The two continue their conversation as if no one was around.
"Is that a confession or am I just being misguided?" Sam asks. His head is filled with question marks.
After all, he is not the Hero. Any girls that come close to him may just be for the sake of the plot. One day, Hero will once again come and snatch them away just like with Marie.
Additionally, Sam does not remember doing anything to Lily that would lead to her expressing such feelings for him. He knows that all the things he ever did were for Marie and Marie only. So there is no reason for Lily to be in love with Sam.
Lily nods at his question.
"Yes, it is." No blushing, no hesitation. She simply replies the truth.
"I can't reciprocate your feelings, Lily. At least not now."
"You will Sammy." She stops for a second and continues.
"Sam, did you know that in my household, there was a ritual among lovers?"
"Are you just making things up? And sorry but I'm not your lover."
"You see, my dear Sam, when someone in my family is in love, they would create a bond with their loved one. The bond is created through the consumption of blood both spiritually, and sexually." She starts painting. Lily's body feels hot all of a sudden.
"Lily, you are kind of scary right now." If Sam had recovered just a bit more, he would have been running at an instant.
Lily seems unfazed by Sam's replies.
"Actually, you have already given me your blood. What is left to complete our sacred love bond is for you to take mine."
"Excuse me? I don't think I have? And Lily, please don't jump to conclusion that fast."
"Don't worry about the details, silly. Here. Take it as well."
Lily takes out a surgery knife from her lab coat.
With a swift downward movement, she cuts her finger. The blood quickly drips out and falls down onto Sam's face.
"Drink up, Sammy. Drink it all up."
She forces her finger into Sam's mouth. The young man tries to struggle desperately, but there is hardly any strength left in him after the fight. The girl on top of him has enormous strength, forcing him down with ease.
"Yes. Good. Good boy." Lily touches his face with her other hand. Steam has covered up her sunglasses so no one can see what kind of expression she has at the moment. She can feel the tip of his tongue touching her finger which drives her crazy.
"When we are truly alone, you're gonna have to take my OTHER drops of blood. Down there. Okay?" Lily takes Sam's right hand and puts it underneath her groin.
It feels moist.
"Ahem!" The Hero stops an adult scene from happening.
"Tch." Lily looks at the Hero. "I will say this again. Heal his eye."
Hero shakes his head.
"Lady, the answer is still no."
"Let me give this to you straight. Since it looks like your fucking thick skull is only filled with perverted stuff instead of logic. I am not giving you a choice. This is an order."
"STOP TALKING TO HIM IN THAT FUCKING TONE, YOU BITCH IN HEAT!" Yells Marie.
"You're really out of line." Hero's face darkens.
"Out of line? Let me tell you what is out of line." Lily points her finger at Marie. Instantly, the latter turns blue.
"NO!!!" Hero jumps in between.
But nothing happens.
"If you are not helping Sam, I am going to cut each of her fingers off every time I see her. You see, we go to the same courses. 2 of them, to be more exact. Light 102 and water 102. So unless you think you can really heal her fingers anytime you want, feel free to either kill me or be with her all day, 24/7."
She shrugs her shoulders.
"But I have to warn you one thing. I am very patient. I see you have no will to deliver a killing blow, and I'm a girl on top of that. It's obvious that you're not going to hurt me that badly. That to me is a very good thing since I can hurt you and your girlfriend easily."
"So, how is it going to be?"
The Hero bites his lips.
It is true.
Hero came from a peaceful place, where lives were regarded highly. His chivalrous spirit learned in that world prevents him from hurting a woman. Lily has grasped his mentality just after some interaction and used it to her advantage.
Maybe actual strength she is not as good as Hero, but on the mental warfare, Hero can only look up at her.
"Fine." Hero sighs. "I'll try."
"Good. Do it now."
"But I never said I wanted to be healed, though." Sam says.
"What are you talking about, dear?" Lily looks at Sam.
"I appreciate your help, Lily. I really do." Sam swallows his saliva, which has the taste of iron due to Lily's blood and a slight scent of perfume. "But I don't want this eye to be healed."
"Why? I don't like seeing you like this! Why are you doing this to yourself? Do you really plan on giving up like this?" She hugs him. Her eyes start to tear up.
"No. Well. Not anymore." He holds her hand. "Thanks to you, Lily."
"What!? So, so you accept it? My confession?" *Sniffs* She can not hold it in anymore.
"No...What I mean is, I wanted to die because I had no purpose. The fact that Marie left me also took the sole reason that I had to wake up every day. The me in the past existed to serve her and her alone. When she was gone, I just lost myself in anger and sadness. A headless chicken, that is what I was. There was nothing for me to do anymore, you know, but to end it all. And that was why I challenged him to a battle, knowing that I was going to lose anyway. This eye, and these wounds on my body, are proofs that I am no longer that lost person. I never lived for myself, until now. To be honest, it is kind of ironic. I lost an eye to really be able to see this world a bit better."
He stops and looks at Lily.
"I don't want you to look at this the wrong way. But I thank you for being here right now. Even when I had no one to back me up, you were the only person to show. You were the only one who did something for me. You went toe to toe with the Hero."
Sam touches Lily on her facemask.
"I want to keep this blind eye so that I can see this world better. So that I can see you better. By the way, I never really noticed your white hair. I must say, it goes great with your lab coat."
"Hicc...Sammy..."
"Lily, will you show me your face one day?"
"I want no one to see it except for you."
"That's a yes, then?"
"Obviously!"
Sam looks at the blue sky, then looks at the students. A huge range of colors is everywhere, spreading through the whole spectrum of visible light. This is the first time Sam has noticed that. It has something to do with affinity and mana, Sam remembers.
Without an eye, everything is now even more vibrant.
And right next to him, Lily shines brighter than the sun.
Without an eye, he can now really see.
"Fuck it!" Lily suddenly yells.
She pulls her mask up, revealing an angelic face.
"Wow...wha....Oomph!!" Sam's lips are shut by someone else's.