bubblegum princess

chapter forty

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the end of the beginning:
LURING SIREN!
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Tightly held in chains around her wrists, Seiren's emerald eyes burned with defiance, her gaze fixed on the young woman before her. Buntan stood there, arms crossed, her smirk radiating smug satisfaction as she took in Seiren's bound, exhausted form.

"You're such a beauty, aren't you?" Buntan cooed, her voice dripping with mocking sarcasm. The words slithered into the silence, cold and sharp.

Seiren struggled against her bindings, but the chains held firm, their metal digging into her skin with every slight movement. She wanted to fire back, to slice through Buntan's arrogance with her own sharp words, but the cloth wrapped tightly around her mouth silenced any retort. All she could do was glare, her eyes filled with a mix of fury and determination that refused to waver.

"Now, now, that's not how you treat guests, Buntan," a voice echoed from the shadows, smooth and laced with smug amusement. A tall figure emerged, his steps measured as he took in Seiren's shivering form with a twisted satisfaction, his gaze lingering on the discomfort that flickered across her face.

Seiren tensed, her breaths coming quick and shallow as the man approached, standing beside her with an air of authority. She recoiled instinctively, panic flashing through her eyes as she tried to pull back, her bound wrists straining against the chains. But he only reached for her, brushing her defenses aside with unsettling calm.

"Relax," he murmured mockingly as his fingers slid to the cloth tied around her mouth. With a single, fluid motion, he loosened it, allowing it to fall away. Seiren gagged, drawing in a ragged breath as her lungs filled with air, the harsh taste of metal and cloth still lingering. She looked up at him, her eyes darkened with a mix of anger and fear, but he only smiled, watching her struggle with chilling satisfaction.

Shizuma hummed thoughtfully as he leaned in, his gaze tracing over Seiren's features with unsettling scrutiny. His lips curved into a dark chuckle, an edge of satisfaction glinting in his eyes.

"I can't deny it—you are quite the gem," he remarked, his voice smooth yet dripping with twisted admiration. "I see why Kagura's got his eyes on you."

Seiren's jaw clenched; her defiant glare unwavering even as her exhaustion weighed heavily on her. The mention of Kagura stung, and she fought to keep her composure, resisting the urge to shrink back under Shizuma's gaze. "What do you want?" Seiren's voice came out rough and raspy, betraying her exhaustion, but her glare held firm, refusing to show weakness.

Shizuma feigned mock surprise, his eyes widening theatrically. "Oh? So, you do speak. My, my..." He let his voice drop into a low, mocking purr. "And what an alluring voice it is."

Beside him, Buntan let out a frustrated grunt, her glare sharp as she watched Shizuma toy with their captive. He leaned in closer to Seiren, his fingers brushing a stray strand of hair from her face, revealing the faint freckles across her cheeks.

"Seiren," he murmured, rolling her name on his tongue as though savoring the sound. His lips curled into a grin. "Just like a fairytale... A myth from the Hidden Mist—a siren luring others into deep waters."

Shizuma's eyes flicked toward the faint sound of footsteps approaching, his expression twisting with a smug satisfaction as he saw Kagura step into view. Tension radiated from Kagura's frame, his face a carefully composed mask—yet his eyes betrayed him, locking onto Seiren with a mixture of concern and something darker. His hand flexed unconsciously, a subtle motion that gave away the storm brewing beneath his calm exterior as he took in the sight of her, chained and vulnerable.