I was losing it, how could this happen? Maybe I did something wrong, maybe I guessed it wrong, because, no matter how you look at it, it's crazy to think that things like this would work. How can stabbing someone be the solution to anything? It's just not worth the jail time!

This actually hurts though. The past keeps coming back, and it kills me every time it strikes my heart. But that's it! No more living in the past anymore. I will not let this become gloomy! So, I took a deep breath and stood up firmly. I looked into his eyes as his blood rolled down my cheeks, and I roared, "Lict! Protect me! Protect me as you promised me you would!"

With just these words, I saw a bright light coming from within him. Lict was shining—His blue eyes shone like a beautiful blue sapphire and his skin was golden like a bright star. He looked magnificent. I always believed music was something dark and mysterious but I was wrong. It's golden. I saw his feet were slowly covered by a pair of beautiful purplish-blue boots. All his wounds healed up so fast as if they had never even existed. I was hypnotised because I just couldn't take my eyes off of him. There were no feelings between us whatsoever but he still looked so charming! Something so beautiful and pure must be protected.

Then, a thin, red string came out of his wound and curled around my wrist, just like what happened with that other duo, that high school girl and boy.

"Boots? Really? Which kind of demigod gifts boots to their star spirit as a fighting weapon? This is so hilarious I can die laughing." The man snarked. Was I the one who gave him that 'gift' or whatever? Man, now I was angry at myself. Why boots? What possibly could a pair of boots do except making him look gayer?

I have this feeling that I've managed to offend a large section of society.

"I'll finish you in no time, weakling!" She shouted. Then, she ran towards Lict with one of her swords left behind. She planned on fighting him with just one weapon.

"Dodge it, Lict! She'll cut you into two!" I warned him. I was finally taking some interest in this fight. She swayed up her sword—Ready to slay him.

"You stink." Oh my God, did Lict really say that? I was astounded! Okay, he just got much more interesting. He did have remarkable balls. He jumped about a metre high over the ground, dodged her attack and landed on her sword, causing it to shatter completely into pieces. She was shocked because she was still confused about what had happened. Her eyes were wide open, perhaps like her legs just last night. Then, she threw a tantrum.

She was crying and shouting while trying to join the pieces of her broken sword back. "Milord! Help me I don't want to go back!"

"Hey, drop the sword, you'll hurt yourself!" I shouted at her. To be honest, I didn't care. But, it's nice to be nice sometimes. Sometimes. I noticed that the red thread connecting both of them was already fading. Her body turned to dust and she just faded away. I believed what I saw. I was sure I was high—I just didn't know the degree to which I was high. Her demigod started giving off smoke from his body. While I was engulfed in that smoke, I could hear people shouting. Perhaps, those were his memories.

Lict picked me up on his shoulders and stretched his arm. Again, that huge golden square came towards us as it grew in size and passed through like a door. In the blink of an eye, we were back inside the market, from where we were dragged into this. So, Lict had the ability to bring us back here or to take us to the blank space whenever he wanted? Well, he did say that star spirits could control the blank space, so maybe that was it. I didn't ask him but I think that he felt like I should know, so he told me,

"They forget,"

"What?" What is he talking about?

"The demigods. They forget about everything if they lose in a battle. It's like a brainwash, Milady. Everything related to them ever being a demigod or having a star spirit. They even lose their Sila and live a normal life after that." Then, he turned towards me "You lose a battle if you damage the gift given by your master, mine is my shoes."

"Gift,"

"We offer protection and loyalty to our master in exchange for a materialistic proof of our contract called a gift."

"Why boots though? Why not a sword or some sort of weapon"

"I...I don't know."

That means if we ever lose then Lict would fade away as she did, I'll forget all about us and lose my powers forever? This sounded perfect! So, I just needed to lose, right? How difficult could it be? I was ready! Let another parade come and I'd lose in that. Then, I'd be free of this curse and live happily ever after!

Lict smiled at me "Let's go home, Milady. I'm sure you're hungry."

Fuck it! Who will make me my food? I guess I'll just keep him around till I find a better cook.

When we were home, he prepared me some snacks. It was evening and I was reading in my library since I won't be able to read at night. There was no electricity around and no water either. How did I bath then? Did Lict make the water too? Oh right, I forgot I had an amazing butler. Then, can he make money too? Hold on, Vierne, don't be greedy. For fuck's sake—You're nobility. You are not begging for anything from anyone. Jesus Christ.

"Akagi- Skizltator? No, Skekliar?" Lict was looking at the spine of a book, trying to pronounce the name of the author. Russian names, you see. I bet half of you pronounce my name wrong unless you're a fellow Russian too—That's racist!

"It's Akagi Scheczalier, you peabrain!" I shouted, scoffing at his ignorance.

"Sorry, Milady. Do you like this novelist?" He opened a book and read the author's name.

"How did you know?"

"Almost all your books are from him, he's amazing! I've never read the works of such a young novelist."

"You should totally read them. I really love him given how picky I am about my reads and the merit of judgement I can provide due to my ten years of the reading experience. If possible, I want to meet him someday." Talking about Mr Scheczalier and reading his works always made me happy.

"You seem to be a huge fan." Lict smiled.

"Da! (Tn//Yes) Hey Lict, what do we have for lunch?"

"Potato Okróshka"
(Note- Potato Okróshka is a cold soup of Russian origin and probably originated in the Volga region. This classic soup is a mix of mostly raw vegetables, boiled potatoes, eggs, and cooked meat such as beef, veal, sausages, or ham with kvass, which is a non-alcoholic beverage made from fermented black or rye bread!)

"Okay, I'm going outside for a walk till it's cooked."

I went out to search for another opponent who I could challenge and get myself killed. As you mortals must have noticed, death is the sole purpose of my life. Everything else is secondary. It was July noon. Usually, the weather in Moscow is pretty good because it's so far from the ocean, but it can get chilly sometimes in the summer, or it can be hot and sticky. You never know. But that noon was particularly warm.

I sat under a tree watching ants. This was the first time I was spending time doing something other than reading. If it were Mr Scheczalier, how would he describe this feeling? I inhaled deep in thought, and then while exhaling, I remembered a line from his book 'The soul of Summer'.

Let's see, It was something like "Stillness is a treasure to be found..."

"In a world of chaos such as this." We both said together. We both? I turned back to find the same boy standing there who fought with us the other day. The one who dragged me and Lict into that blank space and then when the other two weirdos came, he just vanished with that girl—Melissa maybe? But, why was he here again?

Just a second—"Are you an Akagi Scheczalier fan too?"

"Huh?" He had a deep voice—The one that an actual male is supposed to have.

"I mean, the lines which you just spoke, they are from—"

" 'The soul of Summer' I know—"

"I knew it! His fans are everywhere! You somehow look about my age!"

"Actually, how old are you?"

"I'm 17. Listen, I don't want to fight someone of my own interest since such people are hard to find. So, can we become friends?"

"I'm not here to fight but to talk."

"Have you read Mr.Scheczalier's 'Prisma' and 'Girl in chains', that's the best book I've ever read! And 'Those who walked away' and 'No Destiny'? 'Russian Cinderella'?"

I had successfully managed to annoy him and that gave me immense joy. I guess I'm twisted—I need to fix it but how? We started walking while he was explaining what he meant by the thing he said earlier, about him helping me.

"Melissa won't listen to me. She said she doesn't want to fight your star spirit." He said. He had those blood-red eyes and contrasting dark black hair. He was dressed formally. He pulled a small packet from his pocket and then pulled out a cigarette from it. He lighted it and blew a cloud of smoke from his mouth.

"What are you doing?" I snarked.

"Smoking. Is it a no-smoking zone?"

"No, that's not it. Do you know how bad smoking is for health? You'll die the worst death of all!"

"Demigods aren't affected by smoking—"
"Are you lowbrow? Everyone knows that smoking has all sorts of negative impacts on health! It can cause cancer in the esophagus, cancer in the mouth, cancer in the bladder, stomach and pancreas. In fact, smoking considerably increases the risk of heart attack and stroke! It even causes cancer in your uterus!"

I babbled all this in one breath, so of course, I was out of breath, but at the same time, I was happy I shared my knowledge with this speck of demigod dust.

"I don't have a uterus."

What in the world? I was just stating some general facts!

"Well, I don't know about my 'uterus' but you might end up damaging your lungs if you keep shouting like that," He said, "And just get your facts straight. Demigods are purification vessels, we clean the air we breathe so smoking can't kill us, lowbrow."

He looked at me as if I was some insect who had just landed on his food when he was in a good mood. Now, that mood was spoiled and the insect was crushed. So, he threw away the cigarette, pulled out the packet again, lighted another one, and started spreading pollution again.

"Don't you think you're underage?" Because I had never in my life seen a fetus, let alone watch him smoke.

"I'm twenty-one."

"Twenty-one? You look like you were shoved out of an asshole just the other day."

Was I being rude?

"You think it's funny."

I wheezed "A bit,"

"Well, excuse me, but I am twenty-one." He emphasised.

"It's so sad that that twenty-one-year-old dick hasn't been sucked properly even twenty-one times." I heard and nearly died from a coughing fit. I turned back in surprise to find Melissa standing there.

Our first impression was not very good, but I think the second was worse. For fuck's sake—She was a woman! Women aren't supposed to say stuff like that—I mean not general women. I'm a goddamn noble. I will say whatever I want and people will clap with their asses on fire.

I was waiting to see the reaction of that guy who simply ignored her.

"Keep your hands to yourself." He finally said and stuffed the cigarette back into his mouth.

"Are you asking me to masturbate?" She was insane. Oh Lord, Jesus Christ! May you never leave me so alone and deprecated that I have to touch myself. Amen.

She turned towards me and I got goosebumps all over, making me look like a cat—Only uglier. As she paced towards me, I became stiffer. I trusted my straight. I was straight!

"Where's Lict?" She asked as she brought her face uncomfortably close to mine while I leaned backwards.

"...He's home." I replied.

"Onto your house!" She invited herself and I didn't refuse since this seemed like a good chance to die! Stupidity mostly brought death.

While I was walking with them to the mansion, I talked about a lot of stuff with Melissa like, how was she able to pick up such a huge axe while she appeared so meek. She told me that gifts are easy to handle for star spirits. Then, she asked me what Lict's gift was and I said "Shoes," She asked me why I gifted Lict shoes instead of a proper weapon. That time I found out how very stupid I was.

Because star spirits got their gifts from the imagination of their demigod. So, I imagined shoes and fucked it up at the very beginning—How pleasant.

Even better, I can't change it.

I was dead from the inside by the time we reached the mansion.

"Are you royalty?" That annoying asshole asked as he looked at the mansion. Of course, peasants! I am supreme! Now, lick my feet! On second thoughts, nevermind. Human saliva has never left a good experience.

"I am a Nobel" I answered.
"...Don't tell me you're an earl."
"Belted earl. But how did you know?"
"I've heard some nasty rumours."

-To be continued

Melissa
Where There's Lust