Beelzebub massages their left shoulder and moves to stretch their left arm. It's only been a week at least, but they're bothered by the discomfort when moving the body as their own. The consciousness couldn't resist when Tirpitz isn't aware of the infection itself being sentient and actually parasitizing to her. Still, Beelzebub feels somewhat sluggish and restless. The only explanation is the wisdom cube acting against an unknown entity latching into it.
"This body is uncomfortable. Her consciousness is persisting. Did I make a mistake when I reactivated the wisdom cube?"
The symptom isn't physical since the discomfort is more on a mental level. Tirpitz's personality has been suppressed for the time being, but Beelzebub experiences mild soreness in the body and tension headache.
"Eating away her ego will solve the problem, but I won't be able to move freely in Iron Blood. It won't be long before I can make this body mine, but I need to marinate my prey first"
Beelzebub stares at the mirror and licks her upper lips when they recall Bismarck fiercely standing before them even when she's already coughing blood.
[*******]
"Abaddon, what's the matter?" Beelzebub frowns
[*******]
"You two are there? Mammon says they want to come, but business is booming?"
[*******]
"As you can see, my body is resisting me. I didn't think the personalities of kansens are engraved this strongly in their wisdom cube"
[*******]
"Belphegor acted and actually helped Asmodeus make a meal? What new dish are you feeding everyone this time?"
[*******]
"A surprise, huh. Well, I don't mind if I have to guess my meal. It brings out the flavor the best that way"
Beelzebub removes the cap and combs the silky snow-white hair to the back to experiment on their current appearance. Due to their nature as excessive consumption, Beelzebub only cares about tasting and swallowing normal food and absorbing wisdom cubes. Appearance and image have always been Asmodeus and Lucifer's specialty.
"I can barely connect to the others with how weak I currently am. Lucifer plays around the Arbiters seeing them as humanity's feisty toys- ah, this is probably what Abaddon feels"
Each one of them have their personalities of their own primarily shaped by the sins they embody, but they're also capable of expressing different emotions. What they clearly lack is the positive trait of humans, making them the natural predators of the world.
[********]
"You're right. Right now, the Sirens should know I'm in a weakened state and I'm a target. However, Bismarck isn't going to lose her younger sister again. I can't expose myself by fighting as myself"
[********]
"One issue is those templars. Their instincts are sharp and if I'm not careful, they'll sense something is amiss with me. One stab is all they need to find out I stole this body"
Beelzebub touches their left cheek and that side of the face partially mutates to resemble their original body. Three bright red eyes on one side, black steel plating, and half row of exposed jagged teeth.
[********]
"I get it. I'll try to hold back a bit..."
[...]
"Belphegor can nullify and shut down everything, even bodily functions. Asmodeus must have infused their next dish with that power"
A single swipe to the left side of the face and Beelzebub's face returns to normal. No one would think a Leviathan turned themselves into a parasite to freely mingle with kansens.
"Huh? What am I doing just now?" Tirpitz blinks and shakes her head
Tirpitz scans her surroundings, puzzled at why she's standing in front of the mirror when she's only preparing for the business trip earlier. Everything around her is right where they should be, but there's an ominous sensation crawling in her skin.
"At least my hunger isn't acting up today. It'll be bad if I start biting myself when I get hungry in the meeting"
Since nothing is out of place and nothing has changed, Tirpitz clears her throat and straightens her uniform. It's the first time she will sail outside Iron Blood waters ever since the decisive clash against Beelzebub.
"Lady Tirpitz! Lord Bismarck is looking for you! She said you two will leave in thirty minutes"
U-556 repeatedly knocks at the door. She only opens it enough for her head to peek while her hands are clinging to the edge of the door.
"I'll be right there. I just finished preparing"
"Roger that!"
Tirpitz clutches her left wrist as she replies when the fingers twitch and stiffen after a few seconds. It's like her bones are cracking and twisting, but there's little pain.
(I hope I won't cause trouble at the meeting over lunch...)
Ever since then, Tirpitz is anxious when around food or anything close to food since her stomach causes extreme uneasiness and her thoughts are in disarray.
Iris Libre Headquarters...
The sisters arrived at the main base of the nation proud of their religion and how they advocate holiness. They are greeted by Saint Louis and Bayard who lift their heads upon spotting the contrasting black and white figures of Iron Blood and their oddly few escorts consisting of a fully recovered Prinz Eugen, U-556, Roon, and Weser.
"Templars, huh. Are they escorts? Hopefully, they're not suspicious of us" Tirpitz whispers
"Why would you say that?" Bismarck blinks in surprise
"Abaddon the Covetous and Asmodeus the Desiderate don't go well. Envy is something we want that others have while lust can also be interpreted as wanting anything you desire"
Tirpitz doesn't inform Bismarck, but her mind has clear image of the two Leviathans she have never seen before. Asmodeus already appeared in her dream as a three-headed dragon in a chef costume while Abaddon is also a dragon but with serpentine traits and spikes.
"Richelieu and Jean Bart are having difficulty keeping the nation from escalating into a civil war. It's not public, but several kansens have gotten into physical fights over distrust and resentment" Bismarck clenches her fists
"A serpent is already within their ranks-"
Tirpitz immediately stops right where she stands when a painful shock courses through her body, leaving her feeling electrocuted and her limbs tightly coiled. An excruciating headache overtakes her for a moment that she takes one step back.
Comparison rots away foundations...
To crave is to succumb to selfishness...
Unlike whenever she's hungry, Tirpitz senses the scalding and prickling sensation of her infection on her back and arms. The mark of the infection manifests again but thankfully remains hidden due to her uniform.
[It's as you said, Asmodeus. Beelzebub is stuck because they haven't eaten the shell's consciousness]
[Don't worry, my brethren. I already prepared someone that will surely help Beel snap out of it]
There's no explanation but two unfamiliar voices speaks as if she's also present in the conversation. The voices are eerily clear that they may as well be standing in front of her.
"Is everything alright?" Saint Louis approaches first
"Your sister looks unwell" Bayard notices Tirpitz gritting her teeth
"I'm fine. I just recovered from the whole nearly dying thing..."
Tirpitz feels the burn on her arms and back, but she forcefully keeps her body from trembling and maintaining her usual stoic expression.
"..."
For a second, Tirpitz thinks of punching through Saint Louis's chest out of curiosity to what her liver tastes like, and the horrid eagerness to rip off one of Bayard's fingers. The two templars aren't warriors but fresh meat offering themselves to be skewered and grilled like barbecue.
"A-are we meeting Richelieu and Jean Bart over lunch?" Tirpitz feels her palms sweat
It's taking all of her self-control and willpower to resist primal instinct to feed. Tirpitz clenches her fists when the thought of attacking the other kansens keeps urging her.
"Normally, it should be another meeting. It's Brest's suggestion to discuss it over a meal" Saint Louis shrugs
"Brest wanted to greet Iron Blood's leader herself, but she informed us that she would be helping with preparing the meal" Bayard scratches her cheek
(Somehow, I have a bad feeling about this...)
The moment "meal" is mentioned, Tirpitz's heart races not in excitement but in anxiety and suspicion. Another side of her mind trembles in excitement and repeatedly snaps their jaws.
Meanwhile...
Alone in the kitchen, Brest carefully separates the four plates reserves for two pairs of sisters. The first three are already covered while the fourth one remains open. Grayish cooked meat which appears to be veal rests on the plate. It's meaty with less fat upon first inspection.
"Hhhmm~"
Guichen slides forward two containers resembling a paper shaker and soy sauce bottle towards Brest. The latter first gently sprinkles pepper which sizzles upon contact on the meat's surface. When Brest gently spreads the pitch black slimy soy sauce all over the meat, the fluid sinks itself inside the meat and the others on the plate pull itself towards it.
"Belphegor's claws are the best dispenser for spices~" Guichen sniffs the meat's aroma
"They can be helpful when needed"
Brest repeatedly tilts her head while giggling and pouring more of the suspicious pepper and soy sauce.
"Don't forget the surprise, Abaddon" Guichen snaps her fingers
"I almost forgot to put in a bit of space!"
As soon as Brest immediately pulls up the two special ingredients before she accidentally adds an excess amount, she shakes her head.
"Since we're done, it's time to preserve the spices for our next meal" Guichen gleefully takes back the flavors
Guichen gazes up and parts her jaws wide open. She drops the spices in her mouth and swallows them as if they're normal candies.
"A little bit of here~"
Brest raises her index finger on her left hand and it distorts into a metal finger with bright green talon filled with all sorts of venom. Since Brest isn't planning on poisoning anyone as of the moment, she uses her sharp claw to force a certain space from the side of the meat.
"This would certainly leave an impression"
Her finger pierces through the other side, leaving a barely noticeable gap from left to right. Brest pulls out her tongue, bringing out a belt-like fabric which seems to be torn from a part of a black jacket.
The meeting room...
Bayard and Saint Louis stand guard on both sides of the door outside while Brennus is the sole guard inside and given permission to be the observer of the meeting. It's a safety measure requested by Jean Bart due to the tension of Abaddon's schemes poisoning their ranks. As for Iron Blood, Prinz Eugen is present due to being Bismarck's occasional right-hand.
"I'm sincerely relieved you two survived after the last battle with Beelzebub. It nearly cost your lives, but Iron Blood thruimph against the voracious abomination" Richelieu warmly smiles
"I planned to face the beast alone and die if it meant permanently killing it, but Tirpitz actually disobeyed my order to retreat"
Bismarck turns to the left where Tirpitz is sitting right next to her. While Bismarck isn't upset anymore at the recklessness, she masks her personal worry as an older sister behind as a firm leader.
"I was willing to get myself killed. Iron Blood needed you and our land will fall if they lost their mightiest leader" Tirpitz replies with a calm expression
"Jean Bart nearly did the same before" Richelieu sighs
"Hahaha! I guess what we have in common is little sisters who will do what they think is right" Jean Bart proudly crosses her arms
(This discomfort again...)
Tirpitz slowly clenches her fists when the prickling thorns crawl on both of her arms. Her senses are distracted by two unavoidable scent within the building, but no one in the room matches the acid and perfume smell.
"Back to our serious topic. We appreciate your assistance in locating our enemy. I admit, we're having difficulty keeping order within our fleet" Richelieu clears her throat
"Abaddon is a deadly serpent. Their fluids are acidic and their gaze will turn friend to foe" Jean Bart clicks her tongue
"Beelzebub was more direct. They simply swallowed everything and everyone in their path. The more they ate, the stronger they got. We had to overload them from the inside, so they would implode"
Rather than implode, the actual result is Beelzebub crumbling and disintegrating in mere minutes. There's little to no pieces of their body left in the aftermath.
"Iron Blood can provide the Intel to speed the search. If you allow, we'll lend some of our people here" Bismarck makes her proposal
"Numbers are good and all, but both our sides have no plan on how to search for a snake" Jean Bart massages her head
"That's what this meeting is for. We need to devise a more effective method to pinpoint Abaddon's location" Richelieu furrows her eyebrows are Jean Bart
"According to your Intel, Abaddon caused strife within your fleet. Some resulted in violent quarrels and had to detain some kansens" Bismarck reviews the document in front of her
"It's true. The kansens we detained had some traces of unknown poison in their bloodstream. They were all agitated, irritated, and paranoid" Richelieu lightly nods
"Our scientists said it's a drug completely unknown to humanity. They tested it on a rat and it ended with the rat mauling its fellow rat over food" Jean Bart shakes her head
"It drastically alters someone's behavior" Tirpitz rubs her chin
Both Bismarck and Tirpitz review the research results on the dangerous sample extracted from the infected kansens. It also includes an image of a white rat turned scarlet after tearing another rat to unrecognizable viscera.
"The Eagle Union wished to assist in our research, but the assistance was halted after Lucifer killed four of their kansens this week" Richelieu sighs again
"Lucifer the Arrogant. From the shared Intel, they don't work well with their brethren, but they're noted to be efficient in killing" Bismarck is slightly nervous
"..." Everyone in the room is silent
"All this talk about sea creatures killing one friends. When is lunch coming up?"
Jean Bart lightly slams the table to immediately interrupt the heavy atmosphere and tensed silence.
"Richelieu, lunch has arrived" Guichen raises her voice from outside the door
"You shouldn't have interrupted them like that" Brest shakes her head in dismay
Saint Louis opens the door for them with Bayard pushing the serving trolley with four covered plates on the top.
"The destroyers helped us cook. I'm sure they make a good meal" Guichen giggles
"...!"
As soon as Brest and Bayard approaches then, Tirpitz jolts. She couldn't move her body, but her hands sweat and tremble in excitement for an unknown reason. The sickly-sweet perfume and the nose shattering acid is the strongest from the pair.
Hungry...hungry...hungry...!
A voice in the deepest corner of Tirpitz's mind screams rabidly that it even growls and makes all sorts of impatient animalistic noises.
[This one's for you, Beel. Be sure to savor it. A destroyed helped me made it. Hehehe~]
Guichen carefully slides a cooked piece of veal in front of Tirpitz, but her voice echoes in Tirpitz's mind. The lips doesn't part the slightest while she maintains a friendly smile.
[Don't look at us like that, Beelzebub. We're all connected, so communication like this is normal]
"...!"
Tirpitz immediately turns to Brest out of instinct when her voice whispers in her mind without moving her lips. Bismarck is visibly clueless about this while she nods at the steak served to her.
"Is there something wrong, Tirpitz?"
Unlike Bismarck who's eager to slice through a piece, she pauses on the idea after catching a glimpse of Tirpitz anxiously staring at her food.
"It's nothing..."
Tirpitz lifts her head to see Richelieu and Jean Bart staring at her as well, seemingly puzzled at why she's anxious at a normal-looking meat. Even the pair of templars who are about to return to their post outside raises an eyebrow at her.
"..."
As much as Tirpitz's is struggling against her instinct to devour the meat and slices a small portion.
"Huh?"
It only takes a single bite and few chews for Tirpitz to silently describe the meat as a tender, somewhat sweet, and soft. She expects veal to be at least mildly flavored, but the juiciness melts in her mouth and sweetness similar to honey tickles her tongue.
(This is actually good)
Tirpitz quickly slices another portion and gladly stuffs it into her mouth. More flavors are introduced to her food palate. Something tastes like pineapple when she squeezes more of the juices with each chew.
"The steak has a unique flavor" Bismarck smiles after the second bite
"My ham tastes like a weird beef" Jean Bart closes her eyes to focus on the flavor
"It's unusual, but yes...it has a unique flavor"
Richelieu slowly chews her meat while sneaking a glance at Guichen who's been staring at her ever since they all started eating.
"Something's sticking out of my food"
Tirpitz slices the veal to cut open the part where something black is revealing at the edge.
"What the..."
Tirpitz blinks a few times when she uses her fork to lift what appears to be leather or fabric with a dirtied Iron Cross imprinted and a sharp metal edge.
"It's a surprise from the one who we served as a meal just now" Guichen immediately answers her
"...!"
Tirpitz drops her fork as she's about to take another piece when a bitter flavor fills her throat and her stomach sizzling as if her insides are burning.
"Tirpitz?" Bismarck stops eating
"A...ah..." Tirpitz couldn't speak even if she wanted to while she touches her throat
"Tirpitz, what's wrong?" Bismarck pushes her chair and prepares to stand up
"Can't...breathe. Bismarck...I can't...breathe..."
Tirpitz repeatedly hacks when she feels like her inside is filled with something bitter and tangy at the same time. The sensation constricts the air from her lungs and slowly numbs the control of her body bit by bit.
"What's-"
At that moment, Bismarck's attention shifts to Guichen, whose gleeful smile are directed towards Tirpitz. It's the obvious smile of someone who expected the result.
"Something's wrong"
Tirpitz's left hand tightly clutch the edge of the table as an attempt to muster strength to stand up or at least move the rest of her body. It immediately fails when her body trembles from the numbness and the heaviness filling every inch of her body.
"What's the meaning of this-?!"
Bismarck's intuition alerts her if the killing intent from Guichen, so she quickly stands up. She's about to unsheath her sword when it's a clear act of hostility and no mere accident, but her entire body freezes in a position of her only able to pull her sword by a few centimeters from the scabbard.
"...!" Richelieu is paralyzed while sitting
"Nngh!"
As for Jean Bart, she already draws a flintlock pistol and points it at Guichen's shoulder. Her index finger is already at the trigger, but she couldn't muster enough force to move her finger.
"...!"
Brennus couldn't even lift the sword in her hand while Prinz Eugen also freezes in her first step. Everyone present except for Guichen can freely move. As for Brest, she immediately drops on all fours, twitching her lips and shutting her eyes, acting in pain rather than paralyzed.
"You're the fucking traitor!" Jean Bart can only move her mouth and lips
"You truly are reliable. By instinct alone, you knew something, or someone might interfere in this meeting, so you borrowed a gun in case of an attack" Guichen claps a few times
"Guichen, what's the meaning of this?!" Richelieu struggles to move
"I'm here to thwart Iris Libre's plan to seek more assistance from other nations. The Sardegna is already troublesome. It was the perfect setup because both leaders and their sisters are all present"
Guichen switches her gaze between Bismarck and Richelieu. The latter is more devastated and shocked at the betrayal while the former is forcing her paralyzed hands to draw the sword and decapitate the culprit.
"I am the sickly and intoxicating desire. To put it simply, I'm the lust pushing humanity to crave more and more. The more humanity progressed, the stronger their desire became"
Guichen walks towards Richelieu and gently traces her finger on her trembling face. She itches to make that face bleed or at least spill her blood in front of the helpless kansens.
"I despise you, Richelieu. You abandoned common desires like riches, status, and power for the sake of devoting yourself into ensuring the Iris Orthodoxy is officially reformed" Guichen grits her teeth
"Who are you? You're not the real Guichen!" Richelieu is certain
"If you're thinking of Abaddon, then you're gravely mistaken. I am Asmodeus the Lascivious and sometimes the Desiderate"
"You drugging bastard!" Jean Bart's arm only shakes when it refuses to move
"Try as you might. Even if you can pull the trigger, a mere bullet is like dust to my brethren"
"What did you do to Guichen?!" Richelieu raises her voice
"..."
The fake Guichen, Asmodeus lowers her eyes and directing towards the half-eaten meal served to both Richelieu and Jean Bart.
"...!" Richelieu already guesses the answer
"I skinned her and wore it with the help of Abaddon's specialty. What I served just now was a portion of her left leg while the rest is stored by Belphegor"
"You...you murdered one of us and secretly fed her to us while wearing her skin..."
At this point, Richelieu wants to scream and vomit from the horrifying revelation of twisted cannibalism.
"Abaddon always despised you for being loved by both your people and your God. You have everything after all! A supportive younger sister, status as a beloved leader, and the charisma to spread hope. It makes us sick!"
Asmodeus furiously grabs the knife and repeatedly stabs Richelieu's hand while the latter bites her lower lip even while her hand bleeds. Small drops of her blood splatters with each swift stabbing. Asmodeus only stops when a small pool of blood spills from Richelieu's palms and leaves the knife impaling her hand.
"Don't worry. I didn't serve her to the Iron Blood sisters. I used someone else from their nation!" Asmodeus turns always and heads back to Bismarck and Tirpitz
"W-who did you make us eat?" Tirpitz's lips tremble
"It's veal for a reason. Rather than a young calf, I took it from a young kansen. The feisty one called herself Z16"
"Beelzebub swallowed Z16 a long time ago!"
"I requested for one ingredient, so they preserved one of their victims and spat it out for me. It's a shame she was already dead by the time her body was regurgitated" Asmodeus repeatedly pats Tirpitz's shoulder
"You won't get out of here alive" Tirpitz cracks the edge of the table
"My, my, what's taking them so long. Is the meat not enough to ease the confusion?"
Asmodeus, still in Guichen's skin, stares at Tirpitz for a few seconds before grabbing the steel knife and spins it between their fingers.
"You wretched beast-!" Bismarck realizes Asmodeus's intentions
"Take a good look, Bismarck. Be sure to engrave this memory and build up more of that bloodlust"
"...!"
Asmodeus tightly grips the knife and the first strike is a stab on the left side of Tirpitz's abdomen. They purposely pierces through the kidney from the side first.
"Desire for revenge - kill me! The stronger the emotions, the more it feeds us!"
After pulling out the knife dipped in Tirpitz's blood. Asmodeus proceeds to repeatedly stab Tirpitz from the side until the bright scarlet color of blood spreads around her white uniform.
[It's time to snap back to your senses, Beel. We're helping you! We know you're mentally confused right now and starving!]
Asmodeus telepathically reaches out to Beelzebub's trace engraved within Tirpitz's wisdom cube, but there's no response after a few seconds. There's only a panting and bleeding battleship.
[Asmodeus, they're not responding] Abaddon couldn't sense Beelzebub
[Did we miscalculate? What if we suppressed Beelzebub in the process?] Asmodeus stares at the bloodied knife and their equally stained hand
[Lucifer may be right. The only effective solution is getting rid of the excess ego]
[Beel needs the corpse intact. Hollowing out the remaining ego will hollow the wisdom cube, losing the flavor in the process]
[Invoke hunger. Beel loves the smell of blood. It will raise their attention enough to dominate the corpse]
Asmodeus spins the knife again and proceeds to "poke" the corpse with swift stabs on Tirpitz's upper arm and shoulder. If they fatally aim for the heart or lungs, it will draw suspicion that Tirpitz's body can survive it.
[This should do the trick, but this amount of blood will take a while to draw Beel out] Asmodeus smiles at their deed
Blood splatters on Tirpitz's neck and shoulders, but she still refuses to let out a scream, let alone shed a tear due to extreme physical pain. Tirpitz grits her teeth while blood spills from the side of her lips.
[It's a shame, I can't drive Bismarck to madness. Beel finds the most tenacious ones we the most tender and juicy] Asmodeus sighs
Asmodeus grabs Tirpitz's collar and tosses her down to the side, letting her bleed on the floor while the rest are forced to watch the torment earlier and helpless to stop the bleeding.
[Asmodeus] Abaddon widens their eyes
[I know...] Asmodeus smiles in anticipation
Asmodeus tosses the knife away and takes a few steps back, aiming to stand a few inches from the walk.
"Geryon!" Bismarck glares at her
"Hehehe. You're a clever main dish. You're more prepared than I thought, but the thing is your so-called sister-"
Right as Asmodeus rapidly claps in amusement and about to compliment Bismarck in a half sarcastic tone, Geryon's middle head bursts through the wall and immediately snaps its steel jaws at Abaddon, tightly clamping the torso in its mouth.
"...!"
The metallic beast pulls away with its teeth deeply digging in the target's body. As it's only a stolen skin, the wound produces no blood and only appears like Geryon is violently shaking a chew toy.
"Tirpitz!"
Catching Asmodeus off guard is enough to accidentally release the paralysis on them triggered by the ingested poison which is from another origin. Bismarck rushes to Tirpitz and presses her hand on her bleeding side.
"I'll tend to Tirpitz's wounds. Killing that bastard before they get away is our priority" Prinz Eugen grabs Bismarck's shoulder
"Bismarck, Asmodeus must be purged. This is our only chance of avenging the sickening act of making a meal out of our people" Richelieu rushes to their side
"I'll leave Tirpitz in your care!"
As a leader, Bismarck cannot afford to be softening in a critical situation. She shakes her head and steels her focus in confronting ones of the "Deadly Sins". Bismarck is finally able to draw her sword, but the enemy isn't a mere bloody chef. She and the other unharmed kansens immediately rushes outside while Geryon is flailing around its head
"Nngh..." Tirpitz groans while pressing the side of her abdomen
"It's strange but at least you're not bleeding that much"
Prinz Eugen wryly laughs when Tirpitz isn't actually suffering blood loss. Shortly after Asmodeus stabs her side more than twenty times, the bleeding has stopped but the wound couldn't heal.
"Tirpitz...?"
Upon inspecting Tirpitz's face, Prinz Eugen pulls herself back a bit when her Sapphire blue eyes turn to a deep shade of crimson with diamond-shaped pupils.
"..."
Tirpitz moves her hand to stare at her glove soaked with her fresh blood. It's slightly wet and somewhat sticky on her palm, but the scent curves a faint smile on her face.
(What's this uneasiness...?)
Prinz Eugen quickly stands up and take two steps back when Tirpitz doesn't respond or even pay attention to her. If anything, Tirpitz completely ignores her injuries and eerily smiling at Geryon tossing Asmodeus to the side.
[Asmodeus used Belphegor's power to weaken this container's ego. It will last an hour at best. Iron Blood must have done something before they faced me before. To think a mere spare tire tricked me]
Beelzebub doesn't turn around at Brest standing on one side due to their network allowing them to communicate anytime and anywhere. Their thoughts briefly shift to the last battle where a bloodied and one arm Tirpitz stares at her without the slightest fear of dying.
Sweet...metallic blood in my tongue. Hungry...you made me hungry again, Asmodeus...