The SSS Ranked Villain's Return-Chapter 94: Aurelia’s Blood Phobia

"Neraxis? Where are we going?" Aurelia questioned, following him into the forest.

After their little plan was set in motion, both he and Aella came up with a strategy that, in the end, was pretty reckless.

Nonetheless, it was the only thing that would give them the desired effect.

"We’re going to scout the area for a bit. The rest of the group is doing the same," he answered, steadily tracking the footsteps on the ground.

Celina wore flat-soled shoes, so it was easy to make out which tracks were hers until, eventually, they arrived near some sort of oak tree—one much bigger than he’d expected.

It should be somewhere around here... Neraxis looked around and soon spotted a distant bloodstain—the signal they had agreed upon.

"Do you want some cookies?" Aurelia suddenly walked up and meekly offered. "I snatched some from the bar earlier... and you guys didn’t finish your food because of me."

Aurelia...

"No, it’s fine. We can go get some delicious food after we’re done," Neraxis reluctantly replied, making a smile appear on her face.

He felt bad—after all, that smile would soon disappear.

As Neraxis approached the bloodstain, he showed it to Aurelia, who froze on the spot.

However, that wasn’t the worst of it. A good chunk of the forest ahead of them was a complete wasteland, with trees decimated and uprooted, scattered everywhere.

Kael... this is a bit overboard. Neraxis heaved a sigh and returned his gaze toward the trembling Aurelia.

"Seems like a fight happened. Are you alright?"

"I-I’m fine..." she replied in a low voice—clearly not fine at all.

I just hope this is worth it. Neraxis steeled his resolve and proceeded forward.

Soon, he spotted a particular tripwire, which he stepped on immediately.

As he did, Neraxis heard the sound of something being ejected, and in the next moment, a stinging sensation came from his thigh.

Looking down, he spotted an arrow with a fiery tip. The fiery tip melted into his skin, cauterizing the wound and leaving only the pain and the arrow behind.

"Neraxis!" Aurelia’s panicked voice rang out as she ran up to him, trying to support him from falling.

But he decided to avoid her and fell to the ground, grabbing his thigh with a pained expression.

At the same time, he spotted a man wearing an orange jumpsuit, slowly heading toward them. His eyes held a lifeless look.

But this was essentially where their plan started.

"B-Behind you," Neraxis said in a shaky voice, causing Aurelia to turn alert. She turned around, meeting the man’s ferocious yet lifeless gaze.

However, it didn’t last long. Aurelia pulled out her staff and, without a moment’s hesitation, shot a single beam of light at the man, piercing straight through his shoulder.

Huh? Neraxis stared, puzzled.

Aurelia sent out one more beam of light from her staff, effectively killing the prisoner before turning toward Neraxis and stretching out her hand, a slightly blank look on her face.

However, before her hand could reach him, she suddenly halted, trembling as tears started streaming down her face.

"Aurelia!?" Neraxis jumped up, but just as quickly, fell back down due to the arrow in his thigh.

<Did it not work? Should we proceed with the other plan?> Aella’s puzzled voice rang out in his mind.

"No... Stand down. It’s a bit complicated..." he whispered and pulled the arrow from his thigh, quickly tossing it aside.

[Blood vial?] Evangeline questioned, and he nodded.

Immediately, a small vial of blood materialized out of nowhere, and he drank it.

The injury on his thigh healed, and with that, he stood back up, walking over to the trembling Aurelia and tapping her shoulder.

Startled, she turned around. "W-What? Neraxis? B-But your leg...?"

"I’m sorry," he apologized, stretching his hand out. She accepted and stood up.

"Why would you be sorry? I-I mean, it’s not your fault you stepped on the trap," Aurelia said, puzzled.

Neraxis shook his head. "We tried making you overcome your fear of blood. But you handled the situation a bit too... easily."

"Oh..." she fidgeted slightly, avoiding his gaze. "Thank you for caring, but I’m fine. I ca—"

Before she could continue, Neraxis pulled out his sword and, with a single swipe, cut his palm, drawing blood.

Once Aurelia saw the blood droplets, she froze, her eyes widening in shock.

"You’re not fine," Neraxis said, raising his bloody palm to her cheek.

Gazing into her eyes, he stated. "But I want you to be."

However, as Neraxis did that, expecting some sort of reaction, what he got instead was her blank look as she pushed him aside.

"I get that you might want to help, but I don’t need it," Aurelia said coldly—a stark contrast to her earlier meek personality. "So shoo—"

She halted, raising a hand to her forehead and letting out a groan. "Ughh... This is so annoying."

[I can say for certain this is not a split personality disorder,] Evangeline remarked before adding, [If I had to guess, blood is likely some kind of trigger for her memories.]

Noticing the vagueness, he questioned, Are you implying she’s being mind-controlled? I would doubt the government or anyone for that matter did anything to her.

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[They didn’t.] She affirmed, before explaining, [Such cases have happened before in my world. It’s either the result of alchemy or a cursed bloodline.]

...She isn’t a vampire, is she? he couldn’t help but ask.

[Nope. Just observe her more frequently. It would help to determine what the actual cause is. For now, that’s all I can help you with.]

Neraxis nodded in gratitude. It’s enough. I’ll figure out the rest myself.

With that, he returned his gaze to Aurelia, who now was beginning to show signs of her earlier normality, coupled with a little shaking—which he didn’t point out.

"O-Oh? Neraxis? What happened? Is your leg okay?" she asked, running up to him.

"I’m alright. Anyway, do you want to go back now?" Neraxis changed the topic.

Aurelia tilted her head. "Um, sure? But we jus—"

As her gaze traveled to the man she’d killed, her legs trembled. Unlike the times she merely dropped to the ground, this time, she fainted outright.

But before her head hit the cold, hard ground, Neraxis caught her, holding her in a princess carry.

At the same time, the remainder of his party emerged from behind the oak tree, approaching him.

Kael was the first to speak, a frown on his face. "It didn’t work. Why did you even ask me to clear out such a big part of the forest anyway? I literally wasted my time."

"It wasn’t all worthless." Neraxis glanced at Aurelia in his arms before looking back at the group and recited what Evangeline had told him. "Her fear of blood is a bit more complex than I thought. It looks like it’s either the result of alchemy or something related to her bloodline."

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As the word "bloodline" resounded in the air, Celina noticeably stiffened, her eyes slightly widening.

Neraxis caught onto that. "Celina? Do you know something?"

She glanced between him and Aurelia, fidgeting slightly, a conflicted look on her face.

"You see... there were mentions of some sort of cursed bloodline in her family records. I found out after snooping around in her father’s office," Celina said matter-of-factly, raising her brow.

"Elaborate?"

"Of course." She nodded. "According to the books, there used to be some sort of angel who betrayed their divine order, and as punishment, the angel was banished to this world."

Neraxis narrowed his eyes at her explanation. "Angels? Are you saying her light magic aptitude comes from an actual angel?"

"A cursed angel," she corrected before walking closer to him. "But there’s a bit more to this story..."