"Wait right there!!" Asteria shouted as she ran after Lict.
They were still inside the blank space.
When he finally stopped, he turned towards Asteria.
Asteria stopped and looked at him "Oh God...." She said.
One of Lict's eyes was already eroded and left a charcoal like black residue. The contract mark on his chest had almost faded and his left hand now looked like a claw.
"Music...Calm down. I'll end your suffering, okay?" Asteria said as she brought her swords towards him.
Lict moved a step back as he looked at the swords.
"Lict. . . It's okay, calm down..." Asteria said as she slowly moved towards him.
"Don't be scared." Asteria said as she raised her sword.
"I'm not scared. But, I can't say the same about you." Lict said.
"What?" Asteria said and looked behind her.
There was no one in the blank space except her and Lict. They were surrounded by huge rocks.
And slowly, she heard an unusual music....
As she heard the music, she started hallucinating and started dreaming about all the events in her life.
Meanwhile, Lict grabbed her sword and slit her throat.
She fell on the ground and Lict dug the sword in her chest.
Suddenly, his body started emitting a purple light and for an instance, the red string connected to his body became visible.
"*GASP*" Vierne said as she pressed her chest and sat on the floor.
"What happened?" Akagi said.
"It suddenly hurts. My chest....feels like it's burning." Vierne said.
"Heartburn? What a weakling. Here, do it again." Akagi said as he pointed at the tree leaf.
"...I can't do it. We are already doing it for 3 days. We don't have that sort of time." Vierne said.
"You're the one who asked for my help. Now stop complaining and do it." Akagi said.
"Ugh!!! Damn!" Vierne said as she jumped towards the tree leaf.
"They both are still practicing?" Melissa said as she looked at them from the mansion's balcony.
Then she took a deep sigh and looked at the sky.
"The clouds.... No way..." Melissa said as she narrowed her eyes and stared at the sky. She went towards the stairs and quickly reached the terrace.
She looked at the sky "No doubt about it....a God... has died." She said.
"Lict...?"
"Lady Vierne, how's your training going? Is Milord too strict?" Melissa said as Vierne sat on the sofa.
She took off her boots and looked at her feet.
"Oh my! Sore feet? It must hurt like hell." Melissa said as she touched Vierne's feet.
"Tsssss! Don't touch! It hurts so bad! …..UGH! THIS IS THE WORST BIRTHDAY EVER!!!" Vierne said.
"It's your birthday today?" Melissa said.
"...I knew it....I'm not made for this." Vierne said as she ignored Melissa "I'm not able to do anything. I feel so useless."
"Giving up already?" Melissa said.
"I can't…." Vierne said.
"You know, Vierne.... A God has died today." Melissa said.
"What? How do you know that?" Vierne said.
"Stars have that ability to read other stars and clouds in the sky. I'm sure Lict has killed her." Melissa said.
".... We must stop him." Vierne said.
"No....YOU must stop him. I cannot approach him, since I'm a star spirit. He is a cursed star so only Demigods and gods can deal with him. We don't know any God so... you and Lord Akagi are the only people who can stop him." Melissa said.
"I...I'll never be strong enough to defeat him. I- I can't" Vierne said.
"....You gave him up so easily..." Melissa said and left the room.
Vierne looked at her feet.
'Of course! Any butler should be able to do at least this much for their Lady.'
'Don't worry, together, we'll fight them'
"It was never a 'together'... It's only you who has always been fighting for someone like me." Vierne said.
'Let's form a contract!'
'Don worry, the age doesn't matter, the feelings do'
"I'm so pathetic....Now that I think about it...I was never able to stand for myself....I've always been depending on others..."
"Yes, you are pathetic."
"Huh?" Vierne said as she looked up "Lord Akagi?!"
"I had some expectations from you...but I'm disappointed." Akagi said.
"I'm sorry....I tried my best-"
Akagi grabbed her collar and brought his face close to hers, "Don't give me that crap. You and I both know very well exactly how much did you try. Did you train hard day and night?"
"N-No"
"Then, did you read all those books I gave you to read?"
"They were too difficult to-"
"Did you save Lict?"
"....No"
"Can you save him?" Akagi said.
"I.... I can... if I try-"
Akagi kicked her in the stomach.
"Ugh!" Vierne said as she grabbed her stomach.
"DON'T YOU READ A LOT OF FANTASY BOOKS? You're mixing them up with reality." Akagi said.
"But I-"
"I CAN'T BELIEVE I WRITE ABOUT GIRL POWER IN MY BOOKS! You're the only girl Demigod in this world and just look at you. You're make me feel ashamed of my decisions!!" Akagi said.
Tears flowed from her eyes and she said "Please don't be so harsh...I can do it... please...give me another chance"
"If you run like your mouth, I bet you'd be in a better shape."
"But, I can still fight Lict." Vierne said.
"Of course you can fight him, but can you defeat him?" Akagi said.
"....That...I...."
"....Let's just stop it. I'm tired really....Just f**king die and see if I care. You've really pissed the hell outta me!!" Akagi shouted and walked out.
Vierne walked out to the balcony and looked at her garden. "Why am I so weak. I can't even stand up for myself... defeating someone is... impossible. I just wanna disappear. I don't wanna go through this....this is hell!
I even made Lord Akagi angry...*Sob* Why was I born like this *Sob* WHY WAS I BORN AS A WOMAN?!! I DON'T WANNA BE LIKE THIS! ! If only I were a boy...then at least...maybe things would be better... If Lict would be here…things would be better. This is the worst birthday ever!!"
Suddenly, the blue light surrounded her.
"Huh? What is happening?" Vierne said as she looked around.
"Milady."
Vierne quickly turned back and saw Lict standing in front of her.
"LICT!!!" Vierne said and rushed towards him. She was about to hug him but instead, she passed through his body.
"What? What happened..." Vierne said. She sat on the floor and said "Ha ha....Looks like I'm turning mad..."
"Milady, I told you, didn't I? Whenever you need me, you just have to call from your heart. We are always connected, the farthest we can ever be, is a heartbeat away." Lict said as he sat on his toes and pointed out his pinky finger.
Vierne did the same and both of them crossed their fingers with each other.
"Lict, please don't die." Vierne said.
"Don't worry. Music is a heartbeat that never stops, a beauty that never fades, a friend that is always there when you need and a lover that never leaves. Why are you so insecure?"
"Because it's not just music. I feel alive. With you, I feel at home." Vierne said.
"Milady, you'll have to defeat me." Lict said.
"But I can't! I'm not strong enough. I'll never be strong enough."
"It's okay, you don't have to be strong because you're already so strong, Milady. I know you'll do great, you have the power of music on your side, and music is the most powerful form of magic.
It can change the world.... because it can change people." Lict said as he pressed his palms on Vierne's face.
Vierne looked at Lict, who was shining lightly golden. The blue light also started glowing brighter.
"Please stop me. I don't wanna hurt anyone." Lict said.
"But why can't I touch you anymore?" Vierne said.
"Milady, you can't touch music but music can touch you." Lict said with a smile.
"BUT I-"
Lict interrupted her by kissing her lips and then looked at her with a smile.
"No more complaints, okay?" He said as he pressed his finger on her lips and his forehead on her forehead.
Vierne nodded as she watched the light getting brighter until finally Lict faded away as he said "I'll be waiting for you."
She looked at the sky for sometime then touched her lips.
"That felt...so real" She said to herself.
Then, she quickly got up and rushed towards Akagi's room.
"LORD AKAGI!!!" She shouted as she slammed open the door and stomped into his room.
"Don't shout. I ain't deaf." Akagi said as he took a sip of his coffee and looked into a book.
"TEACH ME!!!" Vierne said as she pushed him and his coffee fell on the book.
"Oops..." Vierne said.
"....Do you think I'm a fool? I won't be falling for the same trick twice. Get lost. You ain't made for fighting." Akagi said.
"I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT I'M MADE OF!!!" Vierne said and rushed towards her room.
"Hey Wait! Where are you going at this time of the night?" Akagi said.
Vierne quickly taped her feet and wore her boots.
'NOTHING'S GONNA BREAK ME ANYMORE! THIS IS MY ONE AND ONLY CHANCE!' Vierne said as she removed her frock and dressed up in a sports inner and jersey.
"Vierne?" Akagi said as he peeked into her room.
"There's no time to waste! Lict is waiting for me." Vierne said with a smile.
Akagi looked at her chest "Wow!!" He said as he grabbed her arms.
"W- What is it?" Vierne said.
"You've got a reverse contract mark." Akagi said as he looked at her chest.
Vierne looked at her chest.
Lict's name was now engraved on her chest just like how Lict's name was engraved on his chest.
"H- HOW?" Vierne said.
"Ha ha… Yeah, seems like there's still a chance. Ready?" Akagi said with a smile.
-To be continued