Chapter 6.5

"Ah! You're back? That's great!" I called out towards the black-haired man who entered through my window. "How did it go-... oh... I'm sorry. I was being..."

"..."

"Hey, before anything else, would you mind, if I told a bit of myself? It'll just take a couple minutes."

"..."

"Really? Thank you! Ah... where should I start, uh ah uhm... ah! You probably already know this but-"

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My life until now, has been pretty good.

I was born into a rich family.

My father was a powerful merchant and my mother was the second daughter of a duke.

I was born with my Father's fiery red hair and my mother's black eyes.

Growing up, was a walk in the park. But, I didn't let my ego get the better of me, so I was able to make friends with both the nobles and commoners.

I was already nine years old, when my sister was born, so there was a considerable age gap between us.

Normally, that meant that we would be enstranged from one another, but it was instead the exact opposite. My sister would always cling to me, and I would happily indulge her.

This led to us spending almost all our time, together.

When I became fifteen, one of my birthday guests, the Earl of the neighboring territory, came to visit. We did the generic greetings, where I courtsied and he bowed lightly. It was just supposed to be just another boring cycle, and yet, out of the blue, he pulled out his sword, a rapier.

It was at that moment, that I first felt fear. The fear of death.

What happened next, was a blur. Apparently, I, who was physically well endowed since birth, front kicked the Earl with my stiletoes, and made him take a few steps back.

Then, I ran towards one of the House's armed guards and pulled out his curved sword, in one fluid motion. Such, that the guard couldn't even react properly.

After that, was an even greater blur.

Apparently, I engaged into a swordfight, with the Earl. And, from what I heard from the people who were present at the time - it seemed as if there were four or five of me, fighting at the same time.

That I, who had never wielded a sword since birth, was able to fight the Earl - who was once an Olympic Champion - on almost equal ground, spread like wildfire all over the country.

Almost as if it were a receding tide, all the marriage proposals got cancelled one after another. And, replacing them were condolence and 'sorry we had to cancel' gifts.

I don't want to sound vain or anything, but I was crazy beautiful and crazy sexy, even as a fifteen year old. Which is why, I had tonnes of such letters. So, you can imagine how shocked I was, to find my reception room filled with such 'gifts'. It was terrible.

I didn't get out of my bedroom for weeks.

Obviously, my family was dead worried. My dad, would repeatedly give me dolls and dresses. While, my mom would try to make me feel better, telling me that 'there will surely be someone out the there for me'. My sister was the same, she'd enter my room and ask if it was okay to sleep together, almost every other day. They were all trying to comfort me, in their own special way.

But...

The emotional damage was just that big.

The least the Earl, could've done, was take responsibility for making me unable to marry, but he didn't even show up after that.

Even worse, was how my parents didn't even seem to want to entertain that thought. They would always just divert my attention with something like, 'He is already married' or some other thing. But, so what!? There's no way, I'll let myself die unmarried! Never! Never ever!

Even if I have to force him! I will have that handsome Earl take responsibility!

Luckily for me, my chance came, when a letter came that he would visit within the month.

I took it as my chance. My - probably last - chance before I'm consigned to a life of living in a nunnery.

I pestered my mother to take me to salons and hairdressers. I also spent a lot of time scanning the city for dresses and took my sister along with me.

I won't deny that my actions made me look like a lovestruck girl. But, I was the farthest from such a thing. Rather, I was as desperate as could be.

So, I really wish that Father didn't look at me like I was some girl with flowers in her head waiting for a handsome man to come. Because I wasn't. I was not.

Like that, ten days passed. The black carriage, with the golden insignia of a snake coiled around a knife that's stabbed into an apple - passed through our estate's front gate.

The slimming maroon dress with silver lacing that I wore that day, barely made it in time. Had it just been a few more hours late, I really would've been in a bind. Luckily, Father pulled a few strings and nothing unfortunate happened.

With my ruby colored glass heels clacking on the carpeted marble floor, I made my way towards the front door.

As I neared the entrance, the butler on standby opened the door for me, revealing the outside.

What I saw that day, made my face pale into a sheet of paper.

The Earl was standing there. His right arm was in a cast. Below his right arm was an empty sheathe and grasped in his left hand was the same sword that he brandished that day.

Come to think of it, how is it that the Earl hasn't been reprimanded yet, because of his conduct. There were a lot of nobles and other dignitaries back then, so why?

Why?

What happened then, was another blur.

Before I knew it, I had taken off my glass heels, smashed together the ends - where my toes would've been in - and used them as improvised weapons.

My stance then, was very similar to that one person I saw on a poster while I was travelling the city.

It was the Earl's stance.

He also assumed the same position, I did.

I really didn't understand what was happening. Was he out for revenge because I injured his arm? Before that, I didn't even remember doing such a thing! And, why was he even smiling!? Was something funny about what was happening!?

The butler has been giving us wierd looks since earlier, so how about doing something, already! Is what I yelled in my head.

"So, it wasn't a fluke." His words, which I didn't understand properly at the time, were quickly covered up by my little sister's yell of; "Ane-san!"

"What are you doing, my daughter! In the face of a guest, no less!" Mother yelled angrily. While Father just began massaging his brows.

I was protecting myself! Why were they acting as if I'm was being very troublesome!? Is what I wanted to ask them at the time.

But. "Milady." The Earl entered through the open door and came closer. His every step on the carpet made me feel as if I was getting choked. For some reason, he was a lot scarier now, than before.

After a few more steps, he was now just a couple feet away from me. He was two and a half heads taller than me and his shoulders were almost thrice as wide. But, since it seemed that physical limitations meant nothing to me, it was a distance, I still felt relatively comfortable in.

Then, he suddenly did something I never anticipated, he bowed. It wasn't a light bow, befitting of nobility. But, rather it was a deep bow.

One, where the angle of his body was at forty-five degrees.

"I am terribly sorry, for underestimating you before. Descendant of the Abyss Lord." He said, with his gaze on the floor and his back getting even lower.

I was dumbfounded. Descendant of who? What are you talking about? As the qestion my gaze held.

But more importantly, I was worried about his arm. At this angle, I could really see how mangled up it had become.

Not even the best healing magic would be able to heal it properly.

Just what would happen to me now? Was the thought that pierced through my head.

Is he gonna demand 'me' as compensation? Is that why Mother and Father had such expressions, earlier?

Wait. Wasn't that exactly what I wanted? I thought.

But even that thought was ultimately shot down by the Earl himself.

"Because of my audacity and complacency to challenge you - and, to even be injured because I was looking down at you - I must've done a lot of harm to you. In many ways, at that."

I let his words soak into me for a while.

Then I said; "That's right! It was terrible! What are you gonna do about it, huh!? I expect you to take responsibility!" Mother, who a blue-blood noble didn't seem to be amused by my tone, but I just ignored that for the moment.

"Of course." Although, I was tying to rile him up, he still seemed to be pretty cool. That sword in his hand, was still a huge concern though, so I guessed, I shouldn't be pushing my luck. And, I was right. The next moment, his left hand moved. It was so fast, so natural, that all I could do was watch. Was my head going to fall that day, is what I thought.

But then - intead of the blade tip - it was the handle that was pointed towards me.

"Eh...?"

"In our family, there is a custom, that, if we were ever to err someone, then it is only natural to give them their life. Though, what usually happens is the other way around. Still, it is a teaching that has been passed down since the first head. And, it is something the we all choose to uphold."

"Eh...? What...? Are you saying... I can... kill you...?"

"Yes."

What!? The fear and dread was quickly overshadowed by the shock and disbelief. Then, it was once again back to fead and dread.

We were just a merchant's family. No matter no rich we were, there was no way we could ever hope to match with a real noble. Even mother, who was from a duke's house, actually eloped with father - so, technically she had no ties with the Ducal Family.

If I killed the Earl, now. Who knows what would happen!?

"...no."

"Hm?"

"I won't kill you..."

"Then..." He began standing up and tried to retract his sword. Was he perhaps going to propose something else?

But before he could, I snatched the sword away from him and pointed it at his neck.

"But, you just said...?"

"Your life is mine, so I will have you marry me!" I cut him off.

The recoil from what I just said, hit me a moment later.

What did I just say!!??? I yelled in my head. If I could, I would've probably been tearing at my hair. But, since I was too dumbfounded, I wasn't even able to move. And, all I did was stare him directly in the eye.

"I am terribly sorry, but I cannot do that. For there can only be one woman in my heart. And that is my wife."

"But your wife is already dead!" I really regretted not stopping while I was still ahead, that time. If I had just kept my mouth shut, then... "Aren't I much better, than staying alone! At least, I'm not so frail that I'll die when I give b-"

And, it happened.

A flash of light. That was all that I could recognize. Before... *shaku* the rapier pierced through my right eye.

That I lacked the willpower to stay awake and bear with the pain was probably a blessing in disguise.

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When I woke up again, I was back in my room.

But, I couldn't see anything from the right side.

My entire right face was wrapped up in bandages. And I could feel the blood seeping through my wound. I tried bringing my right hand to my face but it was held in place by an unfamiliar hand.

"Don't. It'll hurt." The Earl said. I couldn't see him because he was in my blindspot, but I still heard him clearly. "You shouldn't touch it."

I wanted to snap back with a 'You were the one, who wounded me, weren't you!?'. But I refrained from doing so.

I couldn't see it, but I knew he had pained face right now. And, it wasn't because he just permanently injured me. It was because of a reason that I would probably never understand.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly. "I am truly, truly, truly sorry... if there's anything I can do... no... if there's anything you want, I'll make sure to provide it for you... I-"

"It's okay. Earl-dono. There is nothing to feel sorry for. I deserved it."

"No. I-"

"I'm not completely sure why you tried to attack me, those few weeks ago and earlier today, but there must've been a reason. And... it's because of 'this' isn't it?" As I spoke, I exposed my navel to him. This was a very unlady-like conduct. But, I just didn't care, by that point.

What I showed to him, was a tattoo, a mark that I was born with. It was a mark, much like those on succubus' and their ilk. But unlike them, it wasn't glowing and was rather, fading away.

"Mother is from the Americian Ducal house of Luxuria. Which meant she has Succubus blood." I began reciting my story. "Mother told me, that it glows brighter, the more a person bottles up their bodily urges. You probably already know this, but I am a very subdued girl. Normally, I only eat the bare minimum and rest at the minimum amount for my age. When I'm awake, I barely even find the point of getting out of the house." If I were to be asked whether or not I was an active girl, then I wasn't. "Normally, with that much 'urge' bottled - to the point that it was almost like a neon sign... I would be overcome with a insatiable urge to engage in 'intense sex'. But..."

"Even that urge, didn't surface."

"How did you know?"

"It was kind of obvious. And... your mother told me."

"Ah. Of course." I smiled wryly. "So, Mother and Father, they asked you for help, didn't they?"

"They did." Hearing his answer, was like having a weight pulled off of my shoulders.

"Which is why... I should be the one saying sorry.... and I should also be saying thank you. But - you did take my eye, so how about we just call it even, Earl-dono?"

The room was dead quiet for a moment - even the sound of our breathing seemed to be muted - then, finally, he said; "Understood."

"But. There has to be something you want. Tell me. It's the least that I can do."

I smiled and giggled a bit in response. Before opening my mouth.

"Then, can you please teach me, how to use a sword like you do?"

"Huh?"

"That way, I can keep my bodily urges to the minimum and maybe even become an adventurer or something."

"... Are you sure? It won't be easy at all, you know? It'll be a terrible experience for a girl your age. You also won't be able to see you family for a while, too."

"Well... when you put it that way, then..."

"It's okay, dear." Before I knew it, Mother, Father and my Little Sister, were already inside the room. "We'll wait for you, here."

"If you want, why don't we go look for a sword, tomorrow?"

"I-I'll also take up the sword! T-then, I'll fight side-by-side with Ane-san!"

With their encouragement and teary eyes, I turned towards the Earl and gave him a fearsome-ish smile.

"Earl-sama. Please, let me study under you!"

"..." He gazed at me, deep into my soul - before nodding slowly at me. "Very well. If that is what you really want. Then, once your wound heals, call me. I'll come to pick you up. If you want, you can also visit the territory. I'll be waiting."

"Hai! Thank you, Earl-sensei!"

"Heal up well, Seria-chan."

"Yes!"

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"Well, that's my story. Everything after that, is exactly as you would read in my autobiography and other books."

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"I learned under your father along with seven other now famous swordsmen - I was his Star Student at the time - and it was all thanks to him that I didn't devolve into a 'monster' and instead became a Hero."

"..."

"Which is why, like he was for me. I wanted to be the one to help you. But, it seems that I am too weak, to be able to do so. Still, don't get me wrong, I could easily wipe the floor with you, even with both hands literally tied to my back. But, it just doesn't seem like I can muster up the will to do so. In fact, I don't want to."

"..."

"You can no longer control yourself, right? It's okay, you know. That you listened to my story till the end, was already good enough. Really, thank you."

"..."

"By the way, did you know? Your father once told me, that if I was still unmarried when you came of age, he'd give you to me. He probably never thought that it'd be the other way around."

"..."

"Ufufu...fu...

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...I loved him...

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...but, I guess, you'll have to do...

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... grAAAaaaRRGH!"