"...Gramps, How come the Villain never wins?" Bell Cranel from a very young age has always wondered this. In every book, story, or legend that he has seen the villain always loses. Bell, determined to change this fate may be something else other tha...
After telling Hestia to buy the perfume we explored the rest of the city. Everyone here was either a level 2 or 3 adventurer and overpricing items like you have never seen before.
"Hey, Ais,"
"Yes?"
"Do you know where Ryu is?"
While she had come down here I hadn't seen her since she first came down.
"I don't know,"
"Ah,"
We spent the rest of the day looking around and when we came back the crystals were setting into night. It was an orange color right now.
"Hey, Hey! Girls wanna take a bath?" An amazon asked
"Yea! We found a really nice spot!" The other amazon joined in.
With every girl quickly agreeing they all took off. Lily looked at me for my permission and I gave a quick nod.
Roughly 5 minutes later Hermes came up to me.
"Bell, follow me for a second,"
"Why?"
"Just do it. I have something to show you,"
I decided to follow him.
We walked for a few moments when he stopped at a large tree. I could hear a waterfall so I could assume what Hermes wanted to do. I'm not sure if he wants me to get caught, but he underestimates adventures if he thinks we won't be seen.
"Bell, you go up first,"
"Naw...Actually, I'm afraid of heights so if you go first I'll follow...Hopefully,"
"You? Afraid of heights?"
He speaks as if he knows about me which is quite unsettling. Not like he knows me as the fastest person to level up but on a more personal level.
"Whatever, just follow me,"
I slowly followed him up, still acting like I was scared of falling. He then waved his hand forward with the other hand putting a finger over his mouth telling me to be quite.
I followed him and yup, the girl's bathing area. Hermes was on a branch and I whipped out my dagger and cut the branch off right away.
I then quickly dashed away before anyone could have seen me. A few moments later I heard screams of pain.
"Wierd dude," I muttered as I walked around.
I walked around for around 30 minutes trying to find Ryu, and soon enough it looked like my luck paid off. I found her bathing at a pond.
"Hey Ryu! I was looking-"
She then threw a dagger right at my face as it barely wizzed passed me.
"Ah, the bashful type? I'll wait for you to put on clothes then," I turned around while I waited
After a few moments she walked up to me.
"What do you want?"
"I was wondering where you went, you haven't been with the group the whole time you've been here,"
"...Follow me,"
I didn't ask questions and just followed. Soon we arrived at a graveyard.
"This is where my familia lays,"
The whole graveyard had flowers for each grave, and had been cleaned very well.
"Mama Mia lets me come down here once a month even though I'm not supposed too,"
"..."
"...Don't you want to know why they died?"
This whole conversation happened without any eye contact. Both of us just staring at the graves.
"If I asked would you tell the truth?"
"I think I would,"
"Then let's take a seat,"
It was now night, and both of us took a seat against a tree where we could look at the graves some more.
"I was part of the Astraea familia. We believed in justice more then anything...Unfortunately that was what then ended us. We got rid of trouble makers but because of that we became a great threat to them. They set a trap for us in the dungeon, and because of that everyone died...Well, everyone except me,"
"...Why don't I tell you something about myself as well. It turns out we may not be so different after all,"
I didn't hear a response so I assumed it meant go ahead.
"Have you heard of the serial killer Divine Judgement?"
"Yes, he was someone who killed repeat offenders in villages. Are you going to say that's you?"
"Yup, I have killed lots, if I had to guess though you got your killer eyes from revenge. You killed the whole familia didn't you? The one that ambushed you,"
"Yes..."
"You know, people like me and you are lonely people. I can tell when you look in my eyes and when I look into yours that even behind those cold eyes, there is an air of emptyness,"
"I am not lonely, I can't say for you but I have many friends at the benevolent mistress,"
"Do you though? They can help you forget sure, but they will never, never understand what you had to go through. I can't, but I can understand what it means to kill. Those waitresses may have killed monsters, but monsters and humans are very different,"
"They...They have helped. They do understand,"
Her voice sounded desprete. I decided to make one of my moves. I reached around the tree and grasped her hand.
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(No smile)
"I can understand you. I can assure you that much," Her hand didn't move. "I will tell you something though. If you think that those waitresses can understand, then how?"
"How?"
"Anyone can say that they understand, but you have to actually experience it. Do they have nightmares of killing people?"
"..."
I used to have those nightmores all the time. I would be afraid to sleep some nights but over time I got used to it.
"Ryu, me and you...There aren't many like us,"
"..."
"That's why people like me and you have to stick together. So I'd like to ask you something,"
"..."
"Want to work with me? We may have different reasons but we both kill as a necessary evil. Don't you agree?"
I didn't get a response, but I felt her hand grip mine. "...I...I think you may have a point, I will believe in you. It seems we are not to different after all,"
I let out a small smile and gripped her hand back, we then fell asleep like this.
(Hermes POV)
"Youch...Bell is so mean..."
My body still hurt from the little prank Bell pulled. Nevertheless though I still had things I had to do as I made my way to a bar with Asfi, who had created a magic item.
