Tainted | Kuroshitsuji ✔️

Chapter 46: His Last Bow

The flames leapt and hissed, reaching out feverishly for her, desperately trying to grab hold onto her fleeting shadow. They swayed and beckoned to a song she could not hear.

The blazing embers continued to twirl in a fiery dance, but it was strange. She could feel no heat.

It was oddly cold, even with the fire around her.

Where was she?

Her ice blue eyes roamed the place.

There was nothing beyond the empty path the flames made. Nothing but darkness. No matter where she looked, pitch black was all she could see. The huge flames around her was bright, but they do not seem to have any effect in this strange, dark place.

She continued walking down the stoned path, a foot in front of another as she wondered where it would lead her to. The flames around her burned continuously as if they were urging her to keep walking. Her eyes followed the path made by them, traveling down the winding road.

It was then when she saw where they led to.

In the middle of the path ahead, a woman with long raven black hair laid motionless. Estella's eyes widened in surprise when she shifted her gaze down. This woman's clothes was the exact copy of hers, exactly the ones she remember wearing before she let...

Realization sank in.

Valeria!

Feeling her heart skip a beat, Estella sprinted forward and as she got closer, she immediately noticed the huge wound in the woman's abdomen. Estella kneeled down beside the seemingly unconscious woman, studying her with utmost curiosity. Her dark, long raven hair framed a strong yet delicate face which looked like it was painted by Greek gods on a particularly favourable day.

So this beautiful woman before her was how...Valeria looked like?

Estella gingerly touched the woman and pulled her hand back almost instantly, half expecting her eyes to open straight away.

Seeing there was no response, she began to extend her hand out toward the woman once more. "Valeria–"

A hand suddenly snapped around her wrist.

Estella stifled a surprised yell as she looked down at the face of the woman to find herself staring down at a pair of tired-looking demonic red eyes. "Are you...Valeria? Is this you?"

"Yeah, who else?" Valeria peered up at her with half-lidded eyes. The demoness's voice was small and weak.

Estella watched her glance down at the wound on her abdomen, her eyes tagging along. The wound was a gap soaked with dark, red blood that could almost be passed off as black.

"Twice..." A dry laugh emitted from the demoness.

Estella eyed the bitter look on Valeria's face. "Valeria, I-"

"SIGMA is finished."

Estella's eyes sprang wide in surprise as she blinked at the smirking demoness.

"You mean Victor Blair and that angel freak are-"

"I'm tired and you're annoying me, stupid girl." Valeria cut in, releasing and pushing her hand away. "Yes, they're gone."

Estella watched Valeria's dark hair fell over her face as the demoness plopped herself onto her elbows. "Never felt this satisfied for a long time." She exhaled, almost a sound of relief.

Estella tensed for a moment when Valeria suddenly laid her eyes on her. "Now, what are you still doing here?"

Demonic red eyes narrowed and that was all before Estella felt an invincible force pulling her away.