The water of the Hot Springs bubbled beneath them and the bursting of the forming bubbles as well as the light sounds the steam made were the only things to break up the silence that descended.
Evian smiled as though patiently waiting for the Baroness to start up conversations and she did.
"For how long have you known?" she asked as her lips split into an even wider smile.
Evian raised a brow,
"Oh? You're admitting so quickly?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Karenssa asked, waving him off before swimming closer, "I ~wanted~ you to find out, after all? I thought I gave you enough clues..."
"Clues?" Evan asked, with no knowledge of such.
"Of course. They were subtle but they were there and then I told you how long Angus and I had been married; Two Months..."
"As long as Kalkao has been getting attacked," Evian said with a nod.
"Exactly. I thought that was as good as just coming out with a confession but I had to risk it.
From the moment I saw you, I felt great potential from you and I'm glad you weren't too slow to the uptake. Can't have my future ally be a dunce, now can I?"
"Ally?" Evian repeated the most attention-grabbing word that had left the Baroness' lips and then let out a chuckle, "What makes you think I would ally with you?"
"Oh come off it. This is one topic I will not allow you to play hard to get in."
"I'm not playing hard to get this time. I'm just not interested." Evian said, shaking his head.
"You're not?" Karenssa asked while licking her lips and thrusting her heaving breasts towards Evian's face.
She began to exude Eldritch energy but there was something about it... It felt tainted-- Tainted with Spiritual Energy.
"I'm not," Evian said, "Seems like more trouble than it's worth."
"Is this about your mission?"
"It is," Evian said. Of course, there was more to it most notable of it all being that Karenssa gave him the creeps and he did not feel at all interested in mixing with her. It wasn't even about her intentions... He just found her-- lacking.
Karenssa retained her smile and the annoyance of being rejected by Evian had melted away in the face of new information so she continued,
"You know, when I first saw you, I could immediately tell what you are. Pure Spiritual-energy breathers might be unable to sense it but I can... I can sense the purity of your Eldritch energy. You are composed completely of it to the point where it comes off like an aura and yet you have retained this look."
"Pardon?" Evian said, his brow rising a few inches up his forehead as the conversation appeared to take a vain turn.
"Eldritch energy is powerful but it's Decadent. No one powered by it remains unchanged physically and yet, here you stand, an absolute Adonis, rousing my desires more than any human male ever could..."
"Eldritch energy... What's that?" Evian asked, looking confused.
"Hahaha. I thought you'd run immediately got free," Karenssa said.
Evian smiled lightly,
"You're strong but nowhere near strong enough for me to consider retreat. Not yet at least."
"Hmm, I'm glad you didn't run at least. I still want you," Karenssa said, getting to her feet as well, water dripping off her body as she brought the tip of her fingers to her lips and licked off Evian's blood that stained them.
"Well, you can't have me," Evian said, getting into a combat stance, a Spearhead directed at Karenssa.
"Oh, I'm sure I can and I will. You suspected what I was but you told no one... Clearly you wanted a chance to cooperate."
"Tell someone? Haha, like who, your Husband? I can easily tell you have that bald fool wrapped around your repulsive finger.
You could have kissed me right in front of him and he wouldn't have cared, the gigantic cuck that he is."
"Cuck? Now that's a bit harsh, don't you think?" Karenssa asked, taking her time with her licking of each blood-tipped finger at a time.
"Oh, but that's exactly what he is. The one who advised him to lift the Curfew, that was you, wasn't it?"
Karenssa shrugged,
"The Curfew was making things difficult. I mean, I wanted to take things slow, Create a Legend that would live on after this City was gone and I moved on to bigger, stronger targets but that Curfew was making things go TOO SLOW.
Anyway,
Angus will do whatever I want him to do... A simple ensnaring spell goes a long way after all.
So Evian, what are you going to do now?"
"What do you mean?"
"You might be resourceful and a being of pure Eldritch Decadence but you're still absolutely no match for me be it in speed or strength... You're alone."
Evian paused and then he cocked his head. Karenssa did the same and then when her eyes widened in surprise, Evian chuckled,
"Correction... I WAS alone."
*Whoosh*
So powerful was the wind-piercing of Zayda's Movement with the speed she possessed as a Knight Order at the Sixth Order that it was heard powerfully as she ran up the wall and landed in the Spring between Evian and Karenssa, glaring at the Baroness.
The Squad Commander drew her sword menacingly,
"'Pure Eldritch Decadence' is surely not information I expected to hear while seeking voyeuristic thrill and Evian, we shall discuss it...
... Right after we deal with this Threat to the Kingdom."