Levi and Eljha stared at each other in silence.
"Proposed... marriage..." Levi muttered.
'Marriage? Propose?' he thought.
"Pft..." Aria quickly covered her mouth.
"Aria."
"Ye-bft-Yes? Young master?" She failed to keep a straight face.
"'Proposed marriage', can you tell me what it means?" Levi asked.
"Ah, yes... Of course." Aria paused. "A marriage proposal is when a person from one family expresses their desire to be forever joined to someone of another family, to put it simply."
"Hmm." Levi nodded a few times.
"Eljha, was it?" He looked up.
"Yes?" Eljha observed Levi's reaction suspiciously.
"Where is the water?" Levi asked.
"Water?" Confusion showed in Eljha's expression.
"Huh? It's beheading, right? Should I wash my neck with something else?" Levi frowned.
"..." Aria trembled at the side as she clamped her mouth shut.
"... I think you have misunderstood something?" Eljha almost fainted.
"Misunderstood? No, no. No misunderstanding here. I support his grueling search for love on 'this side' of the world. A pity I was already sentenced to death prior to the proposal." Levi's mouth moved Like that of a doll as he spoke woodenly.
"No! You've definitely misunderstood something here!" Eljha felt faint.
"Hey, what are you guys still standing around for?! You've sharpened your swords right?! My neck isn't getting any cleaner, let's get this execution over with." Levi turned to shout at the group of men. He let his hair down over his shoulder and pushed down his collar, making visible the nape of his neck.
'... He spoke our language?!'
"Bwahahahaha! I-I can't! Young master!" Aria could no longer suppress her laughter.
"Laughing in the face of death, hmm? Admirable!" Levi nodded his head with furrowed brows.
"Listen to me!!" Eljha could no longer take it as he roared. "Tribe leader proposed that you marry his daughter!!"
"Well, you should have said that sooner!!" Levi slapped his knee. "Are you bastards trying to scare my soul out of the reincarnation cycle?!"
'Why are you blaming others for your crazy imagination?' Eljha became speechless.
"Ahahaha..." Aria's stifled laughter caught Levi's attention.
"What are you laughing at?! Isn't my misunderstanding because of you two 'broadening' my horizons?" He turned and said.
"Wha-Don't blame this on me! And besides! You said that you didn't see a problem with it..." Aria pouted.
"This and that are two separate matters. Don't try to change the subject." Levi sneered.
"You are so-!" Eljha cut Aria off.
"Enough. Have you made your decision?" He squeezed his eyes shut.
"... I'm sorry..." Levi paused. "But I'll have to decline."
"What?" Eljha's bloodshot eyes flicked open.
"..." Levi kept Silent.
"Humph. This is a perfect example of people not knowing what's good for them." Eljha sneered as he turned to his leader.
He then said something to a few men, causing them to leave the tent.
Minutes later, they entered through an opening that led onto the platform Eljha stood on. A woman followed behind them quietly.
"Hmm." Levi's expression showed no change.
The woman stopped, before turning and looking down at Levi. A grey-white fur coat hung from her shoulders. Like the other women, both her chest and crotch were covered, with seemingly specially made garments. Wavy brown hair zig-zagged down her back. An apathetic expression adorned her sharp features.
With a hand on her hip, she observed Levi before speaking.
"What did she say?" Levi's gaze shifted to Eljha.
"T-That..." Eljha turned to the tribe's leader. After exchanging a few words anxiously, he turned to face Levi.
"Young miss Terra said, 'You want me to marry this person?'" Eljha translated.
'Was that all? This guy sure enjoys overreacting.' Levi thought. He hummed in response.
From that point onward, Eljha translated automatically.
"Father, what is going through your head? Asking me to marry some useless brat, have you gone senile?" Terra questioned.
"Heh heh heh, little brat, aren't you getting more out of control?" Her father released a low laugh.
"Aren't you the one out of control here? Basil?!"
"Did you forget who you're speaking to? Show some respect." The tribe leader, Basil, looked down from the corner of his eye. His piercing gaze brushed over Terra briefly as she froze, in awe of his brilliant brown eyes which seemed to belong to a deity.
"... Yes. Forgive me, leader." Terra bowed.
"So? What do you think of my daughter?" Basil's gaze shifted. He ignored his daughter's clicking of her tongue.
"Um, even if you ask that... I already said that I can't marry her." Levi scratched his head.
"Tsk! Stop making things difficult and agree. Do you think I have the patience to deal with incompetent people?" Terra seethed.
"But as I said, I can't marry you. Sorry." Levi smiled apologetically.
"You... Do you want to die?" Terra narrowed her eyes.
'Is something wrong with her ears? Let me explain a little clearer.' Levi thought.
"It's not you, it's me. I just can't find it in myself to like you." He bowed his head.
"Yo-... You dare humiliate me?!" Veins bulged on Terra's neck.
"Huh? Humiliate? When?" Levi blinked innocently.
'Is something wrong with this lady's head?' He thought.
"..." With gritted teeth, Terra lunged. The force from her step blasted a Shockwave in the opposite direction. Basil sighed while Eljha squatted slightly to steady himself.
Boom!
"What... do you think you're doing?" Terra glared down.
A flaming hand clamped onto her arm just before her fist could touch Levi.
"..." The flames dancing on her body hid Aria's expression, leaving visible only one bright eye blazing with determination as she looked up at Terra from her crouching position.
'Oh! Aria could stop her? Interesting.' Levi thought. 'But it's too bad that she just advanced. She can't use her power properly yet.'
"Hmm. Is this woman the reason for your refusal? Then..." Basil paused.
"Let go!" Terra snatched her hand away.
"..." Aria jumped a few steps back.
"What if she's gone?" Basil continued.
A black blade slid down before Aria as a slim arm hung over her shoulder. A woman covering only her essentials appeared behind Aria. A dog mask hid her face. Aria glanced over her shoulder but didn't move.
"..." Levi turned his head to observe this person.
"You all are misunderstanding." He smiled.
"Hmm?" Basil's eyes narrowed.
"It's not that don't like her, but that I 'can't'." Levi glanced at Terra.
"... What nonsense are you spouting?" She sneered.
"The ability to love, or even like another person... is not something I was born with." His gaze shifted to Basil.
"?!"
"What do you mean," With a frown, Terra spoke before her father could open his mouth.
"Exactly what I said." Levi looked at her. "Even as my mother died right in front of me, I couldn't find it within myself to feel anything. There was only emptiness."
"..." Terra's frown deepened as she listened.
"..." Aria listened silently. The rims or her 'eyes' became red, as traces of tears lined them.
"You asked what would happen if you killed Aria?" He asked.
"..."
"Nothing." He lowered his gaze.
"..." Aria squeezed her eyes shut as a tear streamed down her face.
"She is merely a limiter of sorts to me," Levi said.
"Since I can't sympathize with, or understand other people's feelings, she, instead, does it for me. Leading me in 'the right' direction.
"It was her who suggested helping your people, if not, how would a person like me be able to have such thoughts?"
"..." Basil listened silently.
"And of course, because I lack those which are essential for you to be considered human, in addition to not being able to care about other people, I can't even care about my own life." Levi looked up.
"..." An image of Levi giving up on his life, to the point of even offering it up entered Basil's mind.
"So when you ask what would happen if she were to die, the answer is nothing. Really." Levi chuckled.
"I will just do things the only way I know how. As time passes, people will label me a monster, a demon. They will band together and attempt to kill me and fail. And every land that I pass through will face death and destruction. Because, the only thing resembling 'emotion' I was born with, was an instinct to destroy." Levi whispered. Strangely, chills went up the spines of all who saw his serene expression.
Terra's frown loosened slightly as she whispered, "... How pitiful", before turning and walking away.
"Ah, but don't worry. She's still here to make sure those things don't happen!" Levi threw his head back in laughter, but the gloomy atmosphere continued to linger.
"... I see." Basil said. Levi just made Aria untouchable. His words indicated that without her, the chances of them getting ahold of the pills they desperately needed would drop below zero. One could also interpret it as him threatening to come back and kill them all if they killed her. Basil saw all of this and more.
"... If you want to make sure we are keeping our side of the deal, you can just send someone to go back with us. Marrying off your daughter just for her to observe someone is a bit much if you think about it." Levi muttered the last line.
"Ha, I guess you're right. For someone like you to say that, it really must be too much." Basil laughed before sighing.
"Hahaha, thanks! If not for her, I wouldn't have been able to do this much." Levi turned to look at Aria. She stood with her head down, her fists clenched and brows furrowed deeply.
"It seems she cares for you a lot." Basil noticed Aria's expression. "It looks like she blames herself for your condition?"
"Sigh. She thinks it's her fault that I'm like this. And since my condition isn't something you can cure with medicine or pills, she tends to feel responsible. Useless, even." Levi sighed.
"Hmm. Did you say that she often helps and guides you? Then you should also ease her mind when you can. You don't need emotions to help those close to you. Just observe and act accordingly." Basil said after some deliberation.
"Haha, I will keep that in mind. Thank you for your wise words." Levi bowed.
"No need. Since you rejected my daughter, hurry and scram!" Basil's thundering laughter sounded.
"Hey, you should be thanking me! Aren't you happy you get to keep your only daughter around for a few more years?" Levi slowly got up.
"My only daughter? How naïve!" Basil slapped his armrest in amusement.
"Hurry and go! All of my children have strong personalities. If one of the older girls saw how innocent you were, they would definitely eat you up!" He waved Levi away. This casual action created a small gust.
"T-Then I'll take my leave. Aria." Levi anxiously left with a dejected Aria.
In the tent.
"My lord... Do you believe what he said?" Eljha asked.
"Hmm." Basil didn't answer.
"Then... Then, do you think that we should tell the other tribes about this...?" Eljha questioned carefully.
"Why would we?" Basil looked down from the corner of his eyes.
"Well... I've heard that the silver python tribe have people with similar symptoms..." Eljha explained.
"They can deal with their problems themselves. What does it have to do with us?" Basil rested his chin on his fist.
"We don't know if we can cure all of our people with the pills that guy is supposed to be providing, why thin out that already small number by bringing people into the mix unnecessarily?" He closed his eyes.
"Yes, lord..." Eljha bowed before leaving quietly.
...
Outside.
"... How long were we in there?! It's already evening!" Levi looked at the sky speechlessly.
"..." Aria followed behind him with her head down.
"Hey," Levi called out.
"..." Aria looked up.
"Can you fly yet?"
Aria shook her head.
"Hmm. You're at that level, so you should be able to do it." Levi said after some thought. "We're a good distance from that tribe, so don't worry and try."
"... Ok." Aria whispered with a nod.
"Oh, but we don't have much time! Mutated beasts will find us soon."
...
A few minutes later.
"... Y'know, your talent is frightening." Levi shielded his eyes from the sun as he watched Aria glide through the air clumsily.
"... If my talent was so great, then why couldn't I do anything to that girl earlier?" She asked coldly.
"Ah... I'm sorry." She averted her gaze.
"... What now? Do I carry you?" She broke the brief silence after landing beside Levi.
"No, thanks." Levi waved.
"Oh. I forgot you had wings, young master."
"... I can't use my wings anymore." Levi said.
"Huh? Why? So you can't fly?"
"I can, but not using my wings. But It's tiring, so I won't. Truthfully, flying with wings is much easier." Levi sighed.
"Then why don't you? You're confusing me." Aria held her forehead.
"... Aren't you curious how that pill cured the man earlier?" Levi narrowed his eyes.
"!!" Aria froze. "How did it work?!"
"Simple; I can control blood," Levi said.
"..." Aria opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
'What kind of wild ride is he taking me on?' She furrowed her brows in suspicion.
"I can take the bloodlines of animals or mutated beasts and use them to change or add parts to my body. Which is where my wings came from." He continued.
"So that's how..."
"I can also do a lot of things by controlling the blood of living things. For example, I could make a person's head explode if I wanted to. It also depends on the strength and state of mind of the person, but that's not the point." Levi paused.
"So you... You did something with that man's blood? Does that mean you just made it look like he got better?"
"No. I expelled the disease from his body. You saw him sweating a lot, didn't you?" He pointed upward with his index finger. Qi seeped out, forming a blue sphere with a light blue center.
A transparent glass tube appeared between his fingers as he held it below the ball of Qi. A clear liquid poured into the tube before Levi stuck a stopper into it.
"This is what was expelled from his body." He swirled the contents.
"..." Aria listened silently.
"I said all of this to say this; When you get back, find a cure for this disease and make the pills to send back here," Levi said.
"But..." Aria's brows furrowed.
"If you can't do it yourself, hire some of those guys from the everything guild. Use as much money as you feel is reasonable. And it doesn't necessarily have to be pills, just find a cure." Levi said.
"If it comes to that, just make up some kind of story explaining why the cure isn't in the form of pills."
"... Ok. I understand." Aria nodded with difficulty.
"Then let's go." Levi smiled. He put the tube back into the spatial ring.
"Where are we going this time?" Aria asked.
Levi grinned at her as Qi burst from below his feet. A lengthy tongue of Qi lifted him into the sky, far above the trees' reach.
"Wha! Wait for me!" Aria hurriedly followed.
"To get back Nerezza!" Levi shouted. The Qi changed form. It rolled across the sky like ocean waves as Levi stood on it.
"!!" Aria's eyes lit up.
"... Another thing." Levi suddenly said.
"Yes?" Aria beamed.
"There can't only be one tribe on an entire continent. Find the others and make offers based on their circumstances." He said.
"Ok." Aria nodded.
"And monitor that god slaying bear tribe. If they get out of hand, let me know." Levi glanced at Aria.
"... Yes." She flinched at his gaze.
"As for the things I said, forget them. They were just lies to get what I want, anyway." He turned his head away.
"... I understand." Aria bit her lip.
'I know… Much of what you said were undoubtedly lies… but I also know that a lot of what you said was the truth.'
'Young master... Levi. Do you even know to what extent I worry about you... ?'
An emotion-filled gaze laid on Levi's back, but he paid no attention to it, and, instead, kept looking forward.