Chapter 53 - Black Hole

Bright blonde hair, eyes the color of blood.

Wearing a monotonous trio of stylish suit, a tight skirt and pantyhose that accentuated all of her goods, this woman in front of me is very different from the ones I've seen before. Other than her face, which oozes out sheer mature beauty and confidence, there is also...

"I wonder, did you lost your way home, boy? Maybe, allow this elder sister here to bring you back."

Walking slowly towards me, I noticed one detail from her I, as a normal functioning young man, definitely cannot avert my eyes with.

*boing* *boing*

Yes. That thing. Each step she makes, her two friends sway and bounce in a way I never thought it would be possible...--

Shi--she noticed my gaze!!!

"Oh my...as expected, boys nowadays can't take a good look with the other person eye-to-eye. Well, not that I'm complaining."

She shook her body a little as she chuckled, causing her friends to sway even more.

When she did that, I tried myself not to exhale very hard. What can I say, it's not my fault that this woman have some serious honkers with her!

Ren Mortel calm down, calm down! Remember the reason why you're here!

"I'm...looking for the person who entered here just now," I said to her as I fixed my gaze on her fiery red eyes, trying not to look down.

Noticing a change in subject, the woman returned a calm smile. "Surely I haven't seen anyone enter here other than me tonight."

"Eh? But I'm sure that person entered here..."

My eyes won't lie to me. Other than this place, there's no other place for that person to go. If he's not here it's either he used his petty tricks on me again or...

"I know what you're thinking. No one is hiding here at the moment," the woman spoke confidently.

"What if I don't believe what you're saying?"

Seeing a change in my expression, the woman remain unfazed. "Then there's only one way to find out."

Snap! The whole place instantly became illuminated with more lights hanging on the ceiling. Spreading her arms wide, she spoke to me with a clear, resounding voice.

"I am the owner of this place. I see and remember all the faces of the people that enter here. However, if you're still in doubt you are free to roam around and take a look for yourself whether my words are true or not."

This woman...she's so confident to the point that she would allow an outsider like me to go even at the places where naturally I'm forbidden to go.

"What now? I already said it's alright. Why are you not yet rummaging?"

"There's no need for that. I believe people like you tend not to lie in front of the younger ones," I averted my gaze from her.

Still, I can't rest easy with these kind of people around. Part of me is telling there's something strange with her.

"Fufu, what an interesting impression you have of me, boy," she placed her finger on her lips. "Your faith on other people is something what most people lack nowadays."

Snap, and the place became dimly lit again. Is she using magic or something?

She returned to her seat and asked, "You seem a bit tired after all that hide and seek, boy. Why don't you join me for a while for some refreshments? My treat, of course."

"Ah, no thanks! I'm about to leave already anyway..."

Aoi is already waiting for me back at the Sandy Fish. There's no time for me to drink liquor especially with a woman such as this one!

"That's regrettable. Actually, I'm hoping that someone would accompany me here in my lonely place even for a few minutes, and use that opportunity to know each other a little bit more, no?" She said with a wink of her eye.

I unconsciously got fl.u.s.tered at her words. I never expected her to try hitting on me. "I-I'm leaving!"

Placing my hand on the double doors I expected them to open fully, but--

"This place has magic placed all over it. You can only get up from your seat if you're done drinking, and get out only if you pay the cost of your drinks," she explained with an evil smile on her face.

There's no way in hell that's legal! No wonder no one seems to come to this place, it's full of evil!

"Don't be shy, boy," the woman beckoned me to sit beside her. "There's also nonalcoholic ones available here for those who don't drink too much."

I thought about it for a while then said to her, "Fine. Just one drink is enough."

I can't get out anyway, so I might as well accept her offer. Honestly, this is my first time being approached by a woman like her. Do I like it? I don't know, it's not that I dislike it either.

Aoi, forgive me--just wait for me a little bit more.

I took the seat on her right. It's quite a bit high, it's natural since we're at the spot nearest to the bartender.

"My, I appreciate you accompanying an elder sister like me in this kind of place."

"If not for the magic on your doors I won't sit here with you," I replied bitterly.

"Now, now, don't be like that," she shook her hand lightly. "It's not that I'm planning to do bad things to you, see?"

She clapped her hand, then a man who is apparently the bartender came out from nowhere. For some reason he wore a mask, so I can't tell right now his face.

"The usual one for me, then for this boy..."

"Just iced tea, thanks." I spoke before she finished.

"Hm? Are you really fine with tea? That's something unusual in this type of place." The woman asked.

"I told you already, I didn't came here to drink."

She raised her eyebrow at the masked guy, and he immediately began working on our drinks. Seeing him mix a couple of beverages, I almost forgot that this world is very different from mine. All of the liquor used has a strange glow of warm colors in them, and their colors swirl as the bartender pour the mixture into a glass.

"Now, before we raise our glasses, I would like to know your name first."

"Is that even necessary...?" I asked her while feeling uneasy looking at my tea on the table.

"Of course. As a policy of this place I want to know the names of everyone who enter here, for future reference."

Forcing me to accompany her then wanting to know my name? What in the world is this woman planning to do...?

"R-Ren. My name is Ren."

"My, what a cute name you have there, boy," she spoke with a smug grin on her face.

Cute? What's cute with that? Also, can you please stop with the 'boy' thing? I'm getting chills hearing that from a suspicious vixen like you!

"This elder sister here is called Myriel, I hope you remember it very well."

Clink! She grabbed her drink, then forced me to make a toast with her.

"Forgive me for being so aggressive. I don't get to talk with boys your age that much nowadays so I'm unnaturally excited right now."

'Excited...yeah, more like horny,' I whispered to myself.

"What's that again?"

"A-Ah, nothing, Miss Myriel!"

"By the way, about that man you said you're chasing earlier...what are you going to do with him?"

"Eh? About that...I don't know. I haven't seen his face, so if he changed his clothes there's no way I would find him again," I replied frustratingly, tightly gripping on the hem of my shirt.

I told her the reason why I'm after that man. She too owns a business, so she should understand why I'm doing this.

"Hmm..." Miss Myriel thought of something for a while, then, "I know it now! If you allow it, I will pay the costs in behalf of that person."

"Huh?" I got surprised at her words. "But..."

"Seeing a young man like you look so haggard when you entered here, this elder sister's heart became full of sorrow. That's why, in order for you not to go back empty handed I will pay you some money in his stead."

'Besides, I'm also paying for the troubles I've caused to you,' she added with a faint, alluring smile on her face.

I looked down the table and said, "You sounded like a 'sugar mommy' at this point."

"'Sugar mommy'? I never thought you're thinking of me that way," she gasped her breath. "But if you want it, I could become one. For you."

When she said that she leaned her body closer to me and looked straight into my eyes, her captivating features becoming more detailed and risque.

"U-Ughkk--"

"Hahaha! You really are a fun fellow, Ren," she laughed as she fixed her posture again. "Naturally, boys like you would enjoy things like this in your case, your reaction was more of repulsion rather than shock."

"I-It's because I never experienced being approached by a beautiful woman like you," I replied in a hurry.

Ah, it doesn't mean that the girls I've talked with before aren't beautiful. Rin, Karen, Aoi--all of them are cute and wonderful in their own way, but this one here is of a different caliber.

"Is that so? I'll take that as a compliment."

"But still, anything like that is off-limits yet! I only know you by name and you're already a full-pledged a.d.u.l.t, so you should act like one. Okay?"

I then gulped down the tea after a few test sips and spoke afterwards, "Thank you very much for the treat, but I have to go."

"That's regrettable, but a promise is a promise. You can go now."

Doubting her words, I tried pushing the double doors. They swung open.

When I looked back, her smile are still that of a vicious snake, but her eyes are looking at me with a kind, lighthearted gaze.

"The next time you come here just tell my name and this person here will let you have all the drinks you want," she pointed her finger at the masked guy behind her.

"Thank you very much, but as much as possible I don't want to come back here."

She sighed. "I see. You're still too young for these type of places after all."

"But, if ever I inevitably come here I guess I could stop by for a bit."

Feeling pleased when I said that, she said, "Nn. That would be great then."

With nothing else to say to her, I opened the doors and started to leave.

Really. I can't believe I would meet someone like her on his type of place...

"Hurry up, your little sister is waiting for you."

.

.

...

When she said that, I immediately stopped my feet.

"What...did you say?"

I looked back at her again. Nothing changed much--except for her aura, which became noticeable until now.

"I never told you anything about my little sister. How did you know about that?"

"Oh my, looks like my tongue slipped," her eyes widened in shock. "I never thought I would make a blunder such as this."

I asked, "Who are you, really?"

"Me? This elder sister's identity has nothing to do with what I said."

As I thought, there really is something strange with this woman. "If you don't want to show who you are, then I have no choice but to reveal it myself."

Foom! The black flames of the [Death] Arcana instantly appeared on my left hand. Rushing forward, I tried to launch a quick strike at her, but--

"Gah--GAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!"

Intense pain run from my head down to the tips of my toes, as I fell down short of the distance from her.

"Heh," she let out a grim smile. "That was close. But fortunately, I had precautions placed on you beforehand."

When she said that, she pulled out a piece of paper from the valley of her b.r.e.a.s.ts, then showed it to me.

"T-That thing..."

"Surprising, isn't it? Who would expect that a piece of paper could do harm to a person other than a cut. Also, does the figure drawn on the surface look familiar to you?"

While lying face down on the ground, I pulled the piece of paper from my pocket and to my surprise, the circle that was drawn has turned into a magic circle, with complex symbols and diagrams embedded inside and outside.

"You...you're that person?!"

"Oh my, why would you come up with that conclusion? Isn't it better to think that I hired someone to track and place it on you? I have all the capacity to hire any person, after all."

"You...Aaahh--!!!"

"It's no use, Ren Mortel. You'll get yourself hurt more if you keep on using that Arcana."

"You know what an Arcana is?!"

"Of course. There's no way a god like me won't recognize something that came from that Death Goddess."

A god...?! Of all people, I would meet another god face to face?

"It took me so long to find that brat, but after discovering that there's a way to find her, I decided to make my move now."

"Don't you dare lay a hand on my sister!" I shouted angrily at her as I struggled to get up. No matter how much I push myself up, I can't seem to move.

After I find out about Aoi's past, I swore to myself and to her that I would do everything to protect her. That's why, even in front of someone whose power is leagues ahead of mine I will still not back down, and fulfill that promise!

"My. How cute, you are," she returned a calm reply at me. "However, it's not her that I'm after."

"H-Huh?!" I looked at her with widened eyes.

"Other than her, the one who piqued my interest more is obviously..."

She stood up from her seat and squatted in front of me, unconsciously showing me her underwear from under her skirt. I don't want to look at it, but it's too late.

It's black.

"What do you want from me...?"

Using her hand she gently brushed my hair, playing with it for a while. With a grin she spoke, "I'm here to make a proposal with you."

"P-Proposal?!"

"Not a romantic one, but a business offer."

'But if you want to, we could arrange something like that as well,' she added with a chuckle.

"Don't joke with me!" I shook her hand off my head. "What do you really want? Why would a god like you plan to..."

"I want you to kill the other gods."

"Huh?"

"You heard it right."

Placing her hand on my chin she raised my head up and licked the tip of my nose. I can't move any part of my body other than my head, so the only thing I could do right now is burn with embarrassment.

"I want you, Ren Mortel, to slay all the gods—and all of their subordinates--in this world for me."