The Psychopathic Beast Emperor-Chapter 94: First Kiss

Bahamut found himself in a room with Sel. After the incident, guards had arrived to question, but Apollonia managed to quell their anger. He got no punishment whatsoever, but after the incident, Exildra refused to talk to him.

Lying on his bed with one arm under his head, Bahamut fiddled with the system to take his mind off his current dilemma with Exildra. He was checking his abilities that had been recorded by the system and thinking of ways to utilize them better.

"You know... you’re really bad with women," Sel commented from the side, making Ren burst out in mocking laughter.

"Teach me, Oh Great Womanizer!" Bahamut retorted with a snort, making Sel falter in his steps to the desk in the room.

"I’m entitled..." Sel said, making Bahamut raise his eyebrows at him. He raised the blindfold over his right eye, his gaze piercing through Sel.

"You have a wife?" Bahamut asked.

"Not yet."

"Then who are you entitled to? Don’t tell me you’re..."

"No! I’m just entitled to my virginity..."

"What sort of fuckery is that?"

"The entilted sort. I’m better than you at women."

"Prove it."

"There’s no woman here," Sel stated with a deadpan expression, like he was saying Bahamut was stupid.

"...Do you have someone you like?"

"Obviously, he has," Ren stated from the side with a chuckle.

"Aren’t you supposed to be asleep?" Bahamut asked him in confusion.

"Why should I when you’re being dramatic? This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!"

"This motherfucker..."

Knock! Knock!

A soft knock sounded on the wall, making Ren and Sel instantly look at Bahamut.

"What?!" Bahamut barked in annoyance. He was so close to roasting someone.

"You know what," Ren spoke like he was giving some god-level advice.

"Elven women are strong and prideful. But, once they taste the sweetness of protection from someone they like, they become meek and obsessive," Sel said as he played with a dagger.

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"Because you just got a member of one of the most obsessive elven tribes as your potential lover. You will need all the help you can get to control her," Sel stated with a sigh, making Bahamut feel chills down his spine.

Knock! Knock!

"Bahamut? Are you there? If you are sleeping, then sleep. We will talk tomorrow..." Exildra’s voice sounded from behind the door.

"Go already!" Ren whispered.

"You got it, champ!" Sel added.

...

Exildra stood for a few seconds behind the boys’ room after talking, and made to leave when the door opened. Bahamut stepped out, his blindfold still on. He opened his mouth to talk, but Exildra beat her to it.

"Can you take off the blindfold? I want to see your eyes."

"Uh... sure."

Bahamut removed the blindfold, revealing his strange yet beautiful red eyes.

"Beautiful..." Exildra said, though her expression was still disturbed a bit.

"If you feel uncomfortable, I can put it back on," Bahamut said, noticing her discomfort.

"No! Let it be. If I want something serious with you, then I have to accept everything about you," Exildra said with a smile, staring straight into his eyes.

"Are you sure? I..."

"I am. Let’s go."

"Where?"

"It’s a surprise!"

...

Exildra didn’t give him time to overthink it. She turned on her heel and started down the corridor, her boots light against the wood. Bahamut followed, still adjusting to the world without the blindfold, the inn’s lamps and shadows feeling sharper than before.

They slipped out through the front door.

Evening had fully settled over Asonvale. The sky was deep and clear, the full moon hanging high and bright, its silver light washing over tiled roofs and stone streets. The town was still alive, laughter drifting from taverns, merchants packing up their stalls, and lanterns being lit one by one like grounded stars.

Exildra led him through the streets without speaking, weaving naturally through the crowd. No one bothered them now... Some glanced, recognizing them in an instant, and looked away.

They passed through the southern gate and onto a quiet path where the noise of the town softened into a distant him. The field beyond opened wide, grass swaying gently in the night breeze. At its center stood a tall, solitary tree, old and broad, its branches stretching toward the sky like they’d been waiting for centuries.

Exildra stopped beneath it, her face lighting up.

"Here," she said simply.

They sat down at the base of the tree, their backs against the trunk. For a while, neither of them spoke. Fireflies drifted lazily through the grass, blinking in and out of existence. Above them, the moon glowed calmly, the stars scattered thickly around it, unbothered by anything happening below.

Bahamut let out a slow breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

"This is nice," he said quietly.

Exildra smiled, drawing her knees closer. "I figured you’d see it better without the blindfold."

They sat shoulder to shoulder, close enough to feel each other’s warmth, far enough to keep the moment unforced. The night wrapped around them, gentle and patient.

"Before you find out accidentally, I’m not human," Bahamut suddenly said, causing Exildra to look at him.

"I’m not human either..." she retorted calmly, though there was a hint of confusion in her voice.

"Not that. I’m something... new."

"I don’t understand."

"Me neither. But... I can’t tell you what exactly, but know that I am every monster you can think of. Literally."

"I don’t care.

"I can attack you when I’m not in my right mind."

"I will gladly stand there."

"Love is blind."

"I will be blind every time."

"You’re being unreasonable..."

"Maybe, but I can’t help it. Some call elven love a curse. But I already love this curse. I will die to have it!" Exildra’s declaration caused chills down Bahamut’s spine. He didn’t know why, but he felt like he had really become her curse. A curse attached to her for eternity... if that was true.

"Sigh... I guess I can’t do anything," Bahamut said with a smile, his eyes glinting under the moon’s glow.

"You can do something..." Exildra said, her voice turning quiet at the last word. In her mind, her conscience was telling her to take the first step.

Take it! TAKE IT, EXILDRA!

"Wha..."

Exildra didn’t let him finish.

She leaned in, her hesitation finally breaking, and pressed her lips to his. It was sudden and clumsy in the honest way first kisses always were, carrying more feeling than precision. Bahamut froze for a breath, surprised at the sudden action.

His hand lifted almost unconsciously, resting at her side as he kissed her back, slower now. The night seemed to soften around them, the breeze gentler, the fireflies drifting closer, and the moon watching in quiet approval.

Exildra’s heart raced, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she leaned into him, as if anchoring herself to something real.

When they finally parted, their foreheads rested together, their breaths mingling.

"So," Bahamut murmured, a small, mischievous smile forming on his face, "that’s what you meant."

Exildra laughed softly, her cheeks warm and red, her eyes shining with joy. "Told you it was a surprise."

"I like this surprise..."

The moon glowed overhead, the town slowly fell into silence, while the two official couple stayed under the tree, discussing fantasies.

Only if...

...

Bahamut sneaked into the room, moving as quietly as he could, convinced Ren and Sel were already asleep.

The door closed with a soft click.

"About time," Sel’s voice said casually.

Bahamut froze.

Ren was sitting upright on the bed, his ears twitching, his eyes too bright for someone who was supposed to be asleep. Sel leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, wearing a knowing look that made Bahamut immediately regret coming back.

"You’re both awake?" Bahamut said flatly.

"You smell different," Ren said, his nose twitching.

"..."

"So... what happened?" Sel asked, seeing Bahamut’s blank expression.

"Nothing happened..."

"You went out with a girl and came back in the middle of the night with your eyes shining like they’d seen angels, and you say nothing happened... Wow. Such a bad liar." Ren said with narrowed eyes.

"Congratulations! On whatever you think you are hiding, when we saw everything..." Sel chuckled, finally pushing off the wall and heading to his bed.

"You were stalking me?"

"Did you see us?"

"...No."

"Then we didn’t. Go to bed already. Senior Apollonia says we leave at 4 in the morning."

"..."

Bahamut muttered something unintelligible and went to his bed. He had a long day ahead.

...

In a dark, ruined place, a pair of hollow-like black eyes opened. A faint sound of sobbing followed afterwards. The place was dark and cold, with the glow of the moon making the shadows thicker.

The sobbing grew louder and louder, followed by faint and choking whispers.

"Someone... please... Daddy... Mommy..."

"The pain is too much... please..."

Her cries echoed in the vicinity, but there was no one to save her. No one could hear her. There was no one around...

The place was desolate and devoid of life, except hers. As the night moved, the cries and sobs died down, replaced with a deathly silence that spoke of a last chance of survival.