Chapter 11

Celestia's hand trembled slightly as she held the sword steady, her heart pounding with a mixture of rage and betrayal. The dim light in the room cast ominous shadows across her face, accentuating the intensity of her glare as she confronted the woman who had posed as her mother for so long.

Rosella's eyes widened with fear, her breath catching in her throat as she struggled to comprehend the fact that her daughter had just brought out a weapon out of thin air.

And it was currently pointed at her neck.

The air between them crackled with tension, each moment stretching out agonizingly as Celestia wrestled with the weight of her emotions.

"I-I never meant to hurt you, Celestia," Rosella stammered with her hands trembling at her sides.

"Please, let's talk about this. There must be some misunderstanding."

But Celestia's patience had worn thin, worn away by years of deceit and manipulation. Her grip on the sword tightened, the blade glinting dangerously in the faint light as she took a step closer, her resolve hardening with each passing second.

"I've endured enough lies," she spat, her voice laced with venom. "I won't let you manipulate me any longer."

The sting of betrayal fueled her actions as she pressed the sword closer to Rosella's throat, drawing a thin trickle of blood. A bitter mixture of anger and sadness flooded her senses, driving her forward despite the turmoil raging within her.

For Celestia, the time for forgiveness had passed. All that remained was the cold, hard truth—and the steel of her blade.

Rosella's hand came away stained with her own blood as she checked for the wound on her neck and a wave of dizziness washed over her, the room spinning as her vision blurred at the edges. With a soft gasp, she swayed unsteadily on her feet before her strength gave out entirely, her body crumpling to the ground in a heap.

Celestia watched the scene unfold with a cold detachment, her expression unreadable as she turned away from the fallen woman. There was no remorse in her heart, only a steely resolve born from years of pain and betrayal.

"How pathetic," she muttered under her breath, her voice tinged with disdain as she stepped out of the room, leaving Rosella behind without a second glance.

The weight of her decision regarding Rosella lingered in the back of Celestia's mind like a heavy burden, but she forcefully pushed it aside, focusing instead on the immediate threat at hand: Zerro.

As Celestia approached Zerro, her brow furrowed with concern and her heart ached at the sight of her friend.

The newfound anger simmering in her brown eyes was momentarily eclipsed by a rush of worry and empathy.

"Han..." she murmured softly, her voice laced with concern as she took a tentative step towards him, her instincts urging her to offer comfort and aid.

But before she could reach his side, Zerro's sudden intervention halted her in her tracks, his presence casting a dark shadow over the moon.

"One more step and you won't see him ever again."

Celestia's muscles tensed at Zerro's threat, her fists clenching even tighter as she fought to contain the rage and frustration bubbling within her. The weight of his words hung heavily in the air, each syllable a cruel reminder of the power he held over her and those she cared about.

Her jaw clenched as she struggled to maintain her composure, the urge to lash out at Zerro almost overwhelming. But she knew that any rash action on her part could spell disaster for Han, and she refused to let Zerro manipulate her into making a fatal mistake.

With a deep breath, Celestia forced herself to meet Zerro's gaze head-on.

"What do I need to do?" She asked.

"We need to go now. Xander can't hold the portal open for long," Zerro replied, his smirk widening at her compliance, relishing in the power he held over her once more.

Celestia furrowed her brow, unsure of who this Xander person was, but she knew she would soon find out. With a determined nod, she followed Zerro's lead, her heart racing with anticipation and a hint of fear.

Zerro retrieved a metallic square from his pocket and tossed it into the air. As it ascended, the square expanded, unfolding into a larger structure before her eyes.

Celestia watched as an intricate image materialized before them, revealing a high-tech laboratory brimming with activity.

The sight both intrigued and unsettled her, fueling her desire to uncover the truth behind Zerro's cryptic agenda.

"Are you there, Prince Zerro?" a voice echoed through the air, addressing Zerro with a title that caught Celestia off guard.

'Prince?' she thought, her brow furrowing in confusion as she glanced at the demon beside her, a new layer of mystery unraveling before her eyes.

"We're coming," Zerro responded confidently, nudging Celestia forward with a push.

Celestia stole one last glance at Han, her heart wrenching at the sight of him writhing in pain, his desperate voice calling out her name.

"C-Celestia..." he croaked, but she couldn't bear to meet his gaze, her resolve crumbling at the sound of his suffering.

Tears threatened to spill from her eyes as she bit her lower lip, torn between her duty and her friendship with Han. With a heavy heart, she steeled herself and moved forward, each step a testament to her inner turmoil.

As she crossed the threshold of the portal, leaving behind the familiar world she knew, Celestia made a silent promise to herself. This journey wasn't just for her own sake; it was for Han, for his pain, for their uncertain future together.

'I'll come back to you, Han,' she vowed silently.

As soon as the portal closed, Celestia's gaze shifted from the array of test tubes to the unexpected voice behind her, her curiosity piqued by the presence of another demon in the room.

She turned to face him, noting his striking features – blonde hair meticulously styled, an air of confidence accentuated by his neatly perched black-rimmed glasses.

"Hi," he greeted with a charming smile, his demeanor relaxed yet undeniably intriguing.

"Hello," Celestia responded, a hint of awkwardness tinting her tone as she adjusted to the unexpected interaction.

Despite her reservations, she couldn't help but feel drawn to his magnetic presence, wondering what role he played in Zerro's mysterious world.

As the man approached her with an enthusiastic greeting, Celestia couldn't help but notice his attire, which hinted at a role in the scientific or technical department, though she couldn't be certain.

"So, you must be Celestia! Zerro has told me all about you, so it's finally nice to meet you," he exclaimed, extending his hand towards her with a wide grin. Celestia hesitantly reciprocated the handshake, feeling the warmth of his grip contrasting with her initial expectations.

Taken aback by his vibrant personality, Celestia found herself momentarily speechless, her preconceived notions of demons challenged by his friendly demeanor. Sensing her hesitation, the man's expression softened with understanding.

"What's wrong?" he inquired, tilting his head in genuine curiosity, his bright eyes studying her intently.

Celestia paused, debating whether to voice her thoughts, unsure if she could trust this seemingly kind-hearted demon. After a moment of contemplation, she decided to speak her mind.

"I assumed all demons would be like Zerro and act... grumpy?" she admitted tentatively, her uncertainty evident in her questioning tone.

As Celestia observed the sad gleam in Xander's green eyes, she felt a pang of guilt wash over her, realizing that her assumption had likely wounded him.

Before she could offer an apology, Xander spoke, preempting her attempt at reconciliation.

"Prince Zerro wasn't like this before. He was kind, maybe even the kindest demon in this realm," Xander confessed, his voice tinged with a hint of nostalgia and sorrow.

Celestia's disbelief was palpable as she stared at him, struggling to reconcile this new revelation with her perceptions of Zerro.

"Kind? That's hard to believe," she muttered under her breath, her skepticism evident.

However, Xander overheard her remark, his frustration evident as it flickered across his features.

"Not all demons are bad, and not all angels are good. It's true! If it wasn't for him, Zerro wouldn't want to have been—" Xander's words trailed off, leaving Celestia hanging on the edge of anticipation, her curiosity piqued by the unfinished revelation.

"Xander! That's enough!" Zerro's voice cut through the tension in the room as he reentered, his presence commanding attention.

Celestia watched as Xander took two steps back, his apology hanging in the air like an unspoken plea for forgiveness.

"Prince Zerro, I-I apologize," Xander stammered, his demeanor contrite as he retreated further, allowing Zerro to approach Celestia.

Zerro's gaze met Celestia's, and she searched his eyes for any sign of the demon she thought she knew. To her surprise, she found not malice, but grief reflected in their depths.

"Zerro, you—" Celestia began, but he cut her off with a raised hand, his expression stern yet tinged with sorrow.

She fell silent at his gesture, nodding in acknowledgment of his unspoken command.

"Xander, do you have the second portal ready?" Zerro's voice broke the heavy silence, redirecting the attention away from the lingering tension in the room as he addressed the other demon.

"It will take an hour for it to fully function, so you should get Celestia ready in that time," Xander suggested, his tone practical as he offered his input.

Zerro nodded in acknowledgment before turning his focus back to Celestia. Without preamble, Zerro seized her wrist and led her out of the room, his grip firm and unyielding, leaving no room for questions or objections.

Celestia followed silently, her curiosity piqued as they entered another chamber furnished with tables and chairs arranged in sets of eight. She took her seat opposite Zerro, her gaze fixed on him as she awaited his explanation, sensing the gravity of his impending revelation.

"Now that it's time, I'm going to explain everything to you. The reason why I made the contract with you and what we plan to do in the next hour," Zerro began, his voice steady yet betraying a hint of emotion that he struggled to contain.

As Celestia leaned forward, her full attention on him, Zerro delved into the heart of the matter, revealing the unexpected truth behind their contract.

"To start it off, Rosella was the person I was going to do a contract with, but she then offered me to you because she wanted to save herself," he disclosed, his words eliciting a surge of annoyance within Celestia as she processed the revelation.

"But, why her? She's just human," Celestia questioned, her confusion evident as she sought clarification from Zerro.

Zerro nodded in agreement before offering an explanation. "She is, but there was a faint blue aura that surrounded her, which was why I chose her. When she told me about you and I met you, it made sense. The blue aura was coming from you since you are a weapon contractor, so because you had been with her since you were a lot younger, your aura had mixed with hers," he elaborated, connecting the dots for Celestia and shedding light on the mysterious circumstances surrounding their contract.

"Okay, so what about the contract?" Celestia pressed, eager to understand the true purpose behind their arrangement.

Zerro hesitated momentarily, his gaze faltering before he continued.

"I... I want to plan out a revenge against someone, and the only way I could win against him is with a weapon contractor. I would have looked for a more experienced one, but since you are the last of your kind, I had no choice but to train you for the last ten years to get you strong enough to inherit some of my power," he confessed, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air.

Celestia absorbed the gravity of his revelation, her mind racing as she processed the implications of their shared destiny.

"Who is it you want to plan your revenge against?" Celestia pressed, her voice steady as she awaited Zerro's response, her curiosity burning bright.

After a moment of hesitation, Zerro finally spoke, his voice laden with unresolved resentment.

"My brother," he confessed, the words heavy with the weight of a lifetime of betrayal and animosity.