Lict ran towards the stairs with Vierne into his arms and jumped out of the window. He flew in the sky and hurried back home. Once they reached the mansion, he quickly heated water for her and asked her to take a bath. He called Melissa and soon she and Akagi reached the mansion. Melissa went to Vierne's room and closed the door.

"Isn't she like seventeen? Why so late?" Lict asked Akagi.
"Some girls are late bloomers."
Melissa came out of the room after about an hour, "She's calm now," She told Akagi, "Where's Lict?"
"In the kitchen."

Lict took two parts of Chamomile flowers, one part of lily of the valley herb, two parts of lemon balm and one part of red clover flowers. He mixed all of them together and added one cup of boiling water to the mixture. He steamed it for a while and strained it. He poured it inside an antique kettle and walked into her room with that and some butter and toast.

Vierne lay on her bed, looking outside at the window.

"Milady?" He knocked at the door and she turned towards him.
"Are you hungry?"
"Very much,"
"I figured," He smiled and rested the tray on the table. He poured the mixture into a cup and passed it to her with some toast and butter.

"What is this?"
"It's a remedy for menstrual cramps." She drank it and ate toast.
"How do you know about this?" She asked.
"I like reading too, Milady. Besides, I thought you might need this someday. And I was right."

She smiled, "Yeah."
"If you want anything, just tell me."
"Yes, I do want something,"
"What is it, Milady?"
"I want you to know something."

Lict looked at her. "Lict, what do you think about the forests around the mansion?" Vierne asked.
"They are enchanting."
"No, they just look enchanting. These were earlier inhabited by humans. It was a village." Lict looked surprised.

"When I was little," Vierne continued "I fell sick. And in that sickness, I got my Sila. But, other people thought them to be a curse of God because my Sila was destructive. I have killed many people with these hands of mine. They called mom a demon so dad decided to build a tower of Christ beside the mansion to prove that we're on God's side. But stereotypes were strong back then and that alone couldn't be enough to prove our loyalty to the villagers. They turned against mom. Dad tried to protect her but he couldn't.

I don't remember well enough but I remember that one night, men from the village came with firelights and burned down everything with mom and dad. Hundreds of people died on this land, I didn't die from the fire because my body regenerated. I don't remember the details but I remember feeling the fire on my skin. Everything burnt for three days, this entire mansion and the village around. There were flames taking down houses and people. It was chaos.

I took shelter in the fire. They came to find me too. But then they realised I might have burnt in the fire. Once the fire died down, it was quiet. I couldn't hear anyone after that. I just sat down and waited because dad told me to wait for him and mom. That they'd come back to take me. I waited for ten years but now I'm tired Lict. And something tells me that they will never come back. It's hard to wait for something that you know might never happen. I don't know where they are or if they are even alive. All I know is that humans killed a part of me and so I wanted all humans to die.

I was afraid to talk to them. Because every time I did, I remember what they did to me. They left me in the fire just because I wasn't like them. Because I was born differently I couldn't walk out of this mansion for ten years. I tried to live like a person but every time I took a step, I hesitated. Heck, I'm a demigod—I'm the best! And I'll kill anyone who tells me otherwise. That's what I had started thinking after meeting you. You know what—I'll confess it. I am confused. Because I was just reassuring myself. Deep down I was afraid. I wasn't able to communicate with mortals and I didn't know why. Which was frustrating because I could talk to other demigods and I could talk to star spirits. But when it came to talking to humans, my mind just went blank.

I could hear my heart beating inside my chest, there was this irrational anxiety, fear and turmoil. I was so self-conscious and embarrassed to speak up. What hurt more was the fact that I was the only one who seemed to feel this way.I didn't know why was I so afraid? I just didn't want to talk. And I was so scared that I won't be able to talk again. I was becoming someone I didn't want to. And I hated myself for it."

She took a deep breath, "But, it's alright now." She said, "Because I know I have you."
"Milady, I won't always be there for you." Lict patted her head,
"Why are you so insecure?" Vierne asked.
"Because I hate myself. What you've gone through are accidents. Accidents that you couldn't control. But I went through something I could've chosen, not to go through. I made the wrong decisions and that's why I am here."

"If making wrong decisions brought you to me, then I'm glad that you can make mistakes." Vierne smiled,
"Honestly, I'm just deceiving you."
"Yes, you think you are."
"What do you mean by I think?"
"Because I know what you're trying to tell me. I've had a long chat with Melissa."

"But I guess she didn't tell you that I still miss Wujin." Vierne felt a burning in her chest.
"Why didn't he make a rule that even star spirits could forget about their demigods after they die? Because I miss him all the time."

They became quiet for a while, then, Lict said, "I'll tell you the truth—I have killed men, women, children, demigods, star spirits—Heck I even raped a child." Lict laughed, "There's nothing wrong I haven't done. That's why when my death comes, I don't want to struggle or resist because I know I deserve it."

"If you know that," Vierne said, "Then, why did you form a contract with me? Why come in my life when you don't plan to stay? Why give me signals that you like me when you don't? Why Lict?"
"Because you seemed familiar." Lict said, "And I wanted to get some love that I had spent. Even if it meant that I got it from someone else. And your eyes felt lonely. I wanted to make you happy."
"Then, it looks like you failed because I'm not happy. And you are the reason why I'm starting to get sadder."
"That's why I started to get away from you."

"Why would you give up on me so easily? Why don't you fight for me as you fought for Wujin? Why can't you love me, Lict?! Answer me!"
"It's not like I can't love you, I'm just afraid to." Vierne calmed down after hearing his answer, "And I don't want to fight for anyone. I hate fighting. I hate being attacked. For once, I want to be fought for, just once."

"Aren't we fighting for you?"
"We?"
"Me, Akagi, Melissa—"
"Akagi is an enemy. It won't take long before he points his gun towards you for a throne. And Melissa? She ran away when I needed her—"

"But do you know where she ran to? She ran to a goddess to plead to her. She saved you, Lict. But you never knew because you never bothered to know."
Lict looked at her, "Don't look at me like you want me because you obviously don't."

"Do you want me?"

-To be continued

Vierne Obolensky
Dear Ms Lady Demigod