Chapter 22: Raynare the Lovestruck Maiden?

Looking that the unending horde of infected keep pouring out from every corner of this small dimension that holds the stage for the Mission. I wanted to try something different than keep using firearms.

I stow away my Proposition and take out the Holy Moonlight Sword. I thought the stage is appropriate with open space and a moon hanging above me who are surrounded by seas of infection and bosses. I realized that the sword reacted differently when I wielded it under the moonlight. It glows in an ethereal green glow and bathes me with cold but soothing moonlight.

I activate Hold The Line skill before visualising myself pouring energy into the greatsword. My energy dropped and the greatsword glow brighter before I release a slash which turns into a big 180 arc that travels until the edge of the stage, killing all non bosses infected with a single hit.

My energy dropped from 150 to measly 20 points. The skill cost 30 energy which means the slash cost me 100 energy points to use. However it is i deed very effective in clearing a crowd since any non bosses infected only take one hit to be killed. No other weapon in my arsenal currently can achieve this feat. The only closest one to comparison is the Shredder from Rancor manufacturer.

Shredder is basically a gun that shoots titanium-steel alloy saw disk at very high velocity to shred any infected. Its special feature is ricocheting where the disc will bounce off the wall and turn any enclosed space into a grinder. However the problem is I am also the one affected by it. I don't take damage but it still hurts.

Since my grinding session is nearing its end, I tried the skills that I recently obtained. The Reload On Fire and Limit Burst. Since the effect will not carry over from the Mission stage to the real world, I can use as much as I want and will not experience the penalty.

The Reload On Fire is very hard to get used to because my thoughts are accelerated, everything around me is slowed or come to a halt while my body feels like it is moving inside an extremely viscous sludge. Thank goodness I tried it out first…

Then Limit Burst is good when paired with Reload On Fire because it helps me reduce the feeling of moving inside viscose sludge. Another problem that occurs is that my bone literally breaks and is shattered by the incredible strain. My flesh starts to break down from the immense pressure and my blood vessels burst under my skin. This is to be expected because the idiot I am activated the skills to max output.

When my HP reached zero, I was thrown back to the lobby which I selected to leave and return to the real world. I feel more refreshed even if I am mentally tired from the intense skull smashing activity.

…

Appearing in my bedroom, I see Cheshire still sleeping snugly and Mittelt is sleeping too but she wraps herself with her wings. This is the first time this happened but I quickly make my way out to see Raynare already awake or rather, yet to sleep. She is slouching on the couch while watching the tv.

"You didn't strike me as someone that likes classical drama." I suddenly speak which causes Raynare to turn her head to look at me then turn back to the tv.

"Meh, I don't like it but it's interesting enough to keep me watching. Also, welcome back."

"Thanks but why can't you sleep?" I went to the fridge and grabbed a can of black coffee before sitting down on the sofa.

"Says the person who decided to have sex in middle of the night." Raynare grumbled before snatching my half finished coffee and drinking it all in one go.

"We didn't have sex, I just help her relief her pent up urges. That's all…" I replied before the scene from last night replayed in my mind, making my lower head become a little stiff.

A moment of silence ensues with only the tv making noises. I was about to leave and went to the balcony when I felt my clothes being pulled again. I sighed before turning my head to see Raynare pouting and looking away.

"Raynare… you know that I didn't want to do this at all. I… I am not ready to increase the burden in my life… At least not yet. Not when I am still weak and unable to protect anyone that wants to commit themselves to me." I confessed my deepest and most hidden worries that I've been keeping to myself all this time.

"I am not ready yet…" I repeat the words not to Raynare but to myself.

Raynare finally let go of my clothes but she also stood from her couch and joined me on the balcony.

"Gimme one." She snatched the cigarette pack from my hand after I took one for me. I look at her weirdly but she stares back at me as if asking is there anything wrong?

I shrugged and lit my own before passing the lighter to her. She also lit up her cigarette. When she takes a puff, she coughs hard until tears form in her eyes before she looks at me.

"How can you human smoke something bad like this? It irritates my lungs and throat. *Cough* *cough*" Raynare complained but continued to take another puff but a smaller one.

"Dunno, but it calms my nerves when the poison courses through my vein." I replied, which caused Raynare to have another exaggerated cough.

"Poison! You purposely taking in poison to feel good?" She stared at me with disbelief before throwing the barely used cigarette into the ashtray.

"Yeah, the cigarette frankly contains a lot of poisonous substances that can cause various diseases to normal humans."

"And yet, you still smoke it?"

"Yeah, why not? Human life is short and I plan to enjoy my life the fullest. Though… I probably wouldn't be able to enjoy it by beings like Kokabiel, the Satans or etc trying to ruin my life." I said melancholically while staring at the dawn sky.

"Kokabiel I can understand but Satans? Aren't we like friends with two of their sister's?" The confused Raynare asked. I told her what happened that day when Grayfia forcefully invited me to meet Sirzech.

"So, now you know that we are indeed in good relationship with the devil, however my lack of background and knowledge about secret information made them very suspicious of me. It wouldn't be strange if they suddenly kill me one day. I'm just an insignificant human to the likes of a super devil." I finished my cigarette and took the one Raynare discarded. Her cheek was redden by the indirect kisses we made.

A fallen angel supposed to be a creature of sin yet blushed like a maiden when sharing indirect kisses. I sighed and stared at the dark sky, thinking about my future actions when Raynare came out of nowhere and hugged me and buried her face on my chest.

"Don't talk about your death so casually. You still have people who care about you."

"Yeah, I can't exactly leave Cheshire just like that. She would be sad if I went missing one day." I agreed with Raynare.

"That's not it, idiot!(Baka) I mean… I will also be worried about you…" Her voice becomes very small like a mosquito at the latter part.

"You? Shouldn't you like resent me or something after I literally almost kill you and force you into a slave to me. I also force you to betray your friends before forcing them to also become like my slaves?" I ask with intrigue while peeking at her who is still hiding her face on my chest.

"Of course I hate you for what you did. You really didn't hold back when you carved a hole through my body." Raynare winced at the memories of it.

"But, after staying with you. I learned that you are a very kind person. You care about the people close to you. You treated us like a proper person even when we are at your mercy. You patiently talk to us, helping us to solve our problems that we encountered. You are the second person that I am genuinely attracted to after Azazel." Raynare even addressed Azazel without the 'Lord' that she used to.

"Before I fell from grace, I was simply a low ranked angel with Kalawarna. I was attracted by Azazel's charisma and willing to do anything for his recognition which is a vain effort on my part. He wouldn't care about a measly low rank when he had a whole faction to run." Now it's Raynare's turn to be melancholic.

"I noticed that after staying with you. You treat me like a person. You would recognise my effort and most importantly, I feel needed unlike during my affiliation with Grigori. I am nothing more than a replaceable piece to them. I even crazily follow Kokabiel's order to sacrifice Asia for her sacred gear just to attract Azazel's attention. My deed will get me exiled and banished from Grigori if Azazel knew what I did which I don't doubt he already knew but simply observing and waiting for something to happen." Raynare confessed her heart out just like Ray did before.

"Will you still deny me after I laid my heart bare to you? Or are you the dense type of person that needs me to tell you word by word that I.L.O.V.E.Y.O.U?" Raynare then stares at Ray intently. She is going to get her answer here and now.

"I told you earlier, Raynare. I'm not ready yet. Not yet, not until I have the strength to protect my loved one." I repeat my answer to Raynare.

"But, you wouldn't reject me right?" We locked our eyes for a while before I nodded. "Then, I just need to wait until you are ready. A fallen angel like me can easily outlive a human like you. I will wait as long as you need to be ready."

"Aren't you afraid that I might spend a whole lifetime making you wait?" I asked jokingly.

"Hmph, I'm a fallen angel. My lifespan is long enough to outlive several hundred generations of humans. I will wait until you reincarnate and make you fall in love with me again and again until the end of my life." Raynare replied with a pout on her face that made me want to squeeze them.

"Geez, sounds romantic at first glance but you are nothing more than a ghost that will keep pestering my future incarnations before forcing them into love with you?" I scoffed

"That's why you better make yourself ready as soon as possible to save your future incarnations from being cursed by a persistent fallen angel in love." She added with a serious face.

Then I heard a *ding* from the system.

[Congratulations for obtaining a pure love affection of a maiden without purposely making her fall in love with the user. Title: Dreamy Prince Charming and second title slot obtained as rewards.]

Dreamy Prince Charming

-For being a dream like prince from a fairytale, arrives in the life of thy maiden. You fulfill their dreams and wishes then liberate them from their perceived 'darkness'.

-Individual(Female) that already have positive(romantic) feelings to the user will gain increased affection growth.

-Once their affection to the user is positive(romantic), their affection will not drop to negative unless the user renounces his love to both sides.

-User gain +20 Charisma

Well, the title is similar to Lolimancer in effect but more to my lover and my future one. At least it's not a literal mind tampering effect like the Lolimancer title.

"Sure… I keep that in mind." I quickly reply after being distracted by the system notification.

"Let's go back inside, it's cold outside." I said after feeling that it is indeed cold outside on the balcony.

"No need, we can stay longer like this." Raynare summons her wings and uses it to warp my body while she presses her body against mine. Her body and Mittelt do feel hotter than a normal human. Maybe this is a supernatural race thing.

"Feel comfortable?" Raynare asks while looking up at my face.

I nodded and we stayed like this for a few more minutes until the light of the sunrise pierced and bathed the horizon.

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