[Book of Eros] Chapter 60 - Two weeks ago: Looking for Valerie Dexter. (Patreon)

Spain was a beautiful country, and Delilah Wisler wished she had the time to take in the sights more. But she didn’t. Leonardo had contacted her with an urgent message. The possibility of the Book being tampered with never crossed her mind. She had an idea of how to deal with that, but now was the time to focus on something else, something that had to be done as soon as possible instead of later when she returned to the island. If they were now under a time limit, she didn’t have the luxury of introducing Leonardo to new girls one by one. The boy would feel pressured, she knew, but there was no helping it. Delilah would have to return to the island with more women in tow, and she was now in Spain for the first of them.

She was granted permission to enter the gym of a school in Madrid. The sound of running, shouting and a single bouncing basketball echoed in the ample building. While the students were in the middle of a match, Delilah moved to the gallery, where a man in his forties was sitting and looking down at the students playing.

“I trust I’m not late?” Delilah asked with a polite smile. Her Spanish, just like her English, was fluent and perfectly understandable. The research she’d had to do to create the Book of Eros had forced her to learn several languages. A daunting task back then, but a worthwhile one now.

“I’m sorry to make you come all the way here. I should’ve met you in a more appropriate place,” the man answered apologetically.

“But you wanted me to see her in action, correct?”

“That’s right,” the man nodded.

Delilah sat next to the man and turned her attention to the court. The girl was easy to spot thanks to her dyed red hair. She had a very athletic, slim frame which was only a matter of course. The girl ran and dribbled the ball past three opponents, completely uncontested before shooting for a three-pointer with flawless form. The teacher down next to the court announced the new score as 31-4 in favor of the redhead’s team. She let out a breath and turned around like nothing had happened.

“The other team are the local champions from another school. They placed 2nd at nationals, too.” the man chuckled humorlessly. “Worst thing is she’s not even trying. That’s just how big the gap is between her and her peers.”

Valerie Dexter. Her Gift was the complete and perfect control of her body. Most, if not all people need extensive practice to get their bodies used to certain movements. Shooting a basketball, swinging a baseball bat, kicking a football, keeping form while running, you name it. Valerie, however, had the Gift of perfectly controlling her body with reaction speeds that put world records to shame. This made her able to grasp any physical-related activity in mere minutes.

“Valerie is not part of the basketball club. They just asked her to participate to give them a chance against the other team,” Valerie’s father said. “She barely plays basketball, even.” Yet despite his words, the man didn’t sound either proud or happy for his daughter.

“I’d like to have a chat with her before we decide anything,” Delilah said.

“Of course, Mrs. Wisler.”

Delilah watched Valerie with interest. Her speed, technique and even stamina were several levels above the rest of the people in the court. So much so that it was clear even to her, who knew very little of sports. But she wasn’t interested in her skills. What Delilah paid attention to were her expressions, because no matter how many points she scored or how much her teammates praised her, Valerie never smiled.

***

When the game was over, Valerie’s father waved for her to come to them. The girl made her way to the gallery, standing in front of her father yet looking at Delilah with curiosity.

“Valerie, this is Delilah Wisler. She’s an important acquaintance. She wants to talk to you, so listen carefully and be respectful, you hear?” Without a word, Valerie nodded and her father left them alone for the moment.

Giving her a closer look, Delilah thought she looked cuter in person than in her photo. She had slightly freckled face, pale-ish skin and sharp, amber eyes. Her shoulder-length hair, cut into a spiky crop, was naturally black, but most of it was dyed dark red. Her athletic figure made her generous bust stand out all the more, even in the basketball shirt.

“I’m sorry for the sudden visit, dear. I saw the match. It was impressive,” Delilah praised.

“It wasn’t,” Valerie answered, barely managing to suppress a scoff as her eyes turned back to the court. “It was nothing to write home about.”

“Is that so? I thought you did so much better than everyone else.”

“The coach told me to hold back after the first 15 points. Said he didn’t want me to embarrass the national runner-ups.”

Over the years, Delilah had honed her already powerful gift to a level that could easily be confused with mind reading. The subtle and unintentional expressions in Valerie’s face told her all she needed to know. The wrinkle in her brow, the weight on her eyelids, the faint pressing of her lips, her tense shoulders. It wasn’t exhaustion from playing. Her physical condition was nothing so fragile. No, this was something dangerously simple.

“What’s got you so angry, dear?” Delilah asked. “Is it just that you’ve lost all drive?”

Valerie jolted back, eyes wide. “The hell!?”

“I think I hit the nail in the head. But there’s something more…” Delilah tried reading a little deeper, but she needed Valerie to give her something to read. “Do you have a boyfriend, Ms. Valerie?”

“E-EH!? W-W-Why do you care!?” Blushing cheeks were a normal enough reaction at a question like that, but the aggravated and wounded tone weren’t. Did she take that as a personal insult? Ah. A late bloomer, then. If so, her demeanor made sense.

“I see,” Delilah sighed. “You’re running into motivational issues while your body is just now starting to realize what it wants but can’t have. Your anger is perfectly understandable.”

“…Who the hell are you, lady?” Valerie asked, taken aback. Her eyes tried to remain firm while they looked at her with a modicum of fear. Delilah didn’t take offense to it. In fact, it was good to see the girl had enough common sense to question what happened around her. Her reactions reminded her of how Leonardo had been at first.

“Delilah Wisler, dear. Currently the oldest member of a dying clan that shares your pain. I want you to come with me back to Japan. There, you’ll meet people who I’m sure will be able to rekindle your lost passion, and make you feel that which you crave.”

“Stop speaking in riddles, dammit…” Valerie said, holding her head as if being trying to hold back a headache.

“It’s no riddle, Ms. Valerie,” Delilah chuckled. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Valerie pursed her lips and remained silent for a moments as she let everything sink in. They moved went back to her house when school was over, and with her father backing Delilah’s words, she explained the situation as clearly as she could. It only took Valerie a couple of days to accept the invitation.