Chapter 16

It was again a rainy day, which came so suddenly after Carol was in the middle of her usual business trips, just leaving to Plifer after promising Miranda she would get her its famous burgers.

The day had turned dark yet Carol had not returned, where could she be? Miranda became worried, at the same time hungry.

Flashes of lightning and roars of thunder also joined the pouring rain, making Miranda more worrisome.

She looked out of her cave as far as she could, hopefully to catch Carol running to her from afar.

And the wait was over, from the flash of the lightning, she could briefly see Carol in the middle of the rain, waving her hand to her. Miranda waved back, hoping the other could see her.

"I was waiting for this moment."

What!? That voice…

Then another lightning flashed in, revealing a second female figure, this one much smaller and wears a puffy dress, behind Carol.

No!

Much to Miranda's horror, Carol's figure collapsed at the end of the second lightning flash. No… no…! It can't be! Fearing the worst had finally come, she dashed out of the cave into the heavy rain.

Please… not Carol… not again…!

It was exactly as she had envisioned, Carol's unmoving body laid limp on the ground as her blood dyed the pools of rain on the mud red. The person who stood right beside her, was none other than the Scarlet Devil.

Remilia Scarlet.

"YOU!" Miranda screamed, releasing all her anger at once and glared at the vampire, her fiery gaze burning wildly, not extinguished at all by the heavy rain. Remilia, on the other hand, chuckled for a little bit, then showcased her famous maniacal laughter again after witnessing the thoroughly maddened look of the vampire hunter.

"Finally, I had kept my promise."

Miranda replied not with words, but a dagger throw filled with utmost hatred and resentment towards the vampire. Remilia caught it easily with two of her fingers, "still as hasty as ever, I see."

"Again and again and again! You took everything away from me!"

"Hmm? I thought I made my intentions very clear from the very beginning?"

"Why are you doing this!? Are you having a lot of fun?"

Remilia paused, having some inner delight going on, she lowered her head a little, before tilting it back up with a change of expression, she bared her sharp teeth with a wide grin, as if like a wild tiger bearing its fangs.

"Indeed! Seeing you suffer always make me smile, makes me grin, makes happy and laugh! Oh…! I cannot get enough of your enraged look, it looked so… gorgeous!"

Both of them spoke up with highly raised voices, Miranda out of pure rage, while Remilia out of pure amusement. Their eyes locked on for the longest time, inside Miranda's head, she constantly reminded herself of the foul deeds the Scarlet Devil had done, causing her all the grief and misery. If she had done it out of pure amusement for herself, that was barbaric and inhumane to the fullest, something Miranda would never forgive.

"Why don't you try taking me down, here and now, then?"

It was this taunt of Remilia that got Miranda started. All veins and muscles stiffened, Miranda went and pulled her dagger, six at a time, flinging them with her strongest at the vampire. Remilia just dodged them by weaving left and right, as if teleporting around the battlefield. Miranda was expecting this, dashing instantly as she threw her daggers, pulling two more out and proceeded with her melee combo, hacking down her foe with renewed vigor fueled with anger and resentment.

Remilia was slightly surprised by Miranda's rapid improvement, and stepped up the gear as she dodged her attacks a bit more seriously than she usually did. Miranda was much craftier this time, as she practiced combining both melee and ranged attacks, just for this day.

Miranda could fit many more knives at one time, as her body grew a lot due to puberty, now nearing the build of a fully grown woman, she could fit forty knives, slotting them in every possible place she could tie them around, at the same time considering that they would not hinder her movements too much, maneuverability still remained top priority.

This time, there were a few opportunities that Miranda almost could get a hit on the vampire, her reading on Remilia's movements better now, as she could catch up with her superb agility. Miranda could also fend off some attacks from the vampire, which consisted of some occasional slashes from her claws as well as some projectiles that shaped like red icicles that Remilia released from her fingers.

Most of the time, Miranda would be in the center while Remilia dodged all around her. This had persisted for more than a minute, until…

Whooosh!

Remilia's cheek began to bleed slightly from a superficial cut from Miranda's dagger, it stung a little, the sensation long time not felt by the Scarlet Devil as no one would be able to lay a finger on her normally.

Miranda could feel her dagger finally connected onto something, its tip slightly bloodied catching some from the vampire. Confidence quickly surged within her, finally feeling the opponent was within grasp, possible to be defeated.

Remilia who retreated some distance immediately after suffering a hit, used her thumb to wipe the wound. Upon seeing her own blood, she grinned.

Miranda was still wondering why she grinned, but no time to think as Remilia immediately blinked before her, "still not enough", and took a small bite at Miranda's unguarded nape.

"ARGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Miranda quickly collapsed to the ground, her right hand holding her left nape, now a small piece of flesh missing, the pain reaching deep and spread all over her shoulder and back. Remilia took her sweet time to chew on her battle spoils before swallowing it, then licking her lips all over until there's no more blood lingering at the edges of her mouth, all for Miranda to see.

"Oh my, you are surprisingly delicate and tender. Ufufufufufu…"

"Y… you…!" Once again, Miranda had to watch Remilia from the ground, the vampire looking down on her while she, unwillingly, gazed above.

"Indeed, you've improved, but you still need a little more," said Remilia. She took a moment to ponder, then continued, "come and chase after me, every night, I will be there."

"D… damn you…"

Having had her fun, Remilia turned into bats and flew off the scene, leaving the defeated Miranda on the ground under the heavy rain.