Zelgadiss toyed around with the antidote to the potion in his hand. There really was only one question, how to get Xelloss to take this. He could try the tactic Amelia used in which putting it in the glasses for supper. No, he couldn't do that. He didn't have enough money to order such a thing as Amelia did when she put the love potion in the drink.
Than what was left for him to do. He couldn't just go up to Xelloss and shove it down his throat, that was a near suicidal mission. Than what was left but to wait and see what happens. Zelgadiss lightly cursed at Amelia. It was all her fault there was this mess, if only she had not created such chaos they would probably have been in the next town by now and he would have been able to search for his cure.
It all came down to that Amelia was a spoiled brat. Being the princess of one of the strongest countries inside the barrier she just did not understand that there were somethings she just couldn't get in life. It was frustrating that she didn't understand such simple things.
Zelgadiss sighed once more and got up from the table and decided to walk around town in order to clear his mind.
Lina stood in front of the door to Amelia's room and stopped herself from knocking on the door. The last thing Lina wanted to deal with was Amelia's bratty attitude but the fact remained that Lina would be traveling with the princess for at least another month. She might as well call truce and get it done with.
"Amelia, you in there?" Lina knocked on the door and waited for an answer. When there was none after she waited five minutes Lina sighed. "I'm coming in Amelia." Lina wondered why the room was dark when it was already morning and that she had seen Amelia at breakfast. "Amelia, it's morning. Shouldn't you be awake."
"Leave me alone.." Amelia muttered from underneath the covers. "I don't want to talk."
"Well, I can't do that. I've got to find out why the hell you've been avoiding me and acting like a bitch for the past few days." Lina sighed when Amelia didn't respond. "Damn you Amelia, hello!? Can't you hear me?"
"You don't have to be shout to be heard.." Amelia complained as she refused to get out from underneath the covers. "You're annoying when you shout."
"Oh gee, first I'm not worthy of the 'O great Princess of Seyluun' and now I'm annoying. What next? I'm going to have to be your slave or something?" Lina said sarcastically. "Get a grip Amelia this has been going on for the past five days what ever it is it's about time you snapped out of it you know."
"Just go away. I don't want to talk."
"Amelia, on god's name I don't know why I'm doing this but I am trying to talk 'logically' with you. I know it's like talking to a brick wall but I am going to be traveling with you for awhile longer and we can't have this going on, just snap out of it."
"Just leave me alone!! If you don't want to travel with me than I'll travel on my own!!" Amelia screamed.
"And I'm going to risk Phil-san's wrath? Amelia, sorry but I don't really want the heir to the Seyluun throne after my head." Lina explained.
"Oh so I'm just a way for you to escape Tousan's anger!! Lina I am sick and tired of being treated as a kid. I am 16 and I can make decisions on my own you know!!"
"Amelia, you're still a kid as long as you don't mature mentally in that spoiled brain of yours. Get your head out of the cloud and take a look at the world for what it is. Until then, you are a kid. Get that." Lina abruptly walked out of the room, ignoring Amelia's screams of protest.
At least she's getting some energy back...Good. Lina thought to herself as she walked down to the food court of the inn. She sat down on one of the open tables and wondered what to have for a mid morning snack. hmm...Some fruit is always good but then again so is some cakes. Lina mulled over the decision for awhile and finally settled on the cakes which were sweeter and more to her liking. Lina smiled as she ordered all the types of cakes that existed within the restaurant. Enjoying a few moments of peace by herself while Gaury was upstairs still suffering from the fall, Xelloss was off somewhere, presumably mazoku matters, Amelia was upstairs acting like a brat and Zelgadiss was off on his own again. For once Lina Inverse treasured peace and silence.
Zelgadiss played with the small glass in his hand. Carefully examining it but didn't dare get careless with it. He mulled over in whether things would change or not just because he would 'cure' Xelloss. He doubted Amelia's attitude would change, as far as Zelgadiss was concerned what bothered Amelia was the fact that Gaury and Xelloss both were in love with Lina and Lina took neither seriously. Everything was complicated now and complication with this group just didn't go together, especially if Lina were leading it.
Than there was Shilfiel. Zelgadiss didn't hate her with the passion he hated Rezo and Xelloss with but he was annoyed with her, possibly even more than he was annoyed at Amelia. For one thing she had been extremely dependent on others to take care of her during the time they had fought Copy Rezo. And now Zelgadiss was as sure as anything she had something coming up her sleeve, he just had no clue what that was. But Zelgadiss was sure it wasn't anything good.
Shilfiel walked over to Lina who was still eating the piles of cakes.
"May I join you Lina-san?" Shilfiel asked politely. Lina attempted to nod while eating all the cakes. Shilfiel sighed and took the seat next to Lina.
"I was wondering Lina-san...but um, in your opinion what is a mazoku?"
Lina blinked and dropped her fork. "A mahofu?" Lina repeated and proceeded to chewing her food while folding her arms and thinking about the question. "Mazoku..nee."
"I guess they are the source of fear to most humans...are these lesser demons or more high ranked mazoku?"
"High ranked." Shilfiel replied. "Um, well the reason is do you think there is a huge difference between the higher rank of mazoku and the lower ranks? I was wondering since when you say the dragon race it includes the gold dragons, the Dimos Dragons, the black dragons, and all but there are very distinctive difference in character traits of all the dragons."
"I see...yeah there's definitely a difference on how the mazoku would act by different ranks. Like...let's see, Lesser Demons and ones of those kind are generally speaking idiots with the comprehension level of Gaury. They aren't too strong, well from my point of view, either. But the middle ranked are a little more intelligent but still make sloppy mistakes. So they aren't that much of a huge threat.
The higher rank though...well, they may act and sound and do things as stupid as a lot of humans would but it is all an act. Shilfiel believe me when I say it is an act. They are good actors and actresses. But that also proves their intelligence. IF I give them anything they are good actors, intelligent, and strong. I know it doesn't seem like it, especially with Xelloss as your example but believe me Shilfiel they are strong."
"And um, what is your opinion, other than for that they are strong, intelligent and good actors?" Shilfiel asked trying to keep a straight face but not exactly succeeding. How in the world was she suppose to convince Lina about Xelloss!? She could learn Dragon Slave and she had been able to force herself to be a little bit less dependent on others but THIS?!
"hmm...well, I see them as enemies since that's the way they see me. You see Shilfiel, I am a threat to the mazoku, you know that don't you." Shilfiel nodded her head in agreement. "And they try to eliminate that threat, by trying to kill me, or by trying to convert me to think like...a mazoku." Shilfiel jumped up from her chair and stared at Lina.
"Lina-san, you will not...."
"Calm down Shilfiel, don't worry I won't do such a thing." Lina waved her hand as if to express her point. "I'm no idiot when it comes to things like this. You see Shilfiel, they don't see me as more than a threat or something to use, well although that's probably the most a human could ever mean to the higher ranking mazoku."
"Eh?"
"Mazoku are said to be incapable of loving, or caring or feeling any other kind of... 'positive emotions.' They feed off of the negative emotions of humans, the 'Fu no Kanjou'. The closest they have to positive emotions is their loyalty towards their masters. Mazoku are created by a special kind of magic and when they are created it's innate to them to follow a masters orders. To them humans are only but a food source to them."
"...How did you find that out?" Shilfiel asked really surprised that the young girl had so much information on the mazoku.
"Don't you think I've done a few studying myself?" Lina asked with a smile. "these people want my life but I'm not about to give it to them. So, it's to my advantage to know a lot about them. Besides, I've got my sources." Lina then smiled mischievously.
"...but if you know so much then shouldn't you give it to the authorities who seek protection from the mazoku."
"No use. I don't like authorities that much. They're too...snobby." Lina sighed. "Back to the original point. Mazoku are definitely not my allies, but it seems that each subordinate is doing their own thing. Sheela, the general to Dynast, was definitely out to kill me...Xelloss on the other hand doesn't seem to have much of an intention on killing me. I've got no clue what Deep Sea has in stock for me."
"...well, at least Xelloss-san has no intention of killing you!" Shilfiel tried to sound cheerful.
"Yeah, but if he wanted to he could, and plus it's most likely not 'Xelloss' but Beast Master that wants me alive for some reason...I don't know why. But I doubt I'm more than a toy in Xelloss's eyes."
"...A toy?"
"An interesting human that is a good way to spoil time. You know, I bet he's under the influence of something right now but as soon as it's gone I'm back to being not much but a rare human that he is to keep alive for awhile." Lina sighed and allowed her eyes wonder. "At least though while he's under the influence I'm the closest to an equal a human could get in a mazoku's eye. And you know, it's annoying, probably as much as Zel thought Amelia was but I kind of want him to stay under the influence."
Shilfiel looked at Lina who just sighed and leaned back on her chair.
"Lina-san...does that mean that...you like being looked as an equal by Xelloss-san?"
"Shilfiel hello? We are talking about me here? I hate it when I am looked down upon on! The only person I'll allow that to is Neechan!! OF course I'm not going to allow it to some one like Xelloss!!" Lina screamed but Shilfiel just shook her head. It wasn't too convincing when someone said that with a bright red face.
This certainly makes my job a lot easier. Shilfiel thought to herself. "If you say so Lina-san, if you say so." Lina turned around and tried to hide her face that she knew was as red as an apple.
"kiraidamonn...anna yatsu*". She muttered to herself, fully aware that it wasn't at all convincing.
You say you hate someone Lina-san, and yet you long to be viewed as an equal to them. My job doesn't seem so hard now...only that Lina-san is to proud to admit she likes someone in that sort of way. Shilfiel smiled though, she at least had good information now.
"Gaury-sama, what would you do if Lina-san was in love with someone else?" Shilfiel asked with a smile.
"Well...then there's nothing I can do about it is there. Besides it's really just between me and Zel if she were to fall in love with someone. I mean, Luke is head over heels in love with Mileena and Xelloss is well...a mazoku." Gaury replied with a smile and tried to stretch out.
"Luke?" Noticing that Shilfiel was wondering who Luke was Gaury went into a( very very simple) summary of who Luke was.
"This guy who uses a spell with a sword and is in love with this girl named Mileena." Gaury explained. Of course there were other qualities of Luke but this was to the extent Gaury remembered him.
"Oh, but um...you know that the heart is untamable. You know it is just going to hurt but you can still fall in love."
"But Lina's smart. She won't allow herself to get hurt." Shilfiel sighed at Gaury's trust in Lina.
"Gaury-sama, Lina-san is a woman, and a woman's heart is very unpredictable."
"...Lina once told me the exact same thing, but Lina's smart, she can tame her heart."
"If she was so strong...I would get hurt.."
"Huh? What did you say Shilfiel? Sorry I couldn't hear."
"Oh, nothing." Shilfiel smiled sweetly. "...nothing."
Xelloss leaned against the back of his pet wolf, Xeres and wondered what it meant to him to allow himself to love a human. It was not looked favorably upon between mazoku, he knew that much. He also knew that the two remaining subordinates would not be too happy about this particularly Graushelaa.
He wondered what his master would think. She had a very unusual personality for a high ranked subordinate. She ignored all the rules of how you should only see ones of your own races as your equal. To her if they could match her in wit they were her equal. Xelloss knew his master would take this as a good way to spend other wise boring time but he didn't know what she would really think.
She often praised him and called him her best creation. In deed she didn't view him only as a tool as Graushelaa did of his priests and generals**. Yet it also meant that she would most likely not take it too well when he told her he was serious. There was no way though he could keep such a thing a secret.
He himself never even imagined he would fall in love, let alone a human. He always believed he was incapable of such emotions. He may not have been had it not been for Lina. Xelloss smiled bitterly. Who can resist such a woman. he thought to himself. Indeed Lina was hard to resist. Xelloss couldn't tell if he was annoyed at himself or not for falling in love with her.
It will now be impossible for me to kill her...even if I am ordered to. This can alter my whole existence. And yet, I am smiling...
He always believed love was something only foolish humans and dragons felt. Yet now, he himself was the fool. "....a diamond. A beauty that attracts everyone." Xelloss muttered. In deed, she was as strong as a diamond and equally beautiful. "All I wish is to take possession of that diamond." He whispered to himself.
Kiraidamon anna yatsu-I don't like him.(Not the literal translation but that's what it meant.
**-all the things about mazoku and they feeding off of human's negative emotions. It was found in the novels and I am going by the novels in this story. And yes, Graushelaa did call Sheela a tool in the 13th novel.