Mairimashita! Iruma-kun: Shadows of the Past, part 10
Balam walked Iruma back to his friends. It really was best to keep an eye on the boy with Victoria around. The fact that she somehow knew his secret weighed on Balam's mind. How did she find out?
Iruma's friends were glad to have him back. They had no idea what was going on behind the scenes of Babylus, but they wanted him near regardless. Some students from his class invited Balam-sensei to join them since it was rare to see him in the lunch hall. He politely declined, having his mind preoccupied. Robin was still missing and there was no telling what Victoria was trying to make him do.
As Balam left the cafeteria behind, he found Kalego and Henri exchanging words in an empty hall.
"What do you mean you lost him?", asked Kalego, exasperated. "Wasn't it your job to watch over him until Lady Nene arrives?", he asked, curtly. Between pain and worry, he was so tired, he was ignoring the usual strict manners he would give one of the thirteen. Henri understood the situation and managed to keep his temper under control. "He disappeared from the staff lounge. We'll find him", he assured.
Balam looked over them with concern. It was no secret that Kalego didn't exactly like Robin, but as his senpai, it was his duty to help mold the rookie teacher. Upon seeing his friend, Kalego started to relax. "Anything?", he inquired, hopeful. Balam shook his head. "Just rumors in the cafeteria, nothing solid", he replied. He looked to Azazel, who was deep in thought with his fingers upon his chin.
"Out of the three of us, you know him best. Where would he go?", asked the policeman. Kalego stared aside as he thought it over. "Have you tried Barbatos?", he offered. Henri narrowed his eyes. "No good. She hasn't seen him, either", he stated. Another dead end.
"I'll keep checking with the others", offered Balam. Henri nodded. "Try the botanical tower next. We have to narrow down our search area", he ordered. Balam departed immediately. If there was the slightest chance that Robin would harm the students, he would keep his promise to stop him.
Elsewhere, trapped in his mind, Robin helplessly wandered around in the dark. The air was cold and the ground was wet, as if water had been poured over the surface of glass. It made it difficult to move freely or even know if he was making progress.
In the distance, he could almost hear his senpai speaking. Stumbling forward with a burst of desperation and speed, a single shaft of light lit up Kalego's silhouette ahead. More voices. Looking around, he discovered he was in the middle of a circle. Those he was counting on surrounded him with their backs turned, each illuminated as a beacon of hope. Kalego, Balam, Opera, Sullivan, Azazel, Bachiko. There were all there, facing away from him. Every time he took a step forward or reached out for help, they only seemed to get further away.
Losing hope, he slumped to the ground as the lights vanished. Looking at his hands, they were covered in blood. Tears formed as he fought his own psyche. His pillars of hope were gone. All he could see now were the lifeless bodies of his students beside him. Wrapping his arms around himself, he whispered, "This isn't real."
A familiar perfume wafted over him. Stiffening, he glared toward its source with all of the animosity he could muster. "You", he said, tears forming. Victoria smiled down at him, clearly amused by his breakdown.
"Can you prove this isn't real? You don't even know where you are or how much time has passed since you lost consciousness", she smirked. "Why are you doing this?", he asked, desperate to understand.
Striding forward, she knelt in front of him, stroking his face. "You're mine now, Robin-kun. Stop trying to fight it", she said. Averting his gaze, he surprised her by saying, "No."
"What?", she asked, annoyed. Looking up and locking eyes, he said it again. "No, I won't give in. Senpai can fend you off and so can I." His conviction shook when she laughed. "You? Fend me off? You're pathetic... Don't even mention yourself in the same breath as Kalego-kun", she retorted. Dragging him to his feet by the neck of his clothing, she glared at him fiercely.
"You are just a pawn while he's a much more valuable piece in the game. I only gave you another mark because I knew it would get under his skin. Did you really think I needed to do it to control someone as weak as you?"
Her tone was harsh and her words cut deep, but he felt she was right. He didn'tfight, simply dangling from her hand. Leaning close, she whispered in his ear, "You are going to kill that girl for my investor and when you do, you're going to grin like a madman. Once you've tasted innocent blood, you'll see the lure of power."
Unceremoniously dropping him to the ground, she blushed at the thought of his descent into the darkness. "After you've lost your innocence, you'll be more fit to serve me", she said, reveling in her twisted fantasies.
Robin glared at her. She was getting her way again despite his effort. Thinking of Kalego, he smirked. "If you think senpai will hesitate to stop me, you're wrong. He'll keep the school safe even if it means killing me", he said, trying to knock her down a peg. A chill ran through him as her frozen eyes glanced over. She wasn't angry; She was smiling.
"Oh, sweet Bars, I'm counting on it", she stated with pleasure. Playfully tapping his nose, she explained, "I never meant to keep you. You're just a tool for Kalego's suffering. Once he's slain his kouhai, another teacher, Sullivan will have no choice, but to remove him from the staff… My investor can easily topple Babylus without its precious guard dog and he'll wallow in self loathing, knowing that he's played right into my hands."
Robin shuddered at the sincerity of her words. She really was looking forward to all of it. "Why senpai?", he managed weakly. Victoria smiled as she once again knelt to eye level. "He's a Naberius, the loyal lap dogs of the realm. They must be punished", she said calmly.
Taking a darker tone, she elaborated. "A tormented soul gives the meat a better taste. Once he's been properly seasoned, I'm going to devour him completely. First his hope, then his will, mind and spirit, and eventually his body... After I've eaten his heart, all of his power will be mine. Then I can finally take revenge on the head of that wretched house, Narnia... My family will have its revenge. Clan Victoria will rise again and I will be its merciless empress."
Her face had gone red with demented anticipation and even her mouth watered at the thought of finally consuming her beloved Kalego. Robin stared in horror. Just what kind of demon was she? A vampire was one thing, but she was also a cannibal. He swallowed hard. Did he really have the spunk to challenge her just moments ago?
She could see more questions in his searching stare. "You want to know what happened between our families?", she asked with a calculated grin. Gently patting his head, she taunted, "Go ahead and ask him. See if he has the guts to tell you exactly what started all of this… I'll give you a hint - Delkira."
Her dark aura danced around them both as she wickedly smiled at her puppet. Robin was still shaken. What could his senpai and this woman have in common with the missing demon king? Maybe she was just messing with him.
"Oh, sweet, innocent Robin. Can you taste the blood yet?", she asked, still enthralled with her thoughts of dominance. Without warning, she kissed him again, biting open his lip in the process. These weren't their real bodies; The damage wasn't real, but the pain was. As the blood dripped down his chin, he tried to hold out against her. His marks were burning again; Her curses were strong.
Holding himself off the watery floor upon his hands, he pleaded, "Don't make me do this." She grinned at his request. "Are you so eager to die that you would try to defy my direct orders? Are you truly willing to make that sacrifice for a few insignificant, low ranking demons?", she asked.
Robin's heart was pounding. Could he really end his life in Valac's place?... He didn't want to die, but he couldn't bring himself to perpetrate the alternative, either. Slowly meeting her gaze, he grabbed her hand. With determination, he said, "Do it." What he meant was, "Kill me now." He was tired of her games. It was time to call her bluff.
Victoria's eyes widened in surprise. Snatching her hand free, she sent him a pitiful look in clear mockery. "Can't do it yourself, can you? You say you don't want to hurt that girl, but between her life and yours, the choice is obvious, isn't it?" She pet his hair as she spoke and he shivered at her horrible touch. He wondered how Kalego had managed to deal with her for so long without losing his sanity. Then a small smile crossed his bleeding lips.
"You're right", he uttered. "I can't do it", he ceded. Looking her in the eye, he grinned defiantly. "But senpai is stronger than me. If I have to die by his hand, then so be it." Victoria sneered at his resolve.
"Such bravado... You really trust him, don't you? Haven't you noticed that Kalego-kun can't stand you? He hates you almost as much as he hates me. You're nothing, but a thorn in his side", she smiled.
The fact that his expression never wavered unnerved her. "Of course I know that… Senpai finds me ignorant and annoying. He doesn't fundamentally agree with how I choose to do things, but I know he still cares about me, which is more than you can say", he grinned.
Victoria went pale with rage. "You little shit", she spat. "It looks like he's rubbed off on you more than I realized." Calming herself, she grabbed his face, digging her claws into his cheeks. Dragging him back to eye level, she looked coldly into his eyes.
"You can try and sass me here in your mindscape, but out there, I own you", she stated. "Don't worry, I'll restore your senses so you're aware of yourself as you slay the girl... Once it's done, I might let you have an accident on the stairs, but don't think I'm letting you off easy. After you've been arrested and your battered body's been treated, I'll come drink every last ounce of blood from you."
She grinned darkly at his quivering eyes. "I'll keep you barely alive for a few days, just sentient enough to register the pain", she taunted. "Then I'll eat your heart, too. I could make use of a bloodline trait wasted on the likes of you." With that, the image of Victoria evaporated from Robin's mind. He was alone in the dark again, but now it felt even colder than before.
A light ignited nearby, burning his well dilated eyes. He could physically see again. Voices of students in the distance filled his ears. Just as she said, she had restored his senses, but he was not in control. He could see his feet going up a flight of stairs. "The tower", he thought, frozen in anxiety. A moment later he watched as his body looked below. It looked like the afternoon now. It became apparent that he'd been under her spell for hours.
His fears were confirmed as he saw the student body milling about the school gardens. Iruma and his friends seemed to be having fun. Robin clenched his eyes shut, trying to fight Victoria's control. "No, no, no", he repeated, shaking his head with his hands over his ears. It didn't help. He could hear her noxious laughter somewhere far away.
To be continued...