Frankenstein cared deeply for his Master… but he also cared deeply for his children. So when Tao had burst into the kitchen, terrified and shaking, all thoughts of romance fled from his head and he'd run to Takio's room without a second thought.
Takio was writhing in his bed, obviously in an immense amount of pain. A thick, evil aura was oozing out of his skin and mouth. Frankenstein grit his teeth. He never should have given them this cursed power!
"You have to help him!" Tao begged.
"I'm going to help him," Frankenstein snapped, mostly out of nerves. "Calm down…"
Frankenstein looked up as the door opened again. Raizel had followed him into the room.
"Master, I will help him," Frankenstein said swiftly. He couldn't allow his Master to waste his power on something that he could fix himself.
Raizel gazed at him with those melancholy red eyes. But… he nodded slightly.
Frankenstein glanced at Tao.
"Please restrain him… carefully, if you can. I'd rather not get punched in the jaw."
Tao nodded. Cables shot out from under his sleeves, wrapping around Takio's arms and pinning them to the bed.
Frankenstein summoned his own power, reaching out to place his palms on either side of Takio's head. He could forcefully expel the darkness from Takio's mind, but… that would only delay the problem. He had another plan… He'd help Takio confront the issue head on.
Unfortunately, that meant he'd have to stare into the abyss and hope the abyss was too distracted to stare back.
Oh well... there was no help for it. Frankenstein reached for his power, allowing himself to get pulled inside...
Instantly, the room began to twist and distort. Raizel and Tao shimmered and vanished to be replaced with everlasting darkness. This was the space inside in the dark spear. It was his own personal hell… literally. He wondered yet again why he'd allowed Takio and Tao to share this miserable fate with him.
Frankenstein sighed, looking around into the all too familiar black void.
Naturally, he despised this place more than anything... In this place, he was completely exposed to the thirty thousand evil souls inhabiting his body. While roaming this hell, he had no barrier to keep those malevolent spirits from tearing him apart and devouring him the instant he showed any hint of weakness, any negative emotion they could feed on...
Frankenstein… We have feasted well thanks to you… Have you come to give us your soul as well?
"You're a damn liar," Frankenstein said coldly. "You haven't devoured him yet. I'd know if you had."
You've always destroyed everything around you... left ruin in your wake... why should your family be any different?
"I know he's here somewhere. Be quiet."
And what of the other one... the one you adore so fervently? His soul will be ours one day. It's only a matter of time before you consume him. You won't be able to help yourself, will you?
Frankenstein clenched his fists. He couldn't let himself get upset...
"Where is he?" he snapped back at the wandering voices. "If you haven't got anything useful to say, then shut up."
Ah, your precious child... He wished to die… He was alone… We simply granted his wish.
Frankenstein looked around, peering into the mostly empty space, looking for any sign of Takio. In the center of the pit of skulls stood a fiery throne… his throne. In this black pit, that throne was the only manifestation of his own will. He supposed it was a bit theatrical, but when you were trying to exert your will over thirty thousand malevolent souls, it was important to make an impression.
But where was his ward?
There! He could see another body lying amid the field of ancient bones. He rushed over, scattering grinning skulls as he did so.
It was worse than he thought. Takio was up to his chest in evil spirits, tugging and pulling at him. Tears of pain were forming in his icy blue eyes.
"Boss," he gasped, reaching out to him with his free hand. "I'm sorry, I… I thought I could handle it."
Frankenstein grasped his outstretched hand. The spirits hissed at his presence, but he ignored them.
"You can handle it," Frankenstein said firmly. "You're stronger than they are."
"Am I?"
Frankenstein hated the uncertainty in Takio's voice. He'd always seemed so self assured… perhaps the realization that he'd had no sister had hit Takio harder than anyone had thought. Maybe some part of him still hadn't let it go.
"Do you remember what I told you before?"
"To keep… the core of who you are in the front of your mind… always," Takio wheezed. Frankenstein squeezed his hand tighter.
"That's right," Frankenstein said calmly. "So… It's just us here. You can tell me."
Takio's icy blue eyes searched his face. Frankenstein wondered if his ward would open up to him at all… They might deny it, but the kids were all a little frightened of him. Despite the fact that Raizel was much more powerful, Frankenstein knew he was the one who scared them. But…
"I… I'd thought I was alone," Takio whispered. "The only family I thought I had never really existed…"
"Well, what do you call this, then?" Frankenstein said, smiling slightly. "You think I came here for my health?"
"Heh… No," Takio said, returning his smile weakly. "I think you came here to remind me of something else you said."
"And what's that?" Frankenstein said, resting his chin in his free hand. "I say so many things I forget sometimes…"
"Ah... you're an ass sometimes, Boss."
"True. This place tends to bring out the worst in me," Frankenstein with a dry laugh.
"Still, you came here to help me, right?"
"No," Frankenstein said, shaking his head. "You can only help yourself."
He stood up, finally letting go of Takio's cold hand. But he didn't leave. He was waiting… waiting to see his child save himself.
"Well? Get on with it."
At first he looked stunned, but then an understanding formed in those icy blue eyes.
"Right," Takio hissed. "I have to get out of here on my own."
Takio set his jaw, glaring at the spirits still clinging to him.
"Get off of me," Takio growled. "I am… not alone!"
The young man wrenched his other arm free of the evil spirits. Frankenstein smiled to himself. That was more like it.
Finally, he could get out of this hell.
Finding himself back in the dim bedroom once again, Frankenstein stumbled, his connection to the darkness broken. Before he could reorient himself, a familiar presence had plunged into his head.
Frankenstein… Are you all right?
Raizel had restrained himself from rushing to his side, but Frankenstein still felt his worry. He sent his silent reassurances back through their mental link. His Master relaxed.
He glanced at the bed. Takio was stirring weakly, his breathing back to normal. The dark aura had gone. Everyone is the room looked relieved, including the rest of the household who had seemingly been woken up by the commotion.
"What did you do?" Tao asked curiously.
"I just… helped him out of his own head," Frankenstein said lightly. "I told you… the dark spear will prey on your weaknesses if it can."
Frankenstein shook his head in an attempt to clear it. Spending time inside the dark spear always made him feel scummier than usual, like he needed to scrub the inside of his skin.
"Well… it looks like he's coming around," Frankenstein commented. "Watch him for a moment… I'll get some food ready. He'll want something to settle his stomach."
Frankenstein swept out of the room, leaving the other five members of the household to watch over Takio.
Frankenstein… Thank you.
"Of course, Master," Frankenstein whispered.
Frankenstein headed into the kitchen, busying himself with making breakfast. Now that the emergency was over, his mind had jumped back to his Master… More specifically, the innocent question his Master had asked him merely an hour ago.
He had to be the unluckiest man on Earth… He'd kept those thoughts hidden in the deepest parts of his mind for the longest time. His mind only strayed to them when he slept… and his Master usually left him alone when he was asleep.
But despite all his caution, his Master had somehow seen those illicit thoughts in his head. And instead of being angry, his Master had tried to comfort and reassure him... and spoke sweet words to him.
And if he had to guess... Raizel had been trying to steal a kiss from him, too.
Frankenstein briefly wondered if he'd hit his head in their last battle and suffered some kind of irreparable brain damage... because there was no way his Master could possibly have feelings for him, too.
Why would Raizel want to kiss him, of all people? Master was so breathtakingly beautiful, even the Lord of nobles would fall at his feet if given the opportunity. Raizel could kiss anyone he wanted... so why choose him?
But it certainly seemed like Raizel had been on the verge of asking him for a kiss before he'd been interrupted... Frankenstein wondered if he could he have gone through with it. Could he have kissed his Master like he'd dreamed about for centuries? Could he have finally found out what those soft lips tasted like...?
He sighed over the teapot, doing his best to maintain his grip on his emotions.
No… As much as he wanted to, he couldn't. His Master deserved to have someone better. Raizel shouldn't be kissing someone who coughed up toxic black blood whenever he got too angry or upset... Raizel shouldn't be in the arms of a cursed, possessed human who had done so much harm... That was simply unacceptable.
He could be his Master's friend, his companion, his servant... but not his lover. He couldn't do it. He'd already polluted his Master's mind with his evil power... he couldn't sully his body, too.
But the Master was clearly interested in romance. Well… if that was the case, he could easily get one of the family leaders to set Raizel up with a younger female noble. Lascrea might not be to his taste, but there had to be somebody who was.
Frankenstein had sworn to himself that if his Master ever returned, he'd give him anything and everything he'd ever wanted. Raizel had sacrificed enough. So if his Master wanted love, then Frankenstein would find a way to get it for him... even if his own heart got broken in the process. That didn't matter... as long as Raizel was happy.
"Sir?" came a demure voice.
Frankenstein looked up from the stove. He was somewhat surprised to find that he was halfway done with making porridge. Seira was watching him, obviously looking to help.
"Hm?"
"May I help?"
Frankenstein laughed softly to himself. Seira always had good timing.
"You really are... very helpful, Seira," he said sincerely. "Thank you."
Seira blushed, just as she always did when he complimented her.
"So... if you'd like to set the table?" he said, his mind still elsewhere.
"Are you all right, Sir?"
"Fine," he said vaguely.
"Forgive me for saying so, but... you seem distracted."
Frankenstein shook his head to clear it. He was being rude... Raizel might be the most important person in his life, but he had an obligation to the other people in his house as well.
"Just sorting out a few things in my mind," he said, hoping that sounded like research and not foolish thoughts of love. "I apologize."
"I can take care of things here if you need a moment," she offered.
A moment... Yes, that was exactly what he needed. He needed to get some fresh air and clear his head. Then maybe he'd be able to think straight.
"Would you mind taking care of breakfast, Seira?" he asked. "Make sure Takio eats something..."
"Of course," she said, nodding. "I'll tell everyone that you stepped out for a minute."
"Thank you."
Frankenstein stepped outside, breathing in the fresh morning air. He just had to be alone for a bit... that would help make him feel better. And... perhaps a little exercise.
Thankfully, he'd recently been informed of werewolves lurking around the city. He couldn't think of any better exercise than hunting down a couple of rats.
Besides... it looked like he was going to miss breakfast, and he was hungry.
My Comments: So... I really wanted to ship Frankenstein with Lunark, or maybe Rai with Lascrea, but in the end... I just couldn't. Both of those romantic subplots, if we can even call them that, were extremely minimal. Both Rai and Frankenstein didn't seem to give a crap about the women who were obviously interested in them. Neither of them make a move. Rai barely frigging notices Lascrea, and Frankenstein just seems polite to Lunark at best. It's not a good look. So I'm left with only one option, and that's to assume that Rai and Frankenstein simply care about each other more than anyone else (either as friends or lovers). And I'm cool with that.
(Not even the romantic subplot with Rael and Seira got resolved! What the hell!)
Frankenstein is definitely a little more dramatic in this fanfic than he is in the manwha haha. I feel like if Rai confessed to being in love with Frankenstein in the original story, Frankenstein would likely be surprised, but in the end he'd probably just go with it. I don't think he'd really protest that much, or be concerned that Rai is a guy. Frankenstein is really old, so... After living for a thousand years, would you really care about your lover's gender anymore? I mean... who cares at that point? Just be with the person you like best. (Plus, Frankenstein was always in love with Rai!)
