Chapter 47 - Effeminate Yagami

"Somehow... I have a bad feeling about this, Grey." Amidst the clamorous clamor of clashing and metallic grinding of engines and the strident outbursts of bellowing commands from ship captains, Nico's faint whisper was muffled, struggling to be heard above the deafening din. The cacophony of hauling noises was enough that it would cause an average person to wince in agony, unable to withstand the piercing cacophony assaulting their ordinary ears.

"We've worked so hard for this moment, Nico. Don't let your heart waver now." I replied, patting Nico's back. The supple strands of his silken coat to ripple and fold as I moved my hands into circles, his frame shrinking inside as he looked forward.

Cecelia walked in front of us, her navy-blue hair that had been dyed black waved in the air like a flag, carrying a life of their own. The glossy locks danced as she tossed her head, her crimson eyes which she had now changed colors to a lighter shade of golden, looked at us, a cheery grin on her face revealing a series of perfectly carved teeth.

"What are you both talking about? Let me in, let me in." She said, pushing her way between me and Nico.

"Ahaha... Hey! Stop pushing." Nico let out a nervous chuckle before falling into a frenzy as he struggled to not fall into the sea from the side of narrow passage that led to the entrances to the ships.

A jolt of pain went through my heart, a tremor of guilt that cracked the heart in its epicenter, making it wither in pain and a reeling sensation in my head, like slimy slugs crawling into my skull.

Her voice, her former appearance... the appearance of my dear friend---Caera, overlapped over Cecelia's making my heart twist and turn in pain, like an untreated wound it festered, the guilt of sacrificing her with my own hands acting as a salt that exacerbated the already difficult and unpleasant situation.

'How could you...'

Her last words were a catalyst for my sleepless nights, a never-ending series of nightmares. I could've asked Agrona to get rid of them, but I needed this guilt to keep myself sane. A reminder of my sacrifices, a reminder that I can't back off from what I have... no, what we have started.

"Grey? Are you okay? You seem so lost." Cecelia said as I jerked my head, placing a finger between my horns as the ornament on it jingled.

"I am fine. Just thinking." I replied, flashing a smile in her direction. The metallic taste of blood reeled like a cold dagger inside my mouth, bile rising from the pit of my stomach.

"Don't worry about anything, Grey," she coiled her one hand around my arm and the other around Nico as she pulled us close to her, "Nico, we are finally taking our one of the last steps towards the life we have always dreamed of. Cheer up you both." She said, her grip iron-clad on her arms while there was a certain joy in her voice. Almost like she enjoyed it. While I had started looking up to Agrona as a father figure and have believed him for the most part, I still couldn't understand Cecelia's core happiness that was generated by doing Agrona's bidding.

Peeking at Nico from the corner of my eyes, I caught sight of him, his delicate eyebrows furrowed in a complex amalgam of frustration and worry veiled behind a cracked smile that made him seem almost comical.

Freeing my hand from Cecelia, I saw her close into Nico as they shared a personal moment of intimacy. Peeling my eyes away from them I looked around us. We were currently in the naval base of Alacrya near the shore of Vechor. The naval base was an idea introduced by Nico but he seemed reluctant about it later on. He always seemed a tad bit detached from Agrona, a constant display of almost palpable distrust in his eyes. However, he had already laid the structure of the idea and after a little persuasion from Cecelia, Nico and I were able to establish the naval fleet.

Currently we had enough battle ships to carry one million battle-ready personnel towards Dicathen. From what I've studied, there magic system while being versatile, is extremely weak. The Lances are hardly Retainer-level. Or so is what we believed. After the disappearance and most probably death of Retainer of Vechor, Uto, it was clear that there was someone powerful enough to defeat the strongest retainer and not even a leave a trace of their mana.

After some investigation we came to terms with just one decision.

Arisu Watsken.

The only one capable enough in Dicathen to do this. The cave where Uto died in was charred and Arisu Watsken had the same fire element. Also, she killed Draneevee and her grunts in a matter of few seconds. She was already stronger than the lances. However, ever since my previous life I always had my instincts. My instincts were screaming at me that despite Arisu being a dangerous individual, there was something else to all of this.

The mysterious person killing our men in dungeons and destroying camps, demolishing the annexations that linked the dungeons and now this. It could be her but my gut feeling said otherwise. The chugging of the steam engine reverberated across the harbor, its metallic resonance mingling with the salty sea breeze.

Walking up to one of the ships, I let my fingers trace the smooth, wooden surface of the ship. A hole was left and was covered with a triple glazed glass. Behind it was a small canon with a medium range. The idea of canons was not incorporated into every ship. The general idea was to align ships and make an opening by firing a large amount of ammo on the enemy and then have the mages attack.

"Greetings Prince Grey." A man bowed, the tiny stubs on his head that were his Vritra horns almost elicited a laugh from me as they were a striking contrast to his face, that was quite big compared to his small, chubby body.

"How are the preparations going?" I asked, walking close to him.

I could feel his whole-body shudder in fear and his chest cave in as I got closer. Sensing his discomfort, I got away from him, letting him take a breath and be more comfortable. As much as people looked up and almost worshipped the Vritra, there was one feeling that was common in every lessers eye and heart. I knew it better than anyone. Since, I had a similar ability as Agrona. Just like how he was able to probe into minds of people and manipulate and check memories, I could probe and manipulate the heart. And because of that I could tell... the morbid fear plaguing the heart of anyone who were in our presence.

"M-My Prince. Under Sir Nico's guidance we have been able to make the fleet fully functional. The canons have been tested in the deserts of Sehz-Clar and the results show that they work with no visible impairments. Everything is good to go." He finished his report and let out a heavy breath, thanking the vritra under his breath. A smile crept up my face as I patted his shoulder, "Good work, Lance."

I could see his eyes brighten up, his heart beating and a feeling of overwhelming pride swelling in his heart. Human heart was such fragile thing. Excited over a simple thing and broken by a simple lie as well. The ability to sense the feelings flawlessly sometimes seemed to be a blessing while sometimes it was nothing more than a curse.

"More glory to you, Prince Grey. Thanks for remembering my name. This humble servant of yours would be ready to lay down his worthless life for you anytime, my prince."

"Stop with the extravagant display of words and get to work." I replied, waving my hand as he started to take steps back, his back still arched in a bow while the victorious smirk never left his face.

"Quite famous with the common blokes, aren't we, eh?" Cecelia spoke from behind, her smile brightening up her features even more as she clung on to Nico's arm. Nico on the other hand was immersed as he ticked boxes on a parchment, talking with some other guy.

"Not famous. I was just asking for the progress." I replied, not trying to look at her, the crushing guilt making my heart wither like a meek autumn leaf. The shame that consumed me was akin to a leaden cloak, dragging me down into the depths of self-lament. Even though I told myself again and again, it was for the better, I still couldn't forget. Not when her skin was here in front of me, talking and walking. Being intimate with my best friend. Talk to me... like a friend.

'A sacrifice for the greater good'. Those were the words of Agrona that made me agree to it. The words that made me kill Caera with my own two hands.

"Greyyyyyyyyyy~ There you go again, being an airhead in the middle of the conversation." Cecelia spoke as I jerked my head again.

"I am sorry. I didn't had enough sleep." I replied, pressing the bridge of my nose.

"Your mana flow is unstable," she said and grabbed my hand, slowly and delicately tracing her finger across my hand---over my mana channels to be exact. I could feel her own mana influencing mine, like the banks of canal guiding the flow of water.

"Better now?" She asked as I could feel my heart-beat get slower and more stable, the rapid belabor of my heart against the ribcage no more audible in my ears like the war-drums.

"Better." I replied as she smiled.

Don't smile at me.

"Thanks Cecelia."

Don't give me that look. I hate it.

"You're welcome, Grey."

Don't call me by my name.

The slithering timber and the cadence of the voice bore the resemblance of a serpent's sibilance, the twisted melody of its words twirling around my psyche, gripping it tightly with an intangible force, and plunging it into a deep abyss of melancholy and directionless hate. I could not sort my own feelings and thoughts, not sure what feeling to direct at whom.

"You're alright, buddy? Are you sure we can go? Me and Cecelia have to board the first ship." Nico said as I looked at him.

"Sure. Go ahead. I am fine. I just need some salty breeze."

"Oh, ok. And Grey?"

"Yeah?"

"You know how to find me. We are still best friends, yeah?"

"Of course."

"I am always down for a cup of tea and your whining. Don't pent up anything to the point that I have to wipe your tears." Nico said with a smirk.

"Speak for yourself, crybaby. Don't make me clean after your shit."

Nico and Cecelia both burst into laughter while Cecelia held her stomach to restrain it.

"It wasn't that funny, Cecelia." I deadpanned at her but she continued to laugh, tears rolling down her chubby cheeks.

Nico let out a frustrated grumble and scooped Cecelia up on his shoulders like a bag of rice and started to walk towards their designated ship.

"Cheerio, mate! See you later."

I simply waved my hand at them and then looked back. Letting out a small portion of my King's Force I raised my voice, "Where do you think you're going, Yagami?"

A figure appeared right in front of me. While being a boy in his teens, the base of his essence was a female asura. Due to which he had effeminate features, coupled with long eye lashes and hair that reached well below his waist, anyone could mistake him for a girl.

"What does that have to do anything with you? I don't take orders from you. Only THAT man can order me around." He said, his orange eyes glistening in battle aura.

"Keep your aura in check, Yagami. Or I WILL kill you." I replied, letting my own battle aura run rampant. I could feel Cecelia's mana turning active even though she was quite some distance away.

"You wanna go at it, eh? Come at me. Being an asura won't help your incompetent ass."

I let out a deep sigh, retracting my bloodlust. "Go back. You are not going to Dicathen now. And this is THAT man's order. Do you want to not obey him?"

"Tch." He grumbled and turned away, disappearing in a near instant.

Yagami and his obsession with someone named Kiyotaka. I never seem to understand. Even though it is confirmed that there is no other reincarnate in this world except the ones in Alacrya, both Atsuomi and Yagami seem too fixated on this single individual.

Kiyotaka Ayanokouji... who are you?

(Arthur Leywin)

"Achoo... How did I get a cold all of a sudden?"

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