Divine Emperor of Death

"Marvelous~" Davis echoed in a heartfelt light but then his eyes narrowed.

"Wait?! You said that this was your most proud work, right?"

Natalya became stiff as her head denied to move and her mouth refused to speak. She abruptly realized what he was going to ask.

"Then that must mean that there are more... Quick, show them all!" Davis exclaimed as if he were seething with excitement.

Inwardly, he became extremely heartened.

"A-All?" Natalya blinked her eyes as she became dumbfounded.

A crimson hue appeared on her cheeks as she shook her head.

"Come on, Natalya... Didn't you draw all this to show me one day?" Davis acted as if he were sad as his face withered.

Natalya bit her lips as she felt bad. She couldn't help but quickly give in, "Alright..."

"But promise that me you will close your eyes until I say otherwise..."

Just when Davis nodded his head, she added, "You should seal your senses as well! All your senses..."

"Haha, alright..." 

Davis couldn't understand why she was getting all this shy for but he agreed to her anyway.

'Perhaps she drew a nude version of me, no?' Even Davis felt like laughing at his own thought.

'Or did she really do that...' Somehow, he really doubted this point.

Half a minute passed before a meek voice echoed.

"Y-You can open your eyes n-now~"

Davis opened his eyes with a smile but then his smile waned.

In front of his view, hundreds of portraits filled his sight. 

Hundred and seventy-eight to be exact.

There were many portraits of close-up look over his face from different angles. There were some other eye-catching ones as well.

In a portrait, three people were seen to be trembling with fear, prostrating themselves before him. It depicted the moment he suppressed the three Fiora Family members with his Soul Suppression Art and killed them with a mysterious method.

There was another one with Natalya facing her back in the portrait, looking at his figure with a longing gaze.

There were also ones that made no sense such as him flying towards the moon, splitting the earth, and severing the clouds leading the path to the heavens.

Looking at all these portraits, Davis could only blink in shock.

Suddenly, he didn't know what to say as he became speechless.

Hundred and seventy-eight portraits, including the two he had previously seen before. The amount of work and detail done to the portraits were obvious to his naked eyes. The portraits looked as if being seemingly worked on for more than a day each!

A day's amount of work to a cultivator in painting... Perhaps it could reach a hundred portraits within the same day...

However, these were lifelike portraits that took much time and soul.

If he guessed carefully, then it became clear that in those four or five years, she at least spent half a year, drawing portraits of him.

Normally, obsession is something that would wane with time. Natalya should've forgotten about him after he had left her, even if she had longing towards him.

But now, he finally knew why Natalya was so obsessed and adamant in becoming his woman! 

She had been constantly reminding herself of him by drawing portraits of him throughout the year, looking and adding fine details, becoming obsessed with his face and figure, wanting to make him hers...

Somehow, he could see it! This might be the prime cause of her obsession with him!

'That's right... Otherwise, she, a woman with strict moral values, wouldn't have been so desperate as to throw herself to me...'

Davis smacked his lips as he felt extremely complicated. He looked around and saw that she wasn't visible beside the array of portraits that covered his view.

"Natalya?" He called out.

He extended his senses and saw that she was behind the sea of portraits, feeling embarrassed to even show her face as she placed her palms over her face.

Davis let out a sigh as he understood her thoughts.

The typical reaction that he would show is to become disgusted with her actions.

One work of you, you'll be happy.

Two or more works, you'll be flattered.

However, when it reaches the level of obsession with works of you reaching over the numbers in a hundred, you'll be disoriented, confused, perhaps even disgusted, especially when it is an acquaintance whom you thought to be a good friend.

Of course, there's always eccentrics, like people who will be even more ecstatic over learning this fact, even people who will take this as a sign and make a move on the person.

Davis didn't need to because Natalya was already his...

But since she was precisely his did he feel complicated...

Somewhere in his mind, he always thought of her as someone whom he could discard if something untoward happened.

But now, his feelings were starting to change. 

At least, in his heart, there was a whirlpool of affection for Natalya starting to take form. He indeed became moved by this level of dedication that Natalya had shown him, even if it could be considered unhealthy in a sense.

But to him, it was not unhealthy at all!

Because of these portraits, he got to know how deep her love ran for him!

Davis took a deep breath and calmed himself down.

'Four months... I've been treating her like a disposable mistress... To make it sound even worse, I've been treating her like my bitch...' 

A wry smile emerged on his face, 'Perhaps once a scum, you're always a scum...'

"Isn't that right, Natalya?" He chuckled.

On the other side of the portrait, Natalya blinked wondering what he was asking but then she was suddenly embraced from behind as she let out a yelp!

"Eek!~"

Her face instantly became red, thinking that he was going to do her from behind as he did in the past. She bit her lips and closed her eyes but nothing happened.

Instead, she heard his sweet whisper right beside her ear.

"I'm taking you home."

Natalya's heart skipped a beat.

=======

Agis Stirlander walked around the main garden. He passed by the myriad of herbs planted over to the side and above as he smelled the fragrance in addiction. He finally saw a person fiddling with the herbs over the side with a smile on his face.

Agis Stirlander's body became taut before he clasped his hands, "Esteemed Alchemist Yen!"

A short beard and a curve on his lips that formed upon looking at those herbs. He wore a seven starred purple-colored Alchemist Robe. The seventh star was not dull but instead was normal, not shiny or bright like the previous stars.

A Mid-Level King Grade Alchemist!

Alchemist Yen's gaze moved first before his body turned towards Agis Stirlander. He revealed an amiable smile on his face, "There is nothing to worry about, young Agis. This week, three intruders have been taken care of us."

"Alchemist Yen. I don't know what to say..."

Alchemist Yen raised his palm, "Stop it, Agis. We all know how you're loyal to the Third Prince. As the head subordinate of the Third Prince, how can I not help you when I heard that you were in danger."

"If the Third Prince was not in seclusion, he would've personally looked into who is behind these recent attempts but unfortunately, we're unable to as all those intruders who tried to entered tried to kill themselves the moment they've been apprehended."

Agis Stirlander sighed.

"Sigh... I did not expect I would touch catch the interests of this many people. I thought my investigations were airtight but it still leaked..."

Hearing Agis Stirlander's reason, Alchemist Yen became confused.

"Investigations? What investigation?"