Friend

Kisuke arrived at Medusa's location before she could even take out her dagger. Kisuke hid his presence and didn't do anything as he wants to visually examine her first, 'This is weird... Where did this aura come from?'

Kisuke is a genius, and with his sophisticated methods, he can examine almost everything. But one of the things he couldn't see through is the Divine Core inside Medusa. He's not even sure about its existence as the sisters are blocking its view with their own Divinity.

'This is different from what I expected... This aura did not materialize due to that blood-sucking skill... But more of an innate origin... Interesting.' Kisuke focused on the malevolent aura that is slowly receding but also becoming purer.

When Medusa took out her dagger with a desperate expression, he instantly guessed what she's about to do and made his move. Grabbing her arm which is holding the dagger with his left hand and patting her head with his right hand, he sent a soothing Reiatsu-Ki directly towards her soul. That is when Kisuke finally got some clues as to what is currently happening, 'Hooh...? That aura is coming from the two souls? No... Somewhere they are covering? Hmmm... I'll be breaking my promise if I forcefully remove them to see what's going on, but I can't let go of this chance. If I can use that as a catalyst, removing that 'thing' would be a lot easier.'

"Don't be hasty~. That's not the real solution."

Kisuke kept sending his Reiatsu-Ki until Medusa sufficiently calms down. Although she still can't open her senses as she still needs to focus to completely seal the malevolent aura, she can think clearly now.

'Hmm... I guess I can do that. This will be another insurance. Though a trigger would be needed to activate it... Maybe that girl in the photo can do it?' Kisuke finalized the changes in his plans and immediately started working on it.

Medusa, on the other hand, is doing her best to gather her aura. She could do it with enough time, but when she noticed that the strange energy coming from her head started helping her seal it up, she immediately accepted it without thinking much about it. She trusted the hand that saved from the earlier predicament.

Kisuke smiled when she accepted his Reiatsu-Ki without much thought, 'All set~.'

After a few more minutes, Medusa reopened her senses and the first thing she noticed is a grinning man, "Oh~. The sleeping beauty is finally up? Did you have some nightmare? Want some milk to calm your nerves or watch some comedy shows to forget it?"

Medusa blushed when she heard his words. Kisuke, on the other hand, is visibly confused, 'Hmm? Did I say anything embarrassing?'

Medusa ignored everything that he said except for the first one and felt strangely embarrassed about it, 'What is he saying!? After seeing that? He still thought of me as a beauty? Is he blind?'

She then took a deep breath to shake it away from her mind as there are more important things to do than entertaining her 'maiden's heart' that bloomed far too late, 'How much did he know and see?' Medusa didn't say anything and only 'stared' at Kisuke with a worried expression. Deep inside her, she didn't want him to know what she was just doing as it would surely result in him hating her. After all, her method of gathering Mana isn't very 'nice' and would reel anyone who sees it in disgust.

Because Kisuke also didn't speak further, Medusa was forced to start the conversation, "Thank you." She first expressed her gratitude because, without his help, she would have killed herself before she transforms into a monster.

"I just lent out a bit of a helping hand. No need to worry about it~." Kisuke replied with a smile, but he still kept staring at Medusa because he's still inspecting her condition.

Medusa felt nervous at his stare but continued to ask, "W-what are you doing here?"

"I told you right? I placed a tracker inside your pendant and it would also warn me if something weird is happening to you." Kisuke pointed at the purple gemmed pendant that is hanging on her neck to help her disguise her energy signature. Although he didn't tell her the truth, he also didn't tell a lie as the pendant do have those features.

Medusa subconsciously touches the pendant while 'staring' at Kisuke. Remembering those things she did earlier, she got more nervous, 'How much does he know!?'

She wanted to ask that question to him but she's too afraid to confirm the truth. Holding her shaking hands, Medusa hurriedly stood up and tried leave to escape this place and do what she intends to do in the first place. Although she plans to leave the necklace in a safe place before going to the temple and return to get it if she can get out alive.

"Wait." To her dismay, Kisuke suddenly called out to her from behind. She wanted to ignore him but his next words froze her in place, "There should still be a quarter of an hour before the arranged time and you also don't have to follow their arrangements to letter. You can go after an hour or two later and it'll still be fine. For now, you should do something about the smell of blood coming from you, especially your breath or else you'll attract even the attention of normal people."

Like a stiff unmaintained machine with rusted joints, Medusa slowly turned to face him in despair, "...Why did you save me...?" Is the question that came out from her mouth. Confirming that he indeed knew that she killed and drank the blood of her victims, his smile from earlier now looks like a sneer in Medusa's memories.

"Hmm? What do you mean why? I already consider you as a friend of mine, so why not?" Kisuke approached her and patted her shoulder while laughing.

When she saw that Kisuke's hand is reaching out for her, she got scared, but she also didn't move to do anything, 'Ah... This is the fate of a monster like me...'

Giving up resisting for this is an inevitable result, she was only comforted by one important thing, 'At least I know that my sisters are safe...' Medusa flinched when Kisuke touches her shoulder, but his next words confused her, 'Friend? That's a very familiar word... But what does it mean again?' Not associating with that word for a few centuries, Medusa eventually forgot what it means. And Kisuke speaking in Japanese didn't help her understand either.

"Friend?" Medusa asked out loud.