Chapter 8
Kazuma awoke to a bustling room. He found himself in a bed, a soft blanket covering him. He slowly sat up, slightly dizzy and lightheaded. He looked around at how many women hurried about, doing this and that. He looked, puzzled, towards a woman beside him and asked, "My lady, what happened to me, and what is happening here?"
"All shall be revealed soon. All I can say is that it is a joyous occasion," she replied, smiling.
She suddenly began blushing as she quickly turned away with a slight giggle.
As he sat there he noticed that every time a woman looked at him, they blushed. He realized he had no shirt and his bandages and wounds were gone.
Suddenly, Elencia walked in and told him, "My apologies, I forgot that my women have never seen a man. You're their first to have seen. You'll find your clothes beside you on the table. Kazuma glanced there and saw his pants were there as well. He sighed, and turned to sit on the side of the bed. The blanket lay across his lap, as he reached for his clothes. Elencia, suddenly blushed, and spun around to leave, "My ladies, we must leave this man to change in privacy. When they had all left, Kazuma stood and put on his shirt. He paused to gaze out the window. He gazed at the sun as it was setting behind the horizon. He abruptly heard stifled laughter and giggles from the doorway. He looked over his shoulder, turning slightly, to see where it had come from. He spotted several women staring at him from the side of the door. They all suddenly, flushed and ducked away, bursting into fits of giggles.
Kazuma shook his head slightly and turned about to continue dressing. He heard footsteps and then heard a voice, "Now, now ladies, what is so funny, eh?" Elencia, said as she walked to the door to see why they were. When she reached the door she completely flushed and timidly said, "Oh my, I… I apologize for the intrusion. My mistake," quickly bowing and ducking away from the doorway, her face bright red. The women began laughing, as they followed Elencia to do their chores.
Kazuma again shook his head and finished dressing. He then strapped his sword on, and left the room. He began wandering the halls, completely lost. He strolled on for a while, occasionally opening a door, in search of an exit. He walked past another door, and stopped to investigate it. He opened it to a room filled with steam. When the steam cleared somewhat, he saw several women inside. The women turned and shrieked in surprise and embarrassment on the intrusion. He then realized that this was the bathing room. He hastily apologized and hurriedly shut the door. He quickly strolled down the hall. He stopped at an enormous set of doors. He opened them and peeked inside. He saw a huge room, filled with long tables surrounded by many wooden chairs. Numerous columns encompassed the room and the walls adorned a beautiful painting. He quietly entered, trying not to disturb any of the women walking across the room with food and other dining necessities. He strode across the room to one of the tables. The tables bore cloths, candles, cups, food, plates, and many other things. He looked about until he found what he guessed to be where the kitchen was. He walked into in and became submersed in a crowd of women bustling about making food and doing other tasks. He began asking the women that he passed, if he could help them. After many polite refusals in a result of giggles, he left to find fresh air. Kazuma walked across the room to another set of doors, and opened them. The doors opened to a vast courtyard filled with beautiful and elegant flora strew about in a structured landscape. He stepped out of the doors and inhaled deeply. He sighed and strode across the stone path to the large fountain placed in the center. Kazuma stared into the water. He gazed at his reflection, sighing at the fact that he was a demon. He thought about how dangerous and brutal his demonic nature could be. Knowing this, he had refused love in fear of inadvertently slaying his own love. He never could control its power and ferocity. He loathed it, but it was something he'd have to live with. Nothing could control it, as far as he knew. He knew that his slip in emotion could destroy him mentally and physically. He loved Miu, but he refused to place her in a position of danger. Therefore, he decided that he would have to stop it, before he harmed anyone else. He clenched his eyes shut at the memory of the destruction he'd caused. He had to tell Miu what had happened. He then looked up, at the moon. He thought about how stunning and serene the night was.
Kazuma stood there, gazing at the sky. He clasped his hand over his heart at the pain in it. He recalled the feeling from before. It was the feeling of lost love. A tear suddenly coursed from his eye, down his cheek. He lowered his head at the thought of her face, her beauty and radiance. Suddenly, a hand grasped his shoulder. He turned around to find Miu standing in front of him. He looked into her eyes with regret, and he saw her eyes watering. She looked at him and softly whispered, "I am so sorry, I didn't know the pain you endure."
She then embraced him tightly. She wrapped him in her arms, laying her head on his broad chest, tears streaming from her eyes. He held her close, his head on hers. They stood, holding each other, refusing to let go. Kazuma regretted letting go, thinking that this was to be their last moment together. He looked sadly down at her and quietly said, "I fear leaving you, but I must lest my past force my to do something horrible. I fear losing you, for I… I…"
He clenched her tighter to him and whispered, "Was it you?"
She looked at him, inquisitively, tears staining her cheek.
"When I was unconscious earlier, I was surrounded by darkness. It was suffocating. But then… then I heard a voice. It seemed to be calling me. The voice was of a woman's, soft and calming. It made the darkness leave and brought in light. I believe it was you," he said, still looking at her.
"It was… I hoped you stay, but everyone has to leave at some time. I just want you to know that I… I…" Miu whispered, and suddenly cried, embracing him, "I love you! I love you! Please don't leave! If you must leave then I am coming with you! I don't care what happens to me, I just want to be with you!"
"I know. I love you too. I'm afraid that you must stay. You are needed here. I don't… I don't want to accidentally hurt you. I couldn't live with myself knowing I put you in such a dangerous position. Please understand, my demonic nature makes me incapable of love, for it could force me to destroy myself or the one I love," Kazuma replied, returning the embrace.
"Then let us die together, as one! To hell with the consequences, I love you too much to lose you!" she cried, despairingly.
They clenched each other tightly, wrapping the other in their arms. Tears flowed from her eyes running down her cheek, falling onto his chest, as she held him, thinking that if she let go, even for a second, she'd lose him forever.
"Kazuma, I must ask a favor of you," said a voice down the path, next to the door.
They both looked there, to find Elencia standing, surrounded by weeping women. "I ask that you take Miu with you. I've realized that her love for you, binds the evil inside you. Please… please take her, for I fear her heart would be lost without you," she said, wiping a tear from her own eye.
Kazuma looked at her with deeply grateful, bright eyes, "Thank you. Never have I been shown such kindness and love. I shall protect with my life, mind, and soul."
He looked down on Miu, their faces aglow with cheer and love. She leaped at him, locking her arms in an embrace. All the women cheered, still wiping their eyes, and Elencia turned to them and said aloud, "Well then, on with the feast! May this be a night to remember!"
