No need," answered Cenora who was still panting, "I'm really fine, really!" she continued to clarify her current situation.
"Is that true? But I don't see you're doing well!" the woman said again.
'Of course! It's because you don't see what's bothering me now, madam! If you see this mountain above my back, you will surely die of shock!' Cenora grumbled in her heart.
Not only one ghost, but many ghosts currently perched on Cenora's back like Cenora's back was a comfortable ride. Even though they were piled up there, Cenora felt they were all happy and excited.
"Thank you, Madam. I'll just go home soon. Maybe I'm just tired!" Cenora said to the woman and started walking again. But, just one step walk, her body had to limp again and fell forward more violently.
The immense urge coupled with the sheer weight of the shoulders made Cenora's body unable to hold its balance any longer.
'I can not stand. I want to scream at you right now. But I can't, because I'll be considered a crazy kid like I used to be. I don't want people to stay away from me because they think I'm weird,' Cenora thought quietly.
And as she circulated Cenora's gaze around her current surroundings, Cenora's face paled.
'Today has been very strange and hard. And I'm confused, why do ghosts gather to bother me more every day? Can I survive today?'
'This is so terrible and too much. Nothing would be good if things were like this! Besides, what do they want from me by gathering more today?'
Tired, sick, sad, and confused. That was what Cenora faced every day. She wanted to attract the ghosts piled up on her back right then and there, but it was pointless if she did it in a public place like this. Especially now is at school.
It was enough in elementary school to junior high school, she was labeled as a strange and scary child. At her age, Cenora doesn't want to be shunned by anyone. She needs a friend who allows her to ignore the distractions of the ghosts around her, though not completely distracted.
But…
The dark aura due to the encirclement of the ghosts around her began to unravel for some reason. They seemed to be slowly drifting away, even the ghost that had stuck to them since earlier also vanished away.
Cenora came out of the convenience store in a confused state.
'What happened? You're weird!' she said to herself when she saw the ghosts leaving her and she thought it was an oddity.
"Cenora!" call someone from behind.
'Ah, Stu again!' Cenora mumbled when she saw that it was Stu who called out to her.
"Cenora, can we go to a park nearby? There's something I want to give you," Stu asked gently and kindly.
'Okay, I'll come along and when I'm there, I'll say my refusal. I will refuse to date him,' Cenora said to herself.
"Yes, of course. I also want to say something to you!" replied Cenora with a faint smile.
'I feel very strange when I'm close to him like this. Even if we don't touch like yesterday. I don't know why, the aura I feel on Stu is so scary!' muttered Cenora when she felt strange around Stu.
They arrived at the city park which was currently closed due to heavy snow piling up there, and this was done so that no one would enter and be harmed in that place. And strangely enough, Stu took Cenora there instead.
The innocent Cenora thought that Stu approached her because Stu wanted to date her. That sensuous, until Cenora dared to speak to Stu.
"Stu, I'm sorry to say this, but I don't think I can-"
"Today you turn eighteen, right?" Stu interrupted Cenora's words as he reached into his trouser pocket.
"Hmm, yes. I even forgot my birthday. But don't bother, I don't want anything!" answered Cenora reluctantly.
"Is that true? You don't need anything? Like… a refuge?" said Stu as he turned to face Cenora by raising his hand while opening the penknife he had just taken out of his pocket earlier.
Sraass
The knife was swiftly aimed at Cenora and hit Cenora's cheek. Even Cenora herself had no idea what Stu had just done to her.
"Oh, it hurts!" Cenora screamed for a moment as she touched her sore cheek.
"Stu, what are you doing, ah, what is this? Isn't this-" Cenora's words stopped when she touched her cheek which was sore and felt like it was oozing out. Cenora was surprised as her hands were already red from her blood.
Still not answering either, Stu attacked Cenora's body again by strangling Cenora strongly.
"I approached you to ask you out on a date but that's not the main reason. I want to make you my partner but you seem completely uncomfortable with me and potentially fight back in the future. So, why else would I keep a valuable item like you that other Demons could snatch?"
'Demon?' Cenora asked herself.
"You're still asking because you don't know what's going on, huh? Fine, I'll just tell you then!" said Stu in a half-whisper, tightening his grip on Cenora's neck even more.
"But it seems that you avoided me not because you were aware of the danger. And like I said earlier, I will explain it to you!"
"Cenora, you are delicious food for Demons like us! Every hundred years there will be a birth like you!"
"It was fated long ago, the curse of humans as Moon Elves reincarnated will be born, and humans like that would become the target of the clan leaders of the demon nation. What for? It is certain for the survival of the demon nation on this earth!"
Stu drew closer to Cenora's bleeding face. Stu sniffed there.
"Hmm, how fragrant is this Moon Fairy's blood. This is the first time I have smelled such a sweet scent of blood. It must taste very sweet too!" said Stu as if he inhaled the most touching aroma in the world.
"You know what, Cenora? Your fragrant blood at this ripe age is not only food for the demons. Moreover, if our clan leader drinks your blood, his lifespan will be greatly increased, and if the clan leader eats your flesh, his strength will increase even more, and the human body he uses will always be more and more youthful!"
"And as for us, ordinary demons, of course, we will also taste it after our clan leader is satisfied with eating you. Even though what we got was not as much as our leader got, it was more than enough. Immortality and more power will make it easier for us to seduce the human race as we please. Hahaha!"
Stu laughed devilishly as he released his grip on Cenora's neck.
Cenora coughed as she tried to take in as much air as possible. Stu's strangulation nearly suffocated him to death.
"But your birth was not only food for the demon nation. You're more useful if you let it live longer," Stu continued, "By marrying the leader of a demon clan, the demon clan will be more prosperous and become the top clan among the demon clans on this earth. At least for the hundred years that will be lived until the Moon Fairy's incarnation is reborn then.
"Y-you, why are you doing this to me? I-I don't understand what you mean! What kind of nonsense are you telling me?!" Cenora struggled to make a sound in response to the ridiculousness Stu was doing to her.
"I'll explain later after I bring you to my place. I have to save you first. Your fragrant blood invites the demon leaders to come to this place! And that's not a good thing for me right now!" Stu responded with his stealthy grin.
Stu's eyes turned red. The knife in his hand fell as his palm was open and seemed to stiffen. Cenora saw long and sharp claws like animal hooves protruding from the tips of his fingers.
'I don't want to die silly by him. I have to run and get out of here!' said Cenora in her heart and tried to get up to run.
But what happened was not what Cenora wanted. Cenora thought Stu's silence, which had changed even more with the changing color of his eyes and the growth of his nails, caught Stu off guard. That's wrong.
Although Cenora managed to run a few steps, with one jump, Stu was able to reach Cenora by pulling Cenora's long hair back and Cenora's body tumbling backward.
"You want to run, huh? Impossible! Your blood has been smelled all over the place. If not with me then you will be caught by another stealth that might be lower level. And if they get to you, then there won't be a day when you take a deep breath, because they'll eat you right away!"
"I told you, didn't I? I will take you and keep you until the time comes. So don't act rashly or you will die in vain!" Stu warns Cenora not to try to run away.
"If both of you are going to die, why should I choose to die by whose hand?! I will not choose to die on any of you! You bastard demons!?" Cenora shouted and cursed. She is not willing if her life is only likened to a lump of meat for the offerings of the demons.