Chapter 83: Arc 5: Black Blasphemy (23)

“I never have a family or home,” Carolina said. “The closest thing I have to a healthy relationship is Betty.” She could hardly believe what was about to come out of her mouth. “I,” she hesitated, “I want a place where I can belong. A place that wouldn’t blow-up.”

Ciel glanced at the girl who refused to meet his eyes.

“Half of me wants to apply as your soldier,” Carolina said. “It would be perfect. You need bodies to throw at Maximus and Etaceh. I believe I can fulfill that, but you wouldn’t allow that would you?”

Ciel nodded.

Carolina continued, “What is it that Xia said again?” She answered her own question with a quote. “You trusted them because they are powerful and trustworthy.”

“Can’t say you are wrong,” Ciel admitted.

Carolina got to the point, “We never have much interaction until today, and I have nothing to offer. I can’t even use my femininity because you are already swimming in women. Like them, you have every reason to distrust me.”

Ceil wanted to argue to protect his gentlemanly dignity, but he knew he lost any claim to that a long time ago.

“Well, I do trust you to be selfish,” Ciel said awkwardly.

Carolina laughed, “Yeah, you are right about that. Let me be honest, I don’t know where to go from here. I still have a pile of questions I need answers for.”

Ciel was curious, “You still have something else you want to know?”

“The Western Continent,” Carolina said. “Maximus said something about Yumeron and Sophia dying there. He claimed my ancestor killed a Lord named Alucard and took his power.”

Ciel paused

Carolina sensed the unease in his mind, “Something wrong.”

“Maximus said that several Lords died in the west,” Ciel repeated. “How many?”

“He mentioned Sophia, Yumeron, Alucard, and Romulus. Something about the Council of Necromancer warring with the Elves. He also mentioned something about my clan being involved in the mess.” Carolina airily voiced her theory. “He is right. The Western Continent is cursed.”

“Xia and Betty never told me about that,” Ciel said aloud.

“Because they don’t know much about that place,” Carolina wasn’t surprised by that fact. “The West is the most hostile environment in all of Acceltra. The Northern Continent is a frozen wasteland, but it is still approachable through Luminary Academy. The Western Continent is a violent black-box in comparison. The only people with concrete knowledge about it are those who dealt in exotic goods, expert Green Mage, and extremely shady shipping companies. Xia and Betty were too busy to even study about that place.”

“Now I am curious,” Ciel couldn’t hide his interest in the knowledge. “How come you know something those two don’t?”

“Because the west is the ultimate necromancer’s catalog,” Carolina explained. “I regularly source the most exotic corpses from there. The most elite of composite zombies uses the creature from the Western Continent thanks to its ridiculous ecosystem. Getting anything from there needed an underground connection with some smuggling rings, and the price was catastrophic. The entire Continent is surrounded by storms and hostile sea Leviathans.” She made a face. “I went there twice to explore, and I’m surprised that I walked out alive. I don’t know much about Maximus’ personality, but he wasn’t lying about the Western Continent. If there is a mass grave for gods, it would be that place.”

Ciel sat in contemplation. He knew he couldn’t leave that place alone. He needed to know what happened there.

“Can you take me there?”

Carolina knew she was being offered a ticket to salvation. Normally, she would bite the bait, but she hesitated. She considered forking half-truth to survival, but believing — trusting — that Ciel could pick up on a lie, Carolina decided to play the honesty card.

“It isn’t easy,” Carolina said. “Yes, I have a connection to go there. I can even be your guide, but the place is bloody unpredictable. Remember the storm I talked about? Those storms weakened unpredictably once every few years with a very narrow detection window. You need plenty of preparation to make your way through it. The last weakening was a year ago. I believe the storm will need a few more years to weaken.”

Ciel listened tentatively, “Thank you. I need to talk to Xia a bit. Do you have anything more to add?”

“How many parts of that place do you plan to explore?”

“Maybe all of it,” Ciel answered.

Carolina rolled her eyes, “Oh you sweet summer child. You will be destroyed with that attitude.”

Ciel automatically knew he wouldn’t like what he was about to hear next.

…

“What do you know about the Western Continent?” Ciel addressed the room.

It was sometimes after his discussion with Carolina. Upon hearing everything she had to say, Ciel decided to get the second opinion from the rest of the house.

The response mainly fell into two camps.

“Betty,” Xia, totally clueless, turned to her sister. “Any ideas?”

“Well, I heard some rumors,” Betty said. “But most of them are probably an exaggeration.”

“You never went there,” Ciel stated the obvious fact Betty tried to avoid.

“Yes,” Betty admitted. “To be fair, not many people in the world did. Most of us who could afford to travel to the West already have our hand full. The West as a place is inhospitable, so there aren’t many trade opportunities worth creating the trade-route for.” She then turned to Hikari. “I think you should know more about the Western Continent. Most of the import from that place came through Eleanor.”

Hikari nodded, “Don’t be optimistic. Yes, some smugglers and slavers did port in Eleanor.” She made a face. “However, all of them traded illegally to dodge the tariff. The goods from the West are so rare, the scarce supply drove the price to high heaven. No sane smuggler would tolerate such profit loss, so they traded under the table or went to Aqua Aurea Society. We did manage to capture some smuggler who went to the west, so we aren't completely clueless.”

“Did they give you anything useful?” Caislean asked, sipping tea calmly.

“Oh, they told us all about what the Western Continent is like,” Hikari said. “We think he is exaggerating. Borbonsi tried to expand there once.”

“Really?” Betty was surprised. “I never knew about that.”

“Because it was a total failure,” Hikari said. “The smugglers we locked in the prison heard the news, and they couldn’t stop laughing.”

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Finally, it was Amy’s turn.

“Uncle Gordon did go there several times,” Amy started.

“Gordon Ramiro Seyfert,” Hikari said airily. “Of course, it shouldn’t be surprising that the Admiral of the Five Oceans once went to that place. Did he tell you anything about how to get there?”

“Yes,” Amy said. “He said I must grab someone with actual experience and don’t let go. He also, whatever you do, don’t underestimate the Western Continent.”

Silence.

“Did you know Carolina went there?” Ciel asked

“She did?” Hikari was surprised.

Xia and Betty nodded.

“So we need her to guide us to the Western Continent?” Caislean said. “She is the clue to work out what happened to Romulus and Sophia.”

“But this is Carolina,” Xia argued. “How can we make sure she is trustworthy?”

“She said there is still a year before the West opens its gate,” Ciel said.

The entire group arrived at a singular conclusion.

Hikari facepalmed.

“I can’t believe she squirmed her way out of this.”

…

That was how Carolina found herself undressing in the recreation room of the Harriett House’s hot-spring about the offer being presented to her.

“Bonding with a hot-spring?” Carolina said. “Really?”

“One talk, and you will be forgiven,” Betty opened the door to the steaming bathhouse. “Come. The rest is waiting.”

The two naked women walked into the steaming pool for the group bonding exercise.

The Harriett House’s hot-spring was a mixed bath that combined the elegance of a classical stone garden with the comfort of a high-end hotel. The hot-spring paved with volcanic stone sat as a major center-piece. Couple of wooden deck-chairs were parked beside that stone garden like an ornament overlooking the steam floating peacefully into the sky.

In that steaming pool, they saw Xia wrapped in a towel, waiting for the two. An equally naked Hikari sat by the pool’s edge with her towel dangled alluringly over her naked chest. Amy and Caislean were chatting together on the deck-chair, not minding Carolina’s entrance in the slightest.

Carolina, trying to hide her nerves, walked over to the pool side and flinched at the temperature of the water.

Betty didn’t have the same problem. She propped herself into the water and enjoyed her stress being washed away by the major of the hot-spring.

Unable to let herself show weakness, Carolina did the same and submerged herself into the water.

Once everything was settled, it was time for a heart-to-heart.

“Congratulations on surviving again,” Xia grumbled.

“You don’t look happy with this arrangement,” Carolina replied.

“She isn’t,” Betty confirmed, approaching Carolina from behind. “I think it is about time we do a proper welcoming.”

Carolina had an awful feeling about this.

White Magic Rank 3: Bind

The spear of light struck Carolina's chest, pinning her in place. Caught by surprise, Carolina got placed onto Betty’s knees. Carolina attempted to escape from the White Magic sealing ability, but Betty’s hands grabbed her from behind.

Black Magic Rank 1: Drain

Carolina slumped into the pool, utterly drained of all her strength.

“Betty, hold her still,” Xia cracked her fingers. “I am going to give the bitch a little spanking.”

Amy, observing the systematic take-down of Carolina, decided to make her opinion clear.

“Do you think we are taking it too far?”

“God no,” Xia wiped her hand gingerly. “We need to do what we must to break her resistance.”

Hikari got up with a bright smile. She walked over and leaned over the quivering Carolina.

“Don’t worry, Carolina,” Hikari said without hesitation. “This is quite a peaceful and wholesome induction ceremony. We needed to prepare you to become our ‘sister,’ don’t we? Wouldn’t you love it? Once you are ready for Ciel your slate will be wiped clean.”

Carolina’s heart sank to the pitch-black hole.

This would immensely suck for her.

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