Half an Hour... Is That Enough? (Continued)
Because she couldn't think of anything that could make Maria so uneasy.
"Nothing..."
"Yeah..."
Maria did not answer, nor did Lamaline specifically ask.
She simply rested her head against Maria's chest, quietly enjoying its softness.
This time, Maria, for the first time ever, reached out and gently stroked her hair...
"Perhaps... it's time for me to leave."
In the darkness, a sudden voice rang out, startling Lamaline.
But after a moment, she quieted down again.
This day was bound to come sooner or later; she just hadn't expected it to come so soon...
After a moment of surprise, she fell silent again.
The arms holding Maria tightened slightly.
She tried to bury her head deeper into the girl's arms, greedily devouring the other's tenderness.
"Is... the war about to end?"
"... Yes."
Maria tilted her head back slightly and exhaled.
The war is coming to an end.
After realizing the Daemon's movements, Maria was almost certain that the ordinary soldiers were not capable of dealing with monsters of this level.
Even if Maria says that she won't launch an attack, in those people's eyes, she is still in a dilemma, caught between Daemon behind her and Sarkaz in front of her.
As expected, they will inevitably use the method Kal'tsit taught them...
The power to summon Great Beast...
Once it reaches that point, the situation will be beyond repair.
Maria, in turn, was bound to reveal her existence.
That's why she told the girl that the war was about to end...
She will join the battle.
"Is that so... It's going to end..."
Even now, Lamaline sees no sign that the war is about to end; at least, in the eyes of almost all the Sarkaz, the war has only just begun.
But she also knew that Maria wasn't the kind of person who made empty promises... Since she had already stated that the war would end, then the war really was going to end.
Only...
She pursed her lips, rolled over, and nestled gently into Maria's arms like a cat, remaining motionless.
"After the war... everything will be alright, right?"
"I have no idea."
Maria was unable to make judgments about things she was unfamiliar with.
She was merely a Hunter; her domain was the battlefield, not the landscape after the war.
Therefore, she couldn't give the girl any verbal promises.
Whether the future is good or bad, it's up to the girls to find out.
"Um..."
Lamaline buried her face in the other person's chest, making a buzzing sound.
The exhaled air struck Maria's chest without warning.
No matter how weak she appeared in front of Maria, Lamaline was ultimately the lord of the Banshees, a leader of great status.
Even at this point, she couldn't let herself vent her emotions, and could only mutter a melancholy sound.
After a long silence, Maria let out a soft sigh.
"Perhaps... this is what you wanted, Doll."
Maria tilted her head slightly.
It seemed to be communicating with someone from afar.
But clearly, they couldn't do that yet... This was just Maria's unconscious remark.
The Doll had been trying for a long time to help Maria escape the nightmare of Yharnam... After all, in her eyes, Yharnam was already a thing of the past, and Maria shouldn't have driven herself into a mad hunter.
She deserves a peaceful dream, free from any disturbance.
But clearly, such a wish cannot be fulfilled overnight.
At least until Maria's personality changes, the nightmares about Yharnam will never bring her Maria.
But at this moment...
"Doll?"
Lamaline lifted her head from Maria's chest and looked at Maria.
This doesn't sound like a person's name at all.
Although everything was gloomy, Maria could still clearly feel the girl's neck.
"Huh?"
The sudden action made Lamaline's heart pound, but Maria didn't offer any explanation.
She merely parted her lips slightly.
The fangs, dormant for who knows how long, reappeared, and she gently pressed Lamaline's neck...
"Wait... this..."
The strange touch was in a strange location; Lamaline could even feel Maria's movements, which resembled a pre-meal ritual!
A numbing sensation followed.
Maria, what are you doing?!
Is it... necessary to do this?
But why now?
"It's just a small gift."
Maria didn't say much, her sharp teeth lightly tapping the girl's shoulder.
A slight stinging sensation made Lamaline involuntarily shrink back.
She could sense that Maria wasn't sucking her blood; on the contrary, Maria was carefully transferring something to her at a certain frequency.
Within a few breaths, she could feel her body starting to burn...
It wasn't the shy, burning heat she'd felt before, but a genuine, pervasive heat spreading from the depths of her being...
She felt as if her blood was fighting against her body; the raging blood, as if it had its own soul, was no longer content to be just a transporter within her body.
Flesh and blood began to struggle, and bones became their battlefield, pulling and killing each other!
"Forehead..."
The piercing pain made her arch her back in struggle, but the extreme pain, beyond her comprehension, rendered her unable to utter a single sound!
But...
"Relax..."
A deep, eerie voice, like the seduction of a demon, reached her ears and seeped into her very blood...
Maria reached out and gently pressed her hand against her chest.
The delicate fingers seemed to penetrate flesh and blood, touching the heart directly, and the raging blood slowly calmed down.
After a long while, her vision slowly returned...
The sweat from his body soaked the bed.
His breathing also became somewhat abnormal.
But what surprised Lamaline the most was that after Maria gave her something, the original darkness had completely disappeared.
Although the surroundings were still somewhat dark, she could clearly see the cold, aloof woman pressing down on her.
She silently withdrew her kiss...
"What's this?"
The unusual sensation left Lamaline somewhat bewildered; she could feel the vibrant energy coursing through her veins...
With each breath, she felt her body undergoing a transformation.
She's now... terrifyingly strong!
"Perhaps we will meet again after a long time."
Maria didn't know how much lifespan the blood she injected into Lamaline would extend, but at least, Kal'tsit had appeared in this era, so this place shouldn't be too far from the world she was familiar with.
With the blessing of their own blood, the two might one day meet again.
Stroking Lamaline's neck and looking at her disheveled appearance, she whispered again, silently lifting the girl's hand, which was too weak to lift, and gently touching it to her lips.
"Can I have this?"
Maria stretched out her hand, and on her left hand hung the ring used to conceal her identity— the Banshee Queen Consort's Ring ...
Lamalina stared in astonishment at Maria's actions, her wide eyes unable to utter a word.
Now that things have come to this, Maria should understand the meaning of that ring.
But...
What does she want?
What she is doing is...
Lamaline couldn't discern her own thoughts; all she could feel was her voice becoming incredibly veiled and shy...
"Um."
She wanted Maria to keep the ring.
Maria didn't say much, but simply put it on her wrist and exhaled softly.
"I don't know why I made such a promise, but... Lamaline, I'm willing to give it a try."
She looked at Lamaline beside her, stroking the other's hair as she whispered.
"I may have been wallowing in the past for too long, but now, perhaps it's time for me to explore something new and unfamiliar..."
"Lamaline, I have no feelings for you... I believe you understand that too."
"We can call each other friends, or even close friends, but clearly, these are not what we call feelings or love."
"These things are all too unfamiliar and out of place for you and for me."
"But... maybe it's just my narcissism, but I'm willing to give it a try."
As Maria spoke, she silently kissed Lamaline.
But this time...
It was a real kiss.
Lamaline could even feel the tension and unease in their contact...
It was at this moment that Lamaline realized with a start that Maria was not as composed and calm as she appeared; she still got nervous when faced with unfamiliar situations...
For example... now...
Maria had never experienced anything like this before; she had mustered up all her courage to give that kiss!
Their attack was even more disorganized!