The Psychopathic Beast Emperor

Lily walked down the streets, heading away from the eatery. She had just taken her lunch and was heading to train. She had nothing much to do in the sect apart from eating, doing some small quests assigned to her by Elder Hakar or her master, and sleeping. And the occasional banter with her new friend, Exildra.

She still imagined being a thing with Bahamut, but it was a pipe dream for her. At least that’s what she thought. Even now, she was thinking about him, and she wasn’t focused on her surroundings. She bumped into someone. But because of her current state, she saw it as the person who bumped into her and immediately lashed out.

"Watch where you are going, idi- Sorry!" She immediately bowed and apologized in a hurry after seeing the person. His blindfolded eyes seemed to pierce into her soul, but his expression...

"Ah... I’m sorry. Can I speak with you?" Bahamut’s question made Lily blink more than ten times in a second out of confusion and surprise.

"Me?" She asked, looking around. Maybe he made a mistake and walked to the wrong person. It was too sudden, and she was more than confused. She was scared, afraid. She was already hallucinating what he would do with her.

Choke her to death, beat her to a pulp, threaten her with death, she could already think of various things Bahamut would do to her. Lily visibly shivered as she looked up to the tall youth, but her face was also tinged with red.

"Yes. Can we go somewhere more private?" Bahamut asked while scratching the back of his head.

"O-okay..."

...

"I’m sorry for how I’ve treated you all this time."

Lily froze. Her mind... blanked. Of all the things she had imagined, dreamed, feared, and obsessed over—this... was not one of them.

Not even close.

Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Her fox ears twitched uncontrollably, and her tail, which had been drooping lazily behind her, suddenly stiffened.

"What?" she whispered, almost inaudible.

They stood beneath a quiet shade, away from the main path. The wind moved gently, brushing past them like a silent witness to a moment neither of them fully understood yet.

Bahamut didn’t look at her immediately. For once... he looked unsure.

"I’ve been... harsh," he said slowly, his voice lacking its usual edge. "More than harsh."

Lily’s fingers curled into her skirt. Her throat tightened.

"You almost killed me..." she said softly, her voice trembling despite her effort to stay composed.

"I know."

He didn’t give excuses or deny it.

"I thought you were... trying to take advantage of me," he continued. "At that time... I wasn’t in the right place."

Lily laughed weakly.

"Right place?" she muttered, lifting her head to look at him. "You pinned me to a wall and almost crushed my throat..."

"And you still came back."

That... stopped her. Her eyes widened slightly.

Silence fell between them again.

Bahamut finally turned his head toward her, his blindfold hiding his eyes, but somehow... she felt his gaze clearer than ever.

"Why?" he asked quietly.

That single word hit harder than anything else he had said.

Lily’s lips trembled.

Her usual stubbornness, her fiery persistence, her shameless boldness... all of it cracked in that moment.

"I don’t know," she admitted.

That was the truth, and it scared her.

"I tried to think about it logically... I tried to hate you... I even told myself you were a terrible person..." she continued, her voice breaking slightly.

Her hands clenched tightly.

"But every time I see you... every time I hear your voice..." she swallowed hard, her cheeks flushing deeply.

"My body reacts before my mind can stop it."

Her tail wrapped slightly around her leg.

"I hate it," she whispered.

"But I can’t stop it."

Bahamut went silent.

He didn’t interrupt. He just listened.

"I’ve never been like this before," Lily continued, her voice quieter now. "Not with anyone. Not even close."

Her eyes lowered.

"I don’t even know if this is love... or madness."

A faint breeze passed.

"I like you."

Lily’s world... stopped.

Her head snapped up so fast it almost hurt.

"...What?"

She stared at him like she had misheard something impossible. Bahamut scratched the back of his head again, looking slightly away this time.

"I said... I like you."

There was no hesitation this time, just... honesty. Lily’s knees almost gave out. Her heart slammed violently against her chest, her breathing becoming uneven.

"T-that’s not funny..." she said weakly, her voice shaking. "Don’t joke about something like that..."

"I’m not joking."

His tone was firm.

"Then why?" she demanded suddenly, her voice rising.

Her emotions snapped. Tears welled up in her eyes again.

"Why now?! Why after everything?!" she stepped closer, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

"What changed?! What made you suddenly look at me like that?!"

Her voice cracked.

"I humiliated myself in front of you! I threw myself at you, and you treated me like I was nothing!" she shouted, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"And now you’re telling me you like me?!"

Silence.

"Nothing changed," he said.

That answer made her freeze.

"I didn’t suddenly start liking you," he continued. "I just... stopped ignoring it."

Lily’s breath hitched.

"What?"

"You were always there," he said quietly. "Loud, annoying, and persistent."

A faint smirk tugged at his lips.

"Stubborn as hell."

Despite everything... her lips trembled into the faintest smile.

"But you were real," he added.

That smile vanished.

"I can tell when someone is lying... pretending... hiding something," Bahamut continued. "You weren’t."

His voice softened.

"Even when it made you look stupid... even when it put you in danger... You didn’t hide it."

Lily’s tears fell harder.

"I hate that you’re calling me stupid right now..." she muttered weakly.

"You are."

"Asshole."

"But..." Bahamut paused.

And for the first time, there was hesitation.

"I already have Exildra."

The words dropped like a stone. Lily’s body stiffened.

"I won’t lie to you," he continued. "I like you. That’s the truth."

His fists clenched slightly.

"But I’m not going to become someone who plays with people’s feelings."

His voice hardened.

"I’m not going to be a two-timer."

Silence followed, long and painful. Lily stood there, her tears falling freely, but she wasn’t sobbing anymore. She was... thinking, processing.

Hurting.

"So what am I supposed to do with that?" she asked quietly.

Bahamut didn’t answer immediately because there was no easy answer.

"That’s up to you," he said finally.

Lily laughed softly through her tears.

"Wow..." she wiped her face with the back of her hand. "You really are the worst kind of man."

"Yeah."

"You tell me you like me... and then leave me with that?"

"Yeah."

Another small laugh escaped her. Then she stepped forward, closer, so close their breaths nearly touched. Her eyes locked onto his blindfold.

"Then listen carefully," she said softly. Her voice wasn’t trembling anymore.

"I’m not giving up."

Bahamut went still.

"I don’t care if you have Exildra," she continued, her gaze fierce despite the tears still on her face. "I don’t care if it takes months... or years..." Her hand clenched lightly over her chest.

"I already lost once."

Her lips curved slightly.

"I’m not losing again."

The wind picked up slightly, her red hair swaying around her face.

"So you can be as noble as you want..." she whispered.

"But I’m a fox."

A faint, stubborn smile formed.

"And we don’t let go of what we want."

Bahamut exhaled. A low, almost amused sound escaping him.

"Yeah," he muttered. "I noticed. And..."

"And?"

"I’m taking you as mine. Will you reject?" Bahamut said with a dark smirk.

"What?!" Lily asked in shock. She was now so confused. What the hell was even going on?

"What are you playing at? I don’t understand you. I thought you..."

"Exi has already agreed to share me with you, so I don’t have any qualms. I might sound stupid right now, but I have long realized that you are someone I like and can love as I love Exi. So, I’m taking you too, as my mate."

"Do you realize you will have to stay with me forever?"

"Do I look like it is a problem for me?"

"..."

"You can take your time to think about it, punish me for what I’ve done, but know this. Just as you said you wouldn’t stop pursuing me... the tables have turned. I am pursuing you. And... I will remove anyone who tries to get in my way. Man or woman." Bahamut said with a wide smile, turned and walked away, leaving a stunned Lily under the tree.