Chapter 152: Buried Within Dunes

Like a scorching desert with nothing but sand, the attic of Helga's house was buried within dunes of filth and dust. Bridging across the walls were thick layers of spider web. Riddled with long dead insects left to dry, the place had a distinct smell that soured the very air.

The dead rats and their dropping across every creaky step only added to the musk, although, unlike Aria, the Valkyrie didn't seem to mind the smell.

"I'll have to throw this dress away now," however, that didn't mean she had no problems with the mess at all. Her sundress, now covered in cobwebs, and her shoes dirtied by rat droppings, Helga wanted to get out of the place as soon as possible. "Here! Carry this!"

Taking off a piece of cloth from over a pile of boxes, she spiced the air with freshly blown dust.

"What the hell?!" Feeling her mouth growing drier from the dust, Aria tried to hold back from coughing but her attempt didn't last long.

Even Helga, who hadn't quite expected the results of her action was left coughing out dust, and only after it was settled did they manage to move forward. Grabbing the box from the very top, Aria took it downstairs while Helga followed right behind.

"There's a coffee table in my hallroom, put it there and make sure nobody touches it," Helga ordered, her eyes scanning through her dirty clothes.

"And where are you going?" Aria mused and couldn't keep it to her own head.

"To change what else?" Upon hearing that, she felt slightly embarrassed to have missed such an obvious reasoning. But brushing the embarrassment off of her face, she did as Helga told and took the box into the hall room.

'Thank god, I'm wearing armor. Unlike linen, it was no struggle to get things off.' Placing the box on the coffee table with those thoughts, Aria looked around the room, admiring the decor. 'It's smaller on the inside than I expected.'

Though the building was tall, the insides were quite cramped and full of many rooms. Perhaps size was a sacrifice for Helga and her husband, and in return, they had more than enough room for them, and their daughters, and even some space for the dog.

'A couch, a fireplace, and frilly curtains all over, I wonder if her daughter picked the decor?' Looking around at the scribbles, the pencil sketches on the walls, the dark elf was reminded of her own mischievous childhood. Wandering through memories, her eyes looked around yet her mind failed to register any imagery. Instead, lost in her own world, she wondered.

"I knew I couldn't leave them with you," letting go of the dog, the Valkyrie glared down at her daughters. "Go play with the dog before I get the paddle!"

"EKK!" Squeaked the girls, and without wasting a moment, they rushed out of the house with genuine fear in their eyes.

Left alone with the elf, Helga wanted to reprimand her for failing to keep her daughters away from the box. But saving her strength, she decided to untie the past after all.

Sitting down on the couch with Aria standing in front, she quickly opened the box–revealing a pile of dented armor with skulls on shoulder blades, some folded dark clothes, and what appeared to be a book wrapped in a brownish cloth. Setting it all aside, Helga finally pulled out the one thing that could help Aria get rid of those gauntlets.

"Put this on the gloves," tossing a glowing red bottle at Aria, Helga quickly began stuffing the rest of the stuff back inside. "It's a devil pact potion."

"Devil?" The very word drew caution, and almost made Aria put the bottle back inside the box.

Stopping mid-way on stuffing the box, Helga glanced back up at her with her eyes deeply frowned.

"The sacrifice is already made by someone else, the devil will simply grant your wish so that he can finally have the soul inches from his grasp," flashes of her crimes from the holy wars imbued themselves anew. Forcing the enemies to give up their souls for a merciful death, Helga was one of the few allowed to make such underhanded deals with the devils.

"How did you even get your hands on something like this?" Asked Aria, her expression overtaken with confusion.

"By getting my own hands dirty," closing the box shut, Helga got up from the couch. "Like I told you before, no mercy for the enemy for they will have none. Now, get outta my house!"

Walking out of the hall room, haunted by the ghost of her past, the Valkyrie headed straight for the wine glasses to ease her heart a little. However, in her rush, she'd made a mistake, one that would haunt her the moment she realizes what she'd done.

'The book...' Staring at the book tucked beside the couch cushions, Aria's fingers tingle to swipe it off and run away. 'Fuck it! I'm taking it!'

And that's how the book of Unholy Grace ended up with a curious dark elf.