Chapter 15: The Jealous White Mage

I thought I would have been more paranoid when I noticed a slug on my plate next to some toast after I’d cleaned up and joined Mae for breakfast, but surprisingly enough, I was open minded. It had a chewy texture to it, squishy, too. I guess my days of eating rats humbled my palette up a bit, because demon food was certainly one of those things I didn’t expect I’d like.

I could have been spoiled. Mae was an excellent cook, searing the bad boy into a tasty delicacy. The light table talk we engaged in brought up how slugs were used for other things, but she didn’t specify.

When she mentioned bedroom adventures, I already had my fill of ideas.

As we continued to talk, I learned more about Mae and her brother Gaven. He was a solider for Goddess Onessa for over a decade, always willing to put his life on the line at every turn. Mae even mentioned her brother being infatuated with her, and when she questioned him about it, he’d give her the same answer every time. ‘No, I’m not under her spell. This woman took my heart on her own.’

There was a recent battle that had closed in on the site of the Litheenian capital not too long ago, and he was one of the warriors defending the illusion. I’d heard about this before, but only briefly by Rhea. Greed took the bait, destroying the fake capital and the fake castle, but not after taking hundreds of Litheenian lives and snatching up the goddess herself. Gaven was one of the many men who had lost his life that day.

I gave Mae words of encouragement to keep her chin up. This battle was a few weeks ago, a devastating blow fresh on everyone’s minds. Hell, I wouldn’t have thought such tragedy had happened not too long ago, seeing as everyone here thus far was all smiles and hospitality. Mae mentioned that was what they had to do to survive, look past what’s happened for years, so they may strive in the future.

We weren’t so different after all. The more I thought about my own past, the more I realized I’d left one hell for another. And I was determined to save it.

“Hello?” I heard Faye’s voice from behind the opening door, her head poking out not too long after. When she revealed herself, she flashed Mae and I her outfit. I had to admit, I was a ways shocked, because it looked like she had priestess garb on. Which struck me odd, seeing as Mae had mentioned priestesses not being a thing in Relo-Hell. Did they anticipate one of them would be born from the Litheenian elixir by a miracle? Or was this wishful thinking?

I didn’t hate what I was seeing though; Faye’s skin-tight white, blue and gold top continued down her legs, in a skirt that had a double slits to it. She went from conservative dressed to a tasty tempting sin herself, showing more skin than I was used to seeing on her. Regardless, she still had black leggings, despite the low-cut décolletage exposing her nice smooth huge breasts.

“Seems like privacy isn’t a thing in Lady Lust’s castle,” I sassed to her.

She froze, as if stunned by turning to me, and noticing me without a top on. She oogled shamelessly for a second, before she recomposed herself, turning her eyes away from my chest. “Funny, you clearly had no problem with company when you’d invited all of those girls into your bedroom this morning,” she sassed back.

“I didn’t invite them, they let themselves in.”

She snorted. “In any case, a man like you doesn’t require any privacy,” she said, closing the door behind her. “If anything, you should be on watch 24/7, with your blood-shedding tendencies.”

I gave her a witty grin. “You look good. Maybe now I can call you a saint.”

“Spare me the compliments, criminal. I was told this was the only outfit that was available.”

I raised a brow. “Really? And you believed that?”

“Well, I don’t really mind it. After all, I had considered at some point joining a sisterhood.”

“I actually don’t find that hard to believe.”

“You look great, Faye!” Maelise complimented as she finished her breakfast. “You already look like a priestess!”

“I appreciate your kind words, Maelise, but I am no priestess.”

“Close enough!”

“Anyway, to what do I owe the pleasure, Lady Belmauer?”

“If you’re implying that I waltzed in here on my own volition, then you are sadly mistaken!” she barked at me, pinning her hands to her sides.

“I invited her, my loving Serrian!” Mae clarified.

“Serrian? Did Knives here adopt another title? Might that word be a term for barbaric? Ruthless?”

She giggled. “No, it means mate.”

Faye gave a low gasp, but her the expression on her face made up for it.

“Well, more specifically, it’s a male version of mate. I’m his Serria.”

Faye looked at me and I gave her an easy-going yet self-approving wave. But her face churned, and it made me gently squint at her response. She seemed disgusted, appalled even, at the concept of… Maelise and I being a couple?

Wait a minute… so she really did have a thing for me?

I’d just been guessing before, maybe even stroking my own horn when I’d messed with her. But this was real. Faye had a crush on a serial killer. She fought the look off her face then cleared her throat, tossing more insults my way to cover for the affection she had for me.

“Well, that’s the kind of thing I should expect from the House of Lust I suppose. Women carelessly tossing themselves at a man, regardless of their reputation.” She sat on the table, keeping her distance from me.

“I know who Knives is, but I don’t care. He’s our blood squire, which means he’s here to protect us. How could I hold a body count against him? Besides, the humans he was killing weren’t sourcing energy to Litheenia.”

“And how may I ask do you know that?”

“Lust isn’t a powerful and serious sin. He was killing people of greed and pride and wrath, wasn’t he?”

Faye choked.

“Anyway, I’m sure you’ll come to learn to be happy for us, Faye. After we take back our land, we’re planning on getting married!”

“WHAT?!” she cried.

“You’re invited! I know you hate his guts, but—”

“Aren’t you getting a bit too ahead of yourself, Maelise? You know absolutely nothing about him!”

“And neither do you,” I said cheekily, Faye catching on a blush.

She sucked her teeth and grunted. “Fine! You two would be great together! Locking hands, two devilish peas in a pod!”

Mae sniffled, pretending to wipe a dry tear under her eye. “Aww, thanks Faye! You put it so beautifully.”

Hmm, maybe I could use Faye’s jealously for us…

“Okay, now that we’re all here, let’s get right down to business!” Mae turned to me. “Knives, I’d invited Faye so you can ask her.”

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Faye crossed her arms over her chest, wearing an incredibly tight face. “I refuse to be a ring bearer for your sinful wedding.”

“N-no, not that! We should be preparing for our voyage this morning! Come on, Knives, go on and ask her!”

“Ask me what?”

I sighed. “Simply put, for you to join our crusade, in saving Lady Lust, and reclaiming her land from her siblings.”

“ARE YOU NUTS?!?!” Faye raged, jolting right off her seat with a fist in the air. “Are you seriously suggesting that I, a regular air breathing, blood-pumping, HUMAN voyage out there in the land of DEMONS!? Is that why they had me wear this outfit?!”

“Oop! I almost forgot! I left something burning in the oven!” Maelise jumped, rushing right for that door comedically. “Call me when the storm is over!”

She slammed the door behind her, leaving me in said storm alone.

I was in the eye of the hurricane with no raincoat…

“You must think I am as gullible as I look! But let me tell you something, Butcher, I will not play by your rules, nor by the rules of Relo-Hell! I am no murderer. And I refuse to be an accessory to your sick and twisted games!”

“But these are demons.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“Yes, because they are in fact demons…”

She paused for a second then picked back up again. “All right, fine! Sure, they are worth slaying, but not at the cost of my own life!”

“But you’ll have me with you,” I reassured her as I got off my seat.

“You barely handled that giant worm on your own!”

“And that’s why Maelise is coming along with us.”

“US?!”

“Look, I’m not going to sugarcoat anything for you. I know we are asking for a lot. But the alternative is standing around and waiting for death. Because that’s what will happen if I don’t rescue Onessa.” I approached her seriously. “We need a priestess, Faye. And that priestess is you, someone as close to being pure of heart. Someone we can present to the mana elixir, Essera, so you may gain your white mage powers. There is no other. You’re special, in your own annoying and pissy way, but, special nonetheless.”

“Butcher, I—”

“Faye, let me break it down to you this way: if I get killed out there, then there’s no way you’re getting back home. So, I need you, and you need me. Simply put.”

“No,” she said strongly. “I’m not willing to die for this country! I’m just not!”

“But you’re willing to die in it?” I retorted. “Are you that afraid? Maybe I underestimated you. I thought you had some grit, the way you easily killed that demon last night.” I shrugged. “I guess I was wrong. I was putting too much faith in a lost cause. You may cower in a corner in the castle, but once it starts raining ashes, just know that your death isn’t too far behind.”

I turned around and fetched a clean tunic in the closet, feeling Faye’s eyes still on me. There was a long and stale silence lingering between us while I got dressed, until Faye finally asked me, “Those slashes on your back…” she whispered, take two steps closer to me.

“Part of the craft. I don’t blame them any for trying to save themselves. But I’m relentless. I never let a target walk.”

“Oh… I see…”

“You may not see what I do the same way, but just know that I was indirectly saving your life. You have no idea… just how many bodies I’d dropped in my life time. Just think… if all of those bastards got to walk, how much shitter Ebonmere would have been? I’m not asking for your understanding or appreciation. It’s not my job to convert you. All I’m asking you is to stop making excuses for those monsters! Sure, I killed. And I’m ready to pay the price for it anytime. But just because they are human doesn’t mean they should be rewarded with living another fucking minute in my town.”

She froze.

“Every last breath I take from them… I give to someone else who deserves it… It’s what I do, Faye. Being here doesn’t change a damn thing. I’m doing this to chase my dreams, to create a world where my sister could have lived in… without fear, without having to struggle every day to survive. I don’t regret a damn thing.”

She grew silent again when I went for my shoes, slipping them on one by one as I sat along the edge of my bed. “The only thing that changes is this time, I’d have a partner in crime. Maelise. She’s a ranger, and a pretty damn good cook. At least good food is one thing I don’t have to worry about.”

“The both of you are really going alone?”

“Yeah, just her, and me. Come to think about it, some alone time with her might be what I needed. No distractions in the House of Lust. And, I’m sure her milk would keep me going on those rugged days.”

“I beg your pardon?! Her milk?!”

I grinned selfishly. “I’m sorry she didn’t offer you any last night, but it’s for bonding. Selecting a mate?”

“You don’t even know where that demon woman’s tata’s have been! How could you so easily allow her to feed you such a thing?!”

“I was… thirsty?” I confessed, getting up and walking over to her. “Did you see how huge her chest was? I’d be a foolish man to refuse drinking from those soft pillows.”

“Excuse me, but they are no bigger than mine!” she blurted, almost without realizing it. She stopped herself short, realizing what she’d just said. Faye’s face turned a hot red, while I tried not to look at those assets she was boosting about.

For good reason, too.

“T-that is, not what I meant to say,” she apologized shyly.

“Faye, I understand that it is perfectly normal, and human, to being afraid of that’s out there. Those demons aren’t like the ones we are used to back at home. I get it. But I could have sworn you had a bit of motivation to go back to your family. Unlike me, I had no one. No one but my drunkard mentor and a new day of slashing heads to look forward to. I was homeless, I’d lost my family to criminals. Trust me, you have more to live for. And I’ll adopt your dreams of going back home to your family. And in doing so, your desires are my desires. And you know me, don’t you? I fight for what I fucking believe in. I’ll protect you, Faye. You have my word, and my blood.”

Her face softened on me. Faye was actually giving it some serious thought. I got through to her. She might have left my hand hovering between up hanging for a handshake, but she pouted and turned around with her arms crossed under her breasts, poking her chin in the air before giving me a solid answer, “I’m not shaking your hand!”

Okay, maybe not solid, but close enough.

“How about you get dressed already? I saw a basket with your clothes by the door.”

“And you didn’t figure to bring it in here?” I asked her.

She pivoted to me. “What do I look like, your maid?”

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