The Black Saint is My StalkerCh144 - Would you be regretful

Edited by dreamandwonder

warning: mentions of suicide DftlXG

There was indeed more.

More, including letters, paid bills, and other things written under Aaron Lancert’s name. This Cyrus individual really didn’t put too much effort into covering the fact. He might as well strut around with ‘Aaron Lancert’s Property’ stamped all over his forehead. Why anyone would agree to such an arrangement was completely beyond Graham’s comprehension, but he tried not to question other people’s tastes too much, as it was better for his sanity.

Chrysanthemum Garden.

“This is not discrete,” Franz sneered. The corrupted blood couldn’t help but feel incredibly disconcerted by the discovery. Aaron Lancert was a high-profile individual and had a lot of mystery and rumors around his name. For an individual to be so obviously connected seemed…either like some sort of hoax or just really bad news.

Maybe both. 87meAO

“Still,” Graham hummed, “this is more reason to investigate the DASR.”

Franz’s smile turned wry. No supernatural being in their right mind had anything tasteful to say about the Department of Anti-Supernatural Research. “I suppose there’s no avoiding that, huh?”

The duo left Cyrus’s apartment; their suspicions confirmed and clues laid out. The next stop was obvious, but it was also out of state.

The DASR headquarters were in two states westward, located in a cozy little town called Ironworks, which was slowly, but surely, being consumed by the DASR banner. Graham wouldn’t be surprised if the company managed to take over the entire town by now.

It wasn’t a place he frequented often, at least not anymore. Graham recounted a time he worked closely with the DASR. But that had been decades ago; decades when Han Ruyan was still alive, barking and scolding after him for his idiocy.

Memories were strange things, lingering like ghosts; at times helpful and other times vengeful. Graham was good at compartmentalizing the past because otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to survive with his sanity intact. But sometimes remnants of bygone thoughts would rear their ugly head.

For example, he wondered, if he had listened to Han Ruyan all those years ago, then would any of this have happened in the present time?

Or rather— fDcy04

Han Ruyan would still be alive.

Han Li would never have been born.

The car sped across the highway. Other modes of travel would be too conspicuous. Franz fidgeted, feeling restless, as though the car wasn’t going fast enough, despite already being well over the speed limit.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

“What are you thinking about?” the vampire asked to fill in the silence. UmucVH

“…Dsubcfr,” Xgjtjw jvwlaafv.

Mgjch ijeutfv j ilaaif. Lf abb xcfk kfii bo ysubcfr. “Ca j alwf ilxf atlr?”

“Pa’r ja alwfr ilxf atfrf atja biv wfwbglfr mbwf jgbecv ab tjeca bcf’r wlcv,” Xgjtjw gfqilfv mjiwis, jr atbeut tf kfgfc’a atja ybatfgfv ja jii. Yiv qjlc, cb wjaafg tbk afgglyif, kjr rwjii lc atf ugjcv rmtfwf bo tlr fzlrafcmf.

The passenger side window had been covered with a thick, black veil, saving Franz from as much UV light as possible. The corrupted blood made sure to feed before coming out, but he still preferred to remain out of sunlight if possible. With a bitter chuckle, he reclined the car seat and laid down, eyes closed. “Do you have regrets?” oEJf6

“…” Graham considered this seriously. He always did, re-evaluating both his actions and his thoughts. But after a second he answered sincerely, “No.”

It wasn’t as though his life was without error and mistakes. But regrets would mean to reject the present. He had no time for such sentiments.

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

Franz hummed in understanding before chirping up with another question. “If we find Han Li dead, would you be regretful?”

“…” Again, Graham thought about the scenario carefully. The scene around the car seemed to blur, his foot heavy against the gas pedal. There was white noise between his ears, preventing him from thinking clearly. 7BkNIT

Leveled, Graham responded, “No. What has come to pass is already out of my control. If he is dead, then he is dead. All I can hope for is to uncover the truth.”

He had walked away from the burning pyre and scattered Aoibhinn’s ashes to the wind. He’d just have to do it again.

White noise bloated his mind, to a point it became overbearing. Graham breathed through his nose, swerving dangerously around a truck. He might have just grazed his side mirror.

Mountain roads were up ahead and it would take at least another day’s drive to get to their location, but Graham had every intention of driving through the night. y7JLA5

“If we find Iszak dead, then I will take my life,” Franz hummed, his voice sounding distant and sleepy. “You’ll be on your own, Lord Astley.”

“…” Graham had no reply to that. Only a small affirmative nod, one that Franz couldn’t see with his eyes closed.

…

Han Li couldn’t wake up. YhHav9

There were things scuttling in his skull; tiny, microscopic things that plucked and picked at his brain.

There was fear, at first, but then the emotions eroded into irritation. That too became nothing but fatigue. The delicate remnants of his human mind seemed to peel away, bit by bit, and he wasn’t even sure what was going on.

How could he?

He couldn’t wake up. Couldn’t open his eyes, and could only drift endlessly in a world of eclipsing darkness. Quietly, peacefully, horrifically, afloat, drowning and endlessly tired. CbdGDQ

Sometimes, he felt the embers of loneliness, an emotion stirred by an incomprehensible longing. But any time depression began to creep on the edges of his shattered mind; he’d recalled that loving, delicious scent.

Sea salt caramel.

Ah.

What would he do, to be able to move his limbs, capture his prey and devour it whole? Wrath demons were gluttonous things. And he was very, very, very hungry… GRIpCT

So hungry, yet so tired…

…

Chrysanthemum Garden.

…

In a dark room, Specimen HL-434 was induced with a coma-like state. Various wires connected with his exposed upper body, connected to monitoring machines; his vitals, miasma concentration, brainwaves were all on display and carefully measured. Wuqzay

On the sterile hospital bed, looming over Specimen HL-434, was another figure, completely nude. In the shape of a beautiful man, it also had long owl-like wings sprouting from its back; the plumage as white as snow, not unlike the wings of a snowy owl. The winged man pawed at Specimen HL-343’s abdomen and fed on the unconscious being’s hunger and miasma.

Wrath demons were always such ravenous creatures.

And made delicious meals for desire demons; albeit extremely dangerous ones.

Demon prince Sitri would never feast upon one of similar ranking to himself without necessary precaution. Luckily, Specimen HL-434 was suitably sedated and therefore, made a splendid buffet for the desire demon. iUpN9Y

He smiled and leaned down, breathing in HL-434’s smell, running his hands over his exposed shoulders and down his arms. But soon his feasting was interrupted by a frantic rapping against the glass.

Sitri frowned and sat up, his glowing sapphire eyes veering toward the observation window, where an angry scientist scowled at him. He couldn’t hear her voice, but her lips were easy to read. “Get out of there, you rat!”

Sitri did not enjoy being called a rat. With a heavy sigh, he stood. His white wings folded and snaked back into his back. The blue glow in his eyes subsided, revealing hazel. Sitri picked up his discarded clothes left atop one of the monitoring machines and slowly dressed. He even took his time to adjust his glasses, making sure they sat on his nose just right. By then, the female scientist had already lost her patience and stormed toward HL-434’s room.

The heavy iron door creaked open and the scientist stomped inside. Behind her were two guards, completely human, biologically speaking. But they wore soulless blank gazes, blinking in synchrony as they dogged their master, with heavy firearms strapped to their sides. The scientist barked, “What do you think you’re doing with my experiment!? Dreadful rat!” dRUSwH

“Dr. Rose,” he pushed his glasses back up his nose before tilting his head innocently. “Would it be so difficult to get you to call me Cyrus? I have grown quite fond of the name.”

She stepped to the side and waved encouragingly toward the exit, “Just get out of here first, would you!? The president said that you would leave after you’ve healed from your wounds and last time I checked, you’ve already healed and now you’re just feasting off my poor, helpless experiments.”

“Did he say that?” Sitri— or perhaps better known as Cyrus in his current state, obediently followed Emilia’s instruction and sauntered out the door. “Mr. Lancert gave me different instructions if I’m to admit. It never told me that I had to leave, only that I could if I so wished.”

“…” Emilia’s smile twitched. She already knew that she wasn’t going to be able to reason with a demon. She’d have to reason with its master, or her boss. And that was a conversation she was getting a headache just imagining. HBAmes

Outside of HL-434’s room, was a long, sterile hallway with an assortment of locked rooms. They came in pairs; one for the patient trapped within, and one for observations for the researchers. Each patient room was specifically reinforced. From physical reinforcements to magic, plenty of methods were employed to ensure that the patients would remain within their confined spaces.

The project was one that was extremely well-funded. No errors could be afforded.

Emilia was one of the lead researchers. After all, she prided herself in her meticulous work ethic. Cyrus, however, was really putting a wrench in her work, disturbing her careful monitoring and experiments while she slaved so dutifully.

In the end, she could do nothing but scowl resentfully at the demon, carefully dogging his steps to ensure that the demon left the ward. 2irLvN

“Why are you so intent on disturbing HL-434?” she couldn’t help but question. Their footfalls echoed within the facility, a few scientists bowed low in respect and fear for the demon at Emilia’s side. Or maybe they were uncertain about the soulless guards that followed them.

But Emilia’s personal team were hardly the only examples of expressionless soldiers that haunted the facility. They were around each and every corner, watching with avid vigilance.

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Cyrus had no concern for these beings; soldiers without any form of desire would not feed his hunger, after all. “Li is a buffet,” Cyrus licked his lips. “That boy is teeming with excess miasma, I cannot help but snack on him. He keeps me well fed.”

“Can you not?” Emilia complained. j7LKGs

The desire demon chuckled and fixed his glasses, “But are you certain that you don’t want me to? If you allow his powers to accumulate, he will not remain sedated.”

“The nanomachines will control him for me,” Emilia insisted.

“Oh?” Cyrus was not completely convinced. “I’m curious to see how that will work out for you.” He hummed with amusement.

“…” Ah, how Emilia longed to strap this annoyance down, and add him to the project. CM-438 sounded nice to her ears. AB a2f

Alas, she would need permission from her boss first.

Author: !??!!! w-what is going on o u o;; It’s inksgiving season on tapas and I already completed 4/5 of my rewards lol! so be prepared for a second chapter release on tapas’s server reset (which is later today for me)