blueteamnovel 875. The Season of Love
875. The Season of Love
875. The Season of Love
It had been days since Frost and Jury got married.
By now the couple had left the Nexus for their honeymoon. But not without taking Nav to a secret place in Grandis.
Snap was supposed to follow them, but they had a different plan in mind.
“Would you like a grape, or cheese? Hehe... don’t choke.” Carpalis spoke tenderly to a recovering Evergreen.
Snap scaled the heights of Carpal Tower and recorded the two through one of its windows. Evergreen was still physically fatigued, which was rare considering she was both Healed and her pain should have been shouldered by Carpalis.
However, Evergreen’s pain was her own to bear as a Puritas.
“You don’t have to keep doing this for me. In fact, I’d like it if you stopped.” Evergreen pouted. “Benevolent Carpalis... are you still upset because of what happened to me?”
“I can’t do that. When your pain is no longer my burden, then how can I not worry? It’s your job to stay here. On my lap. Don’t mind the groans of my Faustian Bargain. It won’t snap. Hehe...”
Carpalis sensed Snap’s presence. Her eyes flicked towards the camera as she wore a creepy smile. Then, she looked back down at Evergreen. Her long, delicate fingers played with her green hair. It had become slightly lighter since she became a Puritas. Her hair was half dark green and light green, making her look like a fern bush in a way.
“I can’t be yours forever. I don’t want to see you keep carrying our burdens. How many thousands of wounds did you have to shoulder?”
“As many as it takes for there to be peace.” Carpalis sincerely answered before plopping a grape onto Evergreen’s lips.
The woman blushed when Carpali’s fingers brushed against her lips. Evergreen held certain feelings towards the Beholder, but it was unclear if Carpalis was aware of this to reciprocate her feelings. Or was this her way of flirting with Evergreen?
No one could tell what Carpalis was thinking. Those hollow eyes always seemed so empty.
But Evergreen could see her reflection in them as clearly as day as she looked up at her benefactor. Some would call Carpalis terrifying or hideous. However, Carpalis was breathtakingly beautiful up close.
There was no equal to her.
“... Fine. More grapes... please.”
“Hehe~ Finally playing along. Would this be considered cannibalism? Are fruits plants?”
“Fruits are fruits. Just because they come from plants doesn’t make them our children.”
“They don’t?” Carpalis tilted her head. “I thought fruits were the equivalent of ovaries for plants.”
Evergreen was at a loss for words.
Her pitiful Beholder couldn’t possibly be this cute.
“Also – Benevolent Carpalis...”
“Why won’t you just call me Carpalis? Don’t break my heart. Unless that’s what you want.”
“Carpalis... Did you happen to see the flowers? There were blue dahlias blooming in the gardens.”
* * *
Alice and Hellen have lived comfortably ever since the Wonderland incident. Nothing changed for Hellen, but Alice hoped to join the Academy of Magic. Her encounter with the supernatural sparked her desire to seek the unknown. A piece of the White Rabbit’s tail was in her possession as well.
“Let’s go, Dinah~ To another adventure! Onwards to the grocery store!”
“Just a second Alice!”
The Cheshire Cat followed her after waving goodbye to Hellen. The purple-haired cat woman was Alice’s second guardian and a construct of Wonderland. But she was allowed to live with Alice through the powers of the White Rabbit. In a way, it was the White Rabbit’s way of keeping her eye on her.
Hellen didn’t mind her at all. The name ‘Dinah’ was also oddly familiar to her. She remembered that they did have a cat named Dinah before...
“Hmm. Could it be a coincidence?” She wasn’t a stranger to how the world worked behind the scenes. In fact, she had suspected this for a long time now. It was why she easily let the Cheshire Cat live alongside them.
“If you’re willing to tolerate me... Then do what you want...”
She fluffed his tail as Deiman stood by her side. She looked up to smile at him, only to find that he was looking away. No amount of staring could get him to turn around. Then, she noticed it; the soft, red blush on his cheeks.
“It’s not about being able to tolerate you. I just enjoy being around you.”
Autumn internally squealed.
This couldn’t be happening.
Right here?
Now!?
Autumn’s heart beat like it was about to burst out of her chest. She had never felt like this towards another person before. Nevermind a Demi-human. A part of why she denied her feelings was because she felt guilty for taking advantage of Deiman, and that there was a large social stigma against loving a Demi-human.
But she wasn’t in Grandis anymore.
Everywhere she looked were not just Demi-Humans, but Elves, Insectids, Arachnids, Aquatids, Dragonkin, Dwarves, Mycelli, Humans... The pairings were endless, and no one batted an eye.
If it was here, in the Nex Megalopolis, then there was no reason to be afraid.
Slowly, she felt something else wrap around her waist.
It was Deiman’s hand.
“If it’s uncomfort –”
“It’s not!” Autumn yelled, causing Deiman to turn to look at her.
She calmed down instantly as they shared an intense stare.
“It’s fine. I don’t mind it.”
Her body instinctively leaned against him, now appearing like any other couple present.
“Deiman. Am I allowed to believe what I’m thinking right now?”
He held her closer, almost possessively to confirm how he felt. Autumn had heard how much she meant to him when he manifested his Corrupted Persona. But it wasn’t until now that she understood what it entailed.
“You can. I don’t want us to go our own ways.”
“If you’re fine with a bumpkin like me, then I can’t really say no, can I?” Autumn looked up at him.
Why did humans hate Demi-Humans in the first place?
Autumn wondered long and hard about it. Deiman was no different from a human. His warmth, his affection, his heartbeat...
She stood up on her toes and brought her face close to his. But she was not tall enough to reach his lips. Seeing this, Deiman leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. Their first kiss was awkward and tasted of an awful combination of meat and candy.
But they savored the sweetness of their happiest moment.
Mae suddenly entered the frame. It looked like she was about to intrude. Realizing that they were having a moment, she turned, took several steps back, then watched on with fond eyes.
“Almost stopped something nice. Can affection be shown like that too? I’m learning so much. First the Insectid musicians, and now this. Just what have we been doing all this time?”
The cliché of the friend coming in to interrupt a moment of passion was not going to happen here. Her attention was suddenly caught by the pleasant scent of a rose. She turned to a flower store.
People flocked to buy a type of blue flower she had never seen before.