Tales of Berseria The X: Beyond Calamity

Chapter XXIX: Spring Breeze Theodora

Avernus merely managed to catch up to Velvet, out of breath, exhausted, and with a slight vigour left; he fell to the ground with a thud, his body disappeared under a batch of white flowers. Velvet was already there, looking exquisite and calm, watching the vast plain below from the edge of the cliff. She turned towards him. The air around was filled with flower petals, floating and gently falling back to the ground.

"Tired already?" she said softly.

"Yeah... I'm...I'm a... weak human." He answered breathily.

Velvet grinned at his collapsed body. His chest was continually rising and going down. He raised his head, pointing his finger at her,

"I want a rematch... later after you're purified..." he continued to gasp for some air, "Ah... that's cheating!" his face wrinkled because of his cramped muscles, his head fell back on the ground.

Velvet bitterly smiled and sat cross-legged near him on the ground. "... me, purified. More like wishful thinking." She said, halfheartedly, bitterly smiling and continuing to stare at the horizon with her stoic face.

Avernus abruptly raised his head again and glanced at her thigh. His eyes began to twinkle, a grin formed on his face, "Oh, a pillow!" He quickly crawled to Velvet and rested his head on her lap, closing his eyes and letting out a sigh of relief. She felt his smooth and soft hair caressed against the skin of her thigh and his hands gently squeezing it,

"Ah... your hair is so smooth, your skin is soft and flawless, your body smells nice, and you're so squishy. I can get used to this," he mumbled heartily.

She looked down, "Is that it? All you can think about is my body? Hah, men." she asked, slightly displeased.

Avernus looked up, "Didn't I mention your cooking before? Besides, your sense of responsibility, your compassion...." He tallied her merits in an applauding tone of voice.

"But... those are from another lifetime...." Velvet said to herself. Velvet was going to tell him how wrong he was for saying those words, but he said something that immediately jumbled her mind,

"... I'm thinking long term, Velvet." He told her, honestly and thoughtfully.

She gasped, swallowing. Her brain hesitated and forgot what was happening. Velvet glanced at his peaceful and joyful face. He had no care at that moment, no concern for the threats that their mission held.

A shepherd, looking nothing like a cold, heartless commander.

She recalled that feeling again; the times when Laphi was angry, sad, or sick, she would always lift his mood by being still there for him, making his favourite dish, or taking a stroll near the sea.

Now, he was there for her to cheer her up. Besides Phi, the only considerate one showed genuine concern, for a simple girl and a daemon, despite being the one who was destined to be her enemy and her destroyer.

She looked back at the plain beneath them, "It is a nice view...."

"... Yeah, it is." He said charmingly.

His tone of voice felt too exciting to her. Velvet immediately glanced at his face once more; his eyes were open, checking out her chest from below. He quickly turned his head the other way.

Her eyes rounded, her expression became softer, like a clueless innocent girl, tilting her head to the side, "What happened to that pure-hearted and simple man that I once knew?" she teased him delicately.

He looked back at her, his eyes narrowed, groaning, "Ah...He is tainted. You corrupted his sinless soul. And so what? With these tall flowers in the way...."