"What are you doing here?" Seiichi asked, stepping forward. His eyes narrowed into sharp, suspicious slits.
Azariel smiled, a thin, mocking gesture. "Well, I heard you were having a duel with Dómvalka. I was coming to see you get your ass beaten, but it seems I'm late to the party." He let out an exaggerated sigh of disappointment. "Ah, well. Nothing can be done now."
"If that's the case, then I'm sorry you missed it. Though, if you were in Dómvalka's place, I would have beaten your ass the same way you were hoping to see mine," Seiichi retorted, sarcasm dripping from every word. A defiant smirk played on his lips.
Azariel's eyes narrowed slightly, his fists clenching at his sides. "You better learn to stay in your place. I've noticed you're forgetting where a magicless disgrace belongs in our family." With that, he turned on his heel and began to walk away.
Seiichi didn't flinch at the insult. He stood perfectly still, his expression flat, before a slow, deliberate smile spread across his face.
"Are you afraid?" he mocked.
Azariel stopped dead in his tracks. He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes burning like wildfire. "Iris," he called, his voice a low, dangerous threat, "tell your master to know his place before I break every bone in his body."
Iris's heart hammered against her ribs, beating faster than the wind. She leaned close to Seiichi, her voice a frantic whisper. "Master, I think it's better to stay out of trouble. He might actually break your bones."
Her face was a mask of concern and worry, her hands clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. She couldn't bear the thought of the person she cared for getting hurt.
"You're right," Seiichi conceded, his tone pragmatic. "Attacking him wouldn't be a good idea." He turned and started walking in the opposite direction. "Iris, we'll go to my room from the other way."
Iris followed closely behind him. Azariel watched them go, a scowl etched on his face, before he too continued on his path.
---
Seiichi lay on the right side of the large double bed in his spacious room. The bed itself was a lavish piece of furniture, framed in purple and white, dressed in deep blue sheets and blankets, and accented with vibrant red pillows.
Multiple portraits adorned the walls, and a full-length mirror stood beside the closet, its frame glittering with shiny gems.
His hands were tucked under his head as he slowly closed his eyes, seeking a moment of peace.
The bedroom door creaked open, and Iris entered, a neatly folded purple dress in her hands. The sound caused Seiichi to open his eyes and look at her.
She walked over and stood beside the bed. "Master, I've prepared your bath with mixed water. You can bathe now," she said, her eyes cast downward.
"Understood. Leave the clothes here and go," Seiichi said, pushing himself up to sit on the edge of the bed.
Iris's eyes widened slightly. "Go where? The Queen has ordered me not to go anywhere without you and to never leave you alone."
"Oh, for— You are sometimes really annoying. If you can't leave, then just rest," Seiichi snapped, snatching the clothes from her hands. He strode into the bathroom and shut the door firmly behind him.
Iris stood frozen, her eyes wide as she stared at the closed door.
---
Seiichi sat in the large tub, the mixed-temperature water lapping against his skin. He rested his arms on the porcelain edges, allowing his body to relax.
"Being magicless is such a big deal," he murmured to himself, grabbing his forehead with his right hand.
Even with an angel's potential for infinite growth, his lack of magic created a ceiling others didn't have. It was exhausting to live in a world where magic meant everything, forced to rely solely on swordsmanship.
"I want to beat the crap out of that bastard, but I can't because of the power gap."
He closed his eyes, the warm water and his fatigue pulling him under. Several minutes later, he jerked awake. He rose slowly, grabbed a towel, and wrapped it around his waist.
As he stepped out of the tub, a sudden, violent dizziness seized him. He stumbled backward, his vision swimming, but managed to grab the edge of the tub to steady himself.
His heart began to hammer, a frantic drumbeat against his ribs that felt like it might explode. A cold sweat instantly sheened his body, his muscles trembling with a sudden, profound exhaustion. His breathing came in ragged, heavy gasps.
"Not this again," he gritted out. Using the wall for support, he shuffled forward. The usual light in his eyes had dimmed considerably, replaced by a pained haze.
He opened the door and stepped back into the bedroom. With each step, the crippling pain began to recede. His breathing slowly evened out, and the vibrant light gradually returned to his eyes.
---
Iris was sitting on the left side of the bed. She looked up as the bathroom door opened and saw Seiichi walking unsteadily toward the bed before sitting down heavily.
"Master, is everything alright? You seem somewhat unwell," she said, immediately rising and moving to him.
She crouched down, bringing herself level with his face. Gently, she placed a hand on his forehead, then checked the pulse at his neck. "You don't have a fever or anything," she murmured, her voice thick with concern.
Seiichi looked at her worried expression, and his breathing hitched again. "I'm alright," he insisted, his voice commanding. "Bring me my clothes."
"But... didn't you take the clothes with you?" Iris said, offering a gentle, nervous laugh. "Hehe, you're starting to forget things at such a young age."
Seiichi's head snapped up, his eyes wide and menacing. "Don't question me. Do as you're told, and don't ever dare to talk to me like that. Know your place!" he ordered, his voice erupting with a sudden, terrifying rage.
Iris's whole body shook under the force of his anger. The hairs on her arms stood on end, and her breath hitched in her throat. "I-I'm sorry!" she stammered.
She hurriedly stood and rushed back into the bathroom. Within seconds, she returned, clutching the clothes he had left behind, her hands trembling violently.
She placed them beside him on the bed and backed away several steps, positioning herself closer to the door. "M-Master, call me if you need anything. I'll be standing outside."
With that, she fled the room.
Seiichi stared at the closed door, then grabbed his head in his hands. He stood up, almost falling again, pulled on the clothes, and collapsed onto the right side of the bed. He lay there, clutching his skull, until he finally fell into a fitful sleep.
Iris peeked inside by cracking the door open and saw him sleeping. She closed it softly, leaning her back against the wood outside.
"I don't know why Master is acting like this," she whispered to the empty hallway, placing a hand over her chest as she clenched her fist.
---
Inside the room, Seiichi tossed and turned, his body writhing. His hands were clenched into white-knuckled fists, his teeth gritted against some unseen torment.
He was hearing screams and pleas agonized, desperate sounds that made his heart race as if it were being chased. They were the screams of people dying.
But he couldn't understand a single word they were saying. Suddenly, his eyes flew open. He sat bolt upright, a cold sweat running down his face as the echoes of the nightmare faded.
"I don't know what to do."