Chapter 119: Let's go on a date
Katharina was trembling with fury upon learning that... Vergil hadn't just pursued one woman but two—and one of them was her own mother!
"I just need to kill him, don't I? If I can't have him all to myself, then I'll kill him so no one else can have him either..." she muttered, gnawing on her nails, which were no longer the perfectly manicured ones she once prided herself on—they were ruined, bitten down to the quick.
"Don't you think you're overthinking this, Katharina?" Roxanne asked, her tone casual as she savored a slice of chocolate cake with colorful sprinkles, a surprisingly ordinary treat considering her sweet tooth.
"Overthinking?!" Katharina exclaimed, nearly yelling at the girl who continued to enjoy her dessert unbothered.
"She's right—you do overthink," Ada chimed in, surprisingly seated next to Roxanne, also indulging in a slice of cake.
"Even you?!" Katharina turned to Ada, her voice a mix of disbelief and frustration.
"Well, I was annoyed when I saw him kissing my mother, but... honestly? At least he seems capable of putting her in her place and breaking that 'Absolute Sword' mentality of hers. That's kind of a relief," Ada said with a shrug.
Unlike Katharina, who was possessive and knew Vergil as her own because of her yandere tendencies, Ada had taken a more thoughtful approach. Initially, she had been uneasy about Vergil's actions, but over time, she accepted it. Why? Because she didn't have concrete reasons to feel otherwise. While Katharina seethed with jealousy and possessiveness, Ada was simply a woman who had been caught in the whirlwind of a triple marriage. Despite now loving her husband more than anything in the world, she chose to protect him from those with ill intentions rather than dwell on her solitary mother's newfound companionship.
"I'm really all alone..." Katharina murmured, sighing as she sank into the sofa in her room while the others continued to enjoy their sweets.
"I just wanted a little bit of attention... He only cares about my mother..." she muttered, absentmindedly playing with her hair.
"Who?"
"Vergil. He's been spending so much time with my mother that I'm starting to think he's given up on me..." she replied, her tone tinged with melancholy.
"Well, there was that whole problem with the guy who tried to steal Ada," Roxanne pointed out. "He couldn't stop training with Sapphire until he learned enough to get his wife back."
Still staring into the distance, Katharina responded, "I know... but I feel so alone. He hasn't been giving me any attention, and it's frustrating." She clenched her fists tightly, only to feel a large hand gently stroking her head.
"You could've just said something," Vergil, who had been there listening to her for some time, said as he played with her fiery red hair.
"V-Vergil?! How long have you been here?!" she stammered, her face flushing red with embarrassment after realizing she had been talking about her husband—to him!
"Huh? Didn't I say we were going on a date?" Vergil asked, genuinely puzzled. "I thought you'd already gotten ready. I distinctly remember saying something like that," he added, as if a cloud of question marks hovered around his head.
Katharina froze, her face shifting between surprise, embarrassment, and a glimmer of hopeful disbelief. "A-a date?! Are you serious?"
Vergil raised an eyebrow, still looking confused. "Of course I am. Why are you so surprised? I thought you'd been waiting for this."
She blinked several times, his words echoing in her mind as if her brain refused to fully process them. "I... I just... I didn't think you'd remember."
Vergil sighed, gently ruffling her hair with more affection. "Katharina, I never forgot. I've just been... a bit busy." He hesitated, searching for the right words. "But that doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about you. I know it's been hard, but I'm here now. Just the two of us, without anyone else interfering."
Katharina felt a knot in her chest begin to unravel, but her natural stubbornness held her back. "And my mother? She's always around. And Ada... and now Viviane, too... How am I supposed to compete with that?"
Vergil let out a low laugh, leaning in to look directly into her eyes. "Compete? Don't be ridiculous. You don't have to compete with anyone, Katharina. You're unique, and that's more than enough."
His words made her heart skip a beat, but before she could respond, Roxanne interrupted the moment with her usual nonchalance. "What a lovely scene. Are you two going to kiss now, or can I finish my cake in peace?"
Ada chuckled softly beside her, but Katharina quickly grabbed a pillow and hurled it at Roxanne, who dodged with ease. "Shut up, you nosy brat!"
Vergil only smiled, standing up and extending a hand to Katharina. "Shall we? I think a walk will do us some good."
She hesitated for a moment before taking his hand, feeling the familiar sense of security only Vergil could provide. As they walked out of the room, Roxanne and Ada watched from afar, small smiles playing on their faces.
"Well, it seems like that yandere lunatic found a bit of peace," Ada remarked, taking another bite of cake.
"For now," Roxanne replied with a playful tone. "But who knows how long that'll last?"
Now walking through the grand hallways of the mansion, hand in hand, Katharina and Vergil strolled in comfortable silence.
"What would you like to do?" Vergil asked, breaking the quiet, his calm voice making Katharina's heart race.
"I... I don't know much about dates," she mumbled shyly, a stark contrast to the fiery, lion-like persona she displayed around others. With Vergil, she was more like a helpless kitten.
"I see..." Vergil murmured thoughtfully.
"I'm sorry..." Katharina's quiet apology caught him off guard. He quickly turned to face her and saw something that made him pause—Katharina looking absolutely adorable. Her face was bright red, and she was trying not to meet his gaze. Vergil couldn't help but laugh.
"It's fine. Honestly, I've never really been on a proper date either. Although I have—"
"Don't talk about your experiences with other women," Katharina interrupted, her eyes piercing into him with a fiery glare that seemed capable of swallowing him whole.
Vergil raised his hands in surrender, a playful smile dancing on his lips. "Alright, alright. No stories from the past. Today is all about you and me, Katharina."
She mumbled something inaudible, her face still as red as an apple. "It's better that way..." she murmured, looking away. Despite her efforts to hide it, a small smile began to creep onto her lips.
Vergil leaned in slightly, close enough to tease. "So, my dear lioness, what would you like to do? I won't make any decisions without you."
Katharina frowned, crossing her arms in an attempt to look firm, though the timid glimmer in her eyes betrayed her. "I already told you, I don't know... I've never been on a date before. Just... decide something yourself."
"Hmmm..." Vergil pretended to think deeply, stroking his chin with exaggerated flair. "How about something simple to start? A walk in a beautiful place? Maybe dinner somewhere special?"
She seemed to consider this for a moment, biting her lower lip lightly. "A walk..." she murmured, as if testing the words. "I suppose that's... acceptable."
Vergil chuckled softly, holding his hand out to her. "A walk it is. But for that, you'll have to hold my hand. You know, it's tradition on dates."
Katharina glanced at him, clearly hesitating. For a moment, it seemed like she might refuse, but then, with a resigned sigh and an even redder face, she took his hand. "Don't think this means anything."
"Of course, of course," Vergil replied, though the satisfied smile on his face said otherwise.
As they walked, Katharina gradually found herself relaxing, feeling the warmth of Vergil's hand holding hers. For a brief moment, she glanced at his face, noticing the calm serenity in his expression. "Vergil..."
"Hm?"
"Thank you for... for giving me attention today," she murmured.
Vergil stopped walking, turning to face her with a serious yet gentle look. "Katharina, you never need to thank me for something like that. You're important to me. I want you to know that."
His words tightened something in her chest, and for a moment, she didn't know how to respond. Instead, she simply squeezed his hand tighter, as if that alone could convey what she felt. And for now, it was enough.
Descending the grand staircase with Katharina by his side, their steps echoed off the marble of the mansion. She still held his hand, though her clumsy attempts to appear indifferent were obvious.
She was clearly playing hard to get.
On the lower floor, Novah, the ever-stoic maid, was busy arranging books on a tall shelf. At the sound of footsteps, she looked up and adjusted her glasses. "Is there an issue?"
"Not exactly," Vergil replied, stopping in front of her. "Send us to Paris." His voice was commanding, as always.
Novah sighed heavily, as though she was more than accustomed to receiving such orders. "Paris? Any particular reason, or is this just a whim of the moment?"
"A date," he said nonchalantly, causing Katharina to cough in surprise, her face flushing an even deeper shade of crimson.
"Oh, I see, the children—" Novah began, but when she caught the sharp look from Vergil, she froze. After a moment, she merely arched an eyebrow slightly and raised her hand. She began tracing glowing lines in the air, elegant shapes quickly forming into a spinning magical circle. Energy filled the space, casting crimson reflections across the mansion walls.
"Don't wait for us," Vergil said, stepping forward and pulling Katharina with him.
Novah crossed her arms, watching as they disappeared into the portal. "I really need to watch my tongue... One of these days, it's going to get cut if I call him a child again. Child, my foot... he's already involved with two Demon Queens and three heiresses," she muttered with a touch of sarcasm before returning to her work.