"So, you're fully on board with this then?" Kaeda asked, stepping out of her and Miharu's apartment room to converse with the woman private. Today she had her cast removed, her leg and hand having healed finally. It was still a sad sight to the doctor, seeing the scar up her leg barely hidden by her leggings and the bends in her fingers, so small that if you didn't look for it you'd miss it.

But she never missed those injuries. She never could.

"Yes, I am." Miharu responded, noticing her friend's stare but avoiding that topic for her sake. "Do you have a problem with it? You've been bringing it up every other time we've met up."

"I'm just… it's a lot to take in. I get you like him, that was never something I questioned. But polygamy? I never figured you'd be one to be alright with that."

"Yeah, I guess that is a strange thing for us, Liberia never felt the need to have such practices." Miharu admitted it wasn't a concept she was too fond of, a couple months ago she'd laugh at the thought of being in a relationship like this. But it was something she had thought long on even before Artorian and Emilia approached her and Sakura on the manner. Without knowing the full picture, she was recognizing that Artorian's flirting was more than just being his way of being casual with girls, he clearly had interest in each of them.

And even despite that knowledge, it didn't in any way soil the reputation he had with her. It was clear there was more underneath it, and in the few months she knew him, Miharu saw the diamond in the rough behind the face he originally held.

"And that's all? Just a feeling one day?"

"You and I both know that's harsher than you meant." Miharu countered, Kaeda looking to the side. "I didn't make this choice on a whim, just as Emilia and Sakura hadn't. I've told you everything before this, and you learned more about him than anyone outside of his circle could. You understand why I'm okay with this, and why I've accepted this lifestyle."

"I know, it's just still a lot to think about to me." Kaeda admitted. "It's your life and you have every right to choose this. If you think he's that good of a guy that's the end of it. I'll support you the whole way through."

"Thank you Kaeda." Miharu smiled before hugging her, the embrace returned after a moment of surprise. "I don't want my best friend and my family being against each other. And more importantly I'd never want to have to say goodbye to you."

"I'd never want that either." Kaeda assured. "Your love life is yours; I would never throw all our years away over something like this."

"Aww, that's sweet." Artorian cooed as he stepped through the door, the women seeing him carrying a dresser by himself.

"Okay, I can get it a little better." Kaeda joked, getting a laugh from the two as he maneuvered through the doorframe.

"I have a forklift of a boyfriend, and I don't have to go through regulations to get a carry." Miharu added in, the Abysswalker rolling his eyes with a smile.

"I don't know why you're worried for her Kaeda, I'm the one in trouble. I spill my guts, all my insecurities and fears before her and she uses me like property. It's only been a month and she's turned me into her private moving service, can you believe that audacity?"

"Like you don't have it coming sometimes?"

"You have jabbed fractured ribs more than once, I am the abused."

"…Treat her right." Kaeda spoke up, hesitating for a moment before stepping to the Lord. The size difference was staggering, a head taller and a build that could knock a man out with one punch, but in that moment the doctor held the authority as he looked down to her. "Miharu is an amazing woman, who had a horrible punishment given to her for the slight of knowing you. If I even hear rumors that you mistreat her I'll freeze Hell to punish you personally."

"You have my word, on the honor of my father that I will give all my heart for Miharu." Artorian promised, resolute in his words. If he were to ever hurt them, in body or their heart he'd fall on his sword before it. Loyalty held to Artorian's core harsher than anything else, to think of doing anything to harm the people he love was the worst sin he could imagine.

It was the same reason coming to term with those same feelings were impossible to him in the past. He couldn't bring himself to ever get so close to someone, lest he risk tearing everything away with his inevitable fate as an Abysswalker. But he couldn't run from that anymore, and he wouldn't.

He loves Miharu. He loves Emilia. He loves Sakura. And he'd never stop fighting for them. For the first time in ten years, he felt his world had gotten a little bit bigger. He had a harder fight, but he finally felt he was able to fight for it again.

"Good, I needed to hear it from you." Kaeda responded, finding his vow acceptable for now. As much as she trusted Miharu and saw the good in Artorian, she'd never fully be able to let her guard down around him. But a feeling of his crimson eyes seemed grateful for that mistrust, as if he was glad to have someone keep him honest and determined. It kept him humble, and reminded him how much the people he loved mattered to others.

"Well, that's the last of your stuff. I'm sure you're done waiting to live it up in a custom made mansion." Kaeda jested. "I'll now be forced to find a new roommate, so don't be surprised if my best friend role changes."

"Oh come on, we'll still be seeing each other in the hospital. I'm still a nurse."

"You'll need to work on your steadiness again, luckily you have just the guy to test on."

"I will have you know, just because I heal fast and can take several hells of beatings doesn't mean I enjoy being under someone's knife." Artorian responded, getting matching laughs from the women.

"Oh I'm sure she'll find other exercises with you."

"You know, you're free to stay with us too." Artorian brought up, watching as the green-haired doctor passed her door.

"I'm not interested in an already claimed man, especially one claimed by three others."

"Not like that, I mean it genuinely." Artorian rebutted. "I'm sure being around Miharu beats meeting a random stranger you'll have to live with. And we have more than enough space for you."

"I appreciate the offer Artorian, I really do. But I'm still not comfortable in living there." Kaeda admitted. "It's nothing against you, Miharu, or the others. But living in a home where four people are in a relationship isn't a comfy experience. So I'll have to politely deny."

"I understand, but would you be comfortable with visiting? We often have game nights and I cook frequently."

"You had me at cook." Kaeda smiled. "And I wouldn't miss such offers. Just because I'm not living with her doesn't mean I'll pass on hanging out with Miharu. We were friends long before you were in the picture."

"Happy to hear." Artorian returned the smile. "I'll warn you though, Mei Mei is a beast who remains undefeated."

"I'll remember that."

"Oooooh, first drama of living the harem life huh?" Sakura teased as she playfully jabbed her elbow into Artorian's side, the Lord rolling his eyes as they watched the news.

"Just someone concerned for their friend, I expected more to come in the future."

"Getting more mature every day, I know for certain the Artorian I met day one would have spit back at her with venom." Miharu added to the teasing, Artorian's shoulders going in defeat as he looked absently to the window.

"Can't really argue with that."

"You think that's bad, he held me up by the head with his knuckles on the day we reunited." Emilia whined, sitting at Artorian's other side. A sheepish squeak escaped her when he tapped his index and middle knuckle to her head, rubbing slightly as he was able to counter that point.

"Because your big mouth got me in a fight with one of, if not the strongest Slayer in active duty."

"And you not telling Liu and Xuemei you weren't interested in a tour." Emilia responded, all three looking at him as he sighed.

"I'm never going to win an argument again, am I?"

"Nope." All three said simultaneous, smiling in victory as he groaned before standing.

"Fair enough, you got a couple months of ammo on me." He accepted.

"What kind of ammo?" The group turned to see Touka walking down from her room, half exhausted as Karen stood beside her.

"Hey, you two live." Artorian said with a chuckle. "I was getting worried, it's nearly noon."

"Sorry… I we lost track of time." Karen apologized, the Lord shaking his head in amusement.

"And that's why you give up trying to beat Mei Mei before midnight, you get sucked in for another four hours."

"Surrender is… defeat." Touka responded, yawning before she collapsed onto the sofa.

"And so is losing. Which you did. Pretty badly I'd add." He then stopped as Karen sat next to him and smacked her hand to his chest, an empty effort.

"Stop bullying, we already lost for six hours straight."

"Alright, alright. I'll show mercy this time." He relented. "Too late for breakfast, but I can fix you up lunch. How does that sound."

"Please."

"At your behest." The Lord stood off the couch, rolling up his sleeves as he headed for the kitchen.

"How long were the Hunters up for?" Miharu asked, joining the Lord to help prepare lunch.

"Another three hours after Touka and Karen gave up… so I'd say they aren't waking up for awhile longer." He explained. There didn't have to be much explaining past that, it was without question Krovanh and Nakri got a competitive bone and were refusing to lose to Mei Mei. It only made game nights unnecessarily longer to where everyone wasn't able to see Mei Mei off. Artorian was the only one who ever saw her leave, given he only slept once every two weeks now.

"You should start enforcing a curfew for everyone, sleep's starting to become a problem for everyone who's only recently had freedom to move around." The nurse informed, getting a nod from him as he picked up a knife and started to sharpen it with his metal fingers.

"I will, I just wanted them to have some fun while they can. They've earned that much. Karen meanwhile always had this problem, you know that just as well as I do." He said, smirking while the nurse relented in agreement to that.

"Four days in a row playing games past curfew, I feel I need to blame you for her tendencies."

"I'll take responsibility for her occasional foul mouth, late night gaming is all her."

"Shinshisho, what are you making?" Touka asked from the couch, hearing him sharpen his knife.

"Probably some rice and veggies, something simple since the girls want to take you shopping for new clothes."

"What's wrong with my clothes?"

"You have five of the same martial arts garb." Sakura responded. "You need to dress more lady like, or at least a little more casual."

"But… I practice martial arts?"

"Come on Touka, it'll be fun." Emilia stated, moving over to sit beside the redhead. "Little Garden's repairs are almost done, so we thought we'd use today to shop at the dock town. Get some air off the ship and enjoy ourselves. Artorian's paying~"

"Oh good, I was informed ahead of time for once."

"Come on… this is the tenth outfit you put me in." Touka whined, appearing exhausted as she was wearing a summer dress.

"And there's still more, come on, let's get another!" Sakura cheered, grabbing Touka's wrist as she pulled her to the changing rooms again.

"Shinshisho, help!"

"If it isn't you, its me." Artorian saluted. "I thank you for your sacrifice."

"Shinshisho!" Discovering her role as a sacrificial pawn, the dismay on the girls face grew when she disappeared behind the curtains, getting a devious chuckle from the Lord.

"You're mean." Miharu commented, although the message was muddled by her own smile, fighting back the laughter.

"She's been training no stop since her hand healed, the least she can do is take a day off to humor them."

"You didn't stop her though."

"If she wants to train shortly after her cast was taken off, I have to respect her wishes as her mentor. Not to mention I don't have much ground to stand on with waiting to heal." The nurse relented to that part, as the Lord's bad habits were apparently infectious to the people around him. Even she admits it was a challenge to wait and get full clearance, but unlike him and the rest of the Slayers she was only human, so waiting the full time was far more important to her.

Thinking on their injuries, Miharu's gaze turned up to Artorian's scarred face, the gash going across his face resulting from his fight with Kai. It healed well enough, no where near as bloody or torn as when the bone blade cut into his flesh, but it was a reminder that even after all this time, Kai's influence was present.

"You know, this isn't the first time you've stared. And if I didn't know better, I'd think you were only admiring my handsome face." Artorian spoke, snapping Miharu out of her glance. "I didn't expect you to be the one to feel guilt over my own screw ups, have I made that many mistakes?"

"Sorry, just a part of me having to make sure you're not pushing yourself too far." Miharu admitted. "You've been wounded more than a few times… but I know when a scar is buried into you."

"Hey, scars just prove we survived." Artorian said, tracing his metal finger across the diagonal cut. "Kai would've only won if this was deeper. I'm here and he isn't, that's all I need."

"You're still a bad liar, you know that?"

"Come on, I must be getting a little better with you?" The Lord sighed before looking forward without focusing on anything. "Emilia called me out too yesterday, makes me think the wound is still bleeding."

"You touch it more than you think, the same as with the one on the back of your neck."

"Ah, that was the giveaway."

It wasn't much of a secret anymore, as the Lord was holding true to his word and spilling whatever was asked of him. It was inevitable that his past with kai was going to be explored in greater detail. And of course it wasn't the easiest to stomach, but he refused to ever let them pity him over it. Kai was dead and digested, he wanted to leave that part of his life behind him.

It was a pipe dream. As much as he hated to admit it, Kai made him into the man he is today. First when he broke down his desire to be the better man, and again by shattering that attempt of a shield. The bastard was too good at getting under his skin, the only good thing to come was that he was ripped apart to where regeneration didn't matter. A few drops of blood at the bottom of a canyon in a endless desert.

Forgotten… that's what he deserved. Without enough left to even bury, it was good enough for Artorian.

"You can talk to us, you know that." Miharu said, the notion encouraging an unconscious trace of the facial scar by the Lord again.

"I know, I'm just not as good at that." He grunted, ashamed he was feeling out his wound again. He spent so long learning how to hide his problems from Karen, he wasn't used to everyone else spotting them. Bastard could on a good day, or when he was sober enough to say a sentence straight, but now he had a whole gaggle of bleeding hearts looking out for him. "I'm not used to relying on everyone else, I've always been the rock."

"It's the hardest part, but you've already let a few cracks through." Miharu said, leaning on his side and resting her head on his shoulder. "You don't have to cry your heart out, or lay all your feelings in an emotional reveal of your deepest scars. Just let us know if he ever crosses your mind. Or if we do, a girl likes to know a boy is worried for her."

"I thought girls liked being seen as equals?"

"We're fickle people, you have to guess what we're feeling at that moment."

"Figures, everyone always thinks I'm a mind reader." It was said with a sigh, but the shaking of his head couldn't hide the smile. "Do you… do you think he was a lost cause from the start? Or did I fuck him up beyond repair?"

"…I don't think there's a right answer for that." Miharu admitted. "People are complex, Kai's reasoning may have made perfect sense to him, he may have never second guessed himself. His life could have been a perfect explanation, with no means of refuting his anger. He could have broke even before he knew your name. But suffering never justifies cruelty."

That was something he enjoyed about everyone else, they all had a far better head on their shoulders. He himself didn't fully believe that, Kai was hell on earth and tore apart everything he touched. He was a disease that festered in the wound that was the legacy of Slayers, and it was only a matter of time before the maggots tore into the lively flesh.

A shattering bottle, blood reflecting the lights of the dining room. Yuto's arm spasmed as he recoiled in pain. It scared him, watching his father suddenly have an episode of horrid pain. His mother always tried, the world could be on fire and she'd do everything she could to temper his agony. And that was made it impossible for him to look away, tears brimming as despite her efforts, he always writhed in pain for hours on end. Day after day, he watched his hero, his inspiration, suffer from the decisions of others.

It hurt him so much he never noticed the cuts on his legs, the exploding glass having cut across him and even a small piece logged into him. How could he care, when his dad was in utter agony?

The first real pain he felt was burning hot, and the cries he let out humiliated him every time he thought back. It was after his dad was no longer able to move, and his limbs seemed to lock up from the horrid markings. It was a reflex, burden after burden pushed too far and Hanafusa snapped. He only asked when they'd have dinner, it was almost midnight and he held it in as long as possible.

He was called ungrateful, how after that day his father would never be able to eat solid food again. That he felt nothing for his father if eating was all he was concerned for. She yelled at him, demanding he stopped crying. Crying got nothing, the Slayers simply wouldn't care. The damned Lord wouldn't pay attention to one lone cry. If he wanted to be mad, be mad at him.

Artorias Abyssal.

Artorian blinked the memory away with a bitter glare. Kai was fucked from the start, his family fell apart with his father's condition. He contracted Slayer's Rest due to being discharged, the Abyss being removed from him so that he could safely reintegrate into society. The night before he first bullied Karen, when Artorian first beat him and his friends down… his mother forced her cigarette out on him. All because he was hungry.

Artorian couldn't deny that if that happened to him, he might have snapped. Miharu was in a similar boat, her father died to Slayer's Rest as well. But she had a strong mother, someone who never gave up and kept going. Was that all Kai needed?

No, he was a monster without remorse. Sakura suffered far worse than he ever did, she was turned into a damn lab rat of a monster.

He hated this, they were often blurs but the Abysswalker could still see the memories lucidly. After consuming Kai, the essence of the Abyss was absorbed, his soul became fuel to his own. He was going to be sure to never eat someone again, he had enough on his plate as it was.

"I see you've finally allowed yourself back into the lab, after all that time spent by Artorian's side." Judal spoke up, the sound of sparks grazing across steel as Charlotte was welding. The scientist hadn't been in here for over a month, the longest time she's spent away from her post ever since she first became a member of Warslran.

"I spent long enough being a smother mother, Artorian needs his own space, especially now with his new life." Charlotte responded, not looking away from her work as Judal approached. "I'm still not mother material, and I still have my own job to do."

"Might I ask what you're building? I don't recall R sending you anything."

"New equipment for Slayers, thrusters like Claire's meant to be mounted on." She responded directly, pulling the torch away for a moment to check the weld lines. "When I dropped Artorian's team, most of the Slayers could only use their energy to glide, Emilia was the only one with the proper thrust. I've been so used to Claire, Liddy and Erica with their smaller thrusters that I hadn't paid attention to such a flaw."

"A worthwhile investment, if it proves reliable enough that'd certainly be a game changer against the Savage."

"Are we just going to ignore the clear problem?" Charlotte questioned, putting aside the current piece she was working on and grabbing two new pieces of metal.

At this distance, Judal finally could see the material the woman was working with. Savage plating, it wasn't surprising given her work, but it was rare for him to see it in such a refined form. Normally he only saw the remains of the aliens after collecting it from the locals they aided. It was different from their cores, the sleek compound seemed to absorb light, likely not modified to be identified yet given this being its first step in construction.

"The leaders of the ASM have already fully condemned the attack; and compensated us with resources, deals and negotiations. The Mikado himself is even opening a new program for Slayers, as well as providing new accommodations for them. They've even purchased new variable suits and requested new variable stones from us to upgrade their arsenals."

"Ornstein was warning us for months. Months. And we didn't see it coming until they were right at our door." Charlotte put her equipment down to finally turn to the man, acknowledging his presence as she stared up to him. "They're far more equipped than we had ever prepared, with allies hidden under our noses. Resources that have turned them from splinter cells of similar ideologies into a unified militaristic force. They have control of at least two governments we're aware of, with sympathizers in at least a dozen others that may be in high positions."

"Most countries don't have the resources, a few votes in the UN won't give them much sway." Judal responded, looking to the schematics on the screen to inspect what Charlotte was building. Each thruster was going to be a meter long, likely meant to compensate for the Slayers with less energy control to operate. As stated, they took clear inspiration from Claire's own, but were separate from the Hundred. And they were bulkier, either due to being the first model for testing, or intentional he was unsure, and knew the reliable doctor was not in the mood to share with him.

"Gudenberg, Wenz and Liberia are the most important allies for us to keep. They have the Slayers and resources we need to keep the edge over anything the Anti-Slayers could throw at us. As well as supply us with what we need for the next phase in protecting humanity from all threats, Savage or otherwise."

"They have an Abysswalker Judal." Charlotte spoke low, pulling the man out of his business talk to force him to recognize the bigger scope of things. "Our people were fighting Vessels, powerful ones. The First Generation Slayers were nowhere near the average of what the troops they faced. A young captain nearly killed Artorian, do I need to spell out how bad it is to know a mere Vessel could contend with an Abysswalker in any regard?"

"Enlighten me. I have only met one of Artorias' Virtues, the strength of the rest elude me."

"Vessels reflect the Abysswalker, not only was one of his captains strong enough to contend with Artorian, he created multiple Vessels with unique and dangerous powers." Charlotte explained. "Artorias' Vessels were all only amplified by a small amount, and most came out with just a strength and speed enhancement. Blood manipulation, pyrokinesis, bone melding, genetic alteration are rare even amidst the gifted Lords. And I shouldn't have to explain the terror that a Vessel with time manipulation is with what you know about this world."

"Are you implying the Abysswalker at the front of the ASM is… different?"

"I'm saying they're dangerous. Abysswalkers don't control what their Vessels develop, but their abilities and depth of control of the Abyss can affect it. Sir Alonne cheats death with regeneration that repairs even a destroyed brain, that already makes him the most unkillable thing in this universe. He fought the Nameless King to a stand still with no clear indication of who would win, and we don't know what Vessels he might have. This other Abysswalker… his powers are either world changing, or he possesses strength that outshines any of the Abyssal bloodline in recorded history."

"I suppose as it currently stands, that's a problem we have to confront at some point."

"Centuries of experience in a single Abysswalker, if he's even half the age of Alonne's predicted to be we have no counter to him. And we have no idea what other anomalies his Vessels might be, or just how in control he is with the Abyss."

"And I must correct you on that front, we do have a counter to their ace. Two in fact."

"Damn you, they can't fight him!" Charlotte went to fury immediately, standing in rage as her presence seeped into the room. "Artorian and Touka are young, they would stand no chance against an Abysswalker of that caliber! They aren't your family, they aren't your resources to throw at a problem we can't solve!"

"It doesn't matter of whether they are ready or not, if this Abysswalker has abilities to manipulate time at minimum, they are the only ones who can face him." Judal countered.

"You'd condemn them to a meaningless death!"

"Should we put our faith in Alonne? Hope that he is aligned with us and not with his own agenda? Or perhaps hope that Carver can somehow surpass Artorias' abilities despite being a single Vessel?"

"That isn't your decision to make."

"What choice do we have Charlotte? Recent events have given you a new outlook, you wish to protect Artorian. I understand that. But you cannot be so blind as to think this is going to end in an peaceful manner." Judal detailed, turning from the screen to the woman and face her glare head on.

"I can placate them for some time, as long as a stable relationship with Rego Meitaka is kept we can avoid open conflict. I can manage that, but there will always be a push. He's a revolutionist with a steady hand, he's waited years for a chance at reforming the standing of Slayers, and allied himself with an Abysswalker with ulterior motives. This movement will eventually make a demand I cannot accept, and then we'll be fighting."

Charlotte wanted to argue, she wanted to spit in Judal's face and call him out on his own hypocrisy on ulterior motives. However, she managed to hold her tongue and accept the damn truth he was speaking. The Anti-Slayer Movement was a problem, they weren't dumb to think taking Slayers out of the equation was at all a solution. The Second Generation has had a lower casualty rate than the first, but they haven't been put to the test to prove that. There hasn't been an planetary invasion in ten years, where Artorias lost his life.

Without that level of conflict, the current Hundred wielding Slayers couldn't claim to have endured the same level of conflict as the Vessels Artorias created. That was the ultimate leverage Rego and his allies had, if they can make ground before an invasion on the scale of the Second Attack then the reliability of Slayers wouldn't matter. Charlotte knew that the current Slayers were more than capable of holding the mantle, she mothered both generations and saw the writing clear as day.

But none of that mattered to the people who clutched their dead loved ones. Those that filled the ASM's ranks more and more by the day.

"…I wish we could live in a world where only the Savage were our problems." Charlotte admitted, looking down to her supplies while Judal lowered his eyes in agreement.

"Unfortunately we may never live in that world. It's hard for humans to forgive the past, and for the failures of the first Slayers that hatred is deep. Even then, other humans are still the least of our worries."

"Lordran."

"Matthew reported nothing of concern back to Gwyn, but an unstable Abysswalker is not something that will remain under the Lord of the Sun's radar forever." Judal stated. "Not to mention there are now four Abysswalkers, no doubt when he learns of their shared existence he will claim humanity is attempting to end his reign and try to wipe us all out. He only needs an excuse."

"And what, you'll throw my son at him too?"

"I have no intention of wasting a piece as valuable as him." Judal assured, although in the way Charlotte picked as him devaluing the boy past being one of his resources. "After all, both my sisters seem to be intrigued by him, and even I'm not blind to Claire's affection, even if she's withholding such desires for the sake of Liza. I'd be rather interest to see if he became my in law."

"You're disturbing when you pretend to care about others' lives."

"I do value everyone close to me, but I must put humanity's future ahead of everything else."

"Even your promise to Est?" That comment brought uncharacteristic silence to the man. It was a cheap shot, but Charlotte wasn't above such a tactic since he wasn't either. He's spent years manipulating those around him, using loved ones to keep loyalty that would otherwise be shattered. He practically held Karen hostage to keep Artorian in line, had the Abysswalker not become attached to his friends the Slayer would have no doubt left this ship already.

"Even my promise to her." The answer finally came, although the usual charm and modesty in Judal's voice was absent. Even his eyes appeared dull, his entire demeanor gone as he remembered Est. "How… is Chris? The chaos of the past month and all the politics have kept me from catching up with him."

"He's fine, he's recovered from his injuries after Vitaly's attack." Charlotte answered, showing pity by returning to her work. "Claire's keeping his workload light for now, but Mei Mei's assured me his condition is better. He's even spent some time with Artorian and the Hunters, if you'd believe it."

"Good, I'm glad to hear he's making some more friends." Judal responded. "He's still young, he needs to live his life more before he fully embraces the responsibilities of adulthood."

"On that we can agree."

Judal then moved to leave, the conversation reaching its dimming point as neither wished to continue discussing the future. Both were weighed down by the past too much to find light in the future, and as the world kept getting worse and their enemies grew in number, finding the tolerance for such endeavors bore no inspiration.

"Charlotte?" Just before the man left, Judal spoke up one last time. She didn't respond, returning to welding but pausing for just a moment to give him the opportunity to speak before she continued. "I do believe Artorian is our best chance at survival. I do not say that lightly."

"…It doesn't make it better." Was Charlotte's only response, turning back to her work as Judal left. She despised Judal, but nothing soured her more than him telling the truth. Because no matter what the circumstance is, when Judal Harvey tells the truth it usually has good reasoning behind it.

Artorian wasn't ready for the fights to come, but to her shame she wasn't able to protect him. But she could damn well try.

The day got pretty quiet after Touka's suffering being put in blouses and dresses, to call the day uneventful was its own blessing, one Artorian smiled in appreciation as he laid on his bed. He didn't work today, but he didn't feel like training or passing the time. So he just laid down on his bed, attempting to perform his artificial hibernation to get through the night. It usually took awhile, but he never felt much rush to it.

'Maybe I should go visit Liza. She could use the company.'

"Artorian?" That plan immediately went away as Artorian heard his door creak open and Miharu speak up. "Oh, did I wake you?"

"If I was asleep, you would definitely know." Artorian said, sitting up to address the nurse. "What's up? Can't sleep?"

"Yeah, a lot's gotten on my mind." The nurse admitted, taking the conversation as invitation and closing the door behind her, sitting on the bed next to Artorian.

"Anything serious."

"Just thinking on a few things; my future as a nurse, what dangers might come next, our relationship, all of it just made me start thinking."

"Any you want to share?"

"…When you have a full opening, I'd like you to meet my mother." Miharu answered. "With this relationship, I figure it'd be good to introduce you. Unless you've been a master manipulator all this time."

"You're funny, if anyone's manipulating its been you." The Lord chuckled, sighing however as he placed his hand over hers. "But I'd love to meet her. I already know about your old man, but the woman who helped raise such a gentle and strong person… it'd be a nice change of pace."

"Flatterer."

"Not this time." Artorian responded, getting the nurse to look to him. "When I first came to Little Garden, I had no idea who I could really trust. Emilia was under a false identity, Claire, Liddy and Erica all served and put focus on discipline and punishment, my mother was basically a stranger, and the damn funder of this boat was holding my best friend as a well-treated hostage. I was alone."

"But even then, you took a gamble and helped me." Artorian spoke soft, the Lord subconsciously thinking to himself how he was once again dropping all his barriers for Miharu. He felt a tinge of guilt, but seeing her eyes, glowing pink reflecting the moonlight, soothed him and reminded himself that even if he relied on her, she put reliance on him. And he failed before, he'd never fail her again.

"I made a tall request, I asked you to watch after Karen. I practically asked you to go against the CEO of a private military, and I held everything back. You only knew Karen's condition, you didn't even know me… but you still helped me. You promised to relay anything to me, even if it went against Judal."

"I'm a nurse, it's my job to protect my patients."

"I am not a fighter, violence leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. But I will not allow anyone to harm Karen while she is under my watch." Artorian said, surprising the nurse as he quoted the very declaration of her promise. "The weight of those words… Miharu you don't even know the start of how much that promise mattered to me. I fought alone for as long as I could, and as I faced a threat I couldn't fight I put my faith in you. I'm not used… I'm not used to relying on others even now. But that night, after surviving a fight with a Trenta and being able to see Karen was in good hands, I never felt so happy to put my faith in you."

Silence graced the room as the two couldn't find any more words to say. Warm, soft pink eyes stared into vibrant and cold crimson. All Artorian could do was look into those gentle eyes, their calm expression doing more for him than he could imagine. He raise his mechanical hand up to her cheek, moving a bit of hair from her face with his thumb.

Miharu flinched lightly at the touch, the cold steel chilling her for a moment before seeing a small blue hue across the chrome. A small introduction of energy, and his naturally cold body turned warm. Miharu stared back, but her eyes caught more than the scarlet iris that replaced the once gentle blue. She saw the wear on his face, past the scars to see the tired yet ever moving forward will. She saw his silver hair shine when lit by the moon, almost appearing ethereal in its presence.

She reached a hand up to his mechanical wrist, slowly grasping it as the two slowly leaned closer. It was barely a second, but it felt forever before their lips met. Even sitting, the Lord's size forced him to shift his neck down more, but whatever discomfort was pointless as his lips meshed softly with hers. Even amidst it, he swore he could feel Miharu's hand around his wrist, even without the nerves to detect such a sensation.

"Stop using energy." Miharu whispered when the two separated, the nurse returning his gesture and rubbing her thumb across his cheek. "I want to feel you, warm or cold."

The Lord didn't have the strength in him to argue, the blue hue of his energy dimming away to return them to the silver moonlight. He watched the goosebumps on her face, the nurse having to steel herself for a moment as the metal's, his, cold body brought that chill back. But this time, she didn't shiver, instead pressing her cheek against his palm more in a show of total trust. It didn't matter if the cold bothered her, it was his coolness.

The two kissed again not long after, the nurse feeling his icy lips contrast hers. She never felt that chill from him before, making her wonder if that was because he always kept his energy active to prevent freezing her or from his condition as a Variant.

Any further thought left the nurse as their kiss deepened, feeling his tongue gently prod her lips in search for entry. Permission she gladly gave, closing her eyes as they explored one another's mouths. In the moment, she put full trust in the Lord, feeling him shift her body over and onto the bed, laying her underneath him as she was now facing up to him.

They were still kissing when Miharu felt Artorian's hand reach down to her thigh, tracing up it before reaching the hem of her nightgown. His fingers were hesitant for a moment, before sliding under the fabric. Their tongues danced, entwining in a passionate embrace, as if they were trying to taste each other's very souls. The kiss deepened, becoming more urgent, their mouths moving in perfect sync, each touch of their tongues sending sparks of pleasure through their bodies.

As their kiss continued, Artorian's hand continued its exploration, his fingers gliding over her soft skin, eliciting gasps and moans from Miharu. He cupped her breast, his thumb teasing the hardened peak, causing her to arch into his touch, her back pressing against the mattress. As he kneaded her breast, the Lord broke the kiss to trail his lips down her neck.

"Artorian…" Miharu breathe out the Lord's name, responding to the soft trail of kisses and bites. Through his gentle treatment, the nurse felt him grip the hem of her nightgown with his mechanical hand, wasting no time in aiding him in stripping her of the clothing. It was a break in the moment, the Lord taking the time to admire her in the silver moonlight.

"You're beautiful…" He managed to speak, before the nurse gripped the collar of his shirt to pull his face down to hers.

"And you're still dressed." Miharu's voice was a mix of love and lust, sending a shiver down the Lord's spine. He didn't need to be told twice as he quickly removed his shirt, part way through stripping when the nurse took initiative and moved up.

"You're pretty slow for this, aren't you?" Miharu said with a smile, getting a chuckle in return.

"Just admiring the view."

"Well, the view wants a different admiration."

"Oh I can see~"

"Mmmm, morning everyone." Emilia yawned, accompanied by Sakura as the two saw Artorian in the kitchen, Miharu enjoying a cup of coffee at the table.

"Morning, how's waffles?" Artorian questioned, getting approved sighes from thew two as they sat by Miharu.

"Sounds amazing."

"Can I get strawberries on mine?" Sakura asked, getting a laugh from the Lord.

"Of course Pinky. Whipped cream too?"

"God please."

"Same with mine." Emilia requested. "Cream and two sugar?" The Slayer turned to Miharu, the nurse sipping at her God gifted drink.

"Care for a cup?" The nurse responded.

"Nah, I'll settle for juice."

The mood was light and bubbly, and in that part had the two recently awakened girls to feel suspicious. Artorian was humming happily, a rare occurrence when he was alone cooking. He made a habit of matching with Sakura when she offered to help, but to hum without a lead was a new sight. And then there was Miharu's own smile of satisfaction. She always enjoyed her morning coffee, noting it got her through a lot of rough days in her career. But this smile was different, as if a level of stress was gone.

Emilia and Sakura shared a glance to one another, wordlessly noting the atmosphere was far too cheery for the usual case. That was when they took a look at the two, paying closer attention. Artorian had no visible difference, wearing a sleeved shirt and pants that covered him near completely.

"Is something the matter?" Miharu asked.

"No… but something feels off." Emilia admitted, shifting her attention to the nurse, noting she was wearing her favorite sweater. "Sleep well?"

"Something like that." Miharu's smile put the two further in the questioning mood, focusing more on her to where they didn't hear the Lord's snort. "Well, I'm in need of a second cup."

"Uh huh, sure." Sakura said with a layer of suspicion, the nurse getting up but pausing before she walked away.

"Oh, and girls?" She spoke up, keeping their attention. "If you planned on discussions on getting a night, you don't have to worry about me. I had my turn."

"…Wha?"

"And an added warning." Miharu said, pulling the collar of her sweater down to reveal multiple dark marks. "He's a bitter, so be prepared~"

"W-w-what!?"

"Artorian!"

"You're cruel." Artorian said as Miharu passed by, her laughter drowned out by Emilia and Sakura's growing questions shouted at the Lord.

"Had to let them know I'm in the lead."

"And leave me out to dry."

"You are anything but~"

(A/N): Well well well, this chapter gets done finally and I bow out at the last moment for a lemon. I will admit to my shame I was stuck trying to write the lemon for at least a week. I was struggling to think on what to do and I genuinely felt if I let myself linger too much I'd end up getting stuck. So I took the cheap route and skipped it for now. I say for now as I do hope to come back to it and write the full thing, as I don't imagine it'd be too much of an addition. I cut a small chunk and have it in another document to save for when I get the inspiration to write it. When I do, I'll upload it as its own chapter, a trend I'll likely do if future lemons result in a similar delay.

For everyone reading, I assume by now it's a new year for you. And I wanted to wish you a happy new year, and I wanted to thank you for this time of support. I've been trying to keep a stable upload, and while I could do better I've felt good on what I've done so far. So here's to a new year, and to another adventure. I appreciate all of you, and hope to see you again soon!

Peace!