Chapter 12: A tool? (1)
It was a crisp 9 in the morning, and almost a year had passed. Grayfia was currently in the dungeons trying to clean it up, at least some it, she still hadn't given up. It would take a significant amount of time for her to emerge from its depths back to the mansion.
As I stood at the edge of the lush garden that surrounded the Barbatos mansion, I knew that as soon as I stepped beyond its boundaries, Grayfia would know. The garden was a peaceful oasis, a stark contrast to the dense and imposing forest that lay beyond its borders.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small object, which I placed on the saddle of a Nightmare. I gave him a slap on the hindquarters, and he let out a fierce neigh before galloping away across the vast plains of the estate, joining his fellow horses in their morning run.
The forest loomed ahead, a mysterious and uncharted wilderness. With a deep breath, I raised my foot and took my first step into the forest.
Nothing happened...Why?
Well you see, you remember the dungeons, right?
I actually found something there, I found a manual on how to make Voodoo Dolls tucked away in a corner of the damp, musty prison cell.
I don't know how or why the hell was it there. It was probably left behind by some prisoner in the past who was practicing some sort of Black Magic.
Anyway it's not the type of Voodoo Doll you are imagining. These dolls were not created to inflict harm on a person by hurting the doll. No, this was something far more intriguing.
The manual explained that by using a strand of hair from the person I wanted to create a doll of, their presence would be copied into the doll.
This meant that if one were to use their senses to sense me, my Voodoo Doll and I would have the same feeling. In other words, it would be like sensing two of the same person.
The possibilities of this were endless. I could use it to bait people during fights and my opponent would have no way of knowing who was who, unless they actually saw the doll. This was quite a valuable tool in my arsenal
Anyway, the thing I threw in my garden was my Voodoo Doll, so for Grayfia I'm still in the garden. The Nightmares were trained to not leave the boundaries of the estate, so they would just be roaming over there
You might be wondering why I'm wandering around here. Well, there isn't any grand reason behind it, no master plan or future move that I am going to execute. I am simply here... because I am bored. You can't possibly expect me to stay cooped up in the house all day and all night, nor can you expect me to just roam the town aimlessly.
This isn't even the first time that I've ventured out this way. I started doing this like a month ago and Grayfia hasn't suspected anything...at least, I don't think she has. I usually use this time to practice my hunting skills, stalking and taking down the beasts that roam the wilds of the estate. It's training and entertaining
It's really relaxing in the nature anyways, I feel a sense of peace and tranquility as I walk deeper into the lush forest. It reminds me of the camping trips I used to take with my dad in my past life.
I knew I was being reckless, but I couldn't help but feel stifled by Grayfia's overprotection. I knew she meant well, but sometimes I just needed to breathe and clear my head. I wasn't going into the forest unarmed, anyway. I had a vial of Phoenix Tears with me, gifts from the Phenex Clan, and a Teleport Rune Stone
The Teleport Rune Stone was a powerful tool that I could use to instantly teleport myself back to the Barbatos mansion if I found myself in danger. With it, I have the capabilities to escape from anyone under Satan-Class. Though it was a one-time use and could only take one person, it was instant though.
It was one of the rune stones that the Barbatos family were known for creating. These stones were incredibly useful, but also incredibly difficult to make. The problem wasn't because it was resource-intensive, but that it was time-intensive, it required the perfect alignment of stars, in the perfect night, all that bullshit. That's why I only had a few of them in my possession.
Anyway, coming back to the topic. I'm also not that weak anymore, I am capable of defending myself...
So let's just end it there
As I ventured deeper into the forest, the sunlight became scarce as the tall trees blocked it out. The darkness didn't bother me, as I was mesmerized by the beauty of my surroundings. I walked for a while, taking in the sights and sounds of the forest.
Turning a corner, I stumbled upon something that caught my attention. I quickly hid behind a tree, my back pressed against the trunk as I tilted my head to get a better look. It was a deer, the most magnificent one I had ever seen
It was grazing on the lush green grass, completely unaware of my presence
It had pure white horns that gleamed in the sunlight, contrasting sharply with the shiny and soft-looking golden fleece that covered its body. It was a Golden Deer, rare and desired by hunters all around.
Despite its majestic appearance, I knew that the Golden Deer had little in the way of offensive abilities and nearly no defensive qualities. Its true strength lay in its speed, which was said to be incredibly fast and made it nearly impossible to catch. The creature itself was quite rare.
The fleece of the Golden Deer was highly sought after in the market, particularly by noble Devil women. It was a luxury product. Despite it having no defensive properties, it was highly prized for its softness and comfort. The horns too, had their own uses in alchemy and medicine.
As I stared at the creature, I couldn't help but think that it was like a cheap version of the famed Golden Deer that Artemis had. But even so, it was still a marvel to behold.
Just as I was about to stealthily get into a proper position, I stepped on a broken branch on the ground.
*SNAP!*
The crisp snap echoed through the forest, shattering the peaceful silence.
The deer immediately turned its head towards me, its eyes wide with alarm. It didn't take long for it to realize the danger and it dashed into the other direction with a speed that I wasn't able to match. I tried following it for a while, but the deer's agility and familiarity with the terrain made it impossible for me to catch up. I eventually gave up, feeling a mix of disappointment and frustration.
"Fuck!" I cursed out loud, that was a really good opportunity. Even though I didn't need the money, I could have made a gift for Grayfia with the fleece. Her birthday was approaching and I wanted to surprise her with something special. Though I knew she might be mad about me going outside and probably even ground me even more. I knew it would be worth it if she was happy in the end
Just as I was about to give up my search and turn back, I heard a faint, ragged breathing with my enhanced senses. My heart skipped a beat, and I wondered if it was the deer I had been tracking. I crept forward cautiously, following the sound until I reached a field of lush, violet flowers.
The sight was breathtaking, and for a moment, I found myself entranced by the beauty of the blooms. But then, my attention was drawn back to the sound of the breathing, and I pushed through the flowers, determined to find its source.
As I drew closer, I saw a figure lying on the ground, leaning against a tree. They were injured quite badly. Blood was seeping from a wound in their shoulder, and I could see that they were close to death. Their breathing was shallow and laboured, like it would stop at any moment
As I approached the figure, I couldn't quite make out their age. They appeared to be around ten years old, but it was difficult to tell for certain.
The figure was dressed in an old-fashioned military attire, heavily plated armoured and had various holsters for various weapons which all were seemingly empty. The armour was a dull, muted colour that had seen better days, dented and scratched from years of wear and tear.
Underneath the armor, the figure was wearing a dark green coat that was fastened with a leather belt around their waist. Their pants were also dark green and stopped just above their knees, revealing a pair of long leather boots. The boots were well-worn and scuffed, but still seemed to be in good condition.
What stood out the most to me, however, was the gas mask the figure was wearing. It gave them a menacing and ominous appearance, making it impossible to see their face.
...A child solider?
I stared at them for a moment, contemplating whether or not to save them. The thought of pitying them crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it. I had the power to save them, but why should I?
But even though, I couldn't shake the feeling of curiosity about how a human had ended up in the Underworld, but I knew it wasn't my concern. Just as I turned to walk away, I heard a soft cough.
I turned around and noticed that the coughing was coming from them, I assumed they were waking up. My already infesting curiosity got the better of me and I couldn't help but want to see their appearance. I walked closer to them, I could feel their eyes one me, even under the mask. Seeing me approaching, they didn't move or react at all
I was on high alert, every muscle in my body tensed and ready for any kind of attack. My hand was firmly planted in my pocket, my fingers tightly gripping the teleport stone, ready to crush it at a moment's notice should any hostile signs arise. But as I approached the figure, I couldn't help but frown in confusion. There was no reaction from them, no sign of aggression or hostility.
I moved closer, my footsteps soft and measured as I crouched down so that I was face to face with the figure. My fingers reached up, gingerly lifting the gas mask that obscured their face.
The mask slowly came off. First, her chin came into view, showing smooth and unblemished skin, followed by her rosy cheeks and thin lips. Finally, the mask slipped away completely, revealing her golden blonde hair cascading down her shoulders. Her mask now hung from her neck.
I could help but feel a twinge of surprise seeing her appearance
Her hair was quite messy, tied back in a low ponytail with a black ribbon. A fringe framed her face, ending in the middle of her eyebrows, and two longer strands fell on her shoulders. She was slightly sweaty, most likely due to the mask, but it only added to her natural beauty
She was incredibly pretty, and held the potential of being a gorgeous beauty in the future, if not more, on par with the heiresses of the clans
Her eyes, which were momentarily shut due to the removal of the mask, opened, revealing their true beauty. They were beautiful, like blue sapphires
But I didn't like them at all, the eyes were pretty but they were empty, it contained nothing. A feeling of hollowness radiated from them. They reminded me of my own eyes after my parents' death, void of any emotion or feeling. Hers were even worse, as if she was an emotionless doll.
I shook my head as I took a small vial out of my pocket. I was so close anyway, I might as well. I opened the lid of the vial, but she didn't react or show any signs of suspicion. Her gaze remained fixed on me, as if she didn't care about anything I did to her.
This only made me furrow my brows
I carefully poured the Phoenix Tears onto her wounds, but she didn't even flinch. This made my frown deepen as I watched.
I knew that even though the Tears had healing properties, they still caused a considerable amount of pain. The size of her wounds and her young age made me uncomfortable with the idea that she was able to tolerate such pain without so much as a wince. Her high pain tolerance was both impressive and concerning, especially for a child.
As I watched, her wounds began to heal before my eyes. But she didn't even glance down at them, and she didn't show any reaction to the healing process. Instead, she kept her gaze fixed on me, her eyes unblinking.
I couldn't help but feel a sense of annoyance at this
Suddenly, in an instant, I unsheathed my katana and held it firmly against her neck. The black blade glinted in the light, reflecting off the smooth surface of the metal. Her eyes never left mine, and I could see that she was not afraid. She didn't flinch or try to evade the sword, instead she stood still.
I pressed the blade harder against her skin, feeling the resistance of her flesh. A single drop of blood escaped, running down her neck and disappearing into her clothes. Still, she didn't react. It was as if she didn't care about her own life
Seeing her reaction intensified my annoyance, making me click my tongue
Tch!
With a swift motion, I jerked the blade to the right, flicking the blood off before sheathing it again. I looked at her for a moment longer, studying her face, before I finally broke the silence, "Why are you here?"
She didn't say anything in response, and just looked at me with a blank expression
I repeated my question, but she still didn't show any reaction other than looking at me
"Can you understand what I'm saying?" I asked, my confusion growing. No matter what language she speaks, I should be able to speak it. I'm a Devil after all.
She just blinked at me
As the silence stretched on, I began to suspect that perhaps she was mute, or possibly deaf...Well, whatever the case might be behind her not understanding me, I didn't really care. The only reason I saved her, was because of some answers and if she isn't giving those, there is no reason for me to stay here any longer
"Listen, I don't know if you understand me, but I saved your life. I didn't do it out of kindness or pity, I did it because I was bored. Yeah, that's right...boredom" I don't know if I was trying to tell her or convince myself about the last part.
"I'm going now. You should go back to wherever you came from," I said, my tone uncaring. I turned on my heel and began to walk away, leaving her behind. Whatever happened to her now was no longer my concern. She doesn't posses anything that could be useful to me. Anyway, I needed to start heading back as well, before it got too late.
As I trudged down the way I came from, I heard some ruffling behind me. I spun to find her trailing behind me. Seeing her finally standing up, I couldn't help but notice her height, she was taller than me
"What are you doing?" I spat out, my voice cold and uninviting, "Leave me alone. Go back to where you came from."
But she didn't move, not even a muscle twitched on her face. She simply stared back at me with those pretty yet hateful eyes
I sprinted through the dense forest, criss-crossing my paths, trying to cover my moments with the landscape, using all the speed I had, but she was still somehow on my trail. It was a surprise to me, as I was a Devil, and an enhanced one at that, yet she somehow managed to keep pace with me.
I would be suspicious of her being a spy, but I didn't think that would be possible...not with those eyes.
Suddenly, I came to a halt, and she too stopped, standing a few paces behind me
I could hear something in the distance, something that sounded like breathing. It was a familiar sound, one that reminded me of that deer
I looked at the girl and put my fingers on my lips, signaling for her to be quiet. I didn't know if she understood me or not, but it didn't matter at that moment. It was quite dumb to be honest considering she had been quite the whole time ever since I met her
As I slowly crept closer, following the breathing, I suddenly stopped and hid behind a tree. The girl didn't move and simply just stood there. Seeing her still in her previous position, I grunted in annoyance and roughly pulled her to me, hiding us both behind the tree. She didn't resist my actions at all. I could feel her soft breath on my neck
I simple peeked backwards around the tree
A bush rustled and that damned Golden Deer emerged, I couldn't help but stare intently at the creature, completely oblivious to the blonde girl in my arms who was watching me instead, the whole time. The deer gracefully made its way deeper into the forest
I let him go as he was still within my line of sight.
It wasn't long after, when I realised that I was still holding the girl tightly in my arms. A bit embarrassed, I hurriedly let her go
The girl, however, didn't seem fazed by the situation at all. She simply blinked and showed no other outward emotion.
I was slightly frustrated seeing her being so...reaction-less...
I decided not to dwell on it and instead shifted my gaze back towards the direction of the deer
Seeing the damned animal, peacefully munching on some grass after making me run all over the forest, pissed me off a little. It almost looked smug as it grazed, as if it were enjoying the fact that it had made me chase it through the dense foliage...Well perhaps, my emotions and what I was seeing were exaggerated, by the annoyance with the girl. It was all getting directing towards it as well
My annoyance piled over and I found myself whispering under my breath, "Damn that bastard. Making me run all around the place like some sort of hunting dog. I'm going to turn him into venison soup after I kill him"
It was as if it had somehow aggrieved me, and was the one somehow at fault. The fact was totally lost on me, that I was the one who was hunting it in the first place...The poor animal had just caught me in a bad mood
Anyway, the girl on the other hand didn't show any reaction to what I said but when I uttered out the word 'kill', her finger twitched ever so slightly and her eyes narrowed, as if something had triggered a reaction within her, to which I took notice
I maintained a neutral expression but I kept my guard up, my hand instinctively going to the hilt of my blade, ready for any sudden movements.
This was the first time she showed any reaction.
She then stretched out her hand and a dagger materialised in it. She calmly tightened her fingers around the hilt, her gaze fixing on the deer grazing peacefully
Without warning, she charged forward in a sudden burst of speed that I barely managed to see, not expecting it at all. The deer, taken aback by the sudden attack, couldn't react in time and fell to the ground, blood pouring from the neat slit in its throat. The girl's movements were quick and precise, and she approached me again, standing before me and gazing at me with a steady look. The dagger simply disappearing in place
This time I was a little wary about her. She was strong, possibly as strong as me, just physically I mean.
But despite my wariness, I couldn't help but feel intrigued by her
"So you do understand me after all?" I said to her, as I approached the lifeless body of the deer. I reached down to touch it, storing the carcass in my space. I would skin it later
I received no response
'She's not deaf, that's for sure,' I thought to myself, as I replayed the events that just happened. A detail coming to mind, 'Does she only understand the word 'kill'?'
To test my theory, I led her to different animals and insects, giving her the command to kill them, and as I had suspected, she responded to each command, dispatching the creatures without hesitation. It was clear that her understanding was limited to that one word, and nothing more.
She also had summoned a variety of weapons, including a dagger, sword, bow, and even one of those old bayonet rifles from World War 1. Despite its age, the gun seemed to possess an impressive level of firepower, possibly due to the influence of mana, because of this...I think the firepower could be increased too.
She was also incredibly skilled in handling each weapon individually
It was clear that she possessed a Sacred Gear, though I was unsure which one was it
I also noticed a flaw in it. She could only summon one weapon at a time, which limited her versatility on the battlefield. She also couldn't effortlessly switch between them without breaking her rhythm, but I guess that wasn't the lack of her abilities but rather her lack of skill, which could be trained
Nevertheless, even with these limitations, her Sacred Gear had potential to be formidable asset in battle.
I asked her if she could give me her weapon, to which she didn't show any reaction other than blinking at me. I took that as a sign of agreement and reached out to take the weapon from her hands. She offered no resistance as I took it, but as soon as it left her grasp, it disintegrated into tiny particles.
'Hmmm, so only the user can use the weapons' I thought to myself
Despite this setback, I couldn't help but notice her potential. It was undeniable. With the proper training and guidance, she would grow up to very powerful in the future
She could be useful...I think I just found a rough diamond waiting to be polished.
The only concern that lingered in my mind was the question of loyalty. I needed to make sure of the fact if she would only listens to my commands or if she would listen to anyones
Well I guess I'll figure that out later, but observe the way how she followed me closely, I would say she is 'attached' to me...Nah, probably not attached, more like she thinks she belongs to me...like a tool.
My thoughts may have seemed harsh, but they seemed to be truth
The only problem that remained now was Grayfia. I let out a groan, feeling overwhelmed at the thought of having to explain the situation to her.
How the hell am I going to explain this? What would I tell her when she asks where I found her?...Ahh, well, I guess it was only a matter of time before she found out..
...
Back at the Barbatos Mansion:
"Young master," Grayfia said, her voice laced with barely contained irritation, "If you would be so kind as to tell me, who is the bitc-I mean...the young lady standing behind you? And might I inquire as to how she came to be in this place?" The corners of her mouth twitched upward in a 'kind' smile, but the dark miasma emanating from her body betrayed the true nature of her emotions.
Wait a second, she was just about to call her a bitch, right...? Nah
...Anyway
'What could I say?' I thought to myself, I knew that there was no point in lying to her, so I decided to be honest, bracing myself for the inevitable scolding
And it came, as expected, in the form of a 30-minute lecture about how dangerous it was and how irresponsible my actions were
"Alright, Fia. I understand," I said, trying to placate her. "I'm sorry, and I promise it won't happen again."
She gave me a deadpan stare that basically said, 'I don't believe you'
After a while, she let out a sigh and shifted her gaze towards the girl. Her eyes narrowing, as she radiated a hint of hostility towards the girl, to which, the said-victim, did not even react to as well
Fia's eyes then turned back to me, "Young master, I don't think this girl should be here. She could be a possible enemy and could easily backstab you." Though her words made sense, there was also a hint of jealousy in her tone. I knew Fia well enough to recognise it
"Fia, don't worry. I know what I'm doing" I replied confidently
"But Young master-" She tried to say something but I interrupted her
"Fia!" I exclaimed in a more serious tone this time
She just sighed, knowing how stubborn I could be.
"Alright Young master, but even if you trust her, I don't. I will be watching her every action closely for now and in the future" She said as she gave a stern glare to the girl
I just nodded helplessly. I, of course, also didn't trust her, I just met her today. But I was sure that she wasn't an enemy.
After that day she kept on following me all throughout the mansion like a little duckling. Grayfia had to intervene multiple times to prevent the girl from following me into private spaces like the bathroom or my bedroom. Grayfia attempted to teach the girl how to communicate, but her efforts were in vain as the girl didn't seem to listen to her, much to Grayfia's frustration.
As a result, I found myself taking on the responsibility of teaching the girl myself
I also think I figured out her loyalty. I brought a bunny and I instructed Grayfia to command her to kill the bunny, but she didn't do anything. However, when I gave the command myself, the girl obediently carried out the task without hesitation. So I guess she won't betray me...possibly
We also checked her scared gear, it was apparently called Witchcraft. This powerful tool had the ability to summon a deadly axe, imbued with a unique power. The ability of Witchcraft was quite fascinating and it only worked with the axe. The axe was able to instantly double the weight of any object it struck, with each successive strike increasing the weight even further.
It also had the ability to summon the weapons that its past users had mastered. However, it could only summon one weapon from each past user. It was clear that Witchcraft had not been seen for centuries, but it seemed that its previous user was a soldier in World War I. This was likely because of the bayonet rifle that was mastered by the axe. The soldier probably never awakened the full power of Witchcraft, but it still retained the mastery of the bayonet rifle
For her gun and bow, the ammunition and arrows were seemingly limitless, drawing upon her reserves of mana to fuel her attacks, thus I think she could increase her firepower by concentrating her mana or adding more of it. Though the ammo and arrows were infinite, she still had to reload the gun manually, chambering each bullet one at a time, it was 5 at a the bow, pulling back the string and nocking an arrow before releasing it, also taking it out of an invisible quiver. This process, although seemingly effortless, still required her to expend some of her mana.
In addition to her impressive weaponry, she possessed physical attributes far superior to that of an average human. Her strength, defence, speed and senses were all heightened, and she possessed a minor regenerative ability
Today, I had planned to take her on a tour of our garden, hoping to evoke some kind of emotion from her. The garden was truly a sight to behold, with a variety of colourful flowers and lush greenery spreading out as far as the eye could see
As we walked through the garden, I couldn't help but notice that she wasn't smiling. I turned to her and said, "Why don't you smile? Here, watch me." I smiled at her, trying to demonstrate how it's done. She simply tilted her head in response.
"Here like this" I said, as I grabbed both her cheeks and pulled them up, making a makeshift and a very unusual looking smile.
"Yeah, this isn't working" I stated pulling my hands away, steering the conversation in a different direction.
As I was naming all the flowers around her, my shitty social skills from my previous life coming in handy, even though I wasn't sure if she understood me. I stopped seeing a Violet.
It reminded me of our first meeting
"Hey, I never did ask for your name, did I? What's your name?" She didn't say anything
"Ahh I see... Would it be okay if I gave you one?" I asked as she just blinked at me
"Hmmmm" I looked at the flower once again and a small smile formed on my face, "Violet...that's your name, because I'm sure you'll grow into one in the future...and since I found you in a garden, you will be Violet Evergarden"
{{NOTE from Author-san:
-(FOR THE SACRED GEAR): Yeah I took the weight idea from the Shikai ability for Wabizuke in Bleach. Witchcraft is an AU sacred gear, it was based upon a weapon Violet had.
-Btw speaking of Violet, her outfit is based on the Death Korps of Krieg lmao, there ain't no Warhammer crossover though. I just find the outfit cool, so it doesn't come with futuristic-ass weapons...and ofc, the great shovel. Do ya'll want her to keep it? or just stay in this chap as a unique Easter egg?}}
