*Yultim Volcanic Region after El and Mahoraga disappeared into the mana vein*
The damned act of widening the tear had not only killed Mahoraga but also caused massive external damage, visible to the two figures floating in the sky.
"Is your friend insane? Does he intend to destroy the entire continent?" Mereoleona shouted at the shadow trailing behind her… Nacht.
"…Could you at least wear something?" At Nacht's nagging, an orange shroud of flames flared around her body, covering the private regions.
The entire volcanic region had completely sunk, revealing the exposed mana veins deep underground, their raw energy raged violently and spilled onto the surface polluting the surrounding.
"He is crazy… but not like this. This must be the influence of his power," Nacht replied.
Soon, the surrounding earth began to cave in as well. The entire Yultim Volcanic Region collapsed, swallowed whole and erased from the map, what remained was a deep dark crater.
"Where is that friend of yours?" Mereoleona asked, now hovering beyond the collapsing zone.
"I can't sense his mana or shadow." Nacht's senses flared as he searched, trying to locate his reckless partner but found nothing.
"Did he finally bite the dust? And here I thought I'd found a worthy opponent…"
"I don't think he's dead, but I do need to confirm it." With that, Nacht disappeared into nothingness.
***
*Black Bulls Hideout_the next day, after the refreshing group bath*
In the quiet corridors of the Black Bulls hideout, two girls rushed around avoiding each other while searching for someone with flushed faces.
'That damned witch!'
She had promised them they would forget everything after drinking her so called memory-wiping potion, only to make them do all sorts of shameless things before disappearing without a trace.
Finally, their frantic search led them both to the same place, the living quarters assigned to the witch.
She never stayed there anyway—usually passed out drunk in the main hall, sprawled carelessly across the sofa in her wine-colored bikini—but today, it seemed she was deliberately hiding, as not a single trace of her could be found anywhere.
But by fate or some unseen force, both girls turned the same corner at the same moment only to stop at short distance away from each other, face to face.
A thin wisp of steam seemed to rise from both their heads as they instantly looked away embarrassed.
The memories of yesterday's bath lingered clearly in their mind… the heat of that kiss, the taste of their saliva and skin, and the way they'd lost control under the influence of Vanessa's "truth or dare" potion..
"By any chance, Noelle… do you remember what happened after Vanessa took me for that 'baptism'?" Mimosa asked, slowly turning to meet Noelle's eye who refused to turn.
"What? No… I don't remember. I was actually going to ask her the same thing… My boy feels stiff for some reason" Noelle replied, one hand pressing lightly against her chest as she prepared to leave.
"Oh… I see." Mimosa's voice softened. Then, after a brief pause she continued, "Have you seen Vanessa? I've been looking for her."
"Well no, if I see her, I'll—"
Before Noelle could bolt away, Mimosa pounced on her from behind. She locked her arms below Noelle's breast and hugged her tight, pressing her own soft breasts against Noelle's back.
"Ahhh...!"
Noelle let out a small shriek, her knees going weak as Mimosa leaned in on her. Mimosa's hot breath trailed over the sensitive skin of her neck, bringing back physical reminders of every illicit touch and breathless sound they'd shared just hours before…
"You remember everything," Mimosa whispered into her ear. "Stop lying." That was enough to break Noelle's last thread of composure.
"I'm sorry, Mimosa! I confessed about El, I kissed you, and I let you do all those dirty—"
Mimosa spun her around and pressed a finger against her lips, silencing her.
They stood facing each other, their chests heaving as their breasts pressed and molded against each other.
"Shh."
For a moment, all that remained was the sound of their uneven breathing. Slowly, the tension eased, as Noelle spoke.
"You've changed, Mimosa… We've never acted like this before. You were always more shy than me… Did El…?" She trailed off, unable to finish the personal question she intended to ask.
"I'll answer that," Mimosa replied, "but first, we need to find that witch."
They marched inside the quarter, ready for payback. But the room was dead quiet and empty. Vanessa was gone, leaving behind a single letter sitting on the center table, addressed to both of them.
[Morning, girls! I bet you're both feeling a little... sensitive today, aren't you?
So, a small detail I may have accidentally forgotten to mention… potions aren't always 100% effective. And the one we used last night? Yeah… turns out it was a complete dud. Even I didn't realize it at the time.
It clearly didn't wipe a single memory, did it? Honestly, I'm almost jealous; from what I saw, you two were making some very impressive use of your time.
Now, now, don't look so embarrassed. Your big sister has already taken responsibility! I'm heading toward the Witch's Forest—well, the border of it, to track down that shady witch who sold it to me.
I'll make her pay… one way or another. And while I'm at it, I'll grab a proper lasting memory-wiping potion this time to make you forget every slick touch and every embarrassing moan from last night. Unless, of course, you've decided on keeping the memory?
I'll be back in two days. Don't breathe a word to Yami or the others about my little trip. Just try to keep your hands off each other until I get back.
Your dependable senior,
Vanessa Enoteca 🍷]
"Damn that witch… she ran away." Noelle cursed, dropping onto the bed as Mimosa sat beside her.
"Now… what do I do?" Noelle asked quietly, the memory of her confession about El weighed on her heart, and she feared it might drive a wedge between her and Mimosa.
"If you're worried I'll distance myself from you… don't be, Noelle," Mimosa added as if reading her mind, taking her hand in hers she continued. "But answer me… why do you love El?"
Noelle hesitated. "I… can't tell you everything. It might put both of us in danger—" Before she could finish, Mimosa's shadow spread across the floor.
A hooded figure rose from within.
"Nacht…?" Mimosa breathed.
"Vice Captain Nacht…?" Noelle followed, both girls exchanging a confused glance.
"Mimosa," Nacht said urgently, "summon the Dryad. Immediately."
"…Alright." Mimosa complied without question, closing her eyes as she reached out through her connection.
A small figure materialized above her shoulder… a tiny spirit with drowsy eyes, stretching as she looked around.
"Uwahhh… my darling Mimosa… why have you summoned me?" Dryad murmured, blinking sleepily before scanning the room.
"Dryad," Nacht cut in, "is your contract with El still intact… or has it been broken?"
The spirit's expression got confused then she tried reaching out for the thread of contract that bound them.
"…It's still intact," she replied.
Then she slowly caught up, and exhaled a sigh of relief. If the contract had broken, it would have meant only one thing.
"He's Alive."
"…That fool," Nacht muttered taking a relieved breath.
"Will you tell us what happened?" Mimosa asked, worry evident on her cute face.
Nacht didn't bother hiding it. He explained how they had attempted to subdue the demon only for both it and El to vanish into a mana vein.
At that, the Dryad stiffened.
"That's impossible… no one should survive inside a mana vein," she said only to realise, 'El is alive, isn't he?'
"And yet…" Nacht continued, "his contract remains. Which means he's alive. Somewhere." Silence settled over the room.
"Why is he so reckless…?" Mimosa whispered, her voice trembling, Noelle felt the same storm inside her, but said nothing.
"Inform me the moment he returns," Nacht ordered and was about to dissolve into the shadows when Noelle stopped him.
"Please, Vice Captain… Can you let me use your Shadow Domain? I want to tell Mimosa the truth."
Nacht frowned slightly at the request, but he didn't refuse. With a brief nod, a separate shadow dimension enveloped both girls while dryad returned to sanctuary to deduce the location of El.
"Ten minutes."
Within that brief window, Noelle began speaking while Nacht ignored the girls and went ahead to meet Nami.
She told Mimosa everything… how El had singled her out during the Magic Knight Entrance Exam, how he had made her confront and understand her own power.
The battle in the underworld where she regained her confidence, and the truth she learned about her mother for which she was despised her whole life. She spoke of their training, of the moments that slowly drew her closer to him, until admiration had turned into one sided love.
"I just… want him to know my feelings," Noelle spoke quietly. "Even if he rejects me… I didn't want to hide it. I just hope it doesn't ruin our sibling bond mimosa, you are the only family i have left…"
Mimosa listened to her story in silence, her hand never leaving Noelle's.
Then, slowly, she began to share her own story of how she and El became close.
For those ten minutes, the two of them felt close to each other like never before, not intimately but emotionally.
And then, they were kicked out of the shadow domain, returning to the living quarters of the witch.
Yet even outside, their conversation didn't end while Far away, in an unknown land,
the boy they both cared for lay unconscious on a comfortable bed.
[End of Volume 2]
***
Author's Note:
Thank you for reaching 2.1K collections and 807K+ views on this fanfiction.
I know the story has been moving a bit slowly, but from here onward, the pace will pick up like never before.
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