Mammon haunches and clears their throat after adjusting their monocle and necktie. Their voice is polite and rational, but their tone remains deep and monstrous. Their eyes are fixated on Tirpitz, sensing that Beelzebub is currently behaving but active.
"This won't do"
Mammon narrows their eyes and growls lowly. They snap their fingers and the clicking of their thumb and index finger echoes in the air.
"What did you do? My head feels lighter and quiet..." Tirpitz looks around her
A sudden soothing and gentle feeling washes over Tirpitz. It's a deafening silence for once. She doesn't feel the parasite wriggling and crawling inside her. Beelzebub isn't there breathing on her neck and no claws are prickling her throat.
"I severed the connection between you and Beelzebub as you two wrestle the same consciousness. It's a temporary measure because I don't wish for my kin to eavesdrop and lash out" Mammon clears their throat
"Speak. What did you mean Tirpitz is dead?" Bismarck walks in front of Mammon
"Physically speaking, that is. Beelzebub broke her wisdom cube when she went to trick Beelzebub into tasting her. It was their power that repaired and reactivated her wisdom cube. Her current state is a pitiful one as Beelzebub had dug into her wisdom cube"
Mammon shakes their head and wags their several hands. They chuckle, simply amused, but Bismarck sharply glares at them as a response.
"I was Beelzebub's power that reanimated her body. The reason her memories were fragmented was because Beelzebub salvaged them after nearly devouring her mind. She's fortunate enough to even be herself, but the more dominant one in the body is Beelzebub"
"I was put back together after getting killed..." Tirpitz stares at her hands
"Fortunately, Beelzebub reconstructed your mangled body the same way a wisdom cube forms a kansen's body. Beelzebub has no experience reconstructing and repairing damages to the host due to their nature as a parasite and a glutton"
"Is there any hope at all for, Tirpitz?"
"Hope? Ha! That's a pitiful word humans seem to spout nowadays-"
When Mammon doesn't stop smacking their tail up and down while they're sitting on all fours, Empress stomps on their tail.
"Take it this way: Your body is like a destroyed tree and all nutrients are drained. Beelzebub came along and integrated themselves within the damaged roots. Beelzebub nourished the tree once more, reconstructing the missing parts. The issue is the reconstructed parts are...tainted"
To demonstrate, Mammon projects a holographic image of a destroyed tree. Beelzebub's representation is a shapeless parasite with wriggling tendrils. As a parasite, Beelzebub merges with the damaged roots and adds its nutrients to the remaining nutrients in the root. With additional nutrients from the parasite, the tree reconstructs its original form.
"Are you saying if we remove Beelzebub, Tirpitz will die?" Bismarck clenches her fists
"That seems to be the case. As a Leviathan representing Greed, surely you have sufficient knowledge and information, hmm?" Empress crosses her arms
"Removing Beelzebub is more difficult now. She let them dig further into her wisdom cube. Even if I were to separate Beelzebub, the consequences would be extensive" Mammon adjusts their monocle
"Is there a chance I can at least survive without a parasite" Tirpitz steps forward
"Eliminate Beelzebub's consciousness. It will halt the infection from progressing and in turn, you can use their essence to keep your wisdom cube active"
"It's easier said than done..." Bismarck crosses her arms
"Correct. Beelzebub is strong-willed in the sense that they're extremely stubborn and persistent. They won't stop until they get what they want"
Mammon proudly grins and their eyes shift to Bismarck during their second statement.
"They've devoured some of your memories already. That's why some of them are missing. Beelzebub cannot only devour the physical body, but they feed on emotions and memories. That's why they love Bismarck's flavor"
Mammon licks their lips and gazes at Bismarck. Their monstrous and piercing eyes are unreadable, but there's a hint of malice.
"All that information isn't free of charge. I don't work for charity, so how about a game as my payment?" Mammon tilts their head
"Here we go again..." Empress rubs her temples
"There's a lie and half of the truth with everything I said. If you can figure out which one, I will offer a solution"
"You're playing a game now?" Bismarck stares at Mammon
"Who in the right mind would put effort for free? In this era, services must have equal value in exchange. If it's not worth anything to me, I can walk away and leave you to your problems" Mammon wags the index fingers in all their hands
"You've got guts for a natural liar and opportunist - shameless even"
"I honor my deals, Bismarck. At least I have that going for me. But you - you couldn't even deal with Beelzebub. Their weakness is simple, but now you're allowing them to learn from humanity"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Bismarck narrows her eyes
"Beelzebub. That hungry abomination doesn't just feed on normal food. They consume and absorb emotions, thoughts, and even memories. By feeding on a host, Beelzebub learns how humans feel, think, and act" Empress clears her throat
Empress steps forward and personally explains it as simply as possible while Mammon silently nods with confident smugness.
"You're telling me by keeping Beelzebub within me, I'm helping that thing grow stronger" Tirpitz clutches her chest
"Of course. Why do you think Beelzebub didn't devour your consciousness? They wanted to taste the flavor of humanity, remember?" Empress sighs
"Beelzebub is the type that once they get a taste, they won't stop like it's an addiction. To begin with, they only started going after flavorful humans after tasting one. Who was the first? I don't know nor do I care"
"A Sakura Empire battleship who refused to back down even after losing an arm. I believe she was called Tosa" The Empress shrugs her shoulders
"Anyway, you sisters don't have much time left. Beelzebub is likely waiting for Bismarck's emotions to be at its peak. Fear, despair, sorrow, and hopelessness"
Mammon takes a slow step forward and crouches. Their head lower enough to be at the same level as Bismarck. They grin, exposing rows of razor-sharp teeth beneath the face of an unapologetic opportunist.
"They're waiting for you to slip, Bismarck. The moment they see you desperately try to cling and claw for hope, you will be devoured, and your sister..." Mammon chuckles
"Beelzebub will have to starve for a long time because I won't break that easily"
Bismarck stares right at Mammon with an unblinking and fierce gaze. She can see her face vaguely reflected in their shiny and polished eyes.
"By the way, suicide isn't an option either" Empress directly tells Tirpitz
"..." Tirpitz remains silent
"Although I have a proposition to relieve the issue even if it's temporary, the price may be unacceptable" Mammon clears their throat
"State your price" Bismarck crosses her arms
"Determined, daring, and fearless. Hah! My favorite kind of client" Mammon lightly nods
"..." Tirpitz glances at Mammon
"You must determine which one is my lie, and I will gladly provide a discount. How does ten percent sound?"
"Ugh...it's hard to tell whether you're being serious or annoying sometimes"
The Empress massages her glabella and deeply groans while Mammon is "innocently" grinning while keeping their gaze at a visibly displeased and annoyed Bismarck.
Two hours later...
Tirpitz locks herself in her room. She sits at the side of the bed, her thoughts hazy and disorganized. Her vision is swaying, and her body temperature has significantly increased.
"I know you're there, watching me closely. You're delighted to see me struggle like a wolf waiting for their prey to tire out...Beelzebub"
Tirpitz weakly scoffs as sweat rolls down her cheek. Her stoic and gentle icy blue eyes stare at the mirror in front of her.
[Indeed. I'm enjoying the futility of your struggle. No matter what you do, I will benefit from it. Nothing and no one escapes my jaws]
In the blink of an eye, Tirpitz's consciousness is pulled at the deepest corner of her mind. There, Beelzebub casually lounges at a shallow water littered with carcasses and bones of various creatures. It's a shallow watery grave and leftovers of Beelzebub's feast.
[Prey like you will end up falling back to my platter in the end. That's how you humans are]
"You're growing confident" Tirpitz narrows her eyes
[I feed endlessly. My desires know no bounds, Tirpitz]
"..."
A flicker of surprise passes by Tirpitz when she lifts her head and widens her eyes for a moment. It's subtle, but she notices how Beelzebub goes from calling her a brat and among other insults to calmly referring by her name.
"Unchecked desires lead to self-destruction. It's why you were tricked into eating me"
[I admit that it's a bad habit of mine, but you...you fear it, didn't you? You're afraid, Tirpitz. You're afraid that I will rob you more than a free life]
"..." Tirpitz crosses her arms
[You crave connection, bond, and warmth. You're human after all...so it's natural to avoid loneliness What if I take that from you? I can just hollow you out, wear your skin like it's my own, and big sister Bismarck won't find out until I sink my teeth on her]
Beelzebub bends down and lowers their head until all of their eyes with a pair of irises and pupils in each eye stare at Tirpitz. They snort, letting out a white steamy air that reeks of rotting corpses left in the sun and moist for too long.
"Then why don't you do it? You took control of my body several times already. No, it's because you're preparing Bismarck as your next meal. You love the flavor of human emotions. The stronger the emotions, the more exquisite they are to you" Tirpitz takes a step forward
[I suppose you would have guessed that once I'm done eating Bismarck, I'd discard you and go to the next meal]
"..."
[...But where's the flavor in that? I wish to enjoy myself and my meal. Well, this is probably Asmodeus's hedonism rubbing on me] Beelzebub scratches their chin
"Is it just me or you're talking differently?" Tirpitz slightly tilts her head
[This is what you humans call an epiphany, isn't it? I suppose I learned that patience is a virtue. I dug through your memories and learned an old man said something about patience and losing a battle]
"What are you up to this time?"
[I don't need to do anything drastic, Tirpitz. I'm bound to achieve my goal...one way or another]
Beelzebub stretches their enormous hand, the sharp fingers curling to display how they can squeeze her. The sharp tips of their index finger and thumb are mere inches away from making contact with Tirpitz's neck, a silent and looming threat.
[Struggle as you wish, I will be the one to collect my meal in the end]
"..." Tirpitz feels a cold sweat roll down from her face
[Besides, you already let me in. If you let your guard down again, I will devour what you're so desperately cling to]
"Don't be certain, parasite. I won't let you use me so you can eat my sister and everyone else. If it comes to that, I'd rather take you down with me"
[Strong words when you're so afraid to die]
"..."
[The more you seek, crave, and desire...the more I will bite deeper and slowly consume you from the inside out. Don't forget that, Tirpitz...]
With an effortless squeeze, Tirpitz feels as if two sharp points pierce both sides of her neck and instantly decapitate her in her mind.
"...I doubt Beelzebub is all bark and no bite now"
Tirpitz gasps for air as her consciousness is back to reality. She rubs her neck as the feeling of her neck being shredded feels too real to ignore.
Northern Parliament headquarters...
Sovetsky Soyuz pours herself a glass full of vodka. Sitting on the other side of the table is Akagi, who's calmly sipping a warm cup of tea. The room is silent for a whole minute with their faint breaths the only audible sound in the room.
"Belphegor has been defeated...with the help of Beelzebub. It's either Iron Blood managed to tame a Leviathan or that thing is simply in the mood" Akagi breaks the silence
"It's the latter. Beelzebub is impulsive and restless because they are unchecked and unrestrained desires themselves" Sovetsky Soyuz takes a light sip from her glass
"Even with a vessel-"
"Beelzebub is barely contained. They can take over their host, but they're playing it patiently. It's their impulsive and impatient nature that got them tricked before" Sovetsky Soyuz cuts her off
"..."
Akagi's ears and some of her tails flick in her display of annoyance, but she doesn't take it too personally. Instead, she intently listens to Sovetsky Soyuz as the latter is the one with more direct and extensive knowledge about Beelzebub.
"The fact that they regained their ability to grow means Tirpitz is slipping. I fear it won't be long until the body is fully dominated" Sovetsky Soyuz furrows her eyebrows
"Even if we kill the host, the parasite will simply be free again. So now do you propose to deal with Iron Blood's little problem?"
"Akagi, are you here for Beelzebub or one of their own?" Sovetsky Soyuz straightens her back
"..." Akagi stares at her
"Shinano is tormented by Lucifer. The Sakura Empire kept that confidential but she's suffering from Lucifer's mental invasion"
"Lucifer is some sort of psychic. It's their power that helped the Leviathans form a mental connection and telepathy"
Akagi clenches her fists so tightly that Sovetsky Soyuz lowers her gaze for a moment. Her unfazed and stoic eyes show a slight concern and intrigue.
"Lucifer's ability is primarily domination. They steal traits, characteristics, and the very concept of it to reshape it in their own absurdly high standard. It's why it's a bad idea to introduce new ideas to Lucifer. They will either crush it or take it for themselves"
"If you knew this, why didn't you share this information with everyone else? Lucifer has already killed some of my allies"
"..."
Sovetsky Soyuz doesn't say anything as he places her clasped hands on the table. Instead, she slowly closes her eyes for a few seconds.
"Not only did you withhold information about Lucifer, but you also did the same regarding Beelzebub" Akagi growls lowly
"I only knew that Beelzebub cannot be killed easily. They spread as fast as they can devour and faster than we can eradicate them. I still want to believe there's a form of salvation - that perhaps a miracle exists in this world infested with devils"
"..."
"Regarding Lucifer, I know I wronged everyone by withholding information, but it was necessary"
"Necessary how? We lost Junyou, Sendai, Kirishima, Nowaki, Ryuuhou, Ibuki, and even Shoukaku"
"I see. It's a matter of vengeance"
"What?!" Akagi grits her teeth
"You lost someone you can call a trusted friend. You never acted this strongly until Shoukaku died. Akagi, don't let your emotions cloud your judgment"
"...!"
Akagi tightly grips the edge of the table until she tears a section of the thick and hardwood. Her eyes dilate and faint deep scarlet foxfire brushes against her body.
"Ever since Beelzebub defied Lucifer and even helped Iron Blood take down Belphegor, you couldn't sit back in the shadows any longer. You've been stalking our progress, pretending that the Sakura Empire would never get involved. Only when you deem it safe that you finally come out to benefit as well" Sovetsky Soyuz retains a stoic composure
"How did you-"
"The Northern Parliament are the most hunters of the north. Nothing escapes my comrades' eyes and ears"
"What if that's the case?"
"Akagi, Beelzebub is evil through and through. They don't entertain what doesn't interest them. Right now, they have their eyes solely towards Bismarck as their next exquisite dish"
"Oh? What if someone ruins their palate in front of them? Will that be enough to gain the attention of the insatiable beast?" Akagi's expression grows darker as she faintly smiles
"That is a death wish, Akagi. You wouldn't want to gain Beelzebub's attention most recklessly"
"We have a Leviathan contained. Don't you think it's time to use that to our advantage? Beelzebub showed us that they can kill each other"
"That's true, but convincing Beelzebub to put in the slightest effort and remain behaved took great risks" Sovetsky Soyuz furrows her eyebrows a bit
"It's a risk I'm willing to take..."
"It's a risk you're unprepared to die for, Akagi. I'm warning you that there will be consequences in trying to achieve the slightest success" Sovetsky Soyuz stands up
"You saw something, didn't you? There's a reason you couldn't tell everything to Azur Lane, Soyuz. Something you were also unprepared for..."
Akagi narrows her eyes and examines the slightest change in Sovetsky Soyuz's body language, tone, and expression. She comes to that conclusion after seeing what appears to be a flicker of concern in Sovetsky Soyuz.
"You are close to the truth, but I'm warning you for your own good. If you reach out to a hungry beast, it will only devour more than a hand" Sovetsky Soyuz sits back down
The tension remains heavy between them. Akagi is upset about Sovetsky Soyuz being secretive and cryptic to her fellow kansens, but she's more intrigued at the moment.
"..."
Unknown to both of them, a serpent slithered and slipped at the darkest corners of the room. Sharp and vibrant serpentine eyes overhear their entire conversation. The small serpent-like creature melds back in the shadows and silently disappears without a trace.
...
...
Beelzebub's defiance happened earlier than expected, but everything else is falling into place. Now, this is actually amusing...
Abaddon peaks from a corner, their vibrant green eyes and sharp serpentine form are focused at the center of attention - Lucifer. The arrogant regained their calm and confident composure, the image of a schemer who always gets what they desire. Their faint yet condescending smile continues to curve while observing Akagi and Sovetsky Soyuz remaining unaware of prying eyes.