Chapter 90

"They were attacked."

Bell almost dropped the bags he and Ryuu carried with them as his eyes widened. He still maintained that little bit of sense to put them down a table, before he snapped his head towards Astraea, who uttered those words.

"Are they alright?!" His voice cracked, his expression twisted as horror scenario after horror scenario went through his head. A bloodied Lido, torn off wings of Rei, Wiene motionless on the gr-

Two hands cupped his cheeks and turned his face away from the goddess. Ryuu stared right into his eyes, her expression a slight frown, before she nodded at him.

"Breathe. In…and out."

Bell did so, not having realized that he felt a bit lightheaded after hearing the news. Clenching his eyes shut for a moment, he exhaled, before putting his hands on top of Ryuu's.

"I'm-I'm good. Sorry."

"It's fine."

The two smiled at each other, though Bell felt his face heat up, realizing that their hands were touching. Ryuu noticed his blush and began to turn red too. Fortunately, or unfortunately, they weren't alone in this room, so they got interrupted as Alise cleared her throat very loudly.

"Aaaaanywho!" Bell and Ryuu seperated with a small jump. He made sure not to look at Hestia's direction, whose eyes most likely were glowing red at this point. Alise clapped her hands before continuing on. "They managed to get away in time, last we heard. Was a close call however. Other than that, we don't know what they are doing right now. Fels went down there personally to check."

Bell let out a sigh of relief at that. That was good news at least. But the others didn't look as relieved as he was. As if the Xenos themselves were only secondary to their primary concern. He felt his hands clench slightly at the thought. Instead, they radiated frustration, as Lyra ran her hand through her hair, while Kaguya clicked her tongue with narrowed eyes.

"Ganesha Familia tried to keep an eye on Ikelos' bastards but…"

"Their hidden personal dungeon entrances are starting to piss me off."

"Can we do anything to help?" Bell asked. In response, Alise shook her head.

"We're on standby. The more people getting involved in this, the more chaotic it will get."

"But-"

The captain raised her hand, stopping him short with an apologizing smile, which wavered shortly after.

"Bell. Ikelos isn't our only problem. We don't know how exactly they are related to the Night Queen, but the connection is there. If we all move to that one spot, we might get blindsided."

Every instinct within him screamed that they should move anyway. That any time lost could lead to lost lives. But he hesitated. Remembering the times when he was so convinced of something, only to be refuted by the ones he was close to and loved. In the end, he lowered his head with a sigh.

"...Fine…"

A hand patted his back reassuringly. He looked to his left, seeing Kojiro standing there with a reassuring smile, slowly nodding his head.

"Not to worry. Knowing our luck, there will soon be bloodshed to partake in."

Everyone stared at him, with varying degrees of narrowed eyes. Dead silence. Bell had his mouth slightly agape, before shaking his head slowly, expression remaining incredulous.

"That is the absolute last thing I am looking forward to, Kojiro."

Yet Kojiro's smile remained, his eyes amused at his words.

"Where there is bloodshed, there is Evilus, so that'd actually suit us just fine."

"I suppose that sounds about right…?" Haruhime trailed off with an awkward air, most likely remembering the events in the Far East a year ago. Bell closed his eyes as he inhaled through his nose. Heavens, he wished he could refute that point. He looked around, wondering what Solaris would say about this with a frown. Then his eyes landed on Nana, who for some reason flinched by his look. He tilted his head in confusion. Was it just him or was she more jittery than usual? She forced a nervous smile before rising to her feet slowly.

"I-I see you are terribly busy, so-"

It happened before Bell could even blink. One moment, Nana was about to turn her body towards the entrance, with Kaguya keeping her steady with a hold on her little sister's arm. The next, the sound of steel cutting through the air as it was unveiled to the world echoed in the house. Kaguya had her hand on her hilt in an instance, her other right arm stretched out before Nana.

"Lyra, what are you-"

The Pallum didn't let her finish, instead pointing her wheel blade at Nana with a flat look. Kaguya grit her teeth, her hold wavering on her weapon. Bell gulped at the sight. Haruhime stammered in a panic, looking back and forth between the two. The other members of Astraea weren't faring any better, their arms crossed with biting lips. And yet, they stood on Lyra's side, as if they were prepared for this, but not remotely enough.

"I followed your ass with Fels. Told him of my suspicions." Lyra licked her lips before letting out a frustrated sigh. "Gotta admit, doesn't feel as good as I wanted it to be."

"I don't-don't know what you are talking about."

Even as Nana shrunk into herself, Lyra showed no mercy. Instead she turned her head ever so slightly towards Astraea, who didn't even bother to confirm if that was a lie. Rolling her shoulders, the Pallum pointed at herself, or more specifically her nose.

"Your little meeting with Ikelos. You can't fool this smeller. Putting all those herbs onto yourself just gave you away, I recognize them from Lord Miach's shop. Speaking of which…"

Bell had never seen a girl gone so pale before as she hyperventilated. Nana tried to push past Kaguya, but her older sister kept her back, more confused than anything, as if unable to process what she just heard.

"P-Please, don't!"

Yet Lyra did not stop. Instead, she sent Kaguya a sorrowful look. The latter could only blink slowly.

"There's a funny thing that he shared with me. Some of his ingredients went messing. Curious thing, ain't it?"

"I said shut up!"

"Nana…?" Kaguya whispered, at seeing the usual shy girl shout like that, as if desperation fueled her. Lyra pressed her lips together before shaking her head.

"He told me one could make a nice candle out of it. Helps to relax. Makes the target drowsy." A pause. An inhale. Then a click of a tongue, as Lyra decided to rip off the bandaid fast. "Makes them forget things in the short term and more susceptible to…questions that need answers."

The Senbonzakura, someone known as one of the top adventurers of Orario, stumbled backwards as if dealt a heavy blow. As if Nana was a horror beyond her imagination as her eyes went wide. Haruhime covered her mouth. The goddesses could only close their eyes in sympathy. Alise bit her lip as Ryuu subtly moved to block the entrance, her weapons in reach of her hands. Same as Kojiro, who stoically moved towards one of the windows. Meanwhile Bell clutched his stomach with a shocked expression.

Drugging your own family? Selling out the Xenos? He shared Kaguya's feelings on this. He may not be the most insightful person. But he couldn't believe someone like Nana was capable of this. Not without being forced to do this. Being forced to the brink. But if that was the case…what pushed her then? If anyone else wondered that question, nobody thought to voice it out. Much less Kaguya, who slowly shook her head in disbelief.

"Nana, you…you didn't…" Then wrath followed, a snarl forming from her throat as she snapped her head at the deities in the building, while pointing a shaking finger at Lyra. "Tell me she's lying!"

Hestia flinched, but Astraea remained unyielding in her composure, her hands folded on her lap with a sorrowful look. Kaguya let out a choking noise, tears forming in her eyes. She turned back to Nana, who was openly weeping at this point, an iron grip on her own arms, as if hugging herself as she shook her head.

"There was no other way…I'm sorry…!"

"No other way…?" Kaguya whispered. She grit her teeth, her rage returning, or she was forcing it to return. Bell took a step back as Kaguya stomped on the ground, easily cracking it. "You drugged me! For what reason?!"

Nana's breaths were shallow, in a rapid pace, as she clutched her head, clenching her eyes shut as if she was in pain. Bell couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly. It looked like she was actually in pain from something, as she muttered something under her breath.

"Shut up, shut up…!" A pained gasp escaped her and she opened her eyes again, looking at Kaguya, But her eyes seemed to flicker, as if it took her all to focus on the situation at hand. "I-I-I don't have a choice…!"

"Don't have a choice?! You told Ikelos Familia about the Xenos! Where they are! Not only that…! Not only that…!" Kaguya trailed off, gritting her teeth as memories resurfaced to the front of her mind, her voice turning into a dangerous whisper. "You almost killed Lyra, didn't you? Like you killed so many others?" Her hand clenched around her katana as she pointed at her little sister with her left finger. "How many?"

"Sister, please! You have to listen to me!"

At this point, Nana was openly crying as she put a step forward, hand on her chest, the other one still against her head. Yet Kaguya let out a growl despite her own tears, causing the younger one to stop.

"Tell me!"

Nana opened her mouth. Whether to deny it or actually tell the truth, Bell wouldn't know. For her aura changed for a split second. Her body twitched, convulsed even, with her eyes changing. He could've sworn he saw rings around her pupils. Then she grinned. It was a taunting, lopsided one, filled with malice as it almost split her face with insanity.

"Not enough~!"

Nana let out a wince, as quick as the malice came, it disappeared. She slapped her mouth shut, her eyes wide with horror, as they seemed to flicker between clarity and dullness.

"Wait, no-"

It was the last straw. Kaguya unsheathed her blade and pointed the tip at her own blood. Yet it was not without hesitation, her usual grace gone as the metal in her hand shook. The swordswoman clenched her eyes shut, taking a deep breath before shaking her head at last, as her shoulders slumped.

"Get out of my sight."

Nana flinched back as if visibly struck. A whine escaped her as she clutched her head. She opened her mouth, an act of desperation, but Kaguya refused even that.

"To honor the relationship we once had... leave and never return." She glanced at Ryuu. Ryuu frowned, before turning to Alise and Astraea. Both nodded, causing Ryuu to step away from the door. Yet Nana was unmoving, stammering. It only served to bring back the anger in KaguyaÄs voice, as she hissed at her little sister. "But if you show your face ever again... I will end you."

"Sis-"

"We are no longer sisters, you murderer!" Tears freely flowed at this point, as Kaguya put her hand on her heart. "I trusted you! I thought you were different from the rest, but you just ended up to be the most cursed of them all!"

"It's not-"

"Not your fault?!" At this point, Kaguya started to sound hysterical, no longer willing to hear anything anymore as she hammered her chest in demonstration. "I have the same curse in my veins and you don't see me killing everything! Get out! Now!" The sword steadied in her hand at last, as she narrowed her wet eyes ever so slightly. "Or I'll make you."

Shutting her eyes, Nana finally decided reality. Without looking back, she screamed as if in utter agony as she rushed out of the door. The moment she left, Kaguya collapsed to the ground. Her Familia was next to her in an instance as she hyperventilated, the tears dropping against the wooden floor. Haruhime fidgeted, unsure if she should approach as well. Kojiro hummed thoughtfully on the other hand, eyes still looking at the exit.

"Was that the right choice? She is the enemy. Wouldn't it have been better-"

"I don't care if you could kick my ass, finish that sentence and I will kill you!" Kaguya yelled, with several arms holding her back as she bared her teeth. Bell frowned at his mentor, shaking his head.

"Kojiro…"

He lowered his head to his credit, eyes closed.

"My apologies."

Bell exhaled slowly. This was…something. Licking his lips, he glanced at the open door before turning back to the others.

"...Something was wrong with her. Really wrong."

"We all noticed, Bell," Alise muttered, frowning deeply. "It was like something was possessing her."

"Split personality? Suppressed bloodlust going wild for a moment?" Lyra made some shots in the dark, but nobody could say for certain. One thing that was certain was that Nana was not a straightforward case. Before they could think about it more however, Kaguya pressed her forehead against the Pallum's shoulder.

"Alright. Say it."

"Say what?" Lyra asked, trying to sound nonchalant to Kaguya's weak whisper. The Far Eastern woman scoffed before a sniff escaped her.

"Don't play dumb. Say 'I told you so'."

Instead of doing that, Lyra put her hand on Kaguya's head, gently giving it a rub.

"You okay?" She asked softly. Kaguya shook her head ever so slightly.

"No. No, I'm not. I just want to lie down now."

To pretend that this was all a dream, went unsaid. Lyra nodded, before rising to her feet, together with Ryuu and Alise. The latter smiled gently, patting Kaguya's back.

"Then let's get you to your room."

As the girls left the living room, Astraea took a deep breath before nodding to herself.

"I suppose we have to wait for Hermes to get back to us."

That only caused Hestia to groan as she massaged her forehead.

"I hate it when we have to rely on him out of all people."

Bell felt sympathy for that. At least for the waiting part. He clenched his hands into fists. He could only hope that Lido and the others were going to be fine on their own.

/

Dix looked up from the book he was reading. Whistling, he put his legs down from the makeshift table within Knossos.

"What, lost your key?" He asked the hooded individual with the ringed eyes. He nodded at the poor sucker having to 'escort' her, relieving him from his duty. Dix licked his lips at the twitching figure, her fingers brushing against her katanas several times. He couldn't believe that he was thinking it, but this bitch seemed more deranged than usual.

"Apologies for the delay~! We... had to get our head back in the game, hehehe! Well, that and lose some stalkers!" She spoke with her disorted voice. Dix decided to shrug it off as he rose to his feet, grabbing his spear leaning against the wall.

"Well, at least you're in time." Tapping his shoulder with his weapon, he smirked. "Your precious Night Queen will get her new merchandise real soon."

"If you want our help, you have but to ask, hehehehehahaha!"

He clicked his tongue at that, as Gojouno disappeared into the shadows, her neck twitchy. Yeah no, he'd rather die than be indebted to those maniacs. Not to mention, there was no way he'd need the help from such monsters. After all…being able to talk or not, beasts were just beasts at the end.