, shooting a prying glance. "Who's Tia?"

Avernus let out a bitter laugh. "An old friend and acquaintance." He clapped Edna gently on her small shoulder before standing up. "Call it luck that you didn't meet her in person."

Edna's inquisitive eyes followed Avernus as he rosed on his feet. A troubling feeling darkened his pale green eyes. Tia was using a desperate young malak to be her tool to what end? Avernus turned to Velvet, trying to shift the topic. "Where are we going?" he asked Velvet.

"To Eastgand. Eizen wants to leave Edna there."

"Did he say something?"

"He said Endgand is probably the most secure location in Midgand right now." Velvet sighed, shaking her head in uncertainty. "I don't know, but I agree with him. We can't drag her sister along with us."

Avernus shifted his attention to the reaper, stepping towards him, but Edna yanked his coat. "I want to stay," she said in a commanding tone rather than a pleading one, her eyes staring at the ground. Avernus gave her tiny nod and trotted to the other side of Van Eltia.

Eizen noticed him, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"What are you doing? Why are we going to Eastgand?" Avernus asked.

"There is a mountain near Taliesin that I think it's safer than anywhere on this continent. I've been there a few times."

Avernus crossed his arm. "Have you talked with her about it? Have you ever asked if she's okay with it or not?"

Eizen's face turned stony, blinking grimly at the ocean. "No. I was lucky enough that she could make it. I vowed to protect Edna from anything that would threaten her smile, and again, I'm causing her pain." Eizen drew to a halt, closing his eyes for a long, fraught moment. When he opened them, they were dimmed with held-back sadness. Eizen tossed his coin and then snatched it out of the air, firmly squeezing it. "I just want her to be safe."

Avernus moved to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Then, I'll make a promise to you and Edna." Eizen's pained gaze clang to his for a brief moment. "I'll find a way for you two to be together, one way or another."

Hesitation flashed across Eizen face. "You don't know what you're dealing with. I've looked everywhere for centuries." Eizen turned his head away pensively. "Don't make promises that you can't keep, Shepherd."

Avernus smirked, looking confident. "As I told you before, I may surprise you. After all, I owe you and Aifread my life. Consider it a repayment."

Eizen let out a groan, frowning. "I guess one more try wouldn't hurt. But after Edna is safe."

Avernus curtly nodded. Velvet slid to Avernus' side, glaring at the reaper. "Then, you must also understand something." Velvet said, catching Eizen's attention. "If you want to protect her smile, stick it out to the end this time and not leave it half-finished."

Eizen glanced back at her with doubt. "As if it's so simple." He answered.

"All you need to do is make her smile. That's how it is with younger siblings. At least do it while she's still here." Velvet said confidently.

Eizen shut his eyes and stared back at the horizon. "I can't stay with Edna. The reaper's curse will act more frequently when I'm near her."

Velvet and Avernus both glanced at each other, shaking their heads. "Fine, but I doubt a simple conversation will do her any harm, and besides, we're here. I lend you all of my magic and protect you two." Avernus suggested.

Eizen looked at him over his shoulders. "Are you willing to go that far?"

Avernus nodded. "Then what kind of Shepherd would I be?"

Velvet chuckled silently. "A dense but overall a compassionate one."

Avernus raised a brow in confusion. "Thank you, I guess?"

Velvet turned on her heels and walked to the crew quarters. "I'm going to make something for lunch. Go and check on Laphicet and Lailah."

The reaper gazed at Avernus with his penetrating eyes, but then his face softened to a half-smile. "Thank you for Edna and Aifread, Shepherd. I'm grateful."

After gawking lord of calamity for a few good seconds until she went inside the deck, Avernus turned to Eizen, slowly moving his head from side to side with eyes hazed by woefulness. "I wouldn't call it a complete victory, but Laphicet did all the work. He deserves most of the glory."

Eizen closed his eyes and let out a pent-up breath through his teeth. "Your modesty is bothersome. You purified Aifread and gave him a chance to fight back." The reaper reopened his eyes as he managed to sink the saddened thoughts and gazed into the sea. "Aifread fought like a captain and died like a captain. With that look in his eyes, he couldn't be more satisfied."

Avernus crossed his arms and followed his gaze into the ocean, sighing in response. "I wish I could do more…."

All of a sudden, Eizen chuckled faintly and glanced impishly at the Shepherd. "I know it's a bit late, but congratulations."

Avernus shifted his attention to Eizen, looking puzzled. "For what?"

Eizen crossed his arms. "I've lived for a thousand years and been through several relationships. Yours is the most interesting one." He turned to face the blue sea again. "I guess you learn something new each day."

Avernus rubbed his forehead to ward off his scrambled thoughts. "What do you mean by "Something new, you say?"

"As Aifread said, you went all out and got her in the end. Velvet always reminded me of Aifread. But you were the one who figured her out." Eizen smirked, turning to Avernus once more, giving him the reaper's grin. "So tell me, what made you want to care about her in the end?"

Avernus leaned against the wooden railing, hooking his thumbs into his pockets and staring into the ocean with overwhelming thoughts. "You can say that Velvet was the first person to appear in my life that was able to make a mess out of me."

Eizen arched an eyebrow in surprise. Avernus caught his stunned expression and gave him the tiniest of smirks. "And that's enough. The rest is between Velvet and me."

Eizen's eyes gleamed with curiosity, but his mouth curved into a subtle grin. "That's fair enough. I'm not satisfied, but I approve of your resolve."

Suddenly, Avernus heard footsteps behind him. He whirled his head and saw Rokurou and Zaveid approaching them, wearing a wide grin on their faces.

Rokurou stopped, putting his hands on his waist. "Avernus, you never really cut out for the shepherd's life, you know that, don't you?"

Avernus nodded slightly in agreement. "Yeah, I'm kind of a black sheep according to their standards."

Zaveid cocked his head to the top, facing brightening with the avid interest of an enthusiast. "Oh, and I've to agree with you… Velvet in battle is so gorgeous. She would've made a mess out of my heart too," He said boldly, followed by a wolf-whistling.

Avernus snorted and glared like an angry bull, ready to ram the wind malak. "Zaveid… Watch where your eyes linger."

Zaveid shrugged, then his indifferent face melted into a sly smile. "What? Have I triggered your sense of manliness?" He waved his hand in a dismissive move. "But I wouldn't let myself endure that chase you went through. I don't care how beautiful Velvet is. With that violent, cold, and strict behaviour, I would've ditched her a long time ago."

Rokurou chuckled afterward. "But as far as I know, Velvet, you must have tickled her fancy quite a bit, Avernus."

The shepherd threw him a sideways glance. "Not you too, Rokurou. We're now like a bunch of older women talking behind someone's back."

Rokurou laughed as he reconstructed the image within his mind. "When we fished you out of the water, she pounced on you before anyone has a chance for mouth-to-mouth resuscitation." All three men then suddenly burst into laughter. "That was a sight to behold. Laphicet's and Lailah's faces were priceless!"

Avernus scratched his head, feeling swarms of embarrassment, hitting his dignity directly in the ribs. "Damn...Really?" He groaned, shaking his head in the process.

Zaveid darted a casual glance at Avernus. "You've managed to help Aifread, Theodora, and now Velvet doesn't look like a scowling delinquent anymore. Before, she was a punk that got pissed at people who made eye contact with her. You sure can make miracles happen, Shepherd."

Avernus remained silent, his gaze trailing off. Zaveid balled his hand into a fist and put it out in front of him. "If you want to make it cheezy..." Zaveid raised a brow, waiting for Avernus. The Shepherd finally smiled back and curled his fingers into a fist, touching Zaveid's knuckles with his own slowly.

Zaveid chuckled. "Now, we're bros for life!"

Rokurou pointed his finger at them, switching from Avernus to Zaveid and vice versa. "You didn't make an oath, did you?"

Zaveid grunted in annoyance and opened the straps on Siegfried's holster. "Of course not." He then instantly took off the gun belt and held it towards the Shepherd. "Take it. I think you can do more good with it than me."

Avernus' sharp eyes flickered over at Zaveid, and he grabbed the holster without hesitation, but Zaveid held it firmly for a brief moment, not letting it go. "Once you're done with your quest, give it back. It's not a gift. Capiche?"

Avernus gave him a small nod. "Alright, that's a fair request."

Zaveid let go of Siegfried, and Avernus proceeded to wear the belt.

Zaveid turned to Eizen. "So, should we congratulate you on becoming the captain too?"

"We're still deciding on that. Making Velvet the captain isn't a bad idea, don't you think, Avernus?" Eizen suggested out of nowhere.

The shepherd raised his head, looking surprised. "Why asking me? I'm not much of a sailor."

"Well, Aifread usually considers the crew's partner too. Just to know if you're okay for Velvet to bear more responsibilities."

The shepherd rubbed his hands down his face, letting out a groan. "Oh, let's not go there yet. Velvet's free to choose whatever she desires. In her whole life, she only cared about her family. It's time for her to has a chance to decide for herself." Avernus then shrugged, smirking. "Besides, she's the lord of calamity. I doubt she even listens to a mere shepherd like me."

"Fair enough, I assumed that you're overprotective when it comes to Velvet," Eizen said.

Avernus grinned at the pirate, tilting his head. "Yeah, but it is strange to hear it from someone who preaches over "steering your own rudder"? Do you think that doesn't apply to someone you care about the most?"

Eizen grunted and stiffed his shoulders. "Yeah, you got me there."

Avernus' eyes wandered off. "Velvet as a pirate captain... that's actually not a bad idea. I think she ticks all of the required marks for a leader, and you can make a new "Aifread" out of her too..." Avernus pursed his lips and looked over his shoulders, checking to see if anyone other than them was listening or not, then leaned closer to Eizen. "Velvet could use some time away from the kitchen too." He whispered with his jaw tight.

All men chuckled at the same time. "She'll devour you if she hears it. Anyway, feel free to drop by whenever you need to unwind. Think of me as your own private psychiatrist of sorts." Eizen said.

Zaveid waved his arm. "I'm getting off at the next stop, so see you later, Shepherd."

Avernus saluted as he walked back towards the cabins.

Halfway, he saw Lailah leaning against a wall and peeking into one of the rooms. Avernus sneaked beside her and nearly startled Lailah. "What are you doing?" Avernus murmured.

Lailah shushed him with a forefinger to the lips and gestured with her head to the room. Avernus peeked above her head and noticed Laphicet was alone with Bienfu.

Avernus scowled at Lailah. "What's with you, Lailah? Eavesdropping is wrong-."

Lailah quickly placed her hand on his mouth, silencing him as Laphicet started to talk.

"Hey, Bienfu? I was wondering if I could talk to you about something that's on my mind." Laphicet said.

Bienfu poked him, grinning and gazing like a twisted deviant. "I figured it was just about the time that you come to me when so many cute girls surround you!"

Laphicet seemed to be slightly nervous. "T-Thanks… I was hoping you could let me borrow those books you were telling me earlier."

Bienfu placed his tiny hands on his round waist pridefully. "Do you mean "How to Talk a Human Female into Becoming Your Vessel" and "How to Get the Cuties"?"

Laphicet bit his lips, cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "Hey! Keep it down! Keep it down!"

Bienfu's small mouth stretched into a wide grin. "I have a book for your girl problem! Whether it is Eizen's cute little sister Edna or Avernus' charming and adorable Lailah."

Avernus scowled, groaning with his lips closed. "Charming and adorable Lailah, huh?"

Bienfu cleared his throat, cocking his head proudly. "...I even taught Avernus how to make Velvet fell for him."

Avernus's pulse pounded in his ears, and his face contorted in anger, finally reaching his boiling point. "Bifenfu, Why You little liar! "

Before he could leap into the room, Lailah covered his mouth again. Avernus noticed her blushed cheeks, and she shook her head, biting her lips while pleading with him not to interrupt.

Bienfu winked at Laphicet. "So, which one is giving you trouble?"

Lailah dropped her head. She predicted what he was going to say; probably it was about the little blond girl.

Laphicet's voice stuttered. "I-It's sometimes get awkward when I'm trying to talk with…." He gulped. "...Lailah."

The fire malak's eyes widened, beaming with joy and firing up as she whipped back to the door to resume her eavesdropping. Avernus narrowed his eyes at Lailah, and his angry, burning face cooled down to a half-smirk. She whirled her head back to him again for a brief second and met with his smug look and blushed from shame.

In the room, Bienfu kept nodding his head rousingly. "Aha! Lailah's not so different than Velvet and madam Eleanor. But at the same time, she's a mystery wrapped in an enigma. So it is only in our nature to learn about someone like that!" He flew for his handbag, his hands fiddling with something inside. "In that case, I've got an even better book for you to tame that fire!"

Avernus' smugness faded away again as he squeezed the wooden wall in a wave of anger, nearly bending it as Bienfu tested his mettle with his rude comments about his little sister.

Bienfu dropped a few books near Laphicet, piling them up. Laphicet's eyes went wide in excitement. "Whoa, you read a lot of books!"

Bienfu ran his arm over the gilded spines, occasionally pulling books to leaf through them. "I'm just an avid learner. Now, let's see. Oh! Here we go!: "Hot Spring Topics: Baring Your Body and Your Soul! Being upfront and honest is always the best policy."."

Laphicet hesitated, swallowing slowly. "I don't think we'll be bathing in any hot springs together. Do you have anything else?"

Bienfu picked another one. "All right, then how about "After-Bath Party Games" Dropping You Defenses and Your Towels"?"

Lailah's hands began to tremble, and her body shook. Laphicet scowled, clenching his fists. "Why do you keep trying to get us naked?! I think that would make things even more awkward!"

Abruptly, they smelled something burning. The cheer dulled on Bienfu's face as he glared at his piled-up books in utmost horror. An unearthly fire consumed them in a second, and they went up in a column of flame, reaching to the ceiling. Bienfu shrieked in terror, pouncing into Laphicet's embrace. "M-my… my books! Bieeeeen!"

Avernus scrambled into the room and cast a water arte to extinguish the blaze. After the smoke sizzled away, they saw that there was nothing left but a mess of cinder and ash. Avernus sniped Bienfu a distaste glare. "Who taught me to do what, you little flying hat-monkey?"

The shepherd's contemplating face made Bienfu overlook the matter that his trove of knowledge went up in a cloud of smoke not a few seconds ago. The normin instantly flew towards the exit, and Avernus scrambled after him.

"Please, Mr. Avernus! This was all a joke!"

"Oh, I'm flattered! Then let me offer you my eternal gratitude! With an overcharged lightning bolt!" Avernus jeered, hands crackling with electrical magic.

Bienfu wept, flying in a zigzag pattern to avoid his possible attack. "Bieeeen! Help me!"

Leaving a long trail of sweat and tears, Beienfu escaped outside. As soon as they came out into the deck, they met with the squad. Bienfu rushed towards them and took cover behind Eleanor, whirling around her as he shrieked in terror. They all shifted their baffled gazes at Avernus while he stared murderously at the scared normin.

"What are you two doing?" Velvet asked, scowling in the process.

At the same time, Laphicet and Lailah stepped out of the crew quarters, their cheeks all crimsoning. After sweeping his gaze over the team, Avernus dropped his stiff shoulders, and magical charges were repulsed from his hands. "Forget it. It's nothing." He said, pinning Bienfu with his death glares as the normin melted behind Eleanor.

Grimorih jumped on a barrel nearby with help from Edna. "Well, if it's nothing, we can start to focus on our most important mission," she said, glancing inquisitively at Avernus. "Velvet told me about resurrecting the elemental Empyreans. If we do that, we might be able to suppress Innominat's domain."

Eleanor nodded in agreement. "It may even liberate the minds of the malakhim that Innominat has under his control."

"That's correct. The exorcists will be powerless without their malaks. No arte and no armatization. They'll be nothing but a mere foot soldier." Avernus added.

Velvet glanced at her left arm, squeezing it in a rush of determination. "Good. We'll take a big chunk out of their forces."

"More importantly, Innominat will lose the ability to enhance the resonance of exorcists," Magilou mentioned, and a troubled look flitted behind her eyes.

"...This means most of the exorcists will no longer even be able to perceive malakhim at all," Avernus concluded.

Magilou slid to Avernus' side, gesturing her hand towards the sky like she wanted to vent her emotions seamlessly. "Of course, anyone as innately gifted as us is another story."

Lailah locked her hands in front of her and lowered her head. " Then, no one will be able to see me again…" she whispered silently.

Laphicet immediately turned to her, and they both glanced at each other. "But I can still see you."

Avernus moved behind them, grabbing their shoulders. "And I can see you two for sure." He turned Velvet, nodding at her. "And I bet Velvet can do too."

Suddenly Eleanor cast them a saddened look. "Will I… become unable to see Laphicet?"

Amidst her confused look, Avernus smiled confidently. "Laphicet is a powerful malak. If you are already feeling comfortable as his vessel, then it means you'll be able to see him after we've awakened the four Empyreans. Your power doesn't come from Innominat. In short, we all still can see and interact with each other."

Eleanor beamed conviction. Her eyes were sparkling with hope. "Thank you, then let's give it a shot."

Magilou smirked. "I'm glad we have Mr. positive-all-around Avernus, or else we would bathe in misery."

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

Rokurou stroked his chin, eyes shifting from Velvet to Avernus conversely. "So, aside from all that sweet talk, do you know how we're going to awaken the Empyreans?"

Avernus' expression turned serious. "We need sacrifices… at a scarlet night."

Laphicet whirled his head in worry. "We need to kill someone?!"

"Act of killing is irrelevant to the process. Each Empyrean needs a soul free of malevolence to anchor them to the physical world." Avernus explained. "But…" He paused until his eyes met Magilou's.

"If what you say is right, Shepherd, then doesn't Velvet already have a whole bellyful of them?"

Avernus snapped his finger, eyes flickering as he turned to Velvet. "That's right! You're a therion. You're a power conduit that can release the power that you've absorbed…." But then he lapsed into silence. The idea of letting other people's souls be reborn into something they didn't ask for was far from something he would suggest or do. But was there any other choice? And the scarlet night was closer than he would've thought.

"Worth a try." Velvet said assertively. "But we need to go to different earthpulses to resurrect them, am I right?"

"Yes, and I don't think we have enough time to travel to all four major earthpulses. Unless we use a lifepool, which is the only one close is beneath the Empyrean Throne…."

"Can't we use a lifespring instead?" Laphicet asked.

"Lifesprings are flowing upward. We need a huge force to push the souls down against its current." Avernus said.

Velvet raised her bandaged arm, brows knotting. "Don't worry about that. I'll shove the souls down its throat, but we first need to find the closest one."

Eizen marched at them from the other side of the ship. "Our best bet is Mount Killaraus. It's a volcano on the northernmost tip of Northgand and a hellscape of ice and lava."

"And it's the most powerful one too," Grimoirh added. "In other words, Velvet needs to push the souls into the molten core of Killaraus volcano, and that will be it."

Rokurou's eyes flickered with anticipation, grinning. "Yeah, then we will awaken them and… and…." His enthusiastic expression instantly dried up after the confusion hit him. He turned to Avernus, waiting for a clear response. The rest followed his move, glaring at the shepherd in total silence.

Avernus shot a glance at them until he reached Velvet as her fiery eyes trapped his focus. "Then I'll have to make a pact with them…." He exhaled. "That's what I'm told anyway."

"Will you be able to do it?" Velvet asked, maintaining her eye contact without batting an eyelash.

"We'll never know until we try," Avernus replied. His eyes trailed off for a second before turning his attention back to Velvet.

"Will it be dangerous?"

Avernus knew what Velvet meant, but it wasn't the time for doubt.

"I don't know. But we don't have time to look for other options. What? Do you have second thoughts?"

"No. I don't." Velvet said, eyes staring unyielding at the Shepherd. Velvet was hard to read, but he understood her concern. Avernus felt that another scolding is coming up next time when they're going to be alone.

As he was trapped in his thoughts, he felt someone yanking his coat. Edna shimmied her way towards the front and stared at Eizen. Avernus nodded at the reaper and walked to the railings nearby, leaving brother and sister alone with Laphicet and Lailah.

Avernus raised his arm and plucked one of two large feathers from his gauntlet. A flood of lost memories came right back at him. An image of a friend, a brother in arms, lost to despair, flashed in front of his eyes like it was yesterday that they meet each other for their first ceremony. They lost their way in a distant land in a matter of years, far away from their homes. Avernus pressed the feather to his forehead and mumbled a phrase, then gently released it to the wind.

Magilou observed his gestures and came to his side, wondering. "What was that for?"

"That was for Lucian. A final goodbye and his last rite on my behalf."

Magilou raised a brow in surprise. "Even after all he has done? The thing he did to Kamoana, Medissa, Edna, and Aifread?"

Avernus returned her argument with a short nod. "Yes. I acknowledge these atrocities, and he paid with his life," Avernus glanced at the last remaining feather on his wrist, eyes gleaming with gratitude. "...But he also saved hundreds if not a thousand people back home. He sacrificed his freedom and his soul for them. As a warrior, he deserved that respect."

Just then, Grimorih had already found her way to their side. Her eyes clashed with the Shepherd. "I have a request, Avernus; can we meet in Magilou's cabin?" She turned to Magilou. "That includes you, too, of course."

With a slight bow of a head from Avernus, they followed Magilou to her cabin.

Avernus opened the door into dim space lit by a sconce, light flickering across the walls, making a frightening scene as the shadows danced over all of the stationery items in the room. "I didn't know your cabin would be this scary. At least I expected the room to be like the backstage of a circus or a colourful show. "

Magilou pointed her finger at him, winking. "This is just for today's decoration. You're here in the witch's den after all, not a princess's chamber." She opened her arms widely towards the ceiling, laughing maniacally. "And you shall know the dark the truth of the world!"

Avernus grunted in annoyance and picked up Grimorih, gently placing her on the table.

"I've read some lines in the book, and it made me worried..." Grimoirh said, eyes clinging to the Shepherd.

Avernus leaned against the wall nearby, crossing his arms. "Go on."

"The song refers to the therions as Innominat's heads, which they gather the purest malevolence for Innominat to consume. If you kill him then…."

"...Velvet, Laphicet, Kamoana, Medissa, Griffin, Orthie, Russ, and Laphicet's bug will die, I know." Avernus interrupted her, his voice filled with despair as he lowered his eyes.

Grimorih raised a brow in surprise, giving him a skeptical look.

"They're twisted moulds of what we call; sub lords to him," Avernus added, sounding uneasy. Magilou and Grimoirh waited for more explanation as they peered at him with significant interests.

"Tia was the first Seraph that descended to earth. After she imposed her rule on all living creatures, Innominat convinced her sub lords to disobey her, and they sealed Tia away. To subdue the malevolence, Innominat used humans and animals instead of malaks to turn them into twisted creatures that ultimately acted as his sub lords rather than malakhims. His routes in the earth itself are deep. Killing him will not only be fatal to Velvet and the rest, but it will cripple the world too."

"Do you have a plan?" Grimoirh asked.

Avernus shook his head in dismay, trying to swallow a knot in his throat as the possibility of his friend's demise and the weight of the world darkened his mind. "No."

After letting out a sigh, Grimoirh pulled the book from her backpack and put it on the table. Magilou followed her move and placed two more books on top of hers.

"These are rare books on some untold history, courtesy of prince Percival, me, and Magilou," Grimoirh said and slapped her tiny arm on the top book. "He left it before Artorius took him away."

Avernus slowly moved to the table, picking one up and zooming on its cracked leather cover, "King Claudin's Notes from Journey to the Far Continent." Avernus read, flipping it open to the first page. His eyes skimmed the written lines.

Grimorih leaned back on her arms. "After King Claudin ended the Dark Period, he founded the Abbey and became the head exorcist. He recruited a very few strong people with resonance and travelled worldwide, undergoing a special mission. During his travels, his primary goal was searching for a specific individual or a special bloodline from the legends, as you might put it. He also spent several years to find artifacts and relics of Avarost, to empower the Abbey with means to combat the daemons more efficiently." His eyes suddenly squinted at the last passage. "...For the next three hundred years?!" He raised his head at Grimoirh. "How's that possible?"

"I knew a normin by the name of Normin Heerow. He travelled the world alongside Claudin after he came back from the far-continent. According to him, The Hero King used an oath to extend his lifespan."

Avernus raised his head. "I remember people were talking about him. They said he exchanged a good amount of knowledge of how to deal with malaks and this about like around thirty years ago." Avernus flipped a page and noticed the emblem of the Shepherd on it.

"Tales of the Shepherd. From the celestial capital, the Pureland at the highest summit, the Seraphim hails. The gates to the capital are shut tight and open solely to the one who rules over man. Taking seraphs, the Shepherd shall ascend. With the power of the Seraphim, he shall exorcise vile calamities and save the world." He turned more pages. "Claudin was aware of the Heavenly Gates. He probably wanted to find a way to open them too."

Grimoirh gestured her hand calmly at the book. "Go to the first yellow page of that book."

Avernus turned the pages quickly. His brow crescented by each line he read. "It says that he wanted to form a pact with all four Empyreans, but he couldn't achieve more than two. He was desperate…." Avernus swallowed and exhaled slowly. Raising his head, he met Grimorih's piercing eyes. "To be precise, Claudin was looking for someone capable enough to make a pact with all Empyreans, and this journey brought him to the far continent, following Hyland's mass exodus from Midgand."

Grimoirh repositioned herself and stole a glance at Magilou as if something important was coming up. "In his journals, Claudin mentioned that he met a woman, a scholar of Avarost, with high resonance, that accompanied him during his travels to the ancient temples and ruins in the far continent. In time, their relationship became more than colleagues and friends."

Magilou giggled. "He even recited some poems, "Sweet lines of her face, her eyes, the brightest emeralds he'd ever seen."

Grimorih continued where she left off. "After Claudin returned from the far-continent, he met Artorius, who was a young orphan. While he couldn't find the person powerful enough to pact with four Empyreans, he had found an earnest pupil, a perfect candidate for his successor. But things turned sad for the worse. During a visit to the Lohengrin region, he lost his life."

"But how he died? And why Artorius went to Aball? What happened after that?" Avernus inquired anxiously.

"We don't know. But after the opening, Artorius resumed his search and decided that using the fifth Empyrean was his only option to pursue their goal." Grimoirh explained. "But even this is not important or the main reason why we're here." She focused her full attention on him and dived into the rabbit hole. "It is about you… and your legacy."

Avernus collected his scrambled mind and exhaled, chuckling bitterly in disbelief as he read their minds. "No, no… that's far-fetched. Even for my standards." He bobbed his head, grinning. "Nice try, though. That was a good one. You nearly got me there."

Magilou and Grimorih stayed silent, staring at the Shepherd. Avernus' eyes kept going back and forth between them. The minuscule snicker on his face faded away into disbelief and denial. "What? Are you two serious?!" He swallowed. "...That's impossible..." His voice turned into a whisper. Avernus' lungs escaped a breath, words dying in his mouth as his intrusive thoughts faded into panic and outrage. After a few seconds of silence, he gathered his thoughts again. "What is your proof? And why you didn't tell me about it sooner?"

Magilou tilted her head to the side. "At first, we disregarded it as a misunderstanding. But Prince Percival was certain of it."

Avernus darted a quick, scowling glare at Magilou.

Magilou grinned subtlety, crossing her arms. "Percival kept pushing the matter, saying that the royal family knew he had a lover back in the far-continent. And when the prince finally met you, he told us that his and Tabatha's suspicions were correct."

"Tabatha Baskerville?! What she has to do with any of it?" Avernus asked bafflingly.

"The first one that suspected you was none other than Artorius himself. She had a hunch from Abbey's reports that, according to Artorius, he had met a long-lost King Claudin's relative in Aball three years ago, and she informed the findings of their spy to the prince. The note mentioned that Artorius knew that his master's son had found his way back to him. But it's not going to stop the head of the Abbey from achieving their founder's vision, even if his blood was against it."

Magilou shut her eyes. "Percival finally acknowledged their assumption after you two finally met. Your selflessness, even for a batch of rogues, matched Claudin's self-sacrifice. And your attempts at hiding it wasn't very subtle. Prince said your quirks, behaviour, gaze, and voice were also very close to what they knew of their king." Magilou blinked, and her eyes glittered. "Like father, like son. Am I right?"

"That's nonsense, Magilou," Avernus said, breaking off as he lapsed into a moment of melancholy silence.

Magilou rubbed her chin, looking sideways at Avernus' startled face. "The next clue was Griffin's approval. Prince said that the bird only approached people that they were the close members of his family."

Avernus seemed to trail off again. Another surprise is that he didn't ask for it. "I know I was an orphan, but it doesn't mean that I'm Claudin's son!"

Grimoirh sighed and pulled the last book and presented it to the Shepherd. "Read this one. The sword that you hold, Caliburn, was once in possession of Claudin Asgard. His malak, Brunhild, hid it beneath the ruins in Perniya Lake near Aball before Claudin started his journey to the far-continent." Grimorih's eyes flashed with confidence. "It is said that only he and the Oracle's bloodline could hold the sword."

Avernus brushed a hand over his weary face. Caliburn was given to him by Zenrus. If that was the case, he had to pull it out of the ruins, which means the thunder seraph was aware of his origin. Amidst the overwhelming amount of information, they heard a strident call from the deck.

"Taliesin, ho!"

Avernus closed the book and grumbled angrily to himself. The last card that destiny's hand had to play. Was it going to work against him?

Only time would tell.

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Taliesin

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The crew disembarked and journeyed beyond Taliesin. Like a tight escort, everyone walked around Edna as if they were acting as human shields for her. Avernus glanced at Phoenix as he was dangling from Edna's umbrella, swinging back and forth like a pendulum. The normin's face scrunched up from pent-up anger, arms crossing.

"Hey, Edgelord," Avernus called to Phoenix. "You said you have an ability called Firebird that lets you revive yourself when your domain has enough juice, am I right?"

Phoenix glared at him and growled like a feral dog. "It's a blessing! And that's none of your business!"

Avernus rolled his eyes in indifference. "It's your business when it comes to Edna. Because Eizen trusted you with her safety, which you apparently "failed" two times, if not more…."

"Why you…" Phoenix gritted his teeth, anger brewing behind his eyes.

"I have got a plan for Edna's safety if you want to see her happy and reunited with Eizen," Avernus said as Phoenix appeared to swallowed his fury a little bit. "Wait for my letters from Turtlez and... train harder next time." Avernus mocked him, his mouth twitching into a sneer.

Fury bubbled like a hot goblet behind the malak's eyes. "What?! I'm the man among men, the strongest of all normin...Phoenix!"

Avernus' fingers fumbled over a nearby bush, and he handpicked fruit from it. He gazed at Phoenix with a wicked intent.

"Phoenix, gag on this fat grape."

Avernus immediately shoved a huge plum into the normin's mouth and then flicked his body with his thumb, spinning him rapidly like a pinwheel under Edna's umbrella.

Edna stopped and turned on her heels, flashing a sombre glance over them all. "I'll go from here."

Eizen exhaled profoundly and turned his head away. Avernus scoped the mountain over the hills, "I'm not sensing any malevolence. You should be clear." He said confidently. Eizen glared at him, expecting to offer his assistance instead of agreeing with her. Avernus noticed his worrying look. "She's all grown up and powerful too. You need to put more trust in your sister, Eizen." Avernus shifted his attention to Edna, "We'll be back soon, I promise."

Both brother and sister glanced at each other. "Take care, alright?" Eizen said and

Edna blinked, still wearing her cold expression. "Okay…" The single word aimlessly came out, and she immediately marched towards the mountain.

They waited and watched Edna until her small figure disappeared in the mist beneath the mountain.

Eizen turned to the team. "We'll need to stack up on supplies in the Taliesin before going with our plans."

The team headed back to the town. On their way back, Avernus' eyes caught a familiar man staring at a nearby lake. He narrowed his eyes and instantly recognized him as the architect he saved and his village from a code red daemon near the Loegres.

The man sensed their presence and turned. He squinted at him for a few seconds and waved his hand around after he identified him as their saviour.

"Hey! Mr. Diphda! Is that you?"

Avernus wandered towards him, wearing a civilized grin. "Architect. What are you doing here of all places?"

The man tipped his hat and gestured to the enormous lake behind him. "Perniya Lake was once the site of the capital of the ancient kingdom of Hyland. The city has been destroyed, and most of it is now lying at the lake's bed, but the location is nevertheless suitable for my project."

Avernus turned around and surveyed the stream and the waterfall nearby, which was feeding the lake. "But you need funding and workforce for that Aquapolis of yours. The scale of this project is beyond you or any construction organization. You need the backing of an empire to do it."

The architect crossed his arms. The gleam of hope behind his eyes didn't dim. Instead, they burned brighter. "You're right, Mr. Diphda. But one day, I know I can make it happen."

Velvet roamed to Avernus' side. "Hey, if it's not something important, can we get back to the city?"

Avernus nodded and turned to the architect. "I wish you the best of luck. My presence is needed elsewhere. Now, if you excuse me…."

He bowed his head curtly. "Certainly… by the way, what happened to your friend? That sophisticated, elegant woman you used to travel with?" The man wondered.

Avernus' lips curved into a bitter grin. "She… is gone. Back to her home."

The architect read his dismay and raised his brows. "Oh, I'm sorry If I've brought up something unpleasant. I wish you well on your travels, sir. And if you found yourself in Taliesin again, I've managed to rent a house near the entrance to Morgana woods. Come and find me. The family will be happy to see you again."

Avernus waved off courteously, and along with the team, they resumed their trip back to Taliesin.

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Time to Relax: The Gremlin's Mischief Inn, Taliesin

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Avernus stayed back in an Inn to finish the historical books in the town while others scoured the city for food and supplies. Avernus was sunk deep into the books, eyes skimming and memorizing each word until a sharp knock to the door pulled him out of his focus.

"Come in. The door is unlocked."

Velvet wandered into the room, closing the door and locking it behind her.

"Oh, hey, Velvet." Avernus returned his attention to reading the pages. "I haven't managed to go outside. This place is dry for anything to eat if you're looking to fix something for Laphicet and Lailah."

Velvet strolled to a tiny closet on the other side of the cabin, taking a white apron, a white hat, and a broom. "The room is too dirty for my taste. It's been bothering me since we've booked this room." She moaned, checking the tea tups. "Look, they didn't even wash these. They're riddled with tea spots!"

Avernus bobbed his head in response, eyes still tight on the book. Velvet raised a brow and slowly went to his side. "What are you reading?"

Avernus cleared his throat, cocking his head. "Ehem...My people, you must always live with great vigour and hold hope for the world and our future. Man can turn reason into disorder, but also can we surpass it. Our true power is in transcending the possible to achieve the ideal. My people, you must live without hesitation. Hold hope in your hearts. Hold hope for tomorrow."

Velvet leaned, dragging the broom along the ground, sweeping and letting out a hum. "Isn't that a phrase from someone called Claudin?"

Avernus darted a brow in surprise. "Are you familiar with him?"

Velvet placed the broom in the bucket that was filled with warm, soapy water. "Yeah, Artorius used to mumble this speech a lot."

Suddenly Velvet turned her back to him and leaned. Her cloak flew up, and the shepherd's eyes glittered. His innocent eyes unintentionally caught Velvet's bottom as they leered the fitting curves that holed up tightly into her torn pants while it moved back and forth with the broom.

"What are you looking at?" Velvet's voice boomed in his ears.

Avernus raised his eyes. It suddenly became clear that he was staring at her for quite a long moment and shook his head while Velvet looked somewhat puzzlingly at him. "It's… nothing." He tried to save himself, quickly switching to a new topic. "In the book, they described Claudin as wearing a peculiar cape, and you resemble him to some extent. That why I was assessing your gear."

Velvet walked to his side. She placed a hand on her waist and posing her back to one side. "I doubt he had the same butt like mine, though, don't you agree?"

Avernus sharply gasped, and he forgot to breathe. Blushing, he dropped his head and grunted in shame.

"Why are you suddenly got interested in knowing this Claudin all of a sudden?" She asked inquisitively and out of nowhere.

Avernus swallowed, trying to play it casually. "Umm… It's nothing. I was going through the old history of Midgand to find a way to deal with the Empyreans. Apparently, Claudin Asgard extended his life by three hundred years by using an oath not to kill anyone."

Velvet crossed her arms, drumming her fingers on her forearms."Okay, what about the rest? I know that face. Artorius used to have that look when he was hiding something, and Celica always caught up on that."

Avernus faked a grin. "It's nothing."

Velvet slowly marched to his side, and Avernus instinctively jumped up. He walked backward until he hit the wall behind him, and Velvet halted a few inches from his chest. Her flowery smell invaded his senses again, backing him into a corner like his jumbled emotions. "You promised me that you wouldn't hide anything. So, speak up…" she demanded, bearing down her fiery eyes on him.

Avernus let out his pent-up breath. "Alright, fine. Here we go…."

Avernus put up a straight face for Velvet. "Grimoirh and Magilou said that I'm probably King Claudin Asgard's lost son." He sneered in indifference. "That's mostly a wild guess, isn't it?"

"So, the Claudin, who was the teacher of Artorius, was the same as the Hero King?" Velvet asked in an indifferent tone.

Avernus felt somewhat relieved as Velvet didn't show any particular interest. "Yeah, and they're claiming that I'm somehow his son."

Velvet lowered her eyes, concealing them behind her hair.

Avernus frowned, eyes blinking fast at her sudden silence. "Wait a minute... Don't tell me you knew?!"

Velvet's calm mood instantly gloomed. "Not really. Grimoirh asked me one time about it, and then prince Percival wondered that if I took you as a hostage because of that. I disregarded the notion as a mix-up since it sounded too far-fetched. But at the same time, I wasn't sure, but I've had a feeling there was more to you."

Avernus rubbed his forehead. "And you didn't want to share it with me?"

"It was a hunch, Avernus. A gut feeling. Besides, I didn't care about the royal lineage of Midgand as I didn't care that you were a shepherd in the first place."

Avernus narrowed his eyes. "Still. You could have trusted me. Like I trust you."

Velvet returned his stare with a glare of her own. "Like when you always put your life on the line? We're in this together, and part of protecting you means I'd rather have you pissed at me than endangering your life on something huge that I wasn't sure of."

"Endangering my life? How could I do something different if I had known?" Avernus wondered.

"I didn't trust Tia. Who knew what she could've done with this information? Besides, it wasn't just her." Velvet paused, her eyes clouded with concern, staring down at the floor. "What if other people would've found out? I couldn't attract more trouble than we already had."

Avernus sighed keenly at Velvet's distress, and her disquiet face forced him to surrender. Velvet looked up, leaning forward, and eyes locked on his face until Avernus relented. Velvet then gave him a half-smile. "I always wanted to meet Claudin, and I kind of did." Velvet turned on her heels, hiding her face. "...I don't want anything from you. Just remember your promise," she said with a hint of hidden sadness and resumed her sweeping.

Avernus paced to her side and grabbed her shoulders, spinning her back to him. His gaze pierced Velvet's darkened eyes. "I made an oath not to leave your side. So don't think me being someone else changes that." He brushed her soft cheeks. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

Velvet reached out and enfolded Avernus' fine-boned hand on her face. After a moment's hesitation, she relaxed, winding her fingers over his. "I don't know. I'm not like other girls. I can't compliment you, I can't turn my feelings into words, and I can't make you feel special. I've wanted to repay the favours you've done for me, but I can't do it at all. In the end, I've nothing to offer. Protecting you is all I can do." She mumbled, trying to calm her scrambled emotions. "Funny, isn't it. Lord of Calamity cares about losing someone." She clicked her tongue. "Damn it, Avernus, You're such a bother. My life would've been simpler." Velvet suddenly frowned at the shepherd, pushing her mightly glare unto him. "You're becoming even more problematic than Artorius!"

Avernus grinned amusingly at Velvet's flustered face. "I had a question that kept bothering me in the past; I wanted to know in the end, after all that we've been through, what I was to you, Velvet? But then I understood, when your true feelings confronted you, the only way you knew how to express them was through actions and not words."

Velvet's wound-up expression eased slightly. "Is that bad?"

"No. It is perfect." Avernus chuckled. "You know, I was the one who was afraid of losing you." A tiny surprise flittered across Velvet's eyes. "You're strong. You shouldered everyone's problem without looking for help. Laphicet always looked up to you. Most of the time, I thought I was useless. You wouldn't let any of us take the initiative."

Velvet eyes clung to his glance. "Do you plan to compliment me all day?"

"I plan to tell you what I think."

Velvet's flushed face heated up. "Everything you say is either so embarrassing or so stupid that I can't stand them sometimes. But somehow, I like these awkward compliments of yours."

Shooting her a slantwise smile, Avernus moved to the table and picked up his notebook. He quickly flipped the pages and stopped somewhere in the middle. "Here, have a look."

Velvet focused on the page and noticed a clothing design that Avernus was sketched for her; The cloak had been fixed with the collar now had refined edges, adorned with gold boundaries. Her ruby-red corset was less revealing, and a piece of armour covered the top half of her chest, but her midriff and bottom of her breasts were still exposed to some extent. There was a very tight short skirt on her pants with a thick leather belt on top of it. The leggings had been fixed, with the protective armour on her footwear and gauntlet appeared to be reinforced with fire magic.

Velvet also realized that Avernus outlined her hair with a hint of red colour. "What is this?" She asked with her eyes widened in surprise and interest.

Avernus strengthened his body, looking proud. "This is your Spirit Armor. I sketched the details according to a design Tia had in mind by using a technique called spirit binding. It was all inspired by Artmatus."

"A technique based on Armatus? Tia sure knew a lot that didn't share." Velvet remarked.

"Yeah. Sometimes, she even talked about travelling to other worlds and dimensions, mentioning world trees, spirits, and some crazy legends too." Avernus explained.

"So, did you made the design all by yourself?" Velvet asked.

Avernus smirked in sureness. "Sure, I did. Do you like it? I've even managed to keep that voluptuous body image of yours intact."

"I like it, but why? Do you have a problem with my clothes?" she asked with a hint of mischief behind it.

Avernus groaned, his enthusiastic expression dulled. "I don't think so," He said uncertainly, breaking off eye contact.

Velvet stepped closer. "Really? Are you sure?" She asked, moving her head to better gawk at his face as he kept his blushing face away from her.

Avernus' brows knotted. "I-I don't have a problem with acknowledging beauty. But people are always checking you out all the time…."

Velvet raised an eyebrow, eyes widening as she faked an innocent and clueless look, inclining her head to the side. "Are you saying that I'm beautiful?"

"Of course, as you've superhuman strength, you're inhumanly beautiful. Even women can't take their eyes off of you…." He grunted and whirled his angry face back to her. "I don't like it! People are just staring at you, and who knows what thoughts they have in their minds." Avernus shook his head, biting his lip and blushing more after his outburst. "I'm sorry, I just…."

Velvet quickly went for his cheek and stroked his face, smiling considerately. Avernus was frozen as her touch sent electrical shocks through his nerves.

"Is my dignity that important to you?" She asked, squeezing his soft skin a bit.

Avernus settled his face in her cupped hand. "Yes…"

Velvet giggled to herself. "You're not so different; a real prince charming, just out of a fairy tale. Girls are always eying you all the time, but you're too distracted to notice them."

Avernus blinked his eyes in disconcert.

"Don't overthink this, handsome, or I'll suck the blood out of those hot, flushed cheeks of yours as repayment for taking my time." She gently patted his face and went on with her sweeping.

Avernus shook his head rapidly to avert the side effects of their frisky moment. But a thought bloomed in his mind that he must make her happy. The shepherd darted to the cleaning closet, and all of a sudden, began to strip off his coat and his shirt. Velvet's heart lurched at the sight of his lean, muscled torso, and her cheeks flushed red. "Um...What are you doing?"

"Helping with the cleaning. I'm going to express my feelings through actions too. You can't just bear everything by yourself. We're partners, right?" Avernus said eagerly, wearing a white bandana on his head and picking up a clean cloth.

Velvet turned away, but she caught glimpses of him out of the corner of her eye and felt her face got hot yet again. After a few moments of resistance, Velvet finally let her eyes flitted in Avernus' direction as he was cleaning the table. He glanced over at Velvet, quirking one eyebrow. "Is there something wrong?" Avernus asked puzzlingly.

Velvet stayed silent. Her eyes lingered on his body for a long moment before she turned away. Avernus shrugged and resumed his cleaning. Suddenly, he felt her presence beside him. He sharply gasped, and she pushed himself against the wall, cornering him once again.

A trickle of sweat trailed on his temple. "Velvet, you're too close for comfort."

Velvet leaned, and Avernus breathed in the sweet scent of her hair. The space between them abruptly grew thick with tension. "I can't take responsibility for whatever happens next." Velvet whispered close to his ear, her breath fanning his long hair.

Avernus swallowed as the hair on his neck straightened.

Velvet pulled her head back, eyes probing his body from top to bottom and grinning crookedly. "Cleaning tables are too easy… How can I put someone like you to better use?"

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In the meantime, Outside of the Room.

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Eleanor rambled inside the Inn. Tired and bored, she went straight for their rented room. Eleanor fumbled with the doorknob, and it didn't budge. She quickly went to the counter. "Excuse me, do you have the key to our room?"

The woman raised her head, shaking it to the sides politely. "No, but I think at least one of you must be still in there."

"But it's locked," Eleanor said.

"Then I suggest you go and enjoy the ocean view, ma'am. Your friends might still be in the town,"

Eleanor sighed and went outside the inn. She lingered for half an hour, but nobody came back. The young exorcist, frustrated, went back inside and placed her ear against the door. Suddenly, she started to make out faint sounds of movement and some whispering. Eleanor focused further as she heard a smacking sound.

"Ow! What was that for?"

Then it seemed a short, girly giggle came after it. "It can't all be sweetness and light."

Eleanor frowned, confounded as she couldn't make the voices. Suddenly, she heard strange breathings and, occasionally, moanings. She abruptly hammered the door, "Velvet! Is that you in there?!"

The muffled breathings immediately came to a halt. "Yes, what do you want?"

"Let me in this instant! I've been waiting outside for half an hour!" Eleanor yelled, struggling with opening the handle.

"You can't come in, and if you do, I'll eat you," Velvet responded, gasping as if she was wrestling with something.

Eleanor released the handle and groaned in frustration. "It's not just your room, you know!"

"You took an oath to obey my every command if you lost our fight, and I'm commanding you to wait just a little longer."

Eleanor brushed a hand over her red hair and leaned against the wall, letting out a prolonged groan. At the same time, the rest of the team walked into the inn, carrying a large amount of bags of supplies. Lailah waved at her from afar. "Eleanor-san!"

Laphicet dropped the bags near the door and glanced at Eleanor's weary face. "What are you doing out here in the hall?"

"I went to scouring through the market, but when I came back, the door was locked, and apparently, Velvet has shut me out of our room," Eleanor explained.

Eizen glared at the door, eyes narrowing in doubt. "Any idea what she's doing inside there?"

Eleanor shook her head, and her eyes trailed off. "No, I don't have a clue. But I could hear something like deep breathing and soft moaning from time to time. I thought I heard some people talking inside, but it wasn't clear, so I thought it might be coming from other rooms. Sometimes even screeching sounds as if the furniture had been moving around."

Eizen folded his arms, darting a brow up. "Then she must be doing something in there she doesn't even want a fellow woman to see…."

Rokurou pushed all their supplies to the wall and chimed in. "Something she doesn't want to be seen…." He suddenly snapped his finger. "Do you think maybe she's weighing herself?"

"I doubt it. There no chance it takes more than half an hour to weigh yourself even if you're getting undressed and dressed again." Eleanor replied.

"But Velvet-san doesn't wear too many clothes," Lailah said, making Laphicet's and Eleanor's faces flushed for a brief moment.

"Could she be putting on makeup? I've been yelled at for barging in on that before, although not by Velvet."

"That's because you were a guy. I hardly think Velvet would have a problem with me seeing that." Eleanor clarified.

Magilou shot a sideways glance at Eizen. "Did you walk up to a girl that was wearing her makeup? What kind of vulgar malak are you?"

Laphicet stepped closer and put his ear to the door. "Yeah, it's like Huff… Huff."

Eleanor whirled her head around, looking for someone. "Uh… Did anyone see Avernus?"

Suddenly, Magilou's lips stretched into a comprehensive, wicked smile as her eyes flashed with naughtiness. "If he's not here, who will look after Velvet then?"

Laphicet turned to the witch, glaring in surprise.

"This is no time to stand there dillydallying, kiddo! Velvet is obviously in great danger this very minute! Her life is hanging in the balance!" Magilou yelled in a dramatic voice as if she was reading from a script.

Rokurou and Eizen narrowed their eyes in doubt while Laphicet, Lailah, and Eleanor looked at each other, sensing a mild worry about the lord of calamity.

Magilou smacked Bienfu's butt and hurled him in between the group. "She's right! You all know Velvet, never letting her weaknesses show! She probably even kicked Mr. Avernus out because she didn't want anyone to see her in such bad-bad pain!" Bienfu declared, flying around the team.

"It would explain her heavy breathing and moaning, too," Magilou added, giggling silently.

Laphicet turned to Lailah, and they both stared bafflingly at each other. Magilou moved between them and patted their shoulders. "Well, what are you two going to do? Do you want to abandon her in her time of need?! The moment to test your mettle has come at last!"

Laphicet glanced at the door, clenching his fists as he was caught between his troubled thoughts about Velvet.

Magilou sensed that the boy needed a final nudge. "Will you go in there and save Velvet, or won't you?! The fated decisive hour to show you manliness has finally arrived!"

Laphicet instantly jostled past everyone to the door and released the lock by throwing a magic art. Along with Lailah and Eleanor, they piled inside.

Laphicet's head snapped up, hands trembling with magic until his gaze fell on Velvet.

She darted a brow with a broom in hand. "What is it?"

Laphicet scrambled to his feet. "I thought you might die, so…."

Velvet narrowed her eyes. "Are you serious? A little cleaning isn't going to kill me."

Eleanor dusted off her skirt and took a glimpse at Velvet. "But, I could hear you breathing strangely and making weird sounds!"

Bienfu and Magilou were scanning the room for Avernus. Magilou quickly darted towards the beds and dropped to the ground, eyes desperately looking underneath for any sign of him.

Abruptly, someone else entered the room behind them. "Who's making weird sounds?"

They whirled their heads and saw Avernus behind them, tucking some bags under his arms.

"They were worried about me." Velvet said.

Avernus put the bags down hurriedly, face darkening with worry. "What? Are you okay, Velvet?"

Velvet waved off her hand. "I'm okay, and I don't think I was breathing strangely."

Laphicet shifted his attention back to Velvet. "Then what was that, Huff… Huff sounds you were making?"

Velvet raised a brow, eyes beaming innocently and cluelessly. "When you want to clean glass, you breathe on it first, don't you?"

Rokurou pressed his lips but finally surrendered to his curiosity. "What about those moaning sounds?"

Avernus shot a glance filled with juvenile wit at Velvet, flashing his eyebrows. "Moaning sounds, you say?"

Velvet tried to ignore him by shifting her attention to Rokurou. "The inn missed a lot of details in cleaning this room. When I looked at the cups, I saw they still had tea stains from whoever drank out of the last. That's enough to make anybody moan in disappointment."

Magilou strode to Avernus, glaring inquisitively. "Where were you all this time, then?"

"I was going through the markets for specific items that Velvet needed," Avernus said.

"But we didn't see you. We were all over the town." Magilou said, narrowing her eyes.

"Who cares, Magilou? I wanted special ingredients and went to get them for me." Velvet stridently interrupted her, robbing her off of her victory.

Eleanor massaged her forehead after her face sobered. "If you'd told me you were cleaning the room, I would have offered to help."

"Well, I had my unique way of cleaning things, and it was faster to do it myself." Velvet leaned the broom against the wall and let out a sigh of relief. "I'm finished. You can come back in again. Finally, what a relief to have that all done!"

Avernus picked the bags and carried them into the room. He moved closer to Velvet. "Breathing on the glass and moaning in disappointment?"

Velvet frowned, shooting him a warning glare to keep his mouth shut.

Avernus shrugged his shoulders. "Good thing I know how to teleport."