66 Worshiped Her

"Okay, that's enough! How about we talk about something else?" Arius sighed as sealed the vial and put it in the cupboard.

"About what?" Zuna's eyes followed the vial and she only looked away when the cupboard was closed.

"Asrael." Arius answered.

"What's so special about him?" Dante interjected.

"He's a difficult young man. It's important to get him figured out." Arius explained.

"What do you want to know?" Dante nodded.

"Well, should we be worried about Chrysa?" Arius predicted that something would happen to the girl, but he didn't know exactly what he should expect.

"Mhm. If I were to guess, his plan is likely to get close to her and then betray her in the most awful and cruel way. And he'll want her friends and potentially family to see her in a bad light. Once she is completely destroyed emotionally, he'll push her once more until she either commits suicide or he kills her." Dante patiently told Arius his thoughts as if it were an analysis. It left Arius silent, how Dante knew Asrael to such depth.

"Huh! Just wait 'til I get my hands on him! How could he do something so evil to such a pure little girl!?" Zuna was fuming. She didn't have such a good relationship with Asrael in the first place, and this time she really was engaged by his existence.

Arius had a moment of silence before asking, "Why is doing this?"

"Hm… He doesn't like reminders of mom."

"Reminders? Then why did he name his gang Chrysanthemum?" Arius was confused.

"That's the thing, he doesn't really hate reminders. He hates the people that remind him of her because he doesn't think they are worthy."

"What!? Is he really that unreasonable!?" Zuna was aghast.

"Yes he is. But you have to understand, he didn't just love our mom, he worshiped her like a goddess." Dante didn't agree with his brother but he clearly sympathized with him.

"Worship?" Eirik hadn't spoken for the entire conversation until now, so the three all looked at him in expectatence. He spoke in a low voice, and as he continued his tone grew increasingly cold. "Your mom was a lousy parent. She shouldn't be something other than a loving mother in her own child's eyes."

Dante smiled sadly at that thought. "I never loved her. I think it's why Asrael hates me." Such depressing words didn't fit a boy his size. Arius actually clutched his chest as if his heart was in physical pain.

"Awe!" Zuna dashed over to Dante and swooped him up into her arms, holding him like a pillow. "Even if the whole world hates you, I never will!"

It would have been a touching moment if Dante hadn't struggled in Zuna's tight embrace. She didn't have a title yet! It would have been different if it were Eirik or Arius, since those two had some sort of designation. Dante didn't like assuming untold relationships, and when one did have a title it was imperative that they act accordingly.