Рог изобилия, вечер
Все искатели приключений, которые были поблизости, уставились в одну точку, рядом с Мией сидела очень красивая и опасная девушка: красное боевое платье, черные женские сапоги до колен, длинные белые и гладкие, как шелковые волосы, черные обтягивающие брюки, оружие, похожее на иглу и нить, которая была обернута вокруг катушки, ее лицо было немного бледным, ее нос был прямым и маленьким, глаза были охряными, ее губы были пухлыми и с легким оттенком красного, ее рост был около 185 см. Маска располагалась на левом плече и была очень странной: овальной, с двумя черными линзами, разделенными сверху на две части, похожими на клыки паука.
- Привет, хозяйка, - обратилась она к Мии, на ее губах играла дружелюбная улыбка, - вы случайно не могли бы мне кое-что сказать?
-О чем ты говоришь? гном спросил, слегка напрягшись.
"Ты кого - нибудь видел?" - девушка сменила позу, - парень, белые волосы, красные глаза, эксцентричный меч?
-А ты, оказывается, такой и есть... Не о мистере Белле? - спросила сир, но не успела она и глазом моргнуть, как девушка оказалась перед ней с волнением на лице.
"С ним все в порядке?" Он не страдает?
- Он в порядке...
- Фух, - она упала в кресло, - это хорошо.
-А кто ты ему такой? Сер
-Я спросил? Я его старшая сестра.
Возвращение семьи Гестия
- Дом, милый дом! - сказала Гестия, подходя к воротам.
- Мистер Белл! Харухимэ радостно закричала, прыгая парню на шею, но тут же покраснела и извинилась.
- Я тоже рада, - сказала пустая улыбка, девочка-лиса заметила, что улыбка была вялой и трудной.
-С тобой все в порядке?
- Да... просто нервы...- он вошел через ворота и вошел внутрь особняка.- Я иду спать.
- Друг мой, но сейчас уже день! Уэлф сказал ему вслед, но Белл не стал его слушать и закрыл за ним дверь.
"Привет, Микото", - сказал Холлоу, встречая свою девушку.
- Добрый день, Белл Крэнел, - она почтительно поклонилась и пошла дальше.
Белл вошел в свою комнату и упал на кровать, он не думал и не спал, он даже не справился со своей темнотой. Это было так, как если бы он умер в течение нескольких часов.
Вечерний Рог изобилия
Белл приближался к таверне, погруженный в себя.
"Я бы с удовольствием съел...". "В конце концов, мы не можем
есть"."Сказал парень, который ничего не ел в течение дня... Ты все еще беспокоишься об Артемиде? Она сказала, что в конце концов вернется! "
" Какой же ты придурок..."
"Он и сам такой!"
- Белл уже подходил к подъезду, когда вдруг два человека вылетели и упали на дорогу, и Аня тут же вышла.
-И не возвращайся-ня! Белл подошел к ней.- О! "Рыцарь" - ня! Как давно она здесь-ниа?
- только что появилась... Кто эти люди?
- Да, извращенцы, напились и приставали к официанткам, но девушка в красном платье прогнала их...
- В красном? - спросил Белл.
- Да, ниа... ее зовут странно-нья... Хорт... никакого Хорента.- Белл больше не слушал ее и вошел в заведение. Посреди которого стоял до боли знакомый ему силуэт.
- Вау-о, как они тебе нравятся! Сир восхищался ею.
"У тебя хорошие борцовские навыки", - с уважением сказал о ней Рю.
- Спасибо, Шершень! Конечно, я бы сам прогнал этих козлов, но это еще лучше! Миа похвалила девушку.
- Да, всегда пожалуйста!- слегка покраснев, Хорнет попытался успокоить народные возгласы.
- Хорни? она услышала знакомый ей голос и повернулась к источнику звука.
Ее глаза расширились и увлажнились, Белл сняла маску, и она, наконец, убедилась в своих мыслях.
- Белл?.. Они стояли и вообще не двигались, как будто любое движение с обеих сторон повергло бы все в хаос.
Белл периодически переводил взгляд на людей, которые не понимали, что происходит. Лицо Хорнета исказила гримаса неудовольствия, онемев, сглотнул и повернулся, чтобы уйти.
- Стой! - холодно приказал Шершень.
Белл резко остановился и, медленно повернув голову, открыл рот, чтобы что-то сказать.
"Скажи мне, я облажался..."." Ты облажался..."
- Ах ты, малышка!..- Шершень схватил Беллу за лицо и начал дергать ртом в разные стороны, она была очень зла в тот момент.
- АЙ-ЯЙ-ЯЙ! Белл закричала, пытаясь оттолкнуть ее от себя, но из-за своего врожденного мастерства она стала сильнее во время боя.- Софи!Софи!Софи!
- Как ты мог сбежать? Он даже ничего не сказал! Шершень говорил агрессивно, выказывая одновременно беспокойство и ярость. Она отпустила парня, и он упал на пол.- Я так горевал по тебе! Глупый призрак!
-Что я должен был сделать?! Белл вскочил и начал огрызаться".Броситься тебе на шею и заплакать?" Я сделал свою работу!- они начали драться, хотя дракой это назвать было нельзя: они дрались, сбивали друг друга с ног, Белла кусала друг друга, а она щипала - это продолжалось до тех пор, пока они оба не устали и не легли на пол.
-И ты стал сильным...
- И ты стал спокойнее... они посмотрели друг на друга, а затем рассмеялись.- Мы как кошка с собакой!
-А кто эта собака?
- Ты!.. они все еще смеялись.
Семейный дом Гестии
-Кто это? Гестия закричала, увидев девушку рядом с Белл.
-Ух ты, Белл, ты бабник! Уэлф усмехнулся.
- Мистер Белл! Лили возмутилась, Харухиме стояла рядом с ней, ее уши поникли.
- Знакомься, Шершень, моя сестра по "отцовской линии".
- Белл, я думал, ты сказала, что у тебя в семье нет девочек...
-Ну, она "шелкопряд".
-Кто? - спросили все присутствующие.
- Шелкопряд, - начал объяснять Шершень. - Моя мать, Герра, бывшая королева племени Пауков Глубокого Гнезда. Она была обычного происхождения, именно поэтому и получила такое прозвище-Зверь. Правительница умерла, но Герре так хотелось родить ребенка "королевской" крови, что она согласилась на предложение Бледного Короля: он родит ей ребенка, а Зверь Взамен должен стать Мечтателем — одной из трех Печатей, защищающих Полого Рыцаря.
- Ух ты... Это жутко! - сказал Уэлф.
"Значит, вы не кровные родственники", - напряженно сказала Гестия. "Ну, теперь это начнется снова!". "Возбужденный... не надо!"
Белл знал, что его сестре очень нравится шутить, она странно улыбнулась и посмотрела на парня.
- О, боже... сказал рыцарь пустоты, пытаясь отодвинуться, но Шершень взяла его за подбородок и страстно облизала губы.
- Поэтому ничего плохого не случится! - сказала девушка с некоторой насмешкой, Гестия была в ярости, Лили и Харухиме побледнели, а Уэлф прибывал в своих фантазиях.- Пф... Ха-ха-ха-а, я просто шучу, ревнивая богиня.
"О, ты! О, ты!
- Ладно, братишка, увидимся в подземелье.- Она направилась к выходу, затем обернулась и одарила всех улыбкой.- Надеюсь, мы сможем сражаться вместе!
Она ушла, оставив Белла в окружении недовольных девушек.
"Белл", - сказала Гестия голосом психопата.
- Мистер Белл, - как пустая раковина.
- Сэр... - неуверенно произнесла Харухимэ.
-О чем ты кипятишься? - спросила Микото.
- Ах, лучше этого не знать! - сказал ей Уэлф, расплываясь в улыбке.
Белл стоял и смотрел на них.
-Ты хуже... чем Могучий Зот, ей-богу! - грубо сказал Белл.
The dungeon is the nineteenth floor.
Bell was sitting on a rock and staring at the monster whose legs he had cut off, now it was not him, but dark. "Thank you, Bell. Finally, you can relax...". " Don't thank me, anyway, if you get out of control, the Hornet will pacify you."
-Yeah... you don't trust me... Bell, - dark got up and walked closer to the monster, he grabbed his leg and tried to bite it off, the inner demon pulled it away and looked at him arrogantly."You stupid bastard!
Dark broke his head with one kick and looked lazily ahead, the desire to destroy someone still played in him, which did not suit Bell himself. "Maybe we'll hunt again?..". " Yes, hare already!".
The inner demon calmly went to the twentieth floor and immediately met the minotaur, he roared and swung his axe, a manic smile appeared on the face of the hollow, the creature struck, and dark stopped him with two fingers, after which he broke the axe. The Minotaur was horrified, but it was too late, Bell's inner demon jumped on him and tore it out, then stuck it in his throat, before disappearing, the monster poured out a large fountain of blood, which dark was happy about.
"Why aren't you using all your strength?" This feeling of dominance is excellent! dark said aloud, while addressing Bell. "Well, what the fuck? And what are the allies for? "
- Well, to protect them... or seduce a girl... A lascivious grin appeared on Pologo's face. "dark, you're a moron.". Several more minotaurs ran up to him. "Oh, four more volunteered... Where did you do a pedicure, boys?". Dark tore out the heart of one, broke all the bones of another, hammered the head into the body of the third, and simply flattened the fourth against the wall.
- Oh, that's it! I had a lot of fun!- he said proudly.- Bell, I'm transferring the controls to you!- "Thank-you-sleep!".
Bell regained control of his body, thinking about the words of Darka, why he did not use his powers to the maximum, why he was leaving his friends, whether he should have a girlfriend.
He sighed and sat down on the green moss, then looked at the sapling, which was very weak, Bell looked at it for a long time, for some reason he felt sorry for this plant, he took out the flask that Lily gave him and poured out some water, the sapling slightly twitched its leaves under the weight of water.
- That's weird. I want to take care of someone, " Bell felt a kind of longing that was not found either in his mind or in the minds of defeated enemies. "You're growing up." - dark lazily answered him.
Bell sat next to the small plant for a while longer.
"What is it, little ghost?" Hornet appeared behind him.
- Just watching the plant.
- Mm-hmm? It's not like you, " she sat down next to him and also watched the plant.- The gift of a new life, I've always wanted to understand this.
-Well, yes, you're already in your twenties...- Hornet hit him on the head, pologo's eyes darkened slightly, but they immediately recovered, - oh-oh!
- Moron! What did I tell you?
- "Never remind a girl about her age — it will end badly", yes, yes, I remember.
They talked a little more about the surface, after which the Hornet rose and disappeared into the depths of the dungeon, leaving Bell alone.
Twenty-second floor
-Something I wandered too much... hollow said, about to turn around, but suddenly he heard a strange noise.- What the...
He saw a humanoid creature that was running away from other monsters, he was slightly surprised, but something inside demanded that he intervene.
- Don't miss it!- I heard people shouting, it was as if it was a signal for him and he ran.
He saw how an incomprehensible creature fell into a small pit and how a monster that looked like a huge hornet wanted to pierce it, but the hollow one grabbed him by the belly in time and tore out the sting with the giblets, thereby forcing the other monsters to escape. Pushing aside the crumbling creature, Bell knelt down to take a closer look at the creature: it was female, with blue skin color, blue hair, amber eyes, scales were located on the temples and hands, ears were like long elves, claws were long only on the hands, height about 145 cm, facial features like a human, a stone shone on the forehead, she looked like a dragon girl, - she was injured.
- What are you... like this? Bell asked, noticing that she was very scared, he took off his glove and gently pulled his hand towards her."H-h-h-h.".. I won't hurt you... The hollow knight touched her head and gently began to stroke her.
He could hear people approaching, so he took off his cloak and threw it over the creature, completely hiding her entire body.
- Hey kid, have you seen a monster that looks like a human here?- "Should I finish them off?".
- no... Do you happen to have a cure potion? My partner was injured.
-What's it to us? The man with the spear snapped.- Let's get out of here.
They're gone.
"Thank the cloaks, they are such stupid assholes!"
-Are you all right? Bell asked, kneeling down again.- These assholes can come back... I think I can convince Hestia to leave you.
He held out his hand, and the creature, realizing that he wanted to help her, stretched out her own, Bell lifted her up, then fastened the cloak on her so that it would hold normally."Follow me."
Bell walked forward, and the girl walked behind, but very close to him, so that the monsters would not attack her.
The eighteenth floor
Bell came out of the entrance that resembled a huge tree, where Welf, Lily, Haruhime and Mikoto were waiting for him.
- Mr. Bell! Haruhime said happily, pricking up her ears and actively waving her tail.
-Did you cut down demons there or something?.. Welf asked, then noticed that Bella was not wearing a raincoat.- Where's your cool raincoat? Everyone else suddenly noticed the figure standing behind Bell.
- Mr. Bell, who is this? Lily asked menacingly.
-She was alone in the dungeon, so I decided...
- Did you decide to take another girl for yourself?!
-What are you talking about? Bell began to snarl, Lily pulled her face too close to the figure in the raincoat, she was scared and retreated slightly, but tripped over a stone and fell, showing what was hidden under the raincoat. As soon as the others saw the stone, jumped back and prepared to attack, Lily aimed her wrist crossbow, Welf and Mikoto grabbed their swords, and Haruhime looked at her in fright.
- Guys! Wait!- Bell blocked their way and blocked the monster girl with himself.
- Mr. Bell! It's a monster! Lily screamed.
-And what?
- I'm not sure, Bell, I'm not sure! Welf said, and Mikoto supported him.
-I said NO! Bell replied menacingly, without knowing why.- Can you listen to me already?..
- Bell? he heard a faint voice that came from behind the little monster's mouth.
- yes... that's my name, " Bell said, kneeling down and taking off his mask, after which he smiled.
- Bell! The dragon girl said happily, the hollow knight hugged her, not knowing why, but he just wanted to.
-Everything will be fine.
Hornet was watching him from the top of the tree, smiling.
"Well, Bell, it looks like you want to be a daddy too!" she looked up at the top, where the crystals created the night sky, her joyful face was replaced by a sad face.- Harn was there... the same way...
Hestia's house, late evening
- Bell... Who is this? The patroness asked, staring at the little monster hiding behind the hollow knight.
- I picked her up in the dungeon... other monsters were chasing her and wanted to kill her, some people were also hunting.
He stood there, not knowing why, but he felt bad, as if what he had just done was absolutely not enough. Bell looked at the little monster, stroking her head.
-Is it not poisonous? Hestia asked warily.
- Am I blue? hollow asked her, the patroness sat down on the opposite side of the sofa.
-N-no...
- Healthy?
- Yes.
- Sexy? Hestia blushed.
"Well, well, yes, but not really... although who am I... she began to mumble to herself.
-So I'm fine!
- Ha-ha-ha, Goddess, you've been beaten! Welf laughed.
Bell sat down on the sofa, the monster girl followed his example and sat next to him.
- I suppose... even the other gods don't know about people like her, " Hestia said, thinking.
"Fuck the gods," the hollow knight said, crossing his legs and throwing his head back.- I'm not going to give it to anyone!
The hollow knight looked resolutely at his patroness. Hestia sighed and shook her head.
"If Mr. Bell says she's not dangerous.".. I believe it, " Haruhime said.
"Well, Bell knows better, he's still the captain," Welf said calmly, sitting down on the balcony.
-And I don't trust her! Lily said, more out of fear than disbelief.
-And I don't care about the opinion of others, I will protect her! Bell said with a completely serious face, Hestia sighed, realizing that the guy would stand on his own.
"Okay," she said, walking up to the monster girl."What's your name, anyway?"
"W-name?" Bell, " she said with some pride.
- No, that's my name!- Bell laughed, - and what about yours?
"Mine?"
"So you don't have any names!"- it came to Welf abruptly.- Bell, think of a name for her!
- Well, who picked it up.
- Then...- the hollow knight thought about it and looked into the dragon girl's eyes, it was in them that he read it.- Viena...
- What? everyone else asked with one voice.
-I remembered a book in which there was a name Veluzine, a woman who was a dragon... But, as for me, it is too long, so it is easier to shorten it to Vien. Good name!
- It's decided! Hestia said proudly.- Now, your name is Viena!
- Viena... Viena!- joyfully she repeated her name, which was given to her by a being from the very depths of the dungeon.
The next day, the courtyard
-What is it? Viena asked, reaching out her hand to the bright light, Haruhime stepped between him and the little monster.
- This is our sun, - Bell, putting the mask nearby, looked at the fox girl, at this moment she looked like a mother, and Viena looked like a daughter, which pleased him. The monster girl happily sat up and said to both of them:
- It's great on the surface! It's warm, bright and pleasant here!.. I'll take it off!.. She abruptly tried to pull off Bell's cloak, but Haruhime did not allow it.
"Don't, Viena!- the girl said confusedly.
"Viena, I'm sorry, but you need to be patient," Bell said calmly, trying to stifle laughter at the sight of the dragon girl's displeased face.
After Viena calmed down, Haruhime took out the basket and pulled out the sandwiches.
-What is it? the dragon girl asked.
"Buter," Bell replied calmly, but then noticed that Viena did not understand.- Well, meat, cheese, leaves... FOOD!
- Oh! - she realized sharply and took one, tried it and was amazed.
- Delicious? hollow asked.
- Obe...
- See, Haru, she praised you! Bell Cranel laughed
, " Mr. Bell! Haruhime was confused.
After a heavy lunch, Viena played with the tail of the fox girl, trying to catch her tail, but she managed to constantly change the trajectory and speed.
- Bell, let's play with us!- Viena said sharply, starting to pull Pologo by the hand. Suddenly, she sharply pierced the flesh with her claws and cut lines forward, Bell clenched his teeth, and blood splattered his pants, Haruhime sighed in fright and jumped up from her seat.
-I'll get the bandages!"Stop it!" she shouted.
Viena looked at the claws and was horrified, they were completely covered in blood, she covered her face with her hands and began to cry.
- I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Belle! " she cried, Bell gently took her hands and brought them to his forehead.
- It's all right, Viena... it's all right, " he said, wrapping her in his arms.
- BELL!- she cried, sobbing, hollow stroked her back and smiled, it was a loving smile of his father, feelings that he liked very much.
Cranel heard the cry of a raven and looked at the tree, this bird did not look like an ordinary raven, it was larger and with red eyes. "Harbinger?"
- Bell!- he heard Haruhime's voice, the raven immediately flew away, the hollow used a "Trick" so that the fox girl would not worry, and began to calm Viena, singing a strange song that he knew and gave incredible peace in his soul.
"Mr. Bell?" Haruhime, the hollow knight, asked.
"Shhh," he pointed to Viena, who had fallen asleep, he picked her up and carried her inside the house, going into the room, Bell put the dragon girl on the bed and stayed next to her.
Evening
Welf carefully sharpened the last claw with a small file, after that, Viena's claws began to look like human nails, but black in color.
-That's it! Welf answered proudly.
Viena happily looked at them and abruptly bent down to Bell, crouching down next to him, after which she poked his cheek with her finger.
"Does it hurt?""What is it?" she asked.
-I don't feel anything at all!.. although, my face is blowing without a mask!
Lily looked at Viena with a negative expression.
- Can you stop it already? she said to the dragon girl.
-Why?
"Aren't you tired of touching him?"
- And you... Don't you like Bell? Viena asked, tilting her head to the right.
- what? Lily's face was flushed, and her lips were trembling from the inaudible words.
"Don't you like it?"
-My heart belongs to Mr. Bell! Haruhime shouted sharply, everyone turned their heads to her, and Bell looked at her in surprise. "Yes
, I love him too," Welf said with a smile, Hestia hit him on the head.
-Don't forget about me! The goddess shouted menacingly, and Mikoto, who had arrived from the bathhouse, entered the room.
-And about me!- The eastern warrior replied proudly
, - I also love Mr. Bell! And very much! Lily shouted, blushing deeply.
"I love you all too," the hollow man replied calmly.
- I see! Everyone loves Bell and each other! We are a family!
- Yes, Viena, we are one family.
-And me too?
- fool, - Bell said kindly, patting Viena on the head.- Of course, you are also part of our family.
The dungeon is the twelfth floor
dark again controlled Bell's body, but this time, killing him did not bring any pleasure.
- Damn, why did I come here?- "Find answers..." - And if Viena is killed?
"She's a level six monster, it's okay, she can stand up for herself!"
- You say like a proud father...
" But... this world is ROTTEN, through and through!.. Remember the adventurers, the people, the gods... When they find out who WE really are, it will be very bad."
Dark, abruptly transferred control to Bell and went to the very depths of his consciousness to shout enough. The hollow slowly trudged to the exit.
Near the entrance to the dungeon
"Bell is very strange... after he came back, he didn't talk to me once...- Aiz was walking slowly, she was upset about something.- Maybe...
Suddenly, she broke away from her thoughts and returned to reality, after which she saw white hair and a mask.
He walked like a doll, limp and tired.
- Bell?..- a familiar voice was heard, hollow raised his head and saw a golden-haired adventurer.
His voice was tired and weak.
- With you... everything okay?..
- no. I'm not all right... Bell answered, trying to pass by, but Aiz grabbed his arm, " What do you want?
- Tell me...what's bothering you!.. The hollow knight jerked his hand away and stepped away from her.
-It doesn't concern you!
- But!.. we're friends! Aiz blocked his way, the other adventurers watched the "Princess of the Sword" and the "Knight" with surprise. Hollow felt the threat coming from the girl's gut and began to slowly move back, Aiz aggressively moved forward.
- Leave me alone! Bell shouted, rushing back into the dungeon, the girl ran after him."Don't you dare follow me!"- he ran without looking back, not even suspecting that the adventurer was very close, and he went down lower and lower.
Finally, he got to the twentieth floor and stopped to catch his breath, but the girl did not have time to stop in time, flying into Bell and knocking him to the ground. They rolled down, after they stopped, Bell was on the bottom, and the girl was on top, lying on his chest and listening to the beating of his heart.
- It's so weak...- she said every time she waited for a new blow, after which she blushed and moved away.- No, no, no, no!.. I don't want to!.. With it... we are friends!..
Bell recalled the incident in the men's bath: "Oh, no... now it's going to start again! "
- Hey, hey, calm down, Aiz!
"Why do you hate me?" Aiz asked in a cold and authoritative voice.
"You again," Bell said to the girl with some disappointment."I don't really hate you, but you disgust me.
-But after all, I liked you here! I think you're good!
"And the real Aiz?"- the girl was silent, turning her head away.- So no... Suddenly, a grin appeared on Aiz's face.
"I'll get Aiz back in control, but first... she wrapped her arms around him and pressed so hard that they could both feel the vibration of their bodies."Let me bite your neck!"
- What?- Bell was very unhappy with such a request, but it was clear from her eyes that she was not lying, hollow sighed.- Okay, but quickly!
- Thank you!- she bit her lips into his neck and gently nibbled, it caused both pleasure and trouble in one mind. "Damn it! It's so nice!". "Just hold on-just hold on-just hold on-just hold on!". She pulled away from his neck, leaving a pink hickey on it.
- Wow! It's soft and cool, I liked it!- It was not clear to Bell whether she wanted to lick him now, or bite him.
- That's it... you promised.
- Oh-oh-again?! Aiz jumped back and covered her face with her hands.
"Welcome back to HELL," Bell said calmly, brushing off the dust.
- I-I-I... Aiz stuttered, she was very ashamed in front of him.
- I wanted to know why it is very difficult for me? the girl looked at him through her fingers and nodded.- Tell me if you met a monster that has the soul and habits of a human... what would you do?
-...If the monster hurts someone... and it will make you cry... I'll kill him! She looked closely at Bell's face and saw a disappointed smile on his lips.
-Will you kill me too?
- what?.. Bell didn't answer, just walked back to the surface.- What does this mean?.. BELL!
Cornucopia
"Oh, Mr. Bell! Sire shouted happily, running up to the hollow.-Will you come to us tonight?
- Hi Sire, I think so... I need to get my thoughts in order.
Bell saw Ryu, who abruptly turned away, she wanted to tell him something, but could not. Hollow sighed and went to his house.
After walking a little forward, he saw Cassandra together with Daphne, they were talking about something.
- Oh, Cranel, hello! Daphne said when she saw Bell approaching.
"Hi," he looked at their badges, they had the Miaha family badge on them.
- Oh, so you joined Miah?
"Y-yes," Casandra said, turning her head slightly away, Bell noticed that her eyes lit up slightly as soon as she saw some beautiful cake.
- Now, wait a minute.- Bell went into the shop and came out with three cakes.- Here you go! he handed one to Cassandra, another to Daphne, and quickly swallowed the third himself.
- Offey, I funing!- Bell ran home.
The home of Hestia's family, Hollow has returned here, but only for a while. Bell exhaled and felt somehow empty, as if he had lost something in his own soul. He decided to go to Haruhime's place, since he knew that Viena was there.
-I'm here! Bell said as he entered Haruhime's room.
- Bell! Viena shouted joyfully and jumped to him with a hug, he smiled and stroked the dragon girl on the head, then looked at the fox girl and looked at the book.
- Are you learning new words?
Haruhime said with a smile, her tail was moving smoothly from side to side, the girl did not hide her joy at all.- Mr. Bell, she is a very fast learner!-the fox girl proudly praised her ward.
"You know, Haru, you'll make a great mother," Bell said accurately, continuing to stroke Viena.
"W-Mr. Bell's wife?!"- Haruhime blushed and fainted, Bell and Viena ran up to her and hollow brought her to her senses.
- E-if that's what you really want...
-What were you imagining for yourself?- Bell understood what she was talking about, he felt a little uncomfortable.- I'm just stating the facts and that's it.
The guy got up and looked at Viena.
"I have something to check, so I'll leave." I'll be back only in the evening.
- Stay! Viena moaned.
- Viena, I have to, - the guy reassured her, the girl pouted her lips and nodded.- Clever girl!
Bell patted her on the head and left the room.
The guild.
"The lizard on the twenty-second?
Bell carefully studied the leaflet, which depicted a monster holding a sword in his hands.
- Bell? He heard Eina's voice, and he turned and looked at the girl.
- Hi, Eina.
-Aren't you going to the dungeon anymore today? she noticed the dark blue cuff on his right hand and blushed slightly."Are you still wearing it?"
- So of course! This handcuff saved my life a lot of times!
- I'm glad to hear it! Eina said happily, Bell noticed how her half-elf ears were pointed. "Damn, I want to pull her ears so much!". "BE PATIENT..."
- Em... You have to work, don't you?
-Oh, that's right!- she looked at her workplace in fright and ran there.
Bell stifled a chuckle and decided to walk through the streets, listening to people along the way.
Cornucopia
- Mr. Bell! Sire said happily, jumping up to the guy.
- Sire, don't jump out like that, my heart is already weak... Sire pouted.
Bell sat down at a remote table and asked for a snack to be brought to him. He himself stared at the ceiling, as if trying to find the meaning of life in it.
- Are you sitting alone? he came back to reality and saw Riveria standing close to him.
- Riveria? Bell began to look around the bar to find other members of Loki's family.
"Don't worry, I'm the only one here. Our guys are having a party at the estate, and I don't like this... Will I get hooked? Bell sighed and nodded, and Riveria sat down across from him.
- Well? - hollow understood that she approached him not by chance.
-I have questions for you...
- Yes, damn... again about my race?
- Yes.
- ... Well, ask.
-The books say that you are strong from "birth", but you said that you just appear...
-I don't know exactly how we are created... Bell stopped abruptly when the food was brought to him, but it was somehow strange, a dish that consisted of steak in red sauce, and several vegetables brought by Ryu.- Thank you Ryu... And what is this?
- "Sharp heart", Sire came up with. What will you have, Mrs. Riveria?
- Wine for me.
- Inventing is not her strong suit... Ryu brought the wine to Riveria, then went to another table, but she decided to listen to their conversation while being nearby.
-We can say that we are programmed to destroy the "Radiance", as we called the plague. Status... Well, it looks like the Pale King was also a deity, since we were getting stronger... But I had something wrong, " Bell stopped abruptly and ate three pieces, and then the whole steak, he immediately felt a sharpness in his throat.- It's burning-it's burning! Riveria gave him a glass of wine, just one sip was enough to extinguish the sharpness.- Thank you... So what am I talking about?
-You were talking about yourself.
- Exactly. I was thrown into hell knows where, I had to "pick myself up piece by piece"... That's it!- Bell paused, Ryu, who heard all this, was filled with sympathy for the fate of the vessel.
"I see," Riveria said, after drinking a mug of wine.- Are you all right now?
-Yes, you got it," everything is fine-everything is fine", damn it.
"Listen, Bell. Can you do me a favor?
- To be your pear for experiments?
- Almost. I want to study you completely, your biological species is unique...
- Can you still get him into bed?- Bell turned his head to the left, Hornet was sitting next to them, she was extremely dissatisfied with something.
- what?..
-I repeat, can you get him into BED again?
"NO!" the woman said threateningly.
Bell quietly paid off Mia and ran out of the tavern while Hornet was giving Riveria a verbal spanking.
Hestia's family Home
Bell entered the main hall, where he met Welf, Hestia, Mikoto and Lily.
-What's going on? And where are Haruhime and Viena?
"Mr. Bell," Lily said, her voice alerted Pologo.- We can't keep Viena here anymore...
- WHAT?!- Bell was afraid of this and shouted to the whole house. -...no. No, no, no, no! Why?
"It's too dangerous for her and for us," Hestia said, lowering her head.- Bell...
- What's wrong with this fucking world? Bell whispered, gritting his teeth.- I hate the surface!
"Bell, listen to me...Welf tried to calm his friend down.
You know she's like a daughter to me!
- I know... I know...
" She spent a lot of time alone... alone, in the cold, with monsters, without a single help...- Bell understood what Viene was like, since he himself went through all this, in the end receiving only blows in the back, which left scars on both his body and heart.
Suddenly, he heard someone jump from the top floor, breaking a window, and then ran through the grass to the exit.
- Viena! Haruhime's voice was heard, hollow was at the window in an instant, seeing a small monster running away from the estate.
- Viena! he shouted, after which he activated the "crystal heart", after which he flew after her.
After a short flight, Bell hit a tree and fell to the ground, but again jumping to his feet, he ran forward. Viena was sitting on her knees, terrified, she had dragon wings, people crowded around her, Bell was panicking, her consciousness was completely disconnected.
When the hollow knight regained his consciousness, he found himself in Hestia's house, in his arms he held Viena, who clung to him and did not let go.
- BELL, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? Welf shouted to him, Bell examined his clothes, they were all covered in blood. His left eye hurt, he took off his mask, exposing the horror to everyone, his eye was completely empty and black blood was dripping from it.
"...What have I done?""You've gone mad, don't worry, you've only killed one, and the eye will soon pass, no one noticed you... for now."
Guild
Bell watched the commotion The guild was filled with adventurers with aggressive questions to the employees, they explained as best they could.
"What's going on here, Eina?"
- Yesterday, a monster was discovered, by the look of a Wyvern from the thirty-second floor.- "No, no, no, if only they didn't find her!".- One of the members of Loki's family was killed,- "They will kill you if they find out."
- That's how...
"They asked me to give you a letter," she handed him a sealed envelope, Bell took it and examined it, there was a Guild mark on it, which already surprised him. Hollow opened the envelope and looked at the contents: "Bell Cranel, I hasten to inform you that I know about your secrets and how you protect them, don't worry, I want to help you, so if you want to help your named daughter, come around the corner of the Guild at night. Come alone.". "It looks like a trap...". "And there's something left for us?"
Night
"And you still showed up..."
The guy was looking around, ready to take out a nail at any second and rip open the enemy's belly.
- Bell Cranel, you have come after all. hollow turned around and saw a man completely wrapped in the ancient robes of a magician, his face was covered with some kind of visual darkness, but it was clear from his hands that he had no flesh.
-Who are you? Bell asked him, removing his hand from the nail, since he did not feel any danger coming from it.
"I'm Fells. I am a servant of the venerable Uranus.
"What does he want from me?"
"The Venerable Uranus wants to talk to you. We know that you are hiding an intelligent Wyvern and we want to help.
-Why should I suddenly believe you and your god? Bell grinned and put his hand on the nail handle again.
- Just believe me.
The Hollow man sighed and slowly removed his hand from the hilt.
"If it's a trap.".. Know that I will kill you before the others.
Fells nodded and opened a secret passage, walking ahead of Bell, the guy followed him and looked at the walls, they were covered with ancient hieroglyphs that he could not understand.
"These are the ancient languages of all races living in the mortal world. A prophecy that will give the true end to all the evil of our world, " Bell decided to grin.
- "The end of all evil"? What kind of nonsense is this?- he looked at the wall and saw the inscriptions of Hallownest, after which he was taken aback and stopped, Fellz also stopped, turning to the guy, from surprise Cranel read the inscription aloud - And the light and darkness will dissipate in His great face, and everyone who considers Him a nobody will prostrate before Him... He will throw the seed of discord into the Abyss and peace will reign in the souls of everyone who loves him... Is this a prophecy? Bell and Fells continued on their way.
- That's right. You have read it in the most unexplored and complex language. Even the high elves are afraid to pronounce it, so as not to defile themselves and the true keepers of secret knowledge.
-I thought I found similar recordings of Hallownest... but this is not the receptacle of the gods! This is an underground city!
-Not just a city, but the sarcophagus of one of the three Great Gods. Even the Heavenly Gods were afraid of them. Radiance. The Pale King. The Void or the Lord of Shadows... he looked at the hollow, seeing two entities in it."You have both a part of the Void and a part of the Pale King.
"I'm a hollow knight, in case you didn't know.
"The child of two Great Gods," Fells whispered, but Bell did not understand him.
-What?
- No. Nothing. We came.
A huge hall appeared in front of the hollow, reminding him of the pantheon from dreams, only it was underground and torches were burning everywhere. Exactly in the middle, on a large platform, there was a pedestal on which sat an elderly man with gray hair and gray eyes. Bell immediately felt a strong enough aura of this creature, but did not flinch.
"Are you Uranus?" Bell's voice echoed throughout the pantheon.
- Yes, Bell Cranel, I'm ho...
- Let's get right to the point. Can you help Viena?
- "Viena"... you chose a beautiful name for a Xenos.
"A xenos?"
- Monsters gifted with the mind and habits of a person. Dungeon-born and outcasts, We found them and are helping them, but no one from the guild knows anything yet. That lizard from the ad is one of the Xenos.
-Yes, but first, find one and show yourself to him so that they don't attack you when you take her to them. I'll let you know when I can meet them. However, if they start a fight, do not hit them hard.
There was utter silence in the pantheon, Bell decided on something crazy, but, in his opinion, the right thing, something that could stop everything: war, hatred, fear.- Just look, if someone finds out that you are helping monsters, they will hate you.
"...Will they hate you?" Bell laughed like some arrogant villain.- You see, I don't give a shit about the opinions of others! I'm already a MONSTER!