"Because you're no longer a human,"
"You're a demon,"
Eleanor's voice rang clear and crisp, though it sounded somewhat unclear in Levi's ears.
"Ah?" Levi exclaimed in surprise.
What had he just heard?
He was no longer a human but a demon?
"Not a super soldier?" he subconsciously asked.
Since Eleanor never clarified the specifics of his transformation, he naturally assumed he was turning into something akin to a super soldier, which basically met all the criteria.
A notable increase in height.
Superhuman strength.
Enhanced agility.
Perhaps, he also gained super stamina, but he still hadn't done any tests, so it's still uncertain.
"Super soldier? You're reading too many comics." Eleanor said in amusement.
❄❄❄
'So, I'm a demon now?' Levi echoed in his thoughts.
Perhaps due to the successive shocks he'd experienced in less than an hour since waking up, his heart had grown numb to the point where surprise only lingered fleetingly.
In fact, he found himself oddly calm.
But there were still things confusing him. For example,
"So, what's the deal with me becoming a demon? How did I end up becoming one? Why me?" Levi knew he was by no means special, so he was puzzled as to why Eleanor had chosen him as one of her own.
"You don't remember anything from last night?" Eleanor raised her eyebrows.
Levi, with a bewildered expression, confessed, "Last night... from the moment I woke up, I can't seem to recall the memories clearly."
"Hmmm," Eleanor hummed thoughtfully. "Come here," she beckoned.
Levi complied, approaching her.
"Sit down," she instructed, pointing to the floor.
He followed her request, but felt something was wrong...
Right, why did he follow her command so obediently, like a loyal pet?
'Perhaps I'm overthinking.'
His attention returned to Eleanor's pensive face. When she immersed herself in thought, she exuded an ethereal beauty. The subtle puckering of her lips and the narrowing of her scarlet eyes contributed to an overall captivating charm, making it challenging to connect her with the image of a demon.
'If even a demon possesses such striking beauty, one can only imagine the allure of angels,' Levi couldn't help but ponder.
Suddenly, Eleanor snapped out of her contemplation and without warning, closed the distance between them. Their proximity became so intimate that he could feel her breath gently brushing against his face.
Her breath carried the lingering fragrance of the tea she had consumed earlier, causing a subtle agitation in his already pounding heart.
Thump!
Thump!
His heartbeat resonated loudly within his chest, and he felt as if this continued, his heart might burst free from its ribcage confines.
Eleanor, seemingly oblivious to his suffering, continued to stare at him with a blank expression.
From his vantage point, he could see her slipping into contemplation once again. But this time, she did it right in front of his face!
'Damn it! What sin have I committed that I have to endure this suffering?' Levi roared inwardly.
It was already challenging enough to control his body reactions when they were apart from each other.
Now, however, their proximity was separated by just a couple of inches.
He could sense something rising, but it wasn't a shield hero.
"Amitabha, desires are fleeting, but the Buddha is eternal...
Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tries to distract his mind, Levi found his gaze irresistibly drawn to her lips.
Her lips, already enticing from a distance, were now tantalizingly close...
With just a subtle move, he could claim those tempting lips and devour them...
Then, as he parted her lips, he would explore and entwine his tongue with hers...
Unconsciously, he moistened his dry lips as wicked thoughts started to cloud his rationality.
'No, no, no! This isn't right. I don't want to die early!' Levi abruptly bit his tongue, forcefully quelling the rising desire in an instant.
As the desire dissipated, he found himself panting, as if he had just completed a marathon.
'Ha..ha... What the heck is happening to me? I know I'm a healthy guy, right at that age where desire is supposed to be on fire. But why do I keep finding myself in awkward situations, having indecent thoughts in front of others? It's already the second time, for fuck sake!' He grew infuriated recalling the taunt Eris had thrown at him.
'Is this because I haven't done it this week that my desires start to pile up? Or is it because I'm now a demon? After all, demons are notorious for cranking up the volume on negative emotions. So, could the reason my desires are soaring right now be this newfound demonic nature?' he couldn't help but guess.
He knew that giving in to the impulse to kiss Eleanor would definitely lead to irreparable consequences, with Eleanor likely showing him no mercy.
Luckily, his rationality prevailed, preventing him from committing actions he would regret for lifetimes.
Fortunately, soon after regaining his clarity, Eleanor regained consciousness. She smiled approvingly. "Impressive. You didn't disappoint me by resisting your desires."
"Was that a test?" Levi finally let out a breath of relief. Even though he had managed to suppress his desire once, there was no guarantee it wouldn't rear its head again.
Eleanor pulled back slightly, her face regaining its composure. "No, I was merely lost in thought. But, you could also consider it a test in a way. Newborns like you usually struggle to control not just their strength but also their emotions. The higher the potency of their awakened bloodlines, the more unstable their strengths and emotions become. So, when I saw you manage to resist your desire, I was quite impressed," she explained.
"Then, wouldn't it be because my awakened bloodline is poor that I resist your charm?" Levi pointed out.
"That would be the case if you were transformed by some random demons. However, it was I who orchestrated your transformation. Now, who do you think I am?" Eleanor's voice took a domineering turn. "I haven't properly introduced myself, have I? In the human world, you may know me as Eleanor Foster. But in the demon realm, my true name is Eleanor Paimon."
"Paimon? The name rings a bell," Levi mused after a moment of stunned silence.
"Hmm, you probably have heard of it. My clan's name has been frequently mentioned in various fictional works, referencing this particular famous source."
"Ars Goetia, the 72 Pillars."