"Why...?" Nagasawa murmured as she was carried by the man still in the Western Empire. The man's hands held her body firmly as he walked calmly, savoring the heavy silence of the post-war era. He showed nothing but a wide smile that seemed almost irritating compared to what he had been doing to her in recent months.
The contrast between his serene demeanor and the tension surrounding her was disturbing. She was genuinely... bothered.
"Why what?" Dante questioned, his voice firm and penetrating. He wanted to hear directly from her what was truly troubling her. It was no use deducing from the nervous and confused expressions she displayed.
Nagasawa was a vampire, a vampire strong enough to make many other vampires fall to the ground in fear, but at the same time, she was a cute woman who got easily upset, a walking paradox that intrigued him deeply.
Dante reflected for a moment on the past few months. He had, unfortunately, left her aside with so many problems cascading down. It wasn't for lack of desire, but because he simply couldn't afford to pay attention to her at that critical moment. It might sound selfish, but Dante couldn't waste time while chaos unfolded around him. Every minute was precious and demanded his full attention.
Since he returned to being Dante Scarlet, his life had been a whirlwind. He had to face one of the Seven Deadly Sins, Greed, an exhausting battle that almost consumed him. Right after, he needed to resolve his issues with Valentina, who was completely sealed. In a brief moment of respite, he began to finalize and seal his relationships, as he did with Aaralyn, Aldria, and Voralith.
Vex had a serious problem with demonic energy that required immediate intervention, and shortly after, Sara and Lyrianna found themselves in trouble...
It wasn't that he didn't want to value Nagasawa, he simply couldn't at that moment. And the first thing he did after managing to resolve all those problems was this: he kidnapped her to take her along in solving his problems, since stopping wasn't an option.
"I thought you... didn't want me anymore," she said, her voice weak and trembling as she hid her face in his chest, seeking comfort she feared she had lost forever.
"You're still as silly as ever, Nagasawa. You should know me better than the others, right? After all, you were my dear teacher, you know?" Dante said, teasing her as she continued to hide her face in his chest. Looking slightly downward, he saw that she was completely embarrassed. Despite the teasing, he just looked ahead and became slightly serious.
"I'm sorry," he admitted, continuing to walk, holding her firmly in his arms.
"I've been too busy, I know. I'm sorry for not being the best husband lately." He walked calmly, feeling the weight of his words. "I'll try to be better for you, okay?" The sincerity in his voice was unmistakable. Nagasawa knew two sides of Dante.
The first was the Dante who humiliated and mocked his enemies while making silly jokes during fights. This Dante was impetuous, irreverent, a warrior who unsettled his opponents with his sharp humor. The second was the serious Dante, a calm and thoughtful man who discussed and deliberated with others to solve problems.
Now, it was this Dante before her, a man who understood how she felt and was willing to change. This was what she perceived in his tone and his gaze.
"I don't forgive you," she said, her voice muffled as she hid even more in his chest. "I was feeling so lonely... why didn't you even talk to me properly? It wouldn't have cost anything..." She murmured, her voice laden with sadness and hurt. Dante smiled a little, but it wasn't a happy smile; it was a tired and broken one. Dealing with people...
was complicated.
"I'll try to improve from now on," Dante said, smiling as he gently turned her to set her down on the ground, after all, he wanted to do something with her.
With a careful gesture, he positioned her so they were face to face, their eyes meeting in a deep and meaningful gaze. "Let's take one step at a time, together," he said, holding her hands tenderly.
Nagasawa looked into those red eyes and just sighed, "Don't do this again..." she murmured, still embarrassed by it all. "I know it won't be easy to make up for lost time, but I'm here, and I'll try from now on to give more attention to you and the girls, so please be patient, okay?" He said, smiling as he moved closer to her, who didn't step back.
Dante's warm hands touched Nagasawa's face, pulling her gently closer. With his other hand, he held the waist of the strong and imposing woman, who, despite being embarrassed, still maintained a slightly serious expression. "I'll love you more and more until you can't stand all my love anymore..." Dante said, giving her a small mischievous smile.
Nagasawa felt the sincerity in his touch, a warmth that began to dissipate the loneliness and hurt that had accompanied her during their time apart. The contact was comforting, a silent promise that things would be different this time. She sighed, allowing herself to be enveloped by the moment of reconciliation, feeling secure in his arms.
Dante gently pulled her closer, his eyes meeting hers in a deep gaze full of unspoken emotions. Finally, he leaned in and gave her a calm and romantic kiss. The kiss was soft, imbued with a restrained passion and a desire to reconnect. Nagasawa, surrendered to his touch, closed her eyes and gave herself completely to the moment.
The world around them seemed to vanish, leaving only the two of them in a bubble of intimacy and affection. The kiss lasted an indeterminate amount of time, a renewed bond that promised a new phase in their lives. When they finally separated, their faces remained close, their foreheads lightly touching as they breathed the same air, sharing a silence that spoke more than words ever could.
"I missed you so much," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
"I missed you too," he replied, gently stroking her face. "And I promise we'll never feel this distant again."
Nagasawa smiled, a shy but genuine smile, but...
"Cough-cough." The hoarse cough of a man echoed in Nagasawa's ear, causing her to turn around quickly. "Hello, Simon. How long have you been watching me?" Dante asked, still holding Nagasawa's hand, who looked too embarrassed to say anything.
"Just a few minutes, since you said 'You're still as silly as ever' and blah blah blah. I'm too old to deal with young people," Simon admitted tiredly, his hair looking increasingly gray. "I'm getting old," he said, looking at Dante, who seemed indifferent. As for Nagasawa... she was so embarrassed that she wanted to hide behind Dante.
Simon gave a tired smile, observing the couple with a mix of affection and exasperation. "You two are quite something, you know? Always so dramatic."
Dante let out a low laugh, keeping his eyes on Simon. "Old or not, you always seem to show up at the most interesting moments, Simon. One of these days, we'll have to discuss that peculiar skill of yours."
Simon shook his head, a playful glint in his eyes. "I was just waiting for you, but you took so long that I had to come look for you. So, I heard you're planning to go to Nightphere. I'll take you there."
"Can you take me to my old house too? I want to see if there's anything left in the Scarlet territory, or if it's too old for that?" Dante asked, with a teasing smile.
Simon laughed, a rough but lively sound. "Old, maybe, but I still have my tricks. I can take you anywhere you need, Dante." He paused, looking at Nagasawa. "And it looks like you're not going alone this time, huh?"
Nagasawa, still a bit embarrassed, tried to hide a shy smile while Dante held her hand. "No, this time I'm not alone. I have someone very important with me. I'm going to sort things out with Vlad, see how much he thinks he can threaten the Scarlet name with those useless Vampire Counts of his."
Simon nodded, "A lot has changed over there... the new Vampire Counts are a bit irresponsible and ambitious, so I recommend being careful." Simon said, but Dante waved his hand dismissively. "If I put in the effort, I can take out all four of them at once if they annoy me. I just want a conversation.
Let's see if Vlad will treat me as an equal or keep treating me and Valentina like two fish in his aquarium." Simon nodded, satisfied with his response. He expected nothing less from the man his mentor chose as her husband. "So, shall we go? We can't waste time. The sooner we leave, the better."
Dante looked at Nagasawa, his gaze silently asking if she was ready for the next step of the journey. She responded with a firm nod, determined to stay by his side.
"Alright, Simon. We're ready. Let's go to Nightphere and then to the Scarlet territory," Dante said, his voice filled with purpose.