A soft radiance spilled out from the necklace resting on Aster’s neck, and in the next moment, the phantom of a being appeared between them.
"Lord Stella?" Aster called out in shock as Ryuk silently stared at the figure before him.
It was a humanoid being, and just like the rest of the Stellis race, she was formed entirely from starlight.
She wore a long gown woven from the same celestial glow, a hood draped over her head like flowing night.
But what set her apart was the eight eyes embedded across her face.
Only two were open; the remaining six rested as closed slits along her cheeks.
"How did you—?" Aster asked, unconsciously turning to her necklace.
It had indeed been a gift from her master, Lord Stella.
But she had never known it held a fragment of her consciousness.
"Though I allowed you to keep Ryuk Knull close to you, because you annoyed me enough to eventually say yes," she said, and Aster’s cheeks turned red.
She had indeed begged her relentlessly.
"What you didn’t know was that Ryuk has been termed an SS-grade Chaotic Being by the A.E.R."
"S...SS grade!?" Aster shouted, dumbfounded.
"If such a being explodes, you can’t stop it, friend or not. So I had to keep an eye on him myself, and that’s why I chose to remain in your necklace."
The explanation made everything clearer for Asteralaxia.
With that, Lord Stella turned her attention to Ryuk.
"Though we’ve met many times, this is the first time I’m seeing you in full consciousness," she said.
"I’m Stella Damatio. Since we’re in the E.A.R., just call me Lord Stella."
She extended her glowing hand.
Ryuk didn’t think too deeply before accepting the handshake.
"Ryuk."
"For one responsible for the Knull’s half-extinction, and Lord Asgard’s greatest worry, you seem far calmer than the tales of destruction surrounding you," she noted.
Ryuk said nothing.
If it had been the previous him, he would have stared straight into her soul without accepting the handshake at all.
After all, she had labeled him an SS-grade Chaotic Being.
She was a Lord in the E.A.R., a group whose mission to ’maintain order’ could also be interpreted as ’hunting chaotic entities.’
They weren’t supposed to be speaking like this.
But now, he found it difficult to summon those old, logical hostilities.
"You freed Aster from danger and took her in, sparing her the troubles she would’ve faced if she’d returned to her race."
"And this place was good enough for her to call her new home."
"Thank you for that..." he said, releasing her hand.
A faint glint passed through her eyes at his words.
"Would you believe me if I said that’s what we do in the E.A.R.?" she asked with a small smile.
Ryuk chuckled. "I won’t."
"Fair enough. I won’t take up more of your time. But some matters must be discussed between us, the E.A.R. Lords, and you, Ryuk."
"So when you have free time, visit the Stella Prism."
With that, she dissolved into motes of starlight and drifted into the purple sky.
"I swear I never knew," Asteralaxia muttered, turning to Ryuk.
He watched the trail of stars for a moment before silently looking away.
"She seems quite chill though," he said.
A faint glint of jealousy flickered in Aster’s eyes before fading.
"Think you... have a chance with her?" she asked with an evil grin.
Ryuk’s expression didn’t change.
"Would you be fine with that?"
That was the last thing she expected him to say, and it left her dumbfounded.
"Wh—I mean... sure. If it keeps both of you happy..." she muttered, quickly turning away.
He stared at her for a moment.
"If you keep considering others at the expense of pain to yourself, you’ll be the one hurt the most in the end," he said.
"I know that," Aster answered softly.
She had always stepped back from things she wanted. just to make others happy.
Just like with him, when she had given him up to Morgaine.
"But... I can bear the pain," she said, turning to Ryuk with a confident smile.
"You can’t," he replied curtly.
"How? And how are you so sure?" she retorted, and Ryuk simply shrugged, turning away, in silence, but she held him, saying.
"I want to know."
"The answer might hurt, though?" He said, this time pretty seriously.
"I can bear the pain." She responded again, and a glint crossed his eyes before he responded.
"You’ve been here for three years, right?"
"Yes..."
"If I may ask, why are you still not in a relationship?"
A red glow crept up her ears.
"And what does that have to do with anything?"
"Just answer."
"I... I’m not interested in love."
"That’s not true," he said immediately.
"Or maybe because I haven’t found someone I love. You don’t just jump into a relationship without love, do you?" she countered.
Ryuk hummed.
"So you’re saying no one’s shown interest in a beauty like you all these years?"
She wanted to nod... but turned her face away.
"They have... quite a lot."
"And did you give love a chance?"
Before she could answer, an evil idea crossed her mind.
"You know, I actually did, for many. We held hands, went on dates, slept in the same room every night," she said, giving Ryuk a side-eye.
He smiled lightly, watching her.
"What? Jealous?" she teased.
"Sounds like you’re reciting your unfulfilled wishes," he said.
Her expression collapsed instantly as she hmphed.
"So, you still didn’t give love a chance, did you?" he asked.
Her fingers tightened faintly around the bridge rail.
"...Not yet."
"Why not?"
_______
A/N:
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