Chapter 62: The deal

Amaury could only look on in confusion. The boy named Mikoto was just standing there a moment ago, but now he was suddenly gone. As if he were never there in the first place, simply vanished just like that.

"Did he flee?" That seemed to be the most accurate assumption, though he did not seem like the type. She was very sure of that fact; they barely spoke, but she knew his character well. Usually, after most sorcerers saw their magic was all but useless on her, they would just give up and resort to fleeing like cowards.

"That boy was different; even after he saw how useless magic initially was, he merely continued the fight." She reminisced on their brief battle. "He fell back on physical prowess and matched me until he found a way to damage me with magic." Not many could boast such a feat. She glanced at the Chaosmaw, Nybbas, who had a pondering look adorned on his face. "You were not needed here, demon," she spat. She was quite enjoying her bout with Mikoto.

"Come now, it is not my fault that the boy vanished," Nybbas defended. "Some magic was evoked to summon him someplace."

"Regardless, I am certain it was made clear to Aegraxes that you lot were not to interfere with this operation," Amaury stated, seemingly still annoyed despite the demon's words.

"It was your older brother, Selwyn, who bid us to come hither," Nybbas clarified, his tone annoyingly amused. Amaury looked at the demon, confused.

"Selwyn?" She questioned with narrowed eyes. "For what purpose would he have need of you demons?"

"The message we received merely told us that he was tired of how slow the gathering of sacrifices was going," he could not help but smirk as he saw Amaury's deep frown. "He wanted us to use our magic to speed things along."

"And how would you go about doing that?" She asked with a frown. "We only need the mana of these people; there's no need to kill so many. Yet that bloodthirsty fool is slaughtering village after village with his men," she spat out in slight anger.

"Now is not the time to develop empathy, dear princess," Nybbas advised. "While true we only really need their mana, but the average non-sorcerer has but a laughable amount. Yet everyone in this world, save for a few, has the potential for magic. The mana is ingrained into the soul and lies dormant within it. So killing the sacrifices is more beneficial and greater serves your empire's goal in Verdantis." Amaury could only look at the smiling demon with a glare. How these demons irked her to no end...

If it were her choice, then she would have never chosen to conspire with demons of all beings. Some of her siblings no doubt held the same distaste, but none were as vocal as her. She did not know what possessed her father to conspire with these demons.

They were plotting something, no doubt; them helping the Vel'ryr empire was just a guise to their true intentions. But regardless of her distaste, she had a duty as a princess. But even so...

"As if you demons care about what furthers the Vel'ryr empire's goals," she scoffed. "Regardless, I want no part in this operation anymore. I will prepare myself for the festival, but that is all." With not another word given, the girl's body blurred and vanished from her spot, kicking up a thin layer of snow.

Nybbas shook his head with a sigh. The siblings of the Von Auerswald bloodline were quite the bunch, he would admit. Were it not for their striking resemblance, you would swear most of them were not even related. As hateful as they were towards demons, it was always fun to see what they brought to the table. But unfortunately, Amaury was one of the more boring ones.

"How disappointing," he laughed.

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"You want me to find something?" Mikoto asked the Goddess before him. "And to 'dispatch' of someone." Suffice it to say he was only growing increasingly more confused as time went on. Or confusion was most likely not the right word; he was just plainly surprised more than anything. He had long come to accept how absurd some things could be.

"That is right, I found thou most worthy for these tasks," Rheya answered. Her tone seemed still blank, though at the same time, it was just so soothing, like it could put you to sleep.

"Could you not just do all of this yourself?" Mikoto questioned. "You are a god, after all."

"Unfortunately not, I am confined to this space, and were I to step into thou star, I could tear down reality there with mine presence. I would have need of a vessel," she explained. Mikoto hummed. She was a god; if he had to hazard a guess, this space she was in was of higher dimensions than a normal world. He did not even know how he was able to perceive anything in this place. Though maybe he was not accurately perceiving anything. Mikoto shook his head; now was not the time to think of these things. This was a rare opportunity after all. If all his other plans did not work, then this was a good chance.

"What is in it for me if I find this thing you are looking for? And kill this person you want gone?" He asked. Many would probably not blatantly ask a god 'what was in it for them,' but Mikoto Yukio was not like many. He would seize any opportunity that would help with his goal of returning home. And this was one hell of an opportunity.

"Worry not, I would not hast thou doth do labor for naught," she quickly clarified. "I shall assist thou in finding a way back to thy star, it is what thou desires, no?" Mikoto slowly nodded his head.

("Doesn't seem like she would be able to just 'poof' me back home, but I was hardly that optimistic.") He held back a sigh. Some help would be better than no help, especially when it came from a god. But that just now reminded him of something important. "Right." Mikoto's hand reached towards his mask before pulling it off, his form reverting to its original state. "You know about my situation, but I was not originally a spawn of Octavia. This change only happened when I was dragged to this world; I had some theories on how that was, but I'm guessing it was Octavia's doing, right? Crossing worlds should be easy for a god of magic." Rheya nodded her head.

"Indeed, 'twere Octavia's doing. Mine brethren and I never wot her intent for doing so. Even amongst us, Octavia is highly unpredictable, yet there may be a clear reason," she explained. Mikoto's lips curled into a frown at his theory being proven correct. "If thy desires, I shall converse with her, if there could be a chance for thou to be sent back to thy star." She stated, and she even seemed to make an attempt to be comforting towards him.

"Thanks," Mikoto spoke with blank eyes. "Then if you don't mind, could you fill me in on what I'm supposed to find?" The goddess nodded as she approached him with a slow but graceful stride. Mikoto's brow arched upward as she stopped in front of him. Though he slightly jumped as she cupped his face with both her hands; they were cold yet still soft and comforting. It was almost like he was in the embrace of his mother once again. Mikoto watched as her face closed in on his before a kiss was planted on his forehead.

The boy blinked in confusion as he felt a slight stinging sensation on the upper left side of his face. "Mine benison, should'st thou join close to mine object, it shall react," she explained, noting his confusion.

"I see, then what about the person I should dispose of?" He questioned.

""I shall let thy know once thou finds mine object; for now, this is farewell, mine dear Mikoto," her soothing voice stated. Then Mikoto blinked.

The expansive mess of a cosmic space was no more; it was all replaced with the expansive snowscape of Verdantis once more. Mikoto ran a hand through his face as he approached a nearby frozen pond. He looked at his own reflection; on the left side of his face was an array of black markings. They resembled something akin to the long-dead tree branches of a withered tree; they crossed over his left eye and connected when he closed it. It expanded from his forehead to his cheek. He could not help but frown as he stared at his reflection; a sigh sat on his lips.

"And here I thought a tattoo would make me look more manly," he sighed dejectedly before placing his mask back on his face. "I'm sensing Agatha's, Mirabella, and Lucinda's mana signatures nearby; I'll regroup with them and see what I missed."