Ch.290290. Arrival Syndrome

●

A story from a few months ago.

A story from when Faynol Leiphec first returned to Elphante Academy after the Red Night incident was resolved.

-Come to think of it, you know.

The Red Demon floated around Faynol, who was rolling around lying in her room, and asked that question.

Previously, she would only occasionally see this one inside her mental world, but now it sometimes emerges like a spirit with a body and wanders around.

Apparently, it’s a phenomenon occurring because whatever seal or mark that took root in Darwood Campbell’s body has gained a bit more power.

“What is it? What are you trying to say-“

-You’re a virgin among virgins who’s never dated anyone, right?

“…”

-…

“…”

-…

“…Why are you suddenly bringing that up?”

After breaking through the heavy silence that had fallen between them, Faynol asked, and the Red Demon floating nearby turned to look at her as if surprised she didn’t know.

-…Just, I was thinking about it.

“Thinking about what?”

-That first experiences of anything are important.

“…”

-…

“…Stop beating around the bush and just say it.”

When Faynol said that while drawing a square on her forehead, the Red Demon nodded quietly and spoke.

-Don’t you have some twisted sexual hang-ups?

“…”

-…

An even more serious silence than before spread around them.

This time, however, Faynol had nothing to say in response, so she just buried her face again in what she was quietly hugging.

“…Why do you have to say it like that?”

-If you don’t want to hear it, why don’t you take off that thing you’re clinging to?

Instead of answering, Faynol quietly buried her nose again in the Elphante Academy uniform coat that Darwood had once worn.

He probably doesn’t even remember ever wearing something like this.

If he knew that somehow it had made its way to someone who was lying in bed with their nose buried in it, sniffing away, he’d probably be horrified.

-…Where did you buy that?

“I bought it from Elnore Erinarise la Tristan.”

-…

“She sold it to me right away for not much.”

The Red Demon quietly tried to recall.

The price this woman was referring to as “not much” was probably enough to buy a large mansion in the Empire’s capital.

Of course, being both a researcher in the Demonic Spire and an inquisitor in the Heresy Inquisition weren’t poorly paid positions, so she wouldn’t have financial problems.

But even so, this is a bit…

-Crazy men really do attract crazy women, I guess…

“…Why do you have to say it like that again?”

-No, but…

Looking back at the life of this woman called Faynol Leiphec.

A person who has never even touched a man’s hand is now spending a fortune to buy a coat worn once by a man. And she’s rolling around in bed with her nose buried in it, sniffing away with an expression of complete happiness.

Though called by the ominous name “Demonic Fragment,” they’re essentially inseparable, always stuck together observing the Demonic Vessel.

It’s impossible not to contemplate how such a drastic change came about.

Thinking about it now.

Normally, after being stabbed by that man, being cursed at, and hearing him get angry, one would typically dislike such treatment.

But rather, she seems to get excited every time she experiences these things.

It seems like she wasn’t this way at first, but her tastes appear to be becoming more extreme as time goes on.

“So what?”

-…

What’s even more serious is that she doesn’t even properly recognize what the problem is.

“Yuria Greyhaunter also likes being put on a leash and dragged around. Aren’t there many forms of love?”

-Are you in your right mind…?

“…What’s wrong with getting attention any way I can?”

-…

Though the words fell as if muttered in a crawling voice.

Undoubtedly, they were filled with desperation.

-You’re quite beautiful, you know.

“Aren’t the others beautiful too?”

-…

“I know it’s not a situation where I should lack confidence, but the competition is… pretty fierce.”

When she puts it like this, it becomes awkward to argue with her face to face.

If she says she wants to receive attention even in that way, what can one possibly say?

As the Red Demon completely lost words to say, Faynol’s words dropped again.

“It’s not like Darwood Campbell only has one or two women around him.”

-That’s… true.

“Then, shouldn’t I approach him in ways that others can’t?”

-…

Though her words were filled with desperation.

The concerning part was.

‘…It feels like she’s just trying to satisfy her own preferences from the beginning.’

The Red Demon frowned at that thought.

So, please.

-…I just hope it doesn’t get too extreme.

As Faynol remembers.

It felt like a conversation that carried an unnecessarily significant resonance.

●

“…Uh, no, this is-“

I can hear Beatrix Elfin Kilgore stammering beside me with a pale blue face.

It’s an unavoidable reaction given the other person’s unusual intensity. Even I can feel that the killing intent Faynol is radiating around her is enough to freeze anyone who encounters it.

“Wait, Faynol. Let’s just talk-“

As I tried to continue speaking while standing up, I noticed Faynol’s eyes widening.

And only then.

I realize that both Beatrix and I are in a nearly naked state.

“…What is there to talk about?”

“…”

“Did you somehow accidentally take off your clothes, stick together like that, and coincidentally rub your skin against each other so intimately?”

“…”

I close my mouth, realizing that no explanation will get through to her.

I can also see Beatrix’s face behind me growing increasingly pale.

“Darwood Campbell is not at fault.”

Then, Faynol uttered such a sentence in a flat voice.

With a smiling face.

In a voice that somehow makes my skin crawl.

“It’s all because that woman seduced you, right?”

With those words.

Flames suddenly shot up around us.

Not as powerful as the pillars of fire during the Red Night incident, but still enough heat to burn a person completely and have plenty left over.

“Then if I burn that woman to make her pay the price, wouldn’t that solve everything?”

“Hey, wait…!”

I tried to somehow talk her down while saying that, but it seems too late. The vacant look in her eyes shows she’s in no state to listen to reason.

“…Damn it!”

With that cry, I thrust myself between the flames rushing toward Beatrix, who has gone beyond pale blue to completely white.

It’s a desperate move to somehow stop Faynol. I’m doing this because I’m confident that if I jump between them, someone like me won’t die.

There’s both the Lightbearer and the Authority. As long as I don’t die, it doesn’t matter-

“…?”

And, as soon as I leap into the flames, I realize something strange.

The Red Demon’s flames, which normally wouldn’t extinguish until the target was completely reduced to ashes, part around me with a swoosh.

They clearly touch my skin and burn, but somehow the lethality… doesn’t feel present at all.

To begin with, the Lightbearer, which would definitely activate in this situation, shows no signs of triggering.

“…??”

Despite my confusion, I continue forward. After all, her demeanor is still threatening. I need to subdue and restrain her somehow. Having rushed in with demonization, I should at least do this much.

Next, I charge forward with all my might to subdue her, tackling her like a body check.

With the sound of breath being pushed out of Faynol’s body, she fell face-first onto the snow-covered field. I grab her body and pin her firmly to the ground. With one hand pressing down hard on her chest, I use my other arm to gently press down on her neck.

This is violence I would never normally inflict on those around me, but given the situation, there’s no choice-

“…???”

And.

I realize something even stranger.

For just a fleeting moment, I caught a glimpse of “satisfaction” crossing her eyes.

“…????”

It’s as if she was waiting for me to pounce on her like this and do something violent.

And then.

As soon as I pinned her down aggressively, I narrow my eyes at Faynol who has become “docile” as if by magic.

Strangely enough, her face is full of satisfaction. Her face is bright red, but somehow that…

Seems like a flush closely related to sexual excitement.

“…”

No.

Wait a minute. Hold on.

I can hardly believe it, but.

“You know.”

I said with an expression of disbelief.

“Do you enjoy being hit?”

“…”

“Did you deliberately act this violently because you wanted me to beat you up like this?”

The reason for demonizing and trying to harm someone else in front of me.

Was it to satisfy her sexual fantasy?

“…”

“…”

For a long time, Faynol just squirmed her whole body instead of answering.

“…As if that could be true.”

“…”

“How could there possibly be such a p-pervert in this world who enjoys being hit…”

“…”

Upon hearing the awkward voice that followed, as if reading from a textbook.

My mind drifted to a distant place.

Why are there only people like this around me…?