The Aesthetics of Murder

As we approached the temple, the strange feeling grew stronger. Under the black moonlight, the massive Gothic-style castle cast ominous shadows.

The spires were as sharp as blades, and the windows seemed to resemble crying eyes.

A faint smell tickled my nose.

At first, I couldn’t tell what it was, but as we drew closer to the temple, the smell became familiar yet unpleasant.

This was…

Blood…

A scent I had grown accustomed to from slaughtering countless monsters in the labyrinth.

But this was different.

Thicker, older, and far more abundant.

Not the blood of monsters, but of something else.

Humans…

The Crimson Bind trembled slightly.

As if reacting to the scent, the red mist emanating from the sword grew denser.

It felt like the Crimson Bind was enjoying this.

“Bellona… what’s that smell…?”

“A smell? Oh, that’s just my hobby. You’ll see soon, don’t be too surprised~”

Bellona spoke.

Her face was filled with a smile.

That smile was incredibly beautiful, yet it sent chills down my spine.

Miel fluttered close to my ear, her wings fluttering anxiously.

The blue wings shone brighter than usual.

Flap flap!

Miel’s wings fluttered more intensely than before.

‘What’s wrong?’ I tried to ask, but…

Unconsciously, I gripped the hilt of the Crimson Bind tightly.

The red mist from the sword grew thicker.

The sword seemed excited.

Like it had returned home…

Mistress…

I need to return to the Mistress soon…

Will this goddess really help me…?

“Well, we’re here! Welcome to my home~”

The massive obsidian gates opened silently, revealing the interior of the temple.

Bellona carried me inside, her embrace tight.

At first, the darkness obscured everything, but soon, crimson candles flickered to life, revealing a shocking sight.

“Ugh…!”

A scream escaped my lips involuntarily.

The temple was an ‘exhibition hall’.

But the exhibits were…

Corpses.

Not just corpses, but sculptures made from them.

Countless male corpses were twisted into grotesque poses.

Some were frozen in elegant ballet poses, others entwined to form macabre flowers.

The walls displayed skins stretched like canvases, with blood vessels resembling intricate embroidery.

Chandeliers made from body parts hung from the ceiling, fingers gripping candle holders, flames burning above.

Heads dangled from strings, mouths agape, eyes hollow and staring at the ceiling.

Even the red carpet…

Wasn’t a carpet at all.

It was dried blood.

Each step Bellona took produced a sticky sound, the soles of her shoes peeling away from the floor.

Miel…

This is insane…

More horrifying than the lairs of the Evil God cultists…

Mistress… Michel…

The memory of slaughtering monsters in Shia Kalt flashed through my mind.

I had killed many monsters and drained their blood to grow stronger, but…

This was on a different level.

What I did was hunting to survive.

But this…

Was just madness…!

Miel’s wings fluttered anxiously above my head.

Her rapid flapping seemed to scream ‘Run away!’

“How about it? Do you like my collection?”

Bellona’s voice remained sweet, but the madness beneath it was undeniable.

My body trembled uncontrollably.

My teeth chattered, and I struggled to breathe.

“Ah, you’re impressed! Yes, understanding the true meaning of beauty is difficult.”

Bellona misunderstood my reaction.

She placed me down and led me to one of her ‘masterpieces’.

I forced myself to breathe slowly.

This was the worst situation, but she didn’t seem intent on harming me yet.

I needed to buy time.

I had experienced such situations before…

Wait, had I really?

Why did I think that?

Shaking off the confusion, I resolved to act calmly.

“This is my favorite piece. I call it ‘Eternal Dance.’ Look… the balance of pain and ecstasy in the man’s expression…”

The ‘artwork’ was a male corpse, muscles exposed, skin partially peeled to reveal tendons.

Yet, his face was intact, frozen in a scream of agony.

What was most shocking were his eyes, gleaming as if still alive.

Poor soul…

How much had he suffered…?

Mistress Michel enjoyed blood offerings, but not like this…

Not this torture… this agony…

The Crimson Bind trembled with excitement.

It was thrilled.

What was this sword…?

Cursed…

Yes, this sword was cursed…

Perhaps demons from the Demon Realm enjoyed such things…

In the chaos of emotions, something within me felt a strange fascination with the scene.

Ridiculous thought…

“And this is ‘Flower of Death.’ It’s made by arranging nine corpses to flow like petals.”

The ‘Flower of Death’ was arranged like a giant sunflower, with a male torso at the center and eight limbs radiating out like petals.

Each limb came from a different corpse.

Blood still trickled from the torso, following the intricate grooves on the floor to form a perfect flower shape.

A flower…

Like me…?

Was this insane goddess planning to make me into something like this?

Fear surged through me.

As if my roots were freezing.

‘Mistress… Michel… save me…’

This was the most horrifying sight I had ever seen.

Worse than the brutal horror movies of my past life, worse than the hideouts of the Evil God cultists, worse than anything.

Miel clung close to my ear, her wings fluttering wildly.

A bright light flickered near her, surely a warning from Solaris.

But escaping seemed impossible.

Where could I go in this temple?

“Ah, you’ve never seen anything like this! This is the aesthetics of murder. I was once a goddess of beauty, but I realized true beauty lies in the moment life departs.”

Bellona’s eyes burned with passion.

Her enchanting lips spoke words of horror.

“The fear and despair in the final moments, the liberation of the last breath… that is true beauty.”

Her words stirred something within me.

The thrill of hunting monsters in Shia Kalt, the satisfaction of absorbing their blood…

Ugh!

No!

I did it to survive, for Mistress Michel!

This was… different…!

Bellona gripped my shoulder, her gaze intense.

“Lycoris, I have a request for you. Become my disciple.”

“D-disciple…?”

My voice trembled.

It was clear what she wanted me to learn.

“Yes. Your ability to control flowers and transform into human form is extraordinary. Combined with my techniques, we could create unparalleled art.”

Her eyes gleamed with manic passion.

“I… I don’t know…”

Miel tugged gently at my hair, signaling to flee.

But Bellona’s sharp gaze pierced through me.

Mistress Michel’s face appeared in my mind.

She enjoyed blood and slaughter, but not like this…

She didn’t torture like this.

Mistress…

She was cold and efficient, not enjoying such cruelty.

“Don’t worry. Everyone feels this way at first. I, too, once didn’t understand this art. But with time, the true artist within you will awaken.”

Bellona’s voice was gentle, but her words were terrifying.

“And I promised, didn’t I? Once the portal to the human world is complete, I’ll let you go. Until then, why not be my disciple? I can teach you so much.”

I needed to stall.

Refusing now might make me one of her ‘artworks.’

I fiddled with the Crimson Bind.

The sword vibrated rapidly in my hand.

It was excited.

Ugh…

Never mind the Crimson Bind.

Bellona, no matter how strong, could be escaped if the chance arose.

For now, I had to gain her trust and find her weakness.

“I… I’ll do it. I’ll become your disciple…”

“Really? Oh, I’m so happy! We’ll be a fantastic team!”

Bellona’s voice was joyful as she hugged me tightly.

Her body was cold to the touch.

“I’ll show you to your room. You must be tired. Rest well.”

Bellona led me deeper into the temple.

Fortunately, my room had no ‘artworks,’ just elegant furniture and a grand bed.

As I lay down, Miel perched on my chest.

Her wings trembled faintly.

I stroked her gently.

“Miel… what do we do? We need to escape…”

Miel looked at me with worried eyes, then flew to my head, tugging at my hair.

≪Solaris said to just go along for now and accept Bellona’s help to return to the human world.≫

“Just stay like this…?”

≪She said Bellona won’t harm you, but I’m still scared…≫

“I’m scared too…”

But why only men…?

All the ‘artworks’ were male.

“Well… Solaris said Bellona doesn’t harm women, so it’s safe. But still terrifying…”

“Well… we’ll play along as her disciple and gather information. Escaping now might make things worse.”

I steeled myself.

Miel seemed to understand, fluttering softly.

“Mistress… I’ll return soon…”

Lying on the bed, I stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.

In the dark shadows, a faint crimson glow seemed to pulse.

From the sword’s mist?

A dreamy voice echoed somewhere.

“Lycoris… they deserve punishment…”

Whose voice was that?

The Crimson Bind?

Or my imagination?

The voice grew clearer.

“Lycoris… they all deserve punishment… I’ll help you…”