The Legend of the Flower Demon Lord

Chapter 10 - If you don't want to die, live

Chapter 10 – If you don’t want to die, live, no matter how many you have to take down on your way

Book after book fell messily to the floor as my hands quickly flitted across the shelves and my eyes quickly scanned the titles again and again before I threw each away with an annoyed, “Che! Not this one either.”

I could faintly feel light streaming in as the door was opened, a gaze penetrating the back of my skull, but I ignored it as I threw my hands up in the air in indignation, “Where the hell is it?!”

“Um…”

Ignoring the shy attempt at catching my attention, I went back to my search, fuming and more concentrated than ever.

“Just what do you think you are doing in someone else’s room?”

“…Che! Not this one…or this one….”

“Um…”

“Shut up!”

A book quickly flashed through the room as I threw it without even glancing at the intruder, and I heard the thump as it landed squarely in his face.

“Hmph! Can’t even tell when someone’s busy…” I mumbled darkly without stopping my quest.

“Oi! I’ve been nice until now! Don’t you know it’s rude to enter someone’s room without permission, huh?! Just what do you think you are doing?! This is my room! My room!”

The polite stranger suddenly started sounding like a pissed off gangster, so I stopped my quest regretfully and slowly turned to face the loud-ass intruder who was asking for death.

“Ah, it’s you.”

“’Ah, it’s you.’ Just what kind of reaction is that?!”

He dully imitated me, and then burst into anger, fuming as I had earlier. Ignoring it, I simply questioned, “It’s good you are here. Help me; I need to find a certain book.”

“Huh? Why would I help you?”

He suddenly turned cocky, his face contorting strangely as he tried to further imitate a gangster, placing his hands on his hips and attempting to intimidate me.

In one swift movement, I ran up to him, my hand clenching around his neck as I jammed him against the wall, his body lifting up slightly.

Struggling in my grasp, he tried in vain to form a coherent sentence, “W-What…are...y-you…”

Giving him my brightest, most polite smile, I said, “The one who has been polite until now, despite you’re crude behavior, is me.” My smile suddenly darkened as I continued, “Now, you are going to help me find that book, Mr. witch, or you won’t ever see the light of day again.” My smile turned bright once more, “Are we clear?”

Despite his condition in midair and his inability to breathe, he tried his best to nod in my grasp so I finally let go with a satisfied smile, “Good.”

He was coughing and gasping for breath for a while, so I silently watched him as I gave him enough time to recover.

“Geez, as violent as ever, I see…” Magnus mumbled with a slight laugh to his tone.

Magnus Black was an odd student at the Academia. Even though magic was all but inexistent, he proclaimed it wasn’t dead and that he had found it – though he never showed any proof.

That is why people called him the witch, and not a mage. They were making fun of the scrawny looking, brown haired boy who had somehow managed to enter the Academia – how, no one knew. He was obviously not War Ciel material, nor was he a pretty lady, and he didn’t even attend classes, spending all his time in the dark clubroom of the so called “magic club” he was the only member of.

“The book of beginnings – The legend of Ciel.”

“What?”

Magnus looked up from his crouched position, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“It’s the book I’m looking for. Now find it.”

Bringing himself up from the ground, he dusted himself off carefully and my eyes flashed as I noticed him wince slightly, “Why are you looking for such an old book? Isn’t it banned? Ah-!”

One hand slamming his body against the wall, my other hand pulled his shirt up as I examined him carefully.

“…”

Glancing at me and then looking to the side bashfully, a slight blush making its way to his cheeks, he mumbled, “W-what are you doing? Even if you think I’m too handsome, t-this is…”

I looked up to meet his gaze and smiled, “As expected, the ‘fake ghost’ that day was Senpai, wasn’t it? Senpai?”

He paled, and then quickly brushed me off to lower his shirt and cover the wounds on his stomach, “W-What are you talking about? Ha-ha…”

Laughing awkwardly, he looked anywhere but at me.

“So Senpai knows some magic, after all. Those claws were pretty impressive, but…it seems like you were no match for that magic box.”

Magnus’ face darkened, “So I was right…You’re the one who stole it. How did you manage to activate it? No matter how much I tried…”

Cough, cough!

“Ah, those coughing fits of yours... Don’t you ever get tired of them?”

His laid back attitude suddenly changed, however, as he saw me huddle over and cough more strongly than ever before, “Hey…are you alright?” Worry was clear on his face.

I looked up at him, then down at my bloody hand. As if nothing had happened, I brought myself up and turned my back to him, “Everything is fine, so just hurry up and fine the book. I don’t have much time.”

Even with my back turned, I knew the wide eyed look he was giving me. Magnus had definitely seen my bloody hand, but I didn’t have time to worry about it.

***

“This is it…”

I could feel my eyes light up as I found what I was looking for, my finger stopping on a single page of the big, dusty book.

Feeling complete and utter bliss, I turned towards Magnus, “As expected of Magnus-senpai. You even have such an ancient, banned book in your possession. Thank you.”

Feeling embarrassed, he bashfully scratched his head as he laughed, “Well…it was nothing! He-he…”

Smiling even more and laughing along, I added, “Too bad you are always trying to kill me! Ha-ha!”

“Ah!” ‘Shock washed over his features and his hands were everywhere as he tried to messily explain himself, “That-that is! I-I never! Um…It’s because you’re always so violent and…and…you even stole such a precious magical possession…so I! I…”

Magnus continued his embarrassed mumble, but I paid no attention, my eyes fixating on the book once more.

The Legend of the Light god… If I become the Light god’s Ciel, I can counter the effects of death with the effects of life! I’m sure of it! Just wait for me…Hehehe…

“Um, Ellie? Hello? Earth to Ellie? Somehow, you look scary…”

I’m going to find the object that will turn me into the Light Ciel no matter what it takes! But first…I need the map.

“…are you listening?”

“Hey, what do you think about ‘visiting’ the Palace of the War Ciel?”

Magnus paled as his eyes went wide in shock, “W-What?”

And there was no one who could stand in my way! Hahahaha!

“So scary…”

Tears streamed down his face as Magnus looked at my evilly laughing form as one resigned to his fate.