Here we are again with another translated chapter!
I have received several messages about how to improve the translation and correct certain mistakes, I thank you all for taking your time and explaining those things to me. Still, I will continue with my search for a beta reader, so if anyone is interested, you are welcome to contact me by private messaging.
I think I've been able to fix some problems for the most part, but I'll try to keep focused on making the reading more and more fluent. And who knows, maybe in a while I'll correct the first chapters, which are the ones with more errors. This is just a thought, don't take it so literally.
With nothing more to add, it's time to start.
Enjoy!
CHAPTER 23: PENEMUE'S PAST! NEW FEELINGS OPEN AND CONSUME HER HEART!
"I'll go get a coffee..." She said to herself without much encouragement.
Thinking that no one would be around the corridors at this hour, Penemue came out with her all-white pajamas covering her entire body.
The woman opened the door, and headed for the stairs. As she turned to go down them, her gaze was filled with surprise.
Light was streaming in through one of the windows, hitting Issei's body perfectly. The brown-haired man carried his katana over his shoulder. The night light gave it a divine touch, and his completely serious look only helped to further dazzle that fact.
"We need to talk."
After finally reacting, Penemue quickly wiped away her tears and looked at him with great seriousness, as was a habit of hers.
LINE JUMP.
"You even came all the way to Grigori..." Penemue commented, giving a small sigh as she leaned against the ledge.
The two were alone in one of the many towers of the castle.
Issei approached, leaning next to her.
"I'm sorry, but you won't get rid of me that easily." The protagonist replied with a slightly mocking tone, causing Penemue to glare at him coldly.
"I've already told you many times. It's not a matter that concerns you. Don't force me to throw you out of here." The woman commented, looking up at the night sky.
"Earlier I said I was doing it for you. But now I realize that's not true." Hearing this, Penemue couldn't help but look at him with some curiosity. "I do it for me. I'm doing it for me, because I can't bear to see you like that. I can't bear to see you sad. I can't bear to see you down. I can't bear to see you cry. I can't bear any of it."
"Issei..." It was the simple word from Penemue, who could only be impressed at her student's insistence.
"I stand corrected. It's not just you, or me." Issei finally lowered his gaze, giving her a chuckling smile. "It's for both of us!"
"I... It's just..." Issei was surprised when Penemue began to shiver slightly from the cold, as she tried to find the words to continue. "I really want to... But I can't..." She shut her eyes tightly as she felt the screams returning to her head.
Penemue opened her eyes in shock as she felt something warm embrace her. Again, it was that feeling she had felt the first time the two of them had gotten close.
That pleasant feeling...
Penemue felt like a small comforting shiver all over her body after the sensation of being hugged by Issei.
Issei arranged his jacket even more, doing his best to make it cover half of her body.
"It's too cold a day for you to go out in your pajamas..." He commented, causing Penemue to look at him intently. "I should have let you change your clothes at least. Sorry." He concluded, squeezing a little tighter with the woman.
Penemue continued to watch her face, and made no resistance to the approach. In fact, she had moved a couple of steps closer when she felt the leading man want to pull her in.
She continued to look at his face, as she watched the wind make her hair wave freely. Her brown eyes stared steadily at the moon, waiting for a response from the woman next to her.
Without her noticing, her crimson eyes flashed, as her face slowly began to blush.
She was completely immersed in his face and features. For some reason unknown to her, she had been completely in awe and couldn't take her eyes off him.
"... Today marks another year..."
Hearing Penemue speak, Issei turned his full attention to her.
"Today marks another year of what I did. That's why I'm like this." Penemue lowered her gaze, remembering the horrible events that transpired on this horrible day.
"It's been another year since I disassociated myself from my Original Sin..."
"Would you... would you like to tell me that story?" Issei asked.
Doubt instantly struck Penemue, and her crimson eyes reflected it perfectly. When Issei thought that perhaps she had asked too much of him, she nodded. The protagonist blinked, then looked at her with great seriousness.
"It all began on a night as cold as this... But first, we must go back to the beginning of it all."
FLASH BACK:
"A new Cadre!" exclaimed Baraqiel, looking from head to toe at Penemue's body. "This is incredible, it's Penemue herself!" The aforementioned gave him a bored look, indicating that she didn't have time for this.
"She fell because she began to enjoy the killings..." Azazel commented simply, there being small flashbacks of Penemue killing en masse, where slowly, her angelic and pure face began to turn into a depraved one, until finally her wings changed to a black color.
"It's another person just like you, Kokabiel." Azazel commented, looking sideways at the aforementioned. "Now, that's two Cadres already who are obsessed with war..." Commented the leader with a big sigh at the end.
"Let's go!" Kokabiel exclaimed with a frightening laugh at the end. "Don't say it like that! It seems as if you now suddenly disagree with our ambitions!"
"The only ambition I have now, is to end this damned war..." Azazel commented with a grimace of annoyance.
Hearing this, Penemue began to listen to the conversation with considerable interest.
"As far as we know, the Angels want to summon the humans to war to gain more power. The idea is to wipe them out before they succeed." Azazel looked at Penemue for a short second. "I was planning to send you because you are the strongest..." Azazel closed his eyes wisely. "But, I understand that you don't want to take the mission to kill over 400 former comrades..."
Azazel couldn't finish speaking, as Penemue spread her wings, in search of the target.
The leader watched her with wide eyes, then let out a big sigh.
"Great, she's exactly like the other idiot." He thought, clearly referring to Kokabiel.
"This is the first time I'll be killing Angels... I wonder, what will their screams be like? What will their blood be like? What will they look like if I rip off limbs? Will they try to fly if I rip off their wings?" Penemue asked herself all those questions, which only managed to further increase the psychopathic and sadistic smile to such levels that it almost didn't fit on her face.
When it finally came, she finished them all off without a second glance.
To the humans...
Angels...
Even the animals that crossed her path...
Anything that had life, was taken away by her, and she felt great to have that kind of power in her hands. It felt great to see the despair in the eyes of all her victims.
It was a vice that had no end, and she didn't want it to have an end either...
"Is it over already?" Penemue asked herself with great boredom. Almost her entire body was stained completely with blood.
The woman began to walk over the pile of corpses as she sheathed her katana. The only thing she could think of, was what her next mission would be.
That continued until she heard a few small sobs from the church she had destroyed.
Rather than wanting to kill it, she was curious to know who it was. It was very unusual for a victim to survive her outbursts of madness, because once they started, she did not stop until she killed everything that moved.
The woman decided to fly, expanding her wings. She quickly landed above the rubble of the church.
"Is that cross hollow?" the Cadre wondered, seeing that the sobs were coming from the only wall that had managed to hold up, where there was a huge cross.
Penemue walked over and quickly opened the cross, seeing how inside it was a blonde girl.
"...Who are you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
At the sight of the wings, the girl hugged her tightly, taking Penemue completely by surprise.
"Explosions and screams were heard from outside!" The little girl screamed and cried. "There were bad guys outside, that's why I hid in the cross!" She explained, clearly seeing that she didn't know she was in front of the killer.
Penemue tried to push her away, but the girl raised her gaze, where her tearful eyes shone brightly. The Cadre's gaze wavered, as she met the girl's eyes.
"But you came to help me!" She exclaimed with a big smile.
Penemue pointed at herself, raising an eyebrow.
"Me?"
"Yes!" She exclaimed with a big smile. "I prayed to God to bring an Angel to save me from the bad guys!"
Penemue began to feel quite uncomfortable, and tried to push the girl away.
"Go to your parents..." She commented, looking away.
"I don't have parents." Commented the girl as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Penemue looked at her with great astonishment after her words.
"What?"
"I'm an orphan. They abandoned me when I was born." She commented, as she clung to the Cadre's arm.
Penemue tried to push her away again to fly away, but the girl quickly clung to her waist again.
"Can I come with you, please!" The girl commented, lowering her head. "I don't want to be alone..."
Penemue looked at her for a short second, then carried her in bridal form.
She had planned to take her to Grigori and let the others take care of the girl, but she never expected that she wouldn't take off an inch.
Days passed, and the war continued to progress.
At the terms of two months, Penemue finally reluctantly agreed to play with the girl, as she had nothing else to do and was very bored.
That was a turning point, as she began to give her more importance thereafter. But she never put her above her missions. After all, killing en masse was as vital a necessity to her as breathing.
Time continued to pass, and Penemue finally asked her age after 5 months, learning that the girl was 10 years old.
After almost a year, the relationship between the two of them had improved quite a bit. In fact, Penemue loved her so much that she had organized a birthday party for her, with only Azazel as a guest. Still, the girl had such a good time at her first birthday party that she called Penemue her sister for the first time. At that moment, Penemue felt that maybe, just maybe, murder wasn't the only thing that could make her happy.
With Azazel's help, Penemue was finally able to call the girl sister, and finally gave her a name of her own, which would be Ludmiel.
The months passed like water in a waterfall, and Penemue's happiness had never gone so far. She already treated Ludmiel as if she was the second most important thing in her life. In fact, it was so much so, that she beat the crap out of Kokabiel for wanting to flirt with her, putting ideas into her that when she's two or three years older, she'll be his.
After that, Kokabiel didn't dare to talk to the girl anymore...
After the days passed, her birthday came again, having the same only guest as last time.
Still, this birthday would end in a spooky way...
"We need someone to go to Japan!" Baraqiel suddenly entered the room, completely elated.
Azazel blew his bugle for one last time in surprise, indicating that Baraqiel's appearance was not at all expected.
"The Angels want to form a new pact with the humans to bring some sacred weapon species!" Cadre exclaimed, causing a sharp grin to appear on Penemue's face.
"I'll handle it." The woman quickly got up, leaving Ludmiel on the ground.
"But, my birthday..." The girl commented with great disappointment.
"When I return from dialoguing with them, we'll continue with your birthday." Cadre commented, stroking Ludmiel's head.
"Hmmm... That's not fair. You never take me with you." She commented with a little pout. "I'd like to meet those Angels you always talk to."
"Some other time." She stated, taking off her party hat.
The Cadre approached Azazel, grabbing him by his shirt.
"Listen well. You're the only one I have any confidence in, so take care of her." She commented, then let go.
"Yeah, yeah..." Azazel commented matter-of-factly, wiping one ear with his little finger.
Penemue shot off along with Baraqiel, leaving Ludmiel and Azazel alone.
As the leader thought to give the girl attention, he could see Raynare perched in the doorway, wearing her typical masochistic dress, which in those times was not so typical.
"Do you like it?" the woman asked with a mischievous look on her face, making Azazel swallow a lot of saliva. "Lately I notice that you are resisting your carnal desires quite a bit..." The woman commented, as she began to bend over in a very sensual way. "And I don't like that." She concluded, leaving Azazel a good view of her ass.
The leader tried, but couldn't take his eyes off her.
"Fuck it!" He thought, walking over to her, then grabbing her by the waist and carrying her like a sack of potatoes, making Raynare giggle quite a bit at that.
Ludmiel just watched this with a pouty face, unable to understand what had happened right now.
She didn't have much time to process it, as a silhouette quite familiar to everyone leaned against the doorframe.
"Hey, brat..." Ludmiel looked at the subject rather intently. "Wouldn't you like to know what your sister's job is?" the man asked, smiling a wicked grin at the end.
LINE JUMP.
Penemue made his way through all the Angels and humans. Killing every person that came in her way. Her smile of complete joy and madness grew bigger and bigger as blood splattered again and again on her face.
The madness and extreme pleasure of the slaughter had already flooded her mind, so she could only barely make out the screams of the people, while her vision seemed to be quite obscured, fixated only on the faces of the subjects, and the blood.
When she thought she was done with everyone, she felt someone tugging on her sleeve, so she didn't hesitate for a second, turning around with that horrifying smile on her face, burying the katana and piercing her entire chest without any remorse.
"S-sister..."
At that moment, Penemue could feel her heart almost explode in pain. Her vision quickly recovered, at the same time as her depraved mind came back in order.
The only thing she could do, was to take Ludmiel's nearly dead body in her arms, as the girl was gushing a huge amount of blood.
" S-sister, why?" were the last words, before her eyes darkened completely, becoming lifeless.
In those moments, Penemue's mind completely blocked, as all the memories together with Ludmiel flashed through her head. All those memories were slowly becoming stained with her blood.
Penemue trembled and fell to her knees, as tears fell non-stop from her eyes that were still completely shocked. She simply couldn't process what was happening...
She couldn't process that it had killed her...
Her eyes began to shake violently as the glow in them began to disappear, and she could only do one thing in that instant...
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The piercing scream left her without vocal cords, so afterwards she could only rest her head on Ludmiel's chest as her crying seemed to slowly flood the corpses around her.
END FLASHBACK.
"After that, something changed inside me. I was no longer like a Fallen Angel, but neither did I regain the innocence and purity of an Angel." Penemue commented, closing her eyes deeply.
Issei raised his hand, brushing away the tears that were flowing from the Cadre's eyes. Penemue couldn't help but look at him in complete shock, after witnessing that he was still looking at her with that same kind expression, despite what she had told him.
"Thank you very much..." Issei bowed his head, indicating his gratitude. "Thank you so much for telling me something so profound for you..." The protagonist commented, then raised his gaze. "Now, I understand why you feel that way... Without a doubt, it's a very complicated day." He said, then looked deeply into her eyes. "Although it's not exactly the same, I also have a great resentment in my heart. When Raynare used and killed me, discarding me as if I were mere trash, I felt as if I had been stabbed from all sides. But, unlike a physical wound, these never go away..." Issei commented, holding a hand to his chest. "That's what we have in common. There are many times at night when I lament, and think about how it is that we could have been. But still, I don't spend the rest of my life moping." The final comment made Penemue's eyes widen.
"There are people who really love me, people who always expect me to be well, people who are also very important to my life. For that very reason, I always try to do my best, and to be able to be happy together with those people who love me. Thanks to those people is why I continue my day by day. Thanks to those people who are completely irreplaceable to me." Issei closed his eyes, then positioned a hand on top of Penemue's head, making the Cadre look at him intently.
"That's exactly why I'm asking you... Could you be happy?"
The protagonist's question just fell as the moon cleared, causing Penemue to widen her eyes beyond belief after seeing the big smile so genuine that it gave off a myriad of emotions that ran through Penemue's body:
Comfort, warmth, joy and, above all, love.
"I know it's not a simple thing, but I'll support you all the way." The young man commented, stroking Penemue's head, causing a huge blush to shoot across her face.
"What do you say?"
Penemue lowered her head for a short second, having for the first time a nice memory of Ludmiel since her death:
"Sis!"
That memory, was when he called her sister for the first time. A memory that undoubtedly filled her with happiness.
"I think... she wouldn't be happy either..." She commented in a whisper, which could be heard by the protagonist. "I'll... I'll try." She concluded, moving a little closer to Issei.
"Great..." Was all Issei commented, watching as the clouds began to mobilize rapidly.
They both stood there for a couple of seconds in silence. Unlike before, this was such a comforting silence, it stirred both of their feelings with great happiness.
"...Why are you helping me?" Penemue's question caught the protagonist somewhat off guard, though he was able to answer it smoothly.
"Remember when I said that there were irreplaceable people for me?" He asked.
They were both staring at the moon, and yet he could tell that Penemue nodded, indicating that she was looking for an answer.
"Those people snuck into my life without me even realizing it, and now they're a fundamental part of me." He commented, pointing his hand toward the night sky, his five fingers outstretched. "They are five: Matsuda, Motohama, Ddraig, Tiamat..." Issei closed all fingers, leaving only his thumb.
"And you..."
Penemue felt like she was knocked out with a single blow after those last two words. Or at least, she felt that way, as she could barely breathe because of the great wave of heat that was embracing her whole chest, which was expanding along her whole body, transmitting that beautiful feeling that was consuming her completely.
That heat so intense that she didn't want it to stop.
It wasn't hurting her, all it was doing, was making her feel wonderful.
She wanted these sensations to last forever.
She wanted these feelings to flood her whole body so that it wouldn't let her reason.
She just wanted to dive into that sea of happiness. In that sea that makes her heart beat so strong.
And all those sensations...
All of them...
They arose from only two words...
By only one person...
For that person, that she could not stop looking at with a huge blush on her face. Simply, she was mesmerized by the overwhelming beauty that she found everything that had to do with Issei at the moment. She doesn't know at what moment it happened, it just happened.
And she... She was very happy about it.
"Issei..." The protagonist looked at her with great surprise, which quickly turned into a blush after seeing a smile so pure on the Cadre's face that it rivaled Tiamat's.
"Thank you..."
Penemue closed her eyes deeply, then brought her lips close.
Issei could only blush even more as he felt Penemue's kiss impact his cheek, conveying to him all the sensations she was currently holding back.
After that, Penemue moved even closer to Issei, leaning their bodies together, at the same time resting her head on the young man's shoulder with a calm smile on her face.
"I can't believe what I'm feeling..." She thought, visualizing the night that seemed to go on forever. "You have me completely surrendered at your feet..." The image of Tiamat flashed through her mind for a short second, causing her to chuckle internally. "I get it now, friend. It's impossible not to fall in love with someone like that. In fact, that makes two of us..." She concluded, snuggling even closer next to Issei, enjoying their closeness as much as she could.
Time flew by for the two of them, and though they wanted to continue longer watching the full moon just the two of them, they had already enjoyed the sights for too long.
"We'd better go to sleep." Issei commented, as he separated from Penemue. "We'll be busy tomorrow."
Issei was about to create the magic circle to leave, but was interrupted when he felt Penemue tug on his manga. The protagonist looked over his shoulders with intrigue, only to get a little nervous when he saw the Cadre's very tender expression.
"Would you... would you like to stay over?" she asked with a hint of shyness that was barely perceptible.
Hearing the proposal, Issei just smiled.
"Of course."
LINE JUMP.
"When she proposed me to stay over, I didn't imagine precisely this..." Issei thought with a slight cold sweat as he lay there. On his back, was Penemue, who seemed to be very comfortable as she looked at him.
The protagonist became even more nervous as he felt Penemue move even closer, gluing their bodies together. The Cadre rested her forehead the nape of Issei's neck, giving a small sigh that contained her happiness.
"Thank you for accepting. I really needed it..." She commented, snuggling into Issei even more.
"W-what are we doing tomorrow?" The protagonist tried to quickly change the subject. True, he had slept many times with Tiamat, but this was completely different.
"I don't know..." Cadre replied, bowing her shoulders. "I already had something in mind, but we'll have to change the plan. At the very least, enjoy these next two days. You'll have a little break before we start again."
"Oh... thanks." Issei didn't sound very convinced.
What did Penemue have planned?
Supposedly, the previous training can't take place due to lack of time, and now he's going to have two days off thanks to the new training?
Something smelled really bad, but he decided to leave his bad thoughts behind when he finally resumed his training.
"Two days off, huh?" thought the protagonist out loud. "You want me to beat you at chess like today?" He asked in a mocking tone, making Penemue chuckle.
"Beat me?" Penemue scoffed. "Keep in mind that I wasn't concentrating. In fact, with the skill you have right now, you wouldn't be able to beat even an amateur."
"Hey!" A small pout tugged at Issei's lips.
"At least I know how to cook."
"You don't like my food?" Penemue asked with a slightly hurt tone.
"It always comes out burnt and tasteless. I'm sure if you used an oven, you'd send us all flying." Issei scoffed, receiving a small playful slap on her back from the Cadre.
"If you're such a good teacher, then teach me." Penemue declared, causing Issei to blink in slight surprise.
The protagonist turned his face, to see Penemue's crimson glowing eyes were closer than he expected. Seeing her longing gaze asking for a positive response, Issei couldn't resist.
"Very well." He replied, resting a hand on her cheek. "I'll do my best."
Penemue just answered him by resting her hand on his, at the same time cupping her cheek even more in Issei's hand. She had actually liked that interaction much more than it appeared at first glance.
Issei turned away again, giving a small yawn.
"Good night..."
"Good night." Penemue returned the greeting, resting both of her hands on the protagonist's back rather affectionately.
She was sure this would be the first time she would sleep so peacefully in years, even centuries.
But the Cadre planned to make one last call before she slept next to her future lover.
A small violet magic circle appeared in her left ear.
"Do you hear me, Tannin?"
"Penemue!" Tannin's plaintive voice could be heard from the other side. "What the fuck, it's three in the morning!"
"Sorry..." Penemue quickly apologized, resting her face on the back of Issei's neck with a hint of guilt.
"Ahhhhhhh, ya, ya! Whatever!" Tannin gave a big yawn. "Are you feeling better now?"
"Yes..." She gave a slight nod, making Tannin smile.
"I'm glad to hear that." Tannin's pleased voice reaffirmed his words. "By the way, where is the dragon brat? I didn't see him arrive..."
The smile couldn't help but creep across Penemue's face, as did his significant change in voice.
"He's here with me." The rather affectionate and loving tone was impossible for Tannin to miss.
"Oh, yeah?" The dragon's slightly flirtatious tone caused a small blush to frame the Cadre's face. "Are you having fun?"
"Forget about that. I called you about a more important thing." She commented with great seriousness.
At that moment, Tannin's mocking look disappeared from her face.
"What do you want?"
"In the end, I came to the decision not to do the training I had in mind." He explained with great seriousness. "For the next two days we won't do anything, but I need you to bring Tiamat. We will need her sword to do the training. Also tell her that when she starts, her presence will also be needed. I'm already running out of phoenix tears, and we need to keep an eye on him at all times."
"From the way you're telling it, it seems like the training will be even worse than what you had in mind..." Commented the dragon very seriously, seeing that this was no joke.
"It will be much worse." She commented, looking at Issei with a small hint of concern. "But, it's the only thing we can do with the time we have." Penemue lowered her head slightly, giving a sigh. "Also tell Tiamat that the three of us will have to keep an eye on his training at all times..." Penemue's gaze darkened slightly.
"There is too much risk of death."
"Very well, I will tell her." The dragon commented from the other side, unable to hide his slight concern at the method Penemue would use.
Penemue cut the transmission, then looked at Issei with slight concern.
"I'm giving the green light to this plan, because I know you can pull it off. But you'll need to do your best to go all the way..." Cadre thought, then took one last look at her metal closet, where there was a pair of robes, exactly the same robes she had used in her first confrontation against Issei.
Those same robes, which seemed to have an enormous weight...
END OF THE CHAPTER!
Well, with this I leave the relationship between Issei and Penemue almost completely settled, almost. I still plan to do a couple of things in these two remaining days with the two of them. Where the two days will have a lot to deliver to them.
After that, the last part of the training is coming up, which will go by much faster than the first. But, as you are already seeing, it will be deadly.
Once this is over, we will finally continue with the original line. First comes Gasper, who I have a big surprise for everyone, and finally, the closing of this arc with the battle between Vali and Issei. I also have many interesting things prepared for this fight.
Many will wonder, what will happen once the training is over, won't Penemue be closer to Issei?
Obviously, I don't plan to separate her from Issei. I will use an already seen and quite common method. After all, we have to give even a little bit of lore to that damn Academy.
Now, without further ado, I hope you enjoyed this second part and the double chapter itself!
Thanks for reading!