BXBX NOVEL Chapter 124: My Precious Partner [1/2]
Despite a thousand questions I wanted to ask the girls, I didn't. Any of them would not only spoil the mood, but complicate the situation.
Why were you all in Japan?
Why did you kill all those people?
Why didn't anyone tell me there were undead in Liv's home?
Why did you go to war with Trinity?
Why did you all lie to me about what you were going to do?
Why wasn't Aki with you?
I refused to believe that these girls would betray me. But I couldn't find a good reason for their actions. My mind and my heart were in conflict regarding the subject.
While the other Phantoms could be considered my allies, I already knew in my heart that the Sirens were special.
It wasn't because they were beautiful, nor because they were powerful.
'It was simply because they believed in me,' I repeated in my mind.
When I had nothing to offer.
When all my promises seemed like lies.
They all chose to follow me.
Logically, their actions didn't make sense. Even the brief moments I spent with them were no guarantee, yet they were willing to die for me.
'A life for a life.'
Until our trust was broken, as they had for me, I would continue to believe in them. I would not ask and wait for them to tell me.
If they decided to go against the world, and everyone came after them, then I would choose to take on the entire human race.
Humans, undead, reapers, even Revenants.
They are mine.
"Just try to take them from me." I reluctantly let slip.
[Darling? What did you just say?]
"Ah, sorry. That was nothing, Jo."
[Anyway, like I was saying Honey...]
I spent the next hour chatting amiably with the girls. The topics were mundane, like what they ate, what sights they saw and what they were going to do next.
The stories they shared were lighthearted and entertaining.
Eventually they asked in earnest about my first night in Hellsgate.
I began in order, starting with my defense of the lonely house.
[Such tenacity! Amazing John! You fight like a Northerner!]
[Honey, try to stop blowing yourself up, okay?]
When I told them about Jack Moses.
[Darling, that is so sad.]
[I had the pleasure of fighting with him once, he was a proud warrior indeed].
About Joshua and his wife.
[Husband, Angela needs to learn some manners.]
[That slag is fucking crazy!]
Isolde's story followed, of course.
[Such a powerful tale, there are no dragons in the North, so I never knew of their bravery.]
[Honey, how big were her boobs?]
Then I told the rescue of Mike and Santiago.
[Darling, these Saviors sound like they need a good beating]
[Dear, with Scott, Joshua, his wife, and the two you rescued, you already have enough to register a basic squad. It takes five squads to form an army. You are doing great!]
As I spoke emotionally about Krishna, the Slayer, and the Yuddha Rakshas.
[Husband, do not blame yourself. You did all you could].
[Wombat, let's kill him.]
And finally, my battle with Dominic.
[Bella.]
[I know. They won't get away with this.]
Somehow it was therapeutic to share my experiences.
At first I did it just to contribute to the conversation, but when I got to the stories of Isolde and Krishna, emotions I had been holding in spilled out.
The Sirens didn't laugh or mock me. Instead, they all gave me encouragement and comfort.
They laughed and cheered at my victories, and they shared with me the sorrows of my failures. My conversations with them somehow freed me from the guilt and emotional baggage that I had been carrying around with me.
Unconsciously, I had already begun to use them as an emotional crutch.
No amount of willpower could keep me going forever. And fortunately, after my first night, I had a support group for my mental well-being.
Seeing how angry they were with the Saviors warmed my heart.
It spoke volumes about how much they appreciated me.
It was both endearing and flattering at the same time. Such beautiful women valued me enough to get emotional over me.
Although I found their reactions adorable and amusing, I was not going to let them get involved in the Seeker War. That was mine alone.
If they joined, I would only be worried about them.
Even though I knew how powerful they were, my own arrogance wanted to keep them safe, away from danger. Taking out the undead was one thing, but fighting the Reapers was another.
Logically, I should have sought all the help I could get, but my path was never one of logic. For my own peace of mind, I would do whatever I wanted. And right now, I wanted to keep them out of harm's way.
To become a Revenant, I had to push myself to the limit, but that was only for myself. I will not let anyone die for my sake.
Because of this thought, I happily spent time with the Sirens. They eventually came out and even allowed me to watch them get dressed. Our relationship was definitely no longer that of friends.
They knew it as well as I did.
'I wonder when the change started?'
It was only when Aira made me aware of it that I finally noticed the time.
[My Lord, it is now 7:30 p.m., it would be wise to grab a bite to eat. You may continue talking to your lovers in Hellsgate.]
But for some reason, Aira decided to speak audibly. And her voice did not go unnoticed.
[Honey, who was that?]
[Darling, don't tell me you have another wife?]
[Husband, stop cheating on me.]
Originally, I would have found their meddlesome tendencies annoying, but now?
I found it adorable instead.
Somehow, even though we only spent a few hours together, I felt a great affection for the girls. It was as if I had spent a lifetime with each of the Sirens.