"No. Wait."

I held his hands, just as they reached for my shirt, right about to pull it up.

"I... I don't want you to see it..."

"..." He shook his head, before kissing me again.

"I've already seen it so many times. He whispered, before pressing his forehead against mine. "I don't want you to be ashamed of yourself."

"You're beautiful, no matter what."

"Liar." I immediately said. Yet there was no denying the blush on my cheeks. So, I let him pull my shirt open to reveal my healing bruises and wounds.

I thought he would longer on them, disgusted.

But he didn't.

I just felt his rough palm carress me gently, before squeezing my chest.

I...

I can't think of any words to describe the sensation that I was currently feeling.

Was it bad?

Was it good?

I wouldn't know.

But... all throughout it happening, my heart was constantly beating hard and I was breathing heavily. Not enough to start feeling uncomfortable, but...

Just enough for me to lose sight and sense of anything else, other than him.

I gasped as I was carefully undressed, before he pressed harder against me.

"Anthony..." I stared hazily into his eyes, and coiled my arms around his neck.

"You're my caretaker... Right?"

He nodded, to which I smiled.

"Take good care of me, please..." I kissed him, and closed my eyes, surrendering myself completely to him.

"I'm yours."

"Hmmm... Hmmm...hmmm..."

While humming, I was watching Anthony, as he loaded whatever we could use onto a carriage.

We were going to leave everything here, as is. There wasn't really any point in hiding our traces, anymore.

But, I didn't really care about all that. Why should I?

Especially when I can still feel his warmth inside of me.

I glanced and placed my hand on my stomach, feeling for what was inside. I'm sure that any sensation I felt, was just my imagination. But for no apparent reason at all, I still couldn't help but giggle.

"Are you ready, Guila?" That was my cue.

With a pair of sandals on my feet, a knapsack in my right hand, and several articles of gold jewelry all over my body; I jumped off my stump, I walked to the two-horse cart.

"Here. Thanks." I gave him the bag with a smile, he helped me up the front.

"Are you ready now, Guila?"

I didn't understand what he meant, at first. But, with a nudge of his chin, I immediately understood, and turned my head.

Behind us was my cage, still on its cart, but now with no horse.

I...

I almost can't help but smile at it. Despite how badly I want to just crush it already.

"Haaah... Good riddance. Let's never see each other, again." With that said, I pouted at my companion.

"Did you actually think I wanted to say some proper goodbye, or something?"

"I just thought you'd want to unload a bit, before we left."

My pout turned into a grin, before I pounced onto him, and kissed his cheek.

"Don't you talk about unloading, with me. After how you treated me like. Just hurry up and go."

"Yes, sure..." Despite sighing, he gave me a smile, and with a crack of his reins, we were off in our rattling vehicle.

"You seem very tired, even though we just had lunch. Too bad that's not my fault, huh?"

"I beg to differ."

We both laughed, continuing our journey down the road. The forests were still lush, and the entire place was teeming with wildlife.

Before long, we had crossed the stone bridge from the night before. Thus, finding ourselves in another lush forest.

It wasn't until the sky had turned orange, that we finally left the forests.

We then found ourselves in a large clearing with seas wilted wheat on either side of the road.

There was no sound between us, at this point. Just me, blissfully feeling the breeze on myself and the humming of the the wheat, with my head on his lap.

Then, from beyond the dying stalks, I could see smoke and...

Roofs.

The first town. To think that it was just a couple hours away from where we made camp.

"Leave the talking to me, okay?" He told me, before I could even get my head off of his lap. "You're still a fugitive in this country. They probably won't know your face. But your hair is a giveaway."

"You sure you don't want to hide it?"

"No. I don't want to hide it." I answered with a pout, before staring more closely at the nearing town.

Even from first glance, it didn't look to be in the best shape. Worn thatched roofs, no gate, mud walls, muddy roads, and... haggard citizens wearing rags.

A closer look only yielded the disgusting sight of one of them throwing... Refuse out their windows.

"We stopped doing that, three centuries ago...!" We were still a hundred meters away from the village, but I already couldn't hold my disgust anymore.

"Please don't tell me we're staying here. It's way too...! Eurgh...! Seriously?! Don't they have any class?!" I got off his lap, and clung onto his arm with fearful eyes. But, he just stared back at me with...

... Shame...?

"... Okay."

"..."

I fell silent. Why... Why did he look at me like that...? Is it because I didn't want to wallow in filth with these anima-

...

Almost immediately, I regretted what had come out of my mouth.

Did I already forget, so soon? Or was I just that insensitive...?

He...

He lived... In a far worse condition, than any of these people. At least... They still had homes.

If I had vilified them for their actions... What did that mean for him, who was in the bottom rung?

His story. It had finally...

I... I couldn't bare to look at him. But... I didn't want to look at what was around us, either.

We were immediately greeted by the residents' stares as soon as we entered the village. All of them were malnourished and pale, with dark bags under their eyes.

The coming veil of night didn't help my image of them, though. I just got more sensitive to their presence, as their figures receded into the darkness.

A couple of them held hostile looks, but others, were clearly begging us to stop. To offer them something while they sat on the ground, not even having the strength to reach out for alms.

Of course, I immediately lit a lantern, and held it in front of me, answering their suspicious looks with my own.

Then, I saw a young boy who was completely naked. I could see his outline of his ribs, his bony limbs, his caved in stomach, and emtpt cheeks and glazed eyes.

But... He still had the will and power to try and walk beside the carriage.

How did I not notice this vagrant before?

"... Please... Lady..." He called out, speaking in a broken Coalition dialect that I barely understood.

When he opened his mouth, I saw blackened, ruined teeth, sore gums, and just for a split-second, I saw a maggot come out of his nose.

So...

So...

DISGUSTING!!!!!

SO! FUCKING! ABSOLUTELY! DISGUSTING!

Had Anthony not been here, I would've screamed. But his presence, and the pervasive stench caused me to shrink back.

Can't this horse go any faster?!

My internal question was immediately answered by the splashes of their hooves, and the sight of them sinking into the yellowy red mud.

For a while, I just sat there quietly, pressing myself against Anthony, away from the edges of the cart.

"Food... Please..."

"Any food... At all...?"

"Please... Sir... Lady..."

More started to gather around our slowed down carriage. But, I just kept my eyes peeled, alert and ready to protect myself should they try anything.

But, I wasn't going to make the first move.

I wasn't going to make-

I thought I could be more calm. That my guilt for possibly hurting Anthony's feelings would hold me.

That is, until I saw the kid approach me.

"... Please..." He called out again, with his arms in front, as if to grab me.

Those disgusting, shit-caked, bony fingers...

"Don't you dare touch me!"

I couldn't hold myself back anymore.

With a push of my palm, I had the disgusting cretin thrown back with my magic by at least a couple meters, slamming him backfirst against the wall.

And not a speck of shit on my fingers.

Wonderful.

The sound of the wood breaking and his bones probably shattering coupled with squished meat, didn't bother me one bit. I was used to that sound of gore, already.

Now, for the rest of them.

I went to my feet, and with an upwards flick of my wrist, I floated the carriage off the ground. It was hard. But it meant that we could move much faster now.

And that's all that mattered.

"Back away, all of you."

I had my fists curled up, and I was ready to use metal if I needed to. Even if none of them were mages. Even the weakest of them, would be able to notice my turbulent Mana.

I will wipe them clean off the face of the earth! All I need is just one more transgression from them.

Still, I wasn't just going to let myself be attacked first.

"Anthony..."

Just the thought of possibly having their shit-mud thrown at me or the cart, was enough to rile me up for bloody murder.

"Come on, please. Let's get out of here."

I expected him to swing the reins.

But, instead, he pulled at them, putting us to a stop.

Then, without even looking at me, or giving me so much as a nod, he got off the stagecoach with his sword.

"What are you-?!"

A slash upwards sent blood flying, and the headless body of a young girl in rags, fell back-first into the ground.

None of them reacted.

... They didn't react when I killed the boy, either.

Not even resisting, they just stared at him, as he approached.

Then, one by one, they were all decapitated. With me, and everyone else in this disgusting town, just watching him.

Mud got on his boots, and blood got on his face.

Now, I'd have to wash him off.

What's wrong with this-

"Done!"

I... I just stared at him, not sure how I should even react. But why did he attack them for no reason? We were fine to leave.

Then, he turned around to face me, with his brows scrunched up, and gritting his teeth.

"How can I make this more comfortable for you, Lady Duchess?"

"I... What...? Look, I'm sorry... I just didn't want to..."

"To be touched by gutter trash, right?" He cut me off, right as I stammered for an excuse.

No.

I wanted to say it.

But... I did understand one thing.

Not even one day has passed, and I've already made my Beloved Angel turn on me.