𝐄𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖓𝖆𝖑 𝐋𝖎𝖒𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖊

【 Chapter 23 】➪ 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞

DIO's POV:

       The cool night air whirls around me as I stand alone on the balcony overlooking the cliff's edge, tousling my blond locks as it blows by. My gaze travels over the rocks far below, at the base of the cliff, and the grass just beyond.

Jonathan Joestar. If only you hadn't been in the way of my plans, you might have been able to live a long and fulfilling life. Instead, you choose to throw it away by coming after me. Now, because of your stupidity, I must break the heart of my lover, and kill you, in order to secure our future together.

My mind travels back to our boyhood memories together. That one time that I put a sewing needle in his bed. When I stole his pocket watch. The other time when I pushed him down the stairs when Mr. Joestar was gone on a business trip. It finally dawns on me that I'm about to lose all of that.

During the years where I restrained myself from terrorizing him—which was quite difficult at times—we did share a few happier moments. One time when we were walking to town and he chose to take the scenic route through the woods, he told me a bit about his mother. About how she saved him as a baby, and how kind she was, according to what his father had told him. It was a brief conversation, the rest of the walk was filled with silence.

The feeling of dread slowly creeps in, laying an invisible weight on my chest making it slightly harder to breathe. I heave a sigh, closing my eyes and clenching my teeth.

"Why does he have to be so troublesome? Must he always do his utmost to disrupt my plans?" I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to release some of the pressure.

"May I ask who it is you're referring to, Lord Dio?" I hear a deep voice from behind me.

Did I really let myself get so distracted that I didn't notice him approach? "That's none of your concern, Blueford."

He joins me at the balcony's edge and we stand in silence. As he leans against the railing, just staring into the abyss as I was, I get the urge to tell him what's on my mind.

       Pathetic. Why would I, Dio, share my feelings with anyone? Let alone some undead knight.

       However, Blueford was an honorable knight, he might be the only one who can grasp my situation. Even if he's only slightly able to, I need some sort of confirmation that what I'm about to do is the best possible solution to my current predicament.

       "I was referring to Jonathan Joestar. He's the one who has sworn to end my life." I quietly utter, my voice drifting along the breeze.

       "Jonathan Joestar." He repeats, slowly turning his gaze to me, "This man has disrupted you plans on more than one occasion?"

       "Yes." I reply, hesitating for a few moments while I consider how much I should reveal to him, "He was in the way of my original plan of getting the Joestars' fortune. He also managed to disrupt my plan for ending him and Anne's friendship, and now this."

       He nods slowly, his flat expression unchanging, "I have another inquiry. May I have permission to—"

       "You may."

       He shifts his position to fully face me, "You mentioned that he was friends with Anne, and I assume you're meaning the girl staying in the castle with us," I give him a nod in confirmation so he continues, "So, is her purpose here to be a hostage?"

       I whip my head to face him, narrowing my eyes to slits, "I should have you burnt alive in the sun for asking such a question. Unfortunately, you are still of use to me, so I won't act on it."