2 Chapter 32: See You Later

After getting the measurements of her swords so a sheath can be made for them later. Lucilla followed Anastasia back to the main structure of the Citadel, as they walked a piercing scream could be heard coming from one of the attached buildings nearby. Pausing she turned her crimson eyes in the direction of the noise.

"Curious?" Anastasia asked when she noticed Lucilla had stopped.

"Kinda." She answered. "What was that?"

The spider woman opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted when she heard her niece call out to her. "Auntie! I was just coming to get you for Lunch."

Behind the approaching Eleanora was Lucilla party, who waved at her when she looked at them. Morella and Sara especially had bright expressions on their faces when they saw her, though Sara quickly got her expression under control. Cristina and Judieth on the other hand just gave small smile once they confirmed Lucilla was in fact alright. Both had their own reason to want to ensure her safety after all.

"My, thank you hon." Thanked the older woman. "I was just about to show Lucilla the waste disposal. Do the rest of you want to join us perhaps?" With a cruel smile on her face, she invited the others.

Everyone pondered on the request for a minute before agreeing. They followed they still humanoid Anastasia into the building and down some stairs. Sara walked up beside to Lucilla and reached out her hand before hesitating and pulling back, opting to silently walk beside her. Morella was on Lucilla's other side discreetly checking her younger sister, making sure she was actually alright.

At the bottom of the stairs, they reached a wide room full of holding cells, with another open doorway position on the opposite side of the room. The Walked through the prison quickly and walked into the room on the other side of the doorway. There was a large open room on the other side, below was what looked like a pit. Blood sained the floor and walls of the pit below.

"Hello ma'am." A Human male greeted as he noticed the group enter. "What brings you down here today?"

"Ah, hello, our guests were curious, so I thought about showing them what we do with intruders."

"Very well then, we got two of them left, was just about to feed them to the Giant Spiders."

"Perfect." She then turned around to address the group behind her. "Now if you would just step up to the railing here, you'll be able to enjoy the show."

Stepping closer to get a better look at the deep pit below, Lucilla and her group noticed two gates, one on the left and one on the right. It reminded them of a smaller version of a gladiator pit, just without the fancy decorations and audience seats. When everyone had a clear view of the small arena-like area, the man pulled a lever next to him, opening the left gate.

What came out wasn't just a Human, but a demon as well. The two of them seemed to have been shoved into the arena from behind before the gate closed on them. They both looked around with fearful expressions, but when their eyes met, they both glowered at each other in hatred. Both the Human and Demon looked ready to kill the other then and there if the second gate didn't start opening.

From the gate a giant spider, silver in color with beady crimson eyes, and moth full of shar fangs. Normal spiders didn't have mouths, but Giant Spider specifically evolved to eat the flesh of large living creatures like bipeds. The saliva that dripped from the monster's mouth as it emerged from the gate, stalking closer to the two victims. It's two front appendages looked and acted more like scythes than legs.

"What did these guys do?" Lucilla asks as the victims started backing away from the Giant Spider. She didn't really feel much remorse for the two as she didn't know them. She gazed coldly down at them. their plights not stirring a bit of sympathy in her heart.

"Both the Humans and Demons like sending spies to each other." Anastasia started explaining. "I let a few through but occasionally I will capture some here and there. I can't let them think I will just let them use my territory as they pleased."

"Why let any go in the first place?"

"If I kill any spy I might anger them too much, but if I kill enough to let them know it's dangerous, then they are less likely to recklessly send spies across my lands. I want to try and keep their information about each other limited, and hope that will prevent a war from breaking out." She sighed before continuing.

"I just don't want to be looked down on too much. If they think they can take me out without much loss they will. If they can find a just cause to kill me, they will. They only reason they let me stay here is because of two reasons."

The reason Anastasia was able to even claim the 'Lost Country' was because neither side wanted it. The land was revenged by war, and growing crops, and in turn livestock, became a challenge. So, when Anastasia started to claim it, the only thought the two sides had been, 'At least they don't have it.' As long as the other side doesn't have claim to the land, the powers that be didn't care what happened in the country.

As a result, if one side made a move to claim the country, the other would start moving to counter them, starting another war. They only just way to claim the land that either side could use is if Anastasia did something that warrant the need for subjugation. With an excuse like that, either side could take the country for themselves and keep the other side from interfering. Also keeping those on their own sides from criticizing them and allowing them to save face.

Though taking Anastasia out wasn't going to be easy. It would be expensive campaign, and a lot of dead soldiers, so both sides leave her alone for the most part. Anastasia's decision to not eat people wasn't for anything altruistic, it just made people inside and outside the country less likely to want to kill her. Her seemingly keeping peace in the land also keeps the desire to subjugate her like any other monster very low.

"Of course, I use these spies I capture to relieved a tad bit of stress." She concluded looking back down as the human got their arm torn off by the spider.

"Aaaaauuuhhhhhgggg!!" He screamed in pain falling to the ground. He watched in terror as the spider devoured his arm into bites. The place where his arm used to be located blead profusely, falling to the ground like a crimson waterfall.

"Kakaka." The monster hissed, almost like it was laughing.

Anastasia licked her lips as she saw the sight before composing herself. Lucilla watched her with interest as the young Sara beside her turned away with a sympathetic look on her face. The girl was surprised by the lack of disgust she felt. Morella frowned slightly but otherwise said nothing as she watched the scene, she didn't practically find this fun to watch, but she couldn't bring herself to care enough to want to help. Judieth for her part looked bored while the vampire beside her looked at the blood spilling out with a look of regret.

"Man, I haven't eaten a Human in so long, I miss it." Eleanora said giving the spider below a jealous look. The Human that was beside the group couldn't help but feel nervous hearing this.

For the next five minutes they watched as the Demon and Human spies were toyed with by the Giant Spider. They both of them tried fighting back, but without proper weapons they couldn't even scratched the thing. Looks like neither of them knew any magic and only Chi techniques. By the end there was nothing left but bloody fleshy mess of what used to be people.

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After leaving the prison Lucilla and her crew ate lunch with Anastasia and her niece. Unlike before, the younger Arachne didn't glare at Lucilla and the others the entire meal, she wasn't friendly either, but it was certainly an improvement from before. This change in attitude allowed the others to eat in relative peace, while Lucilla continued to enjoy her time with the Arachne Queen.

Sara unfortunately couldn't stomach the food. While she didn't feel as disgusted by the actions of Anastasia and her people as she thought she would, the sight earlier was still unpleasant to see corpses right before eating. The girl wasn't entirely sure how to feel about her seemingly lack of morales. The only constellation she had was the fact she still felt a little bad about the victim's deaths.

A short while later it was time for them to depart and make their way back to the 'Enchanted Forest'. Standing at the gate Lucilla and Anastasia faced each other, their respective sides standing behind the both of them.

"This is goodbye I suppose." Anastasia sighed. She enjoyed her time with the Silver haired Human in front of her, but she knew this was coming. Thier was relationship was only transactional after all. "It was nice meeting you though Lucy."

"It was nice meeting you too Stas- Anastasia, and once again thank you for the swords." Lucilla thanked her, with an imperceptible smirk while patting the sheathed swords at her side.

Giving a nod of acknowledgement, the spider woman gave a small smile. This would probably be their last meeting until they needed something from her once again. If they needed something. That was the only reason people come to see her after all. Even the people working in this place only do so out of a duty because they think if they don't, she would stop protecting their hometowns.

"I do hope they serve you well, perhaps they might develop an ego like the Hero's sword." It wasn't often a weapon was made from Demonic or Angelic steel, but it's said anything made from them had a high chance of gaining a conscience.

"An ego huh? I didn't even realize the Hero's sword had one." Lucilla responded with mild curiosity as she looked at her two new weapons. She still wasn't sure if they were really big dagger or a very small, short swords, hopefully they could answer that question if they gain an ego.

"It very much has one, though I heard the current Hero has struggled to connect with the sword properly."

Looking back up Anastasia, Lucilla gave her small smile. "That's certainly interesting, Let's talk more about this the next time I come to visit." Looking up at the sky she scowled. "Unfortunately, we really have to go, I'll see you later."

With those parting words Lucilla turned around and made her way to the gondola that would lead her back to the land below. Anastasia watched the younger woman walk away partially stunned. 'See you later? She's coming back? What for?' Anastasia was unsure how to react, most people would try their best to end their interaction with her as soon as they could. Did this young woman really want to come back? For what purpose? To talk?

Anastasia couldn't the feeling of anticipation welling up inside her. When was the last time she felt excited at the thought of seeing someone again? Probably when she still lived on the eastern continent. With a warm feeling in her chest Anastasia turned around to head back inside her 'Abandoned Citadel'.